Inexpensive phone with a great camera. Budget smartphone with a good camera. Review of budget smartphones, prices

Who among us doesn’t want to have a phone with a good camera so that we can always record an interesting event and take a memorable photo? Unfortunately, many people are familiar with that feeling of disappointment when a highly advertised and expensive smartphone ends up taking blurry pictures, distorting colors and not always having time to focus. You don't have to spend a lot of money to take good pictures with your phone! We will help you choose and tell you which models are worth paying attention to.

Of course, a telephone cannot yet replace a professional camera, but modern smartphones have already “learned” how to take photos no worse and even much better than point-and-shoot cameras, and have almost completely pushed them out of the market. To ensure that photos from your smartphone camera come out really high quality, When choosing a gadget you need to pay attention on resolution, matrix size, zoom factor and focusing accuracy. An important role is played by adequate flash performance and software, which sometimes works real miracles.

In flagship devices, manufacturers use various innovations, thereby increasing the quality of photos, and their efforts are not always directly proportional to the result obtained. Finding an inexpensive smartphone with a good camera is much more difficult, so we decided to ease the pain of choice and select for our readers several interesting models with a price tag of up to 120-130 dollars.

Xiaomi constantly pleases us with interesting new products in different price segments. One of the manufacturer’s most popular devices is Xiaomi Mi4, stylish and productive inexpensive smartphone with a good camera. It’s not for nothing that he came in first place in our review. The main camera received sensor fromSony, 6 lenses, f/1.8 aperture and 13 megapixel resolution. It allows you to take not just good, but very high-quality pictures, balanced in sharpness, color rendition, white balance, and the frames turn out quite good even indoors and in low light conditions.

The native camera application has a lot of settings and the ability to use manual mode. You can focus and take a photo by double-tapping the focus area, which is very convenient. The model is distinguished by good front camera, which takes more than decent pictures. In other respects, the smartphone is very good: productive, stylish, with a good screen and a good battery. The only negative is the lack of a slot for a memory card. If you feel that 16 GB of internal memory is not enough, you will have to fork out for the 64 GB version.

Lenovo Vibe P1

The new Vibe P1 model from Lenovo is perfect for those who are looking for budget smartphone with a good camera and battery. The gadget turned out to be optimally balanced in price and quality. Cameras are one of its main advantages and set this model apart from phones in this price range. The main camera focuses quickly, selects white balance well, is excellent at macro photography, and is used to improve the quality of shooting in low-light conditions. double flash. Video is recorded at maximum Full HD resolution. The front camera is average and will allow you to take good self-portraits.

Other advantages of the model include: record battery, convenient switching to energy-saving mode using a button on the end, excellent high-resolution screen, high performance and stylish metal case.

Acer Liquid E3

Despite the fact that the smartphone has been on the market for almost a year and a half, it does not lose popularity. Still would! For relatively little money, the user receives a reliable productive gadget with an above average camera. Module in use Sony Exmor RS at 13 MP. A similar one is found in smartphones of a higher price category; they, naturally, use different shooting algorithms, but the Acer Liquid E3 also shows good results. Worth mentioning: excellent dynamic range: the sky in the photo will not be one white spot, which is nice. High aperture ratio allows you to take bright photographs in low light conditions.

This inexpensive smartphone has a good front camera, the highlight of which is the use of its own flash, so normal selfies can be taken even in the evening. The rest of the device's capabilities are average: the small battery capacity is not a problem, since the hardware is not the most resource-intensive, and the screen boasts a pixel density exceeding 300 ppi.

ThL T7

There's one more before us an example of a good relationship between a good camera and a powerful battery in a relatively inexpensive smartphone. The ThL company has previously released several excellent devices, but a number of failures have reduced interest in its smartphones, and the T7 is an attempt to rehabilitate itself, and quite a good one at that. The main camera in the smartphone is 13 megapixels with interpolation up to 16 megapixels, but this is not the reason why the gadget was included in our review. It allows you to take fairly high-quality pictures both in sunny weather and in low light thanks to the flash. Night shots will pleasantly surprise the user, as will the level of detail in the images in general. The only negative is the small number of settings in the native application, but you can download any other one.

The 5 MP front camera with interpolation up to 8 MP gives average results. The video quality is high. Among other advantages of the model, it is worth highlighting metal case, a high-capacity battery, presence of a fingerprint scanner and 3 GB of RAM in reserve.

Meizu M3S Mini

Meizu has recently played an important role in the phone market, delighting users with stylish budget devices. Recently the M3S Mini went on sale, an inexpensive smartphone with a good camera and a decent battery. The main camera lens is protected by glassGorilla Glass 3 , equipped double flash with warm and cool glow, so that you get good pictures under any conditions. The camera's performance is worth praising, as the white balance is precisely selected, the dynamic range is wide, and the picture is sharp. Focusing accuracy and speed are excellent. When shooting in low light conditions, the quality drops, but this is the problem with almost all cameras on budget smartphones and more expensive devices.

The front camera takes sharp, good pictures and records video in Full HD format. In general, the smartphone takes excellent video. , with good clear and intelligible sound. Among other advantages of the model metal body, fingerprint scanner, 2.5D-glass, high performance and autonomy, which is complemented by a low price.

