Galagram presents a selection of the best budget Chinese smartphones of early 2016. The list includes the most affordable Chinese smartphones from trusted manufacturers according to the site at the beginning of 2016, let's go!
Literally at the beginning of 2016, the Chinese ZTE company introduced a budget smartphone Avid Plus with a 5″ inch display. The device received the price of only $115 from the manufacturer (of course, the price will be slightly higher at resellers). Despite all the “budget”, the smartphone boasts the presence of the Android 5.1 Lollipop operating system out of the box.
Of course, you can’t buy a lot of components for $115, Avid Plus runs on a 4-core processor Snapdragon 210 with a clock frequency of 1.1 GHz, RAM is only 1 GB, and the cameras here have 5 MP and 2 MP sensors.
Blackview Ultra Plus is budget Chinese clone of Apple iPhone 6S Plus and, by the way, very good. The smartphone has an attractive and recognizable design in the style of the iPhone 6S Plus, as well as good characteristics. The smartphone costs $149 in China, but we classified it as a budget device due to its good hardware and cool appearance.
The device runs on a 64-bit processor MT6735 from MediaTek, 2 GB of RAM, Android 5.1 Lollipop operating system and Sony IMX164 13 MP (main) and 5 MP front cameras. The Blackview company itself is so confident in its creation that it even compared the smartphone with the original in a video:
Bluboo Xfire 2 costs only $80 in popular Chinese stores, and it is equipped with a fingerprint scanner. The smartphone became a continuation of the budget line Bluboo Xfire, it received Quad-core processor MT6580 from MTK with a frequency of 1.2 GHz and 1 GB of RAM.
In front, above the display, there is a 5 megapixel front camera, and at the back there is an 8 megapixel camera with LED flash and a fingerprint scanner underneath it. The smartphone has hybrid slot for memory cards and SIM cards with three cells, as well as a 2150 mAh battery.
The Chinese company Homtom presented its creation at the end of 2015, but the device went on sale recently, so it can rightfully be included in our top budget Chinese smartphones.
Homtom HT7 in Chinese web malls costs a ridiculous 60 dollars ($59.99 to be exact). At the same time, the smartphone has a 5.5″ inch display, an MTK6580 central processor and a 3000 mAh battery. The manufacturer shared a short video review of Homton HT7:
What would a digest be without the Chinese superstar of Xiaomi Tech. Among the affordable budget smartphones, Mr. Lei Jun also has an option for you. Just the other day, Xiaomi introduced Redmi 3 - perhaps the best smartphone of 2016 from the budget Redmi line in a metal case and with priced at $109.
The device runs on a processor Snapdragon 616 and has a 5″ inch display; the smartphone also has a slot for SIM cards and a microSD memory card that supports up to 128 GB. The only thing worth noting is that the slot is double, so the user will have to choose, either 2 SIM cards or microSD memory card.
Lenovo Lemon 3 is an almost complete copy of Redmi 3, which was released just a couple of days after Xiaomi’s budget phone. Of course, the device also has a metal body and the same Snapdragon 616 SoC as its competitor.
Among the advantages of Lemon 3, it can be noted that the smartphone has two Dolby Atoms stereo speakers on the rear edge, and among the disadvantages is the battery capacity, it is only 2750 mAh. However, the smartphone still turned out to be interesting.
Meizu M3 has become another contender for the title of the best budget phone from China in 2016. It has a plastic body, a 5″ inch HD display and is powered by an MT6750 processor from MediaTek.
If it is inferior in body materials to the metal Lemon 3 and Redmi 3, then in terms of price - $93 in China. The screen is covered with reliable 2.5D SCHOTT Xensation protective glass, and the thickness of the device is only 8.3 mm.
Meizu M3 has two cameras: a 13 MP f/2.2 main camera and a 5 MP f/2.0 front sensor with FotoNation 2.0 Beauty facial enhancement. Unfortunately, there is no fingerprint scanner or USB Type-C, but for the money you can forgive this smartphone.
