5 Things I Learned From 3 New Foreign Phones

Part of what we do at PCMag is function as a testing-based buyer’s guide. We’re focused on US products, because if something isn’t designed to work well in the US, we can’t test it properly.

That said, over the past few weeks, I’ve spent time with some fascinating, top-of-the-line phones out of China to get a feel for smartphone innovation abroad. The Iqoo 9 Pro, the Oppo Find X5 Pro, and the Realme GT 2 Pro all sport distinct designs and exhibit a sense of fun—qualities that devices in the dull US smartphone market are sorely lacking. I’m disappointed that these handsets are generally available everywhere except in the US, but in light of showstopping connectivity problems, I understand why they aren’t.

With that in mind, here’s what I learned from three weeks with these three compelling phones you can’t (and shouldn’t) use in the US.

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1. Camera Innovation Isn’t Anywhere Close to Dead

Apple and Samsung, at this point, seem to be stuck on incremental improvements to low-light photography. Outside of those conservative leaders, though, imaging is getting wild. Google leads the way with software in the US, but abroad, different AI chips (from Oppo), built-in gimbals (from Iqoo), and microscope modes (from Realme) are among the innovations we don’t get to see.

The Realme GT 2 Pro’s microscope mode is weird, but amazing
(Photo: Sascha Segan)

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2. US Phones Charge Pathetically Slowly

Almost all US phones take more than an hour to charge, while foreign manufacturers are working on jaw-dropping fast-charging tech. Every one of the phones I tried charges faster than any Apple or Samsung handset—for instance, the Iqoo 9 Pro takes 25 minutes to get to a full charge! BBK, the parent company of all three phone makers, even appears to be working on 150W charging technology that can take a phone from 0 to 100% in 15 minutes.

The BBK phones are headed to 150W charging while Samsung still struggles to make 45W work

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3. Nobody Loves Google Like Americans

Americans love a simple, spare Android interface that puts Google apps first. We curse bloatware (basically any preinstalled app not made by Google beyond a short list of utilities).

Many foreign phones are absolute bloatware monsters, full of preloaded third-party apps and games you probably don’t want. The minimalist trend in phone interfaces clearly hasn’t gone far beyond our shores. The Realme GT 2 Pro doesn’t have a ton of bloatware, but the Oppo Find X5 Pro is a nightmare in that regard. This is one trend I’m happy we don’t have to deal with.

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4. Intended Best Sellers Are Boring

US phone designs are typically very conservative because companies want each flagship model to appeal to a broad market. In markets with more major players, brands make weirder, more risky phones out of necessity.

For instance, outside of the US, a riot of different foldable designs are prevalent, like the Huawei P50 Pocket and the Oppo Find N. The Iqoo 9 Pro has a wild racing stripe and the Realme GT 2 Pro is co-branded by a designer who worked with Muji. These phones are just plain fun in a way that Apple and Samsung devices can’t be because those two companies aim to sell hundreds of millions of units to many different kinds of people.

Iqoo’s BMW Motorsport-branded phone looks silly and fun
(Photo: Sascha Segan)

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5. Carrier Support Still Matters

Finally, I’m infuriated that I can’t realistically use any of these phones, because none of them properly connect to T-Mobile’s network. I asked T-Mobile, which says it isn’t blocking them and is just as baffled as I am as to why they don’t work. The Oppo phone is 4G-only and lacks T-Mobile’s long-range coverage band; the Iqoo handset drops data connections unexpectedly; and the Realme device doesn’t reliably connect to T-Mobile’s or Verizon’s networks at all.

All of the non-US phones I tested had software bugs and incompatibilities
(Photo: Sascha Segan)

I wish we could use these terrific phones stateside to bring personal flavor and competitive verve to our mostly duopolistic market. But unless the manufacturers can get these phones to, you know, actually work in the US, we just have to live in envy.

For more, see our story on the best phones you can’t get in the US.