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Best Chinese Smartphones – February 2018

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The Xiaomi Redmi 5 Plus managed to make its way to our best Chinese smartphones list this month, even though it’s not exactly a flagship phone. The Redmi 5 Plus does have a lot to offer considering its price point, which is why it’s listed along with a number of flagship handsets down below. The OnePlus 5T is still leading the pack here, though there are a number of appealing options if you’re in the market for a new smartphone. Upcoming months will be quite interesting when the Chinese smartphones are concerned, as the Huawei P11 / P20, its ‘Plus’ counterpart, Xiaomi Mi 7, OnePlus 6 and Honor 10 are all expected to launch in the first 6-7 months of this year. In any case, let’s check out this month’s list, shall we.

5. Xiaomi Redmi 5 Plus

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The Xiaomi Redmi 5 Plus is not exactly one of the most powerful Chinese smartphones, but it deserves a place on this list as it does offer a lot for the asking price. The Xiaomi Redmi 5 Plus is essentially a successor to the Redmi Note 4, and unlike the Redmi Note 4, it sports rather thin bezels, which makes it look far more modern. The Redmi 5 Plus is made out of metal, it sports a rear-facing fingerprint scanner, and it is fueled by the Snapdragon 625 64-bit octa-core processor. The device comes in 3GB and 4GB RAM variants, while it sports a 5.99-inch fullHD+ (2160 x 1080) display. The phone’s 3GB RAM variant is priced at $179.99 on GearBest, while its 4GB RAM counterpart can be purchased for $199.99.

Buy the Xiaomi Redmi 5 Plus (3GB RAM variant)

Buy the Xiaomi Redmi 5 Plus (4GB RAM variant)

4. Honor 9

The Honor 9 is still the company’s compact flagship, despite the fact it’s no longer the most powerful Honor-branded device, as the Honor View 10 landed recently. The Honor 9 is still a compelling phone, though, as it is even more affordable now than it was back when it launched in mid-2017. The Honor 9 is made out of metal and glass, it sports a dual camera setup on the back, and a front-facing fingerprint scanner. This handset is fueled by the Kirin 960 64-bit octa-core processor, while it sports 4GB or 6GB of RAM, depending on where you buy it. Both the phone’s 4GB and 6GB RAM variants are currently available on GearBest, and interestingly enough, they cost the same at the moment, $350. The device is also available from Amazon, but it’s considerably more expensive at $469.

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Buy the Honor 9 (4GB RAM variant)

Buy the Honor 9 (6GB RAM variant)

3. Huawei P10 & P10 Plus

The Huawei P10 and P10 Plus have been announced about a year ago, and even though the Huawei P11 / P20 and its larger counterpart are expected to launch in the near future, the Huawei P10 and P10 Plus are still more than capable of running through anything without a problem, and are quite compelling if you’re looking for a new handset to get. The Huawei P10 and P10 Plus are made out of metal, they both sport a dual camera setup on the back, and Leica’s lenses are a part of the package. Both phones are fueled by the Kirin 960 64-bit octa-core processor, the Huawei P10 comes with a fullHD panel, while the P10 Plus features a QHD display. These two handsets are no longer available from GearBest (out of stock), but you can still get them from Amazon if you’d like.

Buy the Huawei P10

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Buy the Huawei P10 Plus

Read more: Huawei P10 review

2. Xiaomi Mi MIX 2

The Xiaomi Mi MIX 2 is the company’s most powerful smartphone to date. This handset comes in two design variants, the more affordable variant is made out of metal and ceramic, while the most expensive option features a ceramic unibody build. The Mi MIX 2 sports a 5.99-inch fullHD+ display, while it is fueled by the Snapdragon 835 64-bit octa-core processor. The Mi MIX 2 sports a single camera on the back, and it also features a rear-facing fingerprint scanner. This handset comes with a set of really thin bezels, and the device is available in both 6GB and 8GB RAM variants. The Xiaomi Mi MIX 2’s pricing starts at $459.99 on GearBest, and a number of variants are available for purchase.

Buy the Xiaomi Mi MIX 2 (6GB RAM + 64GB storage)

Buy the Xiaomi Mi MIX 2 (6GB RAM + 128GB storage)

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Buy the Xiaomi Mi MIX 2 (6GB RAM + 128GB storage)

Buy the ceramic unibody Xiaomi Mi MIX 2 (6GB RAM + 64GB storage)

Buy the ceramic unibody Xiaomi Mi MIX 2 (8GB RAM + 128GB storage)

Read more: Xiaomi Mi MIX 2 review

1. OnePlus 5T

The OnePlus 5T is OnePlus’ second flagship of 2017. This handset comes with considerably thinner bezels than the OnePlus 5, while it is made out of metal. The device sports a 6.01-inch fullHD+ Optic AMOLED display, while it is available in both 6GB and 8GB RAM variants. Two cameras are included on the back of this phone, while you will find a rear-facing fingerprint scanner on the device as well. Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 835 64-bit octa-core processor is also a part of the package, and the same can be said for the phone’s 3,300mAh non-removable battery which can be recharged using the company’s Dash Charge fast charging (charger included). The OnePlus 5T’s 6GB RAM variant is priced at $519.99 on GearBest, while you can get its 8GB RAM counterpart for $599.99.

Buy the OnePlus 5T (6GB RAM)

Buy the OnePlus 5T (8GB RAM)

Read more: OnePlus 5T review