New Chinese mobile phones. The best brand of Chinese smartphones: review, rating, description and reviews. We avoid problems at customs

Chinese smartphones emerged from a dark past; many know them from counterfeits of iPhone, Samsung and other A-brands. At one time, Samsung counterfeits were actively sold near metro stations in large cities. Cheap copies of the iPhone are still actively sold on the Internet. Modern Chinese smartphones are a completely different story.

In recent years, a large number of truly high-quality Chinese brands have appeared. In Russia, buyers are already familiar with such brands as Xiaomi, Huawei, Lenovo, OnePlus. There are also lesser-known brands that are worthy of your attention, for example OPPO, Vivo, ZTE, Meizu.

Sales statistics of Chinese smartphones in Russia.

We see that the number of Chinese manufacturers on the Russian market has increased. According to the calculations of analysts from Counterpoint, in the second quarter of 2018, there was a reshuffle of forces in the smartphone market in Russia. The first place is occupied by Samsung with a share of 30%, followed by Huawei with a share of 29%, which was able to supplant Apple and showed a sales increase of 240% over the year. Apple took third place with 10%. Xiaomi is in fourth place - 8%, over the year the growth was 135%. This shows that buyers have begun to approach their purchases more carefully and are not willing to overpay for the logo of a well-known brand.

Statistics on sales of Chinese smartphones in the world.

In the global market, Chinese brands are also expanding their presence. According to Gartner, in the second quarter of 2018, Huawei overtook Apple and took second place in the ranking of global smartphone sales. Samsung ranks first, having sold more than 72 million devices (market share was 19.3%, which is 3.35% less than a year ago). Huawei took second place, selling almost 50 million devices (market share 13.3%, adding 3.5% over the year). Apple ranks third, having sold more than 44 million smartphones (market share 11.9, and a year earlier it was 12.1%). Xiaomi is in fourth place, having sold almost 33 million devices (market share 8.8%, and a year ago 5.8%). OPPO took fifth place with 28.5 million smartphones (market share 7.6%, year-over-year growth was only 0.6%).

Chinese smartphones are gaining great popularity due to similar characteristics to more expensive flagship devices, but offering them at a more attractive price and better price-quality ratio.

What the best Chinese smartphones are capable of.

At the beginning of their journey, Chinese brands completely copied giants like Apple or Samsung, but now they themselves set trends. The first frameless smartphone that gained popularity and fame in the world was released by Xiaomi, the Mi MIx model, while Apple introduced its frameless smartphone only a year later. Vivo in January 2018, the first in the world, introduced a smartphone with a fingerprint scanner built into the screen. In March 2018, Huawei, in collaboration with Leica, was the first in the world to introduce a smartphone with a triple camera, the quality of which is superior to the latest iPhone XS/XS Max.

Where is the best place to buy Chinese smartphones?

The best price for Chinese devices will, of course, be in China. Thanks to the sites Aliexpress, JD, Geekbuying, Gearbest, Banggood, you can safely order and even get a one-year repair or return guarantee for an additional fee. This will give you confidence that if the device fails, you can repair it or return it to the seller. The only disadvantage of purchasing from Chinese online stores is the delivery time of the smartphone to the buyer; this can take from 10 to 30 days.

For those who don’t want to wait and are willing to overpay 15-30%, they can buy in Russian online stores, receiving a local guarantee. A nice bonus is that some stores give generous gifts when purchasing a smartphone, thereby making the offer more attractive. For example, by purchasing an Honor 8x smartphone on the official Huawei website in Russia, users will receive two additional gifts worth 6,000 rubles, while the difference between the price on Aliexpress and the official store is only 2,500 rubles.

Below you will see the best Chinese smartphones that you can buy right now.

Rarely do any buyers, when choosing a Chinese smartphone, focus on only one criterion (a more powerful processor, a 5-inch screen, etc.). Typically, characteristics, cost and brand recognition are taken into account. And what device is worthy of the title “ best Chinese smartphone of 2017? To make it easier for you to understand the variety of gadgets that are acceptable in terms of novelty, price and quality, we compared Chinese smartphones on the Yandex Market service, took into account the ratio of positive and negative reviews, and then compiled a rating of Chinese smartphones in 2017.

The best Chinese smartphones of 2017, Top 10 ranking

Smartphone with an excellent screen.

Can be purchased for RUB 23,960.

A smartphone with a 5.7″ display and a resolution of 2560×1440 is an excellent choice if a 5.5″ screen seems too small or a 6.44″ screen seems too big. It will be very convenient to read texts, and you can safely hold the device in your hand without fear of dropping it.

A 12 MP Sony camera with an IMX386 sensor is located on the back of the Pro Plus 6 and has optical image stabilization.

The 3400 mAh battery allows you to not charge the device for one or two days.

Unfortunately, the smartphone does not have a slot for a memory card, and you will have to be content with 64 GB. And the manufacturer is slowly releasing updates for the FlyME shell.

Dual curved display, 3D glass.

You can buy, on average, for 34,990 rubles.

This 5.7-inch smartphone in size is the golden mean between Xiaomi Mi5S and Mi Max. Due to the aesthetically rounded sides of the AMOLED matrix, there is slight color distortion at the edges of the display.

Brief characteristics:

a 22 million pixel camera that shoots at the level of the iPhone 6s and Nubia Z11;
quad-core Snapdragon 821 chip;
battery 4070 mAh;
there is an NFC module;
memory capacity 64 or 128 GB.

A significant disadvantage of the model is the lack of a slot for a memory card.

