Welcome back to our monthly top 5s in which we check out some of the best Chinese smartphones currently on sale in China. In this list specifically, we’ll have a look at the handsets under the $500 price mark; keep reading!
Best Chinese Smartphones for Under $500
1. OnePlus 9R
The OnePlus 9R is still one of the most interesting smartphones for under $500 currently on the market as it features the powerful Qualcomm Snapdragon 870; along with 8GB of RAM and 128GB of internal storage.
The 9R by OnePlus also manages to pack a beautiful 6.55-inch AMOLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate, 1080x2400px resolution and HDR10+ support.
As for photos, we have four rear cameras including a 48MP main sensor, an 16MP ultra wide angle lens, a 5MP macro and 2MP depth sensor. Meanwhile at the front we have a 16MP selfie snapper.
The OnePlus 9R brings a good sized 4500mAh capacity battery with support for 65W fast charging 65W, it has NFC and runs OxygenOS 11 based on Android 11.
2. iQOO Neo5
Next on the list we find another handset with the quite powerful Snapdragon 870, the iQOO Neo5. The chipset is coupled with 8GB of RAM and 128GB of internal storage. The smartphone also features a large 6.62-inch AMOLED display with a refresh rate of 120Hz and a touch sampling rate of 300Hz.
The iQOO Neo5 then comes with a main 48MP Sony IMX598 image sensor, paired with a 13MP ultra wide angle lens and a 2MP B&W sensor. Selfies will be taken care of by a single 16MP snapper at the front.
Finally, the iQOO Neo5 is powered by a 4400mAh capacity battery with support for 66W fast charging. There’s NFC and it runs Android 11 out of the box.
Best Chinese Smartphones for Under $500
3. POCO F3
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Just in case you don’t like any of the previously listed smartphones powered by a Snapdragon 870 chipset, the POCO F3 is your next good option. The affordable F3 from POCO comes packing a large 6.67-inch FHD+ AMOLED E4 panel with a refresh rate of 120Hz and a touch sampling rate of 360Hz.
As far as photography is concerned, the handset features a main 48MP sensor, an 8MP ultra wide lens and a 5MP macro camera. For selfies there’s a 20MP snapper at the front.
Finally, the POCO F3 packs an averagely sized 4520mAh battery with support for 33W fast charging; along with NFC and an IR emitter.
Best Chinese Smartphones for Under $500
4. Realme GT Neo
Next, we have the Realme GT Neo, a great option if you’re into gaming yet you don’t want a massive device. The GT Neo does indeed feature a relatively compact 6.43-inch Samsung AMOLED with a 120Hz refresh rate.
The Realme GT Neo uses the post powerful MediaTek chipset on the market, the Dimensity 1200; along with up to 12GB of RAM and 256GB of internal storage.
As for photography, the smartphone features a main rear camera with a resolution of 64MP, the other two lenses are respectively an 8MP ultra wide-angle lens and a 4 cm super macro lens. In front we find a 16MP ultra-clear wide-angle camera.
In terms of battery, the GT Neo by Realme is equipped with a large 4500 mAh battery, along with a 50W smart flash charging. We also find NFC and a 3.5mm audio jack.
5. Redmi K40 Game Enhanced Edition
Coming with the same MediaTek Dimensity 1200 we also find the Redmi K40 Game Enhanced Edition. The handset features a 6.67-inch OLED screen with a high refresh rate of 120Hz and a three-finger touch sampling rate of 480Hz.
For photos, the smartphone adopts a 64 megapixel main camera, an 8 megapixel ultra wide angle camera and a 2 megapixel macro camera. While for selfies we find a 16MP selfie snapper.
Finally, the device integrates a 5065mAh battery, which supports 67W fast charging. There’s NFC and it runs MIUI 12 based on Android 11.
Check out our sub $200 list if you’re on a tighter budget!
