When choosing one or another electronics, in particular a smartphone, we sometimes notice with surprise that the same model can be sold with a significant difference in price. The sales assistant, in response to this misunderstanding, declares: "This is Eurotest!" But not every one of us is aware of the meaning of this word. Therefore, let's see how Rostest differs from Eurotest. First, let's define what is hidden under these definitions.

What is Rostest?

Rostest is the largest testing and certification center in the Russian Federation. It is accredited by the government of our country to issue certificates. In order to obtain such a document, according to the legislation, the product must comply with a considerable number of technical regulations, requirements of safety standards for the protection of the environment and human health.

Therefore, manufacturers, in order to obtain the Rostest mark on their products, must necessarily pass the products through the certification procedure. If the goods have passed it, then the company has the right to put the Rostest logo on them. This will mean that, for example, a smartphone meets Russian quality and safety standards.

We recommend that you remember the Rostest mark, since there are many sellers of illegal, fake, and therefore low-quality goods on the market, which are presented as original, branded and sold at a rather big price. Naturally, on its packaging there will be no logo of this large Russian certification center.

And we continue to figure out how Rostest differs from Eurotest.

What is Eurotest?

First of all, we need to know that no Eurotest exists! The term was coined by sellers by analogy with Rostest. It most often means Conformité Européenne - European conformity with the CE mark.

If we consider Rostest or Eurotest, what is the difference? The latter term may mean that the device in front of you meets European requirements for environmental protection, safety and human health.

However, we still advise you to ask the seller about what he means by the definition of Eurotest. If this is CE (European conformity), then there is no reason to worry. And sometimes counterfeit gadgets are also called mysterious Eurotest in order to deceive the buyer. Such a device can come from Asia or America, or from handicrafts.

Rostest and Eurotest: similarities

Those who are looking for how Rostest differs from Eurotest are primarily concerned about the quality of the devices. But there are no differences regarding this parameter - manufacturers are trying to produce universal products for the entire spectrum of consumers. Therefore, for example, a phone with a Rostest certificate will be similar in quality to a device with a European conformity mark.

Owners of gadgets marked with both Rostest and Eurotest can also equally qualify for a full warranty service. The presence of this or that certificate does not affect the authority of the warranty card. It does not matter what is indicated there: Eurotest or Rostest.

What is the difference? Many people think that the differences are in the location of the manufacturer: goods bearing the CE marking are produced in a European state, and Rostest - in third world countries. But this is also an incorrect statement - gadgets in most cases are made at the same factory.

Rostest and Eurotest: differences

So what is the difference between Rostest and Eurotest? From all that has been said, several points can be distinguished:

• Rostest is a Russian certification, and Eurotest is a fictitious concept. It can mean both CE - European compliance, and "wrapper", under which they hide a fake product that does not have any document at all.
• As a rule, prices for products with the Rostest logo should be higher. If an ordinary fake is hidden under Eurotest, then its cost, of course, will be significantly lower than the price of a certified product.
• If you buy a gadget with CE marking, then there is a high probability that its documents, instructions are not Russified, and the charger for the device will not fit the Russian outlet.

Rostest, Eurotest, iPhone

How to determine if Rostest or Eurotest is a certificate for your iPhone? "Apple" gadgets in the domestic market are generally divided into 4 categories:

• "White" - Rostest.
• "Gray" - Eurotest.
• American.
• "Black" - fakes from China and others like it.

We do not recommend the last two groups for purchase. "Black" - for obvious reasons. And the American ones - because the device can only be blocked for maintenance by a specific operator, and also due to the fact that until now official service centers do not agree everywhere to repair it for free under warranty.

The most "white" are iPhones with Rostest certification. They have passed all the necessary checks, comply with the requirements of the legislation of the Russian Federation, there will be no problems with their warranty service. Do not worry if instead of the familiar PCT sign there is EAC. The latter is a symbol of Eurasian conformity (Russia, Kazakhstan and Belarus). It is similar to Rostest.