Elephone S3

Not a smartphone, but pure admiration! Let's start with the cameras, which can rightfully be called one of the main advantages of the model. The main camera uses module fromSony, the pictures get a nice blur of the background, excellent sharpness, and correct color rendition. Focusing is fast and accurate, and even in low light conditions the camera behaves sanely. The video turns out very good; when shooting in the evening, there is even no noise. The front camera has wide viewing angles, and selfies will turn out sharp.

Other advantages of the device include practically complete absence of frames around the screen, 2.5D glass, excellent display resolution and high pixel density, 3 GB RAM, metal body and Fingerprint's scanner. The result is a productive and inexpensive smartphone with a good camera and all the necessary modern capabilities.

Lenovo S8 A7600

This budget smartphone hides a surprisingly high-quality camera. Some users note that the resulting images can even compete with semi-professional devices. This may be excessive praise, but the device takes pictures really well. Among its other advantages decent performance, powerful speakers and good battery.

Xiaomi Note 3 Pro

The previous model of the Xiaomi Note 3 series received a lot of positive feedback from users, and the updated version claims to be even more successful. Xiaomi Note 3 Pro is an inexpensive smartphone with a fairly good camera and battery. Used module from Samsung and dual-tone flash. Image detail, sharpness, high-level color rendition, wide dynamic range, autofocus works quickly, native application with a lot of flexible settings, and if you download Google Camera, you can shoot video in 4 resolutionK.

Among the advantages of the device it is worth noting Capacious battery, large screen with good resolution, high performance, metal body, premium look and the presence of a fingerprint scanner.

Oukitel U15 Pro

The model came out quite recently and has already received the status one of the most affordable 8-core smartphones with a RAM reserve of 3 GB. Other advantages include a metal body, stylish design, a good battery, a good supply of main memory and, of course, excellent cameras. The pictures will be high-quality and sharp.

Lenovo Vibe X2

The smartphone has become a cheaper analogue of the flagship Lenovo Vibe Z2 Pro. The quality of the images, of course, is inferior to the expensive version, but still remains quite high. There are not many settings here, but it is possible to manually set the white balance and ISO value. By using some software techniques to enhance the photos, they really do come out looking great. Both indoors, during the day and in the evening, the shots turn out to be dreamy! The selfie camera also did not disappoint, and in the end we get an excellent budget smartphone with a good camera and a number of other advantages. The user receives a productive device with an excellent screen, high pixel density and a large supply of main memory. You will only have to put up with the plastic case and the lack of a slot for a memory card.

It should be noted that Sony is a blunder in optimizing smartphones for MediaTek chipsets, so the Xperia M5 has been annoying customers with various “glitches” for a long time; by today’s standards, the Helio X10 processor is slow, and it does not work at its maximum capabilities in the M5. The case heats up with or without reason, autonomy leaves much to be desired. But the proprietary shell is comfortable, the cameras are high-quality, the display is bright and clear, and the prestige of such a smartphone in “glamorous” circles is much higher than that of any Huawei or Xiaomi. Official distributors have gone crazy and are asking a completely ridiculous 25 thousand rubles for the old Sony, but “gray” sellers estimate the Xperia M5 Dual at 15-16 thousand - a completely fair price for such a model.

ZTE Nubia Z11 mini S

ZTE has a luxury division, Nubia, and it, in turn, has the flagship Z11 series, which has a simplified version of the Z11 mini, which recently underwent an update in the house that Jack built. We should pay tribute to the Chinese - the Z11 mini S differs from the Z11 mini radically and only for the better.

A very agile smartphone with a brutal body and red accents. You can’t really find fault with the characteristics: fast Snapdragon 625, 4 GB of RAM, 64 or 128 GB of internal storage. It’s also nice that ZTE (whose “hands are sharpened” more to adjust the audio path than camera algorithms) made a broad gesture and equipped the Z11 mini S with a 22-megapixel rear camera based on the Sony IMX318 sensor. The much more expensive ASUS ZenFone 3 Deluxe and Xiaomi Mi Note 2 are equipped with the same sensor, if you are not aware.

2016 is already coming to an end, which means that most of the flagship presentations of various IT companies have already died down. Apple presented the iPhone 7 and 7 Plus, Samsung presented the long-suffering Galaxy Note 7, LG showed the V20, Meizu presented the Pro 6.

And if new flagships capable of exciting the minds of the public and specialized publications no longer appear, then we can single out leaders in different categories among all the new products of 2016. For example, in cells. Over the past two years, shooting modules have made significant strides forward in color rendition, image quality and smoothness. Therefore, you can try to answer the question: “What is the best camera on a smartphone in 2016?”

TOP 10 best camera phones 2016

The following sections will examine ten smartphones of this and last year, which can rightfully be called flagship camera phones, highlighting their main features and advantages over competitors. The opinion may not coincide with the generally accepted one, because people evaluate the quality of photos and videos. And how many people, so many opinions. So, we present to your attention the top 10 smartphones with the best camera in 2016.

Tenth place

Sony Xperia Z5. Despite the fact that Sony's line of flagship Z smartphones has ceased to exist, last year's flagship Z5 still shows good results in photo and video shooting, producing picture quality that is not much inferior to what 2016 flagships can offer. This can be confirmed by the high ratings of the specialized publication DXOMark. The numbers speak for themselves: auto focusing time is 0.03 seconds, and this is on a 23-megapixel sensor! We can say that the Xperia Z5 is a smartphone with the best camera, albeit in 2015.

