We’re nearing the end of the year, which means we’re getting closer to finally buying ourselves a present to end this very troublesome year. If you want to do that with a smartphone, then here you’ll find the top 5 best Chinese phones now on sale for under $500.
Best Chinese Phones for Under $500
1. POCO F2 Pro
Let’s kick things off with what’s still one of the best handset for under $500- the POCO F2 Pro. Xiaomi’s sub-brand phone is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 CPU; along with 6GB of RAM and 128GB of internal storage.
We then find a massive 6.67-inch AMOLED display without notches or punch-holes, instead we have a hidden pop-up 20MP selfie camera. Moving onto the back, the brand brought four sensors with a primary 64MP Sony IMX686 shooter; a secondary 5MP telephoto lens, an ultra wide angle 12MP camera and a 2MP depth sensor.
Finally, the F2 Pro by POCO is powered by a large 4700mAh capacity battery, supports 33W fast charging, has an NFC module and a 3.5mm audio jack.
2. Honor Play 4 Pro
Next, if all you care about is photography, the Honor Play 4 Pro is definitely the smartphone to go for under $500. The camera hardware is indeed quite impressive with a primary 40MP Sony IMX600 large size sensor with f/1.8 aperture paired with an 8MP 3X periscope camera; both featuring OIS (optical image stabilization). For selfies, we have a 32MP selfie snapper and a secondary 8MP ultra wide lens.
Performance wise, the handset is fueled a Huawei Kirin 990 chipset; coupled with up to 8GB of RAM and 128GB of internal storage (expandable). Meanwhile to provide the needed energy we find a 4200mAh capacity battery with support for 40W fast charging. The Honor Play 4 Pro features NFC as well.
Best Chinese Phones for Under $500
3. Vivo iQOO Z1
Another smartphone to consider at this price range is the iQOO Z1 which sells for just above $300. At this price you get a device with MediaTek’s most powerful Dimensity 1000+ CPU which allows it to achieve over 530000 points on AnTuTu, we then find up to 8GB of RAM and 256GB of internal storage.
The iQOO Z1 from Vivo then comes with a 6.57-inch display with a whopping 144Hz refresh rate and Full HD+ resolution; thus some optimal specs for gaming.
Meanwhile for photography, we find a 48MP primary camera on the back; coupled with an 8MP ultra wide lens and a 2MP macro sensor. At the front we have a single 16MP selfie snapper.
The smartphone packs an averagely sized 4500mAh battery and supports fast charging 44W, it has NFC and runs iQOO UI 1.0 based on Android 10.
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4. Realme X7 Pro
Coming with a very similar CPU, albeit slightly less powerful CPU we have the Realme X7 Pro with its MediaTek Dimensity 1000, paired with a minimum of 8GB of RAM and 128GB of internal storage.
The Realme X7 Pro also features a 120Hz high refresh rate AMOLED panel, with a punch hole in the upper left corner for the 32MP selfie snapper. On the back, we find a main 64MP Sony IMX686 flagship-level sensor, paired with an 8MP ultra wide lens, a 2MP depth camera and a 2MP macro sensor.
Finally, Realme’s phone comes packing an averagely sized 4500mAh capacity battery with support for a whopping 65W fast charging and there are NFC functionalities.
Best Chinese Phones for Under $500
4. POCO X3
Finally, if you want a more affordable smartphone with a high refresh rate, the recently launched P0OCO X3 is a great option for under $300. The smartphone packs a 6.67-inch LCD display with Full HD+ resolution, a refresh rate of 120Hz and a touch sampling rate of 240Hz.
The X3 by POCO is powered by a Snapdragon 732G from Qualcomm, coupled with 6GB of RAM and 128GB of internal storage. Meanwhile photography wise we have a 64MP main camera with a Sony IMX682 sensor and focal aperture of f / 1.73; a 13 MP ultra wide-angle camera; a 2MP camera for macro photos and a 2MP camera to capture depth of field data. At the front we find a single snapper with 20MP resolution.
Another really great spec on the device is the huge 5160mAh battery that can be recharged with a maximum power of 33W and there’s NFC as well.
5. OnePlus Nord
Last but not least, we have the OnePlus Nord another interesting device with a price tag of $399.99. The handset comes with a 6.44-inch AMOLED panel featuring Full HD+ and a 90Hz refresh rate, and is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 765G with integrated 5G band; along with a minimum of 8GB of RAM and 128GB of internal storage.
As far as photography is concerned, the device features a 32MP Sony IMX616 and 8MP dual front cameras (the latter is ultra wide). Meanwhile moving onto the back we find a primary 48MP Sony IMX586 sensor, an 8MP ultra wide angle lens, 2MP macro lens and a 5MP depth sensor.
Finally, the OnePlus Nord is fueled by a 4115mAh capacity battery with support for 30W fast charging and it has an NFC module.
Check out our sub $200 list if you’re on a tighter budget!