Huawei with two radio modules. The best smartphones with two active SIM cards

Dual SIM cards in a modern smartphone are perhaps the standard that even eminent market leaders such as Samsung do not neglect. Even conservative Apple has similar experiences. Often such devices are confused with phones equipped with two radio modules, in fact, we are not talking about ordinary phones with two SIM cards. Two radio modules - this is the ability to use each of them at the same time. Most devices, unfortunately, only allow each SIM to be used alternately while the other is in standby mode.

Technologies: DSDS and DSDA

Almost all, without exception, phones on the market today work with two SIM-cards in the DSDS (Dual SIM - Dual Standby) mode, which implies alternating operation of each of them. Both SIM-cards adopted in the gadget use one radio module for communication, which means that when making a call using one of them, it will be impossible to receive a call on the other. The same applies to the Internet, talking on the phone using one SIM card, it will be impossible to use the mobile Internet on the other.

In the case of DSDA (Dual SIM - Dual Active), the situation is exactly the opposite, cell Phones with two radio modules are able to interact with each SIM-card in parallel, without interrupting each other's work.

Phones with two radio modules: pros and cons

Of course, such devices are not purchased out of idle interest, they have a number of advantages that attract attention:

• A phone with two active radios allows its owner to never lose connection. Where the SIM-card of one operator may be powerless, the card of another will do just fine, therefore, the presence of two simultaneously functioning radio modules at once has a beneficial effect on the availability of the user as a subscriber.
• Another advantage of such gadgets is the more stable operation of the mobile Internet, which does not turn off even if you are talking on one of the SIM cards.
• Naturally, mobility. Two SIM cards, coupled with two radio modules, eliminate the need to have and carry two phones with you forever.
• The last in the list, but far from the last in value, plus is the ability to combine favorable terms of two different operators. There can be a great variety of schemes, because each operator has its own conditions. In addition, many people love to travel and will definitely not do without an additional SIM card in addition to the main one.

The rainbow picture described above is spoiled by several shortcomings:

• Firstly, phones with two radio modules are expensive to manufacture, components are more expensive, and the assembly and optimization process is much more complicated.
• Secondly, the radio module is a complex device and at the same time the most demanding thing in a phone (after a display). Both facts lead to inevitable losses in autonomy, forcing you to constantly live near the outlet or carry a portable battery with you.
• Thirdly, there are studies that confirm that radio waves negatively affect the human body, leading to the development of cancer. Having two radio modules in a phone is the same as holding two phones near your head at a time. Many believe that in this way you can literally fry the brain.

Falling supply

Obviously, the number of phones supporting DSDA is incomparably small compared to phones this technology not supportive. There is an opinion that such devices were banned in the European Union due to the excessive radiation of such smartphones, which do not meet the standards of the countries of the union. There is also a certain conspiracy theory of operators, allegedly they do not want to see a competitor's SIM card in one phone next door. One way or another, the market cannot boast of a rich assortment of DSDA smartphones, but you can still find a couple of diamonds.

HTC Desire 700

The Taiwanese office of HTC is perhaps the most distressed on the smartphone market. Once a thriving brand, over the past 5 years it has lost everything: money, fame, reputation. Nevertheless, HTC continues to release devices, has its own unique, and most importantly recognizable style.

Desire is a symbiosis of high-end style and build level, with budget-class hardware. The price for all this stuff varies within the average.

On the front of the Desire 700 is a large 5-inch display with a resolution of 960 by 540 (the number of dots per inch - 220). The heart of the smartphone has become, atypical for the manufacturer, the Spreadtrum Shark chip with clock frequency 1200 megahertz. Also, under the hood of the smartphone, 1 gigabyte was worn random access memory and 8 gigabytes main (there is support for memory cards up to 64 gigabytes). The volume of the battery is also not impressive, with a rather impressive size, the gadget was able to fit a battery only for 2100 milliampere hours.

