Dispelling the negative perception of a “China-made” phone

Smartphones have come a long way. Everyone is pouring their resources into this area of the market, coming up with devices that range from the low-end good-value spectrum all the way to the premium top-of-the-line range.

For the longest time, China has dominated the low-end good-value market, with devices from Huawei‘s honor and Xiaomi to name a few, but problems arise when these same companies start making premium devices that come with premium price tags.

“Paying so much for a China phone?” people scoff. Why is that, I wonder? In my experience, some of the best flagship phones came right out of China.

Perhaps this connotation lies with the older, less exposed members of society and I can hardly blame them. Since I was born, people have been telling me that buying “Made in China” products was akin to burning your hard earned cash in a bonfire. They were that terrible.

But, we don’t live in that world anymore. At least, not when it comes to established smartphone manufacturers.

If you’ve ever used a flagship smartphone, especially the recent ones, from someone like Huawei, the first thought that pops into your mind would not be “cheap”. In my experience, they’re one of the best-built devices in the world. The fit and finish is sublime. The materials used are also top notch, a blend of metal, glass and even 8 Mohs hardness ceramics backs.

To inspire confidence. Huawei even offers a 1-to-1 swap on certain devices plus screen crack warranty as standard on their flagship Mate S, Mate 8, P9 and P9 Plus smartphones. That’s pretty amazing because how many other companies can you think off that have this in their warranty?

These flagship-level Chinese smartphones aren’t lacking in terms of power either. Just look at the two more recent flagship smartphones to come out of China — the Xiaomi Mi 5 and Huawei P9.

Both pack top of the line processors (the Kirin 955 for the P9 and the Snapdragon 820 for the Mi 5) with up to 4GB of RAM. In the camera department, Xiaomi has packed sophisticated image stabilisation into the back of their Mi 5’s shooter while Huawei’s P9 has Leica certification. Leica! One of the most prestigious brands in photography.

I can’t say for certain how good the Mi 5 is because I’ve never used the device, but I can put my hand on my heart and tell you that the P9 is one of the most satisfying flagship smartphones I’ve used in a long time. It feels right, and for me to find a smartphone that does is quite rare.

Chinese flagship smartphones shouldn’t be classified with the same negative connotation that goes with the label “Made in China”. At least, not all of them. Many of the notable/established brands have proven time and time again that they can do premium so why do we still scoff at the thought of paying upwards of RM2,000 for a flagship smartphone out of China?

Beats the hell out of me.