After many rumors about the successor to the Xiaomi Black Shark phone, which would be called Black Shark 2, as expected, the Chinese company has changed the script, since the device has just arrived, but not with the "2" in the title . We refer to the Black Shark Helo, the new smartphone Gaming Signature that comes with very marked improvements.
This device boasts a RAM memory capacity greater than that of any current high-end on the market, so it is the first to show it off. What's more, integrates a very efficient cooling system which we will talk about below. We present it to you!
The Black Shark Helo has a different design than its predecessor. It still has an 18: 9 screen with a bit of a bezel, but it changes in details. The mobile also has a thin green line that runs along the back and edges.
A large area of the back of the terminal is covered in glass. This area is where you have the dual rear cameras that are now arranged vertically in a straight line along with the LED flash and fingerprint scanner.
As well there's the black shark logo, which now shines thanks to the RGB LED below it. That is not the only RGB LED on the device; there is one on each side of the frame that can switch between 16.8 million colors with different effects based on the games you are playing.
Features and specifications of the Black Shark Helo
The Black Shark Helo has a 6.01-inch diagonal screen. It is not only slightly larger than the original, but it is also an AMOLED screen and not an LCD like the one that the Black Shark brought. It also has a dedicated image processing chip that works with the AMOLED display for superior HDR quality. It also has support for DCI-P3 and SRGB to provide a much wider color gamut.
The Helo has the same Snapdragon 845 processor found in many high-end phones released this year, but it is the first commercially available with 10 GB of RAM memory. Although it also has variants of 8 and 6 GB of RAM, as well as two different internal storage space capacities: 256 and 128 GB. Specifically, the phone is offered in the following versions of RAM and internal memory: 10 + 256 GB, 8 + 128 GB and 6 + 128 GB.
On the other hand, let's remember that the original device has a liquid cooling system to keep the temperature of the phone low while gaming. Well, in the case of the Black Shark Helo, this is improved: there are two liquid cooling pipes with a combined area of 10.000 mm². The cooling tubes can lower the CPU temperature up to 12 ° C and increase the thermal efficiency up to 20 times.
As for the photographic section, the terminal has two rear cameras equipped with artificial intelligence: a 12 MP primary sensor and a 20 MP secondary sensor. The cameras can recognize up to 206 different scenes and take pictures with the bokeh effect as blur. In turn, the front camera is a 20 MP sensor that can also take selfies in portrait mode.
Everything you need for an unbeatable gaming experience
The Helo has very discreet front stereo speakers. The audio they provide is significantly better thanks to the larger cutout for the top speaker (symmetrical with the bottom speaker). In addition, it carries a Smart PA amplifier and Black Shark's Biso audio technology. It also has three microphones for clear calls during gameplay.
On the whole, there are a lot of new features on the software side, like Gamer Studio, a dedicated application where users can modify CPU settings, notifications, sounds, and more. There's also Shark Time, an AI-based feature that automatically records highlights as you play and lets you share them. The shark key is still there for a DND activation and one-key-press performance boost as well.
The company also announced a new gamepad for the Helo. This has a circular touchpad and XYAB action buttons. They also announced a clip-on cooling case with dual cooling fans and ports for charging and audio and a 3D protective case.
Technical sheet
| XIAOMI BLACK SHARK | |
|---|---|
| SCREEN | 6.01 "FullHD + AMOLED 2.160 x 1.080p (18: 9) with HDR / 450 nits of brightness |
| PROCESSOR | Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 |
| GPU | Adreno 630 |
| RAM MEMORY | 6 / 8 / 10 GB |
| INTERNAL STORAGE SPACE | 128/256GB (UFS 2.1) |
| CAMERAS | Rear: dual 12 and 20 MP (f / 1.75) / Front: 20 MP (f / 2.2) |
| DRUMS | 4.000 mAh with Quick Charge 3.0 fast charge |
| OPERATING SYSTEM | Android 8.1 Oreo with Joy UI |
| OTHER FEATURES | Rear fingerprint reader. Facial recognition. Double front speaker. WiFi 802.11 ac. USB type C. Bluetooth 5.0. Dual cooling system. Physical keys |
Price and Availability
For now, the Xiaomi Black Shark Helo will only be sold in China, and will be from October 30 under the following prices:
- Xiaomi Black Shark Helo (6GB RAM / 128GB ROM): 3.199 yuan (approx. 402 euros).
- Xiaomi Black Shark Helo (8GB RAM / 128GB ROM): 3.499 yuan (approx. 440 euros).
- Xiaomi Black Shark Helo (10GB RAM / 256GB ROM): 4.199 yuan (approx. 529 euros).
