Smartphones priced between $100 and $200 are probably the sweet spot as far as Chinese devices are concerned. Which is really exciting as this year begins with a bunch of new phones recently launched that go straight into our top 5 list. Do you already have an idea on what we’re talking about? Well, keep reading to find out!
Top 5 Chinese Smartphones for Under $200
1. Redmi Note 7
The just launched Redmi Note 7 will definitely leave a mark in the entry-level to mid-range segment with its incredible specs and ultra affordable pricing. You probably already know what we find inside the brand new Note 7, but let’s go through it nonetheless.
First things first, the smartphone comes with a large 6.3-inch display of Full HD+ resolution with an aspect ratio of 19.5:9. Beneath the screen with then find a powerful Snapdragon 660 coupled with a minimum of 4GB of RAM and 32GB of internal storage, which is expandable via microSD.
The main selling point of the device is the camera though, coming with a resolution of a whopping 48MP, the Redmi Note 7 has no rivals in its price range. The 48MP provide 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. At the front, we find a 13MP selfie snapper.
Finally, the smartphone packs a large 4000mAh capacity battery typical of the series, along with an USB Type-C port, which is actually something we’ve never seen before on a Redmi device.
2. Xiaomi Mi Play
After the launch of the Redmi Note 7, the previously launched Xiaomi Mi Play isn’t as attractive as it used to be when it was first announced, but we believe it’s still a good compact alternative below the $200 mark.
The Mi Play is indeed much smaller, with a display size of 5.84-inch, while still being Full HD+, so theoretically it has a much sharper screen to enjoy content on as well.
The smartphone is powered by the new MediaTek Helio P35 which should bring more than enough power to provide a smooth user experience. The CPU is then coupled with 4GB of RAM and 64GB of internal storage.
In the camera department we find two 12MP shooters on the back, meanwhile the front camera has a resolution of 8MP.
Finally, Xiaomi’s Mi Play is fueled by a 3000mAh capacity battery in a really slim 7.8mm body.
3. Lenovo S5 Pro GT
Launched in December of 2018, the Lenovo S5 Pro GT is probably one of the more overlooked phones recently released. The S5 Pro GT is basically a beefed up version of the S5 Pro, this new variant packs a much more powerful Snapdragon 660 CPU, while price has been kept around the same.
Along with the Snapdragon 660, we find a minimum of 4GB of RAM and 64GB of internal storage that is expandable via microSD. The smartphone then sports a large 6.2-inch display with an 18:9 aspect ratio and Full HD+ resolution.
Cameras on the S5 Pro GT include a main 20MP shooter coupled with a 12MP secondary camera, with selfies taken care of by another dual camera setup of 20MP and 8MP resolution.
The Lenovo S5 Pro GT comes packing a 3500mAh battery which can be charged through the USB Type-C port at the bottom and runs Android 8.0 Oreo out of the box.
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4. Nokia X5
Are you feeling nostalgic about Nokia? Then help bringing back the Nokia brand to its former glory by checking out one of their latest budget phones for under $200 – the Nokia X5. The handset boasts a powerful MediaTek Helio P60 CPU along with 3GB of RAM and 32GB of internal storage.
Cameras include a main 13MP sensor with F/2.0 aperture and a secondary 5MP to create photos with bokeh effect. On the front we instead find an 8MP snapper with F/2.2 aperture.
The Nokia X5 comes with a 3050mAh capacity battery and runs Android 8.1 Oreo out of the box.
5. UMIDIGI F1
Finally, for the more adventurous of you, UMIDIGI brought a really interesting option into the market with their latest F1. The UMIDIGI F1 comes with a large 6.3-inch Full HD+ and 19.5:9 display and is fueled by the powerful MediaTek Helio P60 CPU paired with 4GB of RAM and 128GB of internal storage (expandable via microSD).
The smartphone sports two rear cameras of 16MP and 8MP resolution, meanwhile at the front we have a 16MP selfie snapper.
Finally, the UMIDIGI F1 packs a massive 5150mAh battery, an USB Type-C port and supports an incredible amount of 4G LTE networks which means it can work pretty much anywhere around the globe.
Honorable Mention
Xiaomi Mi A2
If you don’t like any of the options above, the slightly older but yet powerful Xiaomi Mi A2 is definitely still something worth considering. Xiaomi’s Android One phone comes with a great Snapdragon 660 CPU, 4GB of RAM and 32GB of internal storage (sadly not expandable).
It packs an averagely sized 5.99-inch display sporting FHD+ resolution along with an 18:9 aspect ratio.
Cameras on this mid-ranger killer include a main 12MP on the back with f/1.75 aperture and a secondary 20MP shooter with the same large lens; on the front we instead have a 20MP selfie snapper.
The Xiaomi Mi A2 packs a 3010mAh capacity battery and as we previously mentioned, runs stock Android 8.0 Oreo.
Top 5 Chinese Smartphones for Under $200
With the smartphone above we conclude our monthly rendezvous for the month of January. 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.
