For 20 thousand rubles, you won't even buy a half of a brand new "apple" iPhone X. However, it is quite possible to purchase a top-end Chinese or South Korean smartphone with good characteristics.
Having rummaged through foreign sites dedicated to smartphones, as well as looking at Yandex.Market and studying reviews on models marked "Buyer's choice" we have created the top 10 best smartphones of 2018 up to 20,000 rubles.
Our picks of the best smartphones of 2018:
Brand country: European (A-class); Chinese; with Aliexpress.
Brand: Samsung; Xiaomi; Sony; Huawei.
Price segment, rubles: up to 5000; up to 10000; up to 15000; up to 20,000; up to 25000; up to 30,000.
Availability: inexpensive; most expensive.
Characteristics: push-button; best camera; camera + battery; protected.
Trends: new items of the year; the most anticipated.
10. Honor 7X
The average price is 15,900 rubles.
Relying on the proven technology of its parent company Huawei, the Chinese brand Honor has consistently focused on offering smartphones with very good specifications and at tempting prices. It's not an easy task, but Honor does it almost effortlessly, and the Honor 7X is a prime example.
Huawei's current Mate lineup has already caught on in the high-end segment with the Mate 10 and Mate 10 Pro. But if you look at the specs, it's clear that Honor is positioning the 7X as a nearly identical offering, both in terms of hardware capabilities and looks.
The smartphone with a 5.93-inch screen (aspect ratio - 18: 9) is enclosed in a solid metal case, equipped with a 3340 mAh battery and a high-performance eight-core HiSilicon Kirin 659 chip, which even outperforms Snapdragon 625 in the AnTuTu test due to higher clock frequencies (73 416 points against 63 174). The manufacturer did not skimp on RAM and ROM - their 4 GB and 64 GB, respectively.
Pros:
- Justifying its solid reputation in this area, Honor has equipped the 7X with a very fast and accurate fingerprint sensor.
- The set includes a protective silicone case.
- There is a slot for expanding memory, but it is combined with a SIM card slot.
- Excellent dual 16/2 MP main camera, with which, in normal lighting, contrast, detailed pictures are obtained. In the dark, a little "noise".
Minuses:
- No fast charging.
- I'd love to see a USB Type-C slot instead of the outdated micro-USB.
- No NFC.
- The front-facing 8 MP camera slightly "lathers" the photo, if you do not freeze in front of the device (or hold it motionless).
9. Meizu M6 Note
It costs, on average, 9,600 rubles.
Meizu is a very respected and well-known brand not only in China, but all over the world. Its reputation has been built on delivering devices with surprisingly good specs and at a price that budget workers typically sell for.
The M6 Note is the best smartphone under 20,000 rubles in 2018 if you want "everything at once": a high-capacity battery and a bright screen and fast charging and so that all applications and games do not lag.
It features a 5.5-inch Full-HD display with 1920 by 1080 resolution, a Qualcomm Snapdragon 625 processor, and 3GB of RAM. Thanks to such "stuffing" the smartphone is more than capable of handling almost any task that you ask it. It comes with 32GB of internal storage, which is slightly lower than most phones these days, as even some budget devices come with 64GB of storage.But 32GB is still enough space for most users.
Pros:
- In addition to 32GB of internal storage, the device also supports expandable storage via microSD card up to 128GB.
- The battery capacity is 4000 mAh.
- The dual camera module on the back consists of a 12MP sensor and a 5MP sensor, while the front camera is equipped with a 16MP sensor. Therefore, the quality of both selfies and photos taken with the main camera is more than decent.
- The metal case is quite sturdy and fits nicely in the hand
- Very fast fingerprint sensor.
Minuses:
- Charging connector type - outdated micro-USB.
- No NFC.
8. Huawei Nova 2i
You can buy it for 17,989 rubles.
If you want a phone with a good camera, a huge screen and a fast processor, this is it.
The Nova 2i has a 5.9-inch display with an 18: 9 aspect ratio and four cameras. The rear dual camera has a 16MP sensor and a 2MP sensor, while the dual camera at the front has one 13MP sensor and another 2MP sensor. Information gathered by two 2MP sensors on both the front and rear is used to add depth of field and bokeh.
Pros:
- Very nice appearance. Many users like the blue smartphone best.
- Fast HiSilicon Kirin 659 processor.
- The amount of RAM is 4 GB, and the built-in memory is 64 GB, and it can be expanded with a memory card up to 256 GB.
- There is fast charging.
- The package includes both a protective case and a protective film.