"Gray" is all other iPhones. They can also be called Eurotest. Their main difference is that they are imported bypassing official supplies from Europe. That is why they are distinguished by a lower price - the reseller significantly saved on duties, certification, taxes, etc. Is such an iPhone worse than the Rostest one? Hardly. One thing: the device can be "sharpened" for the country for sale in which it is intended. Hence the conflict with the SIM cards of the Russian operator, the inability to turn off the sound of the camera, the restriction on maximum volume music and other small but unpleasant moments.

So which is better - Rostest or Eurotest? Still the first. By purchasing a PCT-marked gadget, you buy a "white" device. And Eurotest can turn out to be both counterfeit products and a fake.

All Apple technology is universal for the whole world. In other words, there is no significant difference between a smartphone-communicator with the RosTest (PCT) marking, purchased in Russia, and a gadget purchased for, as in terms of technical parameters and operating system as well as in terms of design. Significant differences appear at the stage of picking the iPhone. They are in the instructions and the charger. It depends on them in which market smartphones will be sold.

What does RosTest mean?

A similar one on Apple products means that the device has been certified in Russia, that is, it was manufactured specifically for sale in our country. Most importantly, when buying such a device, the probability of buying a "gray" or fake iPhone is almost zero.

In addition, if there is a PCT icon on the box, all warranty obligations are borne by the manufacturer, and repairs and maintenance are carried out only at authorized service centers. Included with such a smartphone are supplied in the language and a charger with an adapter for Russian sockets.

What does Eurotest mean?

EuroTest (CE) certification means that all warranty obligations fall on the seller's shoulders, but warranty repairs, as in the case of the "Russian" iPhone, are carried out only by authorized service centres. Therefore, the only possible difference between them (apart from cost) is chargers rated for different types sockets.

How to distinguish RosTest from EuroTest

It is not difficult to distinguish RosTest smartphones from EuroTest. To do this, you must carefully study the box in which the gadget is supplied. On the reverse side PCT iPhone boxes must have inscriptions in Russian, and the batch number must have a country identifier (RR). If there is such an identifier, you can be sure that the smartphone is intended specifically for use in Russia.

When the box is lost serial number Gadget can be viewed in its settings. It looks something like this: MD242KS/A. The letters that come after the numbers and before the slash indicate the country the phone was sent to. Russia in this issue is denoted by the letters RR.

The percentage of breakdowns of smartphones under the EuroTest sign is no less than with the RosTest sign. This is because the certificate, whether in Europe or Russia, is issued for the entire batch of brand new devices. This does not mean that every device has been tested for quality.

Rostest is a mandatory component of any officially imported electronics into the territory of the Russian Federation. But, many buyers do not pay due attention to Rostest, and someone does not even know what it is. In the article we will tell you what Rostest iPhone is, how it differs from Eurotest, and what choice to make when buying.

PCT logo.

Rostest or PCT means that electronic products are officially imported into Russia and have received Rostest certificates. All functions that are officially present in the device will work properly, and the device itself is covered by the official warranty from the manufacturer. Since any PCT products are subject to Russian taxes and have a recommended market price, their cost is noticeably higher than that of gray devices. There is nothing wrong with gray devices, they simply did not pass the PCT and therefore are not taxed by the Russian Federation.

The classic example of the PCT is Apple watch Watch Series 3/4. The watch officially supports eSim technology and can work with cellular networks. The version without this technology is officially delivered to Russia. With the new iPhones, the situation could be the same, but it seems that eSim is no longer banned, and operators are already starting to gradually prepare their networks to work with this technology.

What is the difference between iPhone Rostest and Eurotest

In most cases, nothing. These are the same iPhones, which are technically no different from each other. But, for some countries, there may be special restrictions on the functionality of the device, whether it is the maximum allowable sound volume or a ban on the operation of some services. For example, in the UAE, FaceTime is not pre-installed and cannot be installed from the app store. Another example is the iPhone for Japan. They at least do not turn off the sound of the camera shutter, and at the maximum for payments Apple Pay the FeliCa module is installed, which may cause problems in Russia.

