Best Budget Smartphones October 2022 (Grey Market)

Technological progress and the high exchange rate of the ruble slightly overlap what is happening around the world. At least,

in mobile phones.Now a normal smartphone with 4/64 GB and NFC can be bought for only 8 thousand rubles. And with a higher budget, you can already aim at “secret and made especially for the Chinese” models with a powerful processor. Or with record autonomy. Or buy devices with a good camera for 15-16 thousand, which in 2021 were sold for 28-30 thousand. There are few reasons to rejoice and it is difficult to plan anything for the future, but with budget smartphones things are now going very well. Discuss

What is "white" and "gray" retail
The best smartphones among the cheapest
A complete budget smartphone for everything
The best smartphone in terms of autonomy in the average body size
Mid-range smartphone at a budget price
If you just hate everything Chinese

I perfectly understand those who opened this article,to write in the comments: “What the fuck are smartphones? Have you seen what is happening in the country?! Wouldn't you like to talk about it?!" Well, firstly, we also talk about this, as far as the “technical” theme of the site and other Roskomnadzors allow it - Pavel Voronov writes articles on military topics for you every week. That's where you talk about sore, and here we'll talk about smartphones.

And secondly, we are read not only by the worriedmobilization of men, but also women, who also, surprise, use smartphones. Not to mention people who study articles from countries outside the Russian Federation. These people don’t really need links in rubles, but it turns out that it’s quite even to understand what cheap smartphones are worth buying. On this whining ends and get down to business.

If you are tired of reading mountains of text, rewind immediately to the plates with descriptions and prices. I warned you

What is "white" and "gray" retail

Previously, I would answer this question like this:

"White" (official) retail— stores where smartphones are supplied throughofficial Russian representative offices of manufacturers. With all sorts of Russian-language stickers on the packaging, a guarantee in the official service centers of the manufacturer (Xiaomi, Samsung, Apple, etc.) throughout the country. As a rule, they are sold either on the official websites of smartphone manufacturers themselves, or in large retail chains (Svyaznoy, DNS, Citylink and others).

Briefly about the official retail

"Gray" retail or, as it is also called, "transgrand" (crossborder)- this is when smartphones are imported into a country withoutcooperation agreements with the Russian (and foreign) representative office of the manufacturer. IP Ivanov went to China and brought back packaging with sealed smartphones in boxes in a suitcase, and then sold it on his website or in a stall? This is “gray” retail. You ordered a smartphone on AliExpress - and this is also “gray” retail. This does not mean that the smartphone is somehow “illegal” or illegal - simply that repairs, in the event of a breakdown, are not carried out by the representative office of Samsung, Xiaomi, Apple, etc., but by the store and its “court” service center. Well, no one can guarantee you that the charger will fit a Russian and not a Chinese plug. But this can be solved with adapters.

Briefly about gray retail

In the first case, prices are higher because the same DNSwith its point of sale in the village of Kukuyevo pays salaries to employees, rent, electricity, import duties, etc. And it often turns out to be expensive, because smartphone manufacturers set official prices (all the news “A smartphone is officially presented in Russia ...” is just about that), below which sellers are prohibited from trading. Otherwise, manufacturers will take away the license to sell their smartphones from the chain of stores.

Another thing is that the same Samsung is now in RussiaI stood up in a pose and was like this: “I’m not going to sell anything in this Russia of yours!”. And the merchants took it - and began to import phones through Kazakhstan. Moreover, unofficially imported Samsungs are now traded by the same M.Video, Svyaznoy, DNS and others. Because official in such conditions for the Russian Federation does not exist.

The best smartphones among the cheapest

Tecno Spark 8CorRealme C31

New smartphone manufacturers (Tecno, Infinix,iTel, Wiko, etc.) against the background of the already “quality-tested factory China” (Xiaomi, Realme, Huawei, Honor, Oppo, vivo, OnePlus) - like Chinese Haval and Geely crossovers against the background of Hyundai and Kia. It seems to be the same according to all the rating plates and even by eye, but if you touch it closely and ride it, it’s a bit different. But you can take it, because it’s not so “not right” to disdain and hate, the difference is in the nuances.

