Chinese smartphones versus branded ones: a detailed comparison from Chip. So, the models included in the TOP

The rapid development of the Chinese mobile device market contributes not only to excellent quantitative indicators of production development, but also to their qualitative growth. An analysis of smartphones released in 2018-2019 showed that the number of gadgets with decent technical characteristics far exceeded the number of frankly weak devices. appeared and very good decisions, able to compete with famous brands.

It’s easy to get confused among the abundance of gadgets, given the fact that even in certain price or target niches there are dozens, if not hundreds of models. Studying technical parameters, popularity, owner reviews and price component made it possible to compile the TOP 10 most successful models of 2018-2019, as well as the rating best smartphones according to the most important indicators.

TOP 10 most popular Chinese smartphones

Xiaomi Redmi 4X

Redmi 4X is one of the best-selling smartphones of the past year, continuing Xiaomi’s victorious march in the Russian market, begun by the legendary Redmi Note 3 Pro. Considering its reasonable price, you won’t be able to get your hands on this gadget even if you want to – it has balanced characteristics, high-quality assembly, and regular updates with the ability to install many third-party firmware. There are simply no worthy alternatives to Redmi 4X in the price segment up to 10 thousand rubles. And if you want, you can buy it even cheaper - for 7/8 thousand

Meizu M6 Note

We consider the Meizu M6 Note to be the closest competitor to Redmi 4X. Moreover, Meizu's first smartphone with a Snapdragon processor surpasses 4X in some characteristics - it has fast charging and dual camera, and in general, photos on the M6 ​​Note are much better quality. But it costs more, about 3-4 thousand rubles. Among the major differences between smartphones, we note the location of the fingerprint scanner - in Meiza it is built into a mechanical key located under the screen, while in Xiaomi the scanner is located on back cover, and firmware - Flyme and MIUI. In all other respects, these smartphones are approximately equivalent.

Huawei Nova 2

In the “above average” price segment, smartphones from Huawei traditionally rule the roost; the first model included in our rating is Nova 2. This is a smartphone in a compact metal case with a dual main camera, a large amount of memory (64/4 GB) and a powerful processor. If you want to purchase a hassle-free smartphone that will perform well in any use scenario, buy Nova 2 and you won’t regret it. Of the pitfalls, it is worth considering not the most outstanding time battery life(2950 mAh battery, fast charging available) and, in our opinion, a somewhat inflated price tag of around 20 thousand rubles.

Xiaomi Mi6

Everything is concentrated in the flagship Mi6 strengths smartphones from Xiaomi. It is head and shoulders above other competitors in terms of price/quality ratio, since there is not a single other smartphone on the market that for 26 thousand rubles will give you a top-end Snapdragon 835 processor, a ton of memory, stereo speakers and excellent battery life. Let's blame the Mi6 for the lack of a 3.5 mm jack (included is an adapter for USB-C) and the camera is not as cool as other flagships. But this is nitpicking. This smartphone will please anyone, even the most demanding user.

One Plus 5

OnePlus 5 – the smartphone is good, but controversial. It copies Apple's design, does not provide the user with water resistance, stereo speakers, and does not have memory card support. Compared to the flagship from Xiaomi, these disadvantages can become critical, but there are advantages. In particular, pure Android version 7.1.1, the best camera among Chinese flagships, which pleases not only with high-quality pictures, but also with lightning-fast operating speed, as well as an AMOLED display, which has a positive effect on the autonomy of the gadget. One of the advantages of One Plus 5 is the presence of a traditional 3.5 headphone jack.

Motorola Moto Z2 Play

After the American brand Motorola was bought by Lenovo, the once iconic company can safely be included in the camp of Chinese manufacturers - all Lenovo smartphones now they come out under the name Moto. One of the most successful results of such cooperation is considered to be Moto Z2 Play - this is a smartphone that supports replaceable modules, with good battery life, a camera, excellent sound quality in headphones and an AMOLED display. Disadvantages - mediocre performance for a price of 25 thousand (Z2 Play is equipped with a Snapdragon 626 processor), and not the most powerful main speaker.

Motorola Moto Z2 Play

ZTE Nubia Z17

Smartphones from the Nubia line from ZTE have always been good flagships that, even without aggressive marketing from the manufacturer, found their loyal users. The Z17 is a continuation of the very successful Nubia Z11 model, in which nothing has changed dramatically, and everything that was good has become even a little better. There is a powerful Snapdragon 835, 128/8 GB of memory, a dual camera and an excellent frameless design. But there is no 3.5 mm headphone jack, which looks somewhat strange in the absence of moisture protection as such.

Huawei Honor 9

Honor 9 – very cool smartphone. It looks cool and stylish, has an excellent camera (20+12 MP), good performance(chipset – Kirin 960), sufficient memory (64/4 GB) and fast charging.

Essentially, this is an ideal choice for anyone who doesn't want to pay exorbitant prices for flagship models, overpaying for an overly powerful processor and numbers of unclaimed characteristics, but at the same time wants to get almost all the advantages inherent in them.

Xiaomi Mi Max 2

Mi Max 2 is the best shovel phone of 2017 on the market. Xiaomi gave customers everything they could want from a similar smartphone with a price tag of less than 20 thousand rubles. Judge for yourself - 6.4 inch screen, Snapdragon 625, 64/4 GB of memory with expandability, 5300 mAh battery with fast charging, stereo speakers. We recommend Mi Max 2 to everyone who is looking for the optimal device for consuming multimedia content. The only complaint we can make is the lack of an NFC module.

