Is it worth buying an inexpensive and not very productive smartphone in order to change it to another in a year? Or is it better to overpay for the quality and buy one of the best mobile phones in its class? If you are looking for a high-quality, powerful device, the capabilities of which will be relevant for at least another 2-3 years, we will offer a dozen suitable options.
Introducing the best smartphones under 30,000 rubles in 2018... All of them have earned the title of "Buyers' Choice" on Yandex.Market for their powerful processor, excellent screen and a lot of features.
See also smartphones up to 5000; up to 10000; up to 15000; up to 20,000; up to 25,000 rubles.
10. Sony Xperia XZ1
It costs, on average, 28 490 rubles.
- smartphone with Android 8.0
- screen 4.6 ″, resolution 1280 × 720
- camera 19 MP, autofocus, F / 2
- memory 32 GB, memory card slot
- 3G, 4G LTE, LTE-A, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, NFC, GPS, GLONASS
- RAM 4 GB
- battery 2700 mAh
- weight 143 g, WxHxT 65x129x9.30 mm
Sony is a veteran of the smartphone era. Its devices have been at the top of the smartphone charts for years. And one of the company's best smartphones is the 5.2-inch Xperia XZ1, the "super mid-range" version of the Xperia XZ Premium flagship.
The signature “Loop Surface” design includes a sharp-edged metal body and a Gorilla Glass 5 front panel. The XZ1's display supports High Dynamic Range (HDR) for enhanced color and contrast.
Waterproof to IP65 / 68, the smartphone can withstand fresh water immersion. It also features a fingerprint scanner built into the side power button.
The device is equipped with a powerful mobile platform Qualcomm Snapdragon 835. The amount of RAM and ROM is 4 and 64 GB, respectively.
The main 19 MP camera with f / 2 aperture of the Sony Xperia XZ1 is one of the best in its price category. The pictures are very bright, detailed, with a minimum of "noise". The autofocus shooting mode is perhaps the most impressive as it allows you to shoot 10 photos per second while focusing on a moving subject at the same time. You can shoot for up to 10 seconds by simply holding the button down and then choosing which frames you want to keep. Or even make a short video clip out of them.
And users will also be able to use the super slow motion mode with 960 frames per second.
Another feature of the gadget is the 3D scanning function. You can scan things like people's heads or inanimate objects with your camera. And then share these scans online, set them as live wallpapers, or even order them for 3D printing.
Pros:
- There is an NFC chip.
- It is possible to expand the file storage.
- There is fast charging.
- Has the latest USB Type-C charging connector.
- Superb sound from stereo speakers.
- There is a headphone jack.
Minuses:
- Small battery capacity - 2700 mAh.
- Meager bundle - no case, no headphones.
9. Honor 9
The maximum version will cost 24,020 rubles.
- smartphone with Android 7.0
- support for two SIM-cards
- screen 5.15 ″, resolution 1920 × 1080
- dual camera 20/12 MP, autofocus, F / 2.2
- memory 128 GB, memory card slot
- 3G, 4G LTE, LTE-A, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, NFC, GPS, GLONASS
- RAM 6 GB
- battery 3200 mAh
- weight 155 g, WxHxT 70.90 × 147.30 × 7.45 mm
One of the most beautiful participants in the rating of smartphones under 30,000 rubles in 2018. He is especially good in a blue case.Both sides of the 5.15-inch phone are protected by Corning Gorilla Glass 3, and the "back", created from 15 layers of glass, shimmers beautifully in the light.
The Honor 9 has a primary SIM card slot, plus a hybrid slot that can be used to either install a second SIM card or a microSD card.
Huawei's Kirin 960 processor provides more than enough power for a smooth Android experience, and supports 4GB to 6GB of RAM. There is also 64GB to 128GB of storage on board - enough room for most people to not worry about transferring photos and music to a microSD card.
Another advantage of the Honor 9 is the presence of a 20/12 MP dual rear camera. Their only drawback is the lack of OIS (optical image stabilization). However, in both daylight and low light, photos are bright, high-contrast and natural-looking.
Pros:
- Beautiful design.
- Fast, glitch-free work.
- Capacious 3200 mAh battery. Under average load, the smartphone will work during the day.
- Good camera performance even with high contrast shots.
- There is a slot for expanding memory.
- There is an NFC chip.
Minuses:
- The glass back makes the gadget slide off flat surfaces.
- The EMUI shell will be a disappointment for some users accustomed to the standard Android OS look.
- A USB-C connector is available, but only version 2.0 is implemented.
8. ASUS ZenFone 4 ZE554KL
It is offered for 23 750 rubles in a top-end configuration.
