China Phones In The 2020 Test: Huawei, Xiaomi & Co. In Comparison

2023 Author: Sheila Hailey | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-05-24 11:17

Smartphones from China are becoming increasingly popular in Germany. While manufacturers such as Samsung and Apple are now demanding over 1,000 euros for their top models, Chinese manufacturers get a high-end smartphone for half.

Anyone who has been following the scene for a long time knows the differences between the individual models very well. Ordinary consumers, who are interested in cheap smartphones and want to compare, are overwhelmed by the numerous models and differences. GIGA has therefore selected four recommendations for you that can also be bought and used in Germany without any problems.

Overview:

The test winner: Xiaomi Mi 10 Pro
The price-performance winner: Redmi Note 9S
Top smartphone without notch: OnePlus 7T Pro
Top smartphone without Google: Huawei P40 Pro
What you should know when buying a China cell phone
- Where to buy china cell phones
- Which manufacturers are there
- What alternatives are there

The best smartphones from OnePlus, Xiaomi and Co: all test winners at a glance

placement	product	price	offer
The test winner	Xiaomi Mi 10 Pro	about 1,000 euros	at MediaMarkt
The price-performance winner	Xiaomi Redmi Note 9S	about 200 euros	at Alternate
Top smartphone without notch	OnePlus 7T Pro	approx. 730 euros	at Alternate
Top smartphone without Google	Huawei P40 Pro	about 1,000 euros	at MediaMarkt

The test winner: Xiaomi Mi 10 Pro

Xiaomi Mi 10 Pro with contract at MediaMarkt tariffs

Anyone holding the Xiaomi Mi 10 Pro in their hands for the first time will immediately notice the excellent workmanship of the smartphone. Also in operation it becomes clear that the smartphone delivers a lot for the high price of around 1,000 euros. The built-in processor ensures the excellent performance of the Xiaomi Mi 10 Pro. The fast memory, together with the high-end CPU, make the smartphone one of the most powerful devices currently available on the market. The lack of water and dust protection is incomprehensible.

At the same time, the camera is the best compared to other models in the Mi-10 series. With the Xiaomi Mi 10 Pro you can use four different lenses. While you take really good pictures with the 108 MP camera during the day, the quality of the photos decreases as soon as the lighting conditions deteriorate. The telephoto lens does not compensate for this weakness, but the clear pictures comfort at least over the weak night mode. With an enormous amount of data, videos can also be in 8K resolutionbe included. However, the lack of space for an additional SD card drastically limits the length of such high quality recordings. However, 4K resolution recordings also provide an excellent picture and can be better combined with the 256 GB internal memory.

Xiaomi Mi 10 Pro 256 GB Solstice Gray

Now from € 774.96 at Mediamarkt price can now be higher. Price from 26.07.2020 9:54 p.m.

Advantages:

High quality
Very good photo quality in good lighting conditions
Strong battery life with low charging time
Outstanding performance
Bright OLED display with curved edges

Disadvantage:

Poor picture quality in photographs of dark scenes
IP-certified dust and water protection is missing
Jack socket for wired headphones is missing
Memory expansion not possible
High price

The price-performance winner: Xiaomi Redmi Note 9S

Redmi Note 9S at Alternate

Xiaomi Redmi series smartphones are now known to offer decent performance for very little money. The Xiaomi Redmi Note 9S offers almost everything a smartphone in the middle class can do for a little over 200 euros. Equipped with an eight-core CPU and a good graphics unit, the China smartphone is also suitable for mobile gaming. The photos taken with the quad camera also show good quality in terms of the price range of the China mobile phone. The battery doesn't last as long as you would expect given its capacity - depending on use, it may need to be recharged after 30 to 40 hours.

As is typical for Xiaomi, the Redmi Note 9S also shines with high-quality workmanship and a modern design. The integrated infrared transmitter should also be a purchase criterion for some users. This is particularly useful if you want to operate the TV or some RGB devices with your mobile phone. The possibility of using a second SIM card and an SD card at the same time is positive, but it does not provide consolation for the lack of NFC. The not too good sound quality of the speakers at higher volume can be compensated for with a headset. With an integrated jack and Bluetooth 5.0, you have the freedom to choose whether to opt for a wireless or wired headset.

Advantages:

Large battery
High quality workmanship and modern design
Side fingerprint sensor
Infrared transmitter and jack socket available
Simultaneous use of second SIM and SD card possible
Very affordable price with decent performance

Disadvantage:

NFC is missing
Sound quality of the speakers

Top smartphone without notch: OnePlus 7T Pro

OnePlus 7T Pro at Alternate

The OnePlus 7T Pro is the worthy successor to the OnePlus 7 Pro. If you already liked the look of the predecessor, you will jump at the 7T Pro: The device looks almost exactly the same - with minimal changes to the back. OnePlus has upgraded the processor, which brings the China smartphone a decent performance increase. An ultra wide angle camera was also donated to the successor. The front camera can be extended from the housing if necessary and thus replaces the notch. Overall, the camera has a solid performance and should meet the needs of everyone who cares about good pictures.