Chinese smartphones with powerful batteries

The trend towards larger screens and increased productivity of mobile devices leads to the fact that some smartphone models barely survive from morning to evening. Users who don't like to sit next to a power outlet will certainly benefit from our 5 rating best models with the most capacious batteries.

Oukitel K10000 Pro

Oukitel K10000 Pro is the record holder for battery capacity among all long-lasting smartphones on the market. Its survivability is ensured by a 10,000 mAh battery, which in a standard scenario of using a smartphone is enough for 4-5 days of operation without recharging. And the characteristics here are quite decent - 5.5’’ FHD IPS screen, 8-core MT6750T processor, 32/3 GB of memory with a MicroSD slot, 13 and 5 MP cameras, a fingerprint scanner and the latest Android 7.0. The price of the smartphone is 12 thousand rubles, and it is definitely worth the money.

Oukitel K10000 Pro

Doogee BL7000

The BL7000 differs from Oukitele in its more modest design and smaller battery, 7000 mAh. At active use The smartphone lasts for 3 days, which can be considered an excellent result. In terms of characteristics, the Doogee BL7000 is even better, it has more memory - 64/4 GB, and a dual camera of 13 + 13 MP, the front camera resolution is also 13 MP. The smartphone just went on sale at a price of $200, and the first owners speak about it exclusively on the positive side.

Moto E Gen.4 Plus

The Moto E4 Plus is an excellent workhorse from a trusted brand that costs the right amount of money and has everything to satisfy the needs of the average user. The smartphone is based on the MediaTek MT6737 processor, equipped with a 5.5-inch HD screen, 16/3 GB of memory, 13/5 MP cameras, an NFC chip and, most importantly, a 5000 mAh battery. Among the shortcomings of the E4 Plus, we highlight the solid body weight of 200 grams, as a result of which it cannot be recommended for purchase by fragile girls.

Moto E Gen.4 Plus

Ulefone Power 2

Smartphone in stylish design, which with its front panel resembles devices from Meizu (multifunctional Home key is also present here), and the back side - flagship HTC 10. The 6050 mAh battery is the main trump card of Ulefone Power 2; it is enough for 3 days of active use of the gadget. The performance and display are typical for inexpensive Chinese devices, but the cameras here are terrible, so amateurs mobile photography better to bypass this smartphone side.

Fly FS554 Power Plus

While most of the smartphones in our rating will have to be ordered somewhere and waited, the Fly FS554 Power Plus can be purchased at almost any local store cellular communications. At the same time, for a price of 10 thousand rubles, this is a very decent smartphone with a 5.5” FullHD display, MediaTek MT6737T chipset, 16/2 GB of expandable memory, 13/5 MP cameras and a 5000 mAh battery. You can take it with confidence.

Fly FS554 Power Plus

Frameless Chinese smartphones

Chinese manufacturers have never forgotten that a modern smartphone is not only powerful hardware and a capacious battery, but also an image accessory. The last factor is directly related to the design of the device, so we present to your attention a rating of frameless new Chinese smartphones for the 2017 model year.

Leagoo KIICAA Mix

KIICAA Mix is ​​a representative of a countless group of smartphones that copy the design of the flagship Xiaomi Mi Mix. At a price several times lower than the original, it can offer an almost identical design and relatively good hardware (5.5’’ FHD display from Sharp, MT6750T chipset, 32/3 GB of memory, 13+2 and 13 MP cameras, 2930 mAh battery). The pitfalls are the location of the main speaker, which causes poor audibility of the interlocutor, and the absence of brightness/proximity sensors and a 3.5 mm jack, while the adapter required to connect headphones is not included. However, taking into account the low price of 6 tr. it's not critical.

Leagoo KIICAA Mix

Doogee Mix

Doogee Mix is ​​a smartphone from the same opera. It outperforms its Leagoo counterpart due to rich equipment (there is a case and a film for the screen), more memory - 64/4 GB, and a slightly more capacious 3380 mAh battery. However, in part software everything is not so rosy here - the crude Doogee Mix firmware, with numerous bugs, can cause quite a few headaches for the owner of the device, so before buying a device you should weigh the pros and cons.

UMIDIGI Crystal

UMIDIGI Crystal stands out from its analogues with its interface - it works on almost pure Android shell 7.0, as a result of which using this smartphone is much more pleasant than other Chinese with trashy OS. The characteristics are also not bad - MT6750T, 64/4 GB of memory, IZGO screen from Sharp and dual camera. For a price of 100 dollars - not bad.

Bluboo S1

Bluboo S1 is positioned as a more expensive device, which is evident in the build quality and materials - the smartphone body is covered with glass not only on the front, but also on the back. The heart of the smart phone is the powerful Helio P25 processor, memory – 64/4 GB. Owners of the Bluboo S1 attribute weak cameras and quiet sound from the main speaker to its disadvantages, while its advantages include a cool display and stylish appearance.

Maze Alpha

Maze Alpha is the best frameless Chinese smartphone that can be bought in the price segment of about 10 thousand rubles. This is a well-built device with a high-quality 6-inch screen and good performance.

It also outperforms its analogues due to its autonomy; the 4000 mAh battery lasts for an average of two days of using a smartphone. When purchasing, you should take into account the considerable weight of the smartphone, as much as 225 grams.

