AliExpress smartphones aren’t always the cheapest, but they’re the only place to find a maximum selection of models under $200. We have compiled a ranking of the best options from the marketplace. Each of the smartphones is well made, equipped with a decent camera and a powerful battery. The devices have received a lot of positive feedback from customers.
The best smartphones from Aliexpress under $200
Smartphones from Chinese manufacturers dominate AliExpress, but Samsung, iPhone and other devices can sometimes be found in the under-$200 price range. The leader in sales traditionally remains Xiaomi and subsidiary brands. Not far behind is Realme, which supplies stylish and high-performance gadgets of high quality. Interestingly, several secure models made it to the top in terms of orders. They are manufactured by Cubot, Blackview, Oukitel and Ulefone. These phones are more for tourism and extreme travel than for business calls and internet surfing.
When choosing the best smartphone, you need to pay attention to user reviews on AliExpress, as well as technical specifications. Those who like to shoot photos and video just need a decent camera, and a high-capacity battery does not hurt. Those who are keen on games will need a large display and good performance. If your phone will only be used for calling and messaging, there is no point in choosing the most expensive model. It is better to look at the modest, but quality budget. For example, for everyday communication devices from DOOGEE and UMIDIGI will be ideal.
TOP-10. DOOGEE N40 Pro
Counted 937 reviews from: AliExpress
- Average price: $145.
- Display: 6.52 inches, 1600*720
- Camera: 20+8+2+2MP rear, 16MP front
- Battery: 6380 mAh
- Chipset: 8 core Mediatek Helio P60, 2GHz
- Memory: 6+128GB
- Weight: 190g
Almost the most budget-friendly smartphone (among the unprotected models) doesn’t boast a unique design or features, but it’s worth a look. It has a good battery, a fingerprint sensor and even face unlocking. For the low price of the DOOGEE N40 Pro, the quality of service is amazing. Delivery takes no more than a month, the goods are packed to the conscience. On AliExpress you can buy a set with a protective film or a smart watch. The main disadvantage of the device was the screen. Small letters and numbers are poorly visible on it, and the brightness and contrast are not enough for comfortable use in the sun. At night another problem arises – the camera is unable to take good photos, let alone videos.
TOP-9. Cubot KingKong 5 Pro
Counted 1539 reviews from: AliExpress
- Average price: $145
- Display: 6.08 inch, 1560*720
- Camera: 48+5+0.3 MP primary, 25 MP front
- Battery: 8000 mAh
- Chipset: 8 core MediaTek Helio P22
- Memory: 4+64GB
- Weight: 308g
The under-$200 range often includes rugged smartphones from a variety of manufacturers. One of the most successful is the Cubot KingKong 5 Pro. It is IP68 and IP69K protected against dust and water. This means that the gadget can withstand submersion to a depth of one and a half meters and a fall from the same height. All popular navigation systems are supported. The powerful battery gives you up to 19 hours of gaming and video playback or 53 hours of music playback. You can’t expect miracles from the camera, but for selfies and commemorative photos it will do quite well. Stabilization in video is lame, as it often happens with budget smartphones. The only disadvantages are the high weight and unstable operation of the fingerprint sensor.
TOP-8. UMIDIGI A11 Pro Max
Counted 3768 reviews from: AliExpress
- Average price: $150
- Display: 6.8 inches, 1080*2460
- Camera: 48+16+2MP rear, 24MP front
- Battery: 5150mAh
- Chipset: 8 core MediaTek Helio G80, 2Ghz
- Memory: 4/8+128GB
- Weight: 222g
The UMIDIGI A11 Pro Max is a successful 2021 model in the $200 range. It boasts a pleasing design and balanced specs. The smartphone has a huge IPS screen with high resolution and rich and vivid colours. Two variants with different amounts of RAM are on sale. Buyers are advised to choose the extended version, otherwise there will be problems with loading heavy games and applications. The on-board memory capacity can be increased with a micro SD. The camera with dual LED flash and autofocus takes pictures of decent quality. An interesting feature of the device is the infrared thermometer on the back. Biometric technology is well implemented, but there is no NFC.
TOP-7. Cubot X30
Counted 537 reviews from: AliExpress
- Average price: $150
- Display: 6.4 inches, 2310*1080
- Camera: 48+16+5+2+0.3MP rear, 32MP front
- Battery: 4200mAh
- Chipset: 8 core MT6771 Helio P60, 2GHz
- Memory: 8+128/256GB
- Weight: 212g
The Cubot brand doesn’t just produce rugged smartphones. For under $200 you can order the new X50 or the earlier X30. It is the one that has become the best in many criteria, according to the reviews. The first look at the device immediately catches the eye of the 5-camera module. You don’t see that very often, even on AliExpress, although the quality of the pictures taken with the additional lens almost didn’t affect the quality of the picture. Another feature of the phone is the extended RAM capacity compared to its competitors. There are disadvantages, but they are hardly significant. For example, the kit does not include headphones. You’ll have to buy them separately and keep in mind that the Type-C connector is used here. There are also complaints in the reviews about the poor sound from the microphone.
