It became more difficult to buy an inexpensive but good Chinese smartphone on Aliexpress in 2020, because the duty-free limit on goods imported from abroad dropped to 200 euros (13,818 rubles at the current exchange rate).
Fortunately, most of the models in our list of the best low-cost Chinese smartphones of 2020 fit into this amount. And those that do not fit can be purchased in Russian stores at a good discount. The main thing is to wait for the sale, start the action or find a valid promotional code. And don't forget to use one of the cashback services to return part of the money from the purchase.
10. Meizu Note 9
The average price is 12 550 rubles.
Characteristics:
- smartphone with Android 9.0
- support for two SIM-cards
- screen 6.2 ″, resolution 2244 × 1080
- dual camera 48 MP / 5 MP, autofocus
- memory 64 GB, without memory card slot
- 3G, 4G LTE, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth
- RAM 4 GB
- battery 4000 mAh
- weight 170 g, WxHxT 74.40 × 153.10 × 8.65 mm
Despite the capacious battery, this good Chinese smartphone will not weigh down your pocket with its weight. It fits comfortably in the hand, and there are no fingerprints on its screen thanks to its high-quality oleophobic coating.
The Snapdragon 675 processor, which is located under the cover of the Meizu Note 9, is made in a modern 11nm process technology and belongs to the average performance level. We also note a decent amount of RAM for a state employee - 4 gigabytes. Even "heavy" games will run on this smartphone quickly and without slowdowns.
The AI-enabled main dual camera works well out of the box, but lacks electronic image stabilization. But if you install the Google Camera application, then electronic stabilization will appear, and the quality of images will noticeably improve. And even if you shoot at night, you can get a good photo.
In general, Meizu Note 9 is a decent device for its price, if you do not need NFC, but you need a smartphone with a comfortable shell, a bright screen and a good main camera.
pros: there is fast charging, the type of charging connector is USB Type-C, there is a fingerprint scanner.
Minuses: mediocre selfie camera, no memory card slot, seldom updated shell, no NFC (cheaper competitors from OPPO and ZTE say hello).
9. Realme 5 Pro
The average price is 12,990 rubles.
Characteristics:
- smartphone with Android 9.0
- support for two SIM-cards
- screen 6.3 ″, resolution 2340 × 1080
- four cameras 48 MP / 8 MP / 2 MP / 2 MP, autofocus
- memory 128 GB, memory card slot
- 3G, 4G LTE, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth
- RAM 4 GB
- 4035 mAh battery
- weight 184 g, WxHxT 74.20x157x8.90 mm
An inexpensive and good Chinese smartphone that is made by the OPPO sub-brand, which means that you don't have to worry about the build quality. It boasts a powerful Snapdragon 712 processor paired with 4GB of RAM (6GB variant is also available) and 64GB of internal storage (expandable).
The Realme 5 Pro is a fairly large and heavy phone due to its 6.3-inch Full HD + display and 4035mAh battery with 20W fast charging. It features a 16MP selfie camera hidden in a notch at the top of the display. And on the back, we find as many as four cameras with a 48MP primary sensor, a secondary 8MP ultra wide angle lens, a telephoto lens, and a macro lens.
pros: there is a fingerprint scanner, excellent in terms of brightness and contrast IPS-screen, a convenient shell ColorOS 6.0, based on Android 9 Pie.
Minuses: no NFC, very easily soiled body.
8. VIVO Y91c
The average price is 6,990 rubles.
Characteristics:
- smartphone with Android 8.1
- support for two SIM-cards
- screen 6.22 ″, resolution 1520 × 720
- 13 MP camera, autofocus
- memory 32 GB, memory card slot
- 3G, 4G LTE, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth
- RAM 2 GB
- 4030 mAh battery
- weight 164 g, WxHxT 75.09 × 155.11 × 8.28 mm
An excellent Chinese smartphone in the category up to 10,000 rubles has earned many positive reviews from Russian users. And it is not surprising, because for a modest price you will receive a device with a capacious battery, the ability to expand the internal storage by installing a memory card up to 256 GB, not the worst Mediatek Helio P22 processor and the ability to recognize by face.
During a conversation, VIVO Y91c is well heard both you and the interlocutor, the screen has a newfangled aspect ratio of 19: 9 and that is why it seems longer than it is, but the main one is that the front camera is "C" out of five points. That is, if you want a more or less high-quality snapshot, you will have to edit the result manually.
And also this smartphone (if you buy it in a Russian store) comes with a protective film and a cover already glued to it.
pros: bright screen, clear and loud sound without wheezing, stable signal even where many other smartphones "get lost".
Minuses: mediocre cameras, outdated type of charging connector - micro-USB, no missed call and charging indicator.
7. Honor 10i
The average price is 12,990 rubles.