Ninth place

Meizu MX5. The MX line, once considered the flagship, has lost this title to the Pro series, and accordingly, the technical equipment has become somewhat worse. Nevertheless, Meizu MX6 with its camera module from Sony model IMX386 with excellent software optimization is still able to produce excellent quality photos and videos in any conditions.

Eighth place

LG G5. An excellent camera has always been a characteristic feature of LG flagships. This happened with the G5, with the only exception that the smartphone was presented quite a long time ago, and its technical equipment was already outdated. But this does not mean that the quality of the shooting has deteriorated. Not at all. In fact, the LG G5 now takes pictures and shoots videos comparable in quality to the work of budget DSLRs. At the same time, we emphasize that many amateur photographers note that the G5 has the best camera on a smartphone. Well, that's their opinion.

Seventh place

Apple iPhone 6S/6S Plus. Even though the Cupertino company has updated the line of its flagship smartphones, the previous generation devices, thanks to excellent optimization and properly selected software, perform at the level of some 2016 flagships. Both the iPhone 6S and 6S Plus are clear evidence of this. Branded iSight cameras always remain relevant for quite a long time, even after the release of a new generation of devices.

Sixth place

Samsung Galaxy Note 5. The flagship of the South Korean company's line of phablets was released somewhat later than the super-successful Galaxy S6, which means it received more modern equipment. Thanks to the main camera of 16 megapixels, the device is capable of recording video in 4K format. It is also worth considering that the camera software allows the user to customize it to suit their needs and requirements. For many, to this day, the Galaxy Note 5 is the smartphone with the best camera.

Fifth place

Huawei Nexus 6P. The latest generation of Nexus smartphones from Google, which were replaced by devices from the Pixel line, greatly pleased users with their characteristics, design, and overall quality. Especially Huawei Nexus 6P. The Chinese have equipped the smartphone with a camera with high photosensitivity and a high-quality 12.3 megapixel matrix. But megapixels aren't everything. Optimization and software of the camera module are of decisive importance. And with all this, the Nexus 6P is flawless. Many Internet users even now ask the question: “Which smartphone has the best camera?” They answer unequivocally: “It’s a Nexus 6P.”

Fourth place

Samsung The latest generation of smartphones from the South Korean company shows shooting quality comparable to semi-professional cameras. Why only fourth place, because many say that this is the smartphone with the best camera? The answer to this question will be given a little later. Suffice it to say that buying just because of the excellent camera will be more than justified. This device combines the qualities of not only an excellent working device, but also a first-class “DSLR”.

Among other things, selfie lovers say that the S7/S7 edge is the smartphone with the best. It’s hard to disagree with this, especially considering that the front module of the Samsung flagship takes pictures and shoots videos of a quality that the main cameras of some do not reach. smartphones.

Third place

Samsung Galaxy Note 7. Despite all the failures that plague the seventh Note, the smartphone is one of the best representatives of the segment in terms of its characteristics. You can verify this by looking at just a couple of photos or videos taken using this device. Their quality, detail and stabilization (for video) will speak for themselves. Although in fact the camera module installed in the Note 7 is not much different from the one equipped with the S7 and S7 edge.

Second place

Apple iPhone 7. Predictable? Still would! Almost every specialized publication considers it its duty to highlight the revolutionary camera of the iPhone 7. And the most interesting thing is that this is quite fair. Tests have shown that the camera of the new iPhone 7 is indeed an order of magnitude higher than all its predecessors: the iPhone 6S, and especially the iPhone SE. But is the quality of pictures and videos on the new generation iPhone so significantly different from Samsung flagships?

"First place": 7 Plus

For a whole year there have been rumors that the Cupertino company will introduce a new flagship with a camera that has never been seen in a smartphone before. The rumors turned out to be true. The best camera on a smartphone is probably installed in the new iPhone. The Plus version of the seventh model takes amazingly realistic shots, the quality level of which is not much lower than that of professional DSLRs.

The most interesting thing is that the last four positions cannot be called stable. For example, the Galaxy Note 7 could easily have taken first place. This smartphone deserves it just as much as the Galaxy S7. The eternal struggle between Samsung and Apple in the smartphone segment has made itself felt here too.

This does not mean that the seventh generation iPhones are bad. No. They are in no way inferior to the seventh generation of flagships from Samsung, just like the Galaxy line, in turn, no worse than the new iPhones. This means that there is no fundamental difference between the flagships of the Cupertino and South Koreans. They can all claim first place. And which one to choose is purely a matter of taste, because the technical characteristics of all four devices are at the highest level.

It turns out that there is no clear answer to the question: “Which smartphone has the best camera (2016)?” No.

OnePlus 3

But this is a much more suitable candidate for the fourth position: the third model of flagship killers - OnePlus 3. Good hardware and A-class camera modules from famous manufacturers allow the Chinese “monster” to create masterpieces that are not only embarrassing to show to friends or acquaintances, It’s perfectly acceptable to print it out, frame it and hang it on the wall.

Huawei P9

What can we say about the 2016 flagship from the largest Chinese smartphone manufacturer? Specialists from the Middle Kingdom, together with engineers from the famous German company Leica, were able to develop a dual camera that, with the proper skills and knowledge in the field of photography and video, can take shots at the level of the new iPhone and Galaxy Note 7. So the third position in the top smartphones with the best cameras can rightfully get Huawei P9. We can say that P9 is a Chinese smartphone with the best camera.

