The best Chinese smartphone in 2021 in terms of price and quality - Xiaomi, Honor or Realme?

Since we were not focusing on flagships, it is foolish to expect incredible beauty from smartphones. However, now designers have begun to work even on mid-range devices. This is confirmed, for example, by a device from Realme. It was not without reason that he was singled out in a separate line. On its back panel there is a special strip with a pattern in the form of arrows, shimmering in good light around. This makes the device at least memorable. It is a pity that the case is made of plastic. However, only Doogee has metal elements.

Three out of five smartphones are practically not distinguished by anything. Their back panel is able to please only by the fact that their color smoothly changes from one color to another. And the aforementioned Doogee is different in that its body has a margin of shock resistance and moisture protection. The device seems to be packed in an appropriate case! This also makes the design unique. But at the same time, the Chinese device can upset, because it turned out to be too thick and heavy. For many people, this outweighs all the advantages.

Since the devices belong to the mid-budget price segment, their manufacturers tried to save money. As a result, Doogee, Honor and Realmi got their hands on an IPS display. He behaves well in the sun, as you can not find fault with the viewing angles. But we must admit that the depth of black here is far from ideal. Also, such a screen is not the best way reflected in energy efficiency. Realme is the biggest battery drainer, as its display refresh rate has been bumped up to 90Hz. However, this feature can be disabled by setting the parameter to its default value.

It should be noted that in some ways the Doogee screen is superior to its competitors. It has the best protective glass (Gorilla Glass 4). This allows you to hope that the device will not be covered with scratches after it has been in a pocket with keys several times.

If you first of all pay attention to the display, then you should buy OPPO A74 or Xiaomi Redmi Note 10. The fact is that these devices have AMOLED panels. A number of advantages follow from this. Like it or not, but it is such a display that consumes the least amount of energy. And he is able to boast the best contrast. The only pity is that in this case you have to put up with the standard refresh rate.

Almost all mid-budget smartphones, including Chinese ones, now work with an eight-core processor. Only its power differs. In this case, it is about the same everywhere. You will not notice much difference in the actual operation of the device. Xiaomi with its Snapdragon 678 looks only a little more interesting. Especially if you are going to play it.

Not too much devices differ in terms of memory. Xiaomi, alas, decided to save on it. As a result, you are waiting for only 64 GB of built-in storage. Fortunately, the problem is solved by installing a microSD card. A similar slot is available in all other smartphones. If we talk about RAM, then the protected device from Doogee, which has 6 GB built-in, will please with an unexpected surprise. This means that the device will not prematurely close applications.

In fact, no smartphone has received ideal components. For example, almost all of them do not have the best location of the fingerprint scanner - you should look for it on the power button. And only OPPO A74 has it embedded directly into the screen. And Xiaomi attracts with the presence of stereo speakers - in this price segment, this is still a rarity.

Any smartphone is a means of communication. And Realmi shows itself best in this regard. The fact is that this is one of the most affordable models with 5G support. However, in our country this network is being built slowly, so this advantage will not become relevant in the near future. Fortunately, the device is able to please other modern wireless standards. For example, it easily downloads files at high speed over Wi-Fi. And support for Bluetooth 5.1 indicates high energy efficiency when using an appropriate headset. But you can also complain about this model. Firstly, the device does not understand the aptX digital codec (only OPPO can boast of this). Secondly, the device did not receive an NFC chip for contactless payment (like Xiaomi).

In short, no smartphone offers the perfect set of wireless modules. OPPO has come closest to this, but it comes without an NFC chip in many markets - check this point before making a purchase.

I am glad that all models received a modern USB Type-C connector, the wire into which is inserted exclusively the first time. Of course, in terms of speed characteristics, the port complies with the USB 2.0 standard, but there is nothing to worry about. And almost all devices allow you to connect wired headphones without an adapter. Only Doogee lost this opportunity.Most likely, it was easier for the Chinese manufacturer to strengthen moisture protection.

The most difficult thing is to evaluate the capabilities of cameras. The fact is that Chinese companies do not create these components on their own. Instead, they use the services of, for example, Sony. It is the Japanese module that is built in as the main one in almost all of the devices we are considering. It uses a 1/2 inch sensor. Focal length - 26 mm. Aperture opened to f/1.8 or so. The resolution reaches 48 megapixels. Only the main Doogee camera has other characteristics - a simplified module is used here.

