The best smartphones under 12,000 rubles 2021: top rating

There is a large selection of smartphones in the price category up to 12,000 rubles. We are mainly talking about Chinese manufacturers: Huawei, Xiaomi, Honor, OPPO. However, there are exceptions in the form of inexpensive models from Samsung and Nokia.

When buying a smartphone for 12,000 rubles, you should not count on high performance, large memory capacity and high quality photos. But these devices will cope with everyday tasks quite successfully. The best smartphones under 12,000 rubles are presented in the review.

Samsung Galaxy A30s 32GB

The updated version of the popular Galaxy A30 received a prefix in the form of the letter s. Has much changed?

There are not many changes, but they are quite significant. Thus, the design of the case has been slightly updated, new colors have appeared. But the main camera is now much more interesting: the triple module with a resolution of 25/5/8 MP, apparently, was inherited from the older version of the A50, as a result of which the new product began to shoot much better.

Another important update is the fingerprint scanner, which is now located not on the back cover, but built into the display.

There are no other changes, which is not surprising - it is still one of the best offers in its class. There is even an NFC module!

Screen diagonal: 6.4 inches

Screen resolution: 1560×720

Weight: 169 g

Number of SIM cards: 2

Processor: Samsung Exynos 7904

Memory capacity: 32 GB

RAM capacity: 3 GB

Battery capacity: 4000 mAh

Rear camera: triple 25/5/8 MP

Front camera: 16 MP

Memory card support: yes

Top 2. Samsung Galaxy A52 8/256GB

Rating (2021): 4.53

1246 reviews from resources were taken into account: Yandex.Market, DNS, Otzovik, IRecommend, Onliner, ROZETKA

The best price-quality ratio The best choice for those who care about ergonomics, performance, photographic capabilities, and screen quality. This model is optimal in price and characteristics.

Characteristics
Average price: RUB 31,990.
Screen: 6.5 inches, 2400×1080, Super AMOLED, 90 Hz
Chipset: Snapdragon 720G, 8 cores, 2300 MHz
Camera: 64 + 12 + 5 + 5 MP / 32 MP
Battery: 4500 mAh
Weight: 187 g

One of the most popular and best value for money devices from South Korea. This Samsung phone turned out to be especially attractive: visually, technical characteristics, and stability. The device is endowed with water and dust protection according to IP67, the camera has optical stabilization, the processor is a chipset from Snapdragon, not Mediatek, and the screen has received an increased refresh rate to 90 Hz. All this creates the image of a high-quality pre-flagship, and on the price tag you expect to see a number of about 40 thousand, but its cost is pleasantly lower. Users are satisfied with the quality of the resulting images, stereo sound, and the convenience of the OneUI shell. But there is an important nuance: the version of this model with 4 GB of RAM often freezes and slows down, so we recommend purchasing the 8/256 GB modification, where such problems are not observed.

Advantages and disadvantages

There is optical stabilization
IP67 protection against water and dust
Smooth picture on the screen
Good processor

There is no intermediate version with 6 GB RAM
Stability problems with the 4/128 GB modification

Xiaomi Redmi Note 8T 4/64GB

The latest generation of Redmi Note has already gone on sale and is slowly reducing its price, and in this case we are talking about the 8T version, which differs only in the presence of an NFC module. Meanwhile, this is an excellent smartphone, perhaps the best in terms of camera and battery in its segment.

The camera consists of a main and ultra-wide-angle sensors, a depth sensor and a macro sensor. The photos turn out decent, although in the twilight, of course, the quality of the images drops.

We note a high-quality 6.3-inch high-resolution display, a powerful 8-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 665 chip, 4 GB of RAM and 64 GB of internal memory in this version, a capacious 4000 mAh battery with fast charging, and a chic body design.

Screen diagonal: 6.3 inches

Screen resolution: 2340×1080

Weight: 200 g

Number of SIM cards: 2

Processor: Qualcomm Snapdragon 665

Memory capacity: 64 GB

RAM capacity: 4 GB

Battery capacity: 4000 mAh

Rear camera: four modules 48/8/2/2 MP

Front camera: 13 MP

Memory card support: yes

Nokia 5.3 4/64GB Dual Sim

A good device from a famous Finnish brand.
The body is made of composite material with a wear-resistant coating. The glossy screen is protected from scratches and mechanical damage. The device is equipped with a quad camera, a Snapdragon 665 processor and a 4000 mAh lithium-polymer battery. The device supports fast charging technology. There is also a fingerprint scanner, face unlock function and an NFC module.

Pros:

excellent assembly;
stylish case design;
highly sensitive touch screen that instantly responds to commands;
economical energy consumption;
support for memory cards up to 512 GB.

Minuses:

autonomy is lower than that of analogues;
quad camera with low resolution.

Huawei P40 Lite E 4/64GB

A fresh solution from Huawei and the youngest model in the P40 family. It is worth noting that externally Lite E is seriously different from older versions.

What is interesting about a smartphone? Bright design, excellent 6.39-inch display, front camera, which is located directly in the display in a special cutout, triple main camera, which allows you to take decent pictures (at dusk, the night mode comes to the rescue).

The processor cannot be called new - it is HiSilicon Kirin 710F, but it has already managed to show itself on the positive side, since it has a good power reserve. Remember that there are no Google services in this model - at least not yet.

