Here we are, back from the winter holidays with some more weight on our bodies and less so in our wallets. If you were expecting to receive a smartphone for Christmas but (for some reason) you didn’t, you can now consider getting one of these good and really affordable devices coming for less than $100; keep reading!
Top 5 Chinese Smartphones for Under $100
1. Xiaomi Redmi Note 5A
The Xiaomi Redmi Note 5A is pretty much still a must buy in this price segment. Xiaomi’s handset comes with a large 5.5-inch HD IPS display, a good performing and efficient Qualcomm Snapdragon 425 CPU clocked at 1.4hz, coupled with 2GB of RAM and 16GB of internal storage (expandable).
Other specs include a 13MP rear camera with F/2.2 aperture and PDAF, meanwhile at the front we find a 5MP F/2.0 shooter. The Redmi Note 5A packs a 3080mAh capacity battery, runs MIUI V9 based on Android 7.0 Nougat and supports lots of 4G LTE networks all over the globe, including band 20.
2. Xiaomi Redmi 4X
If you aren’t into big almost-phablety phones then get Xiaomi’s smaller option, the Redmi 4X. The smartphone features a 5-inch display and slightly better specs compared to the bigger brother, going from the Qualcomm Snapdragon 435 CPU to the 2GB (also 3GB or 4GB) of RAM and 16GB (32GB or 64GB) of internal storage (expandable).
Camera wise, we find a 13MP rear shooter with F/2.0 aperture and a 5MP selfie snapper. The smartphone comes with a massive-for-the-size 4100mAh capacity battery, it does feature 4G LTE connectivity and in its Global version also supports band 20.
3. LeEco Cool1
Are you willing to spend a couple extra bucks? Then check out the LeEco Cool1. This incredibly powerful (for the price) device packs a Qualcomm Snapdragon 652 processor along with 3GB of RAM and 32GB of internal storage, all of that for slightly more than $100.
The handset sports a 5.5-inch display and a dual rear camera setup with a main 13MP Sony IMX258 with F/2.0 aperture that can shoot 4K videos, meanwhile at the front we find an 8MP selfie snapper.
The LeEco Cool1 is fueled by a large 4060mAh capacity battery and it supports various 4G networks, but band 20 isn’t among them.
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4. Ulefone Mix 2
The Ulefone Mix 2 is one of the cheapest smartphones featuring the trendy 18:9 display aspect ratio design currently on the market. As such, we decided to add it to the list for those who’re always trying to stay up to date with the trends. Ulefone’s Mix 2 does that while cutting corners on the inside though, we indeed only find a MediaTek MT6737H paired with 2GB of RAM and 16GB of storage (expandable).
The screen is a 5.7-inch IPS with 1440×720 resolution and its covered in 2.5D curved glass. In the camera department we find a 13MP rear shooter with F/2.2 aperture, meanwhile at the front there’s an 8MP selfie snapper.
The Ulefone Mix 2 packs a 3300mAh capacity battery, runs Android 7.0 Nougat out of the box and supports 4G LTE connectivity on various bands, including the 800Mhz.
5. Xiaomi Redmi 5
If you really dig the 18:9 aspect ratio and are willing to spend a bit more for a phone from a well-trusted brand, then the Xiaomi Redmi 5 might be a good option for you. Xiaomi’s handset flaunts a large 5.7-inch HD+ display and it’s powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 450 paired with 2GB of RAM and 16GB of internal storage.
The smartphone also boasts a 12MP rear shooter with F/2.0 aperture that can record slow-motion videos at 120fps and a 5MP selfie snapper
The Redmi 5 comes with an averagely sized 3200mAh capacity battery, runs MIUI9 based on Android 7.0 Nougat and supports 4G LTE connectivity.
Top 5 Chinese Smartphones for Under $100
The beautiful Xiaomi Redmi 5 wraps up our Chinese smartphones’ top 5 for the first month of 2018. Let us know in the comments below if you’re going to buy any of the phones listed in the article or if you’d have suggested other options!