Mid-budget cameforon

The smartphones presented above, although they have excellent characteristics and excellent cameras, are nevertheless unaffordable for some users. And everyone wants to take good pictures and record high-quality videos. It is precisely for such people that there is a middle segment of smartphones.

As surprising as it may be, the most inexpensive smartphone with a good camera is also the brainchild of Samsung. The Galaxy A (2016) line of devices, while relatively cheap (compared to flagships), is equipped with excellent camera modules that shoot in a resolution sufficient for everyday use. A clear example proving this fact is the Galaxy A3 (2016) smartphone.

By the way, it’s not only Samsung that makes excellent camera phones in the mid-price segment. Meizu and Xiaomi also succeeded in this (these companies, in general, succeeded in the entire smartphone market). Meizu M3 Note and MX4 Pro, as well as Xiaomi Mi4c and Mi4i are able to compete with smartphones from the South Korean manufacturer.

Low budget camera phone

However, for some, paying 15-18 thousand rubles for a smartphone that will take good pictures is also an unaffordable waste of money. And for such people there is a budget segment of devices. Their maximum price is 11 thousand rubles.

And the cheapest smartphone with a good camera, according to many netizens, is the ASUS Zenfone 2 Laser ZE500KL. Now it is available for purchase for about ten thousand rubles. And for this money, the user receives devices with a 13-megapixel main camera with a 2.0 aperture and equipped with laser autofocus.

Although an excellent alternative to a smartphone from ASUS could be the Chinese competitor Meizu M3S. Thanks to an excellent 13-megapixel main camera with phase detection autofocus and 2.2 aperture, the device produces good quality pictures and videos for a low-budget smartphone, which is quite enough for posting on Instagram or other everyday purposes.

Chinese camera phone

It is worth noting that smartphones are divided not only by price, but also by country of origin. This is due to the fact that each country has its own characteristics of smartphone production. In America, the emphasis is on strict corporate design and high performance of devices due to software optimization, in China - on high technical equipment.

For example, the best camera on Chinese smartphones is installed in Meizu Pro 6, the company's current flagship. Immediately after the release of the device, many specialized publications around the globe unanimously claimed that this was a smartphone with the best camera. Meizu devices traditionally have excellent shooting modules installed. What can we say about the flagship line. In terms of image quality, the Pro 6 is ahead of its closest competitor, the Xiaomi Mi5.

Although Xiaomi Mi5 can also claim this title. And all thanks to a 16-megapixel camera with excellent optical stabilization, comparable to the iPhone 6S. It allows users to capture all the moments of life in highly detailed frames and widescreen videos with excellent picture quality.

Moreover, Xiaomi Mi5 can be bought at a relatively low price for a flagship - approximately 25,000 rubles, while Meizu Pro 6 costs from 20,000 rubles. Such prices are very rare for flagship smartphones. Especially considering that both companies make high-quality devices.

Huawei's sub-brand, Honor, by the way, also has flagship smartphones equipped with high-level camera modules. An example would be Honor 7. For about the same 20-25 thousand, the user gets an excellent device with a 20 MP main camera that produces amazing photo and video quality, comparable to 2015 devices such as the Sony Xperia Z5, for example, or last year’s flagship killer OnePlus 2.

In fact, a huge number of smartphone models of all price categories with excellent cameras are created and produced in China. True, with “formally” excellent ones. For example, it’s no secret that all UMi or Oppo flagships are equipped with the latest hardware available on the market. Very often, for example, you can see smartphones from Chinese B-class manufacturers with 6 gigabytes of memory and other “features”. In fact, they perform worse than the iPhone 6, which has only 1 gigabyte of RAM. The same problem exists with cameras. It’s paradoxical, but the modules are supplied by Sony, and the result is an average image quality. So Xiaomi and Meizu are one of the few companies, so to speak, “rays of light” that produce a quality product, not mediocrity. Both Lenovo and Huawei can be included in this category. But this is not surprising. This is business. A very profitable business through which huge financial flows pass. And in order to direct these flows into your “pocket”, you need to be somehow different from your competitors. And first of all - the quality of the products or services produced.

Bottom line

Thus, it turns out that in 2016, companies have released a huge number of smartphones with amazing cameras that are capable of creating real masterpieces with just one click on the screen thanks to modern photo and video processing technologies. Naturally, the leading market players - Samsung, Apple and Huawei - have succeeded in this. But smaller companies did not lag behind and proved that they can also create real camera phones in the truest sense of the word. Who knows, perhaps the day is not far off when a small device in your pocket can completely replace people's cameras and cameras. And not only them, but also a personal computer and many other devices, without which it is now impossible to imagine modern human life.

The crisis has brought the budget phone market to the top of the sales charts. A number of manufacturers, such as Lenovo, Meizu, and even Phillips, are increasingly demonstrating that they can confidently hold on to the mobile phone market even with low purchasing power of the audience.

Today, budget devices are called smartphones that are in the price group up to 10,000 rubles. But for less money you can buy a phone with a good camera, a powerful processor, and even in a metal case.

Budget smartphones, unlike flagships, cannot boast of optimal hardware. You have to save on something, but some advantages, on the contrary, are brought to the fore. Some phones have a better camera, others hold a charge better, and others rely on a high-quality screen matrix. We will help you decide on the necessary parameters and buy a device that will meet your needs, but at the same time, save you from having to overpay for extra functionality.