Chinese phablets

We consider the best smartphones with a large screen diagonal in 2017 to be:

Xiaomi Mi Note 3

The third generation of Mi Note from Xiaomi has evolved from an uncompromising flagship, which was Mi Note 2, into an affordable smartphone with a large screen (5.5’’ FHD) and average specifications. The phablet is equipped with a Snapdragon 660 processor, 6 GB of RAM and 64/128 GB storage. The camera resolution is 12+12 MP and 16 MP (front camera), battery capacity is 3500 mAh. This is a good choice if the Mi Max 2 seems like a huge shovel to you, but you don’t want to overpay for the flagship bells and whistles of the Mi6.

Xiaomi Mi Note 3

Honor 8 Pro

Another smartphone from Huawei in our rating, which is hard to find fault with even if you wanted to. The characteristics are excellent for the price - 5.7'' 2K display, top-end Kirin 960 processor, 64/6 GB of memory with a slot for a flash drive, dual 12+12 MP camera, 4000 mAh battery with fast charging, NFC, IR sensor, USB -C. With a price of just over 30 thousand rubles, this is an excellent smart device that can become an alternative to any flagship.

Meizu M3 Max

M3 Max is not the latest model from Meizu, which has been successfully sold for a year now and will remain relevant for more long time. The smartphone is equipped with a 6-inch screen and a Helio P10 processor with 64/3 GB of memory. This is a gadget without any special complaints, which is simply a pleasure to use due to its excellent build and perfectly polished Flyme OS, which in terms of speed and smoothness of operation will give odds to the operating system of any Chinese smartphone.

Leagoo M8 Pro

An ultra-budget phablet with a 5.7-inch display and modest specifications (MT6737, 16/2 GB of memory, 13/8 MP cameras, 3500 mAh battery). When buying an M8 Pro in China, you can buy it for 5 thousand rubles, and you won’t find anything better for that money. The smartphone works quite quickly and stably, supports LTE, recognizes external devices in USB OTG mode, and has a fairly loud multimedia speaker. Thanks to the massive metal frame, the M8 Pro is extremely durable, it confidently survives falls from great heights, and in general is perfect for the role of a child’s first smartphone or a gadget for heavy-duty use.

LeEco Le Max 2

After the LeEco fiasco at Russian market You can buy their smartphones only on AlieExpress, and if this doesn’t scare you, then Le Max 2 – in terms of price/performance ratio, will be an ideal choice. For less than 15 thousand, you can get a smartphone with a 5.7-inch 2K display, a Snapdragon 820 processor, 64/6 GB of memory, 21 and 8 MP cameras, and a 3100 mAh battery. Le Max 2 pulls any toys on maximum settings graphics, takes good photographs, records 4K video, but does not have a 3.5mm jack and an NFC chip.

The most expensive Chinese smartphones

The top most expensive Chinese smartphones traditionally include products from the most famous brands from the Middle Kingdom. Their technical characteristics are truly impressive, so these popular phablets are able to compete with devices from famous world manufacturers. We present to our readers a rating of the most expensive smartphones from China.

Mi Mix 2

Mi Mix 2 is a continuation of the cult smartphone from Xiaomi, which became the reason for the appearance on the market of all the frameless crafts we are considering above. The second generation Mi Mix increased autonomy, received an adequate earpiece, and retained top-end technical characteristics. This is an excellent fashion smartphone that evokes the same “wow” effect that can be bought for 30-35 thousand rubles.

Meizu Pro 7

The flagship from Meizu does not sport the now fashionable frameless design, but takes a different approach - additional screen on the back panel, which displays notifications and other helpful information, including an image when using the main camera for selfies.

The smartphone is great in terms of photo capabilities, sound quality and software, but loses to other flagships in screen quality and lack of NFC. The latter is a serious problem for a top-end smartphone, but it’s worth considering that Meizu Pro 7 is cheaper than its analogues - 20-25 thousand rubles.

Axon M

Another unusual smartphone is a transformer from ZTE, which consists of two panels with 5.2-inch FHD screens, which when folded out forms a kind of tablet. The Axon M is equipped with a not-so-top-end Snapdragon 820 processor, but it does have a dedicated AKM4962 DAC, which makes the smartphone sound amazing in headphones. Only the battery raises serious questions; its capacity is a modest 3180 mAh, which is frankly not enough for the active use of a gadget with two screens. Price: $725.

Razer Phone

The parade of unusual Chinese continues with the Razer Phone - the first “gaming” smartphone on the market, which is aimed at an audience of gamers. The gadget is equipped with a powerful Snapdragon 835 processor, 64/8 GB of memory, stereo speakers, a dedicated 24-bit DAC and an amplifier for each speaker. But the main feature of this smart device is the 5.7-inch display with a refresh rate of 120 Hz, which provides an extremely smooth picture when playing any content. The Razer Phone costs $700.

