What I'm saying is that on a smartphone the performance specs are not everything -actually they don't matter much these days- and that what you are paying when buying one is not only the specs, but mainly paying for the software/firmware, the interface (OS), the build quality, the reliability, the better implementation of the camera (software is of the essence there), features, support for newer technologies and faster internet connection (licenses included), the intangibles, constant updates, better sound, better image quality, etc; the whole package. Developing and having all that has a cost for those companies, which you pay for.

Actually what sells high end smartphones is the novel features and improvements as a whole package, not the specs. No buyer cares about the processor or graphics card of the new iphone, and they are right.

For the lack of novelties and for being a worse package as a whole is that a cheaper phone is never as good as the rest, even if it has the same cpu or graphics card.

Personally, the simplicity and better experience as a whole, including the phone and the provider as well, is why I (and 99.9% of the western market) prefer the mainstream brands.
It's just a relatively cheap consumer good. Why waste your life on saving a few bucks trying to get something similar, that won't be the same anyway (time and effort that can be used for watching cooller tomorrow on 125fps)..



Also the the non mainstream brands come with their own issues:

1) The same that happens with linux and free programs in general: it's free (or cheaper when buying it), but if you value your time then windows is always cheaper. The whole idea of a smartphone is that they are simple and with everything in one package, like a PC OS, which you don't get with the smaller brands.
With those phones you run into silly issues and timewasters on things you take for granted in other phones, plus there's way less info on troubleshooting, so your experience with the phone is worse.

2) The software and OS make a huge quality difference. Just like with free PC programs and free apps on phones, no matter how time you put into them the paid program is always the better choice and will always be better.

3) Having the same components does not mean they will perform as well. In this era, for about a decade, that firmware and implementations are as important as components. That's why even sony has been trailing behind for a while.
You can have a chinese car with spectacular specs, made of carbon fiber and whatnot, but quality control will be crap and it won't be a whole package, so the chassis and grip in general will be bad enough that your 500 hp will not be enjoyable.

4) Actually they aren't the same components even. One thing is having the same cpu and the rest, but the cheaper brands don't have the same dac/amps, screens, materials, cameras as htc or samsung.

5) And as I said before, they lack features that are common these days, rendering the rest of the phone useless. If you have specs that allow you to watch 1080p movies and play the very most demanding games, but you don't have SD card support and the phone comes with available 6 GBs, then what's the point.

6) ok one more: gl hf with warranties with phones bought overseas, like all these smaller brands. The rest just go to their company and get a new one, with everything synced on the cloud btw, while you'll be stuck for months.
Also it will take some weeks or months for you to have it in your hands, then some more time getting it ready to be used with a local provider, whereas everyone else needs 5 minutes.