Tecno Spark 8C

And, as with cars, the lower the price, the better.more than anyone cares about these very nuances. You can tryndet that "taxiing is not so sharp, the rolls are stronger" about a crossover for 5 million rubles, but, relatively speaking, those who choose between Renault Logan and Lada Granta do not care about such trifles - there would be reliability and spaciousness in okay. And people who are not confused by cars will not feel many nuances.

This I mean that if the budget is up to 10 thousandrubles, exclude smartphones that are already bad on paper (2 GB of RAM, low-power processors, small batteries, etc.) and choose between the rest - the difference between them is less than between Logan and Granta.

Therefore, I repeat, very often Tecno does notthey reach Realme, Xiaomi or Samsung - in smartphones from 10 to 20 thousand rubles, if we recommend it for purchase, then with a number of reservations. But the Tecno Spark 8C, whose prices start at 7 thousand rubles, is, without any reservations, a well-woven budget smartphone.

Tecno Spark 8C

The battery is a hefty, full-fledged 5000 mAh.The processor is good, as for this price: 1.7 times faster than Xiaomi Redmi 10A, which is sold at the same price. Cameras in all smartphones up to 10 thousand in quality are “so-so”, there is not much difference.

Not to mention that Xiaomi for the same moneyoffers 2/32 GB of memory (to hell with them, with 32 GB, but 2 GB of RAM = receiving messages in WhatsApp and Telegram will constantly “fall off”). And does not offer a fingerprint scanner, but Tecno has it. And it does not offer NFC (and Tecno has it).

There are, of course, "the same, but Realme" - RealmeC21Y. Symbolically a little faster, with a more “heavy”, but also functional Android 11 instead of Android 11 Go. For the price, it's worth picking it up. But even on AliExpress it is rare and costs at least 9 thousand rubles (for 4/64 GB). And in the close-priced Realme C30 there is no fingerprint scanner, no NFC and the processor is “strangled” (although it is the same on paper). And Samsung for 8-10 thousand is generally hopeless trash ... in general, you understand.

Realme C31

But Realme C31 is just “the same, butfrom a thoroughbred producer. It's almost the same in all respects - the processor is almost the same, the battery life is the same, the camera is also not very different in quality, even the dimensions are as close as possible (although Tecno is a little thicker). The only difference is that the screen in Realme C31 is slightly brighter. But ... for this you need to pay 2-3 thousand rubles. Whether you need it is up to you.

How much areTecno Spark 8C - 7-9 thousand rubles (4/64 GB)Realme C31 - 9-10 thousand rubles (4/64 GB)What are goodFast (including the price) processor Lots of memory Long battery life There is a fingerprint scanner There is NFC Even games are more or less slowThan badThe camera is shitty (like all smartphones at this price) Tecno has so-so screen brightness (Realme C31 and other competitors have better)All the detailsTecno Spark 8C SpecsRealme C31 SpecsWhere can you buy inexpensively (at the time of publication)Tecno - Pleer.ru - 7500 rublesTecno - Sotino - 7700 rublesTecno - Ozon - 8500 rublesRealme - AliExpress Marvel - 8700 rublesRealme - Quke - 9200 rublesRealme - Kotofoto - 9300 rubles

A complete budget smartphone for everything

Xiaomi Redmi Note 11EorXiaomi Redmi 10C

Fuck what a variety - the choice between Xiaomi andXiaomi. But, it just so happened that in the transitional price budget between “works more or less normally - and thank God” (up to 10 thousand rubles) and “practically a middle-class smartphone!” (16 thousand rubles and more) Realme has almost no outstanding smartphones to advise them instead of all the others. More precisely, there is one, but for specific requests, and read about it below.

In the meantime, let's focus on two smartphones thatBy their existence, they justify the reputation of Xiaomi - a manufacturer that has already become a little insolent with the deterioration of the characteristics of new smartphones compared to the old ones and is carried away by riveting the manufacturer's cloned Redmi-Poco smartphones and price records for flagship mobile phones (11 Ultra, 12S Ultra and others).

Xiaomi Redmi Note 11E

But you look at these two models and you understand thatXiaomi is still aware of its mission - these two smartphones are just woven according to the principle "we have stuffed the maximum possible characteristics for this price, especially in terms of processor power."

Only the purpose and "registration" of these twosmartphones are slightly different. Xiaomi Redmi Note 11E is a special smartphone that Xiaomi Chinese created for Chinese buyers. Outside of China, it is not officially sold (but traders on AliExpress do not care - they will send you one without any problems).