Huawei Mate 10 Pro

Let's move on from unusual models to real premium ones. Huawei Mate 10 Pro is the most expensive Chinese flagship of 2017. The smartphone, priced at 800 euros, is stuffed with everything possible - there is more powerful hardware, a 6-inch 2K OLED display, dust and moisture protection, stereo speakers, cameras from Leica and, what makes the manufacturer itself stand out - a separate processor for implementation artificial intelligence, which gives Huawei’s business phablet many additional functions, such as the ability to recognize objects in the frame, speed up the launch of applications and allows the smartphone to adapt to the habits of its owner

Huawei Mate 10 Pro

Inexpensive Chinese smartphones

For those users who do not need a “wow effect”, as well as people who do not believe that “a good show off is more expensive than money” are aimed budget models many manufacturers. Despite their low cost, many of them have good equipment and functionality. So, a rating of inexpensive, but productive and high-quality devices.

Xiaomi Redmi Note 5A

Chinese manufacturers know a lot about budget smartphones, and Xiaomi has succeeded in this niche almost better than all other brands. Redmi Note 5A is a balanced smartphone with best camera in the price segment up to $100. It does not shine with performance (Snapdragon 425 percent), but it does not have any obvious weaknesses that could spoil the experience of owning this device. Among the advantages are separate slots for 2 SIM cards and a flash drive, the presence of an infrared port, and the absence of throttling, which is typical of most cheap smart phones, under load. We recommend for purchase.

Xiaomi Redmi Note 5A

Meizu M6

Many will say that budget smartphone from Meizu, have not changed for a couple of years, and they will be right in their own way. However, are these changes necessary if the company has found that golden mean in terms of quality and economy, making its smartphones always a pleasure to use? Meizu M6 is made in a metal case, has a good 5.2-inch display, a good camera and normal battery life. With an issue price of $100, this is a very good choice, which will be head and shoulders above any basement China.

ZTE Blade A6

Inexpensive smartphones from ZTE are widely represented in domestic cellular equipment stores, so you can most likely buy the Blade A6 at your place of residence. It will stand out from its neighbors in the showcase due to its good performance, thanks to the Snapdragon 435 processor and 32/3 GB of memory, good battery life (5000 mAh battery) and a high-quality metal case. But the smart phone itself is not without its drawbacks - almost all of its owners complain about the device heating up under load, and in terms of cameras it is noticeably inferior to the same Xiaomi and Meizu.

Huawei Honor 6C Pro

Huawei is also sold at most retailers, and when buying a smartphone offline, Honor 6C Pro can be a priority choice. The gadget has standard characteristics for its price - MT6750 processor, 32/3 GB of memory, 13 and 8 MP cameras, 3000 mAh battery, metal case with a fingerprint scanner. The smartphone is made very well both in terms of build quality and software, and therefore no problems should arise during its use.

Huawei Honor 6C Pro

Leagoo M8

If you need something “cheap and cheerful”, take the Leagoo M8. On Aliexpress smartphone costs 4,000 rubles, and this is the best you can get for that price. The only thing that limits this device is the lack of support for LTE networks. But it handles 3G well, and you simply don’t expect to see such a decent screen and cameras, along with a somewhat rough but reliable build, and a loud multimedia speaker in a smartphone for $75.

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Hello again friends!

Look carefully at the photo, could you determine by the appearance of the UMI smartphone which model we are reviewing today? Yes, I know, they could, because from the title of the article, it’s clear that this is Umi Plus! What I mean is that the design of UMI smartphones is almost identical, so you actually pay for the filling. On the one hand, this is a good decision, on the other hand, it is contradictory. Of course, UMI fans will notice the difference. Okay, let’s finish the introductory remarks, you are most likely less interested in it than the smartphone itself, and therefore, specifications:

• Housing materials Metal and plastic
• Operating system Android 6
• Screen 5.5″ IPS, 2.5D, 1920 x 1080, T2X-1 Glass, 401 PPI
• Cameras 13 MP + 5 MP
• CPU (processor) MediaTek Helio P10 (MT6755), 8 cores up to 1.8 GHz
• Video processor Mali-T860
• RAM (random access memory) 3 GB
• ROM (built-in memory) 32 GB (free 23.6) + MicroSD up to 256 GB
• GSM/3G/4G communication
• SIM cards 2 nano SIM (the second slot is combined with MicroSD)
• FM radio Yes
• Data transfer Wi-Fi, Bluetooth
• GPS/GLONASS/BDS Yes / Yes / No
• Battery, mAh 4000
• Real battery test 7 hours, 24 minutes video at maximum brightness!
• Dimensions, weight 155 x 75 x 8.8 mm, 185 grams
• Features Fingerprint scanner in the Home button, aircraft-grade casing
• aluminum, USB Type-C, super power saving mode, notification sensor,
• ability to use virtual / physical buttons, programmable button
• on the body, adjusting the color temperature of the screen

The body of the device is made almost entirely of metal, but there are plastic inserts, as is usual in metal smartphones. The build quality is amazing, you can barely feel those plastic inserts.

There is a headphone jack on top; frankly speaking, I was pleased with the sound.

There are two groups of holes at the bottom, but the speaker is hidden behind only one of them. The microphone is hidden behind the second one. Between these groups there is a USB Type C connector.

On the right side are the volume and power buttons.

On the left side of the case there is a combined slot and an additional button. Let's talk about it in more detail. This button can be used to launch any application, but it only works when UMI Plus is unlocked. But your application will not run in your pocket, which also has its advantages. If you press this button for a long time, the silent mode is activated.

There are control buttons on the front of the UMI Plus, but these can be disabled by activating the soft buttons. Moreover, these buttons can be configured in the menu and their functionality can be changed, this is convenient and flexible. The fingerprint scanner is also located here; it was removed from the back in this model.