- The battery capacity is 3340 mAh, and under full load the device will work the whole day or even longer.
Minuses:
- There is no NFC chip.
- The same outdated type of charging connector - microUSB
7. Meizu Pro 7
Offered for 17,500 rubles.
This is the only model in the ranking of smartphones in 2018 for a price and quality up to 20,000 rubles, which has not only two cameras, but also two screens.
LG has been experimenting with secondary screens for a while now, but they sit next to the main one and are actually more decorative in nature. But Meizu seems to be on the right track. The main 5.2-inch AMOLED screen on the front is the flagship standard, while the 2-inch AMOLED screen on the back is a great novelty that will take over the notification of incoming messages, time and weather. You can also display pedometer data there.
The Pro 7's impressive spec includes: dual 12 / 12MP cameras (color plus monochrome sensors) with f / 2 aperture, MediaTek Helio P25 processor with 4GB RAM, 3000mAh battery and the latest Flyme 6 operating system based on Android 7.0 Nougat.
Pros:
- type of connector for charging USB Type-C;
- there is a fast charging function;
- fast fingerprint sensor;
- strict and beautiful appearance;
- loud and clear sound;
- a great camera that keeps noise to a minimum, even in low light.
Minuses:
- No NFC.
- Memory card cannot be used.
6. Honor 9
Can be purchased for 20,490 rubles.
The highlight of this stylish 5.15-inch gadget is the dual 20/12 MP camera with dual-tone flash and laser autofocus, which is made using the same technology as the P10, but without the Leica branding. Now you can even shoot 4K videos with bokeh effects! The front 8 MP camera also has a bokeh effect.
The Honor 9 uses the same Kirin 960 chip found inside the P10 and Mate 9. The choice of the Mali-G71MP8 GPU is a huge improvement over previous generations of HiSilicon chips. Honor 9 will not lag or freeze even in "heavy" gaming innovations.
Pros:
- Excellent contrast and color reproduction on the screen.
- The 3200 mAh battery will last over 11 hours in continuous web surfing mode and almost 10 hours in video playback mode.
- There is NFC.
- Convenient and beautiful shell EMUI 5.1.
- Modern USB Type-C connector.
- There is a fast charging function.
- It is possible to expand the memory from 64 (or 128 GB - depending on the version) up to 256 GB.
- Under the hood, the 64 GB version has 4 GB of RAM. And if this is not enough for you, then for 27 490 you can purchase versions with 6 GB RAM and 128 GB ROM.
Minuses:
- The camera has no Leica brand and no filters.
- No stereo speakers.
- No FM radio.
5.Samsung Galaxy J5
The average price is 12,700 rubles.
Samsung is positioning the Samsung Galaxy J5 (2017 release) as a competitor to popular offerings from Chinese manufacturers such as OPPO, Huawei and Vivo. It is powered by an Exynos 7870 chipset clocked at 1.6GHz, has 16GB of internal flash memory and 2GB of RAM. A microSD card slot is also available to expand the rather limited internal storage, allowing the user to store more files, videos and pictures on the smartphone.
Pros:
- Very high quality 5.2-inch AMOLED display in terms of color reproduction and brightness.
- Both the rear and front cameras have 13-megapixel sensors. Considering that the rear camera has an f / 1.7 aperture, Samsung Galaxy J5 buyers can expect excellent shots even in low light.
- There is NFC.
- Capacious 3000 mAh battery.
- Loud and clear sound, even at maximum does not "choke".
Minuses:
- Little RAM and ROM.
- Outdated micro-USB connector.
4. Xiaomi Mi Max 2
The average cost is 18,990 rubles in the maximum configuration.
The best smartphone of 2018 up to 20,000 rubles, if the screen size is taken as the main parameter. Where else for this price can you find a smartphone with a 6.44-inch display? The display is protected by Gorilla Glass 3 with a 2.5-inch coating, so an additional screen protector probably won't be needed.
The Mi Max 2 is made entirely of metal, unlike its predecessor, the Mi Max, which was created using a combination of metal and plastic.
The phablet is powered by a massive 5300 mAh battery. The phone supports Quick Charging 3.0 technology and charges from 0 to 22% in just 30 minutes.
The Snapdragon 625 chipset found in the Xiaomi Mi Max 2 is a widespread mid-range solution. And the Adreno 506 GPU handles any 3D game perfectly. In terms of the amount of RAM (4 GB), the Xiaomi smartphone is middling. But the flash memory in the maximum configuration is already 128 GB. Plus it is possible to expand it by another 128 GB.
Pros:
- Great display, bright, high contrast and very large.
