Are Chinese cell phones really that bad?

[Alvaro Martín Gómez A.]

Hi everybody.

Well, it happens that one of my brothers convinced me of buying a brand-new Chinese copy of a BlackBerry Torch 9800 from him (actually not a BB - it has no PIN). I perfectly know that a Chinese product has nothing to do against its American/European counterpart in terms of quality, but here are a couple reasons why I bought it:

- I love cool high quality gadgets and I'd love to own an iPhone 4, but perhaps the main reason why I don't have an expensive cell phone is because cell phone theft is a really common problem where I live, so it would be really sad/infuriating to lose an expensive cell phone because of theft (not to mention that, depending on the thief's aggressivity, nervousness and/or how stoned he/she is, I may end being wounded or killed).

- Because of that, I've used a modest Nokia 5130. Now, this new Chinese phone, while not having real high quality standards for sure, is much cooler than my Nokia. LOTS of features, including touch screen display, dual SIM card, FM radio, analog TV reception and most stuff commonly found on regular cell phones. For cheap, of course, and it works.

I'm perfectly aware of the fact that "sturdiness" is not exactly the best word to describe these Chinese products, so I know that I must be very careful with this phone. I don't think it will survive a single drop or soak. I also think that "you get what you pay for" is a true statement but anyway, and assuming that the owner handles it really carefully, do you think a fancy Chinese cell phone is a good choice for someone who doesn't want to spend big bucks on the real deal? Or, on the other hand, do you think it's an absolute junk and consider a budget model from a well-renowned brand a wiser investment?

Just curious. Actually, I want to test in advance if I'm going to suffer from buyer's remorse or not. Be honest in your opinions, anyway. Thank you in advance for your input!

[Eric Perry]

My authentic iPhone was made in China. I think many, if not most, electronics are assembled there anymore... Knock-offs and authentics.

[MakiSupaStar]

Pretty much all cell phones are made either partially or entirely in China.

[Mike N]

What isn't made in China?

[Alvaro Martín Gómez A.]

OK, but I don't think that the difference between a "real" BlackBerry and a similar smartphone with an unknown Chinese brand is just the brand name/reputation (and I'm not talking about features and appearance. Just overall quality and reliability). Am I wrong?

[OldDog52]

If this is a copy of a specific Blackberry model, can you just compare them side-by-side for build quality etc? Or is it completely obvious that it's not up to Blackberry build quality? (just making sure I understand your question)

Heck, it's possible it was built in the same factory as a real Blackberry (Unlikely but not impossible -- Those wacky Chinese!)

[Darkstrike]

I had a Chinese copy of an iPhone for a small while, was really cool, except the batteries were kinda junky.

[Bob Lee (QSC)]

Many (if not nearly all) good phones are made in China. So are a lot of knock-offs. I would avoid the latter even if they're temptingly cheap.

[champbassist]

Originally Posted by Alvaro Martín Gómez A.

OK, but I don't think that the difference between a "real" BlackBerry and a similar smartphone with an unknown Chinese brand is just the brand name/reputation (and I'm not talking about features and appearance. Just overall quality and reliability). Am I wrong?

No. You are right. There's also the difference between berries and cherries you need to take into account:

[Jay Ralston]

If you get a Chinese phone, do you have the urge to get more Chinese phones a half hour later?

[Demon_Hunter]

Originally Posted by Jay Ralston

If you get a Chinese phone, do you have the urge to get more Chinese phones a half hour later?

Too funny!!

[Bassamatic]

Actually, since cellphones are made nearly entirely by automation, they are NOT mostly made in China - there is no benefit to it. . In fact, 2 of the largest cell phone makers are here in the USA.

The quality of Chinese phones runs the total gamut from total crap to the iPhone. They are as good or bad as the people that order them want them to be. They are built to meet a price point. There are a few companies that offer cell phone "solutions" as they are called. This is the complete, engineered circuit and circuit boards,and perhaps the case as well. The customer makes some styling decisions, and also decides the software and feature details, and poof - they are in the phone business.

Just because the phone is made in China does not mean than it is bad - or good. This is the same as with instruments made in China. They have the world's newest and most modern factories, and the can make the goods' quality to meet any price point.

[jmattbassplaya]

Am I the only one who thinks almost all modern cell phones are rubbish? They only seem to last a year or two before they crap out and die. Meanwhile, I still have my old Nokia brick phone that I got about 8 or 9 years ago and it still works perfectly.

[DeathFromBelow]

Originally Posted by jmattbassplaya

Am I the only one who thinks almost all modern cell phones are rubbish?

No you're not. They're made to break down so you'll "need" the next model.

[L-A]

Apple has most of the manufacturing done in China, but it's from employees they train, on an assembly line they build. They don't just pick a factory.

[fdeck]

Originally Posted by L-A

Apple has most of the manufacturing done in China, but it's from employees they train, on an assembly line they build. They don't just pick a factory.

iPhone and iPad are made by Foxconn. It seems almost certain that Apple plays at most a limited role in the development and management of the production process, which are outside of their expertise.

[Alvaro Martín Gómez A.]

Originally Posted by OldDog52

If this is a copy of a specific Blackberry model, can you just compare them side-by-side for build quality etc? Or is it completely obvious that it's not up to Blackberry build quality? (just making sure I understand your question)

I don't know anybody who owns a Torch 9800, so I can't make the comparison. The only thing I can say is that this Chinese phone has the same exact appearance (just slightly bigger, which I found out when I tried to get a protective bag for it) and it's apparently very well constructed. It doesn't feel fragile at all.

[sbass traveller]

even the knock-offs seem to be pretty well made. I know a lot of people who use them (see my location...) and I've seen a lot of them soaked in beer, alcohol, and whatever other else spills on a table in a bar or restaurant, and they seem to work fine.