Very fast fingerprint sensor.

The average price is RUB 29,490.

The P10 is the successor to the Huawei P9, one of Huawei's best smartphones to date. Compared to its predecessor, the P10 version has a slightly smaller screen size – 5.1″, a more capacious battery – 3200 mAh, and a dual 20/12 MP rear camera. And almost all users note the incredibly fast operation of the fingerprint scanner. Before you can blink, the phone is already unlocked.

Thanks to the updated Kirin 960 processor, the smartphone does not have any performance issues.

Another pleasant update was the increase in memory - up to 64 GB and 4 GB (built-in and RAM, respectively). The manufacturer did not forget to provide the smartphone with a slot for memory cards.

This, plus a few small but important design and hardware improvements, make the P10 a good alternative to the Samsung Galaxy S8 and LG G6.

A fast Chinese smartphone with a user-friendly interface.

Available in stores for RUB 20,490.

A more powerful version of the popular Xiaomi MI 5s has a 5.7-inch screen, a metal body and a 3800 mAh battery, which is enough for two days of intensive work. The Snapdragon 821 processor (combined with 4 GB of RAM and Adreno 530 GPU) makes the smartphone one of the most efficient in its middle class, which many users appreciated in their reviews.

In the same reviews, users speak unflatteringly about the dual 13/13 MP camera of the Mi 5s Plus. Although its sensor is made by Sony, it does not focus instantly, in moderate lighting the pictures come out grainy, and the stabilization is mediocre. If you take a phone not to take beautiful photos, but for work and entertainment, then Mi 5s Plus is an excellent option.

Stylish Chinese smartphone.

You can get it, on average, for 31,310 rubles.

Here are 7 reasons why this device is one of the best in the ranking of Chinese smartphones in 2017:

Huge 5.9″ screen. Yes, the Mi Mix and Mi Max have larger displays, but one is more expensive, and the other is slightly inferior in performance.
Dual Leica camera with black and white and color modules. At the same time, the resolution of the black and white module is 20 MP, and not 12 as it was in the P9 model.
Long-lasting 4000 mAh battery.
Fast 16nm HiSilicon Kirin 960 processor with 8 cores.
An excellent package, which includes headphones and a case, which competitors from Xiaomi cannot boast of.
Large amount of memory (64 or 128 GB), which can still be expanded with a 256 GB card.
Very fast charging (takes less than an hour).

We were unable to find any drawbacks to this smartphone, other than the high price.

Very fast battery charging.

Can be purchased for RUB 25,990.

A feature of the latest smartphone models from the Chinese manufacturer OnePlus is very fast charging. A striking example is the OnePlus 3T with a 3400mAh battery. With Dash Type-C charging, the battery will charge to 60 percent capacity in just 30 minutes.

OnePlus 3T has the same 16 MP camera as OnePlus 3. However, the software is more streamlined. Ultra-high contrast images taken with the OnePlus 3T are more natural but still pleasantly vibrant compared to photos taken with the OnePlus 3.

You can buy a model with 64GB or 128GB of internal memory, but unfortunately, neither of them has a MicroSD card slot.

New for 2017 with dual camera.

Average price: RUB 27,591.

Like the previous model from the list of the best Chinese smartphones of 2017, the price/quality of Huawei Honor 9 are in complete harmony with each other. This is what the user gets for an affordable price:

5.15-inch screen with bright colors;
8-core HiSilicon Kirin 960 chip;
64 GB of memory plus a slot for memory cards up to 256 GB, and you can use 2 SIM cards and a memory card at the same time;
3200 mAh battery;
transparent case included;
dual camera (12 MP and 8 MP) and front 20 MP. If you are one of those people who need to “press a button to make it beautiful,” then Huawei Honor 9 is the perfect device. The pictures, even without “playing” with the settings, turn out to be high-quality and clear. And there are a lot of settings, from HD and bokeh to three-dimensional shots.

However, the phone is very, very slippery, so you shouldn't use it without a case.

Popular Chinese flagship.

Offered, on average, for 29,990 rubles.

This is a flagship device, leading the way, competing with the Galaxy S8 and iPhone 7 in terms of performance. It is equipped with a 5.15-inch IPS screen, a top-end 8-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 processor, 4 (or 6) GB of RAM and 64 (or 128) GB of internal storage. The phone comes in standard black or white variants, as well as a very nice blue and gold version.

One of the main features of the Mi6 is a dual 12-megapixel camera, which for the first time (if we take Xiaomi devices) has a portrait mode, similar to that found in the iPhone 7 Plus.

However, the gadget does not have a 3.5mm jack and the oval fingerprint scanner sometimes does not work the first time.

All-metal Chinese flagship.

Cost, on average - 27,500 rubles.

This 5.5-inch smartphone was officially announced as the company's flagship for 2017 back in June. Top-end specifications and premium design (all-metal body with minimal frames on the sides) make it a formidable competitor to other participants in the rating.

Nubia Z17 has a waterproof design, a fingerprint sensor, Dolby Atmos acoustics, a USB Type-C cable, a dual camera (23 MP and 12 MP), a memory expansion slot, the latest Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 chip, 6 GB of RAM and 64 GB of storage. memory.

The only thing that spoils the impression of the phone is the lack of access to native Google applications if you do not have root access.

1. OnePlus 5

The average cost is 32,800 rubles.

Here are the five main advantages of the leader in the 2017 Chinese smartphone rating.

Advanced Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 chipset. Combined with 6GB (or 8GB for the 128GB variant) of RAM, it can not only improve graphics performance but also improve battery efficiency.