TOP-6. Blackview BV6600
Counted 333 reviews from: AliExpress
- Average price: $155
- Display: 5.7 inches, 1440*720
- Camera: 16+0.3+0.3 MP (main), 8MP (front)
- Battery: 8580mAh
- Chipset: 8 core Mediatek Helio A25, 1.8GHz
- Memory: 4+64GB
- Weight: 230g
Blackview BV6600 is another secure smartphone in the under $200 price segment. Its appearance and characteristics resemble those of Cubot KingKong 5 Pro, but all the functions are implemented a little better. There is a more powerful battery, less weight, there is support for Galileo navigation and protection class MIL-STD-810G (military tests). Samsung’s proprietary autofocus camera takes decent quality photos, and the battery will last up to 792 h in standby mode. Given that the device costs a little less than its closest competitor, its popularity on AliExpress is obvious. Reviews praise its battery life and sturdy build. The only criticisms are that the interface is not the most user-friendly and the screen diagonal is small.
TOP-5. Apple iPhone 7
Counted 237 reviews from: AliExpress
- Average price: $133
- Display: 4.7 inches, 1334*750
- Camera: Front 7MP, rear 12MP
- Battery: 1960 mAh
- Chipset: Apple A10 Fusion quad core, 2.34GHz
- Memory: 2+32/128/256GB
- Weight: 138g
Of course, even on AliExpress you can’t buy an iPhone 12 or 13 for $200. But the unlocked 7th generation smartphone is still on sale. It’s the best option for those who aren’t chasing new technology, but still want high quality pictures, rich colours and great Apple performance. The phone’s IP67 water and dust protection means there’s no need to worry about it at the gym or on the move. Thanks to optical stabilisation videos are sharp and smooth. The memory capacity is sufficient, but there is no micro SD slot. What the reviews praise the compactness of the iPhone is that the seller always puts gifts with the order. And even if the quality of the accessories is not perfect, it is still a nice bonus.
TOP-4. Cubot P60
Counted 1987 reviews from: AliExpress
- Average price: $110
- Display: 6.52 inch, 720*1600
- Camera: 20MP rear, 8MP front
- Battery: 5000 mAh
- Chipset: Eight-core MT6765 Helio P35
- Memory: 6+128GB
- Weight: 200g
The Cubot P60 is an inexpensive Android 12-based model with a powerful battery and biometric technology. The storage capacity is good, with provision for expansion up to 256GB. Two cameras (front and rear) are responsible for taking photos and videos, no 2-4 lens modules. Of course, there is no point in expecting better quality, but for the price category under $200 it is quite decent. Brand lenses from Samsung give good clarity, except that the colours are not always transferred correctly. You can order a set with a smart watch on AliExpress. Reviews praise the full package, including headphones and charger. But the work of the seller and the postal services has disappointed customers – parcels take a long time to arrive.
TOP-3. Blackview Oscal C80
Counted 2793 reviews from: AliExpress
- Average price: $130
- Display: 6.5 inch, 720*1600
- Camera: 50MP rear, 8MP front
- Battery: 5180 mAh
- Chipset: Eight-core Unisoc T606
- Memory: 8+128GB
- Weight: 188g
Blackview produces rugged smartphones, but the Oscal C80 is more of a slim and lightweight device. Battery capacity is pleasing, as is support for 18W fast charging. When fully charged, the model holds a charge for more than a day. The display with a refresh rate of 90 Hz is quite bright and contrasty. The resolution of the sensor is impressive, but in reality the camera takes pictures of average quality. But here, the night mode technology has been improved. Best of all, the built-in memory can be expanded to 1 TB using micro SD. Not all budget models can boast of such. The smartphone can be considered one of the best on Aliexpress, but there is one big disadvantage – without a discount its cost exceeds $200
TOP-2. Realme 10
Counted 2303 reviews from: AliExpress
- Average price: $190
- Display: 6.4 inches, 2400*1080
- Camera: 50+2MP rear, 16MP front
- Battery: 5000 mAh
- Chipset: Eight-core Helio G99
- Memory: 4/8+128/256GB
- Weight: 178g
Realme 10 has been called the best in terms of its design and balanced combination of features. It is quite compact, with a large display and good storage capacity. There are bundle options with headphones and other accessories, but each will cost more than $200. The manufacturer has provided all modern technology, including NFC, face unlock and a fingerprint sensor. The smartphone is sometimes ordered for the elderly, as it has excellent speaker volume and easy controls. The camera is dual, with average photo and video quality. The screen of the model is praised in reviews for its clarity and brightness. The only disappointment was the included glass – it is too thick, it goes over the edges of the display.
TOP-1. POCO M5
Counted 3654 reviews from: AliExpress
- Average price: $160
- Display: 6.58 inches, 2408*1080
- Camera: 50+2+2MP rear, 5MP front
- Battery: 5000 mAh
- Chipset: Eight-core MediaTek Helio G99
- Memory: 4/6+64/128GB
- Weight: 201g
The POCO M5 is an updated version of a smartphone that has become one of the most popular on AliExpress. It can safely be considered the best in the price category up to $200 at least because of the quality of the screen. It pleasantly surprised with a refresh rate of 90 Hz (automatic selection of the optimum value with DynamicSwitch technology) and peak brightness up to 500 nits. The display is protected by Corning Gorilla Glass. There is a separate micro SD slot, a standard headphone jack, an IR port and an NFC module. Of the biometric technology, there is only a fingerprint sensor. As for the camera, it is not the best – macro is inaudible, in low light the clarity is lost and colours are blurred.
