Do you think Samsung and Apple’s new phones are getting too expensive? Why should a new smartphone cost almost $1200 when there are extremely good and cheap China Android Phones out there? There are number of reasons why I’m not a fan of paying thousands for a mobile phone. I’m scared of losing it or get the glass broken.
In this article I will show you some much cheaper alternatives to Samsung Galaxy Note 9 ($1120), Samsung Galaxy S9+ ($790), Apple’s iPhone X ($1145) and Huawei P20 Pro (790 Euros). What can you get if you choose an unknown brand and pay less than half the price? I will present the best new mobile phones that will save your budget for hundreds of dollars. Here is my own top list Best cheap China Android Phones Review between $100 and $250.
Elephone P8 Max
Elephone is one of the most successful upcoming Chinese phone brands in the Asian market. They have been in the business for a long time and offer a wide range of solid built smartphones at a great price.
The Elephone P8 Max is one of those smartphones in the mid-range, but it looks like a premium phone thanks to the beautiful aluminium metallic build body. It is easy to hold in your hand, it’s a 5.5 inch IPS LCD capactive touchscreen with Full HD resolution (1920 x 1080 pixels).
Elephone P8 Max specs:
- Mediatek MT6750T
- Octa-core, Quad-core 1.5 GHz Cortex-A53, Quad-core 1 GHz Cortex-A53
- 5.5 inches IPS 1080 x 1920 px
- 4 GB RAM and 64 GB internal storage
- 13 MP rear camera and 16 MP selfie camera
- Li-Po 5000 mAh battery
- Price from $109
- Weight: 160 grams
It comes with Android 7.1 and the CPU is an octa-core MediaTek MTK6750T with 4GB RAM, which should perform well for an average mobile user. The built-in storage is 64 GB, and it is possible to insert a memory card as well. The phone has got fast network connections as 4G LTE, a precise finger print sensor in the front and a huge 5000 mAh battery (non-removable.)
Photos will be taken by a 13 megapixel rear camera from Sony with dual LED flash, and the selfie photos will be taken by a 16 MP camera from Samsung with soft selfie flash in the front of the phone. Elephone P8 Max may be found from $109.
Here is a video review of Elephone P8 Max by Tech brothers:
The Elephone P8 offers good value and performs admirably against its closest competitors, though it lacks the wow factor. Source: TechAdvisor.co.uk
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ELEPHONE P8 MAX 4GB RAM 64GB ROM MTK6750T 1.5GHz Octa Core 5.5 Inch 2.5D Sharp FHD Screen Android 7.0 4G LTE Smartphone – $109.99 |
Homtom S99
Homtom S99 as a phablet features 5.5 inch screen afford you a vivid and different visual experience. 21.0MP + 2.0MP dual back cameras and a 13.0MP front camera, you can enjoy vivid images. It comes with most of the features we’ve come to expect from a phablet, including 4GB RAM and 64GB ROM storage equipped with Android 8.0 OS and 6200mAh battery that will keep the phone full of energy all the day.
We have done a price search on Aliexpress and found it from $113.99 including free shipping (check your country in the list). You may also add an extra memory card in case you find 64GB storage not sufficient for your use.
HomTom S99 specs:
- Mediatek MT6750T
- Octa-core, Quad-core 1.5 GHz Cortex-A53, Quad-core 1 GHz Cortex-A53
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5.5 inches 720 x 1440 px
- 4 GB RAM and 64 GB internal storage
- 21 + 2 MP rear and 13 MP selfie camera
- Li-Po 6200 mAh battery
- Price from $139
- Weight: 200 grams
The CPU is a MTK6750 octa core 1.5GHz that is built by MediaTek, that is used in mid-ranged phones. MT 6750 has four cores clocked at speed of 1.5 GHz and other 4 cores clocked at speed of 1.0 ghz. So it’s a quite balanced one… but not for heavy usage, according to Sumit Lad, Quora.com.
The resolution is only 720×1440, but that will be more than enough for a 5.5″ screen – at least my opinion! HomTom has chosen the 18:9 aspect ratio that brings a better visual experience. A cool function is that you can use HomTom S99 as a power bank, thanks to OTG. That means you can share your battery capacity with your friends.
According to the user reviews on AliExpress, most people are very happy with S99. As many as 4.99 out of 5 stars. We also like this armor design that makes it stand out from other phones we have seen. This is indeed a very good bargain for the price of $113.99.