Following the latest trend in the smartphone market, OnePlus5 comes with a dual camera setup. While the front has an 8-megapixel lens, the rear is a combination of a 16-megapixel lens and a 20-megapixel telephoto lens. Both lenses are made by Sony, with the primary camera having an f/1.7 aperture and the secondary one having an f/2.6 aperture. A OnePlus 5 owner can take impressive photos with deep depth of field, akin to the Portrait mode found on the iPhone 7 Plus.

Thanks to the latest version of Bluetooth 5.0, pairing and connecting to devices is much faster.

The OnePlus 5 also comes with a powerful Dash Type-C charger that can charge a phone with a 3300mAh battery from 0 to 60% in just 30 minutes.

The 5.5-inch screen has 2.5D Corning Gorilla Glass 5.

If the manufacturer had provided the smartphone with USB 3.0 support for OTG and a memory card slot, OnePlus 5 would have been pure perfection. For now, just “five plus.”

Smartphones that left the rating

Xiaomi Redmi 4X

Inexpensive Chinese smartphone.

The average cost is 11,990 rubles.

Xiaomi positions itself as a brand that offers quality products at a price lower than its competitors. And the Redmi 4X confirms this: for that kind of money, it will be difficult to find an equally good 5-inch smartphone with a 4100 mAh battery, an excellent 13 MP camera, an IR port, an 8-core chip and a fast fingerprint scanner.

The disadvantages of the device include the lack of backlighting of the buttons under the display and the easily soiled case.

Feature: smartphone with the largest display – 6.44″.

Average price - 18,590 rubles.

The king size smartphone, despite its huge display, is very thin and fits comfortably even in a small woman’s hand. And reading from it is a pleasure. Thanks to the 4850 mAh battery, you can forget about charging the gadget for 2-3 days. And the operating speed, 16 MP camera, the ability to use a memory card (16, 32 or 64 GB, depending on the model), fast charging function and a very convenient interface make Xiaomi Mi Max an excellent choice.

The downsides: the bottom of the phone gets hot, there is no NFC, so you can forget about contactless payments.

The most productive available at a price.

Average price - 25,414 rubles.

The distinctive features of this smartphone are a custom 5.15-inch screen and a high-performance Qualcomm Snapdragon 821 chip with 4 cores and a frequency of 2150 MHz. As for memory, Xiaomi Mi5S is also not deprived of it in the version with 128 GB for user files and 4 GB for programs. Users were also satisfied with the 12 MP camera with one of the best Sony matrices, which can record video in 4K mode.

But there are people who are dissatisfied with the fact that the fingerprint scanner is slow, the body is slippery, and the battery is only 3200 mAh.

Excellent camera and video quality.

Average cost - 25,122 rubles.

The first, but not the last representative of Huawei in the ranking of Chinese smartphones in 2017. The devices of this company are more expensive than those of Xiaomi, but many prefer to overpay slightly for a well-known brand, a powerful chipset and undoubted quality of products.

Main advantages of Huawei Nova 2:

monolithic 5-inch case with rounded corners;
LTPS screen matrix;
eight-core HiSilicon Kirin 659 chip;
64 GB of memory (expandable with a card up to 128 GB);
and, the main advantage is a dual (12 MP and 8 MP) camera with a telephoto lens, optical stabilization, a powerful flash and a phase detection autofocus system. The manufacturer did not forget about the functions of blurring objects or backgrounds. On the front of the smartphone there is also a 20-megapixel camera capable of creating blurred backgrounds and 3D photographs.

But what the manufacturer forgot about was the NFC module. And the battery for this price could be more powerful, not 2950 mAh.

Sold in stores for an average of 16,990 rubles.

And another 5.2-inch model in our hit parade of the best smartphones from the Middle Kingdom. The screen has an oleophobic coating. The smartphone has a 3000 mAh battery, standard for a good device, a HiSilicon Kirin 650 processor with 8 cores, but the memory for both built-in applications and user data is disappointing (16/2 GB, respectively). The good thing is that it can be expanded up to 128 gigabytes. But P9 Lite does not heat up, it switches to mobile data transfer itself if there is no Internet in the connected wi-fi network, it has a fingerprint scanner, and the 13 MP camera takes high-quality pictures.

Offered, on average, for 20,800 rubles.

This 5.5-inch smartphone is not as expensive as the OnePlus3, but they have one thing in common - the lack of an SD card slot. The MX6 has 32 gigabytes, so you will have to use cloud services. Otherwise, this is an excellent device: 3060 mAh battery, 12 MP camera with a new sensor from Sony, ten-core MediaTek Helio X20 processor, fingerprint reading, loud speaker.

What owners complain about: the Home button often breaks, and the flash has to be constantly switched to automatic mode manually.

The golden mean in terms of cost is RUB 16,536.

If you dream of a fast and stable smartphone with a very capacious battery (4100 mAh) and a 5.5-inch FullHD display, then here it is. The M3 Note also boasts an eight-core MediaTek Helio P10 processor, a 13 MP camera, an SD card slot, and the ability to scan fingerprints.

What it can’t boast about: very slippery body, average photo quality, gets very hot.

Average price - 17,990 rubles.

It differs from the previous number in a slightly less capacious battery (4050 mAh) and a larger number of megapixels in the main camera (16 MP). 5.5-inch screen with oleophobic coating, six-core Snapdragon 650 MSM8956 processor made by Qualcomm, fingerprint scanner present. Users have no complaints about the build quality, design and speed of operation of this smartphone.