The best budget smartphones with a good camera

The quality of mobile phone photography is affected by 4 factors:

• Matrix.
• Optics.
• ISP core of the processor.
• Software algorithms for processing the finished image.

There are two types of matrices: CMOS and CCD. The first type is most common due to its low cost and good performance. Such matrices are installed in budget phones.

The quality of the matrix, in turn, is affected by 2 indicators: size (camera aperture number) and resolution. The larger the matrix size, the more detailed the picture is. In flagship devices this figure is 1/2.6-1/2.3 inches. In budgetary ones, this figure should be as close as possible to the reference indicator.

Camera resolution affects the size, but not the quality, of the finished photos. Therefore, we will not consider resolution as a key indicator. In order for high-resolution images to be obtained without noise, enough light must fall on the matrix. This is physically difficult to implement on a smartphone. Therefore, 8-12 megapixels is quite enough for a good matrix.

We have selected budget phones whose cameras are not significantly different from flagship devices. And if shooting quality is a key parameter for you in budget phones, then pay attention to these phones first.

3 LG K7 X210DS

Best phone for selfies
A country: South Korea (produced in China)
Average price: 7,465 rub.
Rating (2019): 4.4

As a rule, budget phones rarely become the subject of IT news. But the appearance of the LG K7 did not go unnoticed by critics. This phone was immediately nicknamed the “selfie smartphone.” First of all, due to the software for the front camera. This is the first smartphone to have an analogue flash on the front panel.

Smartphone Features:

• The main camera is 8, and the front one is 5 megapixels.
• "Virtual flash" function. During a selfie, the screen temporarily turns white and the backlight turns to maximum. You can take good selfies even in complete darkness.
• Possibility of shooting with a gesture. The camera catches palm gestures and takes a photo of the user after the conditional movement. There is also a smile detection function.
• There are also many disadvantages: the processor performance in tests is almost 2 times lower than that of the Meizu M3. To ease the load on the graphics chip, the manufacturer sacrificed the display. An 854x480 screen is installed here. There are plenty of phones with HD screens available for the asking price.

2 Xiaomi Redmi Note 5A Prime 32GB

Better front camera resolution. Two flashes
Country: China
Average price: 9,900 rub.
Rating (2019): 4.5

Known for functional, but very inexpensive devices, a popular company from China has created another high-quality smartphone with a fingerprint scanner, a gyroscope, a Hall sensor and a number of equally useful features. At the same time, the budget employee received the best selfie camera, which takes clear high-resolution pictures at 16 megapixels. Users note not only excellent color rendition in front photos, but also slightly better quality than on the main camera, which, however, is among the best in the budget segment. Both cameras are equipped with powerful flashes, so the smartphone is suitable even for night photography and selfies at a party.

The filling is in no way inferior to the functionality and multimedia properties of Xiaomi. 3 GB RAM combined with a powerful eight-core processor ensures fast performance. 32 GB is more than enough for a sea of ​​software. The 3080 mAh battery is designed for 240 hours of standby time.

1 Honor 6A

Manual photography settings
Country: China
Average price: 8,490 rub.
Rating (2019): 4.6

The Chinese brand, which appeared just a few years ago, is rapidly developing, releasing relatively inexpensive flagship smartphones, and more recently, completely budget models. One of the best representatives of the company was Honor 6A in a stylish metal case. It differs from most economy-class phones not only in the presence of a fingerprint scanner and built-in FM radio, but also in its eight-core processor with a maximum clock frequency of up to 1500 MHz for devices under 10,000 rubles. A good battery with a capacity of 3020 mAh guarantees autonomous operation for a whole day.

The main advantage of the model was a good 13 megapixel camera with manual settings that allow it to adapt to the environment. A variety of options helps you take interesting pictures even in everyday situations. The camera is especially good outdoors or in nature. Photos are quite clear even when shooting in moderate motion.

The best budget smartphones with a good battery

The battery potential is measured by the number of milliamp-hours. Many people believe that the higher this indicator, the longer the phone will last, but this is not entirely true. A smartphone with a 5.5-inch display, a powerful processor, a complex graphical shell and a 4000 mAh battery will last less without recharging than its dual-core cousin with a 4.5-inch screen. But there are smartphones in which the indicator of autonomy is brought to the fore. In particular, Lenovo Vibe P1m is positioned as a hybrid of a phone and a PowerBank.

Among budget smartphones, there are quite a lot of models with a capacious battery, because... The increase in autonomy occurs due to an increase in battery capacity and a decrease in the operating frequency of the processor. Flagship smartphones cannot afford this, but budget phones can.

3 ZTE Blade A6 Max

The best inexpensive new product of 2018. On-The-Go technology
Country: China
Average price: 7,697 rub.
Rating (2019): 4.6

A stylish budget smartphone on Android 7.1, released at the beginning of 2018, will definitely appeal to everyone who is looking for an inexpensive device with an excellent price-quality ratio and decent battery life. It is this characteristic that the ZTE brand is famous for, and the newest model continues this good tradition. A 4000 mAh battery is considered an excellent indicator for an economy class. Thanks to it, the smartphone works without recharging for about two days with an average load and up to four days with not too active use. A variety of energy-saving modes will allow the owner of the Blade A6 to independently decide where to save energy.