Screen diagonal: 6.39 inches

Screen resolution: 1560×720

Weight: 176 g

Number of SIM cards: 2

Processor: HiSilicon Kirin 710F

Memory capacity: 64 GB

RAM capacity: 4 GB

Battery capacity: 4000 mAh

Rear camera: triple 48/8/2 MP

Front camera: 8 MP

Memory card support: yes

Main properties of budget smartphones

Inexpensive devices are very popular, so the market is filled with many models, which leads to the problem of choice.
When assessing which smartphone to buy with a price of up to 12,000 rubles, you need to take into account not only first impressions of the design, but also its characteristics. Nowadays, a mobile phone is no longer just a dialer, but a complex device with versatile functionality.

Device performance

A modern smartphone has two processors: the main one, which is responsible for the speed of calculations, and the graphics processor, which processes multimedia data.

The main chip manufacturers: American Qualcomm, Taiwanese MediaTek, Chinese Spreadtrum and Huawei. All companies have entire lines of models, as well as their own systems for assessing their effectiveness, so it is impossible to compare them based on data from the manufacturer.

Performance is also affected by the speed and architecture of the video card, timing of reading/writing RAM and installed software.

With such input data, it is very difficult to calculate performance, so universal tests have been developed that evaluate the system using the example of applications and artificial algorithms.

Even with good knowledge of individual nodes, it is not so easy to compare two models or evaluate their performance

Now, perhaps, the most popular synthetic test is AnTuTu. It should be noted that the results of this and other benchmarks may differ by 5-7% for one model.

Points depend on settings, background applications, air temperature and other parameters. Therefore, we can say that a smartphone is definitely better in performance than its competitor if the difference in the test is at least more than 20%.

Battery life

Many buyers, when comparing models, pay attention to the battery size, considering this the only criterion by which to evaluate the battery life. This is not entirely true.

You also need to look at the size of the screen - the smaller it is, the more economical it is. But the type of matrix has almost no effect on consumption.

If the owner often faces the problem of smartphone discharge, then there are several ways to increase the battery life. All of them are based on the principle of economy.

You can reduce the backlight time of the screen and set automatic brightness, especially if you often have to use your mobile phone at night.

You need to remember that if you use the gadget intensively all day long (for example, constantly playing), then no battery will be enough

Setting up applications has a good effect. Reducing the frequency of updates and synchronizations helps a lot. You also need to clear startup as much as possible, leaving only the necessary programs there.

Two more great ways to save energy are turning off Wi-Fi and GPS. Wi-Fi, like BlueTooth, constantly scans the space to determine access points. Tracking coordinates using GPS (like Glonass) also consumes battery.

Navigation and wireless connectivity can be turned off in settings when they are not needed. But the NFC chip practically does not require power, so there is no point in deactivating it.

Screen Specifications

In the price segment up to 12,000 rubles, many smartphones have an IPS display. This is a solid mid-ranger - a screen with a wide viewing angle and rich colors. Your eyes won't get tired from watching videos for a long time.

A number of budget models still have TFT displays. The picture is of low quality; when the phone is tilted, the image becomes dark.

Camera capabilities

Phones with a multi-camera module are not uncommon even in the middle price segment. However, it is worth considering not the number of lenses itself, but their purpose and characteristics.

To shoot landscapes and capture perspective, you need an ultra-wide-angle lens. It is advisable that the resolution of the landscape camera be at least 12 MP

Selfie lovers need a high-quality, high-resolution front camera. It's good if there is an optical zoom for magnifying objects, fast autofocus and image stabilization.

Honor 9C

An excellent smartphone from Honor, which can be easily purchased for 12,000 rubles.

There is a fashionable built-in front camera, a high-quality 6.39-inch camera, an NFC sensor, a time-tested HiSilicon Kirin 710 processor and 4 GB of RAM, a capacious 4000 mAh battery, and a fingerprint sensor on the back cover.

The main camera received three modules: main, wide-angle and for depth of field. The camera takes good pictures for its class.

Screen diagonal: 6.39 inches

Screen resolution: 1560×720

Weight: 176 g

Number of SIM cards: 2

Memory capacity: 64 GB

RAM capacity: 4 GB

Battery capacity: 4000 mAh

Rear camera: triple 49/8/2 MP

Front camera: 8 MP

Memory card support: yes

Criterias of choice

You should always approach the choice of a smartphone wisely, and therefore it is important to analyze all the main characteristics before purchasing. If this is not done, there is a high risk that the new device will disappoint its owner. This happens especially often in the case of budget models, in which developers try to save on literally everything.

CPU

This is the heart of the smartphone, responsible for its operation. In the segment of devices up to 12 thousand rubles, a good device must have an 8-core processor with a clock frequency of at least 2 GHz. This way you will be guaranteed stable operation of your phone when performing everyday tasks. And if you manage to find a device with a powerful chipset, then you can even comfortably play modern gaming products.

RAM

The stability of the device also depends on the amount of RAM, but this time we are talking about multitasking mode, when the user opens several applications. A small amount of RAM forces the device to unload processes from memory, and therefore the process of launching programs slows down.

Built-in memory

The amount of internal memory acts as storage for your files. The more it is, the calmer you can feel when installing applications and shooting videos. The optimal capacity for a device costing 12,000 rubles is 64 GB. At the same time, in the budget segment, almost every device has a nice feature in the form of support for MicroSD memory cards.

