Stefan Mileschin

It's easy to think that Chinese smartphone makers are thriving solely on sales of ultra-cheap devices, but that's only partly true. In many cases, they're striking careful balances between features and pricing -- handsets like the Vivo X3 tout sleek designs and big screens, but their modest processing power keeps costs in check. Oppo wants to bring that high-value philosophy to the rest of the world through the international version of the R819. For $349, it's an exceptionally thin phone with perks you don't always get at this price, including dual SIM slots and better support for custom firmware. However, it faces stiff competition from new rivals like the Moto G and Nexus 5. Is the R819 still worth buying when it's not the fastest or cheapest in the pack?

http://www.engadget.com/2013/11/21/o...&ncid=rss_semi