The best phone under 100 dollars from aliexpress. Best budget smartphones on Aliexpress: XGody

Modern market today offers simply a huge number mobile phones. Moreover, even among the cheapest models you can find fairly decent quality, functional and reliable devices, which allows the modern user to buy an inexpensive but good smartphone without spending their entire salary on the purchase.

Our experts have compiled a rating just for such readers. best models Chinese smartphones under $100, in which the most optimal options in terms of price and parameters were selected. Let us remind you that in this price category you will not find flagships with powerful functionality, a fantastic camera and an incredible battery, since developers charge unrealistic amounts for such devices. Our TOP 10 will help you choose the best smartphone at a price not exceeding $100, without overpaying for the name or obscure features.

Huawei Y3 2017

Huawei Y3 is, without exaggeration, an excellent Chinese smartphone in the price category up to $100. It boasts an excellent quad-core processor and 1 gigabyte of RAM, which provides good performance. You can easily work with most things on your phone. modern programs. If 8 GB of internal memory is not enough for the owner, you can always use an additional card slot. The 2200 mAh battery is rather weak, but still allows the smartphone to work for a considerable time without needing to be recharged. The display diagonal is 5 inches, and the device resolution is 854 by 480 pixels. The 8 MP rear camera allows the owner to take clear photos in good lighting conditions. The front one is up to 2 megapixels. We recommend that those buyers who want to purchase a high-quality, inexpensive smartphone with 2 SIM cards take a closer look at this model. Like many, the device has useful features such as a flashlight, proximity sensor, light sensor, as well as voice control and voice dialing.

Advantages:

good processor
beautiful design
low cost
eye protection screen
good rear camera, like for a budget employee
availability of 2 SIM cards

Flaws:

low viewing angle of a smartphone screen
Not enough RAM for serious tasks

ZTE Blade A510

If you don’t believe that a smartphone with a good camera and a high-quality screen can be cheap, then you haven’t come across this model. Its main advantage is its excellent camera - as much as 13 megapixels. The phone also has very useful functions - flash and autofocus. The front camera has a lower resolution – only 5 megapixels. However, this is also a very good indicator. Therefore, if you want to save money when buying a phone that does a good job as a camera, then you definitely won’t regret this choice. The powerful speaker of the device can also be considered a serious advantage. It is important that the weight of the smartphone model is surprisingly small - only 130 grams. But the performance is not as high as many buyers would like. 8 gigabytes of built-in and 1 gigabyte of RAM, as well as a quad-core processor at 1000 MHz, do not look too luxurious compared to many other models.

Advantages:

bright high quality screen
3G and 4G
convenient slim body
led flashlight
2 SIM cards
great camera
loud speaker

Flaws:

according to some reviews, it works great only for the first year

Fly FS516 Cirrus 12

Fly FS516 is a good Chinese smartphone with 4G and many others important advantages. For example, the main camera boasts a resolution of 13 megapixels. An excellent indicator for a phone at this price. For the front camera, this figure is slightly lower and is 5 megapixels. It is very important that the model has good performance. The device has a good 4-core processor with a frequency of 1300 MHz, 1 GB of main memory, and 8 GB of internal memory. If this is not enough, then a memory card can be inserted in place of the additional SIM card, but up to a maximum of 32 GB. A pretty good battery for the gadget with a capacity of 2600 mAh. It is the large battery of the smartphone that allows it to work for forty hours while listening to music, 8 hours of talk time, and as much as 150 hours of standby time! A very good display measuring 1280 by 720 pixels – for a 5-inch diagonal this is more than enough for a bright picture. Such characteristics of the device will be an additional advantage for buyers who want to purchase a smartphone with a good battery and a large screen.