Battery

The operating time of the device depends on the size of the battery. Of course, this is not the only parameter that affects autonomy, but it is the most important and indicative. Choose smartphones with a 4000-5000 mAh battery, and then you definitely won’t have to recharge the gadget during the day.

Camera

In the category of budget devices you can rarely count on high quality images. However, there are exceptions regarding models with 48 or 64 megapixel sensors. Such smartphones can guarantee highly detailed photos and even support 4K video recording.

Screen

For comfortable viewing of content, the display resolution must comply with the FullHD standard. But among inexpensive devices this is rare. Therefore, with a high degree of probability, you will be faced with a choice: take a smartphone with a clear screen or with a good camera.

Other

Despite the relative cheapness of the devices in question, they often have interesting features. The most popular of them is support for contactless payments, which is provided by the NFC sensor. In rare cases, you may come across a phone with stereo sound or a higher refresh rate. All this is a pleasant bonus that can smooth out the rough edges when using the device.

ZTE Blade 20 Smart

A more than interesting offer from ZTE.

The first thing that attracts attention is the square-shaped main camera module - a triple camera is used, which allows you to take good quality pictures both day and night.

An excellent 6.49-inch display is installed, there is a fingerprint sensor and NFC, and the chip is MediaTek Helio P60. The memory capacity is good for its price segment - 4 GB of RAM and 128 GB of ROM. You will also be pleased with the powerful 5000 mAh battery.

Screen diagonal: 6.49 inches

Screen resolution: 1560×720

Weight: 190 g

Number of SIM cards: 2

Processor: MediaTek Helio P60

Memory capacity: 128 GB

RAM capacity: 4 GB

Battery capacity: 5000 mAh

Rear camera: triple 16/8/2 MP

Front camera: 8 MP

Memory card support: yes

How to choose the right smartphone under 12,000 rubles in 2021?

When purchasing a budget smartphone, you need to approach it wisely. In order for the device to fully satisfy the user’s needs, not only price , but also a number of other factors.

Main selection criteria:

Design specifics and appearance . A smartphone is a device for everyday use, and therefore it should be convenient. Therefore, when choosing, you need to take into account such characteristics as weight, size, screen diagonal.
Housing materials . In the budget segment, most models are made of plastic. It is less durable than the metal from which expensive smartphones are made. When choosing, you should take into account the build quality, since the durability of the gadget and comfort during use largely depend on it.
Memory . Most models under 12,000 rubles do not have a large memory reserve. 4 GB of RAM for smartphones in this price category is a good indicator. This is not enough for complex tasks, but it is enough for working with undemanding applications.
Battery. The inexpensive smartphones presented in the review are characterized by good battery life. A 5000-6000 mAh battery ensures operation of the device for several days. In addition, many budget models support fast charging.
Cameras. The maximum resolution of cameras for smartphones up to 12 thousand rubles is 48 megapixels. Despite the fairly high resolution of the matrix, you should not count on professional-level images. Budget models do not have enough computing power to obtain and process high-quality images. However, for those who do not plan to engage in professional photography with their phones, these cameras are sufficient.

Budget smartphones in 2021 are characterized by multifunctionality and decent performance. Even though inexpensive devices are inferior to expensive flagships, they are in steady demand from customers.

Computing power and memory capacity are sufficient for everyday tasks. All possible shortcomings are fully justified by the low price .

Xiaomi Redmi 9 3/32GB

There was no presentation of Redmi 9, it simply appeared in the company's official stores. Meanwhile, the smartphone turned out to be very interesting - and borrowed many solutions from older models.

Thus, the screen diagonal reaches 6.53 inches with a high resolution of 2340×1080 pixels (previously we saw such a resolution only in models of the Redmi Note line), a fairly powerful MediaTek Helio G80 chip and 3 GB of RAM are installed in this version. The battery capacity is as much as 5020 mAh, and there is support for fast charging. But there is no NFC sensor.

As for the camera, it now sports 4 modules (main, wide, macro and depth sensor), but takes pictures more simply than the older versions. However, it is quite worthy for its price segment.

Screen diagonal: 6.53 inches

Screen resolution: 2340×1080

Weight: 198 g

Number of SIM cards: 2

Processor: MediaTek Helio G80

Memory capacity: 32 GB

RAM capacity: 3 GB

Battery capacity: 5020 mAh

Rear camera: four modules 13/8/5/2 MP

Front camera: 8 MP

Memory card support: yes

Nokia 6.2 3/32GB

The Nokia 6.2 body looks exactly the same as the company’s other model, the 7.2, while the 6.2 is significantly cheaper.

The design of Nokia smartphones is traditionally a strong point: this model uses glass on the back, and matte glass at that. The diagonal of the high-quality screen is 6.3 inches. A good triple main camera is installed, the chip is Qualcomm Snapdragon 636, the memory capacity is 3 GB of RAM and 32 GB of ROM.

There is NFC, a scanner, a stock version of Android (Android One) and a physical key to call the Google voice assistant.

Screen diagonal / resolution: 6.3 inches / 2340×1080

Device weight: 180 g

Processor: Qualcomm Snapdragon 636

RAM / internal memory: 3 GB / 32 GB

Battery capacity: 3500 mAh

Camera resolution front / rear: 8 MP / 16/5/8 MP

Memory card slot: yes

Samsung Galaxy M11

The latest Galaxy M line from Samsung has received its own highlight - a powerful battery. Specifically, the Galaxy M11 can boast a battery with a capacity of 5000 mAh and, importantly, support for fast charging.

