The most powerful smartphone in the world! The most powerful phone in the world at the moment Top performing smartphones

Each user has individual requirements for a mobile phone. Some buyers value high-quality cameras, others want excellent sound, and still others need a large display on which it is convenient to watch videos. But in all cases, a person wants to enjoy the fast and stable operation of a smartphone, in which there is no place for freezes, brakes, slow interface operation and similar things. To do this, you need to choose a phone with powerful hardware that can handle any application. Our rating of the best smartphones with a powerful processor will help with this.

The best inexpensive smartphones with a powerful processor (up to 10,000-15,000 rubles)

If you don’t expect to use your phone for many years, or if you are primarily interested not in games, but in the stable operation of demanding applications, then buying a smartphone with top-end hardware is completely pointless. Already for 15 thousand, smartphones are offered that can handle almost all games at low graphic settings, and any software for their hardware is completely child’s play. By the way, such smartphones will be an excellent choice for schoolchildren who need a good, but not too expensive phone. They will make students happy. And ordinary users whose budget is in the range of 10-15 thousand will like the trinity presented below.

1. Xiaomi Redmi 5 Plus 4/64GB

The first smartphone in the ranking is presented by a solution from the popular Chinese brand Xiaomi. The Redmi 5 Plus model is in many ways reminiscent of the popular budget phone Redmi Note 4X, released on the market in 2017. The new product has a similar design and similar characteristics:

  1. Snapdragon 625 processor;
  2. Adreno 506 graphics chip;
  3. 4 GB RAM and 64 GB ROM.

However, the Full HD display installed in Redmi 5 Plus received an aspect ratio of 2:1 and curved corners, and the touch buttons “Menu”, “Home” and “Back”, located under the screen, migrated to the system interface.

The battery capacity in the new product has become slightly smaller and is now 4000 mAh. But, judging by the reviews of the smartphone, autonomy has not deteriorated at all. Moreover, the updated version of MIUI has made power consumption even better.

Advantages:

  • attractive appearance;
  • current aspect ratio;
  • excellent level of autonomy and performance;
  • price-quality ratio;
  • There is enough hardware for any task;
  • better camera than Redmi Note 4X;
  • Supports fast charging function.

Flaws:

  • no NFC support.

2. Honor 8C 3/32GB

If you have a budget of 12-13 thousand rubles, we recommend choosing an inexpensive smartphone with a powerful Honor 8C processor. It has a large 6.26-inch display with a resolution of 1520x720 pixels (19:9 ratio) and a dual main camera (13 and 2 MP). The smartphone also boasts a fast fingerprint scanner and a capacious 4000 mAh battery.

If 32 GB of built-in storage is not enough for you, then you can install a memory card of up to 256 gigabytes in a slot separated from the pair of SIM cards.

As for hardware, it is represented by a productive but energy-efficient Snapdragon 632 chip, an Adreno 506 graphics chip, and 3 GB of RAM. The body of the smartphone is made of plastic, available in three colors. For its price, its quality cannot be called good, but if you always carry your phones in a case, then you can ignore this minus. But without a case, the device will get scratched quite quickly.

Advantages:

  • recognizable appearance;
  • high-quality large screen;
  • excellent performance;
  • comes with a cover;
  • convenient system shell;
  • nice price tag;
  • autonomy about 2 days;
  • separate slot for microSD.

Flaws:

  • plastic case;
  • mediocre camera.

3. Meizu M6 Note 16GB

If your budget is minimal, but you want to get hardware at the level of the Redmi 5 Plus described above, then pay attention to the Meiza M6 Note. At one time, it was the first device from a Chinese manufacturer, built on a chip from Qualcomm. The display of this smartphone has the usual 16:9 aspect ratio and a resolution of 1920x1080 pixels (5.5-inch diagonal). The phone is not only equipped with a powerful processor and a good 4000 mAh battery, but also 3 GB of RAM. And all this for a modest 8 thousand rubles! True, the permanent memory here is only 16 GB and to expand it you will have to sacrifice one of the SIM cards. The main camera is also unimpressive, especially its second module, which is installed more to follow trends than to be of any real use.

Advantages:

  • productive “filling”;
  • metal case;
  • affordable price;
  • well calibrated display;
  • touch-mechanical button mTouch;
  • attractive design in Meizu style.

Flaws:

  • little built-in storage;
  • not the best main camera.

The best phones with a powerful mid-range processor

The smartphone market is constantly changing, thanks to which today you can get a powerful hardware platform suitable for any applications and demanding games even in relatively inexpensive devices. Moreover, for about 20 thousand, manufacturers offer not sub-flagship, but top-end processors installed in smartphones costing 50,000 rubles and more. However, a good “filling” is not the only thing that smartphones from the mid-price segment can boast of. We will talk in more detail about all the advantages of such smartphones using the example of three models from leading Chinese companies.

1. Xiaomi Pocophone F1 6/64GB

The second category opens with an almost ideal smartphone with a good processor and a large battery – Pocophone F1. For a reasonable price, it offers an excellent design, a high-quality polycarbonate body (there is a carbon version), two main cameras of 12 and 5 MP (IMX363 and S5K5E8), only slightly inferior to the flagship Mi 8, as well as a capacious battery of 4000 mAh and even 3 .5 mm connector.

The only drawback of the smartphone is the lack of an NFC module. However, this is quite logical, because otherwise the Pocophone F1 would create direct competition with the top-end Mi 8. Moreover, not everyone uses contactless payment even if such an option is available, but otherwise this smartphone is ideal.

As for the hardware, it is sufficient for any task. The device received a powerful Snapdragon 845 processor, an Adreno 630 mobile graphics accelerator, 6 GB of fast RAM and 64 gigabytes of permanent storage, which is expandable through a SIM tray combined with a pair. The display here is great too! It is made using IPS technology, has a diagonal of 6.18 inches, a resolution of 2246x1080 pixels and stunningly accurate color reproduction.

Advantages:

  • beautiful design;
  • high performance;
  • excellent autonomy;
  • affordable price;
  • stunning display;
  • good cameras;
  • volumes of RAM and ROM.

Flaws:

  • no NFC;
  • no video stabilization.

2.Huawei Mate 20 lite

The second place is occupied by a popular smartphone with a powerful processor from Huawei. The Mate 20 Lite has a bright and rich 6.3-inch display with a 19.5:9 aspect ratio (2340 x 1080 pixel resolution) that is different from most competitors. The cost of the device under review starts at 18 thousand, but most sellers offer the smartphone for 20,500 rubles, being a direct competitor to the Pocophone F1. For this amount of money, the device offers very decent characteristics:

  1. proprietary processor Kirin 710 (8 cores, maximum frequency 2.2 GHz);
  2. powerful Mali-G51 graphics core;
  3. 4 gigabytes of RAM;
  4. 64 GB storage.

The latter can be expanded with microSD memory cards with a capacity of up to 512 GB. However, to do this you will have to sacrifice one of your SIM cards. It's nice that the manufacturer hasn't forgotten about NFC, so you can pay for purchases with your phone via Google Play.

Advantages:

  • battery life;
  • balanced filling;
  • fast system operation;
  • attractive design;
  • large and bright display;
  • there is an NFC module;

Flaws:

  • slippery and easily soiled body;
  • The notification indicator is hard to see.

3. Xiaomi Mi Mix 2S 6/64GB

If you are satisfied with the characteristics of Pocophone F1, but you cannot do without NFC, then choose the Mi Mix 2S smartphone, which is also produced by Xiaomi. The hardware platform of this model is similar to the device described above. But its appearance is noticeably different not only from its “brother”, but also from other competitors.

Firstly, there is no notch here, although the 5.99-inch display of the Mi Mix 2S occupies exactly the same bezel area (82%). This was achieved due to identically thin frames on three sides. The chin is larger here and the front camera is hidden in it. Secondly, the smartphone body is made not of polycarbonate, but of ceramics. It is very beautiful and quite durable, which adds a premium feel to the device.

One of the key advantages of the Mi Mix 2S smartphone, in addition to its powerful platform, is its excellent camera. There are 12-megapixel Sony (IMX363) and Samsung (S5K3M3) modules with f/1.8 and f/2.4 apertures, respectively. According to the DxOMark rating, the phone is a direct competitor to the iPhone X, only one point inferior to it in video quality.

Advantages:

  • current frameless design;
  • advanced hardware platform;
  • availability of wireless charging;
  • NFC for contactless payment;
  • good main cameras;
  • high-quality speakers;
  • stylish ceramic case.

