In pursuit of the consumer, smartphone makers are trying to produce more good cheap smartphones. Most of them have the same functions as the top models - fast charging, a large battery, a bright screen with good viewing angles. But at the same time they are deprived of waterproofing the case, wireless charging and optical camera stabilization.
If you want to get quality without too much bells and whistles, we present you the top 10 of good inexpensive smartphones in 2020. These are models in the price category from 5000 to 25 thousand rubles, which have a high rating on Yandex.Market.
10. ZTE Blade 20 Smart
- smartphone with Android 9.0
- dual SIM support
- 6.49 ″ screen, resolution 1560 × 720
- three cameras 16 MP / 8 MP / 2 MP, autofocus
- 128 GB memory, memory card slot
- 3G, 4G LTE, LTE-A, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, NFC
- 4 GB RAM
- 5000 mAh battery
This model can be safely called the anti-crisis smartphone of 2020. After all, at a price of less than 12,000 rubles, you will get a powerful battery, contactless payments, fast charging, and good performance. The cherry on this mobile cake is the presence of an LED event indicator, which many manufacturers neglect even in the case of expensive models.
The screen resolution is standard for low-cost models - HD +, but there are no problems with brightness and viewing angles. But with color temperature, ZTE went too far, which is why the display is slightly “blue.”
The MediaTek Helio P60 processor, installed “under the hood” of the ZTE Blade 20 Smart, will cope with most hardware-demanding 30 fps games with rare frame drops.
The rear camera will also be pleasantly pleased, which shoots well even at night or with a lack of lighting. In this case, there are digital noise in the photo, but there are not so many that the photo turns out to be corrupted. Autofocus is very fast, and you can still record FullHD-video at 30 frames per second.
pros: the presence of a mini-jack 3.5 mm, heats up slightly under load, the fingerprint scanner can serve as an additional button.
Minuses: easily soiled, no wireless charging, combined tray for SIM cards and memory cards.
9. BQ 6042L Magic E
- smartphone with Android 9.0
- dual SIM support
- screen 6.09 ″, resolution 1280 × 600
- dual camera 13 MP / 0.30 MP, autofocus
- 32 GB memory, memory card slot
- 3G, 4G LTE, LTE-A, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, NFC
- 2 GB RAM
- 2950 mAh battery
When thinking about how to choose an inexpensive but good smartphone in 2020, many people first of all pay attention to the promoted foreign brands. Nevertheless, Russian companies have something to please us.
And one of the good models is the BQ 6042L Magic E, which offers an NFC chip, a fingerprint scanner, and even a removable battery for less than 6,000 rubles - a rarity in modern times.
The rest of the smartphone looks like a solid budget employee - starting from the Unisoc SC9863A chipset and ending with a small amount of RAM and a low-power battery. The screen, although with a small resolution, is bright enough to be visible from the sun.
But with the speaker located on the rear panel, the manufacturer planted a pig for users, albeit a small one. When the device lies on a table, the sound is muffled accordingly.
The front and main cameras will not please you with high quality shooting, but photos taken under normal lighting have good detail.
pros: there is an indicator of events, nice design, conveniently lies in a hand.
Minuses: it connects to a Wi-Fi access point for a long time, the fingerprint scanner does not always work the first time, there is no quick charge.
8. Nokia 5.3
- smartphone with Android 10
- dual SIM support
- 6.55 ″ screen, resolution 1600 × 720
- four cameras 13 MP / 2 MP / 5 MP / 2 MP, autofocus
- 64 GB memory, memory card slot
- 3G, 4G LTE, LTE-A, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth
- 4 GB RAM
- 4000 mAh battery
This smartphone is very good for several reasons.
- Solid assembly.
- A capacious battery with fast charging.
- Independent memory card slot.
- A nimble Snapdragon 665 processor. Not a top-end option, but for games on medium and high settings it’s quite enough.
- Great quad camera. It consists of a 13-megapixel main camera, as well as an ultra-wide 5-megapixel camera, 2 MP depth sensor and 2 MP macro. All of them are placed in a round module, like one of the best models with 5G - Nokia 8.3.
- The presence of the NFC module, and therefore the ability to make contactless payments
The fact that the smartphone is still budgetary is evidenced by the low screen resolution. However, if you do not look at it too closely, then the light grain is almost invisible.
pros: branded headset, 3.5 mm headphone jack.
Minuses: no wireless charging, no case included.
7. Realme C3
- smartphone with Android 10
- dual SIM support
- 6.52 ″ screen, resolution 1600 × 720
- three cameras 12 MP / 2 MP / 2 MP, autofocus
- 64 GB memory, memory card slot
- 3G, 4G LTE, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, NFC
- 3 GB RAM
- 5000 mAh battery
Realme C3 is the first Realme smartphone with the Realme UI operating system. It has several useful features, including a custom sidebar and icon style customization.