Moreover, the developer equipped this smartphone with On-The-Go technology, which means the device can function as a Power Bank. It will easily fully charge another phone. You can also connect a joystick, keyboard, computer mouse and other similar gadgets to it.

Nokia 2 Dual sim

Excellent autonomy at a competitive price
A country: Finland (manufactured in China)
Average price: RUB 6,852.
Rating (2019): 4.7

The Finnish smartphone is the most inexpensive device with a truly impressive operating time without searching for a power outlet. The 4100 mAh battery leaves many much more expensive competitors behind. Despite the more than modest cost, Nokia, beloved by many, holds a full charge for two days, and sometimes a little longer.

As befits the brainchild of this famous company, the phone is reliable and has a fairly durable body made of combined materials: metal and plastic. Like most budget solutions, it is not suitable for super demanding games, but for ordinary applications and working with documents. Google's features are especially useful for business people. Thanks to the high-contrast screen with a pixel density of 294 ppi, the smartphone does not tire your eyes and is convenient for both reading and watching movies. Users often cite rich sound and Android 7.1 as advantages. The only drawback was the camera's slow focus.

1 Motorola Moto E4 Plus 16GB

Fast charging function. NFC
A country: USA (manufactured in China)
Average price: 9,990 rub.
Rating (2019): 5.0

An elegant model in a recognizable branded case is by far the leader in the category of the most autonomous smartphones. Although recently a good camera topped the list of advantages of Motorola devices, in this model the manufacturer focused specifically on a large battery. The 5000 mAh battery does not drain for a whole week. Under intense loads, the smartphone will need to be charged no more than once every three days. The fast charging function allows you to completely forget about the tedious wait for the battery to be refilled.

A significant difference between the best standalone device and its analogues was the NFC function, which is practically not found among devices costing less than 10,000 rubles. A fingerprint scanner, 16 GB of memory, 3 GB of RAM and a fast processor also speak in favor of an inexpensive device, comparable in hardware to many worthy mid-class models. The camera takes good pictures, although not the best.

The best budget smartphones: price - quality

Many inexpensive smartphones can be called “successful”. But not all of them become bestsellers. We understand that the issue of customer trust, as well as the combination of optimal device parameters, is very important when selecting a phone. Therefore, in this part of the rating, we highlighted phones that received powerful hardware in an inexpensive case, and at the same time were awarded good ratings from users.

3 Samsung Galaxy J1 (2016) SM-J120F/DS

Best for compactness
A country: South Korea (produced in Vietnam)
Average price: 6,580 rub.
Rating (2019): 4.5

During the general race to increase the display diagonal, Samsung made a bright and bold decision by releasing a phone with a 4.5-inch diagonal. Accordingly, the phone could not become a high-performance device. The main advantages of the updated Galaxy J1 are a capacious battery, a good camera and relatively light weight.

Model characteristics:

• Samsung Exynos 3475 proprietary processor with a clock frequency of 1.3 GHz.
• Supports memory cards up to 128 GB.
• 2050 mAh battery (taking into account the small diagonal of the display and the economical processor, you can ultimately get up to 3 days of active work without recharging).
• 8 MP camera with the ability to shoot video in 1080p.

2 LG K8 K350E

The phone is suitable for those who want to use the device primarily for listening to music, chatting on social networks and instant messengers. This is a fairly simple smartphone, it has low performance in gaming graphics, a weak processor and little RAM. But the K8 works great with two SIM cards, it has a good speaker and a good design.

Device characteristics:

• Processor MediaTek MT6735 4x1.3 GHz. 1 GB of RAM and 16 GB of internal memory. The potential of a good processor is not fully realized due to the small (by 2016 standards) amount of RAM.
• IPS display without air gap with HD resolution. The manufacturer did not equip the phone with automatic brightness adjustment, so in strong lighting conditions you will have to adjust the backlight manually. Its quality can hardly be called good. It goes blind in the light, and at wide viewing angles an inversion of colors is observed.
• The new Android 6.0 Marshmallow operating system is pre-installed, which is not available for most budget smartphones.
• Quite a weak 2045 mAh battery. Operating time without recharging is about a day.

1 Xiaomi Redmi Note 4X 32GB

The best combination of functionality and power. Wide choice of colors
Country: China
Average price: 9,500 rub.
Rating (2019): 4.7

Experts often compare Xiaomi to flagships, and Redmi Note is truly capable of competing with many smartphones costing more than 10,000 rubles for the attention of buyers who are in love with innovation. The presence of a module for recognizing the owner by fingerprint, Bluetooth audio with an A2DP profile, which allows you to transmit stunning stereo sound to a Bluetooth headset or wireless headphones, a compass, a gyroscope and other features make a budget phone an ideal price-quality ratio.

The technical component also leaves no doubt about the success of such an acquisition. The smartphone is very productive thanks to a modern eight-core processor and a good supply of 3 GB of RAM. 32 GB of free space and support for a memory card up to 128 GB are useful for storing a large amount of data and applications. The device also received an impressive 4100 mAh battery, a metal body and a Full HD screen.

The best budget smartphones with a large screen (from 5.5 inches)

Every year, the size of smartphones increases. Phones with a diagonal of 5.5 inches are classified as a separate category of “phablets”. This is a middle link between a phone and a tablet. They are compact enough to be operated with one hand, but their screen diagonal is enough to watch movies or read books comfortably.

