Mobile phones are becoming an integral part of our lives. The phone market is huge, almost every person on the planet is a potential buyer of a mobile phone or smartphone.
With the increasing popularity of using apps, smartphones have become an indispensable tool in modern life.
The list of top mobile brands consists of Samsung, Apple, followed by Huwaei, Lenovo, Motorola and LG Xiaomi.
ZTE and TCL Alcatel are famous brands, Vivo and OPPO are starting to conquer the market. Below is a list of the top 10 mobile phone brands in the world in 2016, ranked based on shipment data.
10 Vivo
Vivo is one of the fastest growing mobile brands in the world with sales growth at a fast pace with aggressive market capture.
Vivo was founded in 2009 in China, the brand has become a worldwide famous name in a short period. The company was founded in Dongguan, China. The company is diversified and produces smartphones, software, peripherals and other products related to mobile phones.
BBK Electronics is the parent company of Vivo. Vivo became famous overnight by releasing the thinnest smartphone in the world. By 2015, the company has become a recognizable brand, and began to gain popularity around the world. The company focuses on innovation and R&D, has a skilled workforce of 1,500 employees. The company's product portfolio consists of the following series:
X series (expensive phones)
- V series (medium priced phones)
- Y series (affordable smartphones)
The company was able to break into the market in more than 100 countries around the world. The brand has focused on extensive advertising and marketing strategies. The company invests heavily in television advertising, print advertising, online advertising campaigns, etc.,
Wen, this enhanced the brand's image, and made it possible to withstand fierce competition.
In 2016, Vivo became the title sponsor of the T20 cricket league in India.
Total sold: 44 million units
9.TCL Alcatel
TCL Alcatel was founded in 2004 by the merger of TCL and Alcatel in a joint venture, the company has become a prominent player in the mobile phone industry worldwide.
Thanks to China, TCL Alcatel has become a major player in the smartphone industry. This brand is present on the stock market in Hong Kong, showing its financial stability and huge popularity of the brand among investors and consumers.
TCL Alcatel sells its products in over 170 countries around the world. TCL Alcatel claims to pay attention to customized solutions for customer needs by focusing on technological innovation. The mission of the company is to deliver the best products for customers.
Alcatel became a wholly owned subsidiary of TCL Communication Technology Holdings Limited.
The company relies on branding and marketing strategies to gain popularity among young people around the world, thus positioning its brand as existing for young people. In addition to smartphones, the company also produces tablets that have excellent specifications.
Range of popular Alcatel smartphones:
pixie
-Pop
- Idol
Another important feature of the brand is its focus on activities in the field of environmental conservation, as well as the health and safety of customers.
The company encourages and supports business ethics, the right policy for employees, effective supply chain management.
Alcatel makes smartwatches that can be linked to their phones.
Alcatel has received several titles and awards for its unique design and innovation.
Total Shipments: 48 million units
Oppo has become one of the leading mobile phone manufacturers in the world in a very short time, breaking into the market through the competition of existing players in the smartphone segment.
Oppo is a company founded in China in 2001. The company used to make MP3 players, but in 2008, the company entered the smartphone market, creating a whole new world of possibilities for itself.
Oppo's slogan is "The Art of Technology" which accurately describes the brand's phenomenal growth in a very short amount of time.
Oppo sells its phones in 20 countries around the world.
Initially, the company entered the market in Asian countries: China, India, the Middle East. In addition, the company was also able to attract consumers in the US, Europe, Australia.
Some of the most popular smartphones from Oppo:
Oppo Mirror
- OPPO Neo
- OPPO Joy
- OPPO F1
- OPPO R7
Oppo phones have good specs including a high resolution camera.
The company has taken many opportunities to market itself with TVCS, investing in online promotion, advertising in newspapers, print media, magazines.
All this improved the image of the company all over the world.
Oppo is the sponsor of the Cricket T20 league champions in India. The company is also a sponsor of one of the football teams in Barcelona.
Total sold: 50 million units
7. ZTE
ZTE is a world leader in smartphones, the company was founded in 1985 in China, and has a global presence around the world.
ZTE is experienced in smartphone manufacturing and is not only the top player in China, but also the leader in the world. The company has almost 70,000 employees.
The range of products includes phones, tablets, software, communication services.
ZTE in the smartphone segment presents a wide range of models. Some of the most popular phones manufactured by ZTE are:
blade series
-Axon series
-Nubia series
-Zmax series
-Grand series
ZTE offers phones in a wide price range, ranging from cheap - with basic features, to more advanced, ending with exclusive premium models.
ZTE is a global brand. The company has cooperation agreements with such telecommunications networks as Vodafone, China Mobile, Telstra.