Another feature of this unit is the MediaTek Helio G70 processor, which, coupled with the Mali-G52 MC2 graphics accelerator, allows you to achieve a high frame rate in modern games. However, with a long gaming session, the smartphone heats up significantly.
Realme C3 has a triple camera setup, which consists of a 12-megapixel main camera, a 2-megapixel macro lens and a 2-megapixel depth sensor. Yes, the manufacturer saved on wide-angle optics, but what to do, fewer functions, but the price is lower. At night, the camera significantly “soaps”, but in the light of day, the pictures are highly detailed, contrasting and clear.
In general, Realme C3 is an entry-level smartphone, but the generosity of Realme lies in the fact that this unit is integrated into the MediaTek Helio G70 chip, which makes it a very affordable workhorse in everyday tasks and games.
pros: separate slot for a memory card, 3.5 mm audio jack, capacious battery.
Minuses: Included is not a case, a slightly grainy HD + screen, no quick charge.
6. Vivo Y30
- smartphone with Android 10
- dual SIM support
- 6.47 ″ screen, resolution 1560 × 720
- four cameras 13 MP / 8 MP / 2 MP / 2 MP, autofocus
- 64 GB memory, memory card slot
- 3G, 4G LTE, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, NFC
- 4 GB RAM
- 5000 mAh battery
A large, solid smartphone looks like a premium model due to its screen with a neat hole, which houses a selfie camera. No tear-like cut-out or “bangs” disfiguring the screen, all in an adult way.
Another significant (in the literal sense of the word) advantage of this model is its powerful battery, with which the Vivo Y30 will work for 2 days even with active use. There is the possibility of reverse charging, that is, this smartphone can be used as Power Bank.
The MediaTek Helio P35 processor will pull the demanding PUBG Mobile only at the minimum, but many other modern games will comfortably go at medium and even high settings.
Despite the fact that this smartphone is a budget solution, the manufacturer equipped it with a quad camera with a main 13 MP sensor, a wide-angle 120-degree camera with 8 MP, a 2 MP macro lens (more for show) and a 2 MP lens to create a bokeh effect.
Of course, DXOMARK Vivo Y30 will not be able to get closer to the capabilities of the best camera phones of 2020, but it is quite capable of taking a picture with natural color reproduction, good detail and without overexposure.
pros: there is a separate slot for a memory card, a 3.5 mm headphone jack, a cover is included.
Minuses: very easily soiled plastic case, no wireless charging, low screen resolution.
5. HONOR 9S
- smartphone with Android 10
- dual SIM support
- 5.45 ″ screen, resolution 1440 × 720
- 8 MP camera, autofocus
- 32 GB memory, memory card slot
- 3G, 4G LTE, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth
- 2 GB RAM
- 3020 mAh battery
If you do not want your child to hang out in mobile games all day, buy him a HONOR 9S. It is not powerful enough to have modern toys without brakes on it, but it is beautiful enough to win the approval of classmates and good enough to be heard without interruptions when you call the person you are talking to.
In general, the HONOR 9S is a classic workhorse designed for those who need three things from a smartphone:
- good connection
- quality assembly
- small size.
At the same time, this model also shoots well, the main thing is to choose good lighting conditions. And there is a headphone jack, so that the child can listen to music or an audio book in his spare time.
pros: conveniently in the hand, there is a radio, the screen is bright and comfortable enough for reading, there is a separate slot for a memory card.
Minuses: no quick charge, no google services.
4. HONOR 20 Lite
- smartphone with Android 9.0
- dual SIM support
- 6.15 ″ screen, resolution 2312 × 1080
- three cameras 48 MP / 8 MP / 2 MP, autofocus
- 128 GB memory, memory card slot
- 3G, 4G LTE, LTE-A, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, NFC
- 4 GB RAM
- 3340 mAh battery
The device, which is among the ten best Honor smartphones of 2020, has access to Google services, which later models cannot boast.
HONOR 20 Lite has a 2.5D beautiful glass back with a gradient shade of Phantom Blue, Phantom Red or Midnight Black and FHD + curved display with a small cut-out for a selfie camera and TÜV Rheinland eye protection certificate.
Inside the phone is a 12-nm 2.2-GHz Kirin 710 processor in combination with the Mali-G51 MP4 with Turbo 2.0 technology to enhance gaming performance.
Selfie camera with an impressive resolution of 24 MP has an AI-based night mode, and a screen flash, thanks to which you can take impressive photos even in low light.
The main camera has many settings to improve the quality of photos and videos, such as night mode and Pro mode. At dusk, she shoots excellently, but in daylight, overexposure is often seen in the pictures.
pros: there is a fast charge, good ergonomics, clear and loud sound, there is a 3.5 mm audio jack.
Minuses: the battery capacity is not impressive, there is no wireless charging, the cameras bulge out much, there is no cover in the kit.