Flaws:

  • there is no moisture protection;
  • The front camera is not very conveniently placed;
  • There is no 3.5 mm jack (there is an adapter).

Smartphones with the most powerful processor

Let us immediately note that this list does not include smartphones with Snapdragon 855. Devices based on this processor have only recently begun to be presented by manufacturers, but even those that were demonstrated to the public at the recent CES 2019 exhibition have not yet reached Russia and Europe. However, the cost of such smartphones promises to be quite high, so we recommend taking a closer look at solutions based on Snapdragon 845. Devices with it can be found for less than 30 thousand, and the performance of this “stone” will be enough for many years.

1. OnePlus 6 8/128GB

All you need to know about the magnificent OnePlus 6 is that it is the choice of buyers who want a stylish, productive and reliable device for any task. If this fact is not a compelling argument for you, then just take a look at what a phone with a good processor from a well-known Chinese brand offers for 29 thousand rubles:

  1. Great screen. The “six” has a 6.28-inch display (aspect ratio 19:9, resolution 2280x1080 pixels), made using AMOLED technology.
  2. Lots of memory. Users will have enough RAM, which is 8 GB, and permanent memory of 128 gigabytes. True, the latter cannot be expanded.
  3. Impeccable design. The OnePlus 6 body is made entirely of glass and looks simply amazing. However, due to the chosen material, it will turn out to be slippery and quite easily soiled, so it is better to immediately buy an additional cover.
  4. Great cameras. The main 16 and 20 MP modules take excellent pictures in any conditions. The same applies to the front camera, which will appeal to selfie lovers.

As for the battery, its capacity is 3300 mAh. This is a good indicator, but with active use the battery will still last strictly until the evening. With a moderate load, users can safely count on one and a half to two days.

Advantages:

  • operating system speed;
  • the manufacturer retained the headphone input;
  • absence of unnecessary software in the shell;
  • lever to select mode (sound/vibration/silent);
  • phone operating time on one charge;
  • Amazing display made by Samsung.

Flaws:

  • Not everyone will like the glass body;
  • despite the AMOLED screen, Always On does not work here;
  • There is no full protection from water and dust and an x2 optical zoom.

2. Xiaomi Mi8 6/64GB

Xiaomi smartphones regularly receive positive ratings in reviews. Users are attracted by the excellent design, high-quality assembly and high performance of devices from the Chinese manufacturer, which it offers at a very affordable price. So, for Mi 8 the buyer will have to pay from 24 thousand rubles, and taking into account the selected hardware, this price is extremely attractive.
Externally, the phone resembles the new iPhone, so an inexperienced user from a distance may well confuse them. The display of the reviewed solution is made using AMOLED technology, and its resolution is 2248x1080 pixels. The smartphone is equipped with a large 3400 mAh battery and supports Quick Charge 4+ (from the included charger the device charges from 10 to 100% in an hour and a half).

In addition to its appearance, the current Xiaomi flagship borrows face unlock from Apple. The reliability of this function in devices of the Chinese brand is slightly lower, but it is still higher than a conventional fingerprint scanner.

Mi 8 also deserves praise for its excellent rear camera, containing a pair of 12 MP modules. In terms of shooting quality, it is comparable to the Galaxy S9 Plus from Samsung and outperforms competitors such as the Pixel 2, OnePlus 6T and iPhone X (according to the DxOMark rating).

Advantages:

  • high-performance hardware;
  • excellent cameras;
  • first-class main cameras;
  • unlock with finger or face;
  • autonomy and charging speed;
  • luxurious appearance;
  • build quality.

Flaws:

  • no wireless charging;
  • easily soiled and slippery back cover;
  • the manufacturer abandoned the 3.5 mm jack.

3. Apple iPhone Xr 128GB

“Wait, but you didn’t take a top-end iPhone,” many of you will say, and they will be right. But we focused specifically on the processor, and in all new Apple devices it is similar - A12 Bionic. This mobile “stone” was the first in the world to begin production using a 7-nanometer technical process, surpassing even desktop analogues. It includes 6 cores, including 2 high-performance ones that are used in complex tasks, and 4 energy-efficient ones that are required for simple applications. This made it possible to increase the speed of applications by 15%, and energy efficiency by one and a half times than what was demonstrated by the A11 Bionic.

The screen diagonal of the new product is between the top Xs and Xs Max, amounting to 6.1 inches. But its resolution is slightly lower than that of both devices - 1792x828 pixels (324 ppi). The display technology is also different and the “budget” iPhone has IPS. This makes the picture practically the same, but the manufacturer failed to create such thin frames (the screen occupies 80.3% of the front panel area versus 85.4% for the Max version). The autonomy of the younger modification is the best in the line and is equal to 11.5 hours of continuous surfing on the Internet when using 4G networks and a brightness of 150 nits (Xs Max has almost an hour less).

Advantages:

  • Face ID unlock speed;
  • one of the most powerful processors today;
  • large display with good calibration;
  • best battery life among new iPhones;
  • first-class main camera (12 MP, f/1.8).

Flaws:

  • The kit does not include a power supply for fast charging;
  • The device does not come with a 3.5 mm adapter.

4. Samsung Galaxy Note 9 128GB

The next smartphone with the best processor today is the Galaxy Note 9 from the Samsung brand. This is an excellent choice for business and creative people, as well as for users who want the most advanced Android smartphone available on the market today. Depending on the region, the mobile phone may be equipped with a Snapdragon or Exynos processor, and 6 and 128 GB of memory are available in either version.

The main difference between the Galaxy Note 9 and its competitors is the stylus. It allows you not only to draw and take notes on the phone screen, but also to remotely take photos, switch tracks and slides of a presentation, play a video, and so on. If necessary, the stylus can be used to capture an arbitrary part of the screen, saving the result as a picture or video, and also perform other tasks.

The smartphone is equipped with a capacious 4000 mAh battery that supports fast and wireless charging. At the same time, despite the huge 6.4-inch screen with Quad HD resolution and an 18.5:9 ratio, such a battery is quite enough to compete on equal terms in terms of autonomy with the iPhone Xr described above.

Advantages:

  • magnificent display with high ppi;
  • hardware platform power;
  • impressive amounts of memory;
  • good battery life;
  • dual main camera;
  • multifunctional stylus;
  • dust and moisture protection according to IP68 standard.

Flaws:

  • useless Bixby button;
  • high price of phone and accessories.

Which is the most powerful and fastest smartphone to choose?

We reviewed the best models of powerful smartphones for 2019 in different price categories. The performance of budget phones is roughly comparable, as they are based on the same or similar specifications. Among the top phones, the clear leader is the iPhone Xr, built on the modern A12 Bionic, but Android competitors with Snapdragon 845 are not too far behind the leader. The same chip is offered in two devices from the mid-price segment produced by Xiaomi. However, the solution from Huawei is not too far behind its competitor and deserves you to spend 18-20 thousand rubles on it.

Top 10 most powerful smartphones of 2018-2019 according to AnTuTu. Almost every month, manufacturers delight us with new top-end flagships. But in order to purchase a smartphone for 3 years and not have it become outdated, it is advisable to purchase top models.

Rating spring 2018

With the release of the latest version of the top processor from Qualcomm – Snapdragon 835, the first positions in the ranking of the most powerful smartphones have changed. The new products equipped with it took the lead, and the previously leading iPhone based on the Fusion A10 chipset was displaced.

The fact that a flagship smartphone with top-end hardware is purchased for more than one year is evidenced by the presence in the rating of a device equipped with a previous generation processor – Snapdragon 825. This was the One Plus 3T, equipped with a monstrous 6 GB of RAM.

As usual, smartphones powered by Kirin, Exynos and MediaTek processors were left out of this rating.

OnePlus 5

In the previous edition of this rating, the first place was occupied by OnePlus 3, and its successor, OnePlus 5, is not losing ground. The new product also received the highest-end hardware, which has no analogues on the market - 8 GB of RAM (6 GB in the younger version) and 64/128 GB of internal memory were added to the Snapdragon 835 processor.

OnePlus 5 is a lightning-fast smartphone that shows record results in synthetic tests. But, despite the top performance, cool screen and cool camera, it is not without its drawbacks. This includes the lack of dust and moisture protection, USB 2.0, secondary design and non-expandable memory. However, in terms of power, OnePlus 5 has no equal. Read the full review.