Characteristics:
- smartphone with Android 9.0
- support for two SIM-cards
- screen 6.21 ″, resolution 2340 × 1080
- three cameras 24 MP / 8 MP / 2 MP, autofocus
- memory 128 GB, memory card slot
- 3G, 4G LTE, LTE-A, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, NFC
- RAM 4 GB
- battery 3400 mAh
- weight 164 g, WxHxT 73.64 × 154.80 × 7.95 mm
The representative of the Honor 10 family does not pretend to be a flagship role, but it is able to surprise with its characteristics, given the rather modest price.
It is marketed as a device for photography enthusiasts, and features a triple rear camera (24MP / 8MP / 2MP) and a 32MP selfie camera with AI technology.
Inside the phone is the Hisilicon Kirin 710 chip, which, combined with 4GB of RAM and 128GB of internal storage, will provide you with a fast application experience and a pleasant mobile gaming experience. Honor 10i also boasts NFC and Face Unlock support.
pros: beautiful, efficient, excellent quality of photo and video shooting, good communication quality, a protective film and a cover are included,
Minuses: outdated micro-USB connector, the text on the screen is difficult to read in the sun.
6. Hisense Rock 5
The average price is 10,990 rubles.
Characteristics:
- smartphone with Android 9.0
- support for two SIM-cards
- screen 6.22 ″, resolution 1520 × 720
- dual camera 13 MP / 2 MP, autofocus
- memory 64 GB, memory card slot
- 3G, 4G LTE, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth
- RAM 4 GB
- battery 5500 mAh
If you need a mobile phone with a powerful battery, spectacular design and without a bunch of unnecessary programs, pay attention to Hisense Rock 5. It fits comfortably in the hand, lasts up to three days without recharging with active use (games, calls, Internet surfing) and is different confident reception of mobile communications.
In the screen settings, you will find such modes useful for Russia as the mode of operation with gloves. As for the brightness, it is enough to read text even outdoors on a sunny day.
Inside the device is not the smartest, but quite good 12nm Snapdragon 439 processor, coupled with 4GB of RAM and expandable internal storage due to a 64GB memory card.
There is a dual camera (13MP / 2MP) on the back and an 8MP selfie camera on the front. They shoot well in good lighting; digital “noises” are visible in the pictures taken at night.
pros: there is a fingerprint scanner, works quickly, not easily soiled.
Minuses: hard to find a cover, no gesture control, a lot of RAM for a budget device.
5. Honor 20s
The average price is 18,940 rubles.
Characteristics:
- smartphone with Android 9.0
- support for two SIM-cards
- screen 6.15 ″, resolution 2312 × 1080
- three cameras 48 MP / 8 MP / 2 MP, autofocus
- memory 128 GB, without slot for memory cards
- 3G, 4G LTE, LTE-A, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, NFC
- RAM 6 GB
- battery 3340 mAh
- weight 159 g, WxHxT 72.70 × 152.90 × 7.40 mm
The best feature of this smartphone is not an IPS screen with 19: 9 aspect ratio, and not the presence of an NFC chip, and not even a smart HiSilicon Kirin 710 processor, but a triple main camera.
It consists of a 48MP primary lens, an 8MP ultra wide-angle lens and a 2MP macro lens, more than enough for quality everyday shooting.
In automatic mode, using intelligent scene recognition, the smartphone takes great photos with rich details and colors, as well as accurate white balance. Pictures taken at night are not as good, but you can get better results using the Pro mode.
By the way, Honor 20s has a huge number of shooting modes. Let us mention the most unusual of them - the Super Macro mode. It allows you to bring the smartphone camera lens closer to the desired object at a distance of up to 4 centimeters. However, the resolution is reduced to 2 MP.
If this is not enough for you, add to these advantages a large supply of RAM, a beautiful appearance, and you will get a smartphone that you yourself are not ashamed to use and can be presented to a good person as a gift.
pros: optimal size, fits well in both male and female hands, fast fingerprint scanner, fast charging, modern USB Type-C connector.
Minuses: not all games will run at maximum settings, not the most capacious battery.
4.Xiaomi Redmi Note 8 Pro
The average price is 18,950 rubles.
Characteristics:
- smartphone with Android 9.0
- support for two SIM-cards
- screen 6.53 ″, resolution 2340 × 1080
- four cameras 64 MP / 8 MP / 2 MP / 2 MP, autofocus
- memory 128 GB, memory card slot
- 3G, 4G LTE, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, NFC
- RAM 6 GB
- battery 4500 mAh
- weight 200 g, WxHxT 76.40 × 161.35 × 8.79 mm
This is one of the most powerful smartphones you can get for less than RUR 20,000. Under the hood of the device is the MediaTek Helio G90T processor, which - as test enthusiasts probably know - scored 277,533 points in AnTuTu 8. Along with the excellent chip, we will find 6 GB of RAM and 128 GB of expandable memory in the Redmi Note 8 Pro.