Total sold: 56 million units
LG Electronics is one of the world's leading manufacturers of consumer electronics, mobile phones, home appliances and more.
LG Electronics, established in 1958, is not only a leading company in South Korea, but also one of the leading consumer electronics companies worldwide.
The LG Group employs more than 80,000 people worldwide who work in more than 110 countries around the world.
LG has become one of the leading manufacturers of mobile phones, smartphones, smart watches, tablets and more.
Some of the more popular smartphones made by LG are:
- LG G-series
- LG G Flex
- LG K series
- LG Nexus
LG has been a pioneer in innovation and is focused on research and development.
In addition to television advertising, online advertising, branding and reaching customers through print advertising campaigns, the brand is associated with events.
LG is associated with popular sports teams such as Formula 1, football clubs throughout Europe, cricket.
These associations have allowed the company to build a strong reputation and have given them a competitive edge over other smart phone manufacturers. LG's "Life's - Good" slogan is one of the most easily recognizable slogans in the world around the world.
The company cares about the environment.
Total sold: 59 million units
5. Xiaomi
The head office of the company is located in Beijing, China.
Xiaomi has established itself as one of the world's leading mobile phone manufacturers.
Despite its youth, the company was founded in 2010, the company with its products has penetrated the global market in the smart phone segment.
There are 8000 qualified employees in the state.
Xiaomi received an investment of 1.1 billion US dollars, and the total value of the company is estimated at 45 billion US dollars.
It has managed to tap big markets like China, The company also has a significant presence in Singapore, Thailand, Turkey, Brazil, European countries. Significant presence in China and India.
The company has a unique business model to offer its distributors quality products at discounted prices.
Xiaomi also offers apps, complementary products that help the brand generate more revenue.
Another feature of the company that helps keep costs down is that it only sells phones online and has no outlets.
The Xiaomi product range consists of popular brands:Mi Series
- Red Mi Series
In addition to smartphones, the company is increasing its RACH and sales volume in smart watches as well as tablets.
Total sold: 65 million units
Motorola became a subsidiary of Lenovo in 2011.
It acquired the mobile division of Motorola Inc, making the company one of the strongest manufacturers of mobile phones and smartphones in the world.
Lenovo Motorola - based in Illinois in the United States of America, has a global presence around the world.
The company has extensive experience in the production of smartphones, tablets, smart watches. The staff is 3400 employees.
Motorola has a strong financial backing and hence a huge amount of money has been invested in research and development.
In 2015, Lenovo and Motorola fully merged their operations with each other and collectively focused on the design, manufacture of mobile phones.
However, during the transfer of ownership of the company from one company to another, there was a phase with significant layoffs of employees.
Some brands from Motorola:
Moto G
-Moto X
- Moto E
- Moto Maxx
- Moto Razr
The company is also a leader in innovative offerings such as smartwatches like the Moto 360, which have enabled the company to increase their overall sales.
Motorola also has a unique value proposition where it allows its consumers to customize their own phones to suit their own needs and requirements. The company has constantly sought to maximize brand visibility through advertising campaigns on TV, print, online media. In addition, the sponsorship gave the brand unprecedented visibility, which led to increased sales worldwide.
Total sold: 72 million units
Founded in China in 1987, Huawei is one of the leading handset and telecommunications equipment manufacturers in the world.
The company has a strong presence in segments such as smartphones, broadband networks, tablets, computers, which makes the company a very strong and powerful brand.
The total workforce of the company exceeds 160,000 people. The company has 16 research and development centers around the world.
Huawei has strategic partnerships with brands such as TalkTalk, Vodafone, Orange, BT, Motorola.
The brand's product range includes:
honor series
- Y-series
- Enjoy series
- Mate Series
-MediaPad series
-Ascent series
Products are present in more than 160 countries around the world.
The company has been repeatedly noted by the world media as one of the most innovative companies in the world, as well as a very favorable place for people who build their careers with growing opportunities. Awards and recognition have further strengthened the brand in a dynamic, competitive industry.
Total sold: 104 million copies
2 Apple
Apple Inc was founded by Steve Jobs, Steve Wozniak and Ronald Wayne in 1976.
Now the company is one of the most well-recognized brands in the world, especially for devices such as Mac and iPhone.
Apple is the world leader in the production of smartphones, consumer electronics, software. In terms of global reach, the company has more than 100 exclusive stores in more than 15 countries, but products are sold in more than 40 countries through online stores.
In 2007, Steve Jobs released the first iPhone, a smartphone brand that has been a pioneer in innovation and style ever since.
The iPhone 6 was released to great fanfare in 2014. It also featured the iPhone 6S and iPhone 6S Plus. The features of these phones were the presence of a main camera of 12 megapixels and a front camera of 5 megapixels.