In this article I will tell you about the pros and cons of buying a Chinese phone, as well as the best Chinese smartphones of 2016-2017. Chinese smartphones have excellent performance at a fairly low cost. In terms of their functions, they can easily compete with flagships like the Samsung Galaxy S7 and iPhone 7, at a cost that is at least several times lower. I suggest you take a look at the best Chinese smartphones you can buy this year.
You've most likely already heard of brands such as Huawei, ZTE and Lenovo. Xiaomi is gaining international popularity, although there are already more smartphones in China than Apple and Samsung combined. But the problem with many Chinese phones is that they are not always available for purchase outside of China. To buy a Chinese phone, you must order it directly from China, or buy it from gray market sellers. In the second case, you will pay significantly more due to markup, but you will receive a similar phone as if you ordered directly from China. I advise you to order a smartphone directly by choosing a trusted store from China. In this article you will find a number of links where you can order smartphones from China with free delivery directly to your home. 
So, what are the main advantages of Chinese smartphones? This is price/quality ratio, excellent performance, Dual-Sim function (two SIM cards), the opportunity to buy an exclusive phone. Most of the best Chinese phones have two SIM card slots. 4G communication is supported even in the most inexpensive versions, where most often only one slot will work in this mode. Some manufacturers still use a standard SIM card slot instead of the now common Micro-SIM. This problem can be solved by ordering a card adapter that costs approximately $1. You should definitely check the specifications to see if the phone will work with the frequencies of your mobile network. The most common eight-core MediaTek processor in Chinese smartphones. All eight cores operate at the same frequency, with no separation taking into account performance and energy conservation. Most often, a smartphone is equipped with 2-3 gigabytes of RAM, 16GB internal memory and support for microSD cards (32-64GB cards are supported). As for the camera, the main camera most often uses a 13Mp f/2.2 Sony sensor, with a 5Mp front selfie camera. The camera functionality is on par with most popular Android smartphones. All devices support HD or full-HD and are equipped with a display from 5 to 5.5 inches. Most often this is a good quality IPS display protected by Gorilla Glass 3.
OnePlus 3 is a popular high-end smartphone that is sold all over the world. Many people do not even suspect that it is produced by a Chinese company. This smartphone is one of the most expensive on the list. But considering the design, performance and quality of the OnePlus 3, it's clear that the price is justified. In many respects, OnePlus 3 is ahead of the flagship Samsung Galaxy S7 and iPhone 7. What is most impressive is the performance of the OnePlus 3 smartphone with a quad-core Snapdragon 820 processor and 6 GB RAM. According to the results of the AnTuTu benchmark test, this phone will surpass any competitor, giving 140,573 points. This is one of the most powerful Chinese smartphones with top performance. The minimalist design is somewhat reminiscent of the Galaxy S7, and although the display isn't quite as good, the build quality and excellent camera get the job done.
Xiaomi's flagship Android smartphone is in no way inferior to more expensive competitors from renowned manufacturers. Users have access to a wide field of customization and numerous settings for maximum ease of use. The stylish design of Xiaomi Mi 5 is backed by high performance and good battery capacity. Xiaomi made a splash at MWC 2016 by introducing its flagship Mi 5 series. These long-awaited devices have already been officially launched in the markets of India and China, but the company intends to expand its horizons and enter global markets. The regular version of Mi 5 is equipped with 3D glass on the rear panel, 32 GB or 64 GB of internal memory and 3 GB RAM. The Pro version comes with a ceramic body, 128 GB of internal memory and 4 GB of RAM. Both phones are equipped with a Snapdragon 820 processor and a 4-axis optical stabilization system. But the most important advantage of the phone is its low cost.
The Xiaomi Redmi Pro is another great Chinese smartphone that offers maximum performance for just $140 (50% off). This device allows the user to deeply configure all parameters and make the phone truly convenient for personal use.
The Honor 8 is a fantastic smartphone whose price has increased significantly since the release of the previous model. However, for $400 you get a great camera, a stylish design, a fast fingerprint sensor and a quality display. All this makes Honor 8 a worthy competitor to the OnePlus 3 smartphone.