Its essence is that DImensity is installed in it700 is the fastest possible processor that only happens in smartphones for 11-12 thousand rubles. Roughly speaking, the processor speed here is almost the same as in the Samsung Galaxy A53 5G, a smartphone that costs twice as much (25+ thousand rubles). And the rest of the Chinese smartphones for 10-12 thousand were not close by in terms of speed.

Moreover, here, unlike mostcompetitors, good clarity Full HD+ display (2408×1080) - most often at this price you will get something like 1650×720 with the same diagonal.

A standard 5000 mAh battery, 128 GB of memory, and even a 50 megapixel camera are not inferior to competitors in any of the main characteristics.

What's the catch then? Well, there are several...

Firstly, as I said, this is a smartphone forChinese. There is a Russian language in it (no one specifically cuts out foreign languages in Chinese smartphones), but Google Play was not initially installed. But it doesn't matter - the Chinese will flash Google services for you and everything will work. The firmware will not be updated, well, to hell with it, because Android 11 will last you 4-5 more years.

The problem is different - to install Google Play,Chinese sellers will flash the firmware from a smartphone with a different name (“unlock the bootloader”, as the nerds say). Therefore, your Sberbank Online or other banking applications may start to show off and say “you have some strange firmware, we are not going to take responsibility for the leakage of your money in which case, so dosvidos” and refuse to start.

Xiaomi Redmi 10C

And there is no NFC (in China they do not use it).You will still be able to pay for beer at the checkout via QR codes (SBP) at Red and White or Pyaterochka, but there may not be payment via QR in stores of other chains.

And finally, of the three 4G bands (or as they are calledin English, Band) only two work in this smartphone in the Russian Federation. Nonsense, in general, if you rarely leave the city, but in summer cottages and on country roads, the Internet will jump from 4G to 3G more often than in smartphones with three LTE bands.

If you have already begun to sigh in the style of “Well, then why is it needed at all?”, then you are in vain - thisveryfast smartphone.The only one with a normal reserve of power for the future in a budget of up to 12 thousand. It’s just that it’s more for game lovers or those who like to “cram all the apps that might be useful in life,” and not for those who care about paying for goods from a smartphone or, say, the brightness of the screen on the street. Did you want “powerful cheap Xiaomi, like in the old days”? Well, don't whine - you got it

And if you still started to whine and you can’tstop, take better Xiaomi Redmi 10C. This mobile phone is just for those who looked at Redmi Note 11E and admired its power, but the thought of searching for “repacks” of banking applications and life without Mir Pay somehow makes me sick and I don’t want to mess with it.

Xiaomi Redmi 10C

So - in Redmi 10C there are no such problems at all!Yes, this is a smartphone in a case made of beautiful in color, but cheap plastic, like the sockets in your country house. But other than that - just great! Also a very powerful processor: yes, Redmi Note 11E a little bit (by 7%, by the way). But the best of the other smartphones for 10-12 thousand rubles - Realme C35, for example, is 20% slower. And this is also “the best of the rest” - the fastest Samsung for 12 thousand, Galaxy A13 4G, will be 1.6 times (!) Slower. That is, in general, a “vegetable” in which, when switching from WhatsApp to SMS, you will have to wait a second or two. And while it will have 64 GB of memory instead of 128 GB, like Xiaomi.

At the same time, in Redmi 10C, unlike its morepowerful Chinese brother Note 11E, there are no catches, except for the cheapness of case materials. All the same 5000 mAh, 50 MP camera, while there is NFC, 4G fully catches the signal. Yes, the display is HD+, not Full HD+. But, firstly, almost everyone has such displays in smartphones for 10-12 thousand (and those who have FHD + have 64 GB instead of 128 GB). And secondly, this display in Redmi 10C is very bright. So if, according to the precepts of Gazmanov, you leave clear days for yourself, then it’s better to let it be less clear, but bright, than vice versa.

Good smartphone, must take.