3 Alcatel 3C 5026D

Largest diagonal (6 inches). Adequate price
A country: France, USA (manufactured in China)
Average price: 6,590 rub.
Rating (2019): 4.5

The latest development of a popular manufacturer of inexpensive equipment became the best phablet of 2018 in the segment under 10,000 rubles. In addition to the pleasant price, Alcatel pleased connoisseurs of a large diagonal and a bright six-inch display with an aspect ratio of 18 to 9, rare for the category. Until now, such proportions were the prerogative of only flagship phablets. The elongated screen allows you to combine a huge screen with a convenient shape and dimensions that fit in the palm of your hand. Therefore, the width of this six-inch giant does not exceed 76 millimeters.

The smartphone looks impressive thanks to the unobtrusive pattern on the back of the case. At the same time, budget did not prevent him from getting even a finger scanner, which became a laconic design detail. However, there were some minor shortcomings. Not a very good camera is quite predictable for such a price. Despite the presence of two flashes, photos may appear slightly grainy in low light.

2 ASUS ZenFone Go ZB690KG

Largest screen (6.9 inches)
Country: China
Average price: 7,990 rub.
Rating (2019): 4.5

Although the phone is equipped with a record-breakingly large display, its hardware is not very serious. Presenting the smartphone, ASUS positioned it as an inexpensive solution for convenient work with social networks and multimedia. It has a simple quad-core Snapdragon 200 processor from Qualcomm, clocked at 1.2 GHz. But the choice in favor of the stable Qualcomm, instead of the powerful and cheap MediaTek, also suggests that the company wanted to make, first of all, a reliable device for comfortable work.

Phablet features:

• Adreno 302 video adapter. Allows you to run high-definition videos and simple games from PlayMarket.
• 2 cameras: 8 and 2 megapixels.
• Supplied in white and gray housing.
• ASUS ZenUI 3.0 proprietary shell.
• There are quite a lot of disadvantages: in addition to the weak filling, the phablet has a bad screen. Meizu M2 Note with a diagonal of 5.5 inches has a resolution of 1920x1080, while this phablet, with a larger diagonal, has a screen comparable to tablets of 2011, namely 600x1024 pixels. The picture looks grainy and not modern. In addition, there is only 1 GB of RAM on board, which has a bad effect on multitasking. And the weak battery for a device with such a large display (3480 mAh) will not allow you to enjoy social networks for a long time away from a power outlet.

1 Meizu M2 Note 16Gb

Popular model
Country: China
Average price: 9,990 rub.
Rating (2019): 4.6

Externally, the phone resembles an enlarged iPhone 5C. In terms of hardware, it is significantly ahead of it. The phone has a large 5.5-inch screen with FullHD resolution and anti-glare coating. Since phablets evaluate primarily the display, the manufacturer equipped the device with a high-quality matrix from Sharp. The screen does not distort colors even at the maximum viewing angle.

Device Features:

• High-performance 13 MP camera with F2.2 aperture, infrared filter and 5 lenses. Flash with two indicators, for cold and warm light.
• Powerful 64-bit MediaTek chip – MT6753. 8 cores at 1.5 GHz. The eight-core Mali-T720 graphics chip allows you to get the most out of your games.
• The downside is that the 3100 mAh battery is relatively weak for such a device.

The best budget smartphones with water resistance

Water resistance is an extremely rare phenomenon for devices costing no more than 10,000 rubles. Nevertheless, the resistance of a smartphone to water often literally determines its fate. Many of us have more than once had to think about whether to answer a call in the rain, whether to take a mobile phone to the beach or to the pool, or even to the table. After all, one careless movement and spilled tea will cause the screen to fade forever. If there are children in the family, then the device dear to the heart can even become a boat or a submarine in an instant.

All this is destructive for ordinary smartphones, but not for representatives of this category. Their housing is sealed enough so that if a small amount of water gets in, the liquid will not penetrate the contacts and important components of the device. Of course, inexpensive devices are protected from only a small amount of water, so using them for diving is not recommended. However, they are not afraid of rain or spilled drinks or even falling into a puddle.

3 Blackview BV7000 Pro

Best size of RAM and internal memory
Country: China
Average price: 10,500 rub.
Rating (2019): 4.0

The TOP of the best budget devices with moisture protection is opened by the most popular model among men, the well-known Blackview. The design can truly be called masculine and respectable, strict but elegant. This smartphone is a reasonable compromise between security and functionality, cost and capabilities.

It, like most analogues, is not recommended to be immersed in a pool. However, such trivial accidents as splashing or dropping the phone into a small amount of liquid will not be fatal. At the same time, the power of an eight-core processor, 4 GB of RAM, 64 GB of user-accessible space and some innovative features make the Pro one of the most profitable low-cost solutions, considering its cost. The quality of the Full HD screen with a density of 441 pixels per inch is also excellent. However, according to numerous reviews, the battery life and camera of the model are quite average.

2 BQ BQ-5003L Shark Pro

Durable shockproof housing
A country: Russia (manufactured in China)
Average price: 8,490 rub.
Rating (2019): 4.6

No one is immune from your smartphone slipping out of your hand, but the waterproof and shockproof Shark Pro will help you not to think about it. Designed specifically for active people who do not want to buy a new phone after every rainstorm, the device is protected from moisture and even jets of water according to the IP65 standard. It will withstand even the favorite children's pastime - a water pistol - with honor, because it doesn't mind a direct hit of water.