Nubia Z17

The specifications of the latest flagship from ZTE are identical to those of the leader in the rating - OnePlus 5. It has the same processor - Snapdragon 835, 6/8 GB of RAM and 64/128 GB of internal memory, which provides almost identical results in synthetics - Nubia is only behind 1+5 2 thousand parrots.

There are no special changes in the Z17 compared to its predecessor, the Z11. The same frameless design, emphasis on photography and good battery life. However, one can find fault with the new product due to mediocre optimization; the proprietary Nubia UI shell is extremely damp.

HTC U11

U11 is a lifeline for HTC, thrown in an attempt to maintain at least some position in the market. The popularity of Taiwanese products has recently declined significantly, and now no one considers them as a serious competitor even to second-tier Chinese brands.



Apple iPhone 7 Plus

After Apple premiered its two models in September 2016, they took first place in the ranking, but were supplanted by the new generation of devices powered by Snapdragon 835. iPhone 7 Plus scored 170,644 points. Powered by a 64-bit 4-core ARM microprocessor A10, manufactured using the 16-nanometer FinFET process by the Foundry company TSMC. Two processors are highly efficient for running heavy applications and games. And two are energy efficient for simpler programs such as instant messengers, surfing the Internet, etc. This is the same case when the number of cores is not an advantage.

Apple iPhone 7 Plus


Sony Xperia XZ Premium

XZ Premium became the first serial smartphone to receive the Snapdragon 835. And despite the fact that 4/64 GB of memory, modest by flagship standards, does not allow it to rise to the top of the ratings in terms of performance, it is a very cool smartphone with a revolutionary camera (primarily for due to the ability to record crazy slow-mo), gorgeous sound, premium housing with dust and moisture protection, and a bunch of other characteristics.

Sony Xperia XZ Premium



Apple iPhone 7

The next top model is the junior iPhone 7, which scored 160,589 points. The difference between the two models is not so significant and is absolutely imperceptible during everyday use. The processor here is still the same Fusion A10, with the same characteristics as the older model.



Samsung Galaxy S8

Samsung Galaxy S8



OnePlus 3T

The updated model of the almost perfect 1+3 was doomed to success, which was reflected not only in getting into various performance ratings, but also in high customer demand. The then top-end Snapdragon 821 chipset was installed in the device, the resolution of the front camera was increased to 16 MP and the battery capacity was increased by 400 units. Also, 1+3T began to be produced in a version with 128 GB of ROM and received a new body color.

The characteristics of 1+3T are as follows: 5.5’’ IPS FHD screen, Snapdragon 821, 6 GB RAM + 64/128 GB ROM, 16/16 MP cameras (with optical stabilization and laser autofocus), 3400 mAh battery. All this can be obtained for 25 thousand rubles when ordering from China. Note that One Plus 3T has already been updated to the latest version of Android 7.0 Nougat.


conclusions

Often when testing, in order to inflate the result, manufacturers come up with tricks by disabling some processes. Therefore, you should not completely rely on the rating results. However, this test only focuses on performance, and smartphones have many other features and unique characteristics. This rating will be updated monthly, stay tuned.

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The title of the fastest smartphone of 2018 is given to models that receive from 250 to 300 thousand points in tests.

In August 2018, the list did not change much compared to last month, but software updates led to rearrangements of places.

TOP 10 fastest and most productive smartphones

Table 1. Comparative parameters of the models.
ModelScreenMemory, GBCameras, MP

main/front

CPU/AnTuTu pointsBattery, mAhPrices, thousand rubles
Xiaomi Black Shark 5.99"6/64 (12+12)/20 Snapdragon 8454000 34
8/128 38
OPPO Find X 6.4"8/256 (16+20)/25 Snapdragon 8453730 74
Vivo Nex S 6.59"8/128 (12+5)/8 Snapdragon 8454000 44
8/256 49
OnePlus 6 6.28"6/64 (16+20)/16 Snapdragon 8453300 45
8/128 49
8/256 55
Smartisan R1 6.17"6/64 (12+20)/24 Snapdragon 8453600 34
6/128 39
8/128 44
8/1024 87
Xiaomi Mi 8 6.21"6/64 (12+12)/20 Snapdragon 8453400 26
6/128 29
6/256 32
8/128 36
Xiaomi Mi MIX 2S 5.99"6/64 (12+12)/5 Snapdragon 8453400 32
6/128 35
8/256 38
Samsung Galaxy S9+ 6.2"6/64 (12+12)/8 Exynos 98103000 66
6/128 70
6/256 75
Galaxy S9 5.8"4/64 12/8 Exynos 981059
4/128 62
Sony Xperia XZ2 5.7"4/64 19/5 Snapdragon 8453180 60

Xiaomi Black Shark

But the smartphone is not as expensive as most.

A special feature of the device is the ability to purchase a special controller that turns the phone practically into a game console.

  • first place in the AnTuTu ranking of the most powerful smartphones;
  • better RAM capacity (although the ROM is slightly inferior to flagships of other brands);
  • long operating time without recharging, due to a decent battery;
  • relatively affordable cost of the model;
  • good quality for selfies.

Mikhail V.: An excellent and very convenient gadget that can even be used as a game console. The speed and duration of work are impressive. The shooting quality is also decent, although the main camera could be better.

OPPO Find X

After updating the firmware, the OPPO Find X smartphone received 286,589 points in the well-known benchmark test, thanks to which it took second place in the rating.

The model received a good selfie camera with a resolution of 25 megapixels and a fast-acting fingerprint sensor.

Although its price is considered one of the highest in the segment, which reduces the number of potential buyers.

  • stylish design with a large and high-quality screen with a resolution of 2340×1080 pixels;
  • top-end hardware – especially the version with 256 GB of ROM;
  • excellent selfie quality;
  • face recognition system.

Alice L.: An impressive model in terms of characteristics, with huge memory and diagonal. However, there are also many disadvantages, because of which I’m just thinking about buying a smartphone - a relatively small screen resolution, lack of protection from moisture and a headphone jack. I’m not entirely happy with the price, which can only be considered profitable when compared with Samsung.

Vivo Nex S

In third place is the flagship Vivo Nex S, which scored 283,877 points and has the same CPU as most other smartphones in the rating.

When considering the parameters of the gadget, the size of the drive of the “older” version (256 GB) and good cameras are impressive.

The phone's features include a pop-up selfie camera and a relatively high level of battery life.

  • fast working fingerprint sensor;
  • camouflaged front camera;
  • high battery charging speed;
  • huge screen diagonal.

Maxim R.: For such parameters, the price is quite reasonable. If you look at the screen size, it’s almost a tablet. It’s convenient to play - especially since it runs and, I think, will run the most modern games for another 2-3 years. I also liked the high charging speed. And the lack of a memory slot is not annoying at all - why increase it even more if the RAM and ROM are here, like an average laptop.

OnePlus 6

Having received 282,644 points in AnTuTu, the smartphone became the fourth in performance.

The model features a fashionable display form factor (19:9) and a fairly competitive price for its capabilities.

The optimal option in terms of cost-performance ratio is the version with 128 GB of ROM - usually this volume is enough to solve the problems of most users.

  • Not very high quality of shooting.
  • Despite the relatively large number of megapixels, the photos are worse compared to even more affordable models.
  • Moreover, the smartphone is not very cheap - the cost of the “older” version is comparable to models from Samsung and Apple.

Ekaterina V.: I’m very pleased with my new phone – thin body, well-functioning software. I have never rebooted due to freezes, as was the case with my previous Lenovo phone. The cameras don't shoot perfectly, but it's enough for me.

Smartisan R1

In AnTuTu, a smartphone from the Smartisan brand, little known on the domestic market, received 274,729 points in August, which allows it to enter the top five.

The model's CPU is standard for the TOP 10 - Snapdragon 845 (only equipped with a different processor).

And one of the main features is the ability to buy a modification with 1024 GB of permanent memory - the best figure on the market for 2018.

  • slippery body, because of which the owner of the gadget should immediately purchase a suitable case;
  • easily scratched glass of the main camera;
  • The cost of a model with 1 TB of memory is too high - taking into account the fact that not every owner will need such a huge drive, it costs twice as much as versions with a smaller amount of ROM.

Nikita L.: I’m impressed by the phone’s parameters such as powerful hardware and high speed in tests – it also shows excellent results in games. Both the firmware and the price category of the phone have their advantages. The 128 GB model has one of the best cost-to-feature ratios.

Xiaomi Mi 8

For everyone else, both flagships may seem too expensive for their capabilities.