You will be impressed by the Elephone P9000 smartphone with advanced characteristics, Android system and a pleasant price tag of $200. The system works quickly, the battery holds a charge for a long time, and many functions allow you to customize everything to your liking. There is even a fast wireless charging function, support for NFC, USB-C, dual-SIM and microSD memory cards.
The lack of a microSD card slot, a removable battery and fast wireless charging means the OnePlus 2 isn't exactly a flagship killer. However, it has a number of killer features, including USB Type-C, dual 4G dual-SIM support, and powerful hardware. With the advent of the new version, the price of the old smartphone was reduced and is now $250. Due to the lack of a slot for memory cards, it is better not to choose the version with 16 GB of memory, but to choose a phone with more voluminous storage.
ASUS ZenFone 2 was recognized as one of the best smartphones of 2015 in terms of price/quality ratio. It has a premium design and good filling. The software is the strong point of this smart phone, and it is complemented by a magnificent screen. However, it is inferior to more modern OnePlus models in a number of ways, including a weaker battery and a less powerful camera. But all these shortcomings are compensated by the low price of the device and do not prevent it from being on the list of the best Chinese smartphones.
The Xiaomi Redmi 3S Pro is currently available for just a few dollars more than the 3S. Both of these phones can be called the optimal choice in terms of price and functionality. These budget Chinese smartphones based on Android will give a head start to many more famous competitors outside of China. The new fingerprint scanner in a $150 phone alone speaks volumes.
The new Redmi Note 4 is not so different from its predecessor of the third version in terms of hardware, having only received more memory and a powerful processor, but in terms of design it has made a big step forward. If you are not interested in sophisticated design and large storage capacity, then the regular Redmi Note 3 is suitable, which is also an excellent device for the money.
Ulefone attempted to create a futuristic smartphone by introducing a model with the self-explanatory name Future. The phone features an edge-to-edge display and a USB-C port. This model has quite sufficient performance for a mid-class smartphone. The design of Ulefone Future can be called stylish, although there are a number of disadvantages, such as excess weight and a weak camera. All this is more than compensated for by the attractive price. The company constantly releases firmware and software updates.
If you want a big smartphone, but don't want to pay a lot of money for it, pay attention to the Xiaomi Mi Max. This is a very interesting option with a large display, high performance, a capacious battery and a number of other advantages. In the wide range of phones from the popular Chinese manufacturer, this device occupies one of the top positions.
Smarton Z1 is the first model from ZUK. It can't be called a super-cheap phone, but the price is fully consistent with what's inside. Standard features include a 5.5-inch full-HD display, a high-capacity battery, 64GB of internal storage and a USB-C port. And although the Lenovo ZUK Z1 does not have microSD card support and the battery cannot be removed, it is still one of the best Chinese smartphones of 2016.
Xiaomi Redmi 3 is an excellent budget smartphone from China running the Android operating system. Since the Google Play service is not pre-installed here by default, you will have to learn some basics of working with the Android operating system to install and configure everything yourself. As for the design, the phone body is made of plastic and is unlikely to impress anyone. The main trump card of Xiaomi Redmi 3 is the price-performance ratio.
Meizu M3 Note is an excellent phone with a powerful battery and a stylish metal body. However, in a number of parameters it is inferior to the Xiaomi Redmi Note 3 mentioned above. This concerns performance, camera, software updates and even price. Among budget Chinese smartphones, Meizu M3 Note cannot be called a leader, but the model deserves close attention. It is quite possible that a new version will be released as early as 2017, which will be able to compete with phones from Xiaomi.
It's amazing how much money you can save if you buy a smartphone in China. Bluboo isn't a big name outside of China, but their new X9 is a stylish phone with a fingerprint scanner and 5-inch full-HD for just $110. At the same time, the smartphone has good performance and sufficient memory to store all your data, games, music and videos.