However, a new technology known as 3D was introduced for the first time.
Most popular Apple products:
iPhone 6
- iPhone 6S
- iPhone 6S Plus
-iPhone SE
In 2016, the new iPhone 6 was released, but its sales around the world have just begun.
The exclusivity of the iPhone is enhanced by the availability of more than a million apps in the Apple Store, which can be used by users for free or for a fee.
Along with the iPhone, the company is promoting smartwatches that can be compatible with all iPhones released after the iPhone5.
The Apple, Inc logo is one of the most popular logos in the world. Marketing and branding is a key aspect of Apple's brand growth.
Total sold: 225 million units
Samsung mobile phones, a subsidiary of the global consumer electronics giant Samsung Electronics, is the undisputed leader in the smartphone segment around the world, accounting for almost 30% worldwide.
Samsung Electronics, founded in South Korea in 1969, is a pioneer in electronics.
More than 300,000 employees work for the company worldwide. Global sales of products are carried out in about 80 countries. Samsung was one of the first companies to introduce smartphones into its product portfolio.
This helped them bring down the once strong Nokia, which had been the leader in the mobile phone market for years.
Since 2013, Samsung has started using only Android as its operating system.
Each year, the company has consistently sold more than 300 million units of products, which has allowed the company to become the world leader in the smartphone segment.
Some of the more popular Samsung phones are:
- Samsung Galaxy S series
-Samsung Galaxy J series
-Samsung Galaxy A series
- Samsung Galaxy Note series
-Samsung Galaxy Grand series
Samsung is in a strong financial position thanks to product diversification. The company is an aggressive marketer and spends over $14 billion on advertising.
In addition to advertising, the brand is a sponsor of major events such as the Olympic Games. It is also a sponsor of many sports teams. In 2016, the Samsung Galaxy S7 occasionally exploded with users, which led to the need for a recall of these smartphones. How much this will affect sales can be judged by the results of 2017.
Total sold: 320 million units
Every year, smartphone companies hold a presentation of their new product before the start of sales. Every company has flagships - phones that sell best and have more functionality. Every year, innovative technologies used in smartphones become more and more sophisticated to please the sophisticated user, anticipating all expectations.
The best phones of 2016 share similarities in display size, average performance, but each has its own “something innovative” that puts each one in the lead among 2016 flagships.
1.Samsung Galaxy S7
The difference in time between the announcement of the model and the sale was minimal - one and a half months. Samsung Galaxy S7 could be bought at the end of March 2016.
Galaxy S7 is the leader among the flagship phones of 2016 both in terms of functionality and appearance. S7 has the most complete package of functionality, exceeding the capabilities of the latest Apple 6S by several times.
The Samsung Exynos 8890 octa-core processor coupled with a powerful graphics accelerator and 4 GB of RAM allows the phone to process data with impeccable speed, whether it's gaming applications or streaming video.
- a slot for 2 Sim cards, which is quite rare for phones of this class;
- the ability to use an SD card up to 200 GB;
- extended battery capacity: 3000 mAh for S7 and 3600 mAh for Samsung Galaxy S7 edge;
- the camera, in comparison with the previous model S6, has not undergone megapixel moderation (for the main 12 and 5 megapixels for the front), but stabilization, focusing with “Dual pixel” and light sensitivity have been improved, which contributes to excellent and high-quality pictures at any time of the day;
- protection against dust and water, which gives the gadget 30 minutes of life under water without further failure;
- "always on display" is a new feature that is so often missing from the phone. All important information - time, date, weather, dollar exchange rate, etc. - constantly on the screen. This will not affect the "battery consumption", but on the contrary, it will reduce energy consumption, since there is no longer a need to activate the display to view this information;
- fast and wireless charging;
- the ability to use virtual reality glasses, a fitness bracelet, and other accessories from Samsung with your phone.
On the Samsung Galaxy S7, the price is quite high (from 47 thousand rubles), but when choosing a phone of this class and price category, you should pay special attention to the “stuffing” and functionality that make the Galaxy S7 a leader among mobile devices.
2. Apple iPhone 7
Apple iPhone 7 was presented recently and is already on sale. Powerful parameters elevate the new model to the lists of the best phones of 2016.
Apple iPhone 7, framed by its perfect body, has:
- 4.7-inch screen - iPhone 7; 5.75″ - iPhone 7 Plus/Pro;
- RAM 2 and 3 GB in 7 and 7 PRO respectively
- in addition to the standard volumes of internal memory of 32 and 128 GB, an amount of 256 GB will be added to choose from;
- cameras in phones will remain the same, with improved light sensitivity, plus a dual camera will appear, which will allow photo / video shooting with an extended viewing angle;
- A10 processor from Apple;
- iOS 10, which was also released;
- no headphone jack;
- sapphire crystal;
- phone case waterproof.