In those cases when a mobile gadget is purchased to store a large amount of information, and the cost is almost irrelevant, it is unlikely that you will be able to find a more suitable option than the Smartisan R1.

The fastest smartphone of 2018 is a gadget whose performance in the AnTuTu test exceeds 250,000 points. Most of the other parameters of these phones are also top-end.



Despite the fact that the bulk of smartphone sales in the world are made up of models in the budget and mid-price segments, the main attention is usually drawn to the release of so-called flagships - the best and most expensive smartphones in the model range of various manufacturers. Flagships are interesting because they primarily implement technical innovations, which then migrate to cheaper devices. The price of flagships from the world's leading brands at the start of sales can exceed a thousand dollars. Those who are unable to pay that kind of money, but want to get their hands on a flagship smartphone, can either wait for the price to drop after a few months or buy last year's flagship, the price of which usually drops after a replacement is released on the market.

This ranking presents the top 10 best flagship smartphones for spring 2019. The rating is based on technical characteristics, price-quality ratio and reviews in the Yandex Market (this rule does not apply to new products that have not yet accumulated reviews). The rating includes the flagships of six of the top 10 leading smartphone manufacturers in the world (American company Apple, South Korean Samsung and LG, Chinese Huawei, Xiaomi, ZTE). The top ten global manufacturers also include Chinese brands Oppo, Vivo, TCL and Lenovo, but the products of the first three are not represented in Russia, and as for Lenovo, this company has been focusing on the budget segment in recent years, and produces flagship models under its subsidiary Motorola brand, which is mainly aimed at the American market. Instead of Oppo, Vivo, TCL and Lenovo, the ranking includes leading Taiwanese manufacturers ASUS and HTC and the Chinese brand OnePlus.

10 Xiaomi Redmi Note 4X 32Gb

The average price in Russia is 10,000 rubles. You can buy Redmi Note 4X on Aliexpress for 8.7 thousand rubles. Introduced at the end of January 2019, the flagship of the mega-popular Redmi Note family of the Chinese manufacturer Xiaomi scored 72% of fives according to reviews in Yandex Market (see reviews of Xiaomi Redmi Note 4X). Last year's flagship of this family, Redmi Note 3 Pro, became the most popular Android smartphone in the world, Russia, India and some other countries at the end of 2017 (see The most popular smartphones in Russia in 2017).

Technical characteristics of Xiaomi Redmi Note 4X: 5.5-inch IPS screen with a resolution of 1920x1080 pixels, Android 6.0 operating system, 32 GB of permanent memory and 3 GB of RAM, there is a slot for a memory card up to 128 GB (combined with a slot for a second SIM card ). Main camera 13 MP, front camera 5 MP. Battery capacity 4100 mAh. 8-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 625 MSM8953 processor, 2000 MHz. Adreno 506 video processor. There is a fingerprint scanner. Metal case with plastic inserts on the top and bottom of the back panel.

If we compare this model with last year’s flagships of the family (winter Redmi Note 3 Pro and summer Redmi Note 4), then thanks to the new processor and graphics chip, Redmi Note 4X has increased autonomy and performance, and thanks to the new Sony IMX258 camera module, the quality of shooting has noticeably improved. Apparently, Redmi Note 4X will become one of the most popular models of 2019 (and Redmi Note 4X has already become the most popular phone in the Xiaomi catalog today), which is facilitated by the excellent price-quality combination, which is what Xiaomi is famous for.

9 Apple iPhone 7 Plus 32Gb

The average price is 48,900 rubles. The flagship from the iconic American company went on sale at the end of September 2017. Apple iPhone 7 Plus has two more varieties: with 128 GB of internal memory and with 256 GB. But for the rating, the model with 32 GB was chosen because... This amount of memory is quite enough for the average user, and besides, this type is the most affordable.

The iPhone 7 Plus 32gb scored 50% of the five stars according to reviews in Yandex Market (see reviews of the Apple iPhone 7 Plus).

Characteristics of the Apple iPhone 7 Plus 32Gb: the latest operating system iOS 10 (the sixth iPhone had iOS 9), 5.5-inch screen with a resolution of 1920x1080, 32 GB of internal and 3 GB of RAM. Like all iPhones, there is no support for an external memory card and no support for a second SIM card. Battery capacity - 2900 mAh. Talk time is 21 hours, standby time is 384 hours, music listening time is 60 hours. There is protection against water.

Apple iPhone 7 Plus ranks second in performance (after HTC U11) in AnTuTu's June 2019 study.

iPhone 7 Plus has a dual main camera (2 modules of 12 megapixels each). Compared to the sixth iPhone, the aperture has been improved to f/1.8 (previously f/2.2), which allows 50% more light to pass through; six-lens lens; optical image stabilization (OIS) for photo and video shooting; Slo-Mo shooting in resolution up to 1080p; a special processor for processing information from the camera (Image signal processor), which does this 60% faster than before. At the same time, both professional reviews and blind tests show that in 2019, the camera of Apple’s flagship is inferior to at least a dozen Android smartphones. For example, in the Dxomark rating, the iPhone 7 camera shares 12th place with the 2016 model Samsung S6 Edge. Based on this fact, we can understand that in terms of camera quality, Apple lags behind Samsung by 2 years. Blind tests also show that the 2019 iPhone 7's camera doesn't hold up to the competition. In a blind test of flagship cameras conducted by the portal hi-tech.mail.ru in April 2019, the seventh iPhone took second to last place. The editors of the portal agreed with the opinion of their readers: “Few people liked the yellowish and dark photos from the iPhone 7 Plus. The camera suffers from incorrect determination of the white balance, which affected the result. The pictures have good detail and sharpness (except for text), but not up to the flagships on Android is no longer up to par."

The creators of the 7th iPhone decided to abandon the analog audio output in their smartphones in order to switch to the fully digital standard CDLA or Continual Digital Lossless Audio. However, this is not a revolution at all, because... Back in the spring, the Chinese used this in the flagship LeEco Le Max 2. In practice, this means that standard headphones for the iPhone 7 will not work: either you need an adapter or wireless headphones from Apple, which are not cheap, namely $159, which is currently exchange rate is about 10 thousand rubles.

Why was the Apple iPhone 7 Plus model chosen for the rating, and not the standard version of the Apple iPhone 7? The 4.7-inch standard iPhone with a very modest resolution of 1334x750 looks anachronistic in 2017, when tablet phones (i.e. smartphones with a screen of at least 5.5 inches and a resolution of at least 1920x1080) finally captured the world market. Plus, the Plus version outperforms the standard version in terms of performance. The standard iPhone 7 doesn’t even have an interesting solution with 3 cameras (like the iPhone 7 Plus version). In general, owners of the 7th iPhone note that it has not made much progress compared to the iPhone 6s model, so only owners of iPhones produced in 2015 and earlier should switch to the 7th.

8 Huawei P10 64Gb - flagship with the best reviews

The average price in Russia is 34,000 rubles. You can buy Huawei P10 64Gb on AliExpress for 30.3 thousand rubles (delivery to Russia is free). P10 is the new flagship of Huawei, presented at the Mobile World Congress at the end of February 2019. As of today, the model has scored 80% of the five stars according to reviews in Yandex Market (see reviews of Huawei P10), this is the best result in our rating.

Technical characteristics of the model: 5.1-inch screen with a resolution of 1920x1080 pixels, Android 7.0 operating system, 64 GB of permanent and 4 GB of RAM, support for two SIM cards, the slot for the second SIM card is combined with a slot for a memory card. Battery 3200 mAh. Eight-core Kirin 960 processor of its own design with Mali-G71 MP8 graphics accelerator. The fingerprint scanner is built into a touch button slightly recessed into the body on the front panel. Huawei P10 is made from a single piece of aluminum.

Cameras on smartphones from the leading Chinese manufacturer Huawei are developing by leaps and bounds: in 2016, the company introduced the world's first smartphone with two main cameras (now this technique is used by Apple and other manufacturers); in 2017, Huawei began collaborating with the famous German camera company Leica ( a Leica camera worth 5 million rubles is used, for example, by Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev), and in 2019 Huawei did everything to make the cameras on their smartphones the best in the world, namely, it involved Leica not only in working on a dual main module cameras, but also to work on the front camera. But that’s not all: starting with the P10, Huawei began collaborating with the cult American video camera manufacturer GoPro. As part of the collaboration, GoPro will release an exclusive Quik mobile application for fast video processing for Huawei P10. The video editor will be built into the standard gallery of the EMUI shell. The essence of the Quik app is to combine photos and videos with background music to create a beautiful memorable video. It is worth noting that GoPro has not previously released applications for either Android or iOS.