The fourth model in the Huawei P series is also called a pocket camera, as the company created the smartphone in partnership with German camera manufacturer Leica. As a result, the smartphone is equipped with two main cameras and one front camera. With such a complex of cameras, Huawei P allows you to take excellent photos under any conditions. At the same time, the smartphone costs significantly more than its competitors, which can be attributed to its disadvantages. Huawei products have already proven themselves around the world and are distributed in all countries of Europe and the USA. The smartphone is sold with a pre-installed Android Marshmallow system, HiSilicon Kirin 955 chipset and 3 GB RAM. The 32GB internal storage can be expanded via microSD cards. The battery capacity is 3,000 mAh.
Elephone was so focused on the internal stuffing that it forgot to take care of the quality of the case and assembly. The Vowney smartphone stands out for its excellent characteristics, but is slightly inferior to other competitors on this list in design. However, this is one of the best Chinese smartphones that you can order right now.
October 15, 2016 | Categories: Topper , Other , Technology
Rating: +2 Author of the article: Koller Views: 59853And you are mistaken if you think that any little-known brands in the ultra-budget category look better. Because alternatives to mediocre mobile phones from a technical point of view are also presented by “horses of the Apocalypse”, but with different tricks - with good hardware “on paper”, but unpredictable build quality. It’s very sad to state this, but even without regard to the brand, for less than 6 thousand rubles in Russian cell stores you can only buy phones of the “Lord, if only it didn’t fall apart on its own” level or obsolete junk. Therefore, excuse me, the concept of “budget” for us today will range from 5.5 thousand rubles in Chinese retail and from 8-9 thousand from Russian retailers. Everything that is cheaper is an option from the category “that’s what you need!”, much to our regret.
What do you prefer - a dish made from rotten ingredients, but beautifully presented in a restaurant, or a fresh shawarma/burger that an unscrupulous guy makes in a tent? Because this is exactly what you have to choose between when you compare the structurally failed “thoroughbred” budget models and the cooler from a technical point of view, but poorly designed “Chinese phones”.
And we, perhaps, will be optimistic - there is always a chance of not getting poisoned by fresh “shawarma” at a dubious kiosk, but eating obviously rotten food certainly does not bring anything good. In a word, here’s some Chinese stuff, which, chances are, will work well for its 4-6 thousand rubles.
You may be seeing such a brand for the first time and wondering how “this is it” can get on the best lists? For those who are not in the know, HomTom is a “senior assistant to a junior janitor,” that is, a subsidiary brand of the Chinese phone manufacturer Doogee. The cameras in this model are of very poor quality, the performance is average (only 1 GB of RAM), the speaker is not very loud. But for the 4000-5000 rubles that the Chinese ask for such a smartphone, in Russia you will only buy something extremely poor with an old quad-core processor and a dull grainy display. But HomTom HT17 is a budget phone, which is not “cheap” from a design point of view.
The beginning of the summer period presented users with many new interesting mobile devices. The pioneers were the companies Xiaomi and Meizu, who presented the Meizu M3S and Xiaomi Redmi 3S, which fall into the budget class at their cost. However, this was not the main sensation; the most sensational smartphones were the flagship device OnePlus 3 and the ZUK Z2 phone. After reading the new issue of “”, you will learn everything you need.
Price: $69.99
The UMI company announced a nice smartphone from the budget segment, which was traditionally named after the universally recognizable city - London. The phone's appearance is similar to the flagship Xiaomi Mi5 device, although there is no scanner button on the front. The new product is covered with curved glass on both sides and has a metal frame. According to the vendor, this phone is extremely durable. However, it’s hard to believe, taking into account the budget class and modest price tag.
Price: $270
The flagship device Doogee F7 Pro was presented in July, but many could see its presentation at an event called MWC, which took place in winter. At that time, it was one of the first mobile gadgets created based on the Mediatek Helio X20 chipset (10 cores). However, everyone knows very well that second-rate companies often delay production too much, and only in the summer did information about the start of sales appear. In addition to the interesting processor, this flagship also boasts an impressive 5.7-inch display with a resolution of 1920 x 1080 pixels. There is also 4 GB of RAM, a main IMX230 photo module with a resolution of 21 megapixels from SONY, the same camera is installed on the Meizu MX5 and a solid 4000 mAh battery.