Advantages:

low cost smartphone
high quality camera
good autonomy
excellent bright screen

Flaws:

BQ BQ-5044 Strike LTE

Perhaps this is one of the best smartphones with a powerful battery and an excellent camera for its price. The gadget's battery capacity is 2500 mAh, which allows for a long time do not remember to charge the device. An additional advantage is a five-inch display with a picture of 1280x720 pixels. Owners highly value the reliable housing made of durable metal. This adds a little weight, but provides high-quality protection against falls. The performance is quite good for such an inexpensive model. The processor has 4 cores and allows you to run most applications. For many users, 8 GB of internal memory is not enough. In this case, you can insert a card of 64 GB or less. But the cameras will not disappoint even the discerning user. The resolution of the main and additional ones is 13 and 8 megapixels, respectively. Autofocus and flash allow you to take good pictures even in difficult conditions. So, if you are looking for a budget smartphone with a good selfie camera, then you will definitely not regret choosing this model.

Advantages:

excellent price
fresh Android
high quality screen
good smartphone processor
excellent cameras - both front and rear
good battery capacity

Flaws:

only 1 GB of RAM

Fly FS522 Cirrus 14

This smartphone will be an excellent gift for a child of both middle and older age. One of its main advantages is its light weight, only 128 grams. It also has a high-quality five-inch screen with stunning Full HD resolution of 1920x1080 pixels. The cameras are surprisingly good for a phone under $100. The resolution of the main one is 13 megapixels, and the front one is 5. The main one allows you to shoot a wonderful video. Speed up to 30 frames per second, and resolution up to a maximum of 1920 x 1080p. Excellent performance is an added advantage. This is especially important if you are buying a smartphone for gaming. A processor with four cores of 1500 MHz and 2 GB of RAM is pretty good for a budget phone. The built-in volume is quite large - 16 GB. If this is not enough for the thrifty owner, you can increase the device’s memory by 64 GB. The phone is equipped with a good battery with a capacity of 2400 mAh. When fully charged, you can talk on the phone for 13 hours or enjoy music for 50 hours.

Advantages:

colorful bright screen
high performance
low price
significant battery life
light weight
great camera

Flaws:

non-removable battery

Prestigio Muze C7 LTE

This model of Chinese smartphone is best chosen by users who highly value significant autonomy. After all, the battery capacity of the model is as much as 5000 mAh. This is an excellent indicator that very few budget smartphones can boast of. Thanks to this, you only have to charge the phone once every few days - you won’t have to look for a charger anymore if the gadget starts to run out of charge in the middle of the working day. The rest of the specs are also pretty good. For example, a 5-inch screen has an image size of 1280x720 pixels. The device’s 13 megapixel camera is also good. It is important that there is an autofocus function and an LED flash. The power is standard for modern budget smartphones - a processor with 4 cores of 1250 MHz each. Finally, the device comes with Android 7.0 OS. Therefore, it is not surprising that reviews of the smartphone are predominantly positive.

Advantages:

powerful battery
acceptable price
2 SIM cards
Camera, surprisingly good for a budget device

Flaws:

low RAM

BQ BQ-5204 Strike Selfie

Users looking for a high-quality yet inexpensive selfie phone that can be used to take good pictures will love this model. After all, the 13 MP front camera of the smartphone takes excellent photos, and the 16 MP rear camera will delight you with stunning selfies. The 2500 mAh battery allows you to work for a long time without thinking about the need to charge the phone. Another nice plus is the large 5.2-inch display. The resolution of the transmitted image is 1280x720 pixels providing excellent image quality. It is possible to insert two SIM cards at once, which will appeal to many owners. The metal housing provides effective heat dissipation and high durability. Based on its parameters and reviews on the Internet, this is an inexpensive, high-quality and convenient phone that has a number of useful functions.

Advantages:

excellent quality screen
low price
fingerprint reader
2 active SIM cards
two amazing cameras
metal body

Flaws:

low performance

Alcatel PIXI 4 Plus Power

This budget model is quite popular among Russian users. Although its characteristics will not impress picky users (1 gigabyte of RAM and 4 processor cores at 1.3 GHz), it can boast of an excellent battery - as much as 5000 mAh. This is very rare even with more expensive smartphones. Buying a smartphone is worth it for those who forget to charge the device every day. The battery is sufficient for several days of active use. For example, in music listening mode, the phone will work autonomously for five days. The rear camera is quite average in quality - 8 megapixels, but the additional one is not impressive - 2 megapixels. But both are equipped with flashes, and this happens very rarely. The phone also has 16 gigabytes of built-in memory, which is very rare in cheap phones.