The price of an iPhone has always been within the cost of equivalent Samsung products and starts from 57 thousand rubles for 7-ku, and from 67 thousand for 7 Plus. So the eternal question of the buyer is “what to choose: iOS or Android, App store or PlayMarket, etc.?” - and will remain without a specific answer.
3. Sony Xperia Z5 Premium
Rounding out the top three mobile devices of 2016 is the Sony Xperia Z5 Premium, a new phone from Sony with an innovative display. The screen with a diagonal of 5.5 inches has not the usual Full HD resolution for almost all modern models, but a new 4K Ultra HD, which displays 3840x2160 pixels, which is a very high figure for a mobile phone.
In addition to a bright, colorful and rich display, the Sony Xperia Z5 Premium Dual is equipped with a 23 megapixel camera with 8x zoom. This is a great option for those who are looking for a phone with the best camera.
The “stuffing” of the Z5 Premium is quite powerful: 8 cores, 3 GB RAM, 32 GB internal memory and a slot for SD cards with a capacity of up to 200 GB, a fairly capacious 3430 mAh battery and a stylish minimalist design of a metal and glass case with additional moisture / dustproof coating.
For this phone model, the price ranges from 36,500 to 60,000 rubles.
4LG G5
LG has taken a step forward with the new G5, making it one of the best phones this year. New body materials - aluminum and fourth-generation Gorilla glass - have reduced the weight of the phone to 157 grams, despite the rather large 5.3-inch screen with a resolution of 2560 × 1140 pixels. At the same time, a slot for 2 SIM cards and an SD card with support up to 2 TB has also been preserved.
16 megapixel camera with extended viewing angle received laser autofocus and improved stabilization system. Like the Galaxy S7, the LG G5 comes with an "always on" feature.
The G5 has 3GB of RAM with a quad-core processor and 32GB of internal storage.
The new phone from LG is "stuffed" with all sorts of sensors and navigation modules. But the big minus is that the battery is only 2800 mAh, which will be no more than 12 hours of real, active use until the battery is completely discharged. But, given that the phone is "modular", it will not be difficult to replace the removable battery-accumulator and continue working.
On the LG G5, the price starts at 39,990, which can be justified by a good camera and a removable modular battery.
5. HTC One M10
The HTC One M10 is a long-awaited phone for fans of the HTC line. All the shortcomings have been removed and the inconvenient Home button is implemented differently in the new model. Under the all-metal body and 3rd generation Gorilla glass, there are 4 cores with a Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 MSM8996 processor, 32 GB of internal memory (of which, unfortunately, only 23 are available, since the rest is occupied by the system), an SD card slot up to 2048 GB and, of course, a fairly capacious battery, which is enough for 27 hours of talk time.
The camera deserves special attention, as it is one of the few phones that allows you to capture images in RAW format, with only 12 megapixels, but with laser autofocus and stabilization.
HTC One M10 has a fast charging system and a capacious 3000 mAh battery can be fully charged in minutes.
According to user reviews, although the model is not moisture resistant, it is considered “indestructible” because of its all-metal body. All these parameters make the HTC One M10 one of the best phones for 2016.
On the HTC One M10, the price ranges from 38,000 to 47,000 depending on the chosen amount of internal memory of 32 or 64 GB. If you are a fan of the RAW format, then 64 GB will be relevant, since files in this format take up a lot of space.
6 Nokia Lumia 950 XL
Nokia Lumia 950 XL is the largest phone (phabletphone) among its family. An alternative to iOS and Android is Microsoft Windows 10 Mobile. The Lumia 950 XL is the best phone this year for Microsoft lovers.
The advantage lies in the use of Windows 10 and the easy synchronization of the phone and data of the multitasking PC office software, which is not yet fully implemented in either iOS or Android.
The powerful Qualcomm Snapdragon 810 processor, 8 cores (64 bits) and 3GB of RAM contribute to the fast operation of the phone even in multitasking mode. The 5.7″ (WQHD) touch display with 2560×1440 resolution delivers rich images that can be captured with the 20MP main camera or the 5MP front camera. The 3,340 mAh removable battery is definitely a plus, but Microsoft says the 950 XL can last up to 75 hours of talk time.
7. Xiaomi Mi 5
The seventh position in the list of the best phones for 2016 is Xiaomi Mi 5. The Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 (MSM8996) processor, combined with 4 GB of RAM and an Adreno 530 GPU accelerator, give a rather powerful "stuffing" of this device.
