Black Shark Helo is Xiaomi's game phone with up to 10GB RAM

The gamer appeal begins by the visual. Although the Black Shark Helo has traces a little more sober than those of the first Black Shark, there are some aesthetic elements that refer to the segment, highlighting the logo and details in LED on the sides.

But what matters most are the specifications. In this aspect, the Black Shark Helo does not make ugly. As you already know, the processor is the octa-core Snapdragon 845, which is complemented with the GPU Adreno 630. Already the battery continues bringing the same 4,000 mAh that appear in the previous generation - there is support for fast recharging (Quick Charge 3.0).

The differentials are in the amount of RAM and storage capacity. There are three possible configurations:

6 GB of RAM + 128 GB of storage;
8 GB of RAM + 128 GB of storage;
10 GB RAM + 256 GB of storage.

The screen has changed. The Black Shark Helo was thought to bring the same 5.99-inch IPS panel as the previous generation, but in fact, the smartphone is equipped with a 6.01-inch AMOLED display with 2160×1080 pixel resolution, 18:9 format, 430-nit brightness and HDR - a dedicated chip converts SDR content to this standard. The refresh rate continues at 60 Hz, though. Notch? Notch?

The cameras remain virtually the same. The back comes with a 12 + 20 megapixel dual camera and f/1.7 aperture on both lenses. The front features 20 megapixels and an f/2.2 aperture lens.

According to Xiaomi, the Black Shark Helo has an internal heat control mechanism that is more efficient than the first generation: the two liquid cooling tubes in the model can reduce the processor's temperature by up to 12 degrees.

In terms of software, Xiaomi's new smartphone brings Android 8.1 with the Joy UI interface (similar to MIUI). One of the highlights here is the Gamer Studio tool, which allows adjusting processor, connectivity and other parameters for specific games. These settings can be shared through a tool called Shark Code.

Returning to the outside, we come across a predominantly glass rear, aluminum body, digital reader just below the cameras, two front external speakers - there is no connection for headphones - and a two-stage button on the side that optimizes the processor for demanding games.

Finally, we have a new joinable joystick. The Black Shark Gamepad has a docking system that resembles the Nintendo Switch, as already said. The accessory consists of two parts, one for each side of the smartphone, but it is possible to use only one (or none).