Unfortunately we could not find any goood review video of HomTom S99, but here is an unboxing video and hands on video.
Homtom S99 is a mid-range smartphone whose mainstay is the high-capacity battery. The display is not bad at all and the rest of the hardware is interesting. Source: Igeekphone.com
HOMTOM S99 4G Phablet – $139.99
Retail Price: $162.86
You Save: $22.87
from: GearBest
Doogee BL9000
If you need something more powerful, you should look for the newest phones with 6GB RAM and at least 64 GB memory. Doogee BL 9000 is a good candidate for those users that need a powerful phone. It comes with an impressive LG 5.99″ display with the 18:9 aspect ratio and the resolution is 1080 x 2160 pixels. The CPU is a MTK6763 octacore with 2.0 Ghz processor. Dogee BL9000 comes with Android 8.1 and Helio P23.
The battery is 9000 mAh, 5V-5A delivered with a Quad-core Flash charger for super fast charging (USB-C interface). It gets 30% power recharged in merely 10 minutes The recharging duration seems to be no longer interminable for those having BL 9000. Doogee promises up to 768 hours in standby use. “Enough for charging 3 iPhone X”. Never feel nervous due to exhausted power on a trip. It also supports 10W wireless charging (NFC). It is the world’s first large battery phone that supports wireless charging.
The rear camera is a strong sensor, Sony IMX 486 with 12 MP + ArcSoft 5 MP assistant camera that cooperate to create depth field to all the images. Doogee promises to capture clear and smooth pictures at night or low light environment. The dual PDAF provides fast and accurate focus capability. 1.25 microns big pixel size allows much more light to enter inside the sensor. It is higher capable of shooting in complex light environment, especially in dark surroundings, to grasp extremely exquisite photos with less noise.
Doogee BL 9000 specs:
- MediaTek Helio P23 MT6763V, 64-bit Processor
- Octa-Core 4 x 2.0GHz ARM-A53 + 4 x 1.5GHz ARM-A53
- 5.99 inches Full HD+ 2160 x 1080 Pixels, 24 bit color depth
- 6 GB RAM and 64 GB internal storage
- 12 + 5 Mp Triple Camera Set UP (One Front + Two Back)
- Monster battery: Built-in 9000 mAh Battery
- Price from $244
- Weight: 275 grams
The front camera is a 8 MP Moonlight Selfie cam that produces naturally beautiful selfies. Doogee promises brighter and softer pictures, even when you takes selfies at night. BL9000 also supports a “wake-up instantly” FaceID that never spends more that 0.3seconds to recognize your face. Please note that a phone with a 9000 mAh is a bit bumpy and heavy.
The weight of Doogee BL9000 is 275 gram. The price for Doogee BL9000 is from $ 229 including a wireless charger as well and free shipping (check your country).
If you’re looking for a phone with a large battery and great performance, and you don’t care about it being a bit heavy and thick, this is a great option. Source: xda-developers.com
DOOGEE BL9000 4G Phone 6+ 64GB Android 8.1 Octa-Core Wireless Charging – $199.99
Retail Price: $269.99
You Save: $70.00
from: Newfrog.com
 DOOGEE BL9000 Android 8.1 4G 18:9 HD Full Screen Phone w/ 6GB RAM, 64GB ROM – Silver – $244.54DOOGEE BL9000 Android 8.1 4G 18:9 HD Full Screen Phone w/ 6GB RAM, 64GB ROM – Silver |
Vernee V2 Pro
If you are looking for a drop-resistant and waterproof smartphone with Android 8.1, Vernee V2 Pro is a good candidate. Vernee V2 Pro is a premium phone with a 5.99 inch display of 1080 x 2160 pixels. Equipped with 6GB RAM the V2 Pro can easily deal with varieties of big apps and large games without any lagging. No matter running multiple apps pr playing large games everything should run very smooth.
It is an all-screen rugged phone, so you should not worry if you lose it on the ground. The screen to body ratio is up to 81% and will give you a feeling of actually being there. They have upgraded the craftmanship for the whole phone body. The magnalium middle frame, thicken TPU for four corner, military level material and CD pattern screw double reinforcement, strengthen the overall phone body protection. After nearly 1000 times strong testing, 6 sides 4 corners dropping test, the rugged degree has improved 30% to show the great quality at military level. It has also the IP68 waterproof certification.