The kit is meager, but everything you need is there.

Our hero runs on Android 6 OS; whether he will be updated to 7 is a big question. However, UMI has such an idea in its plans, so we’re waiting.

The color of the notification indicator can be customized for each event, which is very convenient. The control buttons are also customizable, we talked about this above.

Well, the settings menu itself:

Even from the characteristics we can conclude that the screen is gorgeous. The diagonal is large, the brightness is sufficient, the viewing angles are excellent, because it is IPS. A beautiful matrix is ​​hidden under protective glass, having a 2.5D rounding.

There are two cameras. The shooting settings are very wide, but the trouble is that the photos turn out bad, their quality can be described as below average. Of course, if you compare it with other smartphones and imagine what the standard should look like.

We are not deceiving, you can see everything for yourself. Don't forget to rate the example video too.

Performance is good. Now almost all smartphones have similar technical characteristics. This filling gives very good performance in games. Everything that is now in the app store works perfectly, albeit not at maximum graphics settings in some games, but if something more powerful appears, then this smartphone may have problems, while expensive flagships have this problem. most likely it won't. The question is when will games come out that will require more than a smartphone like our today's hero can provide. The test results are quite decent, as you can see.

Satellites GPS module finds very slowly, I had to wait a long time, and from the second approach, until the device sees at least 4 satellites. A whole 6 minutes. But the manufacturer did not forget about the FM radio and did not remove it.

The battery installed here is an impressive 4000 mAh, but this did not give a big boost in battery life. The indicators turned out to be very average. Fortunately, you have full daylight at your disposal; not every smartphone on the market can boast of this. One of the features worth noting is the presence of a super-energy saving mode. A very useful thing.

This is how UMI Plus turned out. Indeed, the device has quite a lot of advantages, but there are also disadvantages, some even critical, but perhaps these disadvantages will not seem like disadvantages to some of you, because for the money the device is more than worthy, it will find its buyer.

• Good build quality,
• Performance,
• Sound in headphones
• Screen,
• Flexibility,

• Weak cameras
• Poor GPS reception.

Premium smartphones cost on average more than 40,000 rubles. But in order to get your hands on a luxury phone with the latest technology, you don’t have to shell out so much money, because you can buy a gadget from China. Those who believe that such devices are a cheap copy of successful Samsung models or Apple, with limited functionality and ugly design, live in the past.

Once upon a time, the Celestial Empire was considered an unsurpassed master of cloning. But today's devices, as a rule, are equipped with the latest technologies and, in general, are even ahead of smartphones released famous brands. In addition, the quality of workmanship also ceased to suffer - at least, not on such a scale as it was before.

We tested smartphones in three price categories: up to 7,000 rubles, from 7,000 to 10,000 rubles and from 10,000 to 15,000 rubles, choosing models from three manufacturers that were recommended by experts in online stores of Chinese smartphones. These sites rose to prominence along with the rise in popularity of imports from Asia. We compared these devices to entry-level models from Samsung and Sony, which, according to Chip's current rankings, are in the same price category with Chinese.

Available entry-level models

In the price segment up to 7,000 rubles, the differences between markets are most clearly visible. While in Asia there are many smartphones available for up to 7,000 rubles, there are no analogues in terms of quality and functionality in Russian retail. Of course, if the device will only be used as a phone, then there is no point in buying an expensive gadget. But look for a smartphone in this price category with touch screen, latest version Android and fingerprint scanner are useless.

Chinese devices, as a rule, are relatively well equipped. LTE, for example, is supported by almost all smartphones - although not always LTE Band 20, which is mainly used in Russia, so when you choose, be sure to pay attention to this function.

Biometric security methods

Devices from China also have advantages in another aspect - security. Even modern budget models are often equipped with a fingerprint scanner and at least a relatively new version of Android, most often 6.0 Marshmallow. And operating system security updates come even faster than for Samsung, Sony, LG and other brands.

Despite their cheapness, many Chinese models priced up to 7,000 rubles are equipped with a fingerprint scanner

Skeptics attribute this high speed to superficial software quality control, but this is still nothing more than speculation. During our testing, the manufacturer's pre-installed applications kept crashing, but similar problems have been observed on other Android devices. Like Samsung smartphones and other companies, Chinese devices are based on Android and, in addition, create their own OS interface with applications.

Weak built-in components

When it comes to the quality of particularly affordable models, Chinese manufacturers also make some compromises. This can be seen primarily when examining the display. Our review device, the available , has a relatively large 5.5-inch display, but the panel lacks brightness. The camera resolution is the same; the quality of the lenses is quite average.

In general, in the price category up to 7,000 rubles Chinese smartphones, despite some shortcomings in quality, they provide very good performance, and in some individual indicators, for example, shutter delay, they even outperform top-tier smartphones price segment(see graphs above right). It is difficult to compare Chinese smartphones with other smartphones in this category, because you can hardly find them at a similar price.

We took as a guide the closest Samsung price Galaxy J3 - it costs about 9,000 rubles. In comparison with, which costs only 6,000 rubles, J3 is not enough free memory, new version operating system and Full HD display.

Unbalanced average category

Chinese devices from 7,000 to 10,000 rubles make a mixed impression. If the overall performance and camera are not impressive, the battery life is good, as is the speed. The Chinese model Ulefone Power pleasantly surprised us with its remarkable battery endurance (see graphs at the top right) - in this indicator, the smartphone surpasses even such a flagship as the iPhone 7 Plus.

