Just like midrange phones, budget offerings—specifically those priced at under Php 10,000–have improved in terms of value for money. While the options for budget phones are not as diverse as midrange phones, Unbox had its fair share of solid picks that surprised us with what they can offer for under Php 10,000–and even those that are just priced at under Php 5,000.
For this list, we cover those priced between Php 3,000 and Php 10,000. Like our previous Unbox Picks, this list has no particular order, as we’re still working on which phone deserves to be the best in the lower midrange segment.
Unbox Picks for Top Budget Phones (2024)
- realme Note 50
- ZTE Blade A75 5G
- HONOR X7c
- Infinix HOT 50 Pro+
- TECNO Spark 20 Pro 5G
realme Note 50
realme kicked off 2024 strong with the Note 50 and its official price of Php 3,599–where lucky customers were able to get it for under Php 3k. We had our hesitations initially, but the Note 50 punched above its weight–for its asking price, we got USB-C, a 5000mAh battery that lasted us close to 20 hours based on our tests, and a software update commitment of 2 major Android updates–something that’s unheard of in budget phones. The Note series is proof that realme can come up with a budget phone that offers decent value even at an under Php 5k price point.
ZTE Blade A75 5G
Making 5G accessible to the masses was one of Smart’s goals when it unveiled the Blade A75 5G as its prepaid exclusive, and it did a stellar job in offering a 5G-ready device for under Php 5k. Its Unisoc T765 processor punches above its weight when compared to other budget processors, and the Blade A75 5G offers solid value for having 128GB UFS 3.1 storage and the ability to shoot 4K videos–two features we never expected we’ll see in budget phones for 2024.The ultimate icing on the cake is that it is a 5G phone for under Php 5k—definitely a 5G phone made for the masses.
HONOR X7c
HONOR has been solid this 2024 with the X9b, and the X7c is proof that the brand also has a durable phone that’s affordable. Armed with an IP64 rating and a 6000mAh battery that can last for more than a day on regular use, we praised the X7c as a budget phone that can live almost forever. Pair that with a stylish vegan leather back cover on this Forest Green colorway and a Snapdragon 685 processor that’s paired with 8GB RAM and 256GB storage, and the X7c gets the job done as an affordable and durable alternative to HONOR’s well-regarded X9b.
Infinix HOT 50 Pro+
Skinny phones are going to be a trend in 2025, and Infinix kicked things off with the insane 6.8mm thickness of the HOT 50 Pro+. Aside from new color options, the HOT 50 Pro+ is a premium-looking budget phone with its 120hz curved AMOLED display, a matte finish on the back panel, and a capable Helio G100 processor that can handle light gaming on the side. Despite its skinny profile, Infinix managed to pack a 5000mAh battery inside the Hot 50+ thanks to some clever engineering, and that made us impressed with this budget phone.
TECNO Spark 20 Pro 5G
Making 5G accessible to everyone is a big must as we move to 2025, and TECNO managed to pack as many features as possible on the Spark 20 Pro 5G while keeping it under Php 10k. You get a 5G-ready Dimensity 6080 processor that’s paired with 8GB RAM and 256GB storage, and its 108-megapixel ISOCELL HM6 has excellent imaging performance that’s better than most budget phones. Completing the package is a 5000mAh that supports 33w charging and a Full HD+ 120hz IPS display that has a decent brightness range for its asking price.
Stay tuned to the site as we reveal our top budget pick for 2024 in the coming days.