The front camera is on-screen, the display diagonal is 6.4 inches with a resolution of 1560x720 pixels. Interestingly, the manufacturer has added an NFC module. The scanner is located on the back cover.

The camera here is triple: main sensor, ultra-wide-angle and depth sensor. It takes pictures as you would expect from a smartphone in this price segment.

Screen diagonal: 6.4 inches

Screen resolution: 1560×720

Weight: 197 g

Number of SIM cards: 2

Processor: Qualcomm Snapdragon 450

Memory capacity: 32 GB

RAM capacity: 3 GB

Battery capacity: 5000 mAh

Rear camera: triple 13/2/5 MP

Front camera: 8 MP

Memory card support: yes

realme C3 3/64GB

realme C3 is the first smartphone based on the MediaTek Helio G70 processor, which can be called a gaming solution, albeit at an entry level. In addition, the manufacturer installed a large 6.52-inch screen and a powerful 5000 mAh battery, although there is no fast charging. Simply put, gamers should be happy.

There are several bright body colors to choose from, memory capacity is 3 GB of RAM and 64 GB of ROM, and there is a triple camera (main module, macro and portrait): it takes good pictures for the money.

It is interesting to see a connector for microUSB, and not Type-C, and there is an NFC sensor.

Screen diagonal: 6.52 inches

Screen resolution: 1600×720

Weight: 195 g

Number of SIM cards: 2

Processor: MediaTek Helio G70

Memory capacity: 64 GB

RAM capacity: 3 GB

Battery capacity: 5000 mAh

Rear camera: triple 12/2/2 MP

Front camera: 5 MP

Memory card support: yes

Top 3. realme C15 4/64GB

Rating (2021): 4.54

520 reviews from resources were taken into account: Eldorado, Otzovik, Yandex.Market, IRecommend, DNS, Citylink, M.Video

Largest battery Model with a 6000 mAh battery, while competitors are content with a 5000 mAh battery.

Best price-quality ratio An optimally priced smartphone with a large battery and sufficient performance. Competitors with the same characteristics are more expensive.

Characteristics
Average price: 11,799 rub.
Country: China
Screen: 6.5 inches, 1600x720, IPS
Processor: MediaTek Helio G35, 8 cores, 2300 MHz
Battery: 6000 mAh
Weight: 209 g

One of the best budget smartphones for 12,000 rubles for those for whom battery life is most important. The realme C15's other indicators are all right, but the powerful battery is especially attractive. Its capacity is as much as 6000 mAh. Productivity is also a competitive advantage. The processor, although from Mediatek, ensures stable operation of the Android 10 interface and allows the owner to play any games. FPS values are regulated by graphics settings, but the figures are higher than most other representatives of this top. Reviews criticize the camera, believing that it is rather weak for 2021. There are also dissatisfaction with the brightness of the screen - not everyone has enough reserve.

Advantages and disadvantages

Works for a long time on one charge
Good performance
There is an NFC module

Weak camera, despite 4 modules
Low screen brightness reserve

Honor 9A

Honor 9A came out nice and nice. Let's say more - it looks much more expensive than it costs. What else can please you?

The screen is large - 6.3 inches diagonal. The processor used is Mediatek Helio P22 (MT6762V), the memory capacity is 3 GB of RAM and 64 GB of main memory. The battery is powerful - 5000 mAh, fast charging is not announced. There is an NFC sensor.

The rear camera is triple: main sensor, wide-angle and portrait. It takes good pictures, especially during the day. There is also a fingerprint sensor on the lid.

Google services are not supported by the device.

Screen diagonal: 6.3 inches

Screen resolution: 1600×720

Weight: 185 g

Number of SIM cards: 2

Processor: Mediatek Helio P22 (MT6762V)

Memory capacity: 64 GB

RAM capacity: 3 GB

Battery capacity: 5000 mAh

Rear camera: triple 13/5/2 MP

Front camera: 8 MP

Memory card support: yes

OPPO A15s (4/64)

Within 12,000 rubles you can buy an OPPO A15s smartphone, which has 4 GB of RAM and 64 GB of internal memory.

This smartphone has a large 6.52-inch screen with good color reproduction and wide viewing angles. And it has enough brightness to read a message on the street during the day.

As for the battery of this smartphone, it has a capacity of 4230 mAh. This is quite enough for a whole day of work without recharging, even if you do not let go of the smartphone, constantly using applications, watching videos and pages on the Internet.

As for performance, thanks to the Mediatek Helio P35 processor and 4 gigs of RAM, the interface and applications on this smartphone work quickly. But I wouldn't recommend it for modern games. Perhaps its power will be enough for simple arcade games.

In terms of shooting, the smartphone will delight you with decent quality images using the main 13-megapixel camera during the day. But with the onset of twilight the quality drops noticeably. But in general, for a device within 12,000 rubles, the OPPO A15s shoots more than decently.

Screen: IPS, 6.52”, 720 x 1600.
Mediatek Helio P35.
4/64 GB.
Android 10, ColorOS 7.2.
Basic camera: 13 MP + 2 + 2.
Front. camera: 8 MP.
Wi-Fi: 2.4/5 GHz, Bluetooth 5.0.
Memory card slot.
Fingerprint scanner on the back.
Battery: 4230 mAh.
Dimensions: 164 x 75.4 x 7.9 mm
Weight: 175 g.