Cons in performance and camera

The cases of Chinese models are made almost exclusively of metal. It would be great if only the performance did not let us down - for example, the Doogee Y6 Max is characterized by a fragile USB connector.

The reason for this could be the high fault tolerance of Chinese models, which we do not see on devices for the Western market. Our test gadget Doogee Y6 Max is equipped with a camera with a resolution of 13 megapixels, but the quality leaves much to be desired - taking photographs on the Doogee will not bring much joy.

Points for additional features

Many Chinese models compensate for the mediocrity of the camera with rich equipment. For example, Doogee is equipped with a curved display with 3D support. So you can watch movies in 3D, and without any additional equipment.

There is also a slot for two SIM cards. In Asia, such models are very popular; even such flagships as are available in the Duos modification - with support for two SIM cards.

Many Asian models are equipped with a Dual SIM slot, that is, they allow you to use two SIM cards simultaneously

I was also pleased with the size of Doogee. 6.4 inches is ideal for YouTube and similar applications. True, it’s not so easy to fit it into your pocket. Power is provided by a 4300 mAh battery. Compared to a comparable model from Motorola, it doesn't keep the device running much longer, but on the other hand, the Moto G4's screen is five inches. However, the G4 had other disadvantages in comparison: less memory, lower screen resolution and camera matrix resolution.

Quality at an affordable price

In the category of devices starting from 10,000 rubles, Chinese smartphones also do not set records, but thanks to a well-thought-out general concept, they can easily compete with similar priced analogues presented on our market. And in some ways they even turn out to be a little better.

Everything essential on board

There is hardly another manufacturer in this price category that packs so many technologies into its smartphone. The memory, for example, is huge - Apollo X provides 55 GB of free space, and this is a lot: a comparable price offers only 10 GB.

And this remains a mystery, since memory modules, even on expensive models, are made from China and, when purchased in bulk, cost manufacturers of branded equipment approximately the same amount.

Devices in this price segment also differ in additional modules that provide ease of use, for example, a fingerprint scanner: the Chinese model has it, almost as expected, but the LG smartphone does not.

The manufacturer Vernee, perhaps, decided to save on only one detail: Wi-Fi module supports the 802.11n standard, while modern 802.11ac is out of reach. However, like LG. And in terms of telephone conversations, Asian models can even be called high-tech. Thus, Apollo supports Voice over LTE (VoLTE) - voice transmission technology over the LTE network with crystal clear sound and fast connection establishment. The only condition for both participants in the conversation is that both the operator and the end device must support VoLTE.

Premium class will cost a pretty penny even in China

Even in China, those interested can pay monstrous sums for a smartphone. Huawei, for example, offers a smartphone that costs much more than a full-featured iPhone - 98,000 rubles. Nevertheless, the original model (without the Porsche Design prefix), which is much more affordable, is located in third place in our rating. But the price-quality ratio is mediocre: 71 points is much lower than our test devices, which in this sense offer optimal capabilities. However, when purchasing, you should consider some nuances.

Today, many Chinese brands have officially come to Russia, although the most budget ones still remain available only through specialized online stores. In addition, even if Chinese brands are legalized in Russia (most recently, these are Xiaomi and Doogee), then their prices increase and the purchase ceases to be so profitable. Therefore, in this context, we are most interested in ordering smartphones directly from China.

The CE mark indicates that the product is safe for health and the environment

Looking for compatible wireless network standards

To use a smartphone in Russia, it is important that the device supports LTE and is compatible with standards local operators. Look in the description for “LTE Band 20” or another value. In Russia, in the center of large cities, bands 3, 7 and 38 are most often used. Band 20 is actively used in the regions, since this band has the highest signal coverage base station. In any case, support for LTE Band 20 is practically required condition for LTE to work even in Moscow, otherwise the treasured LTE network indication will appear on the smartphone’s status bar only sporadically.

We consider only serious offers

If you have found the device you need, now it's time to find the right store. In Russia, shopping on eBay and AliExpress is the most popular. True, shipping from eBay is rarely free; in this sense, AliExpress is more profitable and simpler. Recently, the latter even became able to deliver some goods directly from a warehouse in Russia, which takes less than a week compared to the usual delivery time of two weeks. Both stores offer various options buyer protection, but when purchasing from AliExpress from a warehouse in Russia, the return procedure is simpler.

We avoid problems at customs

The limit for duty-free import into Russia is still 1,000 euros (70,000 rubles), so in our case there is almost nothing to worry about. Unless the presence of wireless communication modules in a smartphone, as well as encryption tools, can complicate matters at customs - if the smartphone does not have FSB notification, a corresponding notification may be sent to the post office instead of the goods.

To try to receive the purchased device, you should write email to the FSB, collecting the following documents: a bank statement (with a stamp) about payment for the goods, a statement that you, full name, purchased such and such a product in such and such a store and ask for permission to import it into the territory of the Russian Federation for personal use (application form relatively free); description of the device, screenshots confirming the order in the online store, scanned first two pages of the passport, notification received from the customs service.

All these documents must be collected into one PDF file and sent to [email protected] or contact the web reception on the website fsb.ru. Otherwise, your parcel will be sent back to the seller.