Vernee V2 Pro Specs:
- MediaTek Helio P23 MT6763V, 64-bit Processor
- Octa-Core (4 x 2.0GHz ARM Cortex-A53, 4 x 1.5GHz ARM Cortex-A53)
- 5.99 inches FHD+ 2160 x 1080 Pixels, 24 bit color depth
- 6 GB RAM and 64 GB internal storage
- 21+5 MP rear with PDAF and 13+5 MP selfie camera
- Big 6200 mAh battery
- Price from $245
- Weight: 259 grams
Vernee V2 Pro has a built-in heart rate monitor as well and the latest NFC technology. You have fingerprint and face ID. The front camera has 13+5 MP and the rear camera has 21+5 MP. The PDAF phase focus secures that the focusing speed is as fast as 0.03 seconds and can capture anything stably and clearly. It also supports F/2.0 large aperture to get a bigger photosensitive area so you can also take very clear photos evene when in the dim environments. The battery is 6200 mAh. When charging the phone for one hour the battery can reach up to 65%. The weight of Vernee V2 Pro is 259 grams. The price of Vernee V2 pro is from $249.
Vernee V2 Pro Review – The Best Rugged Smartphone – I have made the Vernee V2 Pro the best rugged smartphone I have used to date. I have put it to the test and have been very happy with the overall performance. The only thing that is holding the phone back, is the poor camera and I will cover that in the review! Source: GeekyStuff on YouTube.
Vernee V2 Pro Global Bands MT6763 IP68 Android 8.1 5.99″ 18:9 Full Screen Smartphone with 6GB RAM, 64GB ROM – Black – $245.99  Vernee V2 Pro Global Bands MT6763 IP68 Android 8.1 5.99″ 18:9 Full Screen Smartphone with 6GB RAM, 64GB ROM – Black |
Umidigi Z2
Umidigi Z2 has the biggest screen (6.2″ FHD 1080 x 2246 resolution display with a stunning 19:9 aspect ratio) in our review. It hasn’t only got the biggest screen but also the most beautiful design of all the phones in this review. The Nordic Aurora Boreal (Northern Light) is the inspiration for Umidigi’s design of the Z2. To create the gradient Twilight effect, Umidigi has gone the natural spectrum way in terms of choice of color and then blended the Nordic Aurora seamlessly with a dual side glass fuselage.
Umidigi Z2 Specs:
- Helio P23 from MediaTek
- 6.2″ FHD 1080 x 2246 with 19:9 aspect ratio
- Octa-Core 4 x 2.0GHz ARM
- 6GB RAM, 64 GB ROM
- 3850 mAh battery
- 16MP (Samsung S5K2P7) + 8MP on both Rear and Front
- Price from $249
- Weight: 165 grams
The transparent glass body gives a beautiful phantom color that will make your phone stand out from the others. Powered by a ARM Cortex-A53 64 bit processor, the midigi Z2 is able to handle your daily tasks with ease, enjoy smooth performances. The ARM Mali G71 MP2 GPU clocked at 770 Mhz increases gaming and video performances and reducing power consumption by more than 25% compared to previous generation. Umidigi Z2 comes with 6GB RAM, 64 GB ROM (expandable to 256 micro SD storage) and Helio P23 from MediaTek.
The camera is one of the main features of the Umidigi Z2. It uses 16MP (Samsung S5K2P7) + 8MP dual camera on both sides, a large f/2.0 aperture Sony IMX371 Exmor RS sensor, which enhances picture quality in any environment, day or night. The second 8MP camera is specially designed for shooting in the dark and is an incredibly powerful combination with 16MP main cmera to take clearer photos in low-light conditions. It is the only phone in this review with 16MP + 8 MP dual camera on both sides.
Umidigi Z2 also provides Face Unlock, Android 8.1 and a 3850 mAh battery. The battery can be fully charged within only 80 minutes thanks to the 18W fast charge. Thanks to this premium processor the power consumption is reduced by 25% and that’s why Umidigi has a placed a slimmer and lighter battery than the other phones in this review. Price from $251.99 on AliExpress. Umidigi Z2 is the lightest phone in our review, with a weight of only 165 gram. It is even 15 gram lighter than Huawei P20 pro. Z2 is also very thin, only 8.3 mm.