HTC One M7 Dual

Another gadget about the Taiwanese manufacturer, this time the flagship. The M7 model came out not so long ago, therefore, it is more than relevant and advanced.

On the front of the M7, a fairly large 4.7-inch display with a high resolution of 1920 x 1080 pixels (the number of dots per inch - 469), with Super LCD technology took its place. Responsible for the performance is the popular processor from Qualcomm, clocked at 1700 megahertz. The amount of memory is twice that of the Desire 700: 2 gigabytes of RAM and 32 gigabytes of ROM. A 2300 milliampere hour battery is installed inside.

Boom Sound speakers have become a trademark of the device, allowing you to play high-quality stereo sound directly through the speakers of your smartphone. It also features a 4-megapixel camera with double pixel technology for high-quality shooting in the dark.

Network standards supported: GSM and WCDMA

Considering the fact that mobile phones with two radio modules have become outlandish, such a solution from HTC looks extremely dignified and attractive.

Huawei Honor 7

A smartphone manufacturer from China, with a difficult to pronounce name, has recently begun expansion into the Russian market and the market of the CIS countries. The brand is actively promoted on the Internet, popularized by mobile operators, and all this is fueled by eloquent CEOs who promise to sweep away all competitors in the coming years. Among other things, Huawei loves phones with two radio modules, the list of which is quite extensive in the company's range.

One of the best gadgets, smoothly balancing between price and quality - Huawei Honor 7, released in the middle of last year. The phone has a large display with a diagonal of 5.2 inches and a resolution of 1920 x 1080 pixels. Behind it lies the power of the proprietary Silicon Kirin 935 chip with a frequency of up to 2200 megahertz. I am also pleased with the amount of memory, which the Chinese have never skimpied on, 3 gigabytes of RAM and up to 64 gigabytes of main memory. Another argument in favor of the Honor 7 is the large 3100mAh battery.

As for the supported communication standards, the situation here is very ambiguous, since each model is equipped with a unique set of radio modules developed for a specific market.

ASUS ZenFone 2

The leader of this list is definitely with two radio modules for Android. The ASUS product may not look like a flagship, but it is able to hook with its inner beauty, the most powerful technical component.

ZenFone 2 has the largest display in our collection, a gigantic, full-bodied 5.5-inch 1920 x 1080 capacitive screen protected by a third-generation coating. The high performance of the smartphone is provided by a processor from Intel, which has a 64-bit architecture and 4 cores, each of which has a clock speed of 1800 megahertz. The amount of RAM in 4 gigabytes allows you to actively use many, simultaneously running applications, without the threat of unloading them from memory and losing data. 32 gigabytes of main memory can be supplemented with another 64 gigabytes, a microSD card. Long battery life is supported by a 3000mAh battery. Two cameras complement the picture: the rear one is 13 megapixels and the front one is 5.

Network standards supported: GSM and HSDPA

Zopo ZP980

Option for those who prefer simpler devices. The Chinese brand Zopo looks more like some kind of fake, but nevertheless deserves attention, since it has two radio modules.

The first thing that catches your eye is the impressive diagonal of the display (5 inches) and the resolution (1920 x 1080 pixels). At the same time, the device retains a fairly compact size. Unfortunately, that's all that can impress this budget Chinese. The device has a chip from MediaTek with a clock speed of 1200 megahertz, a small amount of RAM, only 1 gigabyte. The amount of built-in memory is also not impressive, 16 gigabytes, expandable with memory cards. The device turned out to be thin, therefore, there was no place for a large battery, the owners of the gadget will inevitably have to put up with the battery, the volume of which is 1860 milliampere hours.

In general, the ZP980 is the choice of those who are not ready to spend money on a flagship and are not afraid to order phones online.

External DSDA modules

This solution applies to Apple devices. Despite the fact that on the Internet from time to time there are rumors and patent applications related to the support of two SIM-cards in the iPhone, to date there is none. The Chinese came to the aid of the disadvantaged with their next know-how, which bears the name NeeCoo Me 2.

