Gaming phones are a niche category of smartphones that cater to the needs of mobile gamers who want the best performance, display, and features for their gaming experience. Among the various gaming phone brands, Black Shark is one of the most popular and innovative ones, offering devices that combine high-end hardware with a distinctive design and software.
The Black Shark 5 Pro is the latest flagship model from the company, released in April 2021. It is a successor to the Black Shark 4 Pro, which was launched in March 2020. The Black Shark 5 Pro boasts some impressive specifications and features that make it a formidable gaming phone, such as:
- A 6.67-inch OLED display with a 144Hz refresh rate, HDR10+ support, and a 720Hz touch sampling rate.
- A Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 chipset, which is one of the most powerful processors available for smartphones.
- Up to 16GB of LPDDR5 RAM and up to 512GB of UFS 3.1/NVMe SSD storage, which offer fast performance and ample space for games and apps.
- A triple rear camera setup consisting of a 108MP main camera, a 13MP ultra-wide-angle camera, and a 5MP telephoto macro camera.
- A 16MP front-facing camera for selfies and video calls.
- A 4650mAh battery that supports 120W fast charging, which can fully charge the phone in just 15 minutes.
- A side-mounted fingerprint scanner, NFC, stereo speakers, and a USB Type-C port.
- A metal frame and a glass back with a unique design that features an X-shaped pattern and an RGB logo.
- Physical pop-up gaming triggers on the right edge of the phone, which can be customized for different games and functions.
- A dedicated gaming mode called Shark Space, which optimizes the performance, network, and battery settings for gaming.
- A custom Android 12-based operating system called Joy UI 13, which offers some gaming-related features and customization options.
In this article, we will review the Black Shark 5 Pro in detail and compare it with its predecessor, the Black Shark 4 Pro, as well as some of its competitors in the gaming phone market. We will also discuss the price and availability of the device in different regions. By the end of this article, you should have a clear idea of whether the Black Shark 5 Pro is the right gaming phone for you or not.
Table of Contents
Design and Display
The Black Shark 5 Pro has a striking design that sets it apart from other smartphones. The phone has a metal frame that curves around the edges and a glass back that has an X-shaped pattern that reflects light in different colors. The back also has an RGB logo that can be customized to display different colors and effects. The logo can also sync with some games and apps to create a more immersive experience.
The phone measures 163.9 x 76.5 x 9.5 mm and weighs 220 grams, making it slightly thicker and heavier than the average smartphone. However, this is understandable given the large battery and cooling system that the phone has. The phone also feels solid and sturdy in the hand, thanks to the premium materials used.
On the right side of the phone, there are two physical buttons: a power button that doubles as a fingerprint scanner and a volume rocker. There are also two pop-up triggers that can be used for gaming. These triggers are hidden inside the frame when not in use and can be activated by pressing a small button on the top edge of the phone. The triggers can be mapped to different functions in different games, such as shooting, aiming, jumping, etc. They offer tactile feedback and responsiveness that enhance the gaming experience.
On the left side of the phone, there is a SIM card tray that can hold two nano-SIM cards. There is no microSD card slot on this phone, so you cannot expand the storage beyond what is built-in. On the bottom edge of the phone, there is a USB Type-C port that supports data transfer, charging, and video output. There is no 3.5mm headphone jack on this phone, so you will need to use wireless headphones or an adapter if you want to listen to audio with wired headphones.
The front of the phone is dominated by a large 6.67-inch OLED display that has thin bezels on all sides except for the bottom chin. The display has a resolution of 1080 x 2400 pixels, a 20:9 aspect ratio, and a pixel density of 395 ppi. The display supports a 144Hz refresh rate, which means that it can display up to 144 frames per second, making the animations and transitions smoother and more fluid. The display also supports HDR10+, which means that it can display a wider range of colors and contrast levels, making the images more vivid and realistic.
The display has a 720Hz touch sampling rate, which means that it can register up to 720 touches per second, making it more responsive and accurate. The display also has an always-on feature, which allows you to see the time, date, battery level, and notifications without waking up the phone. The display is protected by Corning Gorilla Glass 6, which is resistant to scratches and drops.
The display quality of the Black Shark 5 Pro is excellent, as it offers sharp details, vibrant colors, high brightness, and wide viewing angles. The display is also well-calibrated, as it has accurate colors and contrast levels. The display is suitable for gaming, as it offers a smooth and immersive experience. The display is also good for watching videos, browsing the web, and reading texts.
Performance and Battery
The Black Shark 5 Pro is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 chipset, which is one of the most powerful processors available for smartphones. The Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 is based on a 4nm process technology and has an octa-core CPU that consists of one Cortex-X2 core clocked at 3.0 GHz, three Cortex-A710 cores clocked at 2.5 GHz, and four Cortex-A510 cores clocked at 1.8 GHz. The chipset also has an Adreno 730 GPU that handles the graphics performance.
The Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 is a significant upgrade over the Snapdragon 870 that powered the Black Shark 4 Pro, as it offers higher clock speeds, better efficiency, and improved performance. The Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 is also comparable to the Snapdragon 888 that powers some of the other flagship phones in the market, such as the Samsung Galaxy S21 series and the OnePlus 9 series.
The Black Shark 5 Pro comes with up to 16GB of LPDDR5 RAM and up to 512GB of UFS 3.1/NVMe SSD storage. The RAM offers fast data transfer and multitasking performance, while the storage offers fast read and write speeds and ample space for games and apps. The phone also uses a DM Cache technology that combines the UFS 3.1 and NVMe SSD storage to improve the random read and write performance significantly. Additionally, the phone can use the RAM to create a RAM disk for occasions when even faster storage is required.
The performance of the Black Shark 5 Pro is outstanding, as it can handle any task or game with ease. The phone can run demanding games at high graphics settings and frame rates without any lag or stutter. The phone can also multitask smoothly and switch between apps quickly without any delay or reload. The phone can also perform well in benchmarks, as it scores high in various tests such as AnTuTu, Geekbench, GFXBench, etc.
The Black Shark 5 Pro has a dual vapor chamber cooling system that helps to dissipate the heat generated by the processor and other components. The cooling system consists of two vapor chambers that cover both sides of the phone (4,323 mm + 997 mm) and have a total area of more than five square centimeters. The cooling system also has thermal gel pads that help to transfer heat from the hot spots to the vapor chambers.
The cooling system of the Black Shark 5 Pro is effective, as it helps to keep the phone cool even under heavy load or prolonged gaming sessions. The phone does not overheat or throttle significantly even when running intensive games or benchmarks. The phone also does not feel too hot or uncomfortable in the hand even when gaming for long periods.
The Black Shark 5 Pro has a large 4650mAh battery that supports 120W fast charging. The battery capacity is slightly lower than the Black Shark 4 Pro’s 4500mAh battery, but still enough to provide decent battery life for moderate to heavy usage. The battery can last for a full day of mixed usage or around six hours of continuous gaming on a single charge.
The fast charging feature of the Black Shark 5 Pro is impressive, as it can fully charge the battery in just 15 minutes using the included charger and cable. This means that you can quickly top up your battery whenever you need without having to wait for long. The fast charging feature also has a temperature control mode that slows down the charging speed to around 24 minutes to prevent the phone from overheating or damaging the battery. The phone also supports 10W reverse wireless charging, which allows you to charge other devices such as headphones or smartwatches using the phone’s battery.
Camera and Audio
The Black Shark 5 Pro has a triple rear camera setup that consists of a 108MP main camera, a 13MP ultra-wide-angle camera, and a 5MP telephoto macro camera. The main camera has a Samsung ISOCELL HM3 sensor that has a 1/1.33-inch size and a 0.8µm pixel size. The main camera also has an f/1.8 aperture, a 26mm focal length, phase detection autofocus (PDAF), laser autofocus (LAF), optical image stabilization (OIS), and a dual-LED flash. The main camera can capture detailed and sharp photos in various lighting conditions, with accurate colors and exposure levels. The main camera can also record 8K videos at 30fps, 4K videos at 30/60fps, or 1080p videos at 30/60/240fps.
The ultra-wide-angle camera has a Sony IMX663 sensor that has a 1/3.06-inch size and a 1.12µm pixel size. The ultra-wide-angle camera also has an f/2.2 aperture, a 16mm focal length, and a 123-degree field of view. The ultra-wide-angle camera can capture more of the scene in one shot, with minimal distortion or loss of quality. The ultra-wide-angle camera can also record 4K videos at 30fps or 1080p videos at 30/60fps.
The telephoto macro camera has an OmniVision OV05A10 sensor that has a 1/5-inch size and a 1.12µm pixel size. The telephoto macro camera also has an f/2.4 aperture, a 50mm focal length, and PDAF. The telephoto macro camera can capture close-up shots of small objects or details, with good clarity and focus. The telephoto macro camera can also record 1080p videos at 30fps.
The Black Shark 5 Pro also has a 16MP front-facing camera that has an OmniVision OV16A10 sensor that has a 1/3-inch size and a 1µm pixel size. The front-facing camera also has an f/2.0 aperture, a fixed focus, and HDR support. The front-facing camera can capture decent selfies and portraits, with good skin tones and facial details. The front-facing camera can also record 1080p videos at 30fps.
The camera quality of the Black Shark 5 Pro is good, but not exceptional, as it is not the main focus of the phone. The phone can take nice photos and videos in most situations, but it may struggle in some scenarios such as low-light, zoom, or dynamic range. The phone also lacks some features that are common in other flagship phones, such as night mode, portrait mode, or optical zoom.
The Black Shark 5 Pro has stereo speakers that are located on the top and bottom edges of the phone. The speakers are tuned by DTS:X Ultra and offer loud and clear sound quality, with good bass and treble levels. The speakers are suitable for gaming, as they can create a surround sound effect that enhances the immersion and realism. The speakers are also good for listening to music or watching videos, as they can deliver rich and balanced audio output.
