Christmas is coming very quickly, and we know a lot of you want to reward yourselves with a new phone. Thankfully there are Here are our top picks for the best mid-range phones in the Philippines you can consider to end 2021 with a bang. Any of these selections should do the job of being ideal for daily use without breaking the bank. You may notice some options here were retained from our Q3 list, but that only means they were competent enough to stay on.

Best Mid-Range Phones In The Philippines For 2021 (Q4)

• OnePlus Nord 2
• Poco X3 GT
• realme GT Master Edition
• Samsung Galaxy A52s 5G
• Xiaomi Mi 11 Lite 5G NE

OnePlus Nord 2

• 8GB RAM/128GB ROM: Php 20,470
• 12GB RAM/256GB ROM: Php 23,410

OnePlus Nord 2 5G Philippines Specs:

• Dimensity 1200-AI processor
• 8GB/12GB RAM
• 128GB/256GB internal storage
• 6.43-inch Full HD+ AMOLED display, 90hz refresh rate, support for HDR10+ and DCI-P3
• 50-megapixel f/1.8 IMX766 main camera with PDAF and OIS, 2-megapixel f/2.4 mono camera, 8-megapixel f/2.2 ultra-wide-angle camera
• 32-megapixel selfie camera
• 4G, 5G
• WiFi 6E, Bluetooth 5.1, in-display fingerprint scanner
• Stereo speakers
• 4500mAh battery
• 65w fast charging
• Android 11, OxygenOS 11.3

Ever since their very first smartphone, company OnePlus has always been devoted to developing flagship-killer devices at a lower price. As the years went by, they slowly became a household name which prompted them to include the latest-and-greatest features to compete with the best from giants like Samsung and Apple, which led to incremental price increases. With the Nord line and the latest Nord 2, OnePlus sought to remove all the unnecessary bells and whistles to keep the price down. It’s armed with a speedy Dimensity 1200-AI processor, a high-refresh-rate display and 65W fast charging. Overall, it’s a great package embodying the original spirit of OnePlus. Available for purchase here.

Poco X3 GT

• 8GB RAM/128GB ROM: Php 15,990
• 8GB RAM/256GB ROM: Php 17,990

POCO X3 GT Philippines Specs:

• Dimensity 1100 processor
• 8GB LPDDR4X RAM
• 128GB/256GB UFS 3.0 storage, expandable via MicroSD
• 6.67-inch Full HD+ LCD display, 120hz refresh rate, 240hz touch response rate, Gorilla Glass Victus, DCI-P3
• 64-megapixel f/1.79 main camera with PDAF, 8-megapixel f/2.2 ultra-wide-angle camera, 2-megapixel depth sensor
• 16-megapixel selfie camera
• 4G, LTE
• WiFi, Bluetooth 5.1, side-mounted fingerprint scanner, JBL-tuned stereo speakers
• 5000mAh battery
• 67w fast charging
• Android 11, MIUI 12.5

When it comes to budget contenders, POCO has repeatedly released hits that gain a lot of traction in the smartphone space. The most memorable being the original Pocophone F1 and the POCO F3 early this year, both were highly praised by technology outlets for bringing flagship quality chipsets to the mass market. The POCO X3 GT is their newest release, and we even called it a mid-range monster in our review. This is not an understatement; the full HD+ adaptive refresh display protected by Gorilla Glass Victus, Dimensity 1100 processor, decent camera and all-day battery life prove to be a sheet that’s hard to beat. It’s not only pretty on-paper as we thoroughly enjoyed our time with the unit. You can find these on sale on Lazada and Shopee.

realme GT Master Edition

• 8GB RAM/128GB ROM: Php 18,990
• 8GB RAM/256GB ROM: Php 21,990

realme GT Master Edition Specs

• Snapdragon 778G processor
• 8GB LPDDR5 RAM
• 128GB/256GB UFS 3.1 storage
• 6.55-inch Full HD+ AMOLED display, 120hz refresh rate, support for HDR10+ and DCI-P3
• 64-megapixel f/1.8 OV64B main camera with PDAF, 2-megapixel f/2.4 macro camera, 8-megapixel f/2.2 ultra-wide-angle camera
• 32-megapixel selfie camera
• 4G, 5G
• WiFi 6E, Bluetooth 5.1, in-display fingerprint scanner
• 4300mAh battery
• 65w fast charging
• Android 11, realme UI 2.0