- The 12MP rear camera with macro mode and autofocus captures high-contrast and detailed photos in normal lighting.
- There is a light indication of events.
- The battery will last for a day and a half under the most intensive use.
- There is a USB Type-C connector.
Minuses:
- No NFC.
- The case, although durable, is slippery, better buy a cover.
3. Samsung Galaxy J7
It is offered for 14,280 rubles.
The J-series already includes some great mid-range devices, and the 5.5-inch Galaxy J7 (2017) is meant to spice things up even more.
With a solid and beautiful metal casing, this phone fits well in your hand and won't slip despite its round edges. It is powered by an energy efficient 1600MHz Exynos 7870 chip, 16GB of internal storage and 3GB of RAM. The always-on fingerprint sensor is built into the mechanical home button and works almost instantly.
On the back is a 13MP main camera with an f / 1.7 lens and LED flash. The front camera is also equipped with a 13MP sensor, so your selfie will come out very clear.
Pros:
- The AMOLED display has a very large margin of brightness, high contrast and accurate color reproduction. It is great for use in bright sunlight.
- There is NFC.
- There is a slot for expanding memory up to 256 GB. Moreover, it is not combined with one of the slots for the sim card.
- Very capacious 3600 mAh battery.
Minuses:
- The screen has no oleophobic coating.
- Micro-USB connector.
- The price to pay for the beautiful metal body is the increased slipperiness of the smartphone.
2. Xiaomi Mi A1
Can be purchased for 13,500 rubles in the maximum configuration.
This 5.5-inch smartphone with constant updates and a clean Android interface has almost everything the fastidious user needs to be happy. It has a USB Type-C connector, a 3080mAh battery, and a high-performance Snapdragon 625 processor. The ROM is 32GB to 64GB and the RAM is 4GB.
Mi A1 follows the company's new design, which implies the abandonment of plastic stripes on the back. Now the entire body of the phone is made of metal with a very nice matte finish.
The device also has fast charging, but there is one caveat: for it to work, you need to update to Android 8.0.
Pros:
- Energy efficient and nimble processor that allows you to play "heavy" games and open many applications at the same time.
- The main 12/12 MP dual has a portrait mode, optical Zoom 2x and a simple 17-filter interface with live preview.
Minuses:
No NFC.
1.Xiaomi Redmi 5 Plus
Available for sale for 14,590 rubles in the maximum configuration.
Compared to the more expensive models from the best phones of 2018, this device has all the same, only better. The display is 5.99 inches with an aspect ratio of 18: 9. Battery - 4000 mAh. Processor - Snapdragon 625.4 GB of RAM and 32 to 64 GB of flash memory. Overall, the gadget is perfectly balanced in performance and battery efficiency
When creating the Redmi 5 Plus case, Xiaomi used the same combination of plastic (on the top and bottom edges) and metal as in the case of the Redmi 4. However, the new model is 7 mm higher and 15 gr. heavier than Redmi 4.
Pros:
- The display is excellent in color and contrast.
- In continuous video viewing mode, the smartphone lasted over 14 hours. This is one of the best results in its price range.
- Rich and crisp sound, with good bass and clear high notes.
- The rear camera of the Xiaomi Redmi 5 Plus is equipped with a 12-megapixel sensor with f / 2.2 aperture, autofocus and dual-tone flash. The quality of images during daylight hours is a solid five. Photos are bright and detailed, and "noise" is rare.
- There is a slot for memory expansion combined with a SIM card.
Minuses:
- No NFC.
- There is fast charging, but you will have to buy a charger separately for this purpose.
Summing up: the optimal choice of a smartphone up to 20,000 rubles in 2018
For anyone looking for an inexpensive phablet, we recommend the Honor 7X, Xiaomi Redmi 5 Plus, Xiaomi Mi Max 2 or Huawei Nova 2i.
For those who are looking for a device of small size and at the same time with great capabilities, there is no better Meizu Pro 7, Samsung Galaxy J5 or Honor 9.
Looking for a high-performance smartphone with NFC? Choose from Samsung Galaxy J7, Honor 9 or Samsung Galaxy J5.
Do you want your smartphone to be able not only to play the latest games and use "heavy" applications, but also to take pictures in excellent quality? Take a closer look at the Meizu M6 Note, Huawei Nova 2i, Samsung Galaxy J5, Samsung Galaxy J7, Xiaomi Mi A1, Xiaomi Redmi 5 Plus, and Honor 9.
And if you need a non-standard smartphone with two displays, then there is no alternative to Meizu Pro 7.