Due to the huge variety of smartphones on the market, not all of them manage to earn popularity among picky users. But some models stand out from the host of competitors due to their characteristics, price, or a balanced combination of both. And we studied the sales statistics of the most popular smartphones in 2020 and present the list to your attention.
All participants have a high rating (at least 4.5 points out of 5) on Yandex.Market and are on sale in Russian stores.
10. HONOR 20 Lite
- smartphone with Android 9.0
- 6.15 ″ screen, resolution 2312 × 1080
- three cameras 48 MP / 8 MP / 2 MP, autofocus
- 128 GB memory, memory card slot
- 3G, 4G LTE, LTE-A, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, NFC
- 4 GB RAM
- 3340 mAh battery
Thanks to its vibrant gradient color combinations, one of the best Honor 2020 smartphones looks expensive and stylish. However, its technical characteristics are not particularly impressive. It is equipped with 4GB + 128GB memory, a Kirin 710 chipset and a GPU with Turbo 2.0 technology, which is suitable for games such as PUBG Mobile and Mobile Legends.
The rear triple camera consists of a 24-megapixel main sensor, an 8-megapixel camera with an ultra-wide-angle lens, which is great for landscapes, and a 2-megapixel depth sensor. The HONOR 20 Lite does a great job with daytime and portrait shots, although I can't say the same thing about stills and video in low light.
The screen with an energy-efficient IPS-matrix has good viewing angles, high resolution and a sufficient margin of brightness so that you can read text outdoors, on a sunny day.
pros: there is a fast charge, the presence of NFC, there is a 3.5 mm audio jack.
Minuses: easily soiled body, lacking stereo sound quality, a small battery, a bulging camera module.
9. HUAWEI P30 Lite New Edition
- smartphone with Android 9.0
- 6.15 ″ screen, resolution 2312 × 1080
- three cameras 48 MP / 8 MP / 2 MP, autofocus
- 256 GB memory, memory card slot
- 3G, 4G LTE, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, NFC
- 6 GB RAM
- 3340 mAh battery
I know what you thought. Anything with the word “Lite” in the title can't be so wonderful, can it? But do not rush to conclusions. In the smartphone world, Lite means a bargain.
Just take the flagship, lower some of its characteristics and give the design team a day off - the result is a smartphone that costs half as much as its full version. As was the case with the HUAWEI P30 Lite New Edition.
Its screen is almost identical to the P30 (except for the IPS-matrix of the P30 Lite) and has the same tear-like notch to accommodate the front camera. However, the fingerprint scanner is not built into the screen, like the older model, but moved to the rear panel. And, in secret, it works even faster than the more expensive P30.
However, the materials from which this smartphone is made are not as good as those of the “big brother”. It is not waterproof, and the shiny back is a real fingerprint magnet.
The processor of Kirin 710 speaks best of all about the budget of the smartphone. This does not mean that the gadget will work slowly and constantly slow down. However, the most demanding applications can open a little longer than on the flagship models, and the animation in them is not always completely smooth.
But in the mobile photo and video shooting P30 Lite is very good. After all, its Leica lenses on the P30 aren't cheap.
- The main rear camera sensor is 48 MP with an f / 1.8 lens and autofocus with phase detection.
- The secondary ultra-wide sensor has a resolution of 8 MP
- The third 2 MP sensor is for bokeh effect only.
As a result of shooting, you will get a detailed image with accurate color reproduction, and although HDR is hidden in the menu, and not in automatic mode, it is largely effective for balancing exposure.
prosA: 3.5mm headphone jack, quick charge.
Minuses: Battery not too capacious.
8. HONOR 30
- smartphone with Android 10
- 6.53 ″ screen, resolution 2400 × 1080
- four cameras 40 MP / 8 MP / 8 MP / 2 MP, autofocus
- 128 GB memory, without memory card slot
- 3G, 4G LTE, 5G, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, NFC
- 8 GB RAM
- 4000 mAh battery
Another representative of the Huawei sub-brand was among the most popular smartphones in 2020. Although it is deprived of the Google Play app store, the Chinese manufacturer offers its own branded store, which has most of the necessary programs.
The large high-resolution AMOLED screen will show you the most saturated black color that a mobile phone can offer. And Hisilicon Kirin 985 5G processor easily pulls any heavy game at the highest settings.
But even if you are not keen on games, but on mobile photo and video shooting, the HONOR 30 will not disappoint. Its main camera with optical stabilization and 5x optical zoom allows you to take highly detailed images without unnatural colors, as well as shoot videos with a maximum resolution of 3840 × 2160.
pros: support for 5G networks, a juicy, contrast and bright screen, with fast charging, the battery reaches 100% charge in 1 hour, the kit includes a silicone case.
