With the increase in price on most new handsets from China which put them above our $500 threshold, we won’t see many new flagships in this Top 5. That said, we’re still going to find which the best Chinese phones are if you’re budget is below $500. Keep reading!
Best Chinese Phones for Under $500
1. Redmi Note 9 Pro Max
Let’s get the ball rolling with the recently launched Redmi Note 9 Pro Max which – being more of a mid-ranger than a flagship – will sit in the bottom of the price range covered in our list, selling at just above $200. For the relatively low price you get a smartphone powered by the latest Qualcomm Snapdragon 720G, along with 6GB of LPDDR4X RAM and at least 64GB of UFS 2.1 fast storage (expandable via microSD). This hardware powers an extra large 6.67-inch Full HD+ display that makes it a great device for gaming or media consumption.
Camera wise, the Redmi Note 9 Pro Max comes with a total of four cameras. These include a primary 64MP AI camera with 1/1.7 inch CMOS image sensor, 1.6μm 4-in-1 Super Pixel, f/1.89. We then find an 8MP ultra-wide angle camera, a 5MP macro camera with 2cm focus distance and a 2MP depth sensor. At the front, we have a single 32MP selfie snapper.
Finally, the Redmi phone packs an extra large 5020mAh capacity battery and supports 33W fast charging
2. Realme X2 Pro
Next, we have the Realme X2 Pro that keeps its spot on the list as it’s still one of the smartphones with the highest specs to price ratio. The smartphones does indeed manage to pack the very powerful Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 Plus for less than $400 if you’re willing to settle with 64GB of internal storage.
The Realme X2 Pro then features a large 6.5-inch display of the AMOLED type with Full HD+ resolution and 90Hz refresh rate. Meanwhile in the camera department we find a 64MP primary shooter accompanied by an 8 MP ultra wide angle lens, a 13MP telefoto camera and a 2MP depth sensor. At the front we have a 16MP camera for high res selfies.
Finally, Realme’s flagship packs a large 4000mAh capacity battery with support for 50W fast charging, headphone jack, NFC and runs ColorOS 6.1 based on Android 9.
3. Vivo iQOO Pro
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Vivo’s sub-brand iQOO Pro has become a very interesting alternative as well, selling far below the $500 mark. The handset features the still very good Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 Plus; along with 8GB of RAM and 128GB of internal storage (UFS 3.0).
Vivo’s handset boasts an averagely sized 6.41-inch AMOLED Full HD+ display with a 12MP camera hidden in the notch at the top. On the back, we instead find a total of three cameras which include a 48MP main sensor, a 13MP ultra wide angle and a 2MP depth sensor.
The Vivo iQOO Pro, features NFC, packs a large 4500mAh capacity battery and supports Ultra Fast Charge at 44W.
Best Chinese Phones for Under $500
4. OnePlus 7T
If you really like OnePlus or OxygenOS the last flagship from the brand – the OnePlus 7T – is the one to go for. The smartphone is indeed now available below $500 while equipping the powerful Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 Plus, 8GB of RAM and 256GB of fast UFS 3.0 storage.
The handset also shines for its large 6.55-inch Fluid AMOLED with a 90Hz refresh rate. While in the camera department we have a primary 48MP sensor, paired with a 12MP telephoto lens and a 16MP ultra wide angle camera. On the front, selfies are taken care off by a 16MP sensor.
Finally, the OnePlus 7T is fueled by a 3800mAh capacity battery with support for 30W fast charge and runs Oxygen 10 based on Android 10.
5. Huawei Nova 6
Meanwhile, if you’re a Huawei fan or simply like their EMUI OS, the relatively recent Honor Nova 6 is a very good option. The handset packs some of the best hardware available at Huawei such as the powerful HiSilicon KIRIN 990 built on a 7nm manufacturing process; along with it we then find 8GB of RAM and 128GB of internal storage.
The Huawei Nova 6 packs a large 6.57-inch display with Full HD+ resolution and dual punch-hole cameras in the upper left corner. These cameras have resolutions of 32MP and 8MP with the secondary featuring an ultra wide angle lens. On the back of the device we instead find three shooters of 40MP, 8MP telephoto and 8MP ultra wide angle.
Finally, the Nova features a 4100mAh capacity battery with support for Huawei Super Fast Charge at 40W and runs Android 10 out of the box.
Best Chinese Phones for Under $500
Check out our sub $200 list if you’re on a tighter budget!