- smartphone with Android 7.1
- support for two SIM-cards
- screen 5.5 ″, resolution 1920 × 1080
- dual camera 12/8 MP, autofocus, F / 1.8
- memory 64 GB, memory card slot
- 3G, 4G LTE, LTE-A, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, NFC, GPS, GLONASS
- RAM 6 GB
- battery 3300 mAh
- weight 165 g, WxHxT 75.20 × 155.40 × 7.50 mm
Among the main advantages of this device, users note an excellent 5.5-inch screen and excellent quality photos taken by the rear 12/8 MP camera. The camera has many useful features such as 4K video recording and Super Slow Motion mode at 120fps
We can say that many other smartphones have all this. However, not everyone has headphones, a Type-C USB cable, and a bumper included.
Another benefit of the ZenFone 4 is that it uses 6GB of RAM at its maximum configuration. In the usual configuration, 4 GB is available. Of course, this is not the only 6GB smartphone on board, but it is one of the most affordable. The built-in memory is 64 GB.
The Snapdragon 660 processor is still good, although it belongs to the mid-priced rather than the flagship category. In games, there are no problems at medium settings.
The 3300 mAh battery will last for a day and a half of intensive work.
Pros:
- There is a 3.5mm audio jack.
- You can expand your data storage by 2 TB.
- There is NFC.
- There is fast charging and USB Type-C.
- Loud and clear sound from two speakers.
Minuses:
- Although the glass design is one of the best parts of this handset, it is highly susceptible to fingerprints or smudges. Therefore, you definitely need a protective case.
7.HTC U Ultra
The average cost is 30,000 in the best version.
- smartphone with Android 7.0
- support for two SIM-cards
- screen 5.7 ″, resolution 2560 × 1440
- second screen: 2.05 ″, 160 × 1040
- 12 MP camera, laser autofocus, F / 1.8
- memory 128 GB, memory card slot
- 3G, 4G LTE, LTE-A, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, NFC, GPS, GLONASS
- RAM 4 GB
- battery 3000 mAh
- weight 170 g, WxHxT 79.79 × 162.41 × 7.99 mm
The glass back of this sleek 5.7-inch phone is gorgeous and minimalistic. And on the front of the phone, besides the main display, there is also an additional 2-inch display. It works with the main display on and off. And it is needed for displaying notifications from the Sense Companion app, displaying events from the calendar, quick access to contacts, a music player, and for other not particularly valuable functions.
Top-of-the-line performance is provided by the Snapdragon 821 chip, 4GB of RAM and 64GB to 128GB of flash storage plus an SD card slot.
The 12-megapixel UltraPixel 2 sensor with f / 1.8 aperture is equipped with optical image stabilization and allows you to take excellent quality and color photos. HTC's camera interface is very user-friendly and provides quick access to other modes, including the full manual "Pro" mode.However, in low light, the quality of shooting decreases, and this is an issue that many mid-range and even premium smartphones cannot cope with.
One of the unique features of the U Ultra is the Sensor Hub, which is required to track the user's physical activity. Useful for fitness applications.
Pros:
- Fantastic performance.
- Big screen.
- There is a slot for expanding memory.
- There is NFC.
- There is fast charging and USB Type-C.
- You can save photos in RAW format, in which exposure corrections are easy and effective.
Minuses:
- Camera specifications are on par with 2016.
- No headphone jack.
- The battery is small for such a large screen - 3000 mAh.
- The case is not waterproof.
- Too large for most hands.
6. Xiaomi Mi6
In the top it is offered for 29,570 rubles.
- smartphone with Android 7.1
- support for two SIM-cards
- screen 5.15 ″, resolution 1920 × 1080
- dual camera 12/12 MP, autofocus
- memory 128 GB, without slot for memory cards
- 3G, 4G LTE, LTE-A, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, NFC, GPS, GLONASS
- RAM 6 GB
- battery 3350 mAh
- weight 168 g, WxHxT 70.50 × 145.20 × 7.50 mm
The small but weighty 5.15-inch Mi 6 is among the smartphones equipped with the powerful Snapdragon 835 processor.
And the large amount of flash memory - from 128 to 64 GB and RAM - from 4 to 6 GB ensures that users do not have to worry about where to store their favorite books, photos and videos.
This gadget is offered in four color options and one of them is a special black option, with a ceramic rather than glass body.
The 12/12 MP main camera sensors have different focal lengths. They allow you to take pictures with bokeh effect and 2x optical zoom. There are a lot of operating modes in the camera settings, including portrait and manual. Mi6 fights well with noise in low light conditions, but in terms of exposure and color reproduction it is inferior to many other smartphones.
Pros:
- There is NFC.
- There is fast charging and USB Type-C.
- Excellent performance.
Minuses:
- No memory expansion slot.
- No headphone jack.