What happened in the end? The Huawei P10 uses a combination of two sensors with an f/2.2 aperture: monochrome, which captures light information, and RGB color. The color resolution is 12 megapixels, and the monochrome resolution is 20 megapixels. This combination provides the following advantages: the Huawei P10 camera has a 2x zoom without loss of quality, and it also allows you to take pictures with a blurred background - the so-called bokeh effect. There is a special mode developed by Leica specialists in which you can take high-quality portrait photographs using a monochrome sensor. The result of the collaboration between Leica and Huawei on the front camera of the P10 is an 8 megapixel sensor, with which selfies are twice as bright and with a wider dynamic range, even in low light conditions.

The Huawei P10 camera received 87 points on the Dxomark resource, which is 3 points less than the leader HTC U11 and took 7th place. At the same time, in a blind test by hi-tech.mail.ru in April 2019, the Huawei P10 camera took first place, beating models that scored more points in Dxomark, for example, Samsung Galaxy S8 and Google Pixel. The editors of hi-tech.mail.ru commented on the choice of readers as follows: “The majority appreciated the bright and contrasting pictures, not paying attention to the details” and put the Huawei P10 in 4th place after the Google Pixel, Samsung Galaxy S8 and LG G6 (however, there is a difference Huawei P10 and LG G6 accounted for only one point).

7 Xiaomi Mi 6 64GB is the most powerful Chinese smartphone

The average price in Russia is 28,000 rubles. You can buy Mi 6 64Gb on AliExpress for 24.9 thousand rubles (delivery to Russia is free). The official start of sales of the new Xiaomi flagship took place on July 4, 2019. As of today, Mi 6 64Gb has scored 60% of the five stars according to reviews in Yandex Market (see reviews of Xiaomi Mi6).

Technical characteristics: 5.15-inch IPS screen with a resolution of 1920x1080 pixels, Android 7.1 operating system, 64 GB of storage and 6 GB of RAM, support for two SIM cards. There is no support for external memory cards, although 64 GB is more than enough for the average smartphone user. Battery capacity 3350 mAh. Battery life in video viewing mode is 9.7 hours, in gaming mode - 7 hours. In terms of autonomy, Mi 6 is approximately one and a half times superior to such flagships as the iPhone 7 Plus or Huawei P10. The 8-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 MSM8998 processor, together with the already mentioned 6 GB of RAM, gives excellent performance: Mi 6 is the third most powerful smartphone in the world (and the second among Android smartphones), it is second only to HTC U11 and iPhone 7 Plus (antutu rating results .com). There is a fingerprint scanner. There is protection against water.

Xiaomi smartphones have always had excellent technical characteristics, but could not boast of an ideal camera. The camera of the new flagship from Xiaomi is positioned as a real alternative to the iPhone 7 Plus. The main camera of the Mi 6 is equipped with two lenses, a wide-angle and a telephoto lens, both with a resolution of 12 megapixels, as well as a 4-axis optical stabilization system. Working in pairs, these cameras allow you to take beautiful and clear pictures in any conditions. Portrait mode allows you to take clear, high-quality photos. Mi 6 has a portrait lens with a focal length of 52 mm. The 2x optical zoom camera captures stunning landscape shots, while the 10x digital zoom captures even fine details from a distance. Mi 6 with 4-axis optical image stabilization technology takes clear photos while capturing even the smallest vibrations. The built-in accelerometer and gyroscope allow you to stabilize the tilt and movements of the smartphone while shooting.

The front camera received 8 megapixels and new firmware. Beautify 3.0's beautiful filter technology reacts differently to men and women - it changes the appearance of men a little less. For women, cheeks are reduced, the skin is smoothed and the eyes are slightly enlarged to a greater extent.

In the June 2019 comparison of flagship cameras, the portal hi-tech.mail.ru gave the Xiaomi flagship camera the same score as the Sony Xperia XZ Premium. At the same time, Mi 6 was able to bypass the flagship of ASUS - ZenFone 3 Zoom, which is positioned as a camera phone.

So, the new Xiaomi flagship has a good camera and battery life, as well as excellent performance. All this at a price half the price of the flagships of Samsung or Apple. At the same time, this model is not suitable for lovers of large screens - the display diagonal is only 5.15 inches.

6 ZTE Nubia Z11 Mini S 64Gb

The average price in Russia is 17,600 rubles. You can buy Nubia Z11 Mini S on Aliexpress for 16.1 thousand rubles (delivery to Russia is free). A slightly smaller and more technically advanced version of the flagship of the ZTE Nubia family, released in October 2017, received 72% of five reviews in Yandex Market. Technical characteristics: 5.2-inch screen with a resolution of 1920x1080 pixels, Android 6.0 operating system, 64 GB of storage and 4 GB of RAM, there is a slot for an external memory card. Supports two SIM cards. Battery capacity - 3000 mAh. There is a fingerprint scanner, which, in addition to unlocking the smartphone, can be used to control the camera, take screenshots, and make mobile payments using NFC.

Main camera 23 MP, front camera 13 MP. The main camera uses a Sony IMX318 module, like the ASUS ZenFone 3 Deluxe.

5 OnePlus 3T 64Gb

The average price in Russia is 26,500 rubles. You can buy OnePlus 3T 64Gb on Aliexpress for 25.7 thousand rubles (delivery to Russia is free). This model, released in mid-November 2017, is an improved version of the OnePlus 3, which appeared in June 2017, received the title of “flagship killer” due to its excellent technical characteristics and affordable price, and also made it into the top 6 best-selling smartphones in the world at the end of the year. Today, the updated version of OnePlus 3T has 76% “A” ratings according to reviews in Yandex Market (see reviews of OnePlus 3T). Technical characteristics: Android 6.0 OS, 5.5-inch AMOLED screen with a resolution of 1920x1080, 64 GB of permanent memory. OnePlus3T has 6 GB of RAM, which allowed it to enter the top five most powerful Android smartphones as of June 2019 (data from the AnTuTu resource). In practice, this performance means you can keep two dozen tabs open in Chrome and a couple of games running in the background.

OnePlus3 does not support an external memory card, although with 64 GB of memory it is not particularly needed. Battery capacity - 3400 mAh. There is a fingerprint scanner. Supports two SIM cards.

The advantages of the model include incredible strength. The tempered Gorilla Glass 4 that protects the screen passed the scratch resistance test (similar tests are carried out by famous YouTube blogger Zach Nielson). Representatives of OnePlus, in order to prove the strength of their flagship, took a bold step and dropped OnePlus3 from a flying plane at an altitude of about 230 meters (for comparison: the main building of Moscow State University is 240 meters high). The smartphone fell to the ground face down, but this did not affect its appearance or performance in any way.

The OnePlus 3T has a 16-megapixel Sony IMX298 sensor with an f/2.0 aperture, optical stabilization, phase detection autofocus and a pixel size of 1.12 microns. The front camera has a 16-megapixel sensor. In July 2017, the Phonearena resource conducted a comparative test of flagship cameras, as a result, the Phonearena editors gave OnePlus 3 (OnePlus 3T has the same main camera) fourth place, behind HTC 10, LG G5, iPhone 6s and surpassing Samsung Galaxy S7 and Sony Xperia X Performance. However, if we compare the cameras of the Samsung Galaxy S7 and OnePlus 3, then OnePlus 3 clearly wins only as a front camera; the pictures from it are better than those of most main smartphone cameras. As for the main camera of the Samsung Galaxy S7, visually the pictures from it are better than the main camera of the OnePlus 3.

OnePlus 3T, without a doubt, has no competitors among Chinese smartphones due to its excellent performance, good battery life and high-quality camera, as well as durability.

4 Samsung Galaxy S8

The average price is 50,000 rubles. The flagship from the leading smartphone manufacturer in South Korea and the world went on sale at the end of April 2019 and today received 57% of the five reviews in Yandex Market.