There are complaints about the device heating up during games, although there is no throttling, low volume in the headphones, and a slippery and quickly dirty case.

Xiaomi Redmi Note 4

The average cost is 12,110 rubles.

The smartphone has an impressive battery capacity of 4100 mAh, a large 5.5-inch display, a 13 MP camera, a ten-core MediaTek Helio X20 chip, an SD card slot and a fingerprint scanner. Can you ask for anything else at this price? Unless the manufacturer is greedy and includes the headset in the kit.

In conditions of a permanent crisis, buying a smartphone or tablet from China seems like a good way to save money and get a device with flagship characteristics for a third of the price of the same one, but made by “first-tier” manufacturers. But where do these fabulous savings come from and why are Chinese devices so cheap in general? Let’s try to find out, and at the same time talk about how to choose the right Chinese smartphone and whether it’s worth doing it when last year’s flagships from famous manufacturers are on sale.

If you don’t take into account the very cheap nonames and take a closer look at devices in the price range of $150–200, then you can find a lot of really good models at first glance. Good build quality, modern components, bright screens with excellent color reproduction - the Chinese have learned to make good products, saving on labor, design (which is simply copied), advertising and direct distribution without intermediaries. However, if you dig deeper, it turns out that everything is not so rosy and sometimes the great Chinese thought goes too far in the desire to cut the price of the device a little more.

Everyone lies

It cannot be said that absolutely all Chinese manufacturers tend to inflate the characteristics of their devices or present information in a cunning way so as to create the desired impression and keep silent about something. However, deception cannot be completely ruled out. Trust but check!

I will give a few examples from my own practice. Ulefone Be Touch 2. The manufacturer lied twice: by falsifying the version of Android that the device runs on, and by indicating an overestimated battery capacity (in reality, it remained exactly the same as in the first model, changing only the number printed on the wrapper).

How can you fake the Android version? It’s very simple: write version 5.1 in the system build.prop file. A quick, dirty and cheap way to "upgrade" from the actual 5.0 version. Ulefone Be Touch 2 is far from the only device that comes with a “fake” version of the system. Read, look at reviews - independent reviewers rarely miss such things.

Do you think that not everyone lies, but only “basement” manufacturers? No matter how it is! Lenovo, a well-known and large concern, does not hesitate to mislead the buyer. Take the Lenovo K3 Note, for example. In most foreign reviews we see the standard “the screen is good, bright, the colors are rich, everything is fine.” But reviewers from the iXBT website are not so gullible. Having taken the time to take a photo of the smartphone screen, experts discovered that instead of the stated resolution of 1920x1080, the device has a cheaper matrix with a resolution of 1920x720. Admire it.

Do you think it's an isolated incident? No! Take, for example, the Lenovo Yoga Tablet 2 (8″) in the Android version. On the official American website of the company, the device characteristics indicate support for memory cards up to 64 GB (quote from the site: Supporting Micro SD card up to 64GB).

And everything would be fine, but there is a subtlety. After purchasing a 64 GB card and inserting it into the tablet, you will see a prompt to format it. What is it, why? But the fact is that according to the officially accepted standard, memory cards with a capacity of 64 GB or more must (must, damn it!) comply with the SDXC specification. And it clearly and clearly, in plain English, prescribes the type of file system required for use on such cards: exFAT.

And again, everything would be fine, but using exFAT requires purchasing a license from its developer, Microsoft. But I don’t want to pay money. This is how devices appear that are hardware compatible with cards in the SDXC format, but do not support the standard file system for them. First-tier manufacturers honestly indicate compliance with the SDHC standard (memory cards up to 32 GB), and the fact that the user, at his own peril and risk, can format it in FAT32 and successfully use it in such devices is like a free bonus. But you can hardly upload a movie in HD to this card; File size in FAT32 is limited to 4 GB.

And there are also fakes

Creative presentation of specifications is one thing. What about outright fakes? iPhone clones - of course, it is usually not difficult to distinguish them, although Chinese craftsmen managed to assemble at least one device that runs on real iOS. But counterfeits from “basement” manufacturers for other Chinese brands - for example, Xiaomi or Lenovo - are another matter, much more unpleasant.

And even without backdoors

Even if the phone arrived without built-in dubious “add-ons”, it is not at all a fact that it has the original firmware installed. Take, for example, devices produced by Xiaomi. Good hardware, high-quality original firmware, good price/quality ratio. But not all of the company’s models are intended for sale outside of China. Not intended, but sold.

For devices intended for distribution exclusively in China, the company produces the corresponding firmware - Chinese. Sometimes without any translation into other languages, even into English, but certainly without Russian and without Google services.

But this fact does not stop cunning sellers from flashing into such devices... and who knows what they are flashing. Someone and somehow modified firmware with partial translation of hieroglyphs and somehow installed Google services. These firmwares, in addition to their general dubiousness, have one global drawback: over-the-air updates will either not arrive at all (this is the best case scenario), or, once they arrive, they will turn the device into a “brick.” So again, fastboot, custom recovery and other delights are in your hands (by the way, it may not help, since international firmware authored by the manufacturer, I repeat, is not available for all Chinese devices).

And then there is such a thing as SalesTrack. A very recent example: Micromax Bolt D303. Fresh, clean, factory firmware of a Micromax phone intended for sales in India sends SMS to an Indian short number immediately after turning on the phone. This is how the device is activated, but for a Russian-speaking user it will cost a pretty penny.