The UMI company, which was little known outside of China just a year ago, in 2016 began to systematically conquer the smartphone markets of other countries, using a proven and universal recipe - high-quality filling and a nice design at very reasonable prices.

Xiaomi and Meizu recently began to make their way to the minds and hearts of Xiaomi and Meizu users in approximately the same way. Today, probably everyone who is interested has heard about these companies. mobile gadgets, and these names are no less popular than the Chinese Huawei or Lenovo.

On our channel we have already met with UMI technology twice.

Almost a year ago, an experimental device equipped with a retinal scanner came into my field of vision, which is quite unusual for budget technology, and is still not found on every modern smartphone.

But the dark lens and the lack of a stabilizer force the automation to constantly increase the exposure, which is why the frames turn out blurry in not very favorable lighting conditions. For example, this is handheld shooting on a cloudy day. And believe me, I made more than one attempt - but they all came out blurry:

At night, even if you fix the camera properly and don’t breathe, detail suffers:

What I didn't like:

The cost of UMI Plus, which already at the start of sales is about $200, of course, can also be considered an advantage, especially since the device comes immediately with a European adapter, and the description for the device is made in several languages, but I will not do this.

I just want to emphasize that the device received a very balanced filling for this money, and if your priority for a smartphone is up-to-date software, stability and battery life, and the quality of night shots can be sacrificed, then this may be the subtle calculation and Chinese trick...

Video version review of UMI Plus:

Hello again!

This time I have prepared a review of the final version of Umi Zero. Why the final one? But because there was also an engineering version, which was released for testing at the end of October 2014. I believe that such a comparison review will be of interest to many readers and will turn out to be very interesting and informative.

It all started with the fact that in November I received the long-awaited and expected Umi Zero, there were so many rumors about it on the Internet, a lot of advertising on various sites about how thin, stylish and functional it was. With every day of testing this smartphone, I realized that this was not exactly what I had been waiting for so long. The smartphone contained a number of unpleasant nuances: noise in the speakerphone when listening to music on maximum volume, brakes in the launcher, weak level network signal. Later it turned out that this was a sample from an engineering batch of devices and it was designed to identify all the shortcomings and problems, and then correct them and put fully completed models into production.

A few months later, I received the final version of the smartphone and was finally able to compare both smartphones and understand what differences the final version of the device contains.

Characteristics of Umi Zero:

Brand: UMI

Model: ZERO

Black color

Battery capacity: 2780mAh

SIM card support: Dual Micro SIM

RAM: 2 GB

MircoSD memory card support: up to 64 GB

Main camera: 13 Mpx Sony IMX 214

Front-camera: 8 Mpx

GSM 850/900/1800/1900MHz, WCDMA 900/2100MHz

3G: Supported

GPS: Supported

Bluetooth: 4.0

Display: Super Amoled

Screen diagonal: 5 inches

Screen resolution: 1920×1080 Pixels

Sensor: 5 touches, Gorilla Glass III

Language: Multi-language

Size: 146x70.5x6.4mm

Weight: 145 grams.

The package includes:

1x Charger

1x USB cable

2x Protective film

1x Original "Z" case

1x Needle for SIM card tray.

1x Instructions.

The smartphone attracts with its icy style and design. The thin glass Umi just begs to be picked up. It will be especially relevant in the summer, when they can cool off by placing it to their ear. However, it does get quite warm when charging. The device fits well and is felt in the hand with a case, but without a case it is more slippery. The weight of the smartphone allows you not to feel heavy in your hand.

In the strict Zero, only the earpiece, the front camera peephole and the proximity sensor are visible from the front. Touch buttons practically invisible from below.

On the back, a sticker on the glass with imei numbers and phone model catches your eye. By the way, my Umi goes under the lucky numbers 1313 :) On the left top corner there is a neat main camera, below it there is a dual LED flash different colors. There is an additional microphone next to the camera. At the bottom of the smartphone there is the Zero logo, as well as a speakerphone. Regarding the speaker, I will say that its volume is not very high, but without the wheezing and metallic sound that was in the test version.

On the top edge there is a microUSB connector. On the bottom edge there is a 3.5mm jack and a hole for the main microphone.

The right side contains a slot for a memory card and SIM cards. On the left side there are two buttons: on/off/lock and volume rocker. The buttons, like the edges themselves, are made of metal.

The cute "Z" case is made of plastic. It holds up well, but it is more of a part of the design of the smartphone rather than performing a protective function.

The weight of the smartphone in the case was 154 grams.

The card slot is completely metal, half is painted black.

Accessories:

The case is packed in a convenient box; there is also a separate box for the USB cable and charger. The kit also includes a needle for the card slot, protective film and instructions.

Micro USB-USB cable for charging and connecting to a computer with metallized tips, as well as with the Umi logo.

The charger has a decent 5.7V - 2.4A, complete with a high-quality cable, it allows you to charge the smart phone to full 100% in 1.5 hours. In half an hour, it is possible to charge a smartphone by 50-60%. The smartphone notifies you when charging is complete by activating the backlight of the touch keys.

And now it’s time to compare the engineering and final versions of the smartphone.

Original appearance and materials. There are no differences in color.

Looking at the upper edges of the smartphones, we see the antenna separator stripes slightly changed in color, as well as the rim around the USB connector.

At the bottom there are also color-changed stripes and rims around the connector and microphone hole.

The right and left side faces are unchanged except for the same stripes.