The device is a small unit with two radio modules and two slots for SIM cards. The gadget communicates with the iPhone via Bluetooth and allows you to make calls from two different SIM cards. Calls can be made even if there is no SIM card in the smartphone itself, which means that NeeCoo Me 2 is suitable for all gadgets running iOS, including iPad.

A selection of phones for those who are not satisfied with one SIM card.

Dual SIM phones are quite popular. At a similar cost to their one-symbol counterparts, they offer work with two numbers at once, for example, personal and work. This allows you to choose an advantageous combination of tariffs from different operators, eliminates the pain of replacing the card and the cost of an additional "call".

There are, of course, drawbacks. As a rule, dual-SIM smartphones discharge faster, and the slot for the second SIM-card is often made combined with the slot for the memory card.

As you can see, when choosing good smartphone there are certain pitfalls for 2 SIM cards. Therefore, we have compiled for you a rating of the best and inexpensive dual SIM phones so that you can make the right choice.

10th place

Umi Rome X is an inexpensive dual SIM phone with a large 5.5-inch display. The most interesting thing about the smartphone is the design that looks like the flagship Samsung Galaxy S7. The similarity is achieved due to the thin body, smooth shapes and curved back panel at the edges. The advantages of Umi Rome X are a removable battery and separate slots for two SIM cards and a memory card. At the same time, the device is quite inexpensive - about 5 thousand rubles.

But the smartphone has its drawbacks - the lack of 4G, a solid weight and a weak battery with a capacity of 2500 mAh, which is not enough for such a large display.

9th place

Doogee X5 Max is an affordable dual-SIM smartphone with 4G, a good battery and a fingerprint sensor. The phone offers its owners a clear HD display, a capacious 4000 mAh battery and Android 6.0 on board. But most importantly, there is a removable cover that allows you to quickly replace the battery, as well as separate slots for two SIM cards and a memory card. In addition, we highlight an unusual design with curved ends, like some LG smartphones, and an affordable price from 4 thousand rubles.

Among the shortcomings - a large and weighty body, rather weak 5 MP cameras and a small amount of RAM, only 1 GB. But if you add one or two thousand rubles, then you can buy Doogee X5 Max Pro - the same model, but with more memory (16 GB of ROM and 2 GB of RAM).

8th place

Meizu M3s is perfect for those who want a metal 4G smartphone with two SIM cards. Despite the modest price tag of 8 thousand rubles, the Meizu M3s has plenty of advantages. It has a slim metal body with a good build, a fingerprint scanner, a 5-inch display with HD-resolution, as well as high-quality 13 and 5 MP cameras. In addition, the phone will delight with 16 GB of permanent memory and a 3200 mAh battery.

There are some disadvantages, but not serious: a slightly dim display, an unbreakable case and a combined slot for a second SIM and memory card.

7th place

Xiaomi Redmi 3 is a good choice for those looking for an inexpensive smartphone with a powerful battery and dual SIM cards. In our opinion, this is one of the best budget dual SIM phones in 2016. Having bought Xiaomi Redmi 3 for only 8 thousand rubles, you will get a metal smartphone with a bright and clear screen, decent performance and high-quality 13 and 5 MP cameras. But the most interesting thing about the phone is the high autonomy provided by the 4100 mAh battery. Despite the powerful battery, the Xiaomi Redmi 3 didn't come out thick or heavy.

There are also disadvantages: a non-removable battery and a combined SIM and microSD card slot. Separately, we note that for the same price you can buy Xiaomi Redmi 3s - the same phone, but supplemented with a fingerprint scanner.

6th place

Samsung Galaxy J3 (2016) is a 5-inch dual-sim phone. The LTE version of the model will cost you 9-10 thousand rubles, but the 3G modification is already more expensive. The main advantage of the smartphone is a bright and clear AMOLED display with wide viewing angles, making it perfectly readable in the sun. In addition, the phone is well-assembled, and its autonomy is at a decent level. What is important for the dual-SIM model is that under the removable cover you will find separate slots for SIM-cards and memory cards.

The disadvantages are small amounts of memory (8 GB of storage and 1.5 GB of RAM), low performance and unimpressive 8 and 5 MP cameras.

5th place

Microsoft Lumia 640 LTE Dual SIM is a cheap dual SIM phone for Windows 10. It may not be the newest, but for January 2017 it costs from 6-7 thousand rubles. The phone has a crisp and bright 5-inch display, a good 8MP camera for its price tag, and high battery life. Despite the weak stuffing, the smartphone works smartly, supports LTE and even NFC. We also note a well-assembled case, a removable cover and a separate slot for a memory card that does not pretend to be a SIM card.

Among the shortcomings are a small amount of internal memory, a weak 1MP front camera and a limited selection of applications. When buying, be careful: there are other phone modifications - both single-digit and without 4G support.

4th place

Xiaomi Mi4c is perfect for those who want an inexpensive dual-SIM smartphone of almost flagship level. The release of the model took place at the end of 2015, since then its price has dropped to 7-8 thousand rubles. The phone features a crisp 5-inch Full HD display and advanced 13MP and 5MP cameras. In its price range, this is the most powerful dual-SIM smartphone thanks to the 2015 flagship processor, Snapdragon 808 (same as the top-end LG G4) and 2GB of RAM. Communications Xiaomi Mi4c is also almost flagship - there is 4G, infrared port, and high-speed Wi-Fi. Responsible for autonomy is a battery with a decent capacity of 3080 mAh and support for fast charging.

Xiaomi Mi4c has only one drawback - there is no memory card slot, which will be especially noticeable in the 16 GB modification. Also note that this model has a non-separable body and a new USB Type-C connector.

3rd place

Asus ZenFone 2 ZE551ML is a powerful phone with two SIM cards and two radio modules. Since 2015, the price has dropped to 11-12 thousand rubles, but not outdated. The main feature of the model is flagship performance. Inside the phone is a powerful chipset and 4 GB of RAM, just like some laptops. At the same time, the phone looks rather unusual, boasting a removable battery and separate slots for two SIM and microSD card. But more importantly, these are two radio modules, which are extremely rare today. This means that both SIM-cards can work at the same time: receive calls and not lose connection with the Internet when calling from another card.

As disadvantages, let's name low autonomy and ordinary cameras for an almost flagship. In addition, the Asus Zenfone 2 ZE551ML is quite large and heavy, and the location of the control keys will seem inconvenient to many.

2nd place

Lenovo Vibe Shot is a dual-SIM smartphone with a good camera. It came out back in 2015 and significantly dropped in price to 13 thousand rubles. In addition to the advanced camera, Lenovo Vibe Shot boasts a stylish design, decent battery life and high performance. We also note that this is a rare phone with a non-collapsible body, but separate slots for two SIM-cards and a memory card.

The phone also has disadvantages - the lack of an NFC chip and easily soiled, glossy plastic, which eventually peels off the device's case. In addition, it is strange that Lenovo Vibe Shot is positioned as an advanced camera phone, but does not know how to shoot 4K video.

1 place

Huawei Honor 7 is a pretty powerful phone with 2 SIM cards and two radios. It costs from 19 thousand and offers almost top-end features. So, Honor 7 boasts high-quality cameras at 20 and 8 MP, metal body with a fingerprint scanner, high-quality display, high performance and an additional button smart control Key. But the main advantage of the model is two radio modules that allow two SIM cards to work simultaneously. With such a smartphone, you will be able to talk and not lose your Internet connection from the second SIM card, as well as receive two calls at once.

Honor 7 also has disadvantages - an unbreakable case and a combo slot. The latter is especially sad, because the amount of permanent memory is small for your money, only 16 GB. Also for the top model, the phone looks plain, and the battery life is only average.