Price: $94
Everything is leading to the fact that iNew U9 will become the most affordable phablet on the global technology market. Buying it at retail, the new device will cost a little less than $100. Of course, I understand that for such a sum you shouldn’t expect something incredible, but if you look closely, the technical component is not so poor. The big plus is that the phone is built on the MediaTek MT6735 chipset, not the MT6580.
Price: $400
RugGear RG740 is a mobile gadget straight from the Middle Kingdom, identified as a protected type. The new smartphone meets IP68 (protection standard), which means it is dust-resistant, waterproof and completely immune to any shock. Compared to its competitors in the global market, the RugGear RG740 boasts a couple of unexpected but necessary details - a port for a magnetic charger, such as can be found in several copies of the Sony Xperia. Such a small detail greatly simplifies the charging process and provides additional safety. But for those who are distrustful, there is also microUSB.
But there is no barrel of honey without a fly in the ointment. The cost is too high, taking into account the fact that funds for production are raised using a crowdfunding scheme.
Price: $399 / 399 EUR / 2499 RMB
According to many, the loudest buzz of this month was the presentation of the 3rd flagship device, OnePlus 3. As expected, this is a mobile device from the “upper class” at an affordable price. Like many of its opponents on the market, the OnePlus 3 phone was built on the basis of the already proven Snapdragon 820 chipset. In addition, there is as much as 6 GB of RAM, which is the maximum today. And it’s worth considering that there are no versions with less RAM. It is also necessary to mention that the flagship is equipped with a 5.5-inch Optic AMOLED display, a fingerprint scanner, fast charging technology, and a main IMX298 photo module with a resolution of 16 megapixels from Sony. All this is encased in a metal case (andonized aluminum).
The cost for such a powerful device is not much, not less than 399 dollars for residents of the USA, and for residents of Europe the cost will be 399 euros. In China, the flagship has a price tag of 2499 yuan, which translates to $380.
Price: $106/136
Xiaomi Corporation has spoiled its fans with two new products - Redmi 3S and Redmi 3X. It’s not hard to guess that both phones are modifications of the already beloved budget phone Redmi 3. The main difference between the new models and the original is a different processor. Having said goodbye to Snapdragon 616, Redmi 3S and Redmi 3X acquired a fresh Snapdragon 430 chipset. And despite the fact that the “fresh” one is lower in class, in terms of performance it will most likely be more productive than its “big brother”.
In addition, the new models have fingerprint scanners on board, such as those in the Redmi 3 Pro.
The phone's appearance is practically indistinguishable. However, the Redmi 3X model is intended for the operator from China “China Unicom” and has a slightly different shape of the edges - they are straight.
Price: $106/136
This smartphone was created in order to compete with the Redmi 3 line from Xiaomi Corporation. The previous version of Meizu M3 is inferior with its fragile plastic body, significantly smaller battery and does not have a fingerprint scanner. And in the new version, we took into account all the shortcomings of the previous model and tried to get rid of them. Now everything on board the smartphone is encased in a metal case. The phone has a fingerprint scanner on the front panel of the device. The battery has a reserve of 3000 mAh, in this it is clearly inferior to its competitor, because 4100 mAh is no joke. However, few people pay attention to this point, and therefore now Meizu M3S can measure its strength with budget smartphones from Xiaomi. After all, even the price tags are almost identical.
Price: $380
In addition to the updated Meizu M3S, the company presented to the public two new colors for the flagship device Meizu PRO 6. If they had not stood out so much from the crowd, they would not have been included in this list, but today it is rare to see a bright mobile device, in particular red.
Regarding technical data and cost, they are completely identical to the standard Meizu Pro 6.
Price: $305
The Gionee company made a splash by presenting the brand new S6 Pro, the main feature of which was the unusual body, which was made of 97% metal. But the technical component doesn’t really stand out. This is a high-quality average mobile gadget, which is built on the MediaTek Helio P10 processor with a solid 4 GB of RAM and 64 GB of native memory. The cost seems a little high, however, looking at the company that created it, everything falls into place.
