The battleground for affordable flagships
Just like the under 20K list we published yesterday, today’s list of best buys under 30K is stacked AF. 2018 has yielded a bumber crop of phones that has top-tier hardware and low price tags, which makes buying the right phone for you that much harder.
But just like we do, we’ve distilled the very best smartphones that you can buy into an easy to digest list of 5 devices: 5 phones that you can pick up that has top-tier specs for not a lot of money. Check ’em out below:
Xiaomi Mi MIX 2S
Like the already competitively-priced Mi MIX, the Mi MIX 2s holds the title of the most affordable phone equipped with this year’s top tier processor, Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 845. Along with upgraded cameras, the Mi MIX 2s is the new flagship killer to beat this 2018. The phone has an almost-bezeless display without a polarizing notch, along with Xiaomi’s trademark MIX aesthetic.
Read: Xiaomi Mi Mix 2s Review: The New Flagship Killer?
Nokia 7 Plus
If you’re the sort that craves a pure Android experience mixed with stellar hardware need not look beyond HMD Global’s Nokia 7 Plus. The Nokia 7 Plus stays true to the Nokia legacy with its solid and stunning build and powerful internals that can handle whatever you can throw at it with ease. You’re also guaranteed up to 2 years of Android updates, as well as three years worth of security patches. What’s not to like?
Read: Nokia 7 Plus Review: The Pure Android Phone You’ve Been Waiting For
ASUS ZenFone 5Z
While it may look similar to the ZenFone 5, what makes the ZenFone 5Z impressive is that it packs a Snapdragon 845 processor—the most powerful processor out in the market today—while keeping prices below the Php 30k mark. In essence, its a ZenFone 5 on steroids, making it a worthy option for those who love the ZenFone 5 aesthetic but craves for more power.
Read: ASUS ZenFone 5z Unboxing, First Impressions: Promise Fulfilled
Honor 10
The Honor 10 is often mistaken for a budget version of Huawei’s P20, which isn’t surprising: with a sub-Php 24k price, you are getting a flagship-grade Kirin 970 processor, generous 128GB internal storage, and great cameras sans Leica branding (but with AI). Since it looks like the P20, you get the same aluminum and glass build and the same 5.8-inch Full HD+ display.
Read: Honor 10 Hands On, Quick Review: Beautiful Beast
Huawei Mate 10
We said that the Mate 10 is the best value-for-money flagship late last year, and our verdict stays the same, thanks to Huawei’s price-cuts putting the phone under the 30K price range. Aside from the Leica cameras and Kirin 970 processor, what makes the Mate 10 a true bang-for-the-buck flagship is its RGBW HDR display boasting of a 2K resolution. Its display is one of the better IPS panels out there, and it can match Samsung’s famed Super AMOLED displays.
