Gadget

Chinese smartphones are now taken not only because they are cheap. From «flagship killers» they have already grown into self-sufficient models that are on par with A-brand phones in terms of power and functionality.

The best Chinese smartphones

Our rating includes real flagships, balanced phones and the most successful state employees.

Reasons to buy:

• Flawless 120Hz screen;
• One of the most powerful processors;
• The most up-to-date communication modules;
• Cameras with optical stabilization;
• Supports wireless and reverse charging.

Quite expensive, but stuffed to the eyeballs, the flagship from Xiaomi offers all the best. This is a versatile phone that is suitable for games, mobile shooting (up to recording 8K videos), watching movies and listening to music in high quality. The connection will not let you down.

Despite the rather big dimensions and the glass back panel, the phone is very ergonomic and fits securely in the hand. Many also liked the delicate vibration feedback.

Maximum performance is achieved due to the fresh Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 processor. It (together with a large 2K screen) caused some decrease in autonomy. But the problem is solved by fast charging with the ability to use a 120W charger.

We also recommend:

Xiaomi Mi 11 Ultra — here the screen is even larger (6.81″), but with the same characteristics. The filling is half a step behind the flagship, but the battery capacity is 5000 mAh, and the quality of pictures on the main cameras is better.

Reasons to buy:

• High autonomy plus fast charging;
• Bright screen;
• Quality camera;
• Loud stereo sound;
• Reliably catches the network;
• WiFi 6.

The smartphone has a stylish design: it has a glass back panel and a metal body. The flat 6.62-inch display is equipped with an AMOLED matrix that supports HDR10+. The refresh rate is 120Hz.

The screen is very responsive, which gamers will especially appreciate — no less than a special 4D Haptic vibration motor.

The super-powerful processor ensures that your phone runs fast in games, standard programs and applications. The rest of the filling is also consistent in level. Here, even the cameras are excellent — with optical stabilization.

We also recommend:

One Plus 9 — it costs a little less and is only slightly inferior in terms of equipment to 9RT, but in almost all areas. Its main advantage is higher graphics and twice the number of OP channels, which gives some increase in Geekbench tests.

Reasons to buy:

• High screen frequency;
• Capacious battery;
• Bright screen with natural colors;
• Quality camera;
• Simple and stable interface;
• Fast charging.

Thanks to the Helio P35 processor, the smartphone has a high speed of operation, but, of course, there are not enough stars from the sky. With such a chip, it was reasonable to use a screen with a low, by today’s standards, HD + resolution and a basic brightness level.

Despite the obvious cheapness, the developers did not save on communication modules. The Y21 has received a fairly recent version of Bluetooth 5.0 with aptX, dual-band Wi-Fi and NFC.

The phone supports two display unlock modes: Face ID and Fingerprint. It also comes with iManager mobile assistant to optimize file storage and secure device operation.

For some, a 3.5 mm audio jack for wired headphones will be a nice bonus. You will need them to use the built-in radio.

We also recommend:

Vivo Y53s — close in functionality model with a large built-in memory. The battery keeps your phone running for a long time. Comes with earphones, protective film and case.

Reasons to buy:

• Large and bright screen;
• Long-life battery;
• System accelerator;
• Temperature control mode during charging;
• Quality build.

The smartphone is equipped with artificial intelligence to protect the eyes. AI Eye Care technology adapts to the lighting at a certain moment and remembers the display brightness level used.

The cameras guarantee quality photos thanks to AI beautification. Frames are obtained with natural color reproduction.

Otherwise, the filling is quite simple and not voracious in terms of energy consumption. It is all the more pleasant to see a capacious battery that allows you to use the phone for a long time even when the battery is low.

We also recommend:

OPPO A74 — a more expensive and better equipped smartphone with a mid-range Snapdragon 662 processor and increased memory. The triple camera here is of a higher level, but also equipped with AI beautification technology. The battery lasts for 34 hours of multitasking.