Fans of the South Korean brand had to wait a whole year for the new flagship (last year's summer flagship Galaxy Note 7 does not count, since Samsung was forced to withdraw this model from sales soon after they began due to problems with the battery) after its appearance in March 2017 Galaxy S7. As a result, the release of the Galaxy S8 caused an incredible stir: in the first two days, the number of pre-orders for the Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8 Plus (an enlarged version of the model) amounted to 550,000 units (for comparison: the Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 Edge were ordered by 100 thousand people in the first 2 days) . Of course, a year-long wait for a flagship in itself is not capable of causing such a stir; for example, Apple consistently releases flagships once a year, but at the same time, sales of the seventh iPhone turned out to be quite weak due to the fact that the new iPhone for the most part turned out to be the same eggs, only in profile, if you compare it with the 6th iPhone. Samsung did not repeat the mistakes of its competitor and presented a truly innovative model that cannot be confused with any smartphone on the market today.

Technical characteristics of the Samsung Galaxy S8: 5.8-inch screen with QHD+ resolution (3840x2160), Android 7.0 operating system with Samsung Experience 8.1 proprietary shell, 64 GB of storage and 4 GB of RAM. There is a slot for memory cards up to 265 GB (combined with a slot for a second SIM card). Battery capacity - 3000 mAh. Battery life in talk mode is 20 hours, while listening to music is 67 hours. Let's dwell a little on these characteristics and compare them with last year's Galaxy S7 Edge. The screen diagonal has increased by 0.3 inches, the resolution has also noticeably increased, while the phone itself, paradoxically, has become even a little smaller and lighter. This effect was achieved due to the fact that the screen now occupies more than 80% of the area of ​​the front panel: the physical buttons disappeared (they became touch-sensitive), the Samsung inscription, there are practically no side frames, the free space was taken up by the screen. The amount of permanent memory has doubled. However, there is a small step back: the battery capacity has decreased, and therefore the battery life has become shorter, while it is approximately the same as, for example, the seventh iPhone. The processor is Samsung branded Exynos 8895.

When it comes to cameras, Samsung has decided to ignore the trend of dual main cameras in the flagship model, which has been followed by Apple, Huawei, LG and, in the old fashioned way, has a single main camera, an improvement over the already excellent camera of the S7. The S8 camera received a new 12 megapixel Sony IMX333 sensor with DualPixel technology. The front camera (8 MP) is equipped with a fast lens for perfect selfies even at night, and also supports intelligent autofocus with face detection. By the way, face recognition has become one of the interesting features of the S8: to unlock your smartphone, you no longer have to use a fingerprint scanner; you just need to show your face to the smartphone. There is a third method: scanning the iris (however, this method will be inconvenient if you wear glasses or contact lenses).

Of course, in terms of technical innovations, the Galaxy S8 has no competitors today. However, in terms of price-quality ratio, the Galaxy S8, in our opinion, is still slightly inferior to the other Korean flagship of spring 2019 - the LG G6.

3 LG G6 64GB

The average price is 42,300 rubles. The Korean flagship went on sale at the end of March 2019 and today received 76% of five reviews in Yandex Market.

Like Samsung, LG presented the world with a greatly updated flagship when compared to last year's G5. The South Korean company decided to abandon the modularity of the G5, which amazed everyone, but proposed a new interesting solution: the screen in the LG G6 is the world's first IPS display with a QHD+ resolution (2880x1440) with a non-standard aspect ratio of 18:9 (2:1). The screen-to-total front panel area ratio here is almost the same as the Samsung Galaxy S8, and the LG G6's body, with a 5.7-inch screen, has smaller dimensions than last year's 5.3-inch G5. At the same time, LG did not remove the brand name from the front panel; there was a place for it. The buttons on the front panel, like in the Galaxy S8, are touch-sensitive and not physical.

Other characteristics: Android 7.0 operating system with LG UX 6.0 proprietary shell, 64 GB of storage and 4 GB of RAM. There is a slot for memory cards with support for a fantastic capacity - 2 TB (combined with a slot for a second SIM card). Battery capacity - 3300 mAh. The processor is a quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 821. At first glance, it is surprising that the processor is not the newest, but it can easily cope with any applications and games for Android available today, so, apparently, LG did not consider it necessary to reinvent the wheel and increase the cost of your flagship with the latest processor. The fingerprint scanner is located on the rear panel.

The LG G6 follows the dual rear camera trend, but offers perhaps the best solution available. If usually the main cameras are not the same in quality, and the second main camera is needed only to simulate the software effect of strong background blur (bokeh), then the LG G6 developers abandoned this effect altogether. Here, both main cameras are of equal quality (13-megapixel Sony IMX258 sensor), but have different lenses: one is standard with a viewing angle of 71°, and the other is an ultra-wide-angle with a viewing angle of 125° and an aperture number of f/2.4. Due to this, the lens is able to capture as much space as possible in the frame where it is needed. Switching between two cameras is instant and without delay. To do this, just click on the special icon in the viewfinder.

LG G6 took part in two blind camera tests conducted among readers of the portal hi-tech.mail.ru in 2019. In the April test, the Korean flagship took third place after Huawei P10 and Samsung Galaxy S8. The portal's editors also gave LG G6 bronze in the professional assessment, and the first two places were taken by Google Pixel and Samsung Galaxy S8. In the June blind test, the LG G6 again came in third place, this time behind the Honor 8 Pro and Samsung Galaxy S8. The editors gave first place to the Samsung Galaxy S8, and LG G6 shared second place with HTC U11 and Honor 8 Pro. In the ranking of the best camera phones (smartphones with a good camera), the LG G6 is in 10th place.

The 5 MP front camera also has an increased (up to 100°) viewing angle, due to which you can take selfies with a good capture of the surrounding space even without using a selfie stick. This will also allow more friends to be included in the frame when taking a group selfie.

The editors of the w3bsit3-dns.com portal awarded the LG G6 a win in the "Best Look" nomination for its excellent design and ergonomics, noting: "LG engineers managed to make one of the most user-friendly smartphones with a large display, which combines aesthetics and certified resistance to external influences of the structure."

If you compare the LG G6 and Samsung Galaxy S8, you will immediately notice the price difference of about 8 thousand rubles in favor of the LG G6. At the same time, reviews of the LG flagship are noticeably better than those of the Samsung flagship. Both models feature an innovative huge display in a standard body. At the same time, the LG G6 has a dual main camera with a useful wide-angle shooting function, as well as a front camera with a wide viewing angle, which the Samsung flagship cannot boast of.

2 HTC U11 64Gb - a smartphone with the world's best camera, as well as the most powerful smartphone in the world

The average price is 45,000 rubles. You can buy HTC U11 64Gb on AliExpress for 43.2 thousand rubles (delivery to Russia is free). The new flagship from the Taiwanese manufacturer went on sale in June 2019 and has not yet received customer reviews. At the same time, already at the start of sales it is obvious that, unexpectedly for everyone, HTC released the brightest flagship of the first half of 2019, which surpassed its competitors in camera quality and performance. The excellent camera quality in the HTC U11 was quite expected, given that last year's flagship HTC 10 spent almost the entire year as the owner of the best camera of 2017, only losing this place to the Google Pixel in October. Now the Google Pixel camera has moved to second place in the Dxomark resource rating, and HTC U11 topped the rating with a record 90 points (Google Pixel has 1 point less).

The main module contains a 12-megapixel UltraPixel 3 sensor with a pixel size of 1.4 microns, optics with an f/1.7 aperture and optical stabilization. The UltraSpeed ​​Autofocus system, in which every pixel is involved, is responsible for focusing.

The review on the portal hi-tech.mail.ru says about the camera of this model:

“The U11 aims at the target instantly, without missing a beat, even in low light.

I was impressed by the performance of the software. You take 10 frames in a row - and all 10 will be the same. That is, the exposure, shutter speed, and ISO settings are not lost at the slightest movement of the phone, and the built-in algorithms do not recognize this as a change in composition. This is often found in Chinese smartphones, and even in some flagships, for example, Google Pixel or LG G6. There, two photographs can differ in brightness or graininess - as the automation wishes.

When shooting against the sun or a bright sky, HDR Boost pulls out detail even in the darkest areas. The dynamic range is as wide as in Google Pixel images. There is some logic to this: the companies collaborated to develop the Pixel. Perhaps HTC provided the capacity of its factories, and in return Google shared its secret HDR+ algorithms."

The front camera resolution is an incredible 16 megapixels, f2.0 aperture, video is recorded in 1080p.

In a blind test comparing cameras of flagship smartphones and the Canon 5D Mark II DSLR, conducted among readers of hi-tech.mail.ru, HTC U11 took penultimate place, scoring 1 point less than the DSLR. The portal's editors explained it this way: "HTC U11 fell into the same trap as the camera: excellent detail, correct exposure, but it looks too simple compared to its bright competitors." At the same time, not the final sample was used in the test, but a test one, which could affect the quality of the shooting.

