Best Smartphones with Stereo Speakers: 2022 List

Any mobile phone can play music. However, not all of them sound so good that you can comfortably watch a movie without headphones. At a minimum, the device should have stereo speakers, and ideally it should be equipped with an audio chip. Unfortunately, from year to year the trend to install a DAC is fading away and it is only rarely found in top-end gadgets. Nevertheless, we have prepared for you a list of smartphones with stereo speakers and, in some cases, an audio chip that will delight music lovers.

Tecno Pouvoir 4

Display : 6.95 inches, HD+, IPS
Processor : Helio A22
Memory : 3/32 GB
DAC: —
Battery: 6000 mAh

Price: 8,500 rub.

The new product from Tecno is a very interesting device that will definitely find its buyer. This is an inexpensive phablet, the screen of which is covered with protective 2.5D Asahi Glass. It has a good processor and enough memory to run undemanding games. At the same time, the smartphone has a gaming mode, and the volume button in games is illuminated and can be used for shooting.

In addition, the device has interesting body colors, a capacious battery with 10 W fast charging, a separate slot for a memory card and a 13 + 2 + 2 + 0.8 megapixel quad camera, and an 8 megapixel front sensor. Both cameras have support for AI algorithms. This model was created with an emphasis on multimedia entertainment, so the presence of stereo speakers here is a logical solution and a clear plus. At the same time, Pouvoir 4 is perhaps the only smartphone under 10,000 rubles with stereo sound.

Advantages:

Protective glass on the display.
Big screen.
Game Mode.
Not bad cameras.
Capacious battery with fast charging.
There is a separate slot for microSD.

Flaws:

For such a large diagonal, the resolution is modest.

OPPO A5 (2020)

Display: 6.5 inches, HD+, IPS
Processor: Snapdragon 665
Memory: 3/64 GB
DAC: —
Battery: 5000 mAh

Price: 11,700 rub.

OPPO A5 (2020) is in many ways a typical inexpensive device, but it has several distinct features: stereo speakers and support for Dolby Atmos, game mode, a capacious battery with reverse charging function, and a separate slot for microSD. The device has a modern design and boasts a large elongated display with a drop-shaped cutout for an 8 MP camera. The rear camera has 4 sensors at once – 12+8+2+2 MP.

Advantages:

Sufficient performance for its price tag.
Separate slot for microSD.
Excellent autonomy.
Fast and reverse charging.
There is NFC.

Flaws:

Stainless plastic case.
Screen resolution is low.

Motorola Moto G8 Plus

Display: 6.3 inches, FHD+, IPS
Processor: Snapdragon 665
Memory: 4/64 GB
DAC: none
Battery: 4000 mAh

Price: from 16,000 rub.

Budget smartphones are rarely equipped with stereo speakers, but the model from Motorola is a pleasant exception in this regard. The device has really high quality sound. Watching movies or listening to music without headphones is quite comfortable. The model’s features don’t end there – there is P2i splash protection, NFC, a 3.5 jack and a triple camera of 48+5+16 megapixels. Front camera – 25 MP.

Advantages:

Fast charging.
A high-quality camera and interesting shooting modes.
There is NFC.
Nice sound.
Splash protection.
Good performance.

Flaws:

Motorola smartphones have always looked different from their competitors; the G8 Plus is a typical Android device without any distinct features.
Combination slot.
Stained body.

Meizu 15 Lite

The younger version of the Meizu 15 model is cheaper and simpler. Still occasionally found for sale, but quite rare.

Dedicated audio chip - Cirrus Logic CS47L33, amplifier - SmarPA Cirrus Logic CS35L35. There is only one speaker, it plays well, but within its cost. As for the sound in headphones, some users compare it with budget Hi-Fi audio players, which, you see, is not so bad.

In terms of technical characteristics, there is nothing outstanding, but overall they are not bad, especially considering the current price of the device.

OPPO A72

Display : 6.5 inches, FHD+, IPS
Processor : Snapdragon 665
Memory : 4/128 GB
DAC: —
Battery: 5000 mAh

Price: 19,000 rub.

OPPO A72 is a smartphone that does not offer the best parameters on the market for its money, but for those who are not looking for the maximum, but just want to buy an adequate device, it is suitable. This is a phone with beautiful colors and a large, high-quality screen. The model runs on an old, but quite good processor and offers sufficient memory. It has a 3.5 jack, NFC, 18W fast charging, a side-mounted finger scanner and a separate memory card slot.

The camera will also please you. There are four sensors on the back – 48+8+2+2 MP, on the front 16 MP. The quality of the photos is good in the light and dark, while the device does not distort the colors, but conveys them in a natural way, which many will like.

Advantages:

Good camera with natural color reproduction.
Nice colors.
Separate slot for microSD.
Decent autonomy.
High quality large screen.

Flaws:

None.

Let's sum it up

Many buyers mistakenly believe that the more expensive the phone, the better the sound.
In practice, the differences between flagships and devices in the mid-price segment may be insignificant or absent altogether. No, this does not mean that the new smartphone will disappoint with its sound, but it will clearly not impress demanding buyers. The best choice is devices with a DAC, allowing you to get real audio pleasure. However, you need to understand that they are rarely produced today, which is why you will have to sacrifice some capabilities. Therefore, it is better for the average user without special requests to choose a good flagship or sub-flagship.

Ulefone Armor 6S

Display: 6.2 inches, FHD+, IPS
Processor: Helio P70
Memory: 6/128 GB
DAC: Awinic FS1610S
Battery: 5000 mAh

Price: 19,000 rub.

Armor 6S is a smartphone from the Ulefone brand, which is an indestructible device with a DAC, a large screen with notches and a powerful battery. There is a dual camera at the back -16+8 MP, and an 8 MP front camera supports face unlock. The model is protected according to MIL STD-810G, IP69K, IP68 standards. The brutal appearance hides an eight-core chipset with AI, a large amount of memory, and many useful tools - a pedometer, barometer, ultraviolet radiation sensor and others. Also useful features include NFC, fast and wireless charging.

Advantages:

Good performance.
Beautiful appearance.
High level of protection.
There is NFC.
Lots of useful tools.
High quality camera.
Loud and high-quality sound.

Flaws:

No 3.5 jack.
There is no separate card slot.
The finger scanner does not always work.

Pixel 4a

Display: 5.81 inches, FHD+, OLED
Processor: Snapdragon 730G
Memory : 6/128 GB
DAC: —
Battery: 3140 mAh

Price: 26,000 rub.

The newest and most inexpensive smartphone from Google. At the time of writing, it is not for sale in Russia, but according to user reviews, this device is worth the money. The model is compact - it is one of the smallest phones of 2022 with good parameters; the body is traditionally made of polycarbonate. The device demonstrates high performance, has good autonomy and fast charging of 18 W. There is a 3.5 mm jack, stereo speakers, a noise-cancelling microphone, NFC and a finger scanner on the back. The strongest part of the device is the camera. With modest 12.2MP rear and 8MP front sensors, the Pixel 4a boasts some of the best photo capabilities on the market.

Advantages:

Small size.
Availability 3.5.
One of the best cameras.
Fresh OS with guaranteed updates for 2 years.
Decent battery life with fast charging.
Good performance.

Flaws:

There is no support for a second physical SIM card.
You can't insert a memory card.
Video shooting is only in FHD, but the quality of the videos is excellent.

Realme X7 Pro

Display: 6.55 inches, FHD+, AMOLED
Processor: Dimensity 1000+
Memory : 6/8 GB, 128/256 GB
DAC: —
Battery: 4500 mAh

Price: 27,500 rub.

realme continues to mass produce models, but not all of them are available on the Russian market. However, there is no problem buying them on AliExpress. For a sum of money that is not the largest by modern standards, users receive a smartphone with a large AMOLED screen with 120 Hz image refresh, a full set of wireless interfaces including NFC and .

The device is based on a new powerful processor from MediaTek, it has a lot of memory, a capacious battery with support for fast charging up to 65 W. Naturally, there is stereo sound, which allowed the device to get into the rating, and the cameras will also please. There are four sensors at the back – 64+8+2+2 MP, and a 32 MP sensor at the front.

Advantages:

Excellent performance.
Fast charging.
Bright screen 120 Hz.
Nice appearance.
Good cameras.

Flaws:

MicroSD is not supported.
There is no headphone jack (but an adapter is included).

Buy

LG V30+

Yes, yes, another LG. Although the model is not new, lovers of good sound will certainly be able to find it on store shelves.

The ESS Saber ES9218P digital-to-analog converter is used here, and it is indicated that when connecting headphones, the user has the right to choose the mode: either a DAC or a processor (the audio resources of the processor are implied).

Among the features, we highlight the headset from Bang&Olufsen, which comes bundled with the smartphone.

IQOO Z1 5G

Display: 6.57 inches, FHD+, IPS
Processor: Dimensity 1000+
Memory : 6/8 GB, 128/256 GB
DAC: —
Battery: 4500 mAh

Price: 35,500 rub.

And again, a smartphone from China, which offers an excellent set of top-end parameters for its money. A fresh, powerful chipset with 5G support, a lot of memory, a large high-resolution IPS screen. The device is packaged in a case with a beautiful appearance and has all the interfaces necessary in 2022 - NFC, 3.5, memory card slot. It has a fairly large battery with support for 44W fast charging. The finger scanner is installed on the side here. The camera is represented by three rear sensors – 48+8+2 MP and a 16 MP front lens.

Advantages:

Good camera.
High autonomy and fast charging.
Full set of interfaces.
High performance on a fresh chipset.
Screen with a refresh rate of 144 Hz.

Flaws:

There are nuances in translating the interface into Russian.

Buy

iPhone SE (2020)

Display: 4.7 inches, 1334*750, IPS
Processor: Apple A13 Bionic
Memory : 3 GB, 64/128/256 GB
DAC: —
Battery: 1821 mAh

Price: 35,000 rub.

The long-awaited budget smartphone from Apple is a return to the classic design with a compact body, large frames and a fingerprint sensor under the screen. Otherwise, this is an adequate device with a flagship processor and a single 12 MP camera, which takes more than decent pictures. The front module is 7 MP. The model has IP67 water protection, wireless and fast charging, as well as stereo speakers.

Advantages:

Classic Apple design.
Good sound.
Good photo opportunities.
Fast and wireless charging.
Compact size.
Excellent performance.

Flaws:

Weak autonomy.

AGM X3

Display: 6 inches, FHD+, IPS
Processor: Snapdragon 845
Memory: 6/8 and 64/128/256 GB
DAC: Texas Instruments SmartPA TAS2557
Battery: 4100 mAh

Price: from 37,600 rub.

Music smartphones with stereo speakers and an audio chip are rare today, and a worthy device among them is the AGM X3 with a high protection class, well-tuned JBL speakers and a dedicated DAC. According to reviews, the X3 sounds like a high-quality Bluetooth speaker - loud and clear. The rest of the parameters are also impressive - excellent performance, classic appearance, NFC, fast charging, dual main camera 24+12 MP, front camera 20 MP.

Advantages:

Excellent and loud sound.
Full set of wireless interfaces.
High quality camera.
Autonomy – 3 days under load.
Fast charging.
Classic appearance.
Excellent performance.

Flaws:

No 3.5 jack.
Combination slot.
High price tag for a fairly old model.
Not the most current OS – Android 8.1.

Samsung Galaxy A71

Price: from 27,900 rubles.
Pros:

convenient OS;
long work without recharging;
high-quality screen with rich and natural shades;
large amount of memory.

Cons: fragile back panel.

A well-thought-out device that fits perfectly in the hand and offers all the necessary functionality for comfortable use of modern applications. The 6.7-inch Super AMOLED Plus display ensures that all colors are displayed as naturally and vividly as possible.

A powerful processor and 6 GB of RAM will ensure stable operation even with the most demanding programs. The model is perfect for listening to music, as it is equipped with all the necessary codecs.

ZTE Axon 10 Pro

Display: 6.47 inches, FHD+, AMOLED
Processor: Snapdragon 855
Memory: 6/128 GB
DAC: WCD 9340
Battery: 4000 mAh

Price: from 33,400 rub.

ZTE devices released in the Axon series are mainly smartphones with stereo speakers. In this line, the company, among other things, relies on sound. The brand's new product is no exception. It has an audio chip, stereo speakers and a whole range of technologies and codecs to enhance the sound. The assessments of experts and users are unanimous - this is a very cool gadget in terms of sound quality.

The rest of the device also feels confident: a powerful chipset, an excellent memory set, a triple camera with optical zoom, a capacious battery with fast and wireless charging, an in-screen finger scanner.

Advantages:

Great sound.
Good autonomy.
Fast and wireless charging.
High performance.
Good photo quality.
There is moisture protection - IP53.
Full set of wireless interfaces.

Flaws:

Slippery.
No headphone jack.
There is no optical stabilizer - the video turns out blurry.

The best music smartphones under 20,000 rubles

Most users don't need the most advanced devices. Often, the capabilities of top-end smartphones exceed user needs, but additional functions, more powerful hardware, or unique features can increase the price tag several times. You can buy a good smartphone that will cope well not only with music, but also with other tasks, for only 15-20 thousand rubles. This category includes both sub-flagships and full-fledged flagship devices released in recent seasons.

Xiaomi Mi 10

Display: 6.67 inches, FHD+, AMOLED
Processor: Snapdragon 865
Memory : 8/12 GB, 128/256 GB
DAC: —
Battery: 4780 mAh

Price: 40,000 rub.

The flagship from Xiaomi has a large AMOLED screen with a frequency of 90 Hz, two powerful speakers, a capacious battery with fast and wireless charging, video recording and top performance based on one of the most powerful chipsets of 2022. The model will delight you with its strict design, improved cooling system and one of the best cameras on the market. The main one received a 108 megapixel lens with additional 2+2+13 megapixels, among its capabilities is optical stabilization. The embedded front camera has a resolution of 20 megapixels.

Advantages:

Great camera.
Top performance.
High quality sound.
Fast and wireless charging.
A complete set of modern wireless modules.
Strict appearance.

Flaws:

No audio output.
No moisture protection.
One SIM card.
No microSD support.

Meizu 16th 6/64GB

But this is quite a flagship Meizu, which runs on the Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 chipset. Other cool features include a fingerprint scanner, which is located directly on the display.

But most of all we are interested in the audio stuff, and it is as follows: a Qualcomm Aqstic WCD9341 digital-to-analog converter, stereo speakers, and a SmarPA Cirrus Logic CS35L41 amplifier. True, it is not entirely clear about the latter - too little information about it could be found.

Honor 30 Pro+

Display: 6.57 inches, FHD+, AMOLED
Processor: Kirin 990
Memory : 8/256 GB
DAC:—
Battery: 4000 mAh

Price: 49,000 rub.

Honor's flagships usually get all the best features from their big brother Huawei, but are much more affordable. In 2022, the older device in the top line turned out to be expensive, but it also has serious capabilities.

The screen here has rounded edges, is made using AMOLED technology, has an under-screen sensor, a refresh rate of 90 Hz and a dual front camera of 32+8 megapixels. Main – 50 MP + 8 MP telephoto with 5x optical zoom + 16 MP wide-angle. As before, the quality of photographs here is of a very high level. In addition, the device is equipped with a top-end proprietary chipset with support for 5G, it has fast, fast wireless and reverse charging. A pleasant fact is the presence, albeit modest, but still moisture protection according to IP54.

Advantages:

Good photo opportunities.
Great screen.
Top filling.
Moisture protection.
Fast and wireless charging.

Flaws:

Combined slot and support only branded memory cards.
No 3.5.

OnePlus 8 Pro

Display: 6.78 inches, QHD+, AMOLED
Processor: Snapdragon 865
Memory : 8/256 GB
DAC: —
Battery: 4510 mAh

Price: 54,000 rub.

OnePlus 8 Pro is one of the best smartphones in the high price segment. It has a very cool display with a refresh rate of 120 Hz and a whole bunch of patented technologies to improve the picture. It has top performance, stylish appearance, IP68 moisture protection, stereo speakers and a full set of wireless interfaces. In the new product, the company added fast and wireless charging, and also introduced reverse wireless charging.

The cameras perform quite well, although many agree that the Xiaomi Mi 10 Pro, which is the main competitor of this device, takes better pictures. However, if you don’t compare, the footage will please you. At the back there is a quad camera of 48+48+8+5 megapixels, the front module is 16 megapixels.

Advantages:

One of the best screens.
Moisture protection.
Good autonomy.
Fast and wireless charging.
Flagship performance.

Flaws:

No headphone jack.
Only proprietary wireless charging is supported.
The cameras don't shoot as well as many competitors at this price.

Asus ZenFone 7 Pro

Display: 6.67 inches, FHD+, AMOLED
Processor: Snapdragon 865+
Memory: 8/256 GB
DAC: —
Battery: 5000 mAh

Price: 69,000 rub.

ZenFone 7 Pro is Asus' 2022 flagship. At the time of writing, it can only be purchased on AliExpress, but the device will definitely appear on official sale outside of China.

The model received a large AMOLED screen with a frequency of 90 Hz without any cutouts or frames. There is only one camera here; it consists of three sensors and has a rotating mechanism, which allows it to be used as a front camera. Thanks to this, the user gets excellent opportunities for both selfies and standard shooting. The lenses here are 64 MP (wide-angle with optical stabilization, shooting video in 8K), 12 MP (super wide-angle and macro), 8 MP (optical stabilization and 3x optical zoom).

In addition, the device received the top processor of the year, a lot of memory, supports memory cards through a separate slot, has NFC, stereo speakers and NXP TFA9874 amplifiers. A capacious battery with fast charging completes the picture. Among the interesting features is a triple microphone for high-quality sound recording in strong winds and for focusing on the object from which the sound comes. The phone also received a smart button that can be customized to suit your own needs.

Advantages:

Excellent sound quality.
Good photo capabilities with optical stabilization.
Flagship chipset.
Separate slot for microSD.
High quality screen.

Flaws:

No moisture protection.
No headphone jack.
Considering the price, I would like to see a 120 Hz screen.
No wireless charging.

Buy

Criterias of choice

Music smartphones are preferred by people who hear the difference between formats such as lossless, high-rez and mp3. In order to fully experience the sound quality, owners, in addition to a music mobile phone, should also purchase headphones with high-impedance frequencies. These include overhead devices and full-size ones with an impedance of 100 ohms.

So, when choosing a smartphone with music capabilities, you should pay attention to:

the presence of a special headphone amplifier with increased resistance;
a special program must be installed - an equalizer, thanks to which it is possible to adjust and configure the high quality of playback of musical compositions on smartphones;
you need a sound card such as Wolfson or any other high-quality one;
rechargeable battery with high power for long-term operation;
availability of support for aptX HD codecs, they are necessary for wireless transmission of information, this is important if the user prefers to use wireless headphones;
for those who prefer headphones with wires, it is important that there is a suitable jack (3.5mm);
Capacious storage for information will be required.

There are devices that work with special technology that can clean up and enhance sounds, but such gadgets typically only work with certain types of headphones.

Realme X2 Pro

Display: 6.5 inches, FHD+, AMOLED
Processor: Snapdragon 855 Plus
Memory: 6/8/12 GB and 64/128/256 GB
DAC: —
Battery: 4000 mAh

Price: from 32,990 rub.

The best smartphones with stereo speakers include the flagship from the Realme brand. The model offers users top performance on one of the best chipsets of the year, a large supply of permanent and RAM, a full set of wireless interfaces, an AMOLED matrix with a refresh rate of 90 Hz and a fingerprint sensor under the screen. The 16 MP front module is installed in a drop-shaped cutout. It has a new mode for improving selfies in low light conditions. The main camera consists of four modules – 48+8+13+2 MP. The layout is standard - the additional three are represented by a wide-angle (119 degrees), a telephoto lens (2x) and a depth sensor. The device is equipped with stereo speakers, a 3.5 jack and has support for Dolby Atmos.

Advantages:

Great sound.
High performance.
Availability of 3.5 connector.
High quality screen.
Decent autonomy.
Fast charging.

Flaws:

Does not support memory cards.
The price tag is quite high for a young brand, but given its contents this is understandable.

Rating of smartphones with a dedicated DAC for 2022

1. The best smartphone with a DAC among all Meizu 15 Plus

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Why we liked it: Meizu managed to create a wonderful smartphone. Its design is not outdated even in 2020, and the system is still one of the most thoughtful and fastest. The device has enough hardware for any task, and even most games can be launched here without problems. The device also pleases with a fast fingerprint scanner and a pleasant mEngine vibration motor, almost as good as the Taptic Engine in current iPhones. Editor's Rating:

Design and build quality

At one time, Meizu could be called the Apple of the Android phone world. But not the most successful management decisions, coupled with a failed pricing policy, forced this brand to the brink of survival. Now Meizu rarely pleases users with new products, so we have to look towards the brand’s older devices. For example, the 15 Plus model, released in the spring of 2022.

It is worth admitting that even today this device looks great. Yes, the frames here are not the smallest, but this does not interfere with the comfortable use of the device. The front camera of Meizu 15 Plus is located above the display, and there is strictly a round touch button with a fingerprint scanner. Everything at the back is also symmetrical, so perfectionists will definitely be pleased.

Screen and sound quality

The smartphone is equipped with a high-quality Super AMOLED display with an aspect ratio of 2:1 and QHD resolution. Today, a fingerprint scanner would be installed under such a matrix, but in the 15 Plus it, as we have already noted, is located in a frame. And this is good, because ultrasonic and optical analogues are still imperfect, but in the Meizu phone everything works perfectly.

The quality of the screen in the model under review is, without exaggeration, excellent. In the settings, the user has 4 color rendering modes available, so even those who do not like the poisonous shades typical of AMOLED matrices will be satisfied. The Always On function is in place, and you can choose between several options for displaying it.

The only thing we didn't like about the screen was the brightness: under the scorching sun there is definitely not enough reserve. But the sound here is luxurious! The Cirrus Logic CS35L35 DAC is responsible for it, capable of pumping up any headphones. The phone's standard player has a 10-band equalizer and several standard presets.

Performance and autonomy

Even by modern standards, the Meizu 15 Plus has excellent memory. Moreover, this applies not only to RAM, but also to storage. True, the latter cannot be expanded with microSD cards, so you need to choose between the 64 and 128 GB versions wisely. The RAM in a smartphone is always 6 GB, which is still enough for stable operation of applications.

As for the processor, it is quite modest. Even at the time of release, the Exynos 8895, supplemented with Mali-G71 graphics, did not demonstrate anything phenomenal. In 2022, such a combination can be called statistically average. Yes, this is enough for the system and programs, but in demanding games you often have to lower the settings.

The Meizu 15 Plus battery has a capacity of 3500 mAh. With a standard load it is enough for a day of work. Of course, the figures are not record-breaking, but quite acceptable. However, all these shortcomings of the phone can be forgiven. But the lack of an NFC module can become a serious problem (which, however, Mi Band 4 can solve).

pros

stunning design;
branded shell;
pleasant vibration;
high-quality display;
Always On function;
fast RAM;
good processor;
great sound.

Minuses

no NFC module;
maximum brightness.

2. The best smartphone with a DAC and a retractable front camera Xiaomi Mi 9T

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Why we liked it: The Mi 9T is one of the best Xiaomi products ever. It displays shades correctly and provides a good amount of brightness even when used outdoors. The phone has an NFC module for contactless payment and good hardware that can handle even advanced mobile games. Editor's Rating:

Design and build quality

Unlike its competitor, Xiaomi has managed to achieve much greater success. And this despite the fact that it has only existed since 2010, and Meizu was founded back in 2003. Huge sales of Xiaomi phones ensured a good combination of price and quality. You don’t have to look far for an example: Mi 9T, released in mid-2019, is still in great demand today. Why is this device so good? Let's find out!

First of all, the eye catches the design. The phone has absolutely no frames, because the front camera here extends from the top end. Only those who often take selfies or use face unlock will call this solution a disadvantage. Three main camera modules are neatly located on the back of the device. They barely protrude above the body, so they allow you to carry the phone without a case. True, the glass case turned out to be too easily soiled and slippery, which must be taken into account.

Screen and sound quality

Mi 9T received a 6.39-inch display with a resolution of 2340×1080 pixels. The maximum and peak brightness of the AMOLED matrix installed in the device is 430 and 600 candelas, respectively. The latter can be achieved when displaying HDR content that is supported by the device. In the screen settings, a dark theme is available to reduce battery consumption, color temperature settings and Always On functions.

According to our impressions, the display of a Xiaomi smartphone is practically not inferior to the manufacturer’s top devices. Of course, there are no newfangled 120 or even 90 Hz, but the fingerprint scanner is located directly under the screen. It works a little slower than conventional solutions, but, as a rule, there are no problems with accuracy.

The DAC used here is Qualcomm WCD9340. This is a very good solution that allows you to enjoy excellent sound in your headphones. But the external speaker here is just good. As for the main camera, which includes modules of 48, 8, 13 MP, during the day it shoots at a solid five. In the evening the quality decreases and noise appears.

Performance and autonomy

Like Meizu 15 Plus, the smartphone does not have a slot for memory cards. The internal memory volumes of the Mi 9T are similar: 64 or 128 GB. The hardware platform is a Snapdragon 730 processor with an Adreno 618 graphics accelerator. This combination is enough for the phone for both demanding applications and modern games.

You can also praise the device for its well-thought-out cooling system. Even a high load, as a rule, does not lead to a drop in frequencies due to overheating. There are no problems with autonomy either. And we have to thank for this not only the capacious 4000 mAh battery, but also the excellent optimization of the proprietary MIUI shell.

pros

brightness and color rendering;
hardware platform;
no cutouts in the screen;
main camera capabilities;
accurate fingerprint scanner.

Minuses

There is no microSD slot.

3. Best premium smartphone with DAC ZTE Axon 10 Pro

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Why we liked it: ZTE has perhaps created the best smartphone in terms of price and power. Axon 10 Pro can easily compete with many current flagships, for which they sometimes ask for amounts 2-3 times more. You can find minor glitches in the operation of the OS, but the company offers customers pure Android, and not its own shell. Editor's Rating:

Design and build quality

The ZTE phone is exclusively available in blue color. It looks great, but the back panel is too susceptible to fingerprints. The Axon 10 Pro is assembled with a solid five. Corning Gorilla Glass 5 on both sides protects well from scratches and chips, and the aluminum frame adds rigidity to the device.

The phone has curves on both sides. From a design point of view, this is good, but using the device due to such sidewalls is not very convenient. However, most Axon 10 Pro owners will still place the smartphone in a case, which will eliminate the problem. Otherwise, we have before us an exemplary flagship from the ZTE brand.

Screen and sound quality

The DAC in the ZTE smartphone is implemented at the processor level. In previous models of the Axon series, a separate chip was used for this. But the change in approach did not degrade the sound quality. On the contrary, everything is even better in Axon 10 Pro, because DTS:X Ultra, a technology for improving audio transmission, works together with the DAC. Essentially, this is a separate application that is implemented at the OS level. Here you can optimize the sound and adjust the equalizer.

The ZTE smartphone has an excellent AMOLED screen. Its diagonal is 6.47 inches and the aspect ratio is 19.5:9. The display occupies almost 90% of the front panel. In the settings you can adjust the color rendering, activate one of several modes, and enable the Always On function. Moreover, it can work not only continuously, but also on a schedule (for example, only in the evening or while the user is at work).

Performance and autonomy

Like the Xiaomi smartphone, the Axon 10 Pro model is equipped with a 4000 mAh battery. The phone charges from ZTE at a similar speed (Qualcomm Quick Charge 4+ is supported), but in addition to wired charging, wireless charging is also available here. The included adapter, by the way, is only 12 W, although all 18 W are supported. The operating time of the device on a single charge is on average one and a half days.

When it comes to performance, this is a real monster. Moreover, considering the price, I don’t want to criticize the phone even for some flaws in optimization and not the most stable operation of the system. All this pales in comparison to the fact that inside there is a Snapdragon 855 processor with an Adreno 640 graphics accelerator. But the cooling in the Axon 10 Pro is not ideal, so performance drops under prolonged load.

pros

great design;
Always On operation;
powerful filling;
wireless charger;
stock Android;
DTS:X Ultra technology.

Minuses

not the best cooling;
sometimes the system is glitchy.

4. The best rugged smartphone with AGM X3 DAC

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Why we liked it: Among rugged smartphones, the X3 is definitely one of the best. It can withstand the harshest operating conditions, while still offering very good performance, a cool screen and great sound. It even provides NFC for contactless payment! But for users expecting good photographic capabilities from a smartphone, it is better to refrain from purchasing the AGM X3. Editor's Rating:

Design and build quality

Perhaps you have not heard too much about the AGM company or knew nothing at all about this brand before reading our rating. But this is a fairly popular company in the smartphone market. At least in the segment of secure devices, it has few worthy competitors. This is best proven by the model with the laconic name X3.

Similar to the Meizu smartphone, the device received a standard fingerprint scanner. But in the device from AGM it is located on the rear panel (although, taking into account the size of the frames, the sensor would fit below the display). The finger is read quickly, errors can only happen with wet hands (which, however, is typical for many modern phones).

Despite the smaller screen diagonal than its competitors and similar battery capacity, the AGM smartphone turned out to be larger. This is explained by the fact that its body is protected not only from water and dust according to the IP68 standard, but also from falls (military certification MIL-STD-810G). Therefore, the phone weighs a lot - 216 g.

Screen and sound quality

Each of the devices described above offers users an AMOLED screen. But not all people like phones with such a matrix. Therefore, we can only praise AGM for the decision to install an IPS display in the X3. It has a diagonal of 5.99 inches with an aspect ratio of 2:1. Its contrast is 1500:1, which is a good indicator for this type of matrix, and the brightness reaches an impressive 500 cd/m2.

The manufacturer paid special attention to sound quality. The smartphone received a Smart PA audio chip - a relatively inexpensive but effective DAC. In addition to this, the device offers stereo speakers, which no other device in the review can boast of. And they are not just any, but developed jointly with JBL. That's why the X3 delivers great sound not only with good headphones, but also without them.

Performance and autonomy

From a secure smartphone, users primarily expect reliability and good performance in everyday tasks. But the AGM X3 went even further, because inside this device there is a Snapdragon 845 processor with Adreno 630 graphics. Thanks to this, the phone can easily run even modern games at high settings.

But with autonomy, everything is not so clear. It would seem that a 4100 mAh battery should provide operating time comparable to the Mi 9T. But in reality, one charge lasts a maximum of a day. Moreover, unlike ZTE and Xiaomi, only Quick Charge 3 is supported here, and not 4+. Therefore, it takes almost two and a half hours to charge the phone to 100%.

pros

productive iron;
excellent stereo speakers;
high-quality IPS display;
sound in headphones;
contactless payment;
protection from water and shock.

Minuses

mediocre cameras;
autonomy is not impressive.

5. Best budget smartphone with DAC Yandex.Phone

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Why we liked it: at the start of sales, Yandex.Phone was unreasonably expensive, which is why this product was doomed to failure. Today, compared to other state employees, a device from a domestic brand is an excellent choice. It works stably, offers an NFC module, a DAC and a high-quality 5.65-inch screen. Editor's Rating:

Design and build quality

It's hard to say that the experience in the smartphone market was successful. But taking into account the price, the device released by the domestic search giant today is suitable for those who are looking for a good, and most importantly, inexpensive solution for everyday use.

The design of Yandex.Phone is very neat, perhaps even rustic. The aluminum frame makes the device durable. The plastic body of the smartphone resembles glass and almost does not collect fingerprints. At the same time, the phone's cameras do not protrude above the body, so it is convenient to use the device even without a case.

Screen and sound quality

The display in the Yandex smartphone is made using IPS technology. Its quality is only slightly inferior to the AGM model with an almost 5-fold difference in cost. Screen resolution – Full HD with an aspect ratio of 2:1. The maximum brightness is about 465 cd/m2, which is a good indicator even for a sunny day, and the minimum is 19 nits. The quality of color rendering and anti-glare coating on the display does not raise any questions.

There is only one external speaker in the phone. And it is the weakest point of this model. Even the cameras here are not bad for their price. But there are many complaints about the sound of the main speaker. Fortunately, Yandex.Phone has a standard 3.5 mm audio jack where you can connect good headphones. Wireless models, however, also perform well here due to support for the aptX codec.

Performance and autonomy

The smartphone runs on the Android operating system, on top of which Yandex.Launcher is installed. The latter does not introduce serious changes, so the user is unlikely to have the desire to quickly throw the device out the window, as happens with proprietary shells from some Chinese manufacturers.

As for the hardware platform, by current standards it is modest. Yes, if desired, the Snapdragon 630 and the Adreno 508 graphics chip will even allow you to play, but you will often have to reduce the settings to minimum and endure freezes. But everything is very good with the system, the programs work stable, almost no glitches were noticed.

The smartphone is charged via a USB-C port, which is not always found among competitors for the same money. The 3050 mAh battery supports Qualcomm Quick Charge 3. A full charge barely lasts a day, and if you plan to use it frequently, we recommend carrying a power bank with you.

pros

Beautiful design;
system performance;
not overloaded launcher;
sound in headphones;
maximum brightness.

Minuses

autonomy;
main speaker