Not to be confused with the Snapdragon 888-equipped realme GT, this Master Edition has more going for it than you might think. What might catch your eye first when unboxing is the unique vegan leather pattern on the back panel – mind you, the entire phone is designed by MUJI and Herman Miller designer Naoto Fukasawa. The display sports an adaptive refresh rate, but the main party trick here is the brilliant camera onboard. realme decided to opt for an Omnivision sensor instead of a Sony one, but this risk paid off in our review camera test. The Snapdragon 778G is more than capable, making easy work of postprocessing your photos and even doing splendidly in our gaming tests. Just in case you didn’t know, the Master Edition has been used in multiple Unbox gaming streams, which we hold every Friday. For power-users, this could be one of the best mid-range phones in the Philippines this 2021. You can find these on sale on Lazada.

Samsung Galaxy A52s 5G

• 8GB RAM/128GB ROM: Php 22,990
• 8GB RAM/256GB ROM: Php 24,990

Samsung Galaxy A52s 5G Specs:

• Snapdragon 778G processor
• 8GB RAM
• 128GB/256GB storage, expandable via MicroSD
• 6.5-inch Full HD+ Super AMOLED Infinity-O Display, 120hz refresh rate
• 64-megapixel f/1.8 main camera with PDAF and OIS, 12-megapixel f/2.2 ultra-wide-angle camera, 5-megapixel f/2.4 macro camera, 5-megapixel f/2.4 depth sensor
• 32-megapixel f/2.2 selfie camera
• 4G, LTE, 5G
• WiFi, Bluetooth, NFC, in-display fingerprint scanner
• Stereo speakers, IP67 rating
• 4500mAh battery
• 25w charging
• Android 11, OneUI 3.1

Some might say that you can find the Snapdragon 778G in devices from other brands at a lower price point. There might be confusion as to this Samsung’s candidacy for the best mid-range phones in the Philippines for 2021. However, they’re completely missing the point. With the Galaxy A52s 5G, you’re getting a solid mid-range performer with Samsung’s track record. The 120Hz screen is plenty bright given the company’s reputation and has enough real estate for media consumption. Day-to-day performance is acceptable and the cameras take decent photos. The added price can give you faith in regular security patches, software support, OneUI familiarity and stability, aftermarket support, and overall harmony with the rest of the Samsung ecosystem. If your budget is short of an S or Note device, then this is an option you should keep your eye on. Available to buy on Lazada.

Xiaomi 11 Lite 5G NE

• 6GB RAM/128GB ROM: Php 16,900
• 8GB RAM/128GB ROM: Php 18,990
• 8GB RAM/256GB ROM: Php 20,990

Xiaomi 11 Lite 5G NE Specs

• Snapdragon 778G processor
• 6GB/8GB LPDDR4x RAM
• 128GB/256GB UFS 2.2 storage
• 6.55-inch Full HD+ AMOLED display, 90hz refresh rate, 10-bit color
• 64-megapixel f/1.79 main camera with PDAF, 5-megapixel f/2.4 telemacro camera with AF, 8-megapixel f/2.2 ultra-wide-angle camera
• 20-megapixel selfie camera
• 4G, 5G
• WiFi, Bluetooth 5.1, in-display fingerprint scanner
• 4250mAh battery
• 33w fast charging
• Android 11, MIUI 12.5

Lowkey the second Xiaomi product on this list, the 11 Lite 5G NE is basically the 11 Lite 5G with a change of processor to the 778G due to a chip shortage. It draws its appeal from the thin and light form factor, and classy pastel color choices. Performance is not hindered by its thinness, and it zooms through applications just like any other device with the 778G. If you need a stylish everyday-carry smartphone that can handle the average person’s tasks, then look no further. Now available for purchase on Lazada.