The display is another highlight of the OnePlus 7T Pro. It not only shines with a refresh rate of 90 Hz, which can be felt, among other things, in mobile gaming and when scrolling. The display is also special due to the intensive color representation that results from the use of the OLED panel. The readability of the display suffers only when used in sunlight, since the Samsung Galaxy S10 Plus performs better. The lack of storage expansion, the lack of a jack connection and the lack of protection against dust and splash water are also criticized - especially in this price range, one can already expect that.

OnePlus 7T Pro 256 GB Haze Blue

Now from € 724.00 at Cyberport price can now be higher. Price from 27.07.2020 00:20 a.m.

Advantages:

Great job
Solid camera
Color intensive display with 90 Hz refresh rate
No notch thanks to the extendable front camera

Disadvantage:

No way to charge wirelessly
Missing jack connection
No dust and splash protection
Memory expansion not possible
Inadequate display brightness in sunlight

Top smartphone without Google: Huawei P40 Pro

Huawei P40 Pro with contract at Sparhandy

So far, Huawei has been one of the most popular cellphone brands from China. However, due to US sanctions, the company is currently no longer allowed to work with US companies. As a result, Google services are missing from the company's latest flagship series - a big no-go for western customers. Accordingly, Huawei currently expects sales to be worse than last year. If you can do without Google services, the new Huawei P40 Pro still has a lot to offer: The OLED display is colorfuland easily recognizable in almost all lighting conditions. The battery is relatively long-lasting (approx. 11 hours display-on time), it can be charged both with cable and wirelessly. There is nothing wrong with the performance.

At the heart of the smartphone, however, are the cameras: the main camera, a wide-angle camera by the way, is supplemented by a telecamera, an ultra-wide-angle camera and a 3D depth sensor. Thanks to improved AI, even better portraits can be taken, which should even keep up with a DSLR camera. On the front, the 32 MP wide-angle camera and the additional auxiliary camera ensure a pleasant bokeh effect when taking selfies. The smartphone can either be equipped with two SIM cards or a SIM, an additional eSIM and a micro SD card. The 256 GB internal memory should be sufficient for most users.

Huawei P40 Pro 256 GB Black

Now from € 974.69 at Mediamarkt price can now be higher. Price from 26.07.2020 10:26 p.m.

Advantages:

High quality workmanship and modern design
Fantastic rear and front camera
Enough memory that can even be expanded if necessary
Colorful OLED display that is easy to see in almost all lighting conditions
Infrared charging possible

Disadvantage:

No Google services
Photo quality deteriorates in low light conditions without a tripod
Speakers disappointing

Looking for a cheap cell phone contract? Here is our comparison calculator:

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The best China smartphones 2020: this is how we tested it

Chinese companies have shaken up the market for smartphones and are now offering numerous devices that can score particularly well in terms of price. Our selection of the best China smartphones 2020 is based on a comparison of the respective device specifications, our own tests and the experience of users who have already tried these devices. As soon as we have tested the devices on GIGA.de, our results will of course follow.

Buy China smartphone: What should I look for before buying?

Chinese or global version: Anyone who purchases a smartphone directly in a Chinese online shop must pay attention to the version. In the Chinese versions of Xiaomi, not only are the Chinese language and keyboard preset, the app store is also different. The language can only be changed to English - if you can even find your way in the Chinese navigation. The global version contains significantly more languages, including German.

Software: China cell phones often have heavily customized software that is intended for use in China. In the worst case, the Google Play Store could even be missing, as it is not used in China. This is not the case with devices purchased from Huawei and OnePlus in Germany. Older devices from Huawei still have Google services. Chinese advertisements may appear on the smartphone. It is quite normal there, a little strange in this country.

LTE band: Another important point for everyone who wants to use LTE is the support of LTE band 20. This frequency is currently particularly widespread in Germany and is often the only frequency available in rural areas, especially for a LTE connection. LTE bands 3 and 7 are also important, while high-end devices should also master LTE bands 8 and 28.

The smartphones we recommend in this article are regularly available in German retail and therefore work safely in all major LTE networks. Some smartphones from China, which are not intended for worldwide use, again do without the LTE bands that are common here. It is essential to pay attention to this when buying. Since the 3G network will soon be switched off in Germany, this can otherwise have bad consequences.

Warranty: If you order a cell phone directly from China, you could have problems with the warranty processing if something is wrong with your smartphone. Therefore, you should buy the smartphone from a German dealer if possible. The dealers in Germany must fulfill the guarantee prescribed here.

Customs: In addition to problems with the guarantee, you may also face additional costs when ordering from China. The import duty and the VAT due in Germany are not stated on the invoice, but must normally be paid anyway. That is an additional 30 percent. So you should make sure to buy from a dealer who has already imported the China cell phones and ships them from Europe.