Xiaomi Redmi 9C 3/64GB (NFC)

A fresh device from Xiaomi, which, apparently, is made on the basis of the younger version of Redmi 9A - if we talk about the body dimensions, since they are the same in these models.

But in terms of characteristics, the Redmi 9C is much more interesting: an NFC sensor, a good-by-budget MediaTek Helio G35 processor and 3 GB of RAM, a powerful 5000 mAh battery, a triple main camera.

Another thing is surprising: in terms of price, the Redmi 9C practically overlaps with the Redmi 9 model, which, although slightly, is still more interesting in terms of characteristics.

Screen diagonal: 6.53 inches

Screen resolution: 1600×720

Weight: 196 g

Number of SIM cards: 2

Processor: MediaTek Helio G35

Memory capacity: 64 GB

RAM capacity: 3 GB

Battery capacity: 5000 mAh

Rear camera: triple 13/2/2 MP

Front camera: 5 MP

Memory card support: yes

Rating of the best smartphones 2021 under 12,000 rubles. Top 10

9th place.

Samsung Galaxy A12 32GB

The average price is 11,000 rubles.

The Samsung model went on sale in Russia on December 31, 2020.

Technical characteristics: PLS screen (with a drop-shaped cutout) 6.5 inches with a resolution of 1600×720, Android 10.0 OS, 32 GB of storage and 3 GB of RAM, a separate slot for a memory card up to 1 TB, 2 SIM cards. Battery capacity 5000 mAh. Battery life in talk mode is up to 34 hours, in music mode up to 109 hours. 8-core MediaTek Helio G35 (MT6765) processor. The result of the AnTuTu performance test is 103 thousand points. Fingerprint scanner on the side. NFC.

Four cameras. Main lens 48 MP (f/2), ultra-wide-angle lens 5 MP (f/2.2), depth lens 2 MP (f/2.4), macro lens 2 MP (f/2.4). Front camera 8 MP (f2.2).

see Best Samsung smartphones for 2021

8th place.

Tecno Camon 15

The average price in Russia is 11,000 rubles.

The model went on sale in August 2021 and received 77% of five reviews in Yandex Market and 87% of recommendations for purchase.

Technical characteristics: IPS screen (with a hole for the camera) with a diagonal of 6.6 inches with a resolution of 1640×720, HiOS 6.0 OS based on Android 10, 64 GB of internal and 4 GB of RAM, a separate slot for a memory card up to 256 GB. Two SIM cards. Fingerprint scanner on the back panel. No NFC. Battery capacity 5000 mAh. MediaTek Helio A22 quad-core processor. The result of the AnTuTu Benchmark performance test is 80.5 thousand points.

Quad camera: 48 MP (f/1.79) + module for macro photography 2 MP + module for bokeh effect 2 MP + AI module 0.08 MP. Front camera 16 MP (f/2.0).

see Best Tecno Smartphones

7th place.

ZTE Blade V2020 Smart 64GB

The average price in Russia is 11,000 rubles.

A budget smartphone from a Chinese manufacturer went on sale in Russia in November 2021 and today has received 70% of fives in Yandex Market and 73% of recommendations for purchase.

Specifications: 6.82-inch diagonal waterdrop notch screen, 1640x720 resolution. Android 10 OS, dual SIM support, 8-core Unisoc SC9863A processor. The result of the AnTuTu Benchmark performance test is 98.2 thousand points. 64 GB of storage and 4 GB of RAM. Memory card slot up to 512 GB. The battery capacity is 5000 mAh. Fingerprint scanner on the side. There is NFC.

Main camera with four sensors: 16 MP (f/1.8) + 8 MP wide-angle sensor + 2 MP macro sensor + 2 MP sensor for bokeh effect. Front camera 8 MP.

6th place.

Realme C15

The average price in Russia is 12,000 rubles.

The model, which went on sale in Russia on September 22, 2021, received 78% of five reviews in Yandex Market and 96% of recommendations for purchase.

Technical characteristics: 6.5-inch IPS screen (with a drop-shaped cutout) with a resolution of 1600×720, Android 10.0 OS, 64 GB of permanent memory and 4 GB of RAM, 2 SIM cards, a separate slot for a memory card up to 256 GB. MediaTek Helio G35 8-core processor. The result of the AnTuTu performance test is 109 thousand points. Fingerprint scanner on the back panel. NFC. Battery capacity - 6000 mAh. Battery life in music mode up to 60 hours, talk time up to 46 hours, gaming mode up to 10 hours, YouTube viewing mode up to 28 hours, standby time up to 57 days.

Main camera with four sensors: 13 MP (f/2.2), ultra-wide-angle module 8 MP (f/2.25), white balance sensor 2 MP (f/2.4), retro sensor 2 MP (f/2.4). Front camera 8 MP (f/2.0).

see Best Realme Smartphones

5th place.

Vsmart Joy 3 Plus

The average price in Russia is 10,000 rubles.

The smartphone from the leading Vietnamese manufacturer went on sale in Russia in October 2021 and today has received 75% of fives in Yandex Market and 85% of recommendations for purchase.

Specifications: 6.52-inch IPS teardrop display, 1600×720 resolution. Android 10 OS, support for two SIM cards, 8-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 632 processor. 64 GB of permanent memory and 4 GB of RAM. The result of the AnTuTu Benchmark performance test is 133.4 thousand points. Separate slot for memory card up to 128 GB.