Advantages:

great battery
low price
there is a function fast charging
large amount of memory

Flaws:

rather weak cameras

Xiaomi Redmi 4A 16GB

In terms of price and quality, a Xiaomi smartphone will pleasantly surprise any owner. Firstly, the Redmi 4A model is equipped with excellent cameras. The rear resolution is 13 megapixels, and the front one is 5 megapixels. Thanks to them, you can take very good pictures - after all, there is also autofocus with a powerful flash. Also, if desired, you can record high-resolution video up to 1080 x 1920 p. The main parameters of the smartphone are quite good. The processor has 4 cores, each 1250 MHz. The amount of RAM is quite good - 2 GB, but for that kind of money you shouldn’t count on anything more. If 16 GB of internal memory is not enough, you can increase it by another 128 by inserting a memory card.

Advantages:

high quality camera
large amount of memory
2 SIM cards
excellent build quality
excellent design

Flaws:

non-removable battery

BQ BQ-5058 Strike Power Easy

A very popular smartphone that boasts an excellent, durable battery – as much as 5000 mAh. Even with the most active use, the device will work autonomously for several days. The phone can work with memory cards up to 64 GB. Very good cameras, the rear resolution is 8 megapixels, and the front one is 5 megapixels. There are two slots for installing SIM cards. Many users will appreciate the opportunity to work with two cellular operators at once. The smartphone display diagonal is 5 inches, and the image is 854x480 pixels. A nice bonus will be 3G, a powerful LED flashlight, voice control and voice dialing.

Advantages:

low cost
high build quality
great powerful battery
OS Android 7.0
responsive smartphone sensor
fast processor

Flaws:

relatively low picture quality

Which phone under $100 is better to buy?

Concluding the review of the best Chinese smartphones priced up to $100, you can be sure that every user who wants to purchase a high-quality phone without spending extra money will find exactly the model that will suit him in all respects. All you have to do is decide which phone is best for you and buy it. Enjoy the shopping!

For up to 7,000 rubles, it is possible to choose a normal smartphone, but it is guaranteed to be a weak device for simple tasks. Such a “state employee” will be able to play HD video and allow you to communicate comfortably on social networks. Next are the TOP 5 smartphones for little money that are appropriate to buy in the 1st quarter of 2019.

1st place – Xiaomi Redmi 6A

The best device in the low price segment is from Xiaomi. The Redmi 6A model is available for ridiculous money and is generally a good budget option.

Options:

OS: Android 8.1 Oreo out of the box, MIUI 9 shell.
Display: IPS, 5.45”, HD resolution.
Processor: MediaTek Helio A22 (12nm).
Memory: 2 or 3 GB RAM + 16 or 32 GB disk.
Camera: 13 MP, f/2.2; front – 5 MP.
Battery: 3000 mAh, charging via micro USB.

The low price is explained by the popularity of the smartphone on the market. This is the simplest model with a fresh 12nm processor that runs all the necessary applications. Judging by the reviews, the processor copes with the game Word Of Tanks at the lowest graphics settings. Plus, there are excellent cameras for the money, a good bright HD screen and solid battery life - the device works for 2-2.5 days without recharging.

Possible disadvantages: a set of system applications from Google and the MIUI shell, which takes up a lot of extra space. There are complaints about the inability to transfer applications to an SD card, a glitchy sensor that is dull and does not always work the first time, and incorrect auto-brightness operation. In any case, the device is reliable and the best one under 7,000 rubles.

2nd place – Motorola Moto E4 Plus

The model was introduced in 2017, but it turned out to be so successful that even at the beginning of 2019 it represents a good solution for up to 7 thousand rubles and even surpasses other budget devices of a later release.

Characteristics:

OS: Android 7.1 out of the box.
Display: IPS, 545”, HD, Gorilla Glass 3.
Processor: MediaTek MT6737 (28nm).
Memory: 3 GB RAM + 16 or 32 GB disk.
Camera: 13 MP, f/2; front – 5 MP.
Battery: 5000 mAh, charging via micro USB.
Feature: NFC.