Buy China cell phones in Germany: not that difficult anymore

Nobody has to shop in foreign shops for the products presented here. Most smartphones from Huawei, Xiaomi, OnePlus and Co. are now sold through German shops such as Amazon, MediaMarkt or Otto. Although you sometimes pay more when buying from a German dealer, you benefit from the German warranty in the event of damage and delivery takes much less time, as the devices are usually available on site in the warehouse and do not have to be imported from China. You can even find what you are looking for in retail: The first Xiaomi store in Germany will soon open in Düsseldorf, where products can be purchased directly on site. And at discounters, the devices are also often reduced.

If you are willing to use shops from abroad, you can save a lot of money. But be careful: While shops such as Gearbest and Aliexpress often take care of their customers and are tolerant of exchanges and repairs, it can be difficult to assert any claims against the shop in the event of a dispute. Even if you are right, an assertion against foreign shops can take a lot of time. On GIGA.de you can read what you have to consider when buying from Gearbest and Aliexpress.

How often do you buy a new smartphone?

Mobile phone contracts usually run for at least two years, but almost all smartphone manufacturers now launch several new devices every year. Do you perceive this as an oversupply or a positive development because you like to change your smartphone frequently?

China mobile phones on offer: is it worth waiting for a special offer?

As with most products, there are always special offers when buying Chinese cell phones that are particularly worthwhile. A price comparison on platforms like Idealo does no harm, the price comparison portal often takes special offers into account in the product listings. Shopping days like Prime Day and Black Friday are often also good for saving a little money.

After half a year, most China smartphones are already significantly reduced. Then you can even find them reduced in the discounter or for certain promotions in various online shops. You can see how the price is developing in our price drop articles - such as the Xiaomi Redmi Note 8 Pro or the Huawei P30 Lite.

Is there a China smartphone without a visible camera?

Seekers who would like to have a China cell phone without a visible camera have to be patient: OnePlus wants to equip future smartphones with an invisible camera. The technology changes the color of the glass electronically. At the push of a button, the camera becomes transparent and therefore invisible when it is not in use. OnePlus shows how it works with a video on Twitter. The technology is not yet used in the new OnePlus 8 Pro. It is still uncertain when it will actually be used.

China smartphone manufacturers and brands

Huawei: The manufacturer is by far the best known of smartphones from the land of the rising sun. Since mid-May 2019, Huawei phones have had to do without Google apps and services because the company is severely affected by the US ban. Google services and apps can only be installed on some Huawei smartphones via detours and with massive restrictions.

Xiaomi: Xiaomi has been catching up in recent years. While the China manufacturer, founded in 2010, was initially known for its phenomenally affordable high-end products, the devices have now reached a similar price range to Huawei smartphones. As Xiaomi can continue to use Google services, the company is considered Huawei's biggest competitor. Xiaomi is currently in fourth place among the world's leading smartphone manufacturers - behind Apple, Samsung and Huawei.

Start photo gallery (17 photos)

OnePlus: Just like Xiaomi, OnePlus was only founded a few years ago. Nevertheless, the company is already one of the top smartphone brands. The OnePlus flagships are characterized by good quality despite a lower price than comparable smartphones. As a rule, the user has to do without water resistance.

Oppo, Vivo and Realme: So far, all three manufacturers are among the more unknown cellphone brands from China. They are - like OnePlus - part of the BBK Electronics group. Chinese smartphone manufacturers used to be seen as copiers of western flagships, but have since gone their own way. Oppo is trying to set foot in the European market with the high-end Find X2 and Find X2 Pro devices. Highlights of the Find X2 Pro: The back is made of vegan synthetic leather or ceramic. The concept smartphone Vivo Apex 2020 impresses thanks to a screen that extends to the back and a hidden front camera. And Realme is known for its affordable high-end smartphones, the new X50 Pro 5G should only cost 550 euros.

Vivo Apex 2020: Spectacular China smartphones

What alternatives do I have to smartphones from China?

If you want to do without smartphones from China, you can find other top devices from Samsung and Apple. We took a closer look at some of them, including the test winner from Stiftung Warentest, in our smartphone test.

Google Pixel 4 XL

Now from € 698.37 at Mediamarkt price can now be higher. Price from 2020-26-07 10:49 p.m.

LG G8s ThinQ 128 GB Mirror White

Now from € 388.00 at Mediamarkt price can now be higher. Price from 26.07.2020 10:02 p.m.

With the Pixel 4 XL, Google also offers a current high-end device. The Google Pixel 5 is said to be only in the middle class and therefore also worth the price for beginners. The G8S ThinQ from the South Korean manufacturer LG is also a good alternative.

Do you have a China smartphone? Or are you still considering switching to one? Which brand do you tend to? Write it down in the comments below.

China Phones In The 2020 Test: Huawei, Xiaomi & Co. In Comparison

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