How much areXiaomi Redmi Note 11E - 11-12 thousand rubles (4/128 GB)Xiaomi Redmi 10C - 10-12 thousand rubles (4/128 GB)What are goodProcessors like in mid-range smartphones - everything“flies” Solid 128 GB of memory, microSD slot (Redmi 10С also has a triple one, so as not to interfere with two SIMs) Excellent autonomy Normal in terms of camera quality High screen definition (Redmi Note 11E)Than badHomemade firmware, there may be problems with banking applications (Redmi Note 11E) No NFC (Redmi Note 11E) Slippery cheap plastic case (Redmi 10C)All the detailsSpecifications of Xiaomi Redmi Note 11E Specifications of Xiaomi Redmi 10CWhere can you buy inexpensively (at the time of publication)Note 11E - AliExpress Shiteng - 10800 rublesNote11E - AliExpress Xiaomi Live Store - 11200 rubles Note 11E - AliExpress YouGeek - 11300 rubles Redmi 10C - AliExpress TopMi - 10500 rubles Redmi 10C - AliExpress Fantacy - 10500 rubles

The best smartphone in terms of autonomy in the average body size

Realme C25S

When I said a little higher that Realme has smartphones from 10 to 15 thousand rubles - mostly “neither fish nor fowl” class models, but there is one exception - I was talking about Realme C25S.

At first glance - some kind of stupid mobile phone.Prices for it start where they end on Redmi 10C or Redmi Note 11E, while there is neither a Full HD + display, nor a powerful processor (Xiaomi is 20-27% faster), and a 48 MP camera instead of 50 MP. Sadly? No matter how!

Realme C25S

First, the main thing is that Realme C25S has a batterycapacity 6000 mAh. This is not a record, but Xiaomi does not have a single modern smartphone (the discontinued Poco M3 and Redmi 9T do not count) even in this class. And even if you take them into account, they, with their same 6000 mAh, are discharged earlier, and the display in them is lousy in brightness.

In Realme C25S, although not"solid-respectable" Full HD +, but bright and with the correct color reproduction, as befits high-quality smartphones, the display. Tecno has a traditional "new Chinese" problem with a cold (bluish) white color - if you have ever seen long fluorescent lamps in garages or operating rooms with a characteristic cold light, you know what I mean.

The second thing I never cease to freak out is the degree"licking" of the system, that is, optimization. In some amazing way, this Realme with 6000 mAh lasts longer than Tecno Pova 3 and Tecno Pova Neo 2. But these Tecnos have 7000 mAh!

This is partly because the Realme C25Sthe display of sane dimensions - 6.52 ”cannot be called a small diagonal, but Tecno Pova Neo 2 has a diagonal of 6.82”, and Pova 3 has 6.9”! And while Tecno puts 90 Hz displays, while Realme is limited to 60 Hz. Again, Tecno smartphones look cooler and more expensive, and Pova 3, at its price of 15 thousand rubles, also offers higher picture clarity (FHD + instead of HD +, like Realme). And charging is faster (25 W vs. 18 W), and stereo speakers instead of playing YouTube only one speakerphone from the C25S.

Realme C25S

But at the same time, Tecno are huge, noticeably heavier, andthe cameras in them are worse - even in well-tuned budget smartphones, 50 megapixel cameras (in 99% of the cases, these are cameras on the Samsung S5KJN1 sensor) are worse than 48 megapixel cameras on Sony IMX586 and Samsung S5KGM2 sensors. I’m too lazy to describe here now why - Denis Rusakov in the review of the Wiko smartphone with an ancient 48 megapixel spoke in detail about this, you can read the educational program on cameras here.

And for us now it is important that sinceSamsung decided to roll the Galaxy M series of smartphones into the trash and stopped producing budget models with AMOLED and 6000 mAh (remember the cool Galaxy M21 and M31?), only Tecno of the Pova series and this Realme remained from inexpensive hardy smartphones. And C25S, if you do not chase after a beautiful body and gaming functions (90 Hz in the display, stereo speakers), as a smartphone for everyday life will be more practical. You will not find a better smartphone with the same battery life even for 30 thousand rubles.