Optimization. Or lack thereof

In order for the operating system to work more or less smoothly, you need specific drivers, unique for each device, and the correct configuration of all firmware components - from the kernel to the shell. Unfortunately, optimization is an infrequent guest in Chinese devices. Yes, some manufacturers with a small model range (nod to Xiaomi, Meizu, Oppo and OnePlus) can afford to optimize the firmware. As for the semi-basement and basement offices churning out handicrafts and forgetting about them six months after their release, there will be a lottery. If you're lucky, everything will work more or less smoothly and stably. If you're unlucky (as in the case of the Ulefone Be Touch 2 described above), it will be a nightmare.

Of course, everyone has problems with optimization. The Nexus 9 tablet, released with the then new version of Android 5.0, worked extremely poorly. The situation was partially corrected only with the release of update 5.1.1, but the tablet revealed its full potential only with the release of Android 6.0. Or the flagship LG G Flex 2, which became the first device on the Snapdragon 810 platform. There were lags and slowdowns. And they disappeared with the release of firmware on version Android 5.1.1. How are things going with firmware updates from Chinese manufacturers?

And there are also updates. Or they don't exist

After-sales support for devices using firmware updates is an established standard practice accepted among first- and second-tier manufacturers. But basement crafts, as a rule, are doomed to work with the firmware that the manufacturer installed on them. In the best case, you will receive one or two minor updates that correct bugs found within the pre-installed Android branch. Simply put, if your device came with Android 4.4 KitKat, you probably won't be able to upgrade to 5.0 Lollipop.

What is the reason? Developing new firmware based on the latest version of Android, of course, costs money. You can save a lot of money on after-sales service, which is what the Chinese are famous for.

But is that the only thing? Unfortunately no. Very, very many Chinese devices are equipped with chips produced by the Chinese concern MediaTek (MTK). Integrated solutions produced by MTK differ from analogues, for example, from the American Qualcomm, in that the manufacturing company may release drivers for a certain set of system logic with support for the latest version of Android - or may not release them. It may provide source codes to smartphone manufacturers - or it may not. Guess in three tries whether MTK is famous for supporting its chips with drivers?

For manufacturers like Allwinner and Rockchip, you can usually forget about any support as soon as you receive the device. No, the manufacturer can try to do something with updates and without the latest driver versions, but...

Not long ago, the author of this text tested a tablet based on the RK3188 chip. Four Cortex A9 cores are a good option! But the tablet worked not just poorly, but extremely poorly. Even scrolling a simple web page experienced severe delays and jerks. Obtaining superuser rights and carefully optimizing everything possible did not help. The explanation turned out to be very simple: Rockchip provided the tablet manufacturer with drivers for Android 4.2, and the manufacturer wanted to release the device running Android 4.4 KitKat. Released. It didn't make it any better. Need I say that there have been no firmware updates since then?

And everything would look logical if it weren’t for the fact that some manufacturers (Meizu for example) successfully produce devices based on MTK chips and just as successfully support them for a long time. Here, however, we need to look deeper. A closer look at the FlyMe OS firmware shows that active firmware development is taking place within the framework of a specific Android branch. The global transition from Android 4 to version 5 within FlyMe OS happened not so long ago and with a delay of almost a year since the release of Android Lollipop.

No, what should I take?

If we’re going to order something from an online store anyway, let’s turn 180 degrees and look west instead of east. At least on trading platforms such as eBay and Amazon. And we will be surprised to discover that the flagships of last season are sold for half, or even a third of the price compared to the moment of announcement. What can you look for for your money - and not from China?

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In 2019, Chinese companies plan to release new models. They will likely have higher specs than the models listed in these three ratings. Each TOP Chinese phone is selected by analyzing reviews of ordinary people who use them daily. In this article we have prepared three ratings: price - quality, budget, flagship.

We have prepared 5 smartphones from China that are ideal in terms of price-quality ratio. This small TOP 5 contains both expensive and cheap phones that correspond to their price niche.

The models discussed below include the ability to use memory cards, run on the Android operating system and can work in the new generation of networks - 4G LTE.

Manufacturers care about their reputation, so you won’t be able to find significant flaws when purchasing one of these models.

The Chinese company Xiaomi is today a leader in every niche in the smartphone market. The main difference between devices from this manufacturer and competitors: smartphones with high performance indicators at a relatively low price. The most interesting of those included in 2019 was Xiaomi Redmi 6 4/64GB. The phone's features are in the table below.

A powerful device that outperforms everyone in the niche and outperforms most smartphones in existence today.

Judging by user reviews, the only drawback of this phone is its relatively weak camera. Average rating: 4.5 out of 5.

Battery life
Power
Camera
Screen
Memory

The top Chinese smartphones of 2019 include several devices from Xiaomi. The company tries to maintain its brand and makes high-quality devices, which have few analogues in terms of price/quality ratio. The Xiaomi Mi Max 3 4/64GB model is more popular than the previous one, despite the fact that its price is several times higher.

What makes this smartphone different from the previous one is a better camera and almost twice as powerful a battery.

Among the reviews there is an extremely positive opinion about these smartphones, an average rating of 4.5 out of 5.

Users consider the only drawback: there are problems with the firmware - there are cases where it was necessary to completely reinstall the device’s operating system.

The phone's special feature is its well-functioning NFC.

Camera
Battery life
Memory
Screen
Power

Xiaomi's main competitor is considered to be another major Chinese smartphone manufacturer - Huawei. The new model is very popular on aliexpress and is quite well known in Russia among ordinary users. In terms of characteristics, HUAWEI P Smart (2019) 3/32GB is not inferior to competitors in the niche, but has a nicer camera.