The battery capacity is 5000 mAh. The manufacturer indicated the following battery life: talk time up to 48 hours, music listening mode up to 143 hours.

Fingerprint scanner on the back panel. There is NFC.

The main camera is triple: 13 MP (f/2.0) + 8 MP wide-angle sensor (120 degrees, f/2.2) + 2 MP sensor for bokeh effect (f/2.4). Front camera 8 MP (f/2.0).

4th place.

Honor 10 Lite 128/3GB

The average price in Russia is 12,000 rubles.

Today's latest Honor model, which is an updated version of the Honor 10 light model, went on sale in Russia in November 2021 and today has 58% of five reviews in Yandex Market and 75% of recommendations for purchase.

Technical characteristics of the model: frameless IPS screen with a drop-shaped cutout 6.21 inches with a resolution of 2340 × 1080 pixels, Android 9.0 operating system with Google services, 128 GB of storage and 3 GB of RAM, support for two SIM cards, there is a slot for a memory card with capacity up to 512 GB. Battery capacity 3400 mAh. The result of the UL Benchmarks autonomy test is 10 hours 57 minutes. Octa-core HiSilicon Kirin 710 processor with Mali-G51 MP4 graphics accelerator. The result of the AnTuTu Benchmark performance test is 151.6 thousand points. Fingerprint scanner on the back panel. There is NFC.

The main camera is double: the first module is 13 megapixels with f/1.8 aperture, the second is 2 megapixels with f/2.4 aperture. Front camera 24 MP.

see Best Honor Smartphones

3rd place.

ZTE Blade 20 Smart 128GB

The average price in Russia is 12,000 rubles.

The budget model went on sale in Russia in December 2019 and today has received 77% of fives in Yandex Market and 91% of recommendations for purchase. ZTE Blade 20 Smart is the most popular model in Russia in 2021 in the ZTE smartphone catalog (Yandex Market data).

Specifications: 6.49-inch IPS teardrop display, 1560×720 resolution. Android 9.0 OS, dual SIM support, MediaTek Helio P60 processor. 128 GB of storage and 4 GB of RAM. The result of the AnTuTu Benchmark performance test is 170.1 thousand points. Memory card slot up to 512 GB.

The battery capacity is 5000 mAh.

Fingerprint scanner on the back panel. There is NFC.

The main camera is triple: 16 MP (f/1.8) + 8 MP wide-angle sensor (f/2.4) + 2 MP sensor for bokeh effect. Front camera 13 MP (f/2.0).

see Best ZTE Smartphones

2nd place.

Vsmart Joy 4 64/4GB

The average price in Russia is 11,000 rubles.

The smartphone from the leading Vietnamese manufacturer went on sale in Russia on December 14, 2021 and today has received 84% of fives in Yandex Market and 100% of recommendations for purchase.

Technical characteristics: IPS screen (with hole for camera) 6.53 inches, resolution 2340×1080. Android 10 OS, support for two SIM cards, 8-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 665 processor. 64 GB of permanent memory and 4 GB of RAM. The result of the AnTuTu Benchmark performance test is 173.8 thousand points. Separate slot for memory card up to 256 GB.

The battery capacity is 5000 mAh. The manufacturer indicated the following battery life: YouTube viewing mode up to 22 hours, talking mode up to 45 hours, music listening mode up to 166 hours.

Fingerprint scanner on the back panel. There is NFC.

Main camera of four modules: 16 MP (f/1.8) + 8 MP wide-angle sensor (120 degrees, f/2.2) + 2 MP macro lens (f/2.4) + 2 MP sensor for bokeh effect (f/2.4). Front camera 13 MP (f/2.0).

1 place.

Xiaomi Redmi 9 NFC 64GB

The average price in Russia is 11,000 rubles. You can buy Redmi 9 on AliExpress for 9.4 thousand rubles (delivery to Russia is free).

One of the latest Xiaomi models went on sale in Russia on July 30, 2021 and received 70% of five reviews in Yandex Market and 89% of recommendations for purchase.

Technical characteristics: IPS screen (with a cutout in the screen for the front camera) 6.53 inches with a resolution of 2340 × 1080 pixels, Android 10.0 operating system. Fingerprint scanner on the back panel. Support for two SIM cards. Memory card slot. Battery capacity - 5020 mAh. The battery life in talk mode is 31 hours, in standby mode 185 hours (7.5 days).

There is NFC. 64 GB of storage and 4 GB of RAM. MediaTek Helio G80 8-core processor. The result of the AnTuTu performance test is 203 thousand points.

Four cameras: module with 13 megapixel sensor (f/2.2); a unit with an 8-megapixel sensor and wide-angle optics (118 degrees); module with a 5-megapixel sensor for macro photography; 2 megapixel sensor for obtaining information about the depth of the scene. Front camera 8 MP.

see Best Xiaomi Smartphones for 2021

Huawei P smart Z 4/64GB

Huawei P smart Z is slowly getting cheaper, so if you try, you can find it for 12,000 rubles. And this, apparently, is one of the most inexpensive smartphones with a pop-up front camera. And thanks to this design, there are no cuts on the screen, and its diagonal is quite large - 6.59 inches.

P smart Z is powered by the well-proven HiSilicon Kirin 710 chip, memory capacity is 64 GB of ROM and 4 GB of RAM. Battery capacity - 4000 mAh. The fingerprint sensor is located on the back cover, and there is also a dual camera.