How much is12-15 thousand rubles (4/128 GB)What is goodThe best battery life smartphone in 2022.Only the Samsung Galaxy M62 is cooler, but it costs 38 thousand and is a rarity Screen with normal brightness and color reproduction (unlike competitors) The camera is better than competitors with 50 MP at the same price Compact (as for a smartphone with 6000 mAh) dimensionsWhat is badIt is difficult to find modifications with 128 GB for sale (but Ifound) - mostly 64 GB left Processor “for change” - at this price, other smartphones are 1.5 times faster Does not “ring” The case looks like a deshman “soap box” in comparison with other hardy smartphonesAll the detailsDetailed review of Realme C25SWhere can you buy inexpensively (at the time of publication)Ozon Realme Store - 12000 rublesAliExpress Marvel - 12100 rublesPlayer.ru - 11900 rublesPlayBack - 11900 rublesQuke - 12500 rublesOzon Techprom - 13000 rubles

Mid-range smartphone at a budget price

Xiaomi Redmi Note 10 ProorRealme 9 4G

Too much show off in the subtitle, I agree -many will say that 16-17 thousand rubles is no longer a budget, but already a middle-class smartphone to the fullest. But it's just that you haven't checked prices for mobile phones for a long time. For example, an average (even slightly below average, if measured by all Samsungs produced) Galaxy A52 128 GB costs 25 thousand rubles. Xiaomi Redmi Note 11 Pro + 128 GB also costs 24 thousand rubles.

And what, you will now pour me what thesesmartphones for 20-30 thousand rubles "almost flagships"? Yes, they don’t have anything from the “executive class” - the cameras are average, the processors are a little better than the budget ones, some kind of water protection, optical zooms (zooming through the camera without losing quality) either. Well, they pushed the chargers fast - good, but these are the same middle-class smartphones, and these are the prices of "gray" retail. And officially Xiaomi asks for at least 31 thousand rubles for Redmi Note 11 Pro (not even Pro +). That is, they added another 13 thousand from the aliexpress price (18 thousand rubles) - and buy it, Ivan. Yes, thank you, tell me that you, the sanctions, at least in this form, China brings goods.

Xiaomi Redmi Note 10 Pro

In short, we will not argue further that 15-17 thousandIs it more or less budget friendly? Even taking into account the fact that you and I have not grown rich even once in recent months. It is much more important that for these 15-17 thousand rubles you can still grab almost the same thing that is sold in official retail for 31 thousand.

Once upon a time there was Xiaomi, who has for the seriesRedmi Note Pro mid-range smartphones have a glorious tradition - every few years to release a breakthrough model that is radically cooler than its competitors, and then fool around for another year or two while competitors try to catch up with Xiaomi on the technical side.

Smartphone fanatics remember that this is sohappened more than once (Redmi Note 5 was a breakthrough, Redmi Note 6 Pro was a hack, Redmi Note 8 sucks, but Note 8 Pro is a breakthrough, Redmi Note 9 Pro is a hack, Redmi Note 10 Pro (and not Pro) is a breakthrough, Redmi Note 11 and Note 11 Pro - hack).

And now in 2021, in the midst of the Xiaomi coronavirusreleased Redmi Note 10 Pro - a very cool smartphone, which at that time with its 108 megapixel camera, an AMOLED display “like good expensive Samsungs”, fast charging and a good thoroughbred Snapdragon 732G mid-range processor “banged” all competitors at the time of release. And the next day, Realme 8 Pro came out with almost the same specs and almost the same price... But Realme 8 Pro ended up on sale earlier, so we're not talking about it now.

Xiaomi Redmi Note 10 Pro

Asked for this Redmi Note 10 Pro (128GB) insideChina from 17 to 19 thousand rubles (translated from yuan). But traders on Ali laid down their margin, so these smartphones were sent to Russia for 21-23 thousand from China. The official representative office of Xiaomi in the Russian Federation asked for even more - 29 thousand rubles.

A year has passed.Xiaomi has launched the Redmi Note 11 Pro and Redmi Note 11 Pro+ series. If we compare Redmi Note 10 Pro and Note 11 Pro, then the screen was left old, the cameras were left old, and the processor was made new. As much as 7% faster. At the same time, the old cameras from the Note 10 Pro began to shoot less efficiently - either the Snapdragon 695 is more flawed in working with cameras than the Snapdragon 732G, or Xiaomi's hands are crooked and "yes, it will do."

And the Redmi Note 11 Pro + already had a processor ... well,already somehow faster (+15% compared to Note 10 Pro), and the main difference from the old smartphone in it was super-fast charging - from 0% to 100% in 42 minutes. After 1 hour 20 minutes on the Note 10 Pro for the same procedure, this is really a breakthrough.

But everything else is bullshit. It’s another matter that hell, some of the corrupt reviewers admit this in their texts, so all buyers run after the “new” Xiaomi and do not run after the “old”.