It is unofficially considered that Eurotest or gray iPhones are all products that are imported into Russia without Rostest, no matter from which country, even from China. Therefore, in gray iPhones, you may encounter the fact that the plug for the outlet will be of a non-standard format.

A distinctive feature of Rostest is that smartphones are not assigned to a specific operator. In other countries, the situation may be reversed. If the device is tied to one operator, the buyer is obliged to use its services. This is the most common difference between Rostest and Eurotest. Therefore, when buying on your own, be sure to consider this fact and check if the device is tied.

It should also be noted that all Rostest products are covered by the official manufacturer's warranty. Therefore, if you have any problems, you can easily contact the service center.

How to find out iPhone Rostest or not

EAC logo.

White devices (Rostest) can be recognized directly by the box. It contains a Rostest certificate, which is designated as PCT or EAC (the icons are almost the same, the first is only for the Russian Federation, the second for the Russian Federation, Belarus and Kazakhstan). Having bought an iPhone with this designation, you can be completely sure of its “official”.

If you need to determine the country for which the device was intended, then you can focus on the model number that is indicated on the box. It should say “Model A”, where *** are numbers. Full list and descriptions of iPhone models (including Japanese and Chinese) can be found at . Just in case: "Chinese" are original devices, just for the Chinese market.

Is it worth buying not Rostest

The difference between gray iPhones and iPhones with Rostest lies primarily in the warranty and price. After obtaining PCT certification, the manufacturer of the device must pay customs duty (import tax) and issue a certificate of conformity of the device to the technical regulations of the Customs Union. Therefore, the price of "official" iPhones in Russia rises by 10-20%.

For gray devices, you do not need to pay tax and apply for Rostest, so the price for them remains the same. Sellers in Russia only raise it a little to get a plus in sales, so the difference between White and Gray devices is really significant.

As a result: if you want to save a few thousand rubles and you are not embarrassed that you will not receive an official guarantee, then you can take a gray iPhone. Moreover, good stores with gray iPhones provide their own warranty from the store.

In this article I will try to explain what Rostest is and what it is eaten with.

So, Apple equipment in Russia can be bought, imported specifically for sale in Russia (Rostest), as well as imported from other countries. This is mainly Europe or America, other countries are rare ... Official sellers in Russia usually sell iPhone, iPad, Mac, positioning them as equipment with the Rostest quality mark. For example, on the website tekhnomol.ru you can buy an iPhone 7 Plus Rostest.

If there is a Rostest (PCT) badge on the box from the device, this means that the device was officially imported for sale in Russia in compliance with all standards, filling out the necessary papers and paying taxes (customs). That is, these are “clean” iPhones. Sometimes they are called "whites".

If the EAC icon is drawn on the box, this is also essentially Rostest, only this is a sign of compliance with the standards of the Eurasian Union (Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan). The PCT badge is already outdated and has been on the boxes for a long time new iPhones only the EAC sign can be seen. But since few people know the EAC, the word Rostest is often used in ads or in colloquial speech.

If there is no EAC mark on the box, then this product is made for other countries. For example, on the iPhone boxes of European countries there is an inscription: “Approved in all EU countries”…

What is the difference between iPhone Rostest (EAC) and others?

In terms of components and future iPhone work, produced for Russia, are no different from those produced for Africa, Saudi Arabia or the USA, with the exception of some points.

Depending on the country, the plug for the outlet may be different. Therefore, be prepared that you will need an adapter or adapter for our country.

The instruction in the kit will be in the language of the country for which the device is made. But this is an insignificant nuance, because all instructions are easier to download in the iBookstore. The kit does not include anything informative.

Not all models bought in other countries will have a guarantee in the Russian Federation, but many ...

• iPhone 5S - A1457.
• iPhone 5C - A1507.
• iPhone SE - A1723.
• iPhone 6 - A1586, A1589.
• iPhone 6 Plus - A1524, A1593.
• iPhone 6S-A1688
• iPhone 6S Plus - A1687
• iPhone 7 - A1778, A1660
• iPhone 7 Plus - A1784, A1661

And for example, the iPhone 7 A1779 and A1785 models will not be serviced. So what matters for the warranty is not the presence of the EAC marking, but the model number.