The 16 megapixel camera has focus and optical image stabilization, plus a wide range of useful settings and presets. The front / front camera has 4 megapixels, which is also not bad for a flagship.
The 3000 mAh battery may not be quite capacious for a gadget of this class, but the “fast charge” function can return the battery to a full charge in just an hour.
The software has a proprietary shell Xiaomi MiUi, claiming its design and style for Apple's iOS.
You can buy Xiaomi Mi 5 with a different amount of internal memory (16/32/64/128 GB) and the price, accordingly, will vary depending on this parameter. In any case, the flagship from Xiaomi with 32 GB costs 2 times cheaper than its competitors, having the same functionality and, so beloved by everyone, laconic and even strict design.
8. Huawei P9
The screen with a diagonal of 5.2 inches and a resolution of 1920 × 1080 is covered with Gorilla glass of the 4th generation. Hidden inside the Huawei P9 is an octa-core Huawei Kirin 955 processor with a graphics accelerator and 3 GB of RAM.
A rather powerful combination, but the main thing in this phone is the cameras: there are two of them 12 MP each on the front side and one front-facing 8 MP. Any Huawei P9 review demonstrates high-quality photos and videos. This phone is a photographer's dream!
Built-in memory Huawei P9 is 32 GB, but it is possible to expand the memory with an SD card up to 128 GB. Strict design, high-performance stuffing, non-standard approach to cameras - creates a pleasant impression of the phone, given the fact that the price of Huawei P9 starts from 30,000 rubles, depending on the amount of internal memory and the selected version of Huawei P9 / Huawei P9 Plus.
9. ASUS Z1 Titan
ASUS Z1 Titan is a novelty in the market of the most popular mobile phones, expected by millions! The manufacturers intended to create a smartphone that would be similar in functionality to a PC, but on Lollipop (Android 5.1).
Gaming as it's meant to be, the ASUS Z1 Titan has 4 speakers for high-quality sound and an ergonomic design to fit comfortably in the user's hands. Inside the ASUS Z1 Titan there is as much as 6 GB of RAM, coupled with 8 Snapdragon 830 cores. Photo / video materials shot on the main 16 megapixel or 5 megapixel front camera are played on a Super AMOLED screen with a size of 5.5 inches and a resolution of 2560 × 1440 pixel pixels . The Gorilla Glass display is already a new 5th generation. The release date of the model was scheduled for August 8, 2016.
10Lenovo P90 Pro
This ranking will present the top 10 best smartphones (i.e. mobile phones enhanced with PDA functionality) for December 2016. The rating is based on reviews in the Yandex Market (only those smartphone models that scored at least 40% of fives were included in the top 10). The technical characteristics of the smartphone (the amount of built-in and RAM, the quality of the main and front cameras, the quality of the display) and the price-quality ratio were also taken into account.
This list includes only flagships - i.e. models that are positioned by each manufacturer as the newest and best smartphones in the lineup. But the price is not affordable for everyone and can reach up to 70 thousand rubles. However, this does not apply to Chinese manufacturers. The quality of their products is often on par with smartphones from American, South Korean, Japanese and Taiwanese brands, but the price is much cheaper. For example, the cheapest smartphone in this top belongs to a well-known Chinese brand and costs only 12.5 thousand rubles.
The rating includes the flagships of six of (American company Apple, South Korean Samsung and LG, Chinese Huawei, Xiaomi, ZTE). The top ten global manufacturers also include Chinese brands Oppo, Vivo, TCL and Lenovo, but the products of the first three are not represented in Russia, and as for Lenovo, this company has been focusing in recent years on the budget segment, and releases flagship models under the Motorola subsidiary brand, which is focused mainly on the American market. Instead of Oppo, Vivo, TCL and Lenovo, the ranking includes leading Taiwanese manufacturers ASUS and HTC, the Chinese brand OnePlus, as well as the American company Google, whose Pixel smartphone, according to experts, has the best camera today, so it cannot be ignored.
Xiaomi Redmi Note 4 32Gb
The average price in Russia is 10,800 rubles. Buy Redmi Note 4 32Gb on AliExpress you can for 9 thousand rubles (delivery to Russia is free). Xiaomi introduced Redmi Note 4 at a presentation in Beijing on August 25, 2016. Flagshiploved by buyers of the Redmi family, whose sales in the world have long exceeded 100 million devices,scored 59% of fives according to reviews in Yandex Market(cm.