The main advantage of the phone is its capacious battery, which provides 12 hours of continuous video playback in Online mode. Plus there is 3 GB of RAM, which is rare for such a cheap phone. Consequently, the device does not slow down when performing simple tasks, easily plays videos and opens even “heavy” Internet pages. And most importantly, there is an NFC chip. In essence, Moto E4 Plus is a unique smartphone. You won't find another similar model in the low price segment with such a large battery and NFC.

Other advantages:

Front camera flash.
The fingerprint scanner works as a navigation tool instead of on-screen buttons.
Separate slot for SD card.
Indicator of missed events.

3rd place – VERTEX Impress Fire

The next “state employee” is from Russian brand Vertex. Like all devices in this segment, the phone runs on Android 8.1 OS, is made of plastic and metal, and supports 2 SIM cards.

The display is a classic IPS with a diagonal of 5.7” and HD resolution, on the back there is a dual camera of 13 + 2 megapixels (regular module + depth sensor). The smartphone is also equipped with a MediaTek MT6739 processor, a 3300 mAh battery and an NFC chip for contactless payment. There is also a fingerprint scanner, although this will not surprise anyone.

The smartphone was great modern design with narrow frames, optimized software from Google with a minimum of unnecessary applications from Vertex. The only disadvantages include the lack of an event indicator, a weak main camera with a C grade, but cool cameras are the prerogative of flagships. In any case, VERTEX Impress Fire is a good option for the money, which remains relevant in 2019.

4th place – Alcatel 3V 5099D

The advantage of this smartphone over others is its Full HD+ display with a diagonal of 6”, which is very rare or even an exception in the low segment.

Options:

OS: Android 8.0 Oreo out of the box.
Processor: Mediatek MT8735 + Mali-T720 MP2.
Memory: 2/16 GB.
Camera: 12+2 MP, f/2.2; front – 5 MP.
Battery: 3000 mAh, charging via micro USB. 500 hours of standby time; 14 hours of communication.

The phone in its category is perhaps the only one with a large Full HD+ screen, which automatically makes it one of the best. The device is well assembled, works flawlessly and provides stable fast internet. It also has 2 slots for SIM and one for an SD card, a fingerprint scanner, and a good multimedia speaker.

Disadvantage: weak battery. If you use it intensively, you will have to charge your smartphone every evening. And, of course, the performance is not impressive - the phone can’t cope with games, and in low light the photos are noisy and lack detail.

5th place – VERTEX Impress Click

And another phone from Vertex, which on average can be purchased for 4,000 rubles. With this price tag, you will get Android 8.1, a 2-module camera, a MediaTek MT6580M processor and an NFC chip.

Of course, the device is far from ideal, even for the money, which is why it gets last place. It has a bad screen with narrow viewing angles, a slippery body and a camera for show. She can only take pictures in daylight. This is a “don’t mind breaking” device that allows you to comfortably chat on the Internet and pay for purchases using NFC. I advise you to forget about the camera, music and games - this is not what the device is for.

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Many people do not set big goals for a smartphone. For them, the main thing is high-quality telephone communication, access to social media, rare launch of undemanding games, etc. Therefore, it is reasonable that such users have absolutely no reason to buy a device with powerful technical components, even if it costs little money. For people with minimal performance requirements and a very limited budget, there is a choice of ultra-budget devices, the price of which does not exceed the $100 mark. Surprisingly, even among very cheap models you can find smartphones with excellent parameters that make it possible to fully use the gadget. Of course, manufacturers from the Middle Kingdom have succeeded in this. Chinese in Lately they simply work wonders, delighting us with excellent devices even in the lower price category. Today's selection contains 5 best Chinese smartphones under $100.

1. Honor 7A

This device in the manufacturer’s model line is perhaps the most modest in equipment. However, this does not mean that the smartphone is completely weak. Its characteristics are quite sufficient for an undemanding user, because the device copes with everyday loads with a bang. Not the latest processor is responsible for the work Snapdragon 430, but for an ultra-budget solution it is just right. Even demanding games can be launched thanks to the Adreno 505 video accelerator; for them to run smoothly, you will need medium or minimum graphics settings. Result in AnTuTu – 58 thousand points, which is not bad.

