We’re feeling the heat in these days of September but that won’t stop us from providing you with a list of great phones you can currently get from China. In the sub $200 edition, we find lots of really interesting mid-rangers, which is probably where the Chinese market shines the most. If you’re looking for your next handset, then keep reading!
Top 5 Chinese Smartphones for Under $200
1. Xiaomi Redmi Note 5
The sub-$200 list could already end here, because as most of you will agree, the Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 is the phone to get if you don’t want to spend more than $200. Xiaomi’s best selling phone is powered by a super efficient Qualcomm Snapdragon 636 along with 3GB of RAM and 32GB of internal storage (also available in 4GB/64GB) which fuels a now averagely-sized 5.99-inch LCD IPS display with a resolution of 1080 x 2160px (FHD+).
The Redmi Note 5 is then equipped with a main 12MP rear shooter accompanied by a 5MP secondary sensor to create photos with a shallow depth of field effect; meanwhile a 13MP front camera will be snapping your selfies.
Finally, the smartphone packs a big 4000mAh battery, runs MIUI based on Android 8.0 Oreo and supports a wide selection of 4G networks in its Global version.
2. Xiaomi Mi A2 Lite
Xiaomi then has an option for those who want to spend even less and still have a great phone, we’re talking about the Xiaomi Mi A2 Lite. The Android One phone – meaning it gets stock Android and faster updates – boasts a good 5.84-inch FHD+ display and is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 625 along with 3GB of RAM and 32GB of expandable storage.
On the Mi A2 Lite we then find a 12.0MP + 5.0MP dual camera setup on the back and a 5MP selfie snapper.
The smartphone is fueled by a big 4000mAh battery and it supports most global 4G LTE bands.
On a side note, if you’re willing to spend just over $200, the more powerful Xiaomi Mi A2 is a good option as well, beware it packs a smaller battery though.
3. Lenovo Z5
For a little over $200 you can also get Lenovo’s answer to the Xiaomi Redmi Note 5, the Z5. The Lenovo Z5 is indeed powered by the same Qualcomm Snapdragon 636 coupled with a whopping 6GB of RAM and 64GB of internal storage that is expandable.
Lenovo’s option comes with a bigger and brighter 6.2-inch display sporting 1080 x 2264 (FHD+) resolution along with a “hate it or love it” top notch.
On the camera side we find a main 16MP rear shooter with F/2.0 aperture paired with a secondary 8MP sensor to snap photos with bokeh effect. At the front we then have another 8MP selfie snapper with F/2.0 aperture.
Finally, the smartphone packs an averagely sized 3300mAh capacity battery with support for 15W fast charging and runs Android 8.9 Oreo out of the box.
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4. HUAWEI Y7 Pro 2018
The smartphone is powered by a power efficient Qualcomm Snapdragon 430 paired with 3GB of RAM and 32GB of internal storage (expandable). On the handset we also find EMUI 8.0 based on Android Oreo and a 3000mAh capacity battery.
5. Nubia Z17 Lite
Albeit not too recent, the Nubia Z17 lite is definitely a great option now that it can be gotten for around $160, even more so for those who aren’t fully into the new 18:9 ratio display devices. The Z17 Lite does indeed come with a 5.5-inch FullHD display while being powered by a good Qualcomm Snapdragon 653 CPU paired with 6GB of RAM and 64GB of internal storage.
The smartphone does then pack a 13MP main rear shooter along with a secondary 13MP image sensor to create photos with a shallow depth of field effect; meanwhile at the front we have a 16MP shooter for high res selfies.
The Nubia Z17 Lite is fueled by a 3200mAh battery and comes with Android 7.1 Nougat out of the box. If you’re willing to fiddle with ROMs though, you can install something like LineageOS which brings Android Oreo (Unofficial).
Top 5 Chinese Smartphones for Under $200
With the Nubia Z17 Lite we conclude our monthly rendezvous for the month of September. If you’ve found your next mid-ranger comment below, otherwise let us know which smartphone under $200 you’d have liked to see on the list.