Do you want to understand other important issues? Read

Articles and Life Hacks

From time to time there are people who are interested in a phone with two radio modules. True, they do not always objectively understand why they need it.
After all, the existing two-SIM telephones with one radio module in most cases suit everyone. Since it is difficult for one head to simultaneously talk on two SIM cards.

Advantages and disadvantages

• Such a device allows you to simultaneously receive calls on two SIM cards, although it would still be nice to have two mouths for this.
• But you can use the second radio module in a different way, for example, for a permanent active Internet connection via a second SIM card, perhaps someone needs it.
• If you have not yet wondered why phones with two GSM-modules are already practically out of production, then we will try to clarify this point a little.
• The first is a fast battery discharge, because two GSM receivers consume twice as much electricity.
• Accordingly, you will have to carry spare batteries or stay farther from home than the distance of the extension cord from the 220 V outlet allows.
• Second, the harmful effects of radiation on the human brain. If you haven't seen a video in which an ordinary egg is cooked using two mobile phones, then watch it - it's very entertaining.
• Modern standards try to reduce the negative impact high frequencies on your head, and two radio modules ruin these efforts.
• Third, it is very difficult to place two antennas in the case so that they do not interfere with each other, because in addition to the GSM standard, phones also use Bluetooth, GPS, WiFi, NFC, and so on.

Dual radio models

If all of the above options did not scare you and still want to buy a phone with two GSM-modules, then we give a list of models in which a similar technical solution was encountered.

They are all already, most likely, passed into the category of "used", but new alternatives will be even more difficult to find.

So, phones: LG GX300, GX500, ZTE U960, Samsung Galaxy Ace Duos S6802, as well as the Samsung Duos series with models C5212, C3212, B5702, C6112, B7722, B5722, D880, D780, D980, S9402.

Smartphones with support for two SIM cards are incredibly popular in Russia. The reason for this was the use by Russian consumers of the services of two providers at once. Chinese brands were the first to equip their phones with dual SIM card slots, and later were joined by major players in the mobile market.

We have selected the most interesting devices as of the beginning of 2017, which have dual-SIM support, so that you can quickly figure out what needs to be considered first.

1.Samsung Galaxy A5 2017

The Samsung Galaxy A5 (2017) smartphone is an excellent device from the South Korean manufacturer with a good price / quality ratio. It definitely has more pros than cons. A device with 32 GB of internal memory will cost you 27,990 rubles.

Benefits:

• Waterproof case
• 16MP main and front cameras
• Fast processor and functional shell
• Fast charging
• Separate memory card slot
• Lots of memory and a large battery
• USB Type-C

Disadvantages:

• Android 6.0.1 Marshmallow
• No infrared port
• No 4K video recording capability

2. OnePlus 3T

Announced at the end of 2016, the OnePlus 3T received the flagship hardware, as well as a powerful battery. The device has a Snapdragon 821 on board and 6 GB of RAM. It is available on the shelves of Russian stores with a price tag of 31 thousand rubles for a model with 64 GB of ROM and 37 thousand for 128 GB of internal memory.

Benefits:

• One of the fastest and most convenient fingerprint sensors
• Crisp Optic AMOLED Screen
• Large 3400mAh battery
• Sufficient RAM and internal memory
• Lightweight aluminum body
  USB Type-C

Disadvantages:

• No microSD support
• Not compatible USB Type-C cable with other devices

3. Xiaomi Mi Mix

This smartphone will seem interesting to those who think 5.5-6 inch giants are not enough. The Xiaomi Mi Mix is \u200b\u200bamazed by its 6.4-inch panel with a record ratio to body of over 90%. Xiaomi sells its gadget at a price of 44 thousand rubles.

Benefits:

• Giant screen with impressive body-to-body ratio
• Capacious 4400 mAh battery
• Plenty of internal memory as well as RAM
• USB Type-C port
• Fastest Qualcomm processor
• Impressive design (ceramic case)

Disadvantages:

• Extremely fragile, worth wearing in a case
• Front camera takes mediocre pictures
• No slot for microSD memory card
• Deprived of water protection

4. Huawei Honor 8

It stands out for its multifunctional user interface, the assembly of the case of the highest level, as well as the presence of all modern technologies. It is very fast and has a long enough battery life. Now you can buy Honor 8 at a price of 22,800 rubles, which is very good.

