Mobile gaming has gained popularity in the Philippines, and phones have become powerful enough to handle console-like graphics for demanding titles. Even phones priced at under Php 20k are capable enough to run some of the hottest mobile games in the Philippines–even if you opt to crank up the graphics settings.

For this list, we explore the best budget gaming phones you can buy in the Philippines for 2023 if your working budget is under Php 20k. It is a pretty tough list to curate, as we selected phones that we have reviewed on the site that are capable of running titles like Genshin Impact at medium graphics at the very minimum. Check out our top picks here:

Best Budget Gaming Phones in the Philippines for 2023

• TECNO POVA 5
• Infinix NOTE 30 5G
• Infinix ZERO 30 5G
• OnePlus Nord CE 3 Lite
• POCO X5 Pro

TECNO POVA 5

The POVA 5 is the most affordable phone that can handle Genshin Impact at medium graphics for 2023. What makes the POVA 5 impressive in gaming is its use of a Helio G99 processor at an under Php 10k price tag, which is very impressive since you can of. To top it off, the POVA 5 packs a large 6000mAh battery that supports 45w charging so that you can game on this budget phone for hours.

• Helio G99 Processor
• 8GB RAM
• Up to 256GB Storage
• 6.78-inch 120hz IPS Display, Full HD+ Resolution
• 8-megapixel selfie camera
• 50-megapixel main camera
• QVGA depth sensor
• 6000mAh Battery
• 45w Wired Charging
• Android 13, HiOS 13
• Php 8,499 (8GB/128GB) / Php 8,999 (8GB/256GB)

 

Infinix NOTE 30 5G

If you need 5G connectivity for faster speeds and lower latencies, the NOTE 30 5G is a great deal for under Php 10k. Its Dimensity 6080 processor (aka Dimensity 810) is a powerful budget chip, and we managed to push the NOTE 30 5G to run Genshin Impact at high graphics without any hiccups. Aside from that capable, 5G-ready chip, the NOTE 30 5G has 45w charging, so you can quickly top up the battery and enjoy more of that on-the-go gaming.

• Dimensity 6080 Processor
• 8GB RAM
• Up to 256GB Storage
• 6.78-inch 120hz IPS Display, Full HD+ Resolution
• 16-megapixel selfie camera
• 108-megapixel main camera
• 2-megapixel macro camera
• QVGA depth sensor
• 5000mAh Battery
• 45w Wired Charging
• Android 13, XOS 13
• Php 9,499 (8GB/128GB) / Php 9,999 (8GB/256GB)

 

Infinix ZERO 30 5G

The ZERO 30 5G is more than just an incredible content creator-focused device–its Dimensity 8020 processor is one of the most powerful chips for its price segment. What makes this chip crazy good is that you can run Genshin Impact at the highest graphics settings. You can even enable 60FPS mode and still get average frame rates of around 40FPS and not worry about thermal throttling.

• Dimensity 8020 Processor
• 12GB RAM
• 256GB Storage
• 6.78-inch 144hz AMOLED Display, Full HD+ Resolution
• 50-megapixel selfie camera
• 108-megapixel main camera with OIS
• 12-megapixel ultra-wide camera
• 2-megapixel depth sensor
• 5000mAh Battery
• 68w Wired Charging
• Android 13, XOS 13
• Php 14,999

 

OnePlus Nord CE 3 Lite

The Nord CE 3 Lite’s Snapdragon 695 is a decent 5G-ready processor that can run Genshin Impact at medium graphics, but what makes this phone stand out is OxygenOS. Compared to most Android UIs in the market, OnePlus’ OxygenOS has the least amount of preinstalled bloatware, making good use of its resources–8GB RAM and 256GB storage specifically–to give you a more enjoyable gaming experience.

• Snapdragon 695 Processor
• 8GB RAM
• 256GB Storage
• 6.72-inch 120hz IPS Display, Full HD+ Resolution
• 16-megapixel selfie camera
• 108-megapixel main camera
• 2-megapixel macro camera
• 2-megapixel depth sensor
• 5000mAh Battery
• 67w Wired Charging
• Android 13, OxygenOS 13
• Php 14,990

 

POCO X5 Pro

Being the most balanced mid-range phone in its segment, the POCO X5 Pro stays true to POCO’s branding when it comes to performance. Its Snapdragon 778G processor is one of the best mid-range processors that Qualcomm has ever launched, being able to run Genshin Impact even at the highest graphics settings. The Snapdragon 778G is a tried-and-tested processor that has good thermals and can ensure you an overall smooth gaming experience.

• Snapdragon 778G Processor
• Up to 8GB RAM
• Up to 256GB Storage
• 6.67-inch 120hz AMOLED Display, Full HD+ Resolution
• 16-megapixel selfie camera
• 108-megapixel main camera
• 8-megapixel ultra-wide camera
• 2-megapixel depth sensor
• 5000mAh Battery
• 67w Wired Charging
• Android 13, MIUI 14
• Php 16,999 (6GB/128GB) / Php 18,999 (8GB/256GB)

That rounds up our top picks for the best budget gaming phones in the Philippines for 2023. Do you agree with our picks?