Xiaomi Redmi Note 10 Pro

And it only plays into our hands - for now, for Redmi Note 11Pro break 20-23 thousand rubles, and for Note 11 Pro + - 23-26 thousand rubles even on AliExpress, the same in terms of cameras, autonomy, screen and almost the same in terms of the Redmi Note 10 Pro processor are sold for ... 15-17 thousand! Gotta take it!

Why take? Why take?Well, mainly because from 2021 to 2022, mid-range smartphones have not changed much, so Redmi Note 10 is not only not outdated - in terms of the sum of the “screen + cameras + processor + autonomy” disciplines, it is cooler than any smartphones costing up to 17 thousand inclusive.

Minuses?Only one - proximity sensors often work badly. This is a long-standing Xiaomi problem - when you call, when you bring the smartphone to your ear, in some instances of Redmi Note 10 Pro, the sensor does not understand that you have brought it to your head and does not turn off the screen. Therefore, you have a non-zero probability of pressing the “End call” button with your cheek. Well, or train yourself to press the power key to turn off the screen during a call manually.

On some smartphones, this "glitch" is, onsome - no, but those who once bought Note 10 Pro for 30 thousand wished Xiaomi evil and misfortune. And the rest bought Realme 8 Pro, which had “the same thing”, but without problems with sensors.

Realme 9

And now only Redmi Note 10 is on salePro, and if I were you, I would take it even despite this proprietary sensor bug - anyway, this smartphone feels like a higher-class device compared to almost all competing rattles.

Is there an option "without all this,problematic"? There is - this is Realme 9 4G (more precisely, "just Realme 9", but now a version of Realme 9 5G has been released, which is worse, so don't mix it up). But he is a “teaspoon” behind last year's Xiaomi:

Camera - like the same 108 megapixels, but the recording qualitythe video above is on Xiaomi Redmi Note 10 Pro. Yes, and according to the photo of any buildings / monuments, Xiaomi is a little better - color reproduction and noise reduction work more accurately. But Realme is better at photographing close-ups (faces of people and animals) and the selfie camera often shoots better in Realme
The processor is also slightly faster in Xiaomi
The screen is slightly brighter in the limit on Xiaomi
But autonomy is better in Realme
In terms of stereo speakers and charging speed - about the same

Realme 9

In general, Xiaomi's pros are balanced by its crap proximity sensor glitch, so smartphones are more or less equal, you can choose any of them - you won't regret it.

How much are16-18 thousand rubles (4/128 GB, 6/128, 8/128)What are goodThe perfect balance of autonomy, speed,screen and cameras Clear and bright AMOLED displays, like on more expensive smartphones Good (taking into account the price) photo and video quality both day and night Long battery lifeWhat is bad50% chance of getting a "stupid" proximity sensor (Xiaomi Redmi Note 10 Pro) No video shooting in 4K and 1080 at 60 fps (Realme 9)All the detailsDetailed review of Xiaomi Redmi Note 10 ProRealme 9 specsWhere can you buy inexpensively (at the time of publication)Redmi Note 10 Pro - Quke.ru — 16500 rublesRedmi Note 10 Pro — AliExpress Mi Store — 16000 rublesRedmi Note 10 Pro — AliExpress C1 Global — 16000 rublesRedmi Note 10 Pro — Mobicom — 16200 rublesRealme 9 — AliExpress Narzo Store — 16500 rublesRealme 9 — AliExpress Realme Globals — 16700 rublesRealme 9 — AliExpress RTDC - 17100 rubles Realme 9 - AliExpress Realme Authorized - 17400 rubles

If you just hate everything Chinese

Samsung Galaxy A33 5G

Above in the list you have already seen a lotsmartphones. I try to pick 5 pieces, each for a different budget, but due to reservations and “if this one doesn’t suit you, then ...” I have already listed 7 models. And even in the last paragraph, he agreed that “16-18 thousand” is not budget-friendly. But here Samsung put it at the end of the list, which costs 18 to 20 thousand (and this is only the beginning of the “gray” retail for it).

Samsung Galaxy A33 5G

What for?Well, to be frank, after Redmi Note 10 Pro, which costs 16 thousand, this Gnusmas for 18-20 thousand will not impress you with almost anything, although it is more expensive - I would probably not overpay. But we live in a country of iPhoneism that has won communism, those who like to pay extra for “but the manufacturer is respected, and not these Chinese of yours!” always full. Let there be an option for them.

