Top 5 Chinese Smartphones for Under $200 – October 2019


Best Chinese Smartphones 2019 $200

Looking for a new phone in the best specs to performance ratio price section? Then you’re in the right place. Here’s you’ll indeed find some of the most interesting Chinese smartphones with a price tag of up to $200. Keep reading!

Top 5 Best Chinese Smartphones for Under $200

1. Redmi Note 8

Redmi Note 8

The Redmi Note  8 launched in China last month has quickly become one of the best devices you can get for under $200, and now even more so as it’s also available in a Global variant. The new device comes with a large 6.3-inch display of Full HD+ resolution with an aspect ratio of 19.5:9 and FHD+ resolution.

Beneath the shiny and Corning Gorilla Glass 5 coated body we then find a decently powerful Snapdragon 665 coupled with up to 6GB of RAM and 128GB of internal storage, which is expandable via microSD.

The Redmi Note 8 packs a 48MP main rear camera for extra sharp photos when the subject is well lit, while in darker scenarios the pixels are combined into larger 1.6um ones for better quality. We then have an 8MP secondary with ultra wide lens, a third 2MP sensor for macro shots and a fourth 2MP depth sensor. Meanwhile at the front, we find a 13MP selfie snapper.

Finally, the smartphone packs a large 4000mAh capacity battery typical of the series and runs MIUI based on Android 9 Pie.

2. Realme 5

The Realme 5 is basically Oppo’s answer to Xiaomi’s Redmi Note 8. The two smartphones are indeed very similar as far as design and primary specs are concerned, with both packing a Qualcomm Snapdragon 665 CPU and four rear cameras.

The Realme 5 packs a bigger 6.5-inch screen though with HD+ resolution (720 x 1600) and a 20:9 display aspect ratio.

Moving onto the camera department we find a primary 12MP shooter with f/1.8 aperture, a secondary 8MP sensor with ultra wide angle lens, a 2MP macro lens and a 2MP depth sensor.

The Realme 5 then packs a large 5000mAh capacity battery, which along with the large display makes this one of the best devices for content consumption.

3. Realme Q

Realme Q Chinese Smartphones

Another great option from Oppo is the Realme Q. Oppo’s sub-brand phone packs a powerful Snapdragon 712 CPU coupled with 4GB of RAM (also available with 6GB) and 64GB of internal storage (expandable).

The Realme 3 Pro then features a 6.3-inch Full HD+ display with a 16MP selfie snapper hidden in the notch at the top. Meanwhile on the back we find four rear cameras with a primary 48MP sensor, a secondary 8MP ultra wide shooter, a camera with telephoto lens and a macro lens.

Finally, the smartphone is fueled by a large 4035mAh battery, supports 20W VOOC fast charging and runs ColorOS 6.0 based on Android 9 Pie.

4. Meizu Note 9

meizu note 9

Gizchina News of the week


Meizu is finally able to really challenge Xiaomi back with their recently launched Meizu Note 9. The handset does indeed feature a great Qualcomm Snapdragon 675 along with 4GB/6GB of RAM and 64GB/128GB of internal storage, all for less than $200.

Meizu’s phone then packs a 6.2-inch display with Full HD+ resolution and an 18.5:9 aspect ratio. Meanwhile cameras include a 48MP main paired with a 5MP secondary on the back and a 20MP selfie snapper in the notch at the front.

Finally the handset comes with a large 4000mAh battery supporting 18W fast charging and runs Flyme 7.2 based on Android 9 Pie out of the box.

5. Xiaomi CC9E

Xiaomi CC9e

Next we have the recently launched Xiaomi CC9e. The smartphone is equipped with a decently powerful Qualcomm Snapdragon 665 CPU along with up to 6GB of RAM and 128GB of internal storage (UFS 2.1). But where the CC9e shines is the display department, we indeed find a 6.09-inch AMOLED panel, which is something you don’t usually find for less than $200.

The Xiaomi CC9e, with a design inspired by Xiaomi’s Mi 9 comes with a water drop notch hiding a 32MP selfie snapper featuring f/2.0 aperture. While on the back we have three cameras of 48MP, 8MP and 2MP to snap photos with a shallow depth of field.

Other specs on the phone include a large 4030mAh capacity battery, an audio jack, IR emitter and runs MIUI 10 based on Android 9 Pie.

For the stock Android fans, please check out the Android One variant of the phone launched this past month, the Xiaomi Mi A3.

Top 5 Chinese Smartphones for Under $200

Best Chinese Smartphones 2019 $200

With the smartphone above we conclude our monthly rendezvous for the month of October. If you’ve found your next mid-ranger comment below, otherwise let us know which Chinese Smartphones under $200 you’d have liked to see on the list.

Check out our sub $100 list if you’re on a tighter budget!

Disclaimer: We may be compensated by some of the companies whose products we talk about, but our articles and reviews are always our honest opinions. For more details, you can check out our editorial guidelines and learn about how we use affiliate links.

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