The smartphone also has a large and bright 6.53-inch screen and four rear cameras. The module includes: a 64MP main sensor, an 8MP secondary (ultra wide-angle lens), a third 2MP macro camera and finally a 2MP depth sensor. The front selfie camera has a resolution of 20 MP.
Finally, it should be noted that this model has a capacious 4500 mAh battery, which supports 18W fast charging technology.
pros: sturdy body, there is NFC, works quickly, without jams even when several resource-intensive applications are running, powerful Wi-Fi antenna.
Minuses: Heavy, the camera / fingerprint reader assembly protrudes from the chassis and can quickly become chipped or scratched.
3. ZTE Blade V10
The average price is 10,990 rubles.
Characteristics:
- smartphone with Android 9.0
- support for two SIM-cards
- screen 6.3 ″, resolution 2280 × 1080
- dual camera 16 MP / 5 MP, autofocus
- memory 64 GB, memory card slot
- 3G, 4G LTE, LTE-A, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, NFC
- RAM 4 GB
- battery 3200 mAh
- weight 156 g, WxHxT 75.20 × 157.80 × 7.80 mm
When you hold this budget Chinese smartphone in the palm of your hand, there is a feeling of subtlety and lightness. It is very comfortable and pleasant to hold in your hand. But the Blade V10 should be appreciated not only for this, but also for the presence of NFC, high-quality communication (the sound is not too loud and not too quiet, but "in proportion"), and an excellent 32 MP selfie camera.
By the way, the rear camera also did not disappoint, it has a flash and a macro mode, as well as many settings, including smart modes (animals, food, snow, etc.). In normal lighting, the detail in the pictures is excellent and the colors are reproduced accurately.
The MediaTekHelio P70 processor, which this device is equipped with, is no worse, and perhaps even slightly better than mid-range solutions such as the Kirin 710 and Qualcomm Snapdragon 660. So don't worry about the speed of your favorite games.
pros: fingerprint scanner, bright and eye-friendly display, USB Type-C charging connector, the case does not heat up under load.
Minuses: not a very large battery.
2. OPPO A5 (2020)
The average price is 10,990 rubles.
Characteristics:
- smartphone with Android 9.0
- support for two SIM-cards
- screen 6.5 ″, resolution 1600 × 720
- four cameras 12 MP / 8 MP / 2 MP / 2 MP, autofocus
- memory 64 GB, memory card slot
- 3G, 4G LTE, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, NFC
- RAM 3 GB
- battery 5000 mAh
- weight 195 g, WxHxT 75.60 × 163.60 × 9.10 mm
One of the best new products of 2020 I can safely recommend it to friends, because despite the low cost, it is equipped with a slot for installing a memory card, an NFC chip, a super-capacious battery, and a main camera with as many as 4 modules!
Do you think the manufacturer skimped on the stuffing and installed the weakest budget processor, or was he greedy for the RAM? No matter how it is! The chip in this device, though not top-end, but quite decent - Qualcomm Snapdragon 665, and the amount of RAM - 3 GB, which is quite enough for most everyday mobile tasks.
pros: loud and clear sound even at high volume, has a fingerprint scanner, charging connector type - USB Type-C.
Minuses: no event indicator light, not the best screen resolution, heavy.
1. Xiaomi Mi 9T
The average price is 18,940 rubles.
Characteristics:
- smartphone with Android 9.0
- support for two SIM-cards
- screen 6.39 ″, resolution 2340 × 1080
- three cameras 48 MP / 8 MP / 13 MP, autofocus
- memory 128 GB, without slot for memory cards
- 3G, 4G LTE, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, NFC
- RAM 6 GB
- battery 4000 mAh
- weight 191 g, WxHxT 74.30 × 156.70 × 8.80 mm
It is not easy to find a good smartphone with a powerful battery and good cameras for less than 20,000 rubles. But we were able to - this is the Xiaomi Mi 9T, equipped with a triple main camera with macro mode and optical Zoom 2x, as well as a 4000 mAh battery that supports fast charging.
A feature of this model is a 20 MP front-facing camera, this solution saved Mi 9T from annoying “bangs” and “drops” at the top of the display, which are present in most modern models.
Add to this the presence of an NFC chip, a powerful Qualcomm Snapdragon 730 processor that effortlessly pulls modern games at high settings, as well as a fingerprint scanner, and you get an excellently balanced device in price and features. Does it have any disadvantages? Of course, we will write about them below.
pros: design, Corning Gorilla Glass 5, all applications run very fast and smooth, long-range Wi-Fi antenna, excellent photo and video quality.
Minuses: weighty enough and thick - payback for the battery, you cannot expand the memory storage.