Meizu MX3 is very simplistic as far as the design goes

Meizu is relatively unknown to those of us in North America. It's a Chinese phone maker that hopes to make it big in the U.S. market in the coming years. Its first foray into the U.S. water will be with the MX3, an Android smartphone that's been available in China since last year, but is being shown off at CES for the first time. Here are our initial impressions.

The MX3 is very simplistic as far as the design goes. It has a plain plastic shell forming the back and a glass front forming the display. There are hardly any design elements, it is a slab with few frills. The white plastic back meets the black front in a clean, straight seam. The MX3 is thin and light - almost too light. It feels as though there's hardly anything inside the phone. The plastic is a bit more cheap feeling than I'd like it to be, but Meizu assured me the phone is far from its final, manufactured form. The construction is certainly tight.

The slim form is quite easy to hold. The edges are tapered nicely and the MX3 will slip into most any pocket. The are no physical buttons on the front, the glass is clean and free of buttons. There are capacitive controls below the display. The volume toggle is along the left edge of the device. It stands out nicely and had excellent travel and feedback. The screen lock button has a similar feel, and is positioned along the top of the phone. The stereo headphone jack is next to it. There are no buttons along the right, and the microUSB port is on the bottom.