Interestingly, the shades of this model are not as bright as we have become accustomed to recently in the case of Huawei.

Screen diagonal: 6.59 inches

Screen resolution: 2340×1080

Weight: 197 g

Number of SIM cards: 2

Processor: HiSilicon Kirin 710

Memory capacity: 64 GB

RAM capacity: 4 GB

Battery capacity: 4000 mAh

Rear camera: dual 16/2 MP

Front camera: 16 MP

Memory card support: yes

Xiaomi Poco M3 4/64GB

An inexpensive Chinese device with a wide 6.5-inch FHD+ display.
The smartphone is powered by Snapdragon 662 processor from Qualcomm. The key advantage of the model is the 6000 mAh battery, which provides high autonomy. The built-in memory of 4/64 GB is enough to run demanding applications and games with low graphic settings.

Pros:

large, bright display;
6000 mAh battery;
powerful processor considering the price ;
Micro SD slot up to 512 GB;
triple camera with a maximum resolution of 48 megapixels.

Minuses:

small amount of RAM;
low speed of the fingerprint scanner;
plastic case.

Honor 10 Lite 3/64GB

Honor 10 Lite has dropped significantly in price since its first launch and today it is an excellent offer in its class.

Obviously, the bet is also placed on the design - the device looks fresh and bright, thanks to the unusual shades. Here you will find a large 6.21-inch high-resolution display (IPS matrix), a proven HiSilicon Kirin 710 processor, 3 GB of RAM and 64 GB of ROM, a 3400 mAh battery with support for fast charging, and a fingerprint scanner on the back cover.

There is also an NFC module.

Screen diagonal: 6.21 inches

Screen resolution: 2340×1080

Weight: 162 g

Number of SIM cards: 2

Processor: HiSilicon Kirin 710

Memory capacity: 64 GB

RAM capacity: 3 GB

Battery capacity: 3400 mAh

Rear camera: dual 13/2 MP

Front camera: 24 MP

Memory card support: yes

Honor 10i 128GB

In general, Honor 10i resembles another model of the company - 10 Lite, but 10i is a much more interesting smartphone.

It received a triple main camera, a large amount of memory (4 GB of RAM and 128 GB of ROM), a proven chipset of its own production HiSilicon Kirin 710, a recognizable appearance, an excellent 6.21-inch diagonal matrix with a resolution of 2340 × 1080 pixels.

The fingerprint sensor is located on the back.

Screen diagonal: 6.21 inches

Screen resolution: 2340×1080

Weight: 164 g

Number of SIM cards: 2

Processor: HiSilicon Kirin 710

Memory capacity: 128 GB

RAM capacity: 4 GB

Battery capacity: 3400 mAh

Rear camera: triple 24/8/2 MP

Front camera: 32 MP

Memory card support: yes

realme 5 Pro 128GB

realme 5 Pro can be purchased for 12 thousand rubles, which means it has a place in our review!

The 5 Pro model is seriously different from the younger version of realme 5: the display is smaller and its resolution is higher, it has a much more interesting quad camera in terms of photo quality, and the processor is a very powerful Qualcomm Snapdragon 712, which works together with 4 GB of RAM.

Interestingly, the battery capacity has decreased to 4035 mAh.

Screen diagonal / resolution: 6.3 inches / 2340×1080

Device weight: 184 g

Processor: Qualcomm Snapdragon 712

RAM / internal memory: 4 GB / 128 GB

Battery capacity: 4035 mAh

Camera resolution front / rear: 16 MP / 48/8/2/2 MP

Memory card slot: yes

vivo Y11 3/32GB

An inexpensive smartphone from vivo, a company that is becoming increasingly recognizable on the Russian market.

vivo Y11 offers an excellent body design, a relatively large 6.35-inch screen, a good dual rear camera, a fast fingerprint scanner and a very powerful 5000 mAh battery.

The platform as a whole is not bad for the cost of the device: Qualcomm Snapdragon 439 processor, 3 GB of RAM.

Screen diagonal: 6.35 inches

Screen resolution: 1544×720

Weight: 190 g

Number of SIM cards: 2

Processor: Qualcomm Snapdragon 439

Memory capacity: 32 GB

RAM capacity: 3 GB

Battery capacity: 5000 mAh

Rear camera: dual 13/2 MP

Front camera: 8 MP

Memory card support: yes

Top 8. ZTE Blade V2020 Smart 4/64GB

Rating (2021): 4.36

48 reviews from resources were taken into account: Yandex.Market, Citylink, Svyaznoy

The largest screen The smartphone with the largest screen – the diagonal reaches 6.82 inches. Other models in the rating received displays with a maximum diagonal of 6.53 inches.

Characteristics
Average price: 11,400 rub.
Country: China
Screen: 6.82 inches, 1640x720, IPS
Processor: UniSoC SC9863A, 8 cores, 1600 MHz
Battery: 5000 mAh
Weight: 204 g

One of the largest smartphones not only in the price range up to 12,000 rubles, but also among all current models. The manufacturer, in order to fit into the budget, installed a very cheap processor. But there is a huge screen, a powerful battery, there is even an NFC module, USB Type-C charging, relatively fast charging, a fingerprint scanner and a four-module camera. It could be praised if there were no problems with autofocus. It sometimes works poorly: sometimes it doesn’t focus at all, sometimes it moves away from the main object, which is why the frames come out blurry. If you want to buy an inexpensive phone with the largest screen and good functionality, this offer from the Chinese will be an excellent solution.