Reliable protection is successfully combined with another important property. A good 8 MP selfie camera with flash will delight those who have always dreamed of taking a selfie in the pool or even underwater. The main camera with the same resolution guarantees decent pictures even in the dark. After all, it is equipped not only with a good matrix, but also with a powerful dual flash. Also, the new smartphone of 2018 is notable for its 4G support and the sophisticated Android 7 operating system.

1 DOOGEE S30

Buyer's Choice Winner. Capacious battery
Country: China
Average price: 8,270 rub.
Rating (2019): 4.7

The best representative of this small class, according to many users, is worthy of being considered an inexpensive but durable “Chinese” with an optimal diagonal of 5 inches. The smartphone is so well sealed that it can even withstand complete immersion in a bath for a short time. Although the device is not shock-resistant, it does not break when dropped to the floor from a height of half a meter, and does not get scratched. The beveled corners not only look stylish, but also protect the device from chips and allow you to hold it comfortably in your hand.

Also, the outstanding features of the budget phone include a battery capacity of over 5000 mAh. The autonomous device will be an excellent companion for a hiker or traveler. After all, he does not need to find a power source for up to three days. At the same time, the smartphone supports fast charging and recognizes the owner by finger scan. The dual camera with a resolution of 8 megapixels takes small but fairly clear photos.

Taking photographs has long been one of the main functions of a smartphone. Therefore, it is not surprising that many users, when buying a new smartphone, are looking for a model with a good camera. In particular, many are interested in a budget smartphone with a good camera, and we decided to devote this article to this problem. Unfortunately, in 2017, finding a smartphone with a good camera in a frankly budget segment is almost impossible. Therefore, for this article we have chosen a price range of 8 thousand rubles.

The Chinese company Xiaomi has long held a strong position in the budget smartphone market. It has a fairly wide range of smartphones in which everyone can find a model to suit their needs. There are also smartphones with a good camera in this line. The most budget model is Xiaomi Redmi 3.

Xiaomi Redmi 3 received a 13 megapixel camera with F/2 aperture. Some sources indicate that this camera is based on a sensor from Samsung, but there is no official information.

The technical specifications of the Xiaomi Redmi 3 are quite good for a budget smartphone in this price range. It uses a 5-inch screen with a resolution of 1280×720 and a pixel density of 294 ppi, an eight-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 616 processor with an Adreno 405 graphics accelerator, 2 gigabytes of RAM, 16 gigabytes of internal memory with expandability, and a 4100 mAh battery.

Price at the time of writing: from 8,490 rubles.

ASUS has not yet gained much popularity in the smartphone market. Nevertheless, it has interesting models, especially among budget smartphones. One such model is Zenfone 2 Laser.

This smartphone has a fairly good camera with a resolution of 13 megapixels. The main feature of this camera is laser autofocus, which is usually found only in flagship smartphones. In addition, the camera is equipped with a dual LED flash, which allows for powerful illumination when photographing in low light conditions.

Otherwise, ASUS Zenfone 2 Laser has characteristics typical of smartphones from the mid-price range. It uses a 5-inch screen with a resolution of 1280×720 and a pixel density of 294 ppi, a quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 410 processor with an Adreno 306 graphics accelerator and a clock frequency of 1.2 GHz, 2 gigabytes of RAM, and a 2400 mAh battery.

Price at the time of writing: from 10,770 rubles.

If you need a budget smartphone with a good selfie camera, then you should pay attention to another smartphone from ASUS, namely the ASUS ZenFone Selfie model. This smartphone is a little more expensive, but in addition to a good camera on the back of the device, it also has a good selfie camera.

The selfie camera resolution is as much as 13 megapixels, and its viewing angle is 140 degrees. In addition, there is also a dual flash to illuminate your selfies in low-light conditions.

The rest of the specifications of the ZenFone Selfie are also slightly superior to the Zenfone 2 Laser. It uses a 5.5-inch screen with a resolution of 1920×1080 and a pixel density of 401 ppi, an eight-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 615 processor with an Adreno 405 graphics accelerator and a clock frequency of 1.7 GHz, 2 gigabytes of RAM, 16 gigabytes of internal memory with expandability, and 3000 mAh battery.

Price at the time of writing: from 16,080 rubles.

Lenovo Vibe Shot is a relatively budget smartphone with a good camera from Lenovo. This model received a high-quality camera with a resolution of 16 megapixels, as well as a number of additional photo features. For example, the Vibe Shot camera received optical stabilization, six-component optics with improved clarity, and a triple LED flash. The maximum photo resolution produced by this camera is: 4000 x 3000 pixels in 4:3 mode and 5328 x 2997 pixels in 16:9 mode. It should also be noted that this smartphone also has a good front camera. The front camera resolution is 8 megapixels, which is quite a lot, even by 2016 standards.

The remaining technical characteristics of the Lenovo Vibe Shot are at an average level. This model received a 5-inch screen with FullHD resolution, an eight-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 615 processor with an Adreno 405 graphics accelerator, as well as as many as 3 gigabytes of RAM and a 2900 mAh battery.

Price at the time of writing: from 12,990 rubles.