Minuses: no water protection, data storage capacity cannot be increased.
7. Xiaomi Mi Note 10 Lite
- Android smartphone
- 6.47 ″ screen, resolution 2340 × 1080
- four cameras 64 MP / 9 MP / 5 MP / 2 MP, autofocus
- 128 GB memory, without memory card slot
- 3G, 4G LTE, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, NFC
- 6 GB RAM
- 5260 mAh battery
The youngest version in the Mi Note 10 line is one of the best-selling smartphones in 2020. It runs on the Snapdragon 730G chipset, and is powered by a 5260 mAh battery with support for fast charging of 30 watts.
In addition, it comes with a beautiful 6.47-inch curved AMOLED display with HDR10 support and a built-in fingerprint scanner. In the screen settings, you can adjust the size of the insensitive area around the edges.
At the back we find a camera unit consisting of a 64-megapixel main camera, a 9-megapixel ultra-wide (120-degree) camera, a 2-megapixel macro camera and a 5-megapixel depth sensor. The front camera has a resolution of 16 MP. An interesting feature in the settings of the main camera is the video blog mode, which allows you to create high-quality videos for publication on the Web.
If you need a mid-range device with good power and battery, the Mi Note 10 Lite is the right choice in terms of price-performance ratio.
pros: 3.5 mm headphone jack, bright, contrasting screen with natural color reproduction.
Minuses: a lot of advertising in the shell, due to the proximity sensor the screen constantly turns on during a call.
6. Samsung Galaxy M21
- Android smartphone
- 6.4 ″ screen, resolution 2340 × 1080
- three cameras 48 MP / 8 MP / 5 MP, autofocus
- 64 GB memory, memory card slot
- 3G, 4G LTE, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, NFC
- 4 GB RAM
- 6000 mAh battery
Why this model is present in the ranking of the most popular smartphones of 2020 is easy to guess by looking at the capacity of its battery. Drive the Galaxy M21 in the tail and mane all day, and it will still have half the charge left. It's nice that the manufacturer did not stint on fast charging 15 watts.
The Galaxy M21 has a 6.4-inch FullHD + AMOLED display with a resolution of 1080 x 2340 pixels. In the upper part of the display is a 20-megapixel front camera with a mandatory smartphone for modern smartphones.
A rectangular block is located on the rear panel:
- with a main camera of 48 megapixels,
- 8-megapixel Ultra Wide camera with the ability to create a field of view of 123 degrees,
- 5 MP depth sensor.
And thanks to the night mode, the smartphone can take good pictures even in low light conditions.
Samsung Galaxy M21 is equipped with the Exynos 9611 chipset and works very quickly and smoothly while performing basic tasks, such as games, watching videos, switching between applications, etc.
pros: there is a 3.5 mm jack, a separate slot for a memory card, a loud speaker.
Minuses: very easily soiled and slippery.
5. Samsung Galaxy Note 10 Lite
- Android smartphone
- 6.7 ″ screen, resolution 2400 × 1080
- three cameras 12 MP / 12 MP / 12 MP, autofocus
- 128 GB memory, memory card slot
- 3G, 4G LTE, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, NFC
- 6 GB RAM
- 4500 mAh battery
Despite the prefix Lite in the name, this model retained what the Note line is famous for - the S Pen stylus. The smartphone can "on the fly" translate handwritten text into print and supports gesture control Air Command. The stylus recognizes up to 4000 degrees of depression and different tilt angles, so it’s great for drawing.
The front 32 MP camera makes excellent selfies, and the main one has 12 MP ultra wide angle, 12 MP wide angle and 12 telephoto lenses, and also supports optical image stabilization technology. In reviews, users praise the quality of the pictures, noting their high detail and clarity even in low light. You can only find fault with too aggressive noise, especially on the front-end.
The processor of the Galaxy Note 10 Lite, albeit not top-notch, but by no means budgetary - Exynos 9810. With it, World of Tanks and similar games go at high settings without lags and slowdowns. Unless the most demanding games can comfortably go only on average settings.
pros: 3.5 mm jack, fast charge, bright and rich Super AMOLED display.
Minuses: no moisture protection, a lot of unnecessary pre-installed applications, no stereo speakers.
4. Xiaomi Redmi Note 9 Pro
- Android smartphone
- screen 6.67 ″, resolution 2400 × 1080
- four cameras 64 MP / 8 MP / 5 MP / 2 MP, autofocus
- 128 GB memory, memory card slot
- 3G, 4G LTE, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, NFC
- 6 GB RAM
- 5020 mAh battery
Xiaomi gadgets are included in the list of the most bought smartphones in Russia in 2020, due to the optimal ratio of price and quality.