But there is one difference in the warranty: the EAC marking gives a two-year warranty, and for European models, the warranty in Russia is only one year.

The price of EAC models is usually higher than those imported for sale illegally (the so-called “gray” iPhones).

What are the differences for other devices?

Apple laptops made for other countries may have a different outlet. Solved by buying an adapter. Also, keyboards can only be written English letters(Russian letters can be laser engraved) or symbols of other countries. For example, in Thailand, when buying a Macbook, if you want only English characters on the keyboard, you need to make a special order.

Should I buy a Rostest device or not?

In my opinion, Rostest does not give any special advantages, except for an unambiguous guarantee that the device is “white”! iPhone, iPad, iPod, etc., regardless of the country of manufacture, works the same way. And regardless of the presence of the EAC marking, you may come across a defective model ...

Therefore, if the price of a European model turns out to be several thousand cheaper, then you can safely buy it. But if you want complacency, then take Rostest.

What is Eurotest?

Eurotest is a beautiful word coined specifically to better sell iPhone and iPad without Rostest (EAC) marking.

If the iPhone is called gray when selling, then in most cases it is not about the color of the body, but the degree of legality of import this device to the territory of the country. How to determine a "gray" smartphone and what consequences the acquisition of such a gadget may entail - we understand the material below.

In contact with

A few years ago, for the majority of domestic users, the difference between the “gray” and “white” (official) iPhone was determined solely by the cost, and the average Russian or a resident of the near abroad considered buying a smartphone from unofficial resellers (in the common people “dealers” or “hucksters”) economy. In fact, the use of an illegally sold device can be justified from an economic point of view, however, gray is different from gray, and buying iPhone is better taking into account the recommendations below.

What is a "gray" iPhone

In order to officially sell the iPhone in Russia or any other country in the world, you need to conclude a contract with Apple, pay the customs fee, get certified and obtain all permits. Naturally, official dealers who have spent time and money on going through these mandatory procedures take into account their own and state interests when calculating the price (for example, the amount of VAT, which in Russia is 20% of the cost). This is the “white” iPhone, and you can only find it at official dealers (which are usually large retail chains, for example, Svyaznoy, M.video, etc.), as well as on the official Apple website. A list of "white" resellers in your locality can be obtained by clicking on this link.

However, not every batch of smartphones is worth going through all the circles of bureaucratic hell and paying customs fees. It is not difficult for many who want to make money to smuggle several (or several dozen) iPhones across the border from nearby European or Asian countries, and the final price of such a device for the buyer is usually 20% (give or take) below the market price.

It is important to understand that we are talking about brand new original Apple smartphones. We talked in detail about how to identify a Chinese fake, and about used iPhones sold under the guise of refurbished ones. Also, this article will not mention scammers selling iPhone 5s under the guise of iPhone SE, unlocked devices in sealed packaging, etc. through ads.

In other words,

"Gray" iPhone is ordinary original smartphone Apple, but which has not passed the certification procedure for the country in which it is imported after sale. Usually "gray" iPhones are imported and sold in violation of tax laws (smuggling). In addition, when using iPhone in a non-native region (other than the country for which it was released), there may be some restrictions described below.

Is the Apple warranty valid for "gray" iPhones?

It is not possible to legally oblige Apple to repair warranty smartphones imported from abroad - the company does not undertake to repair devices for objective reasons due to technical restrictions in different countries. For example, China uses different communication standards than European ones. At the same time, it is hardly possible to prove that the LTE frequency has nothing to do with a broken screen or a defective battery.

However, Apple's internal policies do not invalidate the existence of consumer protection law. If you bought a "white" or "gray" iPhone from legal entity(online store) on the territory of Russia, you have the right to make claims to it within two years from the date of purchase. Naturally, in the presence of a sales receipt.

It should be noted that starting from 2019 some Gray iPhones covered by a one-year (1 year) Apple warranty in Russia. In case of problems, you will need to contact an official Apple reseller. At the same time, the warranty period for the "white" (official) iPhone is 2 years.

