Most popular cheap phones in 2017 in the UK

The list was, of course, based on a summary made by the end of the summer.

You’ve heard of Huawei, ZTE, or Lenovo for sure, as it is suspected that the name Xiaomi, already referred to as Apple in China, is also familiar. These companies make popular phones.

Then there are Meizu, Letv, Oppo, Homtom, Vernee, UMI, Ulefone, Elephom, Doogee, Leagoo, Mazze, Bluboo, Oukitel and others, which we call emerging brands and we are just starting to get to know their names. These companies make extremely good value phones, so more and more people are choosing their products in the UK as well.

Let’s see what are the pros and cons of cheap Chinese phones!

Why buy and why not a cheap phone in England?

Advantages:
• Excellent value for money
• Competitive specification
• Dual SIM
• None of your friends will have the same phone as you

Disadvantages:
• Defective devices are difficult to service
• You may have to pay customs and VAT on your phone (based on invoice and proof of payment)

Most Chinese phones on the list handle two SIM cards, but sometimes this second SIM can only be used if no memory card is inserted in the phone. More and more phones support 4G on both SIM card slots, but for phones with two SIM cards, you have to choose which card to use on mobilnet. The fact that a Chinese phone supports 4G does not necessarily mean that it will work without problems in your country. Always check your phone’s frequency bands before you buy, because Chinese phones often lack the 800 MHz band (20 bands), which can be a problem if you live in a sparsely populated part of the country.

Processors manufactured by Qualcomm are popular in the UK, but many Chinese phones come with cheaper MediaTek chips. The fastest of these are the Helio X25, X27 and X30. They’re usually not as fast as Qualcomm’s cousins, but they’re also more than capable of doing everyday tasks. Three or four gigabytes of RAM is not uncommon, some phones can find up to 6 GB, while the storage is usually 32 GB or 64 GB.

You’ll almost certainly find a fingerprint reader as well as a 13-megapixel camera on the back and a 5- or 8-megapixel front. The features of the camera are very similar to any other Android phone, but the manufacturer may include other extras. The full HD screen is the most common, Quad-HD is very rare, but the HD category still includes HD resolution. Most of them are large, 5,5 inches in diameter, or even larger. The screen is usually a good quality IPS panel and is often used by manufacturers for 2,5D glass. This is not to say that the display panel is curved, just that the edges of the screen are slightly curved. Gorilla Glass is another common feature that we are very happy about, as it makes the display of the phones less scratched.

1. OnePlus 5

The OnePlus 5 is the most popular phone on the UK market this year. We shouldn’t be really surprised by this, as it has super abilities. Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 SoC with eight cores and 2,45 GHz speed, 6GB of memory and 64GB of storage, and a 5,5-inch FullHD display are the main components of the hardware.

Among the additional capabilities of each phone equipped with extras, a thousand and one sensor, perhaps the cameras are worth highlighting, as in addition to the 16-megapixel camera on the front, a pair of 16- and 20-megapixel cameras work on the back.

This phone is not cheap, but based on the attached figure, many people think it is worth the price!

Learn more here: OnePlus 5

2. Xiaomi Mi6

It is likely that there was only a minimal difference behind the top of the podium on Xiaomi’s phone. In terms of processor, memory and storage, it is no different from the OnePlus 5, but its display is not 5,5- but 5,15-inch. It’s also weaker in terms of cameras, though it’s likely that the 12 + 12-megapixel combo on the back won’t disappoint. For all this, we get the great quality we are used to in Xiaomi. Attractive offer!

Learn more here: Xiaomi Mi 6

3. Xiaomi Mi Note 2

The Mi Note 2 is one of Xiaomi's most beautiful phones. Although the Qualcomm Snapdragon 821 SoC contains only four cores, I wouldn’t even dare say gyngenes. This phone also has 4GB of memory and 64GB of storage like most devices in similar categories.

Of course, this phone is also equipped with everything on the ground, and when you hear the 22,56 megapixel back camera, you can click with satisfaction, that's something! Nevertheless, it is suspected that whoever chooses this device does so because of the exterior and not the hardware. We understand them!

Learn more here: Xiaomi Mi Note 2

4. Xiaomi Mi Mix

The Xiaomi Mi MIX The Snapdragon has been given 821 CPUs, along with 6GB of memory and no less than 256GB of storage. The display has a diagonal of 6,4 inches and a resolution of 2048 x 1080 pixels. The hardware resides in an all-ceramic housing, which gives the phone a very exclusive look.

The biggest special feature of this phone, as you can see from the list, is its display. For those who no longer have enough of 5,5 inches, perhaps using their phone as few times as possible to make phone calls and as many times as possible for other activities such as browsing or gaming, this phone is the perfect solution. The beautiful exterior, the large size and the quality of Xiaomi were decisive factors for the customers here as well.

Learn more here: Xiaomi Mi MIX

5. Meizu Pro 6 Plus

This phone is out of line as neither Qualcomm nor MEdiaTek tiles are lurking in it. The central unit is an Exynos 8890 that can handle eight cores and a 2,3 GHz clock. The RAM is 4 GB, but the mass storage is outstandingly 128 GB with this device.

Learn more here: Meizu Pro 6 Plus

7. UMIDIGI Z Pro

The UMIDIGI Z Pro has a fantastic value of over £ 200. It offers a large battery, a decent screen and great performance. The dual camera doesn’t provide enough relief because we were hoping for the poor performance of the UMI Z, but it’s still a great phone. The display is also special, as it has a slightly larger than usual 5,7-inch resolution of 2560 x 1440 pixels, which achieves a wonderful pixel density of 518 ppi.

If you choose this phone, the display and large storage will probably be a convincing argument, but let's not forget that the UMIDIGI Z Pro has become a very nice device with an exclusive look.

Learn more here: UMIDIGI Z Pro

8. Elephone S7

The Elephone S7 is a very good quality phone at an affordable price. The first on the list to receive a MediaTek procit is a 10-core Helio X20. The memory here is also 4, the storage is 64 GB. The display is FullHD. For the price of one, this is a particularly powerful phone. Most of the complaints came to his camera.

In the case of the Elephone, it is not yet listed, nor can the new one be included Elephone S8, which is currently in its introductory action and promises to be an excellent device in all respects.

Learn more here: Elephone S7

9. Xiaomi Redmi Note 4X

The phone is a real curiosity in Xiaomi’s palette because the manufacturer is not using the old partner, Snapdragon, in this device, but the central unit of the big rival MediaTek. This SoC is specifically a ten-core Helio X20 that operates at 2,1 GHz. otherwise, of course, the device is no different from its peers, there will be no problem with quality here either!

Interestingly, this phone is available with essentially the same look and feel as the X version, but with Snapdragon SoC, the MediaTek version is still at the bottom of the list.

Learn more here: Xiaomi Redmi Note 4X

The article is based on a survey by techadvisor.