If you’re on this article, then you probably enjoy taking selfies. If not, then you’re probably just curious about this phone you’ve never heard about. If it’s still not that, then I don’t know what you want but I’m going to tell you about the Meitu V6, anyway.

What is this phone?

The V6 is a luxury smartphone by Chinese company Meitu. Remember that Sailormoon phone that went viral a little while back? Yes, the same makers.

Angled as a selfie powerhouse like the rest of their smartphones (yes, folks, this isn’t their only smartphone), the Meitu V6 is a quad-camera handset designed for those who have rich tastes. How rich? The back of the phone is covered with hand-stitched leather and it has 18K gold rivets!

Iconic because of its unique design, the Meitu V6’s shape is a nod to dedicated selfie cameras of old.

While most may find the V6’s irregularly shaped form factor to be odd in today’s sea of notched, borderless releases, this handset remains true to its origins. Its looks don’t make sense only to those who are unaware of selfie camera beginnings. Unfortunately, that means most people are clueless.

Why have I never heard about it?

Online, there isn’t a lot of material on the V6, and most of them are in Chinese. Most people have never heard of this phone because they’re only widely available in China and Taiwan. It’s fascinating how almost no one knows about this smartphone in the global tech scene save for a selfie-loving handful. Honestly, this may be the most mysterious phone I’ve reviewed to date.

If you’re an app-using makeover-loving gal though, you’ve probably heard of Meitu’s MakeUpPlus. The world-famous makeup and beauty app is a staple for those who like editing apps. With a rating of 4.6 on iTunes, this is not some small-time app.

Editing fun with Meitu’s MakeUpPlus on the V6

True enough, Meitu started with photo enhancing software. They then eventually ventured on to beauty apps (more on that later) and it’s this that they’re most famous for. Eventually, in 2013, the first Meitu selfie smartphone was born. Fast forward to today, they’re still making those phones and this particular one is extra AF.

How it feels in my hands

There’s no going around it: This is one big and clunky phone. In no way is it sleek and subtle. Its unique shape and bright color make it a definite eye-catcher. But, that’s the whole point. The Meitu V6 is designed to be seen. It’s a statement phone.

This phone says: “I am a woman, I love selfies, hear me roar!”

Similar to designer bags that demand showcasing and attention, each V6 even comes with a matching leather case that you can carry around as you anticipate compliments on your new posh device. The handset comes in four different colors: deep blue, gorgeous emerald green, pink one that (gasp) I’m not really fond of, and this one in screaming tangerine. Although I wasn’t such a big fan of this color to begin with, I must say it definitely grew on me.

I also learned that beige and gold matches bright orange pretty well

Admittedly, the V6 isn’t as comfortable to hold — it’s a little too big and heavy for one of my tiny Asian hands. It does have that one-hand feature which makes the display smaller for easier reach with one hand, but who really uses that?

Me pretending I can actually use this phone with just one hand

This trendsetter phone did not shy away from bezels (notched phones, take note!). Although side bezels are tiny, the top and bottom bezels are obviously there — and there’s nothing wrong with that. The top bezel houses cameras, and the bottom bezel contains capacitive buttons: the home button with a fingerprint scanner, back button, and recent apps button.

The phone’s highlight

Of course, this phone’s highlight comes in the form of four cameras, two up front and two on the back. Both sides feature 12-megapixel primary shooters with 5-megapixel secondary shooters.

But, enough with the phone specs. All that really means is that it can take photos like these:

But, aside from that bokeh goodness brought about by the wide aperture (f/1.8) on this phone’s camera, it has a mode that allows for solid depth effects, which you can adjust from zero to 100 percent. The following samples were taken at 60 percent depth effect.

And, if that creamy bokeh isn’t enough for you, you can always adjust the blur, or even change the photos focus after taking the photo.

Just me deciding that I should be the center of attention in this photo

There’s also another built-in camera setting called Movie Mode. What can it do? Guess.

Used this mode for more dramatic selfies

All they need now are subtitles and they could be in a movie 😂

This mode makes everything oh-so-cinematic by changing the format of your photos. It comes out as wider with those movie-like black bars on the top and bottom (a.k.a. “letterboxing” in film). Depth effect is also automatically activated on this mode, and so is the post-process focusing feature.

Selfies, editing, and more!

The thing about the Meitu V6, aside from having identical shooters on both sides, is that the camera features on each side are basically the same. This is unlike other phones which dedicate certain functions to only one set of cameras on one side of the phone.

That being said, the beauty mode can be activated from either side of the phone. It can do this:

Good, better, best?

The good old beauty mode does a fine job at airbrushing, but it has the tendency to go overboard. Selfies also come out brighter — sometimes even too bright despite normal lighting. As a rule of thumb, I only go for beauty level one on this phone. But, if you want more airbrushing, you’re welcome to go up until level seven.

If that’s still not enough editing for you, a host of Meitu editing apps are pre-installed on the phone.

All the beauty edit options brought to you by Meitu 💁🏽✨

Aside from the number of cool things these apps can do (one turns your photos into postcards; another app, Meipai, is a short video platform), it can also perform this:

Of course, you don’t have end up a bubble gum-haired makeup diva (as shown) everytime you edit photos, but it sure is fun to know you can do fun things like this. For practical purposes, you can also tone down your makeup editing and come up with looks you’ll actually wear in real life.

As if those aren’t enough selfie features, the phone also comes with a Bluetooth shutter button. The Meitu Remote app, that’s also pre-installed on the phone, pairs the remote almost instantly and allows you to take photos or videos.

To help you find your light, the V6 has intelligent fill lights in front and two sets of flash on its rear — though who really uses a flash these days? Another plus: The beauty mode is also available for real-time video shooting.

Other things that matter

At the very basic, this phone has 6GB of RAM and 128GB storage and is powered by a MediaTek X30 processor, which may not mean anything to you (or me) but that just tells us that it’s equipped with a flagship processor and high-end specifications. This means that this phone can handle your everyday social media usage and mobile gaming. Say hello to my Sim:

My Sim looks just like me!

The device runs on Meitu’s MEIOS 4.1 interface and runs on Android 7.0 Nougat. Unfortunately, some apps may not be compatible with the phone, probably owing to the fact that it’s not optimized for apps that are not available in China. Case in point: Snapchat crashes every time I try to use Bitmoji AR functions, which is a definite downer for my Snap game.

Despite this, the phone is snappy and responsive. MEIOS isn’t really so different from any other Android phone OS. The V6 also has a dual SIM card slot and a USB-C port for charging. Plus, It has an audio jack! Speaker grilles are at the bottom, despite the speaker-grille-like design on the front of the phone. Battery capacity is at 3100mAh which lasts me almost a day of use.

Is the Meitu V6 your GadgetMatch?

The Meitu V6 is the ultimate luxury selfie smartphone — if you can get your hands on it. This phone was created for a specific market in mind and Meitu did not hold back.

Without a doubt, this has the most detailed beauty modes and selfie-specific functions I’ve ever seen on a phone, and I love it. Looks-wise, it’s one of those devices which demand attention, it becomes more than a utility and more of an accessory, especially because you’re not assured all its functions will work outside of its native China.

This phone isn’t for everyone. And, at a price of CNY 5,099 or US$ 800, it really isn’t a device that everyone will be able to afford, even when you actually want to get it. But, if you prioritize selfies above all other things and you’re the type to make a statement with devices you own, the Meitu V6 could be a perfect fit.

SEE ALSO: Samsung Galaxy S9 guide for the selfie lover