“All these years we have been selling the Nexus at a low price like fools, by golly. But Apple is cutting money - we need to join the premium, too, ”the guys from Google decided and released smartphones of the Pixel family. So that the new “super-prestigious” Googlephone is not confused with cheap predecessors, the developers at all presentations insistently emphasized that this is an “all-new” (“absolutely new”) smartphone that was not developed by subsidiaries (LG / Samsung / Huawei / HTC / Motorola), but by Google itself! However, it's no secret to anyone that HTC, respected by Google, is still assembling smartphones.
But politics and marketing are of less interest to us, let's talk about the technical component. In this regard, the new Googlephone pleases with an excellent camera (the best among smartphones in general, according to some experts), a good AMOLED display and a very powerful Snapdragon 821 processor with perfect system optimization.
By the way, about the system - now it has been added exclusivity and endowed with the latest “empty” Android Nougat with a new design, and English-speaking users can now talk with a smartphone like with a person. That is, no more “cheap pickled cucumbers in Moscow” - you can immediately turn to the phrase “Pixel, where can I buy a good snack nearby?”. Nice news? Yes, just great! The design of the Pixel is a little strange, but you can't confuse smartphones with anything else.
Another question is that in a model with a thickness of 8.5 mm (like Xiaomi Redmi 3S with 4100 mAh) a ridiculously large 2770 mAh battery huddles. However, due to the perfectly optimized Android and AMOLED-matrix, the Pixel will still last a day. But almost any flagship smartphone is more compact than the new Googlephones, in which they didn’t even bother to introduce optical stabilization into the camera.
And most importantly, such a pleasure costs from 50 to 65 thousand rubles, even simply in terms of European prices (Russians are so rich that smartphones are usually more expensive in Russia than in Europe). Would you like to fork over a thousand dollars for a "prestigious" Google nameplate? Yes, everyone already understands that you don’t want to, and therefore Pixel is not sold in Russia. And for 65 thousand in Russia, smart guys buy an iPhone 7 Plus with 128 GB of memory from gray suppliers or a still cool Samsung Galaxy S7 edge for 40 thousand. And they do it right.
The Pixel is a great model in its own right and the best alternative to the great and terrible iPhone (which is why the smartphone made the list). But for record-breaking performance at a high price, we already have Samsung, and Google’s “unique” software can even be made to work on cheap smartphones. That is, whatever Google creates - it turns out Nexus. Only this time, an expensive, slightly strange Nexus that is not conducive to flashing, which did not manage to jump above its glass “head”.
4 Honor 8
In contrast to Google, Huawei knows a lot about “color differentiation” and has been successfully selling almost identical smartphones under different nameplates for a couple of years. For citizens who are greedy for the image component, mobile phones under the name Huawei come out. And for everyone who does not care about Scarlett Johansson and the nameplate of partner brands, the Chinese offer Honor models.
So in 2016, engineers “changed shoes” for the expensive Huawei P9 in a glass case, dismantled the Leica logo and began selling such a model 40% cheaper than the flagship. Even by Russian standards, Honor 8 worth 28 thousand rubles looks very cool - of similar quality models, only the “gray” versions of Xiaomi and Meizu are cheaper.
And you can’t say that Huawei saved money on customers in some way: a good fast processor (though not as cool as your Snapdragon 820), two cool rear cameras with which you can “blur” the background in photos, a high-quality display. Honor 8 is not the flagship of the “better than nowhere” format - it is rather the golden mean between expensive “top models” and mid-range smartphones. Such smartphones have become an endangered species - Chinese brands are now arrogant and strive to compete in price with Samsung, so it was impossible not to mention the “anti-crisis” Honor in a special order.
3. Apple iPhone 7 Plus
The iPhone just got better. It is better by N percent, because it is not appropriate for noble dons to focus on the characteristics of mobile phones. Parasite designers, apparently, still go wild with uninhibited girls and “washing powder” (an iPhone 6 with almost the same appearance appeared in September 2014). But the revolution, comrades, begins from the bottom, and iPhone buyers are still satisfied with the case design. Moreover, fans of innovations still received the on-duty “glossy black” color - an important detail for those who want their new iPhone to be immediately distinguished from the old one.
In general, improved versions of the iPhone with the same case design usually receive an additional S index, but the name iPhone 6SS would sound defiant, and honestly, technical innovations have accumulated enough to change generations.
Apple iPhone 7 Plus
Judge for yourself: the new touch Home key with imitation pressing, "identical to natural". Water resistance, which is not very useful in everyday use, but reduces the risk of "killing" the smartphone with liquid. Stereo speakers in a very compact case and a processor, which, with four cores at an ordinary frequency, took and plugged all Qualcomm and MediaTek of any degree of steepness into the belt. 2x optical zoom (a trifle, it does not always work, but still comes in handy). And this despite the fact that the iPhone, as we know, has never competed with rivals for show on the principle of "who is longer"!