And Redmi Note 9 Pro is one of Xiaomi's hits for up to 30,000 rubles. It runs on the mid-range Qualcomm Snapdragon 720G chipset and is equipped with a four-sensor camera with artificial intelligence, a 16 MP selfie camera and a 6.67-inch FHD + display. The matrix of the IPS display, not AMOLED, but the head from its PWM (flicker) will not hurt.
According to the owners, the photos taken by Redmi Note 9 Pro have a minimal amount of digital noise and have a good dynamic range. And the recorded videos are very smooth even without optical stabilization.
All this wealth is powered by a 5020 mAh battery with quick charge function.
pros: separate slot for a memory card, 3.5 mm headphone jack.
Minuses: big and heavy, no water protection and stereo speakers.
3. Realme 6
- smartphone with Android 10
- 6.5 ″ screen, resolution 2400 × 1080
- four cameras 64 MP / 8 MP / 2 MP / 2 MP, autofocus
- 128 GB memory, memory card slot
- 3G, 4G LTE, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, NFC
- 4 GB RAM
- 4300 mAh battery
The competition among smartphones in the price segment of up to 20,000 rubles is now very high, but Realme 6 is one of the clear favorites. It surpasses its competitors in several key areas, including a 90 Hz screen refresh rate, and the powerful MediaTek Helio G90T processor (almost a complete analog of the Snapdragon 730), which provides good performance in applications and mobile blockbuster games.
In the hand, this unit seems large, but lies in the palm of your hand very conveniently. But on the cover that comes with the kit, fingers slide slightly.
Another significant advantage of Realme 6 is the excellent main camera, which takes high-quality images at any time of the day.
pros: beautiful design, there is quick charge, 3.5 mm audio jack.
Minuses: when shooting on the main camera in a maximum resolution of 64 MP, busting with sharpness may occur.
2. ZTE Blade A3 (2020)
- smartphone with Android 9.0
- dual SIM support
- 5.45 ″ screen, resolution 1440 × 720
- 8 MP camera
- 32 GB memory, memory card slot
- 3G, 4G LTE, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth
- 1 GB RAM
- 2600 mAh battery
Here is the most inexpensive representative of popular smartphones of 2020 in our rating. An ideal gift for a child or for yourself, if you need a simple, cheap and yet reliable “dialer”.
We are not talking about any gaming features of the ZTE Blade A3, given its low-power Unisoc SC9832E processor (1400 MHz) and only 1 GB of RAM. But the screen is bright, and the battery lasts for a day of active use. In addition, it is removable, which is very rare in modern times.
pros: A good main camera, albeit with a long focus, a friendly interface, a responsive touchscreen.
Minuses: The back cover is scratched quickly, there is no quick charge.
1. OnePlus 8
- smartphone with Android 10
- dual SIM support
- 6.55 ″ screen, resolution 2400 × 1080
- three cameras 48 MP / 2 MP / 16 MP, autofocus
- 256 GB memory, without memory card slot
- 3G, 4G LTE, 5G, LTE-A, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, NFC
- RAM 12 GB
- 4300 mAh battery
The Chinese company OnePlus has a good reputation as a manufacturer of reliable and powerful smartphones, whose characteristics more than justify the cost of the device. But OnePlus8 turned out, without exaggeration, a masterpiece.
Its top-end version with 12 GB of RAM, 256 GB of memory has a OnePlus Glacial Green finish: a beautiful glass back changes color from aquamarine to dark blue.
OnePlus 8 is equipped with a 6.55-inch OLED screen with a resolution of 2280 x 1080 pixels, and a maximum refresh rate of 90 Hz. If this is not enough for you, consider buying the OnePlus 8 Pro with a screen refresh rate of 120 Hz.
With such a rather large display, the smartphone is not too wide, and you do not need XL-size hands to comfortably hold it. This, along with a lower price, is the best reason to choose the OnePlus 8 instead of the OnePlus 8 Pro.
The gadget has a triple rear camera, which provides excellent results in daylight, and the image quality during photo and video shooting is not too far from the OnePlus 8 Pro. You can shoot video with a resolution of up to 4K (60 frames per second) with optical stabilization. And to do this for a long time allows a capacious battery with fast charging technology.
The Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 processor, which many flagships of 2019-2020 are equipped with, will perform any task that you entrust to it. Whether it’s a gaming mobile hit, or several open heavy applications, everything will go quickly and smoothly.
pros: 5G support, convenient shell with detailed customization.
Minuses: There is no wireless charging, there is protection against splashes, but not full waterproof.