Advantages and disadvantages

Huge screen
Long battery life without recharging

Poor performance
Big size
The camera may have problems focusing

Samsung Galaxy A20s 32GB

An update to another hit from Samsung is the Galaxy A20s. And the update is quite serious.

The main thing is a new 6.5-inch display, created using IPS technology, and not AMOLED, as in the previous model. The main camera module is now triple, its characteristics have been improved, so you should expect improved photo quality.

Processor - Exynos 7884, memory - 3 GB RAM and 32 GB ROM. There is a fingerprint sensor on the back and the Face Unlock function is supported.

Screen diagonal: 6.5 inches

Screen resolution: 1560×720

Weight: 183 g

Number of SIM cards: 2

Processor: Exynos 7884

Memory capacity: 32 GB

RAM capacity: 3 GB

Battery capacity: 4000 mAh

Rear camera: triple 13/8/5 MP

Front camera: 8 MP

Memory card support: yes

Top 1. realme C21 64GB

Rating (2021): 4.65

581 reviews from resources were taken into account: DNS, M.Video, Citylink, Yandex.Market

The lightest with a diagonal of 6.5 inches This phone is lightweight. The closest model in terms of weight with the same diagonal is 2 grams heavier than this one.

Best price The most budget smartphone in the top. It costs 1% less than the closest priced model from the rating.

Characteristics
Average price: 10,490 rub.
Country: China
Screen: 6.5 inches, 1600x720, IPS
Processor: MediaTek Helio G35, 8 cores, 2300 MHz
Battery: 5000 mAh
Weight: 190 g

One of the best smartphones for the money. For less than 12,000 rubles, you get a convenient-sized device with a fairly powerful processor, good memory, and a large battery. The camera is three-module, takes photographs in a resolution of 13 megapixels, and the owners are not delighted with the quality of the images, although it is sufficient for everyday needs. There is a fingerprint sensor - it works at lightning speed and does not make mistakes. Facial recognition is also surprisingly fast. There is an NFC module for contactless payment. The case looks beautiful, the coating is non-staining. Among the shortcomings are that you cannot connect to Wi-Fi at 5 GHz, there is no case included, and there is a problematic connection to Google Pay.

Xiaomi Redmi 8 3/32GB

An inexpensive solution from Xiaomi if you suddenly decide to save money. In many ways, Redmi 8 is similar to the older model Redmi Note 8, but it is better in almost everything.

Here you will find a 6.22-inch display with a resolution of 1520x720 pixels, a Qualcomm Snapdragon 439 chipset and 4 GB of RAM, a dual camera (it takes good pictures, but only just), a cool body design, and a fingerprint scanner on the back of the case.

But what’s better here is a powerful battery with a capacity of as much as 5000 mAh (fast charging is supported).

Screen diagonal: 6.22 inches

Screen resolution: 1520×720

Weight: 188 g

Number of SIM cards: 2

Processor: Qualcomm Snapdragon 439

Memory capacity: 64 GB

RAM capacity: 4 GB

Battery capacity: 5000 mAh

Rear camera: dual 12/2 MP

Front camera: 8 MP

Memory card support: yes

Meizu X8 4/64GB

Not a very popular model from Meizu, but worthy of attention.

The smartphone takes very good pictures, although clearly no one was chasing the number of modules here; it has a very powerful platform based on the Qualcomm Snapdragon 710 chip and 4 GB of RAM (for the money - a real gift), a high-quality matrix with high resolution.

The battery capacity is average - 3210 mAh. What may not suit you is the lack of an NFC sensor.

Screen diagonal / resolution: 6.2 inches / 2220×1080

Device weight: 160 g

Processor: Qualcomm Snapdragon 710

RAM / internal memory: 4 GB / 64 GB

Battery capacity: 3210 mAh

Camera resolution front / rear: 20 MP / dual 12/5 MP

Memory card slot: no

OPPO A5s

An inexpensive smartphone from OPPO that can attract the attention of buyers with its design and good characteristics.

For example, the battery capacity is impressive - 4230 mAh, and the dual main camera has a completely working 2x zoom. True, high-quality photographs are obtained in daylight, but at dusk their quality drops - this is normal for this price segment.

OPPO A5s offers a MediaTek Helio P35 (MT6765) processor, 3 GB of RAM and 32 GB of ROM, a fingerprint sensor, and a 6.2-inch display.

Screen diagonal: 6.2 inches

Screen resolution: 1520×720

Weight: 170 g

Number of SIM cards: 2

Processor: MediaTek Helio P35 (MT6765)

Memory capacity: 32 GB

RAM capacity: 3 GB

Battery capacity: 4230 mAh

Rear camera: dual 13/2 MP

Front camera: 8 MP

Memory card support: yes

Samsung Galaxy A12 4/64GB

Korean smartphone released at the end of 2021.
The device is equipped with a PLS screen supporting HD+ technology. You will be pleased with the high build quality and excellent ergonomics of the case. The developers equipped the phone with a quad camera with a 48 megapixel main unit. The proprietary MediaTek Helio P35 CPU with a maximum clock frequency of 2.3 GHz is responsible for the computing power. Battery capacity – 5000 mAh.

Pros:

bright screen with excellent color rendition;
high autonomy;
support for SD cards up to 1 TB;
side fingerprint scanner;
face unlock.

Cons: small amount of memory.