Price: $106 / $122
The new product from the budget class, Huawei Honor 5A, taking into account its technical data and cost, is quite capable of competing with the brainchild of Xiaomi and Meizu. A mobile gadget with a diagonal of 5.5 inches, built on a Snapdragon 617 processor (8 cores), is armed with 2 GB of RAM, 16 GB of internal memory, a 3100 mAh battery and two photo modules - the main one with a resolution of 13 megapixels, and the front one with a resolution of 8 megapixels . But they won’t buy it online as zealously as, for example, Xiaomi or Meizu.
Price: $197 / $228
But the Asus company is doing very badly, because why release a budget-class smartphone with the Mediatek MT6737 chipset in China, evaluating it as a high-quality average gadget. In addition, the new product has an appearance that is not everyone’s taste, thanks to the “bold” frames around the screen. But there is also a plus - an impressive 4100 mAh battery. The mobile phone has a 5.2-inch display. If we think about it, the new product from Asus is the same Xiaomi Redmi 3S, only with a weaker processor at the cost of the Redmi Note 3 Pro on the Snapdragon 650 chipset with 3 GB of RAM and 32 GB of internal memory.
Price: $150
Doogee Corporation has made updates to the long-lasting favorite Doogee T6 with a 5.5-inch diagonal and a large 6250 mAh battery. The new product is called Doogee T6 Pro. Now, instead of the MediaTek MT6735 chipset (4 cores), MT6753 with 8 cores is installed on board. And now the RAM size is 3 GB, and the “native” memory is 32 GB. Otherwise, nothing has changed.
Price: $305
Everyone will remember 2016 as the heyday of huge mobile devices with screens over 6 inches. And this month, Nubia was also able to boast of such a large specimen. I would like to remind you that Nubia is a sub-brand of ZTE. The new mobile device has a 6-inch screen with a resolution of 1920 x 1080 pixels. Super AMOLED matrix. There is a rather impressive technical part on board, which is based on the Snapdragon 652 chipset. There is also 4 GB of RAM and 64 GB of internal memory. The new brainchild from Nubia is armed with a good photo module with a resolution of 16 megapixels (Sony IMX298), a fingerprint scanner and Hi-Fi sound declared by the manufacturer. And all this is enclosed in a metal shell. And considering all this data, the cost is $305 and this allows the Nubia Z11 Max to compete with the Xiaomi Mi Max in the best configuration.
Price: $499/299/199
The new Lenovo PHAB2 Pro is not just everyone’s favorite mobile device, but also the first phone on the planet that supports Project Tango augmented virtual reality. This 6.4-inch gadget has a huge number of sensors and cameras that are responsible for scanning the surrounding space in order to build a 3D model. Such technology should be used in gameplay or for navigation while in a building.
Other highlights include a QHD screen with 2560 x 1440 pixels, a 16-megapixel main photo module, a metal body, a fingerprint scanner, a Snapdragon 652 chipset and high-level sound from Dolby.
In addition to the flagship type device, its younger brothers were presented - PHAB and PHAB2 Plus. Both new products have exactly the same diagonal, but the resolution will be lower. In addition, the phones are based on chipsets from Mediatek.
Cost: $460-535/$610-760
Meitu is widely known in the Middle Kingdom as a manufacturer of expensive mobile devices for a female audience, and this month the company presented two gadgets.
The Meitu V4s is an update to the flagship type device of that year. To put it roughly, they only updated the amount of “native” memory and added a new orange coloring.
But the new Meitu M6 is the new brainchild of the company. This model is the first to have a fingerprint scanner and, unlike the Meitu V4s, it comes with a more modest finish.
As before, the main highlights of mobile gadgets from Meitu are the famous V design and two high-tech photo modules with a resolution of 21 megapixels. Well, the cost is, as always, too high.