However, on the back panel of any of the considered devices there is by no means one lens. Indeed, auxiliary modules are present everywhere now. The largest number is observed in Xiaomi and Honor. However, at least some interest is caused only by ultra-wide-angle cameras, since only they are able to boast of a sane resolution. A similar module is built into Doogee. Also, this device has a module with optical zoom. But don't rejoice ahead of time. Reviews show that all cameras shoot very mediocre.

If we talk about video shooting, then Xiaomi is again ahead of the competition. This is the only device in our comparison capable of recording 4K video. All the rest shoot only in Full HD resolution, and even at 30 frames / s.

Finally, it is impossible not to note the possibilities of the front camera.Doogee is the only device in which a cutout had to be made in the screen to accommodate it. I can’t even believe that this device was not released three or four years ago. In all other smartphones, the front camera is an island. Those that are built into Realmi, Oppo and Dougi can boast of the highest resolution. But if you are going to regularly shoot in the dark, then it is better to look at aperture. And she is the highest in Honor. Oddly enough, Xiaomi shows itself worse than the rest. But this is noticeable only in direct comparison, when all devices are trying to make the same frame.

Now a rare Chinese manufacturer will equip its creation with a low-capacity battery. Everyone understands that big numbers will increase the appeal of his product. That is why all the devices we reviewed received a battery with a capacity of at least 5000 mAh. And for Doogee, this parameter has been brought up to 6300 mAh at all. It is this device that is best suited for a hike when you need to guarantee yourself that a power bank will not be needed soon.

With such a battery capacity, it was impossible to do without one or another fast charging technology. OPPO and Xiaomi show themselves best in this regard.The power of their network adapter reaches an impressive 33 watts. As a result, in 20-30 minutes, these devices are half charged. The battery is completely filled with energy in 70-80 minutes.

The device from Doogee is not able to boast of ultra-fast charging. However, it has another important advantage. The device supports wireless charging. And far, I must say, not the weakest.

Three devices out of five are running Android 11. We are talking about Xiaomi, Realme and OPPO. In the case of the first, a branded shell is waiting for you, endowed with additional functionality. But we must admit that not all buyers like its interface. The easiest way is for the owner of Realme, because almost pure Android is used here.

The other two smartphones are outsiders. Honor - due to the lack of Google services. This will force you to download applications from the company's store, where their number is far from the record. Other restrictions will arise from time to time. For example, applications of a pharmacy often use Google maps. And here, we recall, they simply do not exist. As for Doogee, in the case of him, the ninth version of the “green robot” is embarrassing. It cannot yet be called obsolete, but such words can definitely be uttered in a year or two.

Some of our readers will be surprised that the Doogee smartphone turned out to be the most expensive. We will explain it.This device is the only one in this comparison that has received full moisture protection. The manufacturer claims that you can go scuba diving with it! This is where the price tag comes from. Is it worth it to overpay for this opportunity - it's up to you.

Products sold under the Xiaomi and Realme brands have the lowest price. The first has always been known for its excellent value for money, while the second is gaining popularity due to the lower price tag. Making such a purchase, it is simply impossible to be disappointed. However, the relatively high cost of OPPO is fully justified. Firstly, this device received an AMOLED screen. Secondly, it has an abundance of various interfaces.

As in many of our other materials of this kind, the outsider is revealed very simply. In this case, it's Honor. It is felt that during its production, American sanctions did not allow the Chinese company to endow its creation with the components it deserved. However, Doogee products won an even lower average rating, albeit winning in one of the categories. This device deserves attention only if for some reason you need a smartphone with a shock-resistant and waterproof case.

Perhaps the most adequate is the purchase of one of the other three devices. Realme pleases with its design. And in terms of processor power, it also outperforms its competitors. However, Xiaomi, if inferior, is quite a bit. And it is equipped with slightly more advanced cameras (mainly due to a more interesting implementation of the corresponding application). Praise is also deserved by OPPO, which could become a real hit if it was sold for more adequate money.