Got plenty of dough to spend? Here’s what you need to get

In today’s installment of our smartphone buying guide, we’ll be recommending great smartphones that you may want to buy if you have enough scratch. In previous iterations of this guide, we told you about 5 great phones under 5K and 10K that should be under your tree this year. Since there’s a lot of great phones under this price bracket, we’ll be putting runners up in the end representing either devices that came out last year that still hold up (and now have irresistible price tags) and phones that you can buy soon. Ready? Let’s start:

Xiaomi Mi 3

We’re pretty sure no one is surprised to see Xiaomi’s Mi 3 on this list. The Xiaomi Mi 3 was a great smartphone that had all the right things going for it, and its price of Php 10,599 made it pretty hard to ignore. Probably the only thing that’s going against it is that it’s not always available to buy through Lazada, Xiaomi’s retail partner here in the PH.

(Read our Mi 3 review here)

Xiaomi Mi 3 specs

• 2.3GHz quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 MSM8274AB processor
• 2GB of RAM
• 16GB of storage, non-expandable
• 5-inch full HD IPS display, Gorilla Glass 3, 1080 x 1920 resolution
• 13-megapixel camera with autofocus, dual LED flash
• 2-megapixel front camera
• Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n, NFC, USB OTG, Bluetooth 4.0, GPS, A-GPS, GLONASS
• 3G, HSDPA
• 144 x 73.6 x 8.1 mm
• 3050mAh li-ion battery (non-removable)
• Android 4.4 with MIUI

Thankfully, there’s another Mi 3 sale coming on December 12, which means you can pick up the Mi3 through Lazada when the flash sale begins. It’s not a guarantee you’ll be able to snag one though, but hey, a chance to buy it is better than nothing.

LG G Pro 2

We liked LG’s G Pro 2 when it first came out in our country earlier this year. Big, powerful and possessing good internals, the G Pro 2 was made for people who wanted the LG G2’s rear key setup in a bigger device. Probably the only thing it lacks is LTE, but aside from that, this thing is a killer.

(Read our LG G Pro 2 review here)

LG G Pro 2 specs

• 2.26GHz quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 processor
• 3GB RAM
• Adreno 330 GPU
• 5.9-inch IPS display, 1920 x 1080 pixels, Corning Gorilla Glass 3
• 32GB storage, expandable via microSD
• 13-megapixel camera with OIS, autofocus, 4K recording, 1080p @ 120 fps
• 2.1-megapixel camera
• 3,200mAh battery
• Android KitKat 4.4

The good news is that Kimstore has the G Pro 2 in stock at half of the price that it initially went for when it was first released, at just Php 16,779. It’s really a great deal for people looking for a big screen device at rock bottom prices.

Meizu MX4

The Meizu MX4 is probably comes second to the Mi3 when you talk about bang-for-the-buck. While it’s certainly a bit more expensive, the price is worth it as you’re getting a powerful octa-core device with LTE built-in.

(Read our Meizu MX4 review here)

Meizu MX4 specs

• MediaTek MT6595 processor with big.LITTLE architecture, 2.2GHz quad-core Cortex-A17 processor, 1.7GHz quad-core Cortex-A7 processor
• PowerVR H6200MP4
• 2GB of RAM
• 5.36-inch full HD IPS display with Corning Gorilla Glass 3 protection
• 16/32/64 GB of storage
• 20.7-megapixel rear camera, Sony sensor with image stabilization
• 2-megapixel front camera
• WiFi, NFC, Bluetooth 4.0, USB OTG, GPS, A-GPS, GLONASS
• 3G, LTE
• Android 4.4 Kitkat
• 3100mAh battery
• 144 x 75.2 x 8.9 mm

Aside from being an LTE smartphone, it’s a rather excellent performer nad more importantly, looks damn good to our eyes. At Php 14,999 it’s not exactly cheap, but considering what you’re getting, it’s a pretty good deal.

NokiaLumia 830

Nokia’s Lumia 830 made plenty of waves when it was first announced, heralded by Microsoft company as their “affordable flagship”, meant to be an affordable alternative to devices like the Galaxy S5 and the LG G3.

(Read our Microsoft Lumia 830 review here)

Nokia Lumia 830 Specs 

• 1.2GHz quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 400 processor
• Adreno 305 GPU
• 1GB of RAM
• 5-inch, IPS ClearBlack display with Corning Gorilla Glass 3 protection, 720 x 1280 resolution
• 16GB of storage, expandable via microSD up to 128GB
• 10-megapixel rear camera with PