In North America, Apple and Samsung hold an overwhelming share of the smartphone market. Because of this dominance and the distinct lack of competition, there are plenty of great Android phones out there that you probably don’t know about. However, carrier restrictions, government blacklists, and different mobile frequency bands limit overall accessibility. For example, Xiaomi phones are not sold in the United States due to the US government’s reluctance over security concerns and lack of partnership with US carriers.
Now, you may very well be happy with your Pixel, Galaxy, or iPhone, but you’re missing out on a lot. Companies like Xiaomi, Vivo, and Huawei are constantly pushing the boundaries with unique hardware, such as high-end camera systems, super-fast charging, and a fair share of unconventional features. In this article we will look at five remarkable phones from Chinese manufacturers, devices that are original, ambitious and, in some cases, downright futuristic. Even if you never buy one of these phones, it’s certainly interesting to see how the Chinese phone market is evolving.
Ultimate Huawei Mate XT Design
There are plenty of practical reasons to avoid foldable phones, but Huawei makes a compelling argument in their favor. The Mate XT Ultimate has all the benefits of a flagship: powerful cameras, premium construction and fast charging. This is all given for a high-end phone, but a triple foldable screen definitely isn’t.
When closed, the Mate XT Ultimate is just a standard phone with a respectable 6.4-inch screen. Unfold it once and you get a larger 7.9-inch screen inside. In this format, you can unfold the cover screen on the back and move it forward to get the final form of the Mate XT Ultimate: a 10.2-inch high-resolution tablet. This flexibility is possible thanks to the double hinge mechanism, which is a bold technical choice for a phone.
When fully unfolded, you essentially have one of the thinnest tablets on the market, but with the advantage of being able to slip it into your pocket. Besides the obvious party trick, this phone encourages you to tackle tasks you otherwise reserve for larger screens. This includes running multiple apps side-by-side, editing documents with multiple tabs open, or handling video calls while referencing notes.
The Mate XT Ultimate isn’t perfect, however. GSMArena‘s review said that while the tri-fold display and camera system were impressive, poor battery life, a high price, and no protection against dust and water held it back. Still, it’s fascinating to see how foldables are evolving and where they might be headed next.
Xiaomi 17 Pro
When big companies borrow ideas from each other, tech enthusiasts are quick to point it out. This doesn’t seem to bother Xiaomi, as the Xiaomi 17 Pro closely resembles the iPhone 17 Pro. Xiaomi also offers a 17 Pro Max model, directly copying Apple’s naming convention.
This gadget, as daring as it is, works. Sure, Xiaomi took inspiration from some of Apple’s design elements, but the similarities appear to be only superficial. The Xiaomi 17 Pro manages to offer better hardware, at least on paper. For example, Xiaomi’s flagship has a 6,300mAh battery and comes with a 100W charger out of the box. In comparison, the iPhone 17 Pro only has a 4,252 mAh battery (3,988 mAh for the physical SIM version) and does not come with a power brick.
The secondary screen on the rear camera tray is a nice addition here. It is a bright 120Hz AMOLED screen, usable as a viewfinder for the main cameras, for notifications or music playback shortcuts. This phone is powered by the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5, making it the first phone to launch with Qualcomm’s latest flagship chip at the time of writing.
The Xiaomi 17 Pro starts at 5,000 Chinese yuan (around $700), while Apple’s iPhone 17 Pro starts at $1,100. It’s impressive that Xiaomi can offer a bigger battery, an extra screen, and a 100W fast charger in the box, all at a lower price.
VivoX200 Pro
Phone camera systems have evolved to the point where you can pick up any off-the-shelf flagship and have a great shooting experience. The best cameras in today’s phones rely on computational photography and intelligent image processing to make this possible. But that doesn’t mean there’s no room for improvement in hardware, as the Vivo X200 Pro shows.
As tested by GSMArenaThe X200 Pro’s main and ultra-wide cameras, with 50MP sensors, produced photos with good dynamic range and pleasing colors. Vivo’s unique image processing helped a lot in this regard. But it’s the 200MP 3.7x periscope camera that really stands out here. The X200 Pro features Zeiss-branded bokeh effects, which combine with the 200MP sensor to produce incredible portrait results. Extremely zoomed shots are very useful here, thanks to the high-resolution output.
Other aspects, such as edge detection, macro shooting, and low-light performance, are equally impressive. Aside from the stellar camera setup, the X200 Pro has a 120Hz AMOLED display, 6,000mAh battery, 90W fast wired charging, and a fantastic design. Seriously, this phone looks stunning in the Titanium Gray color.
The X200 Pro is powered by the Mediatek Dimensity 9400 chip, a fast and surprisingly efficient 3nm chip. Referring to GSMArena’s review, the outlet noted that the battery life was fantastic due to the efficiency of the chip and the huge battery capacity.
Real me GT7
Although Realme is not particularly big in China, it is one of the most popular smartphone manufacturers in India. This popularity seems to come from Realme’s focus on affordability and performance. There’s also the fact that mobile gaming is a huge market in India, and these gamers care about two things: good battery life and reliable performance. The Realme GT7 delivers on both fronts.
Similar to the OnePlus 13 and Nothing Phone 3, the Realme GT7 features a silicon-carbon battery, one of the most revolutionary new battery technologies. This new battery technology packs more power without taking up extra space, which is how the Realme GT7 can have a massive 7,000mAh battery without being too thick or heavy. As a result, this is some of the best battery life you’ll find on any phone this year.
To charge this huge battery, you get Realme’s SuperVOOC adapter with 120W wired charging. Realme claims that you can charge the monster of a battery to 100% in 40 minutes using this adapter. The 120Hz AMOLED display is equally impressive, with peak brightness of up to 6,000 nits and ultra-thin bezels.
At the heart of this phone is a Mediatek Dimensity 9400e chip paired with up to 12GB of RAM. Realme claims its phone can run many of the top games on the Play Store at 120 FPS. Not everyone buys a phone based on its specs alone, but if that’s your thing, the GT7 delivers.
Vivo X Fold 5
In our Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 review, we declared the Fold 7 to be the best foldable phone for the Western market. It offers a great user experience, the camera system is excellent, and it’s incredibly thin when fully unfolded. These are certainly the stuff of the “best” foldables, but competition is tough from Chinese competitors like the Vivo X Fold 5.
For example, the Galaxy Z Fold 7 has a 4,400 mAh battery, while Vivo’s foldable offers 6,000 mAh. Samsung only offers 25W wired charging, while Vivo offers 80W. Finally, the X Fold 5 could also prove to be more durable due to the higher IP58 and IP59 water and dust resistance ratings. The thinness when unfolded is the same for both phones, but the Galaxy Z Fold 7 is a millimeter thinner, for what that’s worth.
While these comparisons are interesting, the X Fold 5 has its own identity beyond the numbers. The 50 MP Zeiss-branded telephoto lens performs admirably even at 10x zoom levels, and Zeiss-branded portraits are just as impressive as those of Vivo’s previous flagships. The interior display has a peak brightness of 4,500 nits, making it one of the brightest of all foldables.
This phone delivers on the basics: camera, battery life, and performance, while still delivering a stunning effect. The average consumer might not be buying a foldable anytime soon, but X Fold Pro 5 proves that great hardware is a complete package.