Benefits:

• Unique dark blue design color
• Beautiful and smooth shell with a lot of functionality
• There is an infrared port
• Fast charging
• Fingerprint sensor responds instantly
• Durable glass-covered body
• Two radio modules

Disadvantages:

• The battery gives out average values
• Slightly slippery body
• Sound is not loud enough

5. Xiaomi Mi5S

This device is capable of seriously competing with the OnePlus 3T. It doesn't have a lot of RAM and also has a smaller battery, but it will cost you a lot less. It is possible to purchase Xiaomi Mi5S at a price of 21 thousand rubles.

Benefits:

• Fast charging
• Excellent build quality
• Excellent flash
• Powerful processor

Disadvantages:

• Main camera
• No memory card slot
• Quiet speaker

6. Meizu MX6

Meizu MX6 is one of the most interesting offerings of the Chinese brand. The device has an attractive design, excellent performance and, most importantly, a good price. For a model with 32 GB of built-in and 4 GB of RAM, you will have to pay less than 20 thousand rubles.

Benefits:

• Design and quality of materials used
• Loud speaker
• Fingerprint sensor works instantly
• Fast charging
• Both SIM cards can work in 4G Cat 6 networks
• Very bright and high contrast screen
• USB Type-C

Disadvantages:

• The display is scratched quite easily
• No memory card support
• Both cameras take mediocre photos

What is a radio module in the phone for?

Radio module in mobile phone plays a critical role. Its task is to receive and transmit network signals, i.e. it is thanks to him that you can make and receive calls, messages, use the mobile Internet.

The radio module itself occupies a modest area on the motherboard. Interference, defects in the installation of the module, the presence of large metal elements in the immediate vicinity degrade the quality of signal transmission.

The difference between smartphones with one and two radio modules

The features of the radio module in a smartphone will be of interest to users of devices with two SIM cards. Cellular models are divided into those that support the operation of two SIM cards simultaneously and alternately. So, one radio module can function with several SIM cards, i.e. with different networks and different mobile phone numbers, the user can receive calls to two numbers and make outgoing calls from any number, but when one of the SIMs is active, the other card becomes unavailable to receive the network. Thus, in the activity mode, for example, a conversation, only one SIM card will work, while in the standby mode the radio module is ready to work with any of the cards, which is the first to become active. This happens because one communication channel actually works.

Some manufacturers sometimes release smartphones with two radio modules, in which case both networks are always available, however, this technology increases the cost of production, affects the decrease in smartphone autonomy and does not apply to mass demand. A small percentage of users who are interested in having parallel work of numbers will have to choose from a very limited model range available on the mobile market.

DSDS

If you go a little deeper into the nuances, then most of the ones on sale mobile devices with 2 SIM-cards operate in DSDS mode. The essence of its work is alternation and it is based on the operation of one radio module. When the mobile is in standby mode, both SIM cards are connected to their network simultaneously due to the compression of the transmission channel, i.e. at rest, several streams at a lower rate are transmitted over one channel. As soon as a call arrives on one of the SIM cards, the second automatically turns off and becomes inaccessible for external calls and messages.

If we compare the operation of this mode with the operation of a smartphone with one SIM card, then the communication quality of such a device will be slightly lower. This is due to the fact that the radio module constantly carries a load in a double volume and is forced to alternately refer to one or the other base station of different mobile operators.

DSDA

Probably, it was for users who do not tolerate any compromises that devices with support for DSDA mode were created. These phones are equipped with 2 radio modules, independent of each other in their work. The advantage of this mode is the ability to receive incoming calls and messages simultaneously on both SIM cards. At the same time, DSDA smartphones mercilessly absorb energy, as already mentioned, and are quite expensive devices.