But the amount of RAM is small - 2 GB, and 16 GB of user memory is provided. It is possible to expand using microSD cards, and there is no need to give up the second SIM card, since there are 3 slots in the tray. The body is completely plastic, the IPS screen is 5.7-inch with a fashionable 18:9 format, its resolution is HD+. Surprised wide range sensors in such a cheap phone - finger scanner, gyroscope, compass, Hall sensor, etc. There is a single 13 megapixel camera at the back, therefore, there is no bokeh effect. The processor is not the most energy efficient, so the 3000 mAh battery can be considered a disadvantage. The software part of the gadget is EMUI 8.0 shell Based on Android 8.0 Oreo.

Many people are confused due to the fact that in Russian retail this model is called Honor 7A Pro, in China the device does not have the Pro prefix. There is no difference in equipment. Honor 7A is also sold in Russia, but this device is much simpler in technical content, it costs chipset from MediaTek, so be careful.

2. Xiaomi Redmi 6A

Xiaomi company last years also does not leave the ultra-budget segment. This year a cheap model was introduced. This device is also entirely plastic, but has a more compact size than its competitor from Honor. It has a 5.45-inch screen, but it is narrow due to the 18:9 ratio. The IPS 1440 × 720 matrix, despite its price, produces excellent image quality, and the “oleophobic” glass is also good. Technical side Redmi 6A depends on a new processor MediaTek Helio A22, which will handle minimal and demanding games. The advantage of this chipset lies in its 12 Nm process technology, it consumes the battery economically, and it is equipped with a capacity only 3000 mAh.

As with the Honor 7A, there are some nuances that you should know about so as not to make a mistake when buying. There are significant differences in the Chinese and global versions of the smartphone. Both modifications have a minimum memory configuration of 2/16 GB. In the maximum configuration, the device for the Chinese market has 3 GB of RAM and 32 GB of ROM, and for other countries – 2 GB of RAM and 32 ROM. But the international version there are 2 trays, where two SIM cards and a memory card are installed simultaneously, which is not the case in the Chinese version, which has one hybrid compartment. When choosing, these aspects must be taken into account.

The undoubted advantage of the Redmi 6A is its main 13-megapixel camera. The background blur effect is not available to her due to the presence only one photomodule, but the high quality of ordinary photographs cannot be ignored. It's nice that they didn't skimp on the camera. The phone runs Android 8.1 OS with MIUI shell, which will soon be updated to the tenth version.

3. Meizu M6T

Meizu also decided to keep up with its competitors by releasing its cheap smartphone with a widescreen 18:9 display. It seems that even in the sub-$100 category, the 16:9 screen format will soon become extinct like the dinosaurs. As for the matrix, IPS technology with HD+ resolution is used here. Display size equal to 5.7 inches. The body, although entirely made of plastic, looks quite attractive. From the outside, you might even think that the M6T is made of metal. Overall, the smartphone is excellent, but it has one significant drawback - it’s ancient. processor MT6750. Firstly, it is gluttonous, and, secondly, it is only suitable for simple toys due to the weak Mali-T860 MP2 graphics core. But the device’s memory is fine; it is equipped with 3 or 4 GB of RAM, as well as 32 or 64 GB of storage, expandable via microSD.

Meizu M6T takes pictures no worse than its competitors. It has a main dual camera, the main lens is equipped with a 13-megapixel sensor, the additional module has a much more modest resolution - 2 megapixels, but it is capable of blurring the background quite well. Although the hardware here is old, the batteries capacity 3300 mAh enough for a whole day's work. In terms of software, the Meizu M6T is a little behind its competitors, since it still has Android 7.0 hidden under the Flyme shell.

4. Lenovo K5 Play

Lenovo unexpectedly burst into today's list of the best ultra-budget devices with its latest device. K5 Play. And the return of the famous Chinese brand was more than successful. Three whales, Xiaomi, Meizu and Honor will have to make room, because the new cheap smartphone from Lenovo looks extremely interesting for the money. The device is plastic, but the impressions of its appearance are purely positive. The back cover shimmers beautifully in the light. The internal filling will also please many, since the K5 Play is based on a high-quality processor Snapdragon 430 with the Adreno 505 accelerator, which will allow you to indulge yourself in heavy games at low graphics.