Other technical characteristics: Android 7.1 OS, 5.5-inch Super LCD screen with a resolution of 2560x1440, 64 GB of storage and 4 GB of RAM. Supports external memory card up to 2 TB. Supports two SIM cards. Battery capacity - 3000 mAh. Talk time is 24.5 hours, standby time is 336 hours. There is a fingerprint scanner on the front panel. The HTC U11 has pressure-sensitive edges, which means that by simply squeezing the smartphone in your hand, you can take photos with the camera, launch applications, or turn on the flashlight.

HTC U11 is IP67 protected and can be submerged in water up to a depth of 1 meter for 30 minutes and sprinkled with sand.

It is also worth noting the beautiful glossy case.

At the moment, HTC U11 ranks first in terms of performance in the AnTuTu resource study, beating not only all Android smartphones, but also the seventh iPhone, which has been in first place for a long time.

1 ASUS ZenFone 3 Zoom ZE553KL 64Gb - flagship with the most powerful battery

The average price in Russia is 28,000 rubles. You can buy ZenFone 3 Zoom ZE553KL 64Gb on AliExpress for 24.6 thousand rubles (delivery to Russia is free). The new flagship in the ZenFone 3 line from the leading Taiwanese manufacturer went on sale in March 2019 and today received 66% of the five reviews in Yandex Market (see reviews of ZenFone 3 Zoom).

Technical characteristics: 5.5-inch screen with a resolution of 1920x1080 pixels, Android 6.0 operating system, 64 GB of permanent memory and 4 GB of RAM, there is a slot for a memory card up to 2 TB (combined with a slot for a second SIM card). Battery capacity - 5000 mAh. Battery life in talk mode on 3G networks is up to 48 hours, when browsing websites over a Wi-Fi network up to 25 hours, standby time up to 42 days. ZenFone 3 Zoom supports fast charging technology (10 minutes of recharging will be enough for an additional 5 hours of talk time). 8-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 625 MSM8953 processor. There is a fingerprint scanner.

ZenFone 3 Zoom is equipped with two high-quality main cameras. The first, based on the latest Sony IMX362 sensor with large pixels (1.4 microns), has a wide-angle lens with a large aperture (f/1.7) and a 12 megapixel matrix with support for ASUS SuperPixel technology. It is designed for shooting everyday scenes, including in low light. SuperPixel technology allows for a 2.5x improvement in light sensitivity compared to the iPhone 7 Plus. In addition, the camera supports optical and electronic image stabilization to minimize blur when shooting photos and videos, uses a color correction sensor to improve color reproduction, and allows you to record video in 4K/Ultra-HD format. The second of the main cameras - with the same resolution of 12 megapixels and optical zoom of 2.3 times - is used for obtaining high-quality close-up shots. In addition to optical zoom, you can use the digital zoom function, which gives a total image magnification of 12 times. Switching between cameras is instant, and the combination of the two produces stunning depth of field—and professional-looking photos. In manual camera mode, ZenFone 3 Zoom allows you to customize many different photography settings, such as white balance, exposure value, focal length, ISO level and shutter speed.

ZenFone 3 Zoom features ASUS TriTech+ Triple AF system, which includes dual-pixel phase detection autofocus technology similar to that found in DSLR cameras. Phase sensors for focusing are contained in each pixel of the photosensitive matrix, which ensures the fastest and most accurate focusing, even for moving objects. In addition, the ASUS TriTech+ system includes tracking autofocus (for both photos and video) and laser autofocus that fires in just 0.03 seconds.

On its official website, ASUS posted comparative photos of ZenFone 3 Zoom and iPhone 7 Plus, which show that ZenFone 3 Zoom demonstrates better shooting in panorama mode, better color rendition, and copes better with night photography and macro photography.

In a blind comparison test between cameras of flagship smartphones and the Canon 5D Mark II DSLR, conducted in June 2019 among readers of hi-tech.mail.ru, ASUS ZenFone 3 Zoom took 4th place, beating the DSLR camera, as well as the best in the world ( according to the authoritative resource Dxomark) smartphone camera HTC U11. The editors of hi-tech.mail.ru commented on this: “ZenFone 3 Zoom surprised. The smartphone does not belong to the premium category, but readers liked its bright photographs.”

ZenFone 3 Zoom has a high-quality front camera with a 13-megapixel Sony IMX214 sensor and ASUS SuperPixel technology, which further doubles light sensitivity. When shooting in low light conditions, the smartphone screen turns bright white, acting as a flash. Combined with software features like Portrait Enhancement and 140-degree Panoramic Selfies, this camera lets you take highly detailed, great-quality self-portraits—and with all your friends in the frame.

Listening to music with ZenFone 3 Zoom immerses you in a world of sounds that regular smartphones simply can't reproduce - because only ZenFone 3 Zoom supports SonicMaster 3 technology and is certified for high-resolution audio playback.

As we can see, this smartphone has no weak points at all. Typically, flagships suffer from a very average battery, while the powerful battery of the ZenFone 3 Zoom allows you to work without recharging twice as long as the iPhone 7 or Samsung Galaxy S8, while its price is half the price.

The global gadget market presents customers with more and more new models every month, trying to meet consumer demands. It is for this reason that global brands do not limit themselves to mediocre smartphones, but produce powerful and sophisticated models.

The modern “cellular race” provides a huge range of choices for everyone: gamers, businessmen, artists and even low-budget clients. This is due to the fact that people value different indicators in smartphones: video recording, functionality, interface, design, practicality, price.

This list can be continued endlessly - it is for this reason that the article below will indicate the top 7 most powerful smartphones in different price categories that can satisfy all the mobile needs of a person, depending on preferences.

1. iPhone XS Max

The smartphone received a new 6-core A12 bionic processor. Graphics accelerator 4-core – Apple GPU. The smartphone does not have a mini-jack connector and is charged via USB-lightning. XS Max supports 2 types of SIM cards: nano-sim and e-sim. Apple Pay is available for contactless payments. Deprived of Touch ID in favor of Face ID. The 7-megapixel front camera with f/2.2 aperture lacks flash and autofocus. Both rear camera modules have a resolution of 12 megapixels and a quad-LED flash. The modules have f/1.8 and f/2.4 apertures.


iPhone XS Max

The smartphone is protected according to the IP68 standard. The model is available with memory of 64, 256 and 512 GB. The Super AMOLED screen has a resolution of 2688x1242 and a density of 458 ppi. The battery has a capacity of 3174 mAh. Supports wireless charging. Runs on iOS 12.

The appearance of the IPhone XS Max can be described as follows: IPhone X is the size of an IPhone 8 Plus. This is the largest screen among the Apple family. The phone is covered with even more durable glass, and its edges are framed by metal frames. Size – 6.5 inches. It is protected by IP68, but the generation of Gorilla Glass is unknown, Apple still does not reveal this secret.

The smartphone has not lost its “unibrow”. Available in 3 color variations: gold, black and space grey. The gold color is relatively brighter than the colors of older models. The smartphone saves more battery power due to the 7nm process technology. When taking portraits, it is now possible to change the background blur depth.

pros

Big screen
Performance
Improved camera quality

Minuses

Low-functional interface
Overcharge
"Single-carrying"
Deliberately sparse equipment

2. Pocophone F1

The first representative of the sub-brand from Xiaomi received the “top-end” Snapdragon 845 processor from Qulacomm. The chipset includes 4 energy-efficient, 4 productive cores and an Adreno 630 video accelerator. The model does not have NFC and moisture protection. The Gorilla Glass version received a Type-C connector and 3.5 mm headphone jack. The SIM card tray is hybrid. The smartphone has an integrated liquid cooling system. The screen has a resolution of 1080x2246 and 416 pixels per inch. The main rear camera module has f/1.9 aperture and a resolution of 12 megapixels, and the secondary one has f/2.0 and 5 megapixels, respectively. The front camera shoots at 20 megapixels with an f/2.0 aperture. 3 variations are available: 6RAM/64ROM, 6RAM/128ROM, 8RAM/128ROM. The battery is lithium-ion, supports Quick Charge 3.0 and has a capacity of 4000 mAh. It runs on the MIUI 10 shell, based on the proprietary Poco Launcher.