The Black Shark 5 Pro also supports Bluetooth 5.2 and aptX HD codecs, which allow you to connect wireless headphones or speakers to the phone and enjoy high-quality wireless audio streaming. The phone also supports Wi-Fi Direct and Miracast technologies, which allow you to cast your screen or audio to compatible devices such as TVs or speakers.
Software and Features
The Black Shark 5 Pro runs on Joy UI 13, which is a custom Android-based operating system developed by Black Shark. Joy UI is based on Android 12 and offers some gaming-related features and customization options that are not available in stock Android.
One of the main features of Joy UI is Shark Space, which is a dedicated gaming mode that can be activated by flipping a switch on the right side of the phone. Shark Space optimizes the performance, network, and battery settings for gaming and blocks any notifications or calls that may interrupt your gaming session. Shark Space also gives you access to various gaming tools such as:
- Game Dock: A floating toolbar that lets you adjust the brightness, volume, refresh rate, touch sensitivity, fan speed, RGB logo effects, etc.
- Game Assistant: A menu that lets you access the game settings, screen recording, screen capture, voice chat, etc.
- Game Stats: A dashboard that shows you the real-time information about the CPU, GPU, RAM, battery, temperature, network, etc.
- Game Library: A collection of all the games installed on your phone, with recommendations and updates.
- Game Center: A platform that lets you join or create gaming communities, chat with other gamers, watch live streams, etc.
Another feature of Joy UI is Theme Park, which is a customization tool that lets you change the appearance and behavior of your phone. Theme Park lets you choose from various themes, wallpapers, icons, fonts, animations, sounds, etc. You can also create your own themes or download themes from other users.
Joy UI also has some other features that are useful for both gaming and general usage, such as:
- Smart Gesture: A feature that lets you perform various actions by drawing gestures on the screen, such as launching apps, taking screenshots, etc.
- Smart Scene: A feature that lets you create different scenarios based on the time, location, or events, and automatically adjust the settings and actions accordingly.
- Smart Voice: A feature that lets you control your phone with voice commands, such as opening apps, playing music, making calls, etc.
- Smart Manager: A feature that lets you manage the battery, storage, memory, security, and permissions of your phone.
The software experience of the Black Shark 5 Pro is smooth and stable, as it runs on the latest Android version and has no major bugs or issues. The software also offers a lot of customization and optimization options that can enhance your gaming and general usage. However, the software also has some drawbacks, such as:
- The software has some bloatware and ads that may be annoying or intrusive.
- The software has some features that are redundant or unnecessary, such as the Game Center or Smart Voice.
- The software has some features that are missing or incomplete, such as the night mode or portrait mode for the camera.
Price and Availability
The Black Shark 5 Pro is available in two variants: 12GB RAM + 256GB storage and 16GB RAM + 512GB storage. The phone is available in two colors: Black Storm and Silver Wing. The phone is priced at:
| Region | Price |
|---|---|
| China | CNY 4,999 (~$770) for 12GB/256GB; CNY 5,499 (~$850) for 16GB/512GB |
| India | INR 59,999 (~$810) for 12GB/256GB; INR 64,999 (~$880) for 16GB/512GB |
| Europe | EUR 699 (~$830) for 12GB/256GB; EUR 799 (~$950) for 16GB/512GB |
| USA | N/A (not officially available) |
The Black Shark 5 Pro is available for purchase online through the official Black Shark website or through various e-commerce platforms such as Amazon or Flipkart. The phone is also available offline through some authorized retailers or distributors in some regions. The phone comes with a one-year warranty and a 15-day return policy.
Conclusion
The Black Shark 5 Pro is a powerful gaming phone that offers a unique design and features that cater to the needs of mobile gamers. The phone has a stunning display, a blazing-fast processor, a large battery with fast charging support, physical gaming triggers, a dedicated gaming mode, and a custom operating system. The phone also has a decent camera and audio quality that are good enough for casual usage.
The Black Shark 5 Pro is not without flaws, however. The phone has a bulky and heavy design that may not appeal to everyone. The phone also has a mediocre camera performance that may not satisfy some users who want more from their smartphone camera. The phone also has some software issues that may affect the user experience negatively.
The Black Shark 5 Pro is a great choice for mobile gamers who want the best performance and features for their gaming experience. The phone is also a good choice for users who want a flagship phone with a distinctive design and software. However, the phone may not be suitable for users who prefer a more compact and lightweight design or a more versatile and reliable camera performance.
The Black Shark5 Pro is a worthy contender in the gaming phone market, as it offers a lot of value and innovation for its price. The phone is a must-have for Black Shark fans and a strong recommendation for mobile gamers.
Thank you for reading this article. I hope you enjoyed it and learned something new. If you have any questions or feedback, please feel free to leave a comment below. I would love to hear from you.