Buyers will also appreciate the large and high-quality 5.7-inch IPS screen, on which it is very pleasant to watch movies and play games thanks to the 18:9 format. The frames on the sides are thin, and the margins at the top and bottom are small. There is a 13 + 2 MP dual camera that can take good pictures. They also didn’t skimp on the amount of memory; the device has 3 GB of RAM and 32 GB of ROM, and they didn’t forget about the memory card, which is placed in the second SIM slot. Battery capacity equal to 3000 mAh. There is global firmware on Android 8.0 Oreo with gesture control.

5. LeEco Cool 1

This is a real old-timer among inexpensive Chinese smartphones. It went on sale in mid-2016, but even now this model can give a head start to many more expensive devices in terms of performance. Chipset built in here Snapdragon 652 with Adreno 512 it runs any modern games with good pictures. Its only downside lies in the outdated 28 Nm process technology, so the battery must be large. Luckily there's a battery here at 4000 mAh. There are no complaints about the memory size either; you can choose an option with 3 or 4 GB of RAM, as well as 32 or 64 GB of flash storage. There is no space for a memory card.

This phone differs greatly from the above devices not only in hardware. It stands out against the background of these devices with its metal body and screen with the old 16:9 format. The display itself is of high quality and has Full HD resolution. The rear panel is crowned with a block dual camera, modules with the same 13-megapixel resolution are integrated into it. Naturally, you can take good photos with the background blurred, but in normal mode you can get excellent, detailed photos. The disadvantage is software gadget. Since LeEco is no longer updating the firmware of the Cool 1, it still runs on Android 6.0, but for the money you can live with this shortcoming.

The winter holidays are just around the corner and you still haven't stocked up on tech gifts? It's time to correct this situation! Today we will tell you about the 5 best smartphones priced under $100 (6,000 rubles), which were the most popular and best-selling this month.

LeEco Le S3 (X626)

The highest quality and most sophisticated smartphone (), which can now be bought for up to $100. Excellent design, metal body, large screen and quite productive “filling”, which can knock out more than 90,000 “parrots” in AnTuTu. And it's only $100!

The LeEco Le S3 (X626) has a 5.5-inch screen with FullHD resolution. At the head of the hardware is the MediaTek Helio X20 - not a flagship, but you won’t find a better one for the money. To help it, 4 GB of RAM is specified - but this is already flagship. The amount of permanent memory is also not disappointing - 32 GB is enough for most. Not only that, but the smartphone also has a main 21-megapixel camera that takes, one might say, ideal photos for this price. It has good autonomy thanks to its 3000 mAh battery. LeEco Le S3 (X626) has a fingerprint scanner, as well as a modern USB Type-C connector.

Today LeEco Le S3 (X626) is the best smartphone at prices up to $100, but it is unknown how long the auction of unprecedented generosity will last. There were rumors that the company was having problems, so the remaining stock might now be sold off. What we can do is go to the store for a brand new smartphone!

Don’t forget to install the browser extension from Letyshops, which will allow you to find the lowest price for a product and also tell you about wicked sellers.

Xiaomi Redmi Note 5A

Have you always liked Xiaomi smartphones, but even for them you didn’t have enough money? That's enough for this one! Redmi Note 5A () is one of the cheapest smartphones from the company (only the 5-inch Redmi 4A is cheaper than it). For a solution for $100, the Redmi Note 5A has very good specifications, seasoned with goodies from Xiaomi.

The smartphone is equipped with a 5.5-inch IPS screen with HD resolution. It has a couple of good cameras, especially the older model, which boasts a 16-megapixel front camera for creating cool selfies. The Xiaomi Redmi Note 5A has a budget processor, Snapdragon 425, but at the same time it is fully enough to perform everyday tasks and run games at not the highest settings. Sufficient memory and a decent 3080 mAh battery make it a worthy option for purchase.

The proprietary MIUI shell, which recently received a fresh update, can push you to purchase. The shell brings a bunch of new additional features, which will appeal to many haters of “pure” Android. In November, Redmi Note 5A fell slightly in price, taking pride of place in the ranking of the best under $100.