The iPhone 7 Plus is still full of shortcomings: ridiculous strap-on fit, no support for fast charging, rather dull shooting quality compared to Android flagships, a headphone jack amputated “for fun” or out of Apple's greed.
Apple iPhone 7 Plus
But in order to criticize, you need to offer something in return. Google Pixel is not sold in Russia, and it can no longer boast of the slogan “Android smartphones are always cooler for the same price”. The Samsung Galaxy S7 edge has reached “retirement” age on the assembly line, but is still too expensive, has a modest 32 gigabytes of internal memory (a little more than 20 GB is available for games and applications), is easily soiled and fragile. He, of course, is very technological in itself, but has changed little since the “breakthrough” S6 edge. And there are enough high-quality and cheaper flagships based on Android without that.
With such a preamble, the iPhone award sounds like a glorification of the best of the worst smartphones, but Apple's flagship still “raises the bar” with each new generation by a sufficient amount so that iPhone users do not migrate to android phones and do not envy Samsung Galaxy users.
2. Xiaomi Redmi 4 Prime
They did not expect? But I think that the budget Xiaomi deserves such honors. Because Redmi has become a symbol and the most desired budget smartphone during the crisis period, not only in Russia, but also in other post-Soviet republics. To be honest, in 2016 Xiaomi made two "revolutions" at once - first, in January, Redmi 3 was born, which brought an unprecedented 8-core processor (not cheap, Kvalkom's bottling!) And a metal case to the budget ranks. And at the end of the year, when Huawei and Meizu released response smartphones, Xiaomi “finished off” all competitors with the release of Redmi 4 Prime.
Bright Full HD-display in a smartphone for 8-9 thousand rubles! The coolest Snapdragon 625 - before that, it was found in models at least 3 times more expensive! And a capacious battery that pulls all this filling in a thin case for a long time.
Xiaomi Redmi 4 Prime
Why not Xiaomi Mi Mix? Because now it is a very expensive and not very practical prototype smartphone with a flagship processor, but a mediocre camera. Why not Redmi Note 3? Because there is nothing breakthrough in it - Note 3 became a "restyling" of Redmi Note 2, and Note 3 Pro just received a slightly faster and more intelligent processor. Xiaomi Mi5 over time also looks “just” another inexpensive Chinese flagship, but the “compact” Redmi are developing much more sharply.
And I understand those who believe that such portions of praise for a budget smartphone are unnecessary. Still, you will have to bring it to mind and Russify it yourself, the cameras in Redmi 4 are still mediocre, fast charging again not supported due to cost savings.
Xiaomi Redmi 4 Prime
But there was nothing cooler in the budget class, there isn’t, and there won’t be in the foreseeable future - in return for 8-10 thousand, you can “taste” quad-core models that are vile in terms of speed and quality from slightly more arrogant vendors or, at best, buy a plastic Meizu at based on the "deformed" old MediaTek processor. Moreover, if there have never been problems in choosing good and expensive smartphones, then Redmi almost single-handedly defends the honor of truly cool budget models, for which it receives “silver” in our today's rating.
Russian buyers of equipment still believe in the immutability of the following primitive proportion: the higher the price of a product, the higher its quality. Although in the mobile market this law has long been in effect "in so far as" - the cost of a product here depends on the brand, technical characteristics, how much the manufacturer had to spend on advertising, and many other variables. The quality of the gadget as a pricing factor is far from the top of the list.
The current market situation is the most favorable for buying an inexpensive but high-quality smartphone. Check out our rating of smartphones - and you will find out which of the devices in 2017 will justify every ruble invested in them.
10. Meizu M2 Note
- CPU: 8-core MediaTek MT6753, clock frequency 1300 MHz
- 2 GB / 16 GB
- Display:
- 13 MP / 5 MP
- Battery: 3 100 mAh
Price: from 9 649 rubles
7. Ulefone Power 2
- CPU: 8-core MediaTek MT6750 clocked at 1.5GHz
- Memory (RAM / User): 4 GB / 64 GB
- Display: 5 inch diagonal, FullHD resolution
- Cameras (main / front): 13 MP / 8 MP
- Battery: 6,050 mAh
Price: from 11,298 rubles Ulefone Power 2 went on sale only in the spring of 2017, but has already earned the love of Russian users; according to Yandex.Market, this smartphone has 88% of ratings - "five". In the reviews, the current owners of Power 2 urge potential buyers not to worry about the fact that the brand is little known, and boldly prefer Ulefone to the hyped Samsung and Sony.
The main advantage of Ulefone Power 2 is its impressive battery capacity. Just think about these figures: a smartphone allows you to talk continuously for 2 days, and in standby mode it will last as long as 2 months!