5. LG G6
You can buy it for 25,490 rubles.
- smartphone with Android 7.0
- support for two SIM-cards
- screen 5.7 ″, resolution 2880 × 1440
- dual camera 13/13 MP, autofocus
- memory 32 GB, memory card slot
- 3G, 4G LTE, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, NFC, GPS
- RAM 4 GB
- battery 3300 mAh
- weight 163 g, WxHxT 71.90 × 148.90 × 7.90 mm
Another 5.7-inch smartphone up to 30,000 rubles in 2018 in our selection. Unlike HTC U Ultra, it does not have a second screen, but it has an "Always-on Display" function, the display supports the HDR10 standard and is protected by Gorilla Glass 5.
This gadget feels solid and well-built, and has a nice contrast between the intentionally flat front and the more ergonomic curved back.
The Qualcomm Snapdragon 821 processor that powers the LG G6 is complemented by 4GB of RAM, 64GB of ROM and a slot for expanding memory up to 2TB.
The wide-angle main camera of the device is double. Both modules are 13-megapixel, one of them has optical stabilization, and the second - wide-angle (f / 2.4, 125 °) - does not. Therefore, the wide-angle camera performs less well in low light. G6 is included in ranking of the 10 best smartphones of 2018.
Pros:
- Attractive design and excellent build quality.
- High performance.
- Great low light shots.
- Interesting wide-angle camera features.
- There is NFC. NFC tags are also included with the smartphone.
- There is fast charging and a USB Type-C connector.
Minuses:
- The very fragile glass back cover is the price to pay for its beauty.
- Mediocre front-facing 5MP camera, overexposed and lacking in dynamic range.
4. Sony Xperia XZ1 Compact
The average cost is 25,990 rubles.
- smartphone with Android 8.0
- screen 4.6 ″, resolution 1280 × 720
- camera 19 MP, autofocus, F / 2
- memory 32 GB, memory card slot
- 3G, 4G LTE, LTE-A, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, NFC, GPS, GLONASS
- RAM 4 GB
- battery 2700 mAh
- weight 143 g, WxHxT 65x129x9.30 mm
Small (4.6-inch screen), but powerful and elegant device is equipped with a high-performance Snapdragon 835 chip. This platform can easily handle all modern games and "heavy" applications.
The built-in storage in the XZ1 Compact is 32GB. Not a lot, but it's fixable by installing a microSD card up to 256 GB. The amount of RAM is 4 GB.
Sony has been supplying hardware for third-party cameras for a long time, but when it comes to taking photos from its own cameras ... the less said, the better. This has finally changed in the XZ1 lineup. Sony has made notable improvements to its imaging algorithms, resulting in photos captured with the XZ1 Compact's 19MP camera looking much better than previous Sony smartphones. Super slow motion 960fps is also supported.
Pros:
- The smartphone fits comfortably in a small palm.
- Clear, rich and loud sound from stereo speakers.
- There is NFC.
- There is wireless charging and a USB Type-C connector.
- The battery lasts for a day and a half of use.
Minuses:
- In low light conditions, photos and videos come out mediocre, with "noises".
- The device heats up under heavy load.
3. Xiaomi Mi Note 3
You can buy for 21,200 rubles in the maximum version.
- smartphone with Android 7.1
- support for two SIM-cards
- screen 5.5 ″, resolution 1920 × 1080
- dual camera 12/12 MP, autofocus, F / 1.8
- memory 128 GB, without slot for memory cards
- 3G, 4G LTE, LTE-A, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, NFC, GPS, GLONASS
- RAM 6 GB
- battery 3500 mAh
- weight 163 g, WxHxT 73.95 × 152.60 × 7.60 mm
With each new device, Xiaomi proves that it is not in vain that it is one of the most popular brands on the smartphone market.
One of the brand's most popular models, the 5.5-inch Mi Note 3 has curved edges on all four sides, and comes in three colors: blue, light blue and black. As for the amount of memory, then the smartphone also has three options: with 6 and 128 GB, with 6 and 64 GB and 4 and 64 GB of RAM and ROM, respectively. We recommend choosing the first option, because there is no memory card slot.
The Mi Note 3 is a handy phone for all users, but it is not the company's flagship. This model is equipped with not the most powerful Snapdragon 660 processor at the moment, clocked at 2.2 GHz. This made it possible to reduce the price of the smartphone compared to the top-end versions.
Other specs include NFC, Wi-Fi ac, Bluetooth 4.2, and a 3500mAh battery.
The dual main camera of the device has a 12MP wide-angle lens with an aperture of f / 1.8 and a second 12MP lens with an aperture of f / 2.6, combined with a dual LED flash. Key features include 10x digital zoom, 2x optical zoom, 4-axis OIS, and phase detection autofocus.