When you're tired of thick frames and want something new, Doogee comes to the rescue with its new smartphone under $100 – Mix Lite (). A stylish frameless model, which is perhaps the most attractive in the lower price segment. Given the interest in , a more compact version could become a bestseller.

Doogee Mix Lite has an iridescent back that gives the smartphone a stylish look. The hardware, however, no longer deserves such bright speeches - the budget 4-core MediaTek MT6737 and 2 GB of RAM. But the smartphone can handle all work tasks, as well as casual games, and supports work in fourth generation networks. Doogee Mix Lite has 3 cameras, of which only two sensors can be called tolerable - the third is simply useless. Well, the “appetizing” price tag, of course, makes this smartphone a very interesting solution for those who want to try out a frameless gadget, but only have enough money for a Chinese budget phone.

Doogee Mix Lite is far from ideal if we consider the manufacturer's claims about framelessness, but it can be called the most successful among the bunch available analogues, which are not even able to work stably.

And this smartphone under $100 is already trying to flaunt an elongated screen with an aspect ratio of 18:9. Cheap, made of plastic, with weak hardware and simple cameras. Have you changed your mind about buying? Oukitel C8 () can be snatched up for $60, which makes it the most attractive in this segment.

Speaking of appearance, Oukitel C8 pleases with its colors, of which the manufacturer offers a whole bunch. And they are all bright, making the model stand out against the background of black and gray devices from China. The 5.5-inch screen with HD resolution is not ideal, but at this price it’s not bad. The processor, of course, is Paleozoic - MediaTek MT6580, which doesn’t even support 4G. But the memory is not bad - 2 GB of RAM is enough for most tasks, and 16 GB of permanent memory can be expanded with a microUSB card. The 3000 mAh battery will provide decent battery life.

The advantages, given the class of Oukitel C8, include Android Nougat. If you are not picky when choosing equipment, then this smartphone under one hundred dollars will be a good purchase at the end of 2017.

Do you think that all these inexpensive Android smartphones should burn in hell and not irritate users? Then come to Apple! Oh yes, the budget is limited to 100 dollars. But don't worry - we have one option in mind. Refurbished () iPhone 5C straight from... no, not Cupertino, from China.

So, let's explain. Refurbished smartphones are not the same thing as iPhone copies assembled in the basement using hardware from other Chinese smartphones with an Android operating system. Refurbished iPhones from the Middle Kingdom are the same thing that are sold in official stores, only refurbished (it is possible that also in the basement). However, users, for the most part, do not complain. Of course – iPhone 5C for less than $100.

This model is not young, but in its segment it still looks better than many competitors. It has a decent design, a good 4-inch screen, still decent cameras. The system works quickly, despite the fact that the hardware is quite outdated and there is only 1 GB of RAM. Even games that would lag on an Android device for the same price run smoothly on the iPhone 5C. The Apple device is not perfect in terms of battery life, and the amount of permanent memory leaves much to be desired, but for its price the smartphone is still relevant.

A smartphone under $100 from Apple, although not the latest, deserves attention. As an additional “dialer” that will delight iOS, the iPhone 5C will do just fine.

Many people prefer cheaper ones to expensive smartphones, and this article is just for them.

Budget Chinese phones have three advantages:

price;
it’s not such a pity to lose (break);
The functionality of modern cheap devices is comparable to top-end devices two or three years ago.

We will look at the most attractive smartphones that are relevant in 2017, in the category up to $100. And even in this price category the choice is very large. But since we are considering current and attractive devices, we will determine the main characteristics below which, in 2017, a smartphone ceases to be relevant:

Android 5.1
RAM 2GB
Built-in memory 8GB
Camera 8MP (+front)

Version Android 5.1 is not that old (it was officially announced on March 9, 2015), a proven operating system. Still relevant on cheap Chinese devices this year. I don’t recommend buying devices with Android version 4, because... many applications on Google Play will no longer be installed.

All smartphones presented below are equipped with at least a 4-core processor. Just in case, I’ll make a reservation - all the smartphones discussed in this article are not for games! But not demanding on graphics simple games, of course you can play on them.