Advantages
Flaws
- Massiveness - the gadget weighs more than 200 grams.
6. Nubia Z11 Mini S
- CPU: Qualcomm Snapdragon 625 MSM8953 octa-core, 2 GHz
- Memory (RAM / User): 4 GB / 64 GB
- Display:
- Cameras (main / front): 23 MP / 13 MP
- Battery: 3000 mAh
Price: from 17,000 rubles Nubia Z11 Mini S is too good for the middle price segment - but for some misunderstanding it belongs to it. The main advantage of the gadget is the camera; the user of Nubia will definitely not have to remember where his “soap box” is. Behind is a Sony IMX318 sensor with hybrid autofocus and three-axis stabilization – the eye, by the way, is protected by sapphire crystal. The selfie camera has a resolution of 13 megapixels and includes 5 lenses.
3. Xiaomi Redmi Note 4X
- CPU:
- Memory (RAM / User): 3 GB / 32 GB
- Display: 5 inch diagonal, FullHD resolution
- Cameras (main / front): 13 MP / 5 MP
- Battery: 4 100 mAh
Price: from 8,790 rubles
Xiaomi Redmi Note 4X is a big step forward compared to the previous model of the line, Redmi Note 4. The 2017 gadget became more productive, received a capacious battery, a new IMX258 camera module, and turned out to be a smartphone with almost no weak points, especially for its very modest price. Note 4X is superbly assembled, looks great and, judging by the user reviews on Yandex.Market, it works flawlessly - if the “Chinese Apple” continues to delight us with such devices, it will very soon push the real Apple on the pedestal.
Advantages
- Slim body (8 mm), made of metal.
- Bright and high contrast 2.5D screen.
- Long battery life (up to 2 days).
- The presence of a fingerprint sensor.
Flaws
2. Samsung Galaxy J5 (2017)
- CPU: 8-core Exynos 7 Octa 7870, clock frequency 1.6 GHz.
- Memory (RAM / User): 2 GB / 16 GB
- Display: 2" diagonal, HD resolution
- Cameras (main / front): 13 MP / 13 MP
- Battery: 3000 mAh
Price: from 13,570 rublesSamsung cannot be called a “cheap” manufacturer - even within the budget lines of a Korean company, smartphones cost from 10,000 rubles. However, in 2017, Samsung pleasantly surprised by showing the updated J5, which justifies its price by 100%.
In just a year, the J5 has gone from being an ugly plastic duck to a beautiful aluminum swan. The 2017 model boasts a premium metal design and a 2.5D SuperAMOLED screen. In addition, the device received a fingerprint sensor, thanks to which the user can make purchases using Samsung Pay, and a killer quality selfie camera.
Advantages
- Front camera with high resolution and a lot of tools for processing selfies.
- Powerful proprietary processor.
- Samsung Pay support.
- An adaptive display that can automatically adjust to external conditions.
Flaws
- The battery is less capacious than the 2016 model.
- Low screen resolution.
1. ASUS Zenfone 3 ZE520KL
- CPU: Qualcomm Snapdragon 625 MSM8953 octa-core, clocked at 2GHz.
- Memory (RAM / User): 3 GB / 32 GB
- Display: diagonal 2 inches, FullHD resolution
- Cameras (main / front): 16 MP / 8 MP
- Battery: 2 650 mAh
Price: from 14,200 rubles When ASUS on its official website calls the Zenfone 3 ZE520KL "a masterpiece of modern engineering art", it does not exaggerate - it is difficult to find a smartphone that would look as beautiful and original. The rear panel of the device is decorated with a pattern of concentric circles - a must-have element of the famous ASUS Zen design, which was awarded a separate award at Computex 2016. The Zenfone 3 ZE520KL case, made of durable Gorilla Glass, has a minimum thickness of only 7.69 mm.
However, the title of the best smartphone in terms of "price / quality" is received by the device from ASUS not only for how it looks - it is also a jack of all trades. Photographers will appreciate the 16-megapixel camera with triple autofocus, which supports both optical and electronic stabilization at the same time. Gamers will be thrilled when they test Qualcomm's 64-bit 14nm processor. Music lovers will be impressed by the sound processed by SonicMaster audio technology.
HTC is not represented in our rating either - and this is easy to explain. Apparatuses of well-known companies are overestimated. Nobody questions their quality, but you can also find cheaper smartphones with similar characteristics, assembled just as scrupulously - just pay attention to the products of mid-range Chinese manufacturers, like Doogee or Blackview.
Unfortunately, overpaying for a brand is the norm for the current mobile market. However, there is hope that the “Chinese invasion” will change the situation and buyers will understand that giving money for big names is stupid.