The device has high-quality NFC and excellent sound, a good camera and a powerful battery.

Among the shortcomings, in reviews, users consider the lack of fast charging.

On average, the device has a rating of 4.5 out of 5.

Power
Screen
Memory
Battery life
Camera

The line of smartphones from Honor made its way onto the market relatively recently, but is already ahead of most Chinese giants. When asked, everyone answers “Honor!” The company actually develops quality devices. Their major achievement: the Honor 8X 4/64GB device.

It is interesting that in terms of fame and popularity in Russia, Honor has long surpassed its competitors, but at the same time, in terms of characteristics, despite the high values, Xiaomi is trying not to yield.

The Honor 8X 4/64GB model, in fact, has no drawbacks, judging by user reviews.

But there are many advantages, here are just a few:

Front camera – 16MP;
Build quality is better than analogues;
A huge number of settings;
Image quality.

A huge screen is considered both an advantage and a disadvantage. The average rating is 4.5 out of 5 – which is standard for Chinese smartphones.

Screen
Battery life
Power
Memory
Camera

A phone from ASUS has become mandatory in the ranking of Chinese smartphones - it is one of the best manufacturers of electronic devices in the world. Among the features of the ASUS ZenFone Max Pro M1 ZB602KL 4/128GB model are a huge amount of memory and a large screen, otherwise the phone is similar to its competitors.

Users consider all the characteristics to be the advantages of the model; the device easily competes in the market and is capable of leading the ranking of Chinese smartphones in 2019 in terms of price-quality ratio

The downside of Chinese devices is possible software errors and firmware flaws.

Typically, on smartphones from China, the firmware is the only Achilles heel.

Screen
Power
Battery life
Memory
Camera

Inexpensive but good Chinese smartphones

Smartphones made in China are famous primarily for their low price, so we decided to prepare another TOP consisting of cheap devices. Despite the low price, each of the phones presented in this rating has good characteristics.

A cheap phone for those who want to save money when buying a smartphone, but get a good device. There is enough functionality for this price, the characteristics are not bad, a 13MP camera with automatic focus can be considered separately. Pleasant design and interface are present - as on all devices from the Russian-Chinese manufacturer ZTE.

Unlike most models, the ZTE Blade A530 has a removable rather than built-in battery, which is an advantage for most users.

The reviews also highlight the following advantages of the model:

Image quality;
Screen size;
Design;
Indicators;
Price;
Camera.

For its price segment, this budget phone is more than good. It combines all the necessary functions.

The disadvantage, as with other Chinese-made phones, is the firmware.

Average rating: 4.5 out of 5.

Screen
Battery life
Camera
Memory
Power

We included one of the first models from Huawei in this Chinese TOP, since the Y5 Lite costs less, but it is significantly inferior to its competitors even in this niche. The average rating for the phone is 3.5 out of 5.

The only advantage that the model has over analogues that are inexpensive is a more powerful battery.

Android is used as the operating system on all Chinese smartphones, but the operating system on the device has a number of disadvantages - the firmware often becomes unusable, mainly due to the fact that the phone is one of the pioneers of Huawei. Users in the reviews highlighted several shortcomings:

Firmware;
Low performance;
Small amount of RAM and physical memory;
Camera.

Some users indicate that the model gets hot. As the manufacturer himself states, this was not noticed. The device is inexpensive, so there is no point in expecting much. This is one of the leading models in this price segment.

Screen
Battery life
Camera
Memory
Power

If you need a phone for constant access to the Internet and making calls, and not for games, then the INOI 6 model will be your assistant. The smartphone is produced by a little-known brand, so not everyone dares to choose to buy, which is in vain. The device is inexpensive, lasts longer than other devices and has a good screen.

Although the INOI brand is little known, the model should have been included in the best Chinese smartphones of 2019 simply because it has a powerful battery among cheap devices.

There were no obvious shortcomings for the niche of cheap Chinese smartphones, the average rating is 5 out of 5.

Battery life
Memory
Camera
Power
Screen

Chinese Xiaomi smartphones were also included in the list of the best 2018 in the budget niche. The appearance of models from this manufacturer is natural - the company has penetrated into all market niches. The Xiaomi Redmi 6A 2/16GB smartphone can be bought on Aliexpress for only 5,700 rubles, while the characteristics surpass most models on the market in the 10,000+ segment.

Chinese production has not frightened users for a long time; companies have long shown and proven themselves, with Xiaomi showing itself to be the best. We can consider this in terms of price-quality ratio - Xiaomi Redmi 6A 2/16GB.

Due to its low price in the market segment, the device ranks first in sales and remains a leader in user ratings.

The advantages include the following characteristics:

CPU;
Functional;
Working with applications;
Camera;
Wide list of settings;
Indicators;

In the reviews, only one drawback is clear - the device comes pre-installed with non-removable applications that are not really needed

On the plus side: a separate slot for a memory card, which is not present in other devices from the rating. The phone has virtually no shortcomings; it is a leader for the segment. Average rating 4.5 out of 5.

Screen
Power
Memory
Camera
Battery life

The model is included in the best Chinese smartphones in the budget segment due to the price on Aliexpress (7 thousand rubles), but in Russian stores it starts from 12,000. In terms of characteristics, the phone significantly outperforms the competitors from this rating listed above.

This is the best phone in the budget segment, if you do not consider the price in communication stores and electronics stores.

Users note a powerful processor and an excellent battery, which outperform all possible competitors in this niche.