Reasons to buy:

• High screen resolution Full HD + and a large margin of brightness;
• fast charging;
• Good camera;
• Capacious battery;
• In-screen fingerprint scanner.

The gaming processor and large battery guarantee fast and long-lasting operation of the smartphone for 26 hours. Or 43 when using super power saving and cooling modes. And fast charging will restore the phone’s energy in 65 minutes.

The device received 4 good cameras. Thanks to special shooting modes, you can take professional videos and photos with them. The bright screen lets you enjoy rich, clear images without graininess. But due to the presence of PWM (flicker), it will be uncomfortable for especially sensitive people to use it.

The manufacturer saved on the dynamics — he is the only one here and not of the highest quality. To put up with this will allow the audio jack for wired headphones.

We also recommend:

realme 8 pro — the flagship offers improved technical characteristics. An excellent camera with a powerful module provides high quality photos even at 3x zoom. The updated operating system makes efficient use of system resources, reducing application loading times.

Features of Chinese smartphones

Chinese smartphones are still popular among buyers in Russia. In 2021, a total of 30 million mobile phones were sold, and half of them were “Chinese”. Although a year earlier, the demand for them was higher (data from M.Video-Eldorado).

For several years, Chinese smartphones have outperformed South Korean and American mobile phone manufacturers. Reasons for this popularity:

• affordable price;
• quality assembly;
• regular software updates;
• excellent design;
• always a wide range.

Chinese manufacturers offer modern smartphones of all levels — from ultra-budget to full-fledged flagships, satisfying the needs of any category of users.

Consider all their advantages in detail:

Price

Chinese mobile phones are cheaper compared to South Korean and American models. The low price is due to the proximity of suppliers of parts for smartphones, reduced transportation costs, cheap labor and large production volumes.

Assembly

High-quality assembly is a priority for companies from the Middle Kingdom. Chinese manufacturers use the latest components: camera, flagship processor, high-resolution display. Moreover, parts are often made in South Korea, Japan, and the USA.

Software Update

Chinese mobile phones are updated regularly during the first two years of release. Smartphones operate on the basis of Android and various shells (each company may have its own).

The firmware of the operating system is constantly being improved to support devices with modern functions. And due to frequent updates, bugs are quickly fixed.

Design

As a rule, Chinese smartphones are characterized by a stylish, fashionable and bright back panel design. The body can be made of metal or glass. In budget models — made of plastic, but visually indistinguishable from more expensive materials.

Manufacturers produce frameless models with a large screen, and phones with a retractable front camera. They also learned how to decorate the main block of cameras beautifully, which the others have not yet been able to achieve.

Popular Chinese Smartphone Brands

Russian buyers prefer flagship smartphones from China — they are quite powerful and functional, while being cheaper than European or American gadgets of the same level.

There are several popular companies in our market:

The leading position among all smartphones sold is Xiaomi. According to Kommersant, the share of phones of this Chinese manufacturer in the market in 2021 was 31%.

The brand’s devices are based on MIUI, which offers frequent updates, various settings, pre-installed software and customization. Users can independently create firmware to improve the performance of their smartphone.

Affordable Huawei smartphones are equipped with their own Kirin processors. They are distinguished by good speed of applications and programs, low power consumption.

New technologies allow them to interact with augmented reality AR. Traditionally capacious accumulators provide high autonomy.

In 2019-2020, Honor was the most popular brand in unit sales. Smartphones of this brand are characterized by an optimal ratio of price and quality. A feature of the models is a camera that works with the support of artificial intelligence. It guarantees incredible depth and clarity of photos.

Oneplus flagships are distinguished by high technical characteristics and fashionable design. These mobile phones have a powerful processor, a large amount of built-in and RAM, and are also equipped with decent cameras.

Realme youth models attract attention with their bright design and affordable price. Frameless brand phones are characterized by high performance coupled with good autonomy.

Video: The best and worst brands of Chinese smartphones