Pocophone F1

The case is plastic. Available in black, blue and red colors. A premium model with a Kevlar casing is available. The diagonal of the smartphone is 5.18 inches. The cameras are located vertically above the fingerprint sensor. The screen is limited by a cutout at the top. The lower part is distinguished by the “chin”.

pros

Low price
Liquid cooling
Practical body

Minuses

No NFC
Hybrid tray
IP68 not available
The package does not include headphones

3. Asus ROG Phone

The most expensive and powerful gaming smartphone in this rating. Equipped with a Snapdragon 845 chipset with cores accelerating to 2.96 GHz. Protected according to IP68 standard. NFC is integrated into it. Dual-SIM, has a mini-jack and a Type-C connector, however, it does not have a slot for MicroSD. The “console” has 8 GB of RAM, and the permanent memory is available at 128/512 GB. It cools by transferring heat to the liquid and then evaporating and condensing it. The 5.99-inch AMOLED screen with 2K resolution has a 2 to 1 ratio and refreshes at 90 Hz. The 4000 mAh Li-Po battery supports Quick Charge 4.0. The main camera is 12 megapixels with f/1.8 aperture, and the secondary one is 8 megapixels. The 8-megapixel front camera has f/2.0 aperture. The camera has artificial intelligence built into it. It has its own ROG UI shell based on Android.


Asus ROG Phone

The smartphone weighs 200 grams. The front panel has 2 speakers at the ends. The back panel is covered with Gorilla Glass 6. It has a cooling system. The fingerprint sensor is located conveniently for horizontal use. The camera and flash are located in the upper left corner, and in the center is the ROG logo, which optionally shimmers. On one edge there are 2 sensors that can replace pressing on the desired part of the screen. The 3rd sensor is located at the bottom end.

pros

Additional Peripherals
Performance
Appearance
Optimization for games

Minuses

Expensive
Relatively weak camera

4. Xiaomi Mi 8 Explorer Edition

Powered by the Snapdragon 845 chipset. NFC is built into the smartphone. Supports two SIM cards. Deprived of a MicroSD port and a 3.5 mm jack. It charges via Type-C, and wireless charging and Quick Charge 4.0 are also available. The screen is 6.21 inches, covered with Gorilla Glass 5, has an AMOLED matrix and a resolution of 2248x1080. 4000 mAh battery. RAM is available in 4/6/8 GB, and permanent memory is available in 63/128/256 GB. The 12-megapixel rear camera modules have an aperture of f/1.8 and f/2.4. The front lens with f/2.0 aperture shoots at 20 megapixels. The camera uses a 3D face scanner.


Xiaomi Mi 8 Explorer Edition

This good powerful smartphone is only available in black. The dual camera is positioned vertically in the left corner. The top of the display has a cutout. The back panel is transparent and made of glass. This glass allegedly exposes the processor. However, the exposed processor is just a dummy.

pros

Advanced implementation of face and fingerprint scanner
Performance
Appearance
Always On Display

Minuses

Lack of 3.5mm jack
Not intended for the Russian market

5. Xiaomi Black Shark

The gaming smartphone of the startup Black Shark was released at the expense of Xiaomi. The smartphone has a Snapdragon 845. A gaming mode is available. The IPS display size is 6 inches. Has a resolution of 2160x1080. Added liquid cooling system. There are 2 variations: 6RAM/64ROM and 8RAM/128ROM. The 4000 mAh battery is charged via the Type-C port. The fingerprint scanner is mounted under the screen. NFC is missing. Dual SIM card slot. Supports Quick Charge 3.0. The implemented Android Oreo includes the JOY UI shell. Both main cameras have an f/1.75 aperture, and the resolution of the secondary and main cameras is 12 and 20 megapixels, respectively. The front camera shoots at 5 megapixels f/2.2.


Xiaomi Black Shark

The futuristic design of the smartphone combines black and poisonous green colors. There is also a variation in gray color. The cameras and flash are located horizontally on the upper part, and the Black Shark inscription on the lower part. In the center there is a brand icon – S. The back is not flat and has a certain relief. The front part is framed at both ends by slightly thick frames, on the edges of which there are stereo speakers. There is an oleophobic coating.

pros

Low price tag
Availability of a gamepad, depending on the party
Finger scanner built into the screen
Liquid cooling

Minuses

No NFC
Non-expandable memory

6. Samsung Galaxy Note 9

On board the flagship is the branded Exynos 9810. A model powered by Snapdragon 845 is available for the market of certain countries. The smartphone comes with an S Pen for controlling the screen and other uses. Has NFC. The Super AMOLED screen at 2960x1440 extends to 6.4 inches. Protected according to IP68 standard. Memory is available in 128 and 512 GB of memory, and RAM in 6 and 8 GB. The battery has a capacity of 4000 mAh and is connected to charging via Type-C. Wireless and fast charging version 2.0 is available.


Samsung Galaxy Note 9

Smartphone with 2 SIM cards and stereo sound. It is possible to install a memory card up to 512 GB. Updated to Android 9 and flavored with the signature Samsung Experience. Soon the shell will be updated to One UI. The selfie camera has a resolution of 8 megapixels and f/1.7. The main camera can change the aperture from f/1.5 to f/2.4, and the secondary camera is installed for background blur and optical zoom.

Weighs 200 g. The body is covered with glass. The smartphone is rectangular with pointed corners. In the lower right corner there is a compartment for the S Pen. The top and bottom are framed with frames on which stereo speakers are installed. The cameras and flash bulb are located horizontally, and right below them is a fingerprint scanner. Available in black, grey, purple, blue and brown color options.

pros

Appearance
Additional control via handle
NFC
Wireless charger
Always On Display
Rich equipment

Minuses

Outdated fast charging
Curved screen isn't very practical
Uncompetitive camera

7.Huawei Mate 20 Pro

The device is equipped with the flagship and proprietary SoC HiSilicon Kirin 980 with a Mali G-76 video card. The dual-SIM smartphone is equipped with NFC. The protection class is IP68, but the generation of the protective glass is unknown. Does not have a headphone jack. The fingerprint sensor is embedded in the screen. The pixels of the AMOLED matrix are 1440x3120. RAM – 6/8 GB, and permanent memory – 64 and 128 GB. Built-in fast charging. 3 main cameras: 40 MP – f/1.8, 20 MP – f/2.2, 8 MP – f/2.4. The 24 megapixel front camera has f/2.0 aperture. The battery is made of lithium polymer and has a capacity of 4200 mAh. Fast charging available. Operating system – Android “Pie” with EMUI interface.


Huawei Mate 20 Pro

Available in black, blue, green and dark purple. The smartphone is covered with glass and aluminum. The surface is streamlined. Has a small “chin” and “bangs”. The back panel is gradient. On its upper half there is a square in which 3 cameras and a flash are built in.

pros

Price
Camera quality
Fingerprint scanner built into the screen
Appearance
Battery

Minuses

Weak video accelerator
Fragility due to the curved screen
No headphone jack

Bottom line

As it becomes clear, all of the above models have high performance indicators and are approximately identical in their power. However, each model in one way or another has advantages over the others.

Asus ROG PHONE and Xiaomi Black Shark are considered truly gaming gadgets, but it is the first one that will leave the gamer satisfied with both its appearance and gaming capabilities. Its complete package includes a large suitcase that is full of gaming peripherals. The second option will cost 2 times less, however, the gaming capabilities with such an acquisition will be relatively limited.

The iPhone XS Max boasts multitasking capabilities, looks, camera quality, and a trouble-free, if sparse, interface. Despite all these advantages, the price of a smartphone is exorbitant and it is for this reason that Apple products usually remain interesting for regular users who are willing to pay a lot of money for this device.

The same can be said about the Samsung Galaxy Note 9 - a good, powerful smartphone, made of very high quality and looks quite rich. Its smart pen will allow both creative individuals and businessmen to embody fleeting ideas in notes.

Huawei Mate 20 Pro was awarded the title “Cameraphone” - its photo and video recording is excellent. In addition, its appearance, protection and performance are also at a fairly high level. The only negative is the video card - the picture of heavy games at maximum graphics settings leaves much to be desired. In all other respects, the phone will not leave anyone indifferent.

Pocophone f1 is the cheapest flagship with the appropriate hardware. The smartphone is literally created for those who do not want to overpay for an expensive appearance and are ready to be content only with performance, which, by the way, is greater than that of the Samsung Galaxy Note 9.

Xiaomi MI 8 Explorer Edition is a smartphone that meets all modern requirements. Performance, appearance, camera - everything is at a high level. The gadget has absorbed all the positive qualities of its competitors, leaving no room for flaws, however, purchasing it on the Russian market is far from easy.