At the back, the differences are more noticeable, for example, the dual LED flash in the final version is two-color: yellow on top and orange on the bottom. The UMI logo is different in the final version. The letter "M" has sharper edges. We look further and see the inscription ZERO; in the final version it is a little strange in that the top of the letters is cut off. At first I thought that the sticker was in the way, but that was not the case, the sticker had nothing to do with it. By the way, the font of this logo is a little larger. Then you can see how the small speaker grille is recessed into the depth; in the engineering version it is on top.

There is no difference in "Z" cases. But in other accessories there is a difference. For example, if we consider the Micro USB-USB cable, then in the final version of the smartphone the cable has a slightly changed design of connectors, there is also a difference in the number of contacts on the USB side - in the engineering version a connector with 8 contacts was used, 4 per side, while the connector was not symmetrical.

The charger has not changed in appearance, but the logos and inscriptions look different. It seemed to me that in the engineering version the charger had a more interesting appearance. Also on the previous charger there is a marking 5V 2.4A, and on the new one 5.7V 2.4A, and also in the first version a connector with additional contacts was used on the top side, similarly USB cable. In the final version of the smartphone, the manufacturer decided to abandon special connectors.

Concerning program changes, then of course they exist. The changes affected the launcher, the appearance of some applications, as well as new menu items. See below for more details about the software.

Let's return to the smartphone.

Screen The smartphone has a diagonal of 5 inches. The matrix is ​​made using technology Super Amoled and has a resolution of 1920x1080.

The display is very rich and bright, does not fade in the sun, and the brightness is adjustable within a wide range. Honestly, this screen gives odds to any other screen created using IPS technology. The viewing angles of the smartphone are simply wonderful.

Let's move on to the cameras. Main camera has a sensor Sony IMX214 13Mpx, with F1.8 aperture. The pictures come out pretty good even in cloudy weather.

Video recording produced at 1080p resolution, the quality is normal, the sound is recorded in stereo thanks to the use of two microphones.

Front-camera at 8Mpx. I was surprised when I saw the kind of pictures this camera produces, because they are no worse than the photos taken by the main cameras on most other smartphones. Sample pictures:

Software part of the device. The device runs on Android KitKat version 4.4.2.

The results obtained during the testing process are presented below:

In Antutu the smartphone dialed 32516 points is good result for the installed processor. The smartphone took a position between the LG G3 and HTC One.

Regarding 3D graphics, everything is fine on the smartphone. In Nenamark2 he received 65.2 fps.

In Antutu 3D Rating I scored 2862 points.

Games pulls quite comfortably. In the game WOT Blitz, the smartphone produces a comfortable 50fps! The maximum heating was 45*c, in the area of ​​the speaking microphone. In winter, you can warm up by launching your favorite 3D game on your smartphone. =)

Sensor List sees 9 sensors, everything works without problems.

Information from the CPU Z application, the processor has 8 Cortex A7 cores at 2 GHz. Mali 450MP video core, as well as 2 GB of RAM.

Antutu Battery Test - 4132 points, affects the high screen resolution as well as the voracious processor. On average, a smartphone lasts for a standard 1.5-2 days. The native charger charges the smartphone in less than ~1.5 hours, while the smartphone, charger and cable connectors are subject to decent heating. Multi-touch recognizes the touch of 5 fingers. The compass works fine. GPS test showed a normal result - 5m. No problems were found with the navigation, it searches for satellites quickly, thanks to A-GPS technology.

In the settings you can find the energy saving item, with its help you can slightly extend the life of your smartphone from the built-in battery. After updating the firmware, a new item appeared in which you can adjust the intensity of the vibration motor. In the curtain quick access there are additional items with which you can start the flashlight, an energy saving item and clean RAM in one click. Dialer without Russian letters on the keyboard.

Interface, calls and communication. We see the standard launcher for Android Kit-Kat. I did not find any problems with calls or wireless connections. The smartphone supports two SIM cards without any problems, but in this case you will have to sacrifice a slot for a memory card. Consider this fact - the near slot in the tray is universal and is designed to install a SIM card or memory card. It will not be possible to install them at the same time. The microphone and speaker work well.

OTG, gesture control - missing. From useful functions- By swiping three fingers across the screen you can take a screenshot of the screen. The usual signal LED is missing, however, after a firmware update, a function was added to notify about SMS and missed calls by smoothly turning on the backlight of the touch keys, and the backlight turns on automatically when charging is complete.

See the video for unboxing and video comparison of smartphones:

Personal conclusion. Excellent hardware, perfect screen, Sony camera and many other nice features. The smartphone is interesting both in appearance and in its contents, and in my opinion it is definitely worth attention. At the moment, it has no analogues in terms of cost and characteristics. Among Chinese manufacturers, only Umi Zero can boast of excellent Amoled screen manufactured by Samsung.

So, in conclusion, I will summarize. Advantages and disadvantages Umi Zero:

+ Main and front cameras.

+ Super Amoled screen.

+ Fast charging, current 2.4 A.

+ Non-standard design, glass on both sides.

+ Modern hardware 8 cores at 2 GHz + 2 GB frames.

- Low speakerphone volume.

- Missing OTG, Gesture control.

SmartphoneUmi Zerocan be purchasedin the online storeru.coolicool.com for price 209.99$ .

Thank you all for your attention! If you have any questions, write in the comments, I will try to answer everyone!