The Umidigi Z2 is an impressive smartphone that delivers on parameters of good looks, advanced features, impressive performance, and affordability. If you are looking for killer specs in a budget smartphone, Umidigi’s newest offering fits the bill perfectly. Source: Androidtipser.com
UMIDIGI Z2 6.2 inch Android 8.1 Octa Core 4G Phone w/6GB+64GB Face ID – $249.99
Retail Price: $298.99
You Save: $49.00
The Umidigi Z2 Pro has got a bigger battery and more storage space. It costs approximately $100 more than the standrad version of Umidigi Z2.
UMIDIGI Z2 Pro 4G Phablet – $399.99
Retail Price: $479.29
You Save: $79.30
Vernee X
Vernee is one of the newer kids on the import smartphone block but so far we’ve been impressed with their phones. Featuring a brand new CPU, generous specs and four cameras, the Vernee X has caught our attention. The build quality is solid, and this X version is the follow up to the Vernee Mix 2 – and they have made some great improvements! The Vernee X has a 6″ screen at a ratio of 18:9 and 2160 x 1080 resolution. The battery life is where the Vernee X scores impressively, thanks to its huge 6200mAh battery. This is almost twice the size of a normal smartphone batteries… Coupled with the efficient Helio P23 CPU this is very nearly a fully 3 day performer, according to Review-hub.com.
Vernee X Specs:
- MediaTek Helio P23 (MT6763)
- 6″ LCD (1080 x 2160 pixels)
- 8x 2.0 GHz ARM Cortex
- 4 GB RAM and 64 GB storage
- Huge 6200 mAh battery
- 16 Mp Rear Camera and 13 Mp Selfie Camera
- Price from $169
- Weight: 199 grams
Great camera
The four cameras on this Vernee X are doing a great job. The 16MP + 5MP rear shooter is very sharp. Capturing 4K resolution with a single click, with image dimension as high as 4608 x 3456 pixels. Sporting a dual-LED flash as well to help take photos in low light environment. The dual 13MP + 5MP selfie snapper also comes with LED flash as well for video calling and selfies in dark places.
Vernee X ( X1 ) 4G Phablet – $169.99
Retail Price: $209.72
You Save: $39.73
from: GearBest
Cubot Power
One of my favorite features of the Cubot Power is stock Android 8.1 user interface. There is no bloatware, no gimmicky features and most importantly, the overall performance is just great. The phone feels nice and smooth all the time even after installing quite a few apps. I’m really happy with a clean and fast user interface. Source: GizmoChina.com
Cubot Power specifications:
- Helio P23 MT6763
- Octa-core, Quad-core 2 GHz Cortex-A53, Quad-core 1.5 GHz Cortex-A53
- 6-inch display in 18:9 format
- 6GB RAM and 128GB ROM
- Gigantic 6000mAh battery
- 20 Megapixels Rear Camera and 13 Megapixels Front Camera
- Price: From $239.
- Weight: 215 grams
Great battery, modern Android, lots of memory, fingerprint reader and an interesting 18:9 screen. I like that the phone ships with 128GB of storage and 6GB of RAM. I also enjoy stock Android user interface performance has been good. You also get excellent battery life and surprisingly good cameras for the price of the phone. Source: MajorDroid.com
CUBOT POWER 4G Phablet – $239.99
Retail Price: $347.57
You Save: $107.58
from: GearBest
Conclusion – which of these cheap China Android Phones is best for you?
All these cheap China Android Phones have been carefully selected and we have gone through specs and different brands before making this review. We would say that an average user could have chosen a cheaper option than these candidates we have reviewed here. Many phones with 3GB RAM and 32 GB RAM would do a sufficient job for an average user. But the price is just above $100 for the cheapest phone in this review, and that should be affordable for most of us. All of these phones come with 4GB RAM and 64GB memory or greater, and most of us average users will find that sufficient.
Personally I have fallen in love in the Cubot Power because of the great combination of specs and maybe the best camera in the test. It is also the only phone with 128gb internal storage.
If you like gaming on your mobile phone you should consider Vernee V2 Pro or Doogee BL9000. If you are working much outdoor in all kind of weather, Vernee V2 Pro is the safest option. It will handle water and some dropping. If you are looking for a beautiful, relatively light and thin phone, the Umidigi Z2 is the next smart phone for you.
