Here at Unbox HQ, we want to make sure that you get the most out of your hard-earned money when it comes to buying your next smartphone. We made you a list of great smartphones for under 10K, and also those within the 10k-15k range. This time, our list will focus on smartphones that offer more performance, but will not cost you more than Php 30,000. As the competition has become tight in recent years, manufacturers would pull out all the stops to make their phones as desirable as possible.
Just like in our previous lists, we featured smartphones that are currently in the market, and offer the best bang for the buck.
OnePlus 5
- Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 octa-core processor
- Adreno 540 GPU
- 6GB RAM LPDDR4X
- 64GB of UFS 2.1 storage
- 5.5-inch Optic AMOLED display, 1920 x 1080 resolution
- 16-megapixel f/1.7 Sony IMX398 primary rear camera, 20-megapixel f/2.6 telephoto secondary camera, LED flash
- 16-megapixel front-facing camera
- Dual SIM
- 3G, LTE
- Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, NFC, GPS, A-GPS, GLONASS, USB Type-C
- Fingerprint sensor
- 3300mAh battery, Dash Charge
- Price: Php 26,490 (slate gray, via Lazada)
OnePlus continues to create a disruption in the smartphone wars, offering a model with top tier specs (Snapdragon 835, 6GB of RAM, 64GB of storage, to name a few) while selling them at a price lower than most flagship phones. Never mind that it comes with a Full HD (and not Quad HD, like most flagships these days) display; its internals is enough to make it a flagship killer.
Read: OnePlus 5 Review: Still A Potent Flagship Alternative
LG G6
- Qualcomm Snapdragon 821 quad-core processor
- 4GB RAM
- 5.7-inch QHD+ FullVision display, 2880×1440 resolution, Gorilla Glass 3 protection
- 32GB expandable storage, via microSD
- Twin 13-megapixel rear camera, f/1.8 aperture, OIS, LED flash
- 5-megapixel front camera
- Dual SIM
- WiFi, Bluetooth, GPS, A-GPS, GLONASS, Fingerprint scanner, IP68 certification
- 3300mAh battery
- Android 7.0 Nougat
- Price: Php 29,990 (via Lazada)
As we wait for LG’s V30, let’s not forget that the G6 is, likewise, an impressive phone, boasting of a 5.7-inch FullVision Quad HD Display, along with two 13-megapixel, f/1.8 rear cameras, a Snapdragon 821 processor, and 4GB RAM. Aside from its tempting price, you might be lucky enough to snag a unit yourself by joining our giveaway.
Read: One Week with the LG G6 in the Philippines
Samsung Galaxy C9 Pro
- Qualcomm Snapdragon 653 octa-core processor
- 6GB RAM
- 6-inch full HD Super AMOLED display, 1920 x 1080 resolution
- 64GB of expandable storage
- 16-megapixel rear camera with f/1.9 aperture
- 16-megapixel front camera with f/1.9 aperture
- Dual SIM
- 3G, LTE
- WiFi, Bluetooth, GPS, A-GPS, USB Type-C, fingerprint scanner
- 4000mAh battery
- Android 6.0.1 Marshmallow
- Price: Php 27,990 (via Lazada)
While some may be taken aback with its Snapdragon 653 processor, the Galaxy C9 pro makes up for it with a generous 6GB RAM, 16-megapixel front and rear cameras, both sporting a f/1.9 aperture, and a 6-inch full HD Super AMOLED display. Should you find the upcoming Galaxy Note 8 too expensive, the Galaxy C9 Pro is a viable alternative.
Read: Samsung Galaxy C9 Pro Review: Sayonara, A9 Pro?
Huawei Mate 9
- 2.4GHz HiSilicon Kirin 960 octa-core processor
- 4GB RAM
- 5.9-inch FHD IPS display, 1920 x 1080 resolution, 2.5D curved glass
- 64GB internal storage, expandable via microSD
- 20-megapixel secondary rear camera, Leica sensor, f/2.2 aperture, monochrome, OIS, 4-in-1 hybrid AF (laser, phase detection, depth,
- contrast detection), dual LED dual tone flash, 4K video
- 12-megapixel primary rear camera, Leica sensor, f/2.2 aperture, color sensor, OIS, 4-in-1 hybrid AF (laser, phase detection, depth,
- contrast detection), dual LED dual tone flash, 4K video
- 8-megapixel front camera, f/1.9 aperture, AF
- Dual SIM
- 4G LTE
- Fingerprint scanner
- Android 7.0 Nougat
- 4000mAh battery, Super Charge
- Price: Php 31,990 (via Lazada, though you can get it for less than 30K for cash purchases in some stores)
Aside from its Kirin 960 Processor, 4GB RAM, and Full HD display, the Mate 9’s bragging rights have to be its Leica-branded dual rear cameras: the 12-megapixel primary shooter sports a color sensor, while the 20-megapixel secondary shooter sports a monochrome sensor. With its premium metal build, what makes the Mate 9 impressive is how it feels like a 5.5-inch phone, when it actually sports a 5.9-inch display. It’s far from the bezel-less phones we see nowadays, but it does make the phone look smaller than expected.
Read: Huawei Mate 9 Review: The Best Big Phone That You Can Buy Today
Xiaomi Mi 6
- Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 octa-core processor
- 6GB of RAM
- 5.15-inch Full HD IPS display; 1920×1080 resolution
- 64GB internal storage
- Dual 12-megapixel rear cameras, 2x Optical Lossless Zoom, 4-axis OIS
- 8-megapixel front camera
- Dual SIM
- 3G, LTE
- WiFi, Bluetooth
- GPS, A-GPS, GLONASS
- Fingerprint scanner
- USB Type-C
- Splash Resistant
- 3350mAh battery
- Android 7.1 Nougat with MIUI 8.0
- Price: Php 23,000 (via Widget City)
Also a flagship killer like the OnePlus 5, the Mi6 boasts of flagship level specs: from the Snapdragon 835 processor, the 6GB RAM, to the dual 12-megapixel rear cameras that feature a 2x optical zoom and a portrait mode. While Xiaomi ditched the headphone jack, this helped in making the phone water resistant and have a 3350Mah battery for a little extra juice.
Read: Recap: Xiaomi Mi 6 Officially Launched
In case you missed it, here are our other top Q3 2017 Smartphone picks:
5 Great Smartphones you can Buy for Under 10k (Q3 2017)
Dual-Camera Smartphones You Can Buy Under Php 10K (Q3 2017)
Best Smartphones in the Php 10K to Php 15K Range (Q3 2017)
5 Dual Camera Smartphones You Can Buy For Under 20k (Q3 2017)