For comfortable work on Android 5.1/6.0 operating systems, you need 2GB of RAM. Smartphones with 512MB or 1GB RAM are a thing of the past. You shouldn’t even pay attention to such devices: freezes, slowdowns and phone reboots are inevitable.

A front camera is highly desirable today, because... Today video calls and instant messengers are very popular, not to mention selfies. I will also add that I will not take into account camera interpolation, i.e. "bloat" of megapixels, without improving quality. A camera with interpolation up to 13 megapixels is no better than “real” 8 megapixels.

Well, and of course, the 4G mobile network standard (LTE) has already become de facto.

The new is the well-forgotten old.

I would like to draw the reader’s attention to the fact that many Chinese smartphones released in 2016 or 2017 are built on processors that entered the market back in 2013! But this just means that the processor meets today's standards. And if it weren’t for this fact, there wouldn’t be such cheap phones on Aliexpress.

Chinese smartphone manufacturers have only two suppliers of mobile processors at their disposal: Qualcomm and Mediatek. Two different platforms, from which you have to choose from a range of processors. But inventing your own “bicycles” is expensive, and therefore pointless.

Laconic smartphone Lenovo K10e70 (price: 98-101$)

The word laconic in Lenovo K10 is applicable in everything, from the design to its filling. There is nothing special to say. But the ergonomics are worth noting. It is very good that the touch control buttons do not take up useful part screen, but are located under it. It's bad that the buttons are not backlit.

Another positive point– there is space for two SIM cards (one standard, the other microSIM), and separately for a flash card. True, they are located under the rounded back cover, and not, as many are accustomed to today, in the side tray.

Both SIM cards can operate in 4G/3G modes.

Characteristics:

Lenovo K10e70 autonomy is for one day. It may seem that the 2300mA battery capacity is very small by today's standards, but you need to take into account: an economical processor and energy-efficient Android 6.0.1.

Attractive Doogee X9 Pro (price: $83-97)

Doogee X9 Pro, first of all, attracts with its rounded corners, and secondly with its 2.5D (convex) glass. Streamlined, I immediately remembered the Yota2 smartphone.

The “chips” of the device don’t end there:

unlocking your phone with a wave of your hand;
to answer a call, just put the phone to your ear or just shake it;
widescreen 5 megapixel selfie camera;
USB OTG support (use as a powerbank, connect a USB flash drive, keyboard, mouse, gamepad).

Characteristics:

Buy a smartphone.

Classic Meizu M5C (price: 89-100$)

I would like to somehow note the appearance of the Meizu M5C, but other than the word neat, nothing comes to mind. Another device for smartphone lovers with a central physical button.

Meizu is hot on Xiaomi's heels by installing its own Flyme OS operating system into its devices. This makes me happy. In addition to the hardware variety, software is also added. This is true for those who are bored with “naked” Android, and for those who want to stand out.

The Meizu M5C developers decided to attract the attention of smartphone photography enthusiasts by integrating an 8MP camera with four lenses (this is the focus) and a two-color flash.

Characteristics:

Buy cheap on Aliexpress.

Stylish Xiaomi Redmi 4A (price: 96-101$)

The design of Redmi 4A is simply stylish and does not stand out in any way. The build quality is excellent. This is probably all that concerns the appearance, but if you look at the characteristics, they are quite good:

excellent Snapdragon 425 processor;
front camera 13MP;
battery 3120mA.

Xiaomi installs its own MIUI user interface based on Android into its smartphones. Which might be a plus for some.

Characteristics:

Results

We reviewed only four Chinese smartphones in the category under $100; in fact, there are a lot of cheap smartphones. But Lenovo, Doogee, Xiaomi, Meizu are large well-known Chinese brands. Two smartphones have operating system pure Android ( Lenovo K10, Doogee X9 Pro) , two others ( Meizu M5 C, Xiaomi Redmi 4 A) have their own shell.

The performance of the MT6737 and Snapdragon 425 processors is almost the same. Therefore, there is no need to focus on this. In this article I will not touch upon the sore subject for many: “Which is better: MediaTek or Qualcomm?”