Cost: $275
Long before its release, there were rumors that the new smartphone from OPPO would be able to pamper everyone with its low cost. But what is happening now is completely different from what was said. OPPO A59 is the most expensive mobile gadget based on the modest Mediatek MT6750 chipset. This was also installed on the Meizu M3 mini. The price tag from the manufacturer is 1,799 yuan, which translates to $275. As a comparison, we can mention the ZUK Z2, which was built on the basis of the powerful Snapdragon 820.
Price: $92-107
The new budget mobile gadget ZTE Blade A2 will take the place of the Blade A1 from 2015. As before, one of the main features of the phone will be a fingerprint scanner and a durable metal case will be added to this. In general, the new product from ZTE can compete with the Meizu M3 mini, and perhaps even with the Xiaomi Redmi 3, if the average battery capacity is to your liking.
Price: $273
In the end, the prayers of lovers of miniature mobile gadgets were heard and the ZUK company gave everyone who asked a ZUK Z2. You should know that ZUK is a subsidiary of Lenovo. At the moment, this is the most affordable phone based on the powerful Snapdragon 820. But in addition to the top chipset, it has 4 GB of RAM, a fingerprint scanner, acceptable photo modules and an impressive 3500 mAh battery. In the Celestial Empire, the cost will cost less than three hundred dollars.
Price: $249 / $479 / $499
ASUS Corporation from Taiwan presented three new products at once, including the hi-end flagship device ZenFone 3 Deluxe, built on the Snapdragon 820 and with 6 GB of RAM and 256 GB of internal memory. In addition, the new gadget has acquired a 5.7-inch display and a 23-megapixel main photo module with optical stabilization (4 axes).
The second, but no less important new product is ZenFone 3 Ultra. a real titanium with a 6.8-inch screen, but it just has less outstanding technical data. However, this will be enough to play or work. One of the top Snapdragon 652 and 4 GB of RAM will ensure stable operation.
Well, the third gadget from the budget segment is ZenFone 3. To be honest, the characteristics of this smartphone are quite consistent with the standards of the middle class, but its cost is almost two times lower than the above-mentioned brothers. The device has a 5.5-inch FHD screen, a fresh Snapdragon 625 chipset with 8 cores, 4 GB of RAM and a main photo module of 16 megapixels.
Price: $150
This product also comes from Taiwan. For those who are not in the know, this brand is the property of the well-known Foxconn factory.
The new mobile device is an almost exact copy of the Meizu M3 Note with a diagonal of 5.5 inches and a Mediatek Helio P10 processor. The only difference is that the amount of RAM is higher, but the battery capacity is slightly lower. However, the main highlight is the Tencent OS 2.0 Android firmware. To date, this is the first phone that runs on Tencent OS. Second generation.
Price: $1065-1980
If you have a lot of money and you can’t find a use for it, then the people of China can offer you a mobile gadget for several thousand American banknotes. The smartphone will be dressed in any skin you like - snake, lizard, crocodile, etc. The technical part is not too strong, but what difference does it make if you have a real “ponto cutter” in your hand?
Mobile devices from the most famous Chinese brands have long been competitors to American and European manufacturers in terms of price, quality and functionality. Just go to Yandex.Market and read reviews of Chinese smartphones. Rating of the best Chinese smartphones of 2016 by price and quality based on ratings and reviews from Yandex Market users.
Read our price and quality guide, which includes the best new products and flagships of the year.
It successfully combines flagship-level hardware and design with a relatively low price for a device of such functionality. A good bright design, the device has a five-inch screen, damage-resistant glass, can work in 4G LTE networks, and a large (3 GB) amount of RAM.
Disadvantage: the OnePlus X has a combined SIM card slot, so you have to choose between a SIM and a card. This means that if you want to install two SIM cards, you will automatically lose the ability to use the memory card.
Despite the budget price, the best Chinese smartphone from KVD International Group is able to please customers with features typical for a higher price category. A five-inch screen with a resolution of 1920x1080, an eight-core processor with a frequency of 1.3 GHz, 3 gigabytes of RAM, 16 GB of flash memory and a 2660 mAh battery.
