A few months ago we talked about the best budget smartphones under 10k. Now that we’re entering the second half of the month, we think it’s time to revisit our options. This year saw major releases from different brands even in the entry-level category and we’re here to help you sift through the options.
Read on to find which one works best for you!
We’ve just broken through half of the year 2018 and already we’ve seen amazing releases on the smartphone front. From various selfie-centric cameras to shiny flagship phones to actual, dedicated gaming smartphones, our options have definitely increased since the year started.
Still, we know what matters most to you guys: budget, budget, budget. We know you want something that is inexpensive but does not come short in terms of features and firepower. Yes, of course! Getting the best bang for your buck is still the top priority in this blog.
So you guys know the drill. Sit back, relax, and allow us to give you a rundown of the 5 Best Budget Smartphones Under 10k as of June 2018.
Huawei Nova 2 Lite
Available in Lazada for P9,990
The Huawei Nova 2 Lite came in as a successor to the Chinese brand’s successful midrange installment, the Huawei Nova 2i. With this under-10k smartphone, Huawei hopes to charm the budget smartphones market as well as it did with the midrange market. But were they successful?
In our opinion, yes, they did. The Huawei Nova 2 Lite is quite a steal even as a budget smartphones under 10k. It has 1.4 GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 430 octa-core processor, 3GB of RAM, and 32GB of storage that is expandable via an SD card.
With these specs, you get decent multitasking power for everyday tasks without experiencing any lags. You may, however, need to lower your graphics settings on certain games to achieve a stable frame rate.
The rear-end cameras are undeniably the star of the show, however. The Huawei Nova 2 Lite is equipped with a 13-megapixel camera accompanied by a 2-megapixel secondary camera that functions as a depth sensor. Although the secondary camera struggles in separating foreground from the background at times, images still come out bright with crisp details and accurate colors.
Xiaomi Redmi 5 Plus
Get Yours in Lazada for only P9,990
At this point, it seems that Xiaomi no longer needs an introduction. It seems that the brand has now become synonymous with “best bang for the buck”, as it deftly combines impressive specs with inexpensive price tags. But were they able to showcase that with the Xiaomi Redmi 5 Plus?
Most definitely. With a price point of P9,990, the Xiaomi Redmi 5 Plus is a powerhouse with its Qualcomm Snapdragon 625 octa-core processor, 4GB RAM, and 64GB expandable storage. You also get a Full HD+ IPS display via the 5.99-inch display. Ultimately, the Xiaomi Redmi 5 Plus is sure to give you a glitch-free experience whether you’re a casual smartphone user or a hardcore gamer.
Read: 5 Best Gaming Smartphones Under 10k
Something to ponder on, though: it’s clear from the specs that Xiaomi didn’t focus much attention on the cameras. Equipped only with a single 12-megapixel rear-end camera and a mere 5-megapixel selfie camera, The Xiaomi Redmi 5 Plus does lag behind its competitors on this area.
Still, given its specs, performance, and display, the Xiaomi Redmi 5 Plus is definitely something worth looking at. And with a price of P9,990, it’s definitely one of the best budget smartphones under 10k out there.
Oppo A83
Now Available in Lazada for P9,990
Next on our list of best budget smartphones under 10k is the Oppo A83
The Oppo A83 is one of the first smartphones launched by the Chinese giant for the year 2018. From the get-go, it’s evident that the A83 is similar to Oppo’s F5 Youth, albeit a smaller and more toned down version. It sports a 5.7-inch 18:9 display, a MediaTek Helio P23 processor, and most importantly(?), an AI Beauty Technology that allows users to take flawless selfies and portrait shots.
But how does it fare among the other members of best budget smartphones under 10k list?
As mentioned earlier, the Oppo A83 looks, feels, and functions like the Oppo F5 Youth’s younger brother. Its initial performance is snappy, thanks to the Helio P23 processor combined with an ARM Mali-G71 MP2 GPU.
A noticeable setback, though, is the display downgrade. While both phones sport an 18:9 screen aspect ratio, the A83 only has 282ppi density compared to the F5 Youth’s 403ppi. Still, the former retains quite a few of the latter’s noteworthy features such as the AI Beautification Technology, decent cameras, face unlock, and even the long battery life.
Want an affordable version of the F5 Youth? Go for the Oppo A83. Read: The Best Selfie Smartphones Under 10k
Asus Zenfone Max M1
Get One from Lazada for Only P8,995
It’s not called the Battery King for no reason.
You might remember the Max M1’s older sibling – the Max Plus M1 – from its release earlier this year. It offers a solid performance, a hefty battery life, and even a decent dual camera setup. The catch? At P12,000 the Max Plus M1 is pretty expensive for most of us.
Read: Should You Buy Smartphone via An Installment Plan?
Enter the Max M1. Unveiled about a month ago by Asus, the Zenfone Max M1 is a big-batteried smartphone that promises to deliver a powerful performance propelled for a more affordable price. Its Qualcomm Snapdragon 430 processor is paired with 3GB of RAM plus an expandable storage of 32GB. This gives users plenty of juice for everyday tasks even with multitasking involved. Although, in terms of gaming, no doubt you will encounter some lags and framerate drops with this one.
Because of the 4,000mAh battery, this smartphone will definitely last more than a day when doing light to moderate tasks. With gaming and heavy usage, however, the Max M1 should last you a day.
So is the Asus Zenfone Max M1 worthy of being one of the best budget smartphones under 10k? If you’re looking for a simple, straightforward device that won’t leave you hanging in terms of battery life, this one surely does.
Xiaomi Redmi 5A
Available in Lazada for P4,590
How can we not feature this? Inexpensive yet chock full of features, the Xiaomi Redmi 5A definitely deserves to be called the Entry-Level King. You wouldn’t think of all it can do by just looking at the price?
To give you a better perspective, here’s our full review!
And that’s it for our list of best budget smartphones under 10k – June 2018 edition! Will we see more releases in the coming months, particularly on the budget level? Well, if the rumor mills are to be believed, we’re up for some surprises soon. And you can just bet we’ll be there to report them back to you!