The phone has one drawback - the price in stores is too high.

Average rating from users 4.5 out of 5.

Camera
Power
Memory
Screen
Battery life

The best Chinese smartphones - flagships

The largest Chinese smartphone manufacturers also have professional models - flagship phones. They include a huge amount of RAM and physical memory, an excellent camera and a number of other advantages. We have highlighted the 5 best Chinese-made smartphones.

A powerful processor and long operating time are the advantages of smartphones from Huawei.

The leader among smartphones from this manufacturer is the HUAWEI Mate 20 6/128GB. As with all other flagships, the operating system on this device is Android version 9.0.

Feedback from users is extremely positive. The following characteristics are considered advantages:

Camera (Triple!);
High-quality color rendition and image display;
Long operating time;
Processor power;
Amount of native physical memory;
Amount of RAM.

The average rating for the phone is 4.5 out of 5.

Camera
Power
Screen
Battery life
Memory

In the list of the best flagships, there was also a position for the second model from Huawei - Mate 20 Pro 6/128GB. It costs more, but also has higher characteristics than others. This is essentially a complete analogue of the previous smartphone, the differences are the following characteristics:

Larger screen;
Several times better image quality;
Slightly better battery;
Color and design.

Many argue that an overpayment of 20,000 rubles is not worth these characteristics. The phone is essentially the second version of the regular Mate 20 6/128GB at a high price.

Not only has the number of Chinese phone makers increased dramatically over the past few years, but their global presence has also increased. Chinese brands are growing in popularity mainly because they offer phones with the same specs and features as expensive flagships, but at more affordable prices. In this article, I publish my rating of the best Chinese Android phones that can now be bought in stores.

So, which are the best Chinese Android phones you can buy in 2019? Let's look at this list together below.

Huawei P20 and P20 Pro

Huawei P20 and P20 Pro are, without a doubt, the best phones the company has ever released. I couldn't give one of them a preference, placing them together on my list of the best Chinese Android phones with a good camera. Huawei P20 has a 5.8-inch display, while the version is 6.1-inch. Yes, both phones have a unibrow, but if you don't like this trend in phones, you can turn it off in the settings.

The Huawei P20 has a Leica dual camera setup with 12MP RGB and 20MP sensors, but the P20 Pro is the first phone to feature triple rear cameras. In addition to the 20-megapixel monochrome sensor, the RGB sensor reaches a whopping 40 megapixels and is paired with a third 8-megapixel telephoto lens. The Pro also has 5x hybrid zoom.

Both phones have Kirin 970 processors with an NPU that adds AI features that in turn help make pictures even more impressive. The downside of these phones is their price. Huawei P20 is already sold in Russia from 40,000 rubles, and the more powerful Huawei P20 Pro from 46,000 rubles.

Specifications Huawei P20

5.8-inch Huawei FullView IPS LCD, 18.7:9, 2244×1080 pixels
4 GB RAM
128 GB internal memory
Dual 20 and 12MP rear cameras, 8MP front camera
Non-removable 3,400 mAh battery
Android 8.0 Oreo
149.1 mm x 70.8 mm x 7.65 mm, 165 g

Specifications Huawei P20 Pro

6.1-inch Huawei FullView OLED 18.7:9 display with 2240x1080 pixels resolution
Octa-Core Huawei Kirin 970 processor
6 GB RAM
128 GB of internal memory, without microSD expansion
Triple 8, 12 and 40 MP rear cameras, 8 MP front camera
Non-removable 4000 mAh battery
Android 8.0 Oreo
155.0mm×73.9mm×7.8mm, 180g

OnePlus 6

OnePlus was the first to show how much a flagship smartphone should cost. In the luggage of this manufacturer there is always a flagship killer, at the moment it is . The phone has a glass body and a unibrow, but that's just the beginning, traditionally OnePlus has the best flagship specs.

It's no surprise that this phone has the latest and greatest specs - Snapdragon 845 SoC, 6GB or 8GB of RAM and up to 256GB of storage. The cameras on this model have also improved. This is a dual main camera with 16 and 20 megapixels. There is also a slow motion mode that allows you to shoot 720p video at 480 fps and 1080p at 240 fps. The phone can also shoot 4K videos at 60 frames per second.

Although OnePlus 6 is considered a premium phone, the company's pricing policy remains unchanged. The price of OnePlus flagships has increased every year, but OnePlus 6 remains cheaper than all its competitors. The OnePlus 6 is also one of the first phones to run Android P, which gives it another advantage over other Chinese smartphones.

In Russia, the cost of OnePlus 6 starts from 32 thousand rubles for a model with 6 GB of RAM and 64 GB of memory, and a model with 8 GB of RAM and 256 GB of memory from 39 thousand rubles. OnePlus 6 is one of the best Chinese Android smartphones, and this model makes flagships more affordable.

OnePlus 6 Specifications

6.28-inch AMOLED display with 2280x1080 resolution
Adreno 630 GPU
RAM 6/8 GB
64/128/256 GB of internal memory, no expansion
Dual rear cameras 16MP and 20MP, 16MP front camera
3300mAh battery
Android 8.1 Oreo
155.7x75.4x7.8 mm, 177 grams

Xiaomi Mi 8 is a flagship from a Chinese manufacturer with top-end specifications and new functions. The phone is powered by a Snapdragon 845 processor, has 6GB of RAM and up to 256GB of internal storage, an in-display fingerprint scanner, pressure sensitivity and face unlock.