Here is a list of iPhone versions relevant for Russia that are subject to free warranty service in 2019:

iPhone 7: A1778.
iPhone 7 Plus: A1784.
iPhone 8: A1905, A1863.
iPhone 8 Plus: A1897, A1864.
iPhone X: A1901, A1865.
iPhone XS: A2097.
iPhone XS Max: A2101.
iPhone XR: A2105.

It is important to understand that in this case we are talking about a global warranty, the duration of which is one year, while the device purchased from an authorized dealer can be serviced free of charge for two years.

Benefits of a Gray iPhone

The main and often decisive advantage for the buyer of a gray iPhone in comparison with a legally imported one is the cost. The difference in price can reach about 25%, while most users do not see other differences between smuggled smartphones and those purchased from an official reseller, but they still exist.

Problems of the "gray" iPhone during operation

In most cases, the use of a "gray" iPhone does not cause any problems, but this is due only to the fact that most devices come to us from neighboring countries. If you purchase a Taiwanese or, for example, a Brazilian gadget, you may encounter poor communication quality and even the lack of an LTE connection. This happens due to the use of different frequencies in Europe, Asia, South America, etc. By the way, the Russian authorities have repeatedly threatened to completely block all smartphones illegally entering the country. This is a very difficult, but feasible, from a technical point of view, task.

Perhaps the most significant problems can lead to the purchase of " gray "carrier iPhone(aka: "locked", "locked", contract, tied to the operator, SIM-lock, etc.). Such a smartphone only works with a SIM card of a certain operator in the country where the purchase was made.

In addition to the cases described above, the “gray” iPhone can also provide less serious troubles to its owner. For example, a plug for connecting an adapter charger to the power grid is different in many countries. This means that it is impossible to connect a British or, for example, an American iPhone to a domestic outlet using standard charging without a special adapter.

A less important nuance is that Apple complies with the laws of the countries to which it ships its gadgets, which entails some consequences. For example, an iPhone bought in the Emirates will not support FaceTime video calls, a Japanese smartphone will not allow you to turn off the camera sound, and a “European” will limit the maximum volume in headphones (Apple has no restrictions for Russia yet).

Eventually:

The best "gray" iPhone for a Russian user is an iPhone, brought from the European Union. The device is virtually identical to official smartphone Apple, made for Russia, except for the lack of a two-year warranty and a maximum volume limit.

How to distinguish a "gray" iPhone from a "white" one

Naturally, the store will not let you unpack the iPhone, but the box itself will help you easily distinguish the “white” iPhone from the one imported from abroad. The description of the smartphone (on the bottom of the package) must be in Russian, at the end of the model identifier there must be a mark “RR”, “RS” or “RU”.

For example, an iPhone model ID that was produced for the US market will end with the letters LL (or LL / A), "British" - B (B / A), Apple smartphone from Poland - PM (PM / A), from Hong Kong - etc.

Photo settings "white" iPhone:

Screenshot of gray iPhone settings from Poland:

Faking all these insignias or using packaging from another smartphone is quite difficult and not very profitable in terms of potential profit, so these signs can be considered sufficient to determine the "whiteness" of the iPhone.

If you are negotiating to purchase an iPhone from your hands, but do not want to purchase a “gray” gadget, then also start checking it by matching the information on the box and on the smartphone itself.

The serial number, IMEI and model must be identical in the device settings ( Settings → Main → About this device) and on the box.

More details about iPhone verification online we told in .

Eventually:

If you need a uniquely “white” iPhone, then buy only in large retail chains and in stores of official resellers: Svyaznoy, M.video, re:Store, on the Apple website, etc. Such an iPhone has the characters "RR", "RS", or "RU" at the end of the model ID, which can be found in the iOS settings or on the back of the package.

Conclusion

Gray iPhone really helps save money in case of concluding a deal with a respectable seller, which does not hide the origin of the device, did not activate it and did not replace accessories, packaging, sales receipt. Otherwise, 10-25% savings can result in undesirable consequences, loss of time, nerves and money.