3. Xiaomi Redmi Note 9 Pro
- Android smartphone
- dual SIM support
- screen 6.67 ″, resolution 2400 × 1080
- four cameras 64 MP / 8 MP / 5 MP / 2 MP, autofocus
- memory 64 GB, memory card slot
- 3G, 4G LTE, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, NFC
- 6 GB RAM
- 5020 mAh battery
With its glossy metal finish, curved edges and Gorilla Glass 5 protection, one of Xiaomi's best smartphones in 2020 is certainly one step ahead of other entry-level devices. It's also nice to note that it comes with a silicone case, so you don’t have to worry about screen scratches for the first few months.
Redmi Note 9 Pro is equipped with a 6.67-inch Full HD + IPS display with 395 pixels per inch. There is nothing record-breaking, but the viewing angles are good, and the color rendition is just great for an entry-level device. We also get a maximum screen brightness of approximately 450 nits, which makes it easy to use this unit in intense light conditions.
Speaking of the four-sensor main camera, we note that it shoots excellently. The block consists of:
- 64 MP main sensor,
- 8 MP wide-angle sensor,
- 5 MP macro cameras,
- 2 MP to determine the depth.
Pictures even in the “default” mode are very detailed, although, as a rule, they are a bit oversaturated, especially when shooting in bright conditions. In poor lighting, the colors in the photo become less bright, but turning on the night mode returns brightness.
Redmi Note 9 Pro has no problems with performance thanks to the Snapdragon 720G chipset. You will not encounter stuttering the device in Call of Duty, Mobile Legends, PUBG Mobile, Asphalt and other heavy games. Although setting the graphics to a high level causes the phone to warm up, which is relatively normal.
pros: there is a 3.5 mm audio jack, a separate slot for installing a memory card, fast charging.
Minuses: there is no wireless charging, although the case has moisture protection, it is only against splashes.
2. Samsung Galaxy M21
- Android smartphone
- dual SIM support
- 6.4 ″ screen, resolution 2340 × 1080
- three cameras 48 MP / 8 MP / 5 MP, autofocus
- memory 64 GB, memory card slot
- 3G, 4G LTE, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, NFC
- 4 GB RAM
- 6000 mAh battery
A good and cheap smartphone with an amazingly powerful battery for its price. It would take a long time to charge such a monster with regular charging, so the manufacturer provided for the possibility of fast 15 W charging. But even with it, the device charges for about 2 and a half hours.
Add to this the presence of a SuperAMOLED display, NFC and a 3.5 mm headphone jack, and all this for a reasonable price, and get a smartphone that is definitely worth paying attention to.
The maximum brightness of the screen is not the largest possible (405 cd / m²), but quite sufficient to comfortably read text from the screen on the street, under the sun.
The Galaxy M21 runs on the basis of the Samsung Exynos 9611 chipset, which, without slowing down and fps drawdowns, pulls modern games such as Call of Duty Mobile and PUBG Mobile at medium settings.
The main camera has a Pro-mode for manual settings, and copes well with photo and video shooting. The colors are natural, and it’s hard to complain about detail if you take a picture in normal lighting. There is also the possibility of blurring the background. The maximum resolution for shooting video is 4K. However, when using this mode, stabilization problems may occur, camera shake can be seen and detail is squandered.
pros: separate slot for a memory card, beautiful design, rich and bright screen.
Minuses: no wireless charging, users complain that the applications cannot be transferred to the memory card.
1. HONOR 30S
- smartphone with Android 10
- dual SIM support
- 6.5 ″ screen, resolution 2400 × 1080
- four cameras 64 MP / 8 MP / 2 MP / 2 MP, autofocus
- 128 GB memory, memory card slot
- 3G, 4G LTE, 5G, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, NFC
- 6 GB RAM
- 4000 mAh battery
Take away wireless charging, optical zoom and water protection from the top-end smartphone, but leave all the other useful features like quick charge, the ability to make contactless payments, a memory card slot and an excellent main camera. And get the HONOR 30S.
The back of the device, made of glossy plastic, looks very bright and stylish, which makes it an ideal choice for a gift to a young man or girl, or anyone who pays special attention to the design of the smartphone.
The screen with IPS-matrix and oleophobic coating has an impressive brightness and many custom settings.
The Kirin 820 processor, coupled with 6 GB of RAM, is enough to quickly switch between multiple applications and smoothly run games at maximum settings. Unless it is better to launch such “gluttonous monsters” like PUBG at medium settings in order to avoid a strong drop in fps.
The main thing in the camera unit is the 64 MP sensor, which by default shoots with a resolution of 16 MP. He is "assisted" by a wide-angle 120-degree 8 MP camera, and two modules for creating portrait shots and macro photography. Efficient night mode allows the HONOR 30S to take high-quality pictures even in low light. The user can also record 4K video at 30 fps.
pros: The fingerprint scanner, built into the power button, works very quickly, there is a 5G module.
Minuses: no Google services, no optical stabilization. To activate the maximum resolution of the main camera you need to go deep into the settings.