Disadvantages: the innovative design literally has sharp corners - the manufacturers decided to move away from the smooth lines familiar to the eye. Well, the appearance really turned out to be unusual, but holding the gadget in your hand is not very comfortable and a bit heavy due to the metal case.
The budget Chinese smartphone has a five-inch screen, a 1.3 GHz quad-core processor, 2 GB RAM and 16 GB built-in memory, and a 2540 mAh battery. It is distinguished by good workmanship and pleasant ergonomics - all control buttons are right at hand. Although the hardware is not top-end, this original smartphone performs its functions to the highest standards - it can go for quite a long time without charging, the firmware with many functions will allow you to customize the device for yourself.
Disadvantages: no NFC.
Representative of the best Chinese smartphones in terms of price/quality among “frameless” models. In fact, there are frames, but they are very thin. At the same time, the phone looks unusual, and the effect of novelty is enhanced by 2.5D glass. The model has an all-metal body, a 5.2-inch display with a resolution of 1920x1080, an eight-core processor with a frequency of 1.3 GHz, 3 GB of space for applications and 16 GB for storing user data, and the battery capacity is relatively small - only 2100 mAh.
Disadvantages: “stiff” sensor, quiet speech speaker, problems with the proximity sensor and poor performance.
The main feature of the representative of the rating of Chinese smartphones from the company Highscreen is the highest autonomy. The Power Five Evo has a battery capacity of up to 5000 mAh, and the smartphone costs reasonable money. Main characteristics: 5-inch display with a resolution of 1280x720, 2 GB RAM and 16 GB ROM memory, eight-core processor. Despite the battery size, the smartphone itself turned out to be quite small, and the quality of workmanship and unusual colors (like gold and coffee) leave a pleasant impression.
Disadvantages: quiet external speaker.
New among inexpensive Chinese smartphones in 2016, the heir to last year’s popular M2 Mini has a five-inch screen with a resolution of 1280 x 720, 2 GB of RAM and 16 GB of ROM memory, an eight-core processor with a frequency of 1.5 and 1 GHz, a 2870 mAh battery and a 13 MP camera.
Disadvantages: the YunOS operating system is unusual for Russian and Western users and has compatibility problems for a fairly large number of applications.
The “little brother” of the sophisticated and, alas, expensive Huawei P9, does not have super mega hardware, but at the same time it has a fingerprint scanner and a very well-balanced display. An eight-core chip with a frequency of 1.8 GHz and 2.0 GHz, RAM 2 GB, built-in 16 GB, with many useful little things, like spatial position sensors, a compass, a pedometer and more. The build quality is not satisfactory, the design is stylish and pleasant.
Disadvantages: power-intensive games are difficult to run, but smartphones are bought not only for games.
Third place in the TOP 10 Chinese smartphones of 2016 went to OnePlus3. Against the background of the overall smoothness of the back cover of the 5.5-inch screen, the 16 megapixel camera, additionally protected by a metal ring and tempered glass, stands out quite significantly. However, its size completely makes up for its quality - the pictures for a mobile phone are excellent, the video is excellent. And thanks to an ingenious engineering solution, the speaker sounds at above-average volumes. The device has excellent hardware - a quad-core chip with a frequency of 2.2 GHz and 1.6 GHz, 6 GB RAM, 64 GB internal memory.
Disadvantage: there is no slot for a memory card.
The sixth Android, a 5.15-inch screen with sapphire glass, a quad-core processor (1.8 or 2.15 GHz frequency), 3 GB RAM - a good set for the most productive smartphone in this price category. But the next new product, Mi6, should be one of the year.
Disadvantage: the back cover is slippery and can slip out of your hands.
Chinese quality – these days it’s hard to consider this phrase an oxymoron. A great example is Redmi Note 3 Pro. This is not only a good purchase of 2016, but also one of the. It has good hardware for this price category (six-core processor, 4050 mAh battery, 5.5-inch display, 3 GB of RAM and 32 built-in storage), and excellent endurance. Chances are that if you make the most of this powerful smartphone, you will be able to bequeath it to your grandchildren.