And after the previous listed modelsto shove some intermediate option between them (and then there were only options “costs the same, but worse”) - no one needs it at all. It’s better to slap an excessively expensive, but somewhat different model from all the others “on the road”.

How this Samsung differs from others in priceChinese cell phones? The camera, first of all. After Xiaomi and Realme began to "squeeze" customers from Samsung, the Koreans had to step on the throat of their greed and improve the camera even in the not-so-expensive Galaxy A33 with optical stabilization. From the link in the previous sentence you can read what it is and why you need it, but in short - such a mechanical thing that allows you to clearly shoot on the go, reduces shaking in videos and allows you to take better pictures at night.

Samsung Galaxy A33 5G

True, Samsung would not be itself if it were not forpodpala buyers even after such an improvement in performance - optical stabilization in the Galaxy A33 was added, but added it to a deshman and not that super-quality camera. That is, in Realme 9 or Xiaomi Redmi Note 10 Pro (above the list), the cameras are better. But no stabilization. And here the camera is worse - but with stabilization.

And even in the old Galaxy A52, which is close in price, the camera is stabilized, but better than in the new A33. Because those who like to buy cheap (cheap, yeah, 20 thousand rubles bl~) Samsung must suffer

Who will win the fight - a sober lover of combathopaka capoeira or a drunk commando master of hand-to-hand combat? 108MP mid-level without optical stabilization or 48MP budget-level with stabilization? As in a fight, it depends on the conditions / disciplines in which everything will take place. In a ring with sports rules, a commando who is used to not knocking down, but killing for sure, will be uncomfortable. But in the alley at night ...

The situation with Samsung is also ambiguous. In terms of video quality, it is better than any budget Chinese, even taking into account its price of 20 thousand rubles. Nowhere elsesoYou won’t get high-quality and stable (not jerky or jumpy) 4K video in this budget.

At the same time, the photos of the Galaxy A33 are obtained ... sometimes. Most often - a little better than Xiaomi Redmi Note 10 Pro and Realme 9, but in 40% of cases - a little worse.

Samsung Galaxy A33 5G

The processor of this Samsung is quite fast (notworse than the Chinese for 15-17 thousand), but the "eating" - 5000 mAh from Samsung actually manages like some 4400-4500 mAh from Xiaomi / Realme. And in general, keep in mind that in Realme, the system shell (the manufacturer’s proprietary add-on for Android) loads the system less, so Samsung will perform the same actions a little “lazy” in comparison with Rilmi. But in comparison with Xiaomi, this is no longer a fact, MIUI has also degraded in terms of speed.

Nevertheless, the smartphone is good.And the screen quality is cool, and there is water protection, and the dimensions are moderate, and in general this is the only Samsung up to 20 thousand rubles that does not cause emotions “why does this flawed crap exist and who buys it for this money?”. Cheaper Samsungs do not justify their price (which is why they are not in this rating in the initial places), but the Galaxy A33 is quite good. If you have an extra 4-5 thousand rubles in your pocket and a hatred for Chinese mobile phones - buy it, this is just your option.

How much is18-20 thousand rubles (6/128 GB, 8/128 GB)What is goodThe best video recording quality among all smartphones under 20 thousand rublesWater protectionBright high-quality displayGood speedWhat is badAn overpayment of 4-5 thousand rubles in comparison with"Chinese" just for the Samsung inscription on the case. At 5000 mAh, autonomy is like other smartphones with 4400-4500 mAh. At night, photo quality jumps from "wow, like in smartphones for 30 thousand!" to “what the hell, the cheaper Xiaomi and Realme take better pictures!”. And you don't know in advance how it will turn out this timeAll the detailsBrief review of the Samsung Galaxy A33 5GWhere can you buy inexpensively (at the time of publication)Marketclass — 18500 rubles Yandex.Market VideoShopper — 18500 rublesCifrus — 18800 rublesYandex.Market Zakaztelefon — 19300 rublesQuke — 19600 rubles

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Best Budget Smartphones October 2022 (Grey Market)

Table of contents

What is "white" and "gray" retail

The best smartphones among the cheapest

A complete budget smartphone for everything

The best smartphone in terms of autonomy in the average body size

Mid-range smartphone at a budget price

If you just hate everything Chinese