Many people accuse this device, calling it a clone of the iPhone X, but I think they are unfounded. The first and most basic difference between them is the price. In Russia, the price of Xiaomi Mi 8 starts at 30 thousand rubles, which is much more affordable than the iPhone X and other flagship Android smartphones.

The disadvantages I would include is that Xiaomi Mi 8 is not the lightest smartphone and its weight is decent, almost 200 grams.

Characteristics of Xiaomi Mi 8

6.21-inch AMOLED display with 2848x1080 resolution
Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 processor clocked at 2.8 GHz
Adreno 630 GPU
6 GB RAM
64/12/256GB internal memory
Dual rear camera 12 MP and 12 MP, 20 MP front camera
3400 mAh
Android 8.1 Oreo
154.9×74.8×7.6 mm, 175 grams

Honor has made a name for itself in the budget and mid-range market. Now the company is striving to bring this success to the budget flagship category with the help of Honor 10. Thus, it will compete with Xiaomi and OnePlus phones.

The nice thing is that for performance, Honor 10 has the same package of characteristics, in particular RAM and internal memory, as Huawei P20 Pro. Of course, there are obvious differences between the two, but if you're looking for a phone that's affordable and performs. Take Honor 10, it has flagship level performance, but is half the price. The phone has a dual rear camera of 16 MP and 20 MP. On the front side there is the familiar monochrome eyebrow and a 24 megapixel camera.

Honor 10 is not only a direct competitor to the OnePlus 6 and Asus Zenfone 5Z smartphones, but also one of its brothers - . The View 10 has the same characteristics and components, except for the cameras, its cameras are worse. However, the View 10 has a standard front panel design with no notches, which some may like.

Both devices are sold in Russia, the price of Honor 10 with 4 GB of RAM and 64 GB of internal memory starts from 22,000 rubles.

Characteristics of Honor 10

5.84" IPS LCD with 2280 x 1080 resolution
Processor 2.4 GHz HiSilicon Kirin 970
Malik 72 MP 12 GPU
6 GB RAM
128GB internal memory, no expansion
16 MP and 24 MP rear cameras, 24 MP front camera
3400 mAh
Android 8.1 Oreo
149.6x71.2x7.7 mm, 155 grams

Since the release of 18:9 aspect ratio displays, smartphone manufacturers have been seriously working on creating bezel-less phones. Such smartphones already exist, for example, the frameless Xiaomi Mi Mix 2S, whose front camera is hidden under the display.

But Oppo has outdone everyone with its latest flagship, the Oppo Find X. The phone has an impressive 92.5% screen-to-body ratio and offers a unique front-facing camera solution that defines the design of the entire smartphone.

Both the front and rear cameras of the Oppo Find X are accessible after sliding the plate under which they are located. The phone doesn't have a fingerprint scanner, although Oppo has added 3D facial recognition to make unlocking easier. Yes, this means that every time you need to unlock the phone, you need to move the slider that releases the camera. Let me note that it looks really cool!

Of course, the smartphone has the latest components and characteristics, so there is no point in describing them. Oppo Find X is an amazing phone, it is worth noting that this is only the first generation of a smartphone in this concept. Of course, time will tell how long the slider mechanism will last, I will hope for the best and such an implementation will take root.

Oppo Find X is one of the best Chinese Android smartphones, and certainly one of the most innovative among all the phones currently on the market. Find X is sold in China, will soon go on sale in Russia, it will cost about 60,000 rubles.

Features Oppo Find X

6.42-inch AMOLED display with 2340 x 1080 resolution
Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 processor with a frequency of 2.8 GHz
Adreno 630 GPU
8 GB RAM
256 GB internal memory, no expansion
16 MP and 20 MP rear cameras, 25 MP front camera
3730 mAh
Android 8.1 Oreo
156.7×74.2×9.4 mm, 186 grams

Xiaomi has launched a new sub-brand called Pocophone (or POCO) and its first phone, the F1. The name of the smartphone promises speed, and Xiaomi delivered on the promise. Pocophone F1 is the only smartphone on the market with a price from RUB 23,000 to RUB 26,000 that has a Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 processor.

The smartphone also has 6 GB or 8 GB of RAM and up to 256 GB of internal memory. Pocophone F1 has the characteristics of a more expensive flagship; on Aliexpress you can buy it from 22,000 rubles, and if you wait for a sale, then for 19,000 rubles.

However, this smartphone also has a minus. Along with flagship specs comes a terrible design. The body is made of polycarbonate, the smartphone is quite thick and heavy. For those who want a more premium look, the armored version is worth checking out. Its body is made of aramid fiber, this model looks much better.

However, the design of the Pocophone F1 is in the background. The phone is designed for games and it flies. The large battery gives impressive runtime. If performance and battery life are key for you, the Pocophone F1 is the best in this price range. The dedicated software is also top notch. The smartphone comes with MIUI 9.6 interface based on Android 8.1 Oreo and the new Poco Launcher shell.

This is a good smartphone that is the best in its price range. Xiaomi is known for its incredibly aggressive pricing strategy, but this time the company has really outdone itself. Now other mid-range phone makers will have to work hard to beat the POCO F1.

The best Chinese phones for Android - Conclusion

So, you now have some of the best Chinese Android phones to choose from! Of course, there are many other Chinese manufacturers with excellent smartphones, and I may consider them in the next list, but these are still the best. Keep in mind that if you decide to buy one of these smartphones, be sure to check the 4G band compatibility. If everything is fine, all the smartphones listed above are an excellent option, you won’t regret choosing any one.

P.S. Be sure to check out the list.