China phones with good camera: Top 7 devices

November 11, 2024

If you look at various online stores, you will quickly notice that the market is now flooded with Chinese cell phones. In the past, only Apple brand devices appeared in the search results, Samsung or Sony, the rising players are now called OnePlus, Xiaomi or Huawei.

It is not for nothing that more and more Chinese brands are making it onto the global stage: Chinese companies often produce in the same factories as their Western competitors, only they sell their cell phones much cheaper. Whereas modern iPhones cost well over 800?, cell phones from Chinese competitors are available for as little as 100?

If you want to pay little for your smartphone but still have a good camera quality, we recommend reading this article. Here we present the best 7 Chinese phones with good cameras. Further down, we also clarify the most frequently asked questions about the phones from the Far East.

Top 7: China smartphones with good camera

1. OnePlus 5T

The Chinese smartphone manufacturer OnePlus is known for inexpensive but extraordinarily powerful phones.

The OnePlus 5T convinces us all along the line: Despite the low price of under 500?, it has a fast processor, the latest Android update is already coming, and the battery (3300mAh) lasts more than one day on average despite the large screen. Thanks to OxygenOS, the OnePlus 5T is a smartphone that responds quickly and is not overloaded with unnecessary apps.

Camera: There are 2 cameras on the back of the device. One shoots with 16 and one with 20 megapixels. The use of 2 cameras gives the 5T a good performance, especially in low-light conditions, since 2 pictures are then added together and provide a brighter, clearer photo.

2. Xiaomi Mi Mix 2

Xiaomi is probably the best-known up-and-coming Chinese brand when it comes to smartphones. No other Chinese company is represented with so many phones on the market.

The design of the Mix 2 is already somewhat reminiscent of the iPhone 10 on the screen side, but the differences become clear on closer inspection. For example, there is no notch on the top. The design is unique and looks stylish and modern in our opinion.

The device also has a large screen and the build quality is great. Despite the fast Snapdragon processor, the battery of the Xiaomi Mi Mix 2 lasts about 10 hours on an average day.

Camera: The Mi Mix 2 has a 12-megapixel sensor from Sony. The optical image stabilization ensures crisp pictures, even when the hand is a bit shaky or in motion. The autofocus works well and you can record in 4K in video mode. Other magazines and review sites praise the "top level" of the Mi Mix 2's camera. Colors are also reproduced well and true to detail. All in all, the Xiaomi Mi Mix 2 is currently one of the best camera phones.

3. Huawei P20 Pro

Huawei is not one of the classic low-cost brands, so it is no wonder that the P20 Pro is only available from around 800?

The device has an excellent build and the performance is strong thanks to the Kirin processor. By the way, the Huawei P20 Pro lasts about 9-10 hours with the 4000 mAh battery. Big power consumers in this phone are the large screen and the very strong processor. This is also noticed by the fact that the smartphone can get quite warm after a while.

Nevertheless, the Huawei P20 Pro is currently one of the best high-end devices on the market (also apart from the camera).

Camera: Huawei collaborated with the camera specialist Leica for the camera. In the smartphone scene, the Huawei P20 Pro is partly praised as the best camera smartphone ever. The powerful zoom is even better than that of the Samsung Galaxy S9. The following pictures were taken with a Huawei P20 Pro: The quality speaks for itself.

4. honor 10

The Honor 10 is also one of the better Chinese phones on the market. "Honor is a sub-brand of Huawei. With this brand, the company primarily wants to reach a young, Internet-savvy target group.

They have managed that with the Honor 10: The smartphone comes with a fast processor, and the device's dimensions are ideal.

The battery lasts a very long time with a capacity of 3400 mAh: Theoretically, if you do not use the phone for more than 3-4 hours a day, you can have it with you for 2 days without having to plug it in.

Camera: There are 2 image sensors on the back of the phone. One records with 24 megapixels, one with 16 megapixels. The pixels are then combined by the fast professor, which is supposed to bring better quality and brightness. Particularly interesting: The Honor 10 has an artificial intelligence. It automatically enhances photos. Meanwhile, after a few updates, the AI software really does a good job and manages to achieve beautiful snapshots from mediocre scenarios.

5. Xiaomi Redmi 5

The Xiaomi Redmi 5 stands out especially with its huge display, fast processor and good battery life. What is also striking: The low price of just about 100? Compared with other phones, this is a real bargain.

A 3300mAh battery is installed in the Redmi 5 - that is quite a lot of capacity that Xiaomi has put into the device. Thus, the Redmi 5 lasts for 1-2 days. Even when you have the display permanently on, you can assume a long runtime of 8-10 hours.

Camera: Xiaomi has installed a very good camera in the Redmi 5 for this price range. Although the blur is too thick now and then, the pictures are satisfactory on the whole. The camera takes ideal pictures especially when it is bright. The image sensor stumbles in darker scenes.

6. nubio Z17 mini

The Z17 mini is a classic China phone: It does not cost much, has a slightly modified Android interface and offers the classic features of a smartphone in the 21st century.

The battery lasts approximately 1 day with a capacity of 2950 mAh, but the capacity was measured tightly here. Especially when the screen is on all the time, the runtime can quickly go downhill. Thus, this device is not a battery miracle.

Camera: Like most modern smartphones, the nubia Z17 mini also has two camera sensors on the back. Both have a resolution of 13 megapixels. On the one hand, the two cameras enable very natural color reproduction, and on the other hand, you can achieve the depth-of-field effect very well when taking pictures.

7. OnePlus 3T

We started the list with a OnePlus device and would like to end it with a OnePlus device.

The OnePlus 3T was released in December 2016 as an improvement of the OnePlus 3. Besides a stronger and faster processor, the battery capacity was also increased back then. It went from 3,000 mAh to 3,400 mAh.

As an operating system, the device runs - like every OnePlus smartphone - a modified Android version called OxygenOS. OxygenOS is not overloaded and even offers some practical improvements (compared to the conventional Android OS).

Camera: The camera takes very sharp pictures that always look very warm and sometimes even a bit too saturated. The camera app offers many additional features and videos can even be recorded in 4K at 30fps.

FAQ: China cell phones

Are China phones worse than phones from reputable manufacturers?

Our experience with Chinese phones shows that the smartphones are not worse than, for example, Samsung or Apple devices. The brands are more unknown, but many parts are similar under the casing. This is because the companies have many of the same suppliers.

What should I look for when buying?

Since most of the phones from these manufacturers are intended for sale in China, some versions do not support European cellular networks. Therefore, you should always check whether the device also works with European carriers. This information is usually already stated on the product page in the online store.

Do customs intercept China cell phones?

If you order the smartphones from dubious Chinese sites, you may face customs problems and penalties.

However, if you order the smartphones on European sites, such as Amazon, Saturn, MediaMarkt & Co, then no problems occur. The devices are already in the European Union before they are shipped to the customer.