Pros:
- There is an NFC chip.
- There is fast charging.
- There is the latest USB Type-C connector.
Minuses:
- Xiaomi has kept the Mi Note 3 infrared - it is still popular, although not as much as before, but the 3.5mm headphone jack is gone.
2. Xiaomi Mi Mix 2
It is sold, on average, for 30 190 rubles in the older configuration.
- smartphone with Android 7.1
- support for two SIM-cards
- screen 5.99 ″, resolution 2160 × 1080
- 12 MP camera, autofocus, F / 2
- memory 64 GB, without memory card slot
- 3G, 4G LTE, LTE-A, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, NFC, GPS, GLONASS
- RAM 6 GB
- battery 3400 mAh
- weight 185 g, WxHxT 75.50 × 151.80 × 7.70 mm
If you dream of a large, frameless smartphone for reasonable money, then pay attention to Mi Mix 2. With an attractive "appearance", this 5.99-inch device from Xiaomi is also distinguished by excellent performance. It is offered in variants with 6 and 128 GB of memory and 6 and 64 GB of memory, has a Snapdragon 835 chip and a 3400 mAh battery.
The pride of the smartphone is the ceramic body - it looks great in the hand, although it collects fingerprints. Also, due to the choice of material, the phone is quite slippery, so it is better to hide it in a case to minimize the risk of falling.
The Mi Mix 2 has a single 12MP rear camera with dual LED flash. It doesn't have the best f / 2 aperture possible, but thanks to 4-axis optical image stabilization (OIS) and phase-detection autofocus, the camera delivers excellent image quality. It's not as good as the iPhone 8 Plus or Galaxy S8, but among phones of similar price, the Mi Mix 2 is one of the leaders in the quality of photo and video shooting.
Pros:
- Great design.
- There is NFC.
- There is fast charging.
- There is USB Type-C.
Minuses:
- No 3.5mm headphone jack.
- There is no full water protection, only splash protection IP54.
- No memory expansion slot.
1.Samsung Galaxy A8 + SM-A730F / DS
The average cost is 29,500 rubles.
- Android smartphone
- support for two SIM-cards
- screen 6 ″, resolution 2220 × 1080
- camera 16 MP, autofocus, F / 1.7
- memory 32 GB, memory card slot
- 3G, 4G LTE, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, NFC, GPS, GLONASS
- RAM 4 GB
- battery 3500 mAh
- weight 191 g, WxHxT 75.70 × 159.90 × 8.30 mm
Among smartphones under 30,000 rubles in the 2018 ranking, the Galaxy A8 + SM-A730F / DS model stands out for its ideal price-performance ratio.
One of the advantages of the device is a very large 6-inch screen with an AMOLED matrix and an unusual aspect ratio - 18.5: 9. There are options that allow you to completely customize the capabilities of the screen for yourself - from brightness to blue light filter and font scale.
The A8 + has a 3500mAh battery. The fast charging feature charges your phone in approximately 1 hour and 20 minutes.
The nimble Exynos 7885 processor does an excellent job of handling all the apps and games you install. In Russia, a model with 32 GB of built-in storage and 4 GB of RAM is offered. If this is not enough for you, look for a version with 6 and 64 GB on foreign Internet sites.
A bundle of two selfie camera modules - 16 and 8 MP - allows you to blur the background in pictures and use beautification.
The 16MP main camera has an f / 1.7 aperture. The quality of pictures in the daytime is five points out of five. In poor lighting conditions - a solid three.
Pros:
- There is NFC.
- There is a slot for expanding memory.
- There is an Always On Display function.
- Convenient shell.
- There is a 3.5mm headphone jack.
- There is a USB Type-C connector.
Minuses:
- It lies inconveniently in a small palm.
- Bezels are visible on the sides of the device, which makes it unfavorable from among the top Samsung smartphones.
- Not very loud sound in headphones.
Summing up: choosing the best smartphone up to 30,000 rubles
If for some reason you don't like our favorite - Samsung Galaxy A8 + SM-A730F / DS, and want to buy a gorgeous looking device with a modern processor, then we recommend Sony Xperia XZ1, Xiaomi Mi Mix 2, HTC U Ultra or Honor 9.
ASUS ZenFone 4 ZE554KL and Xiaomi Mi Note 3 will appeal to those who are not chasing an ultra-large screen size, preferring to get all the functions of a good smartphone - from an NFC chip and an excellent camera to fast charging at an affordable price.
The baby Sony Xperia XZ1 Compact and Xiaomi Mi6 are simply created for graceful female hands and will be a great gift for your girlfriend or relative.
Want a big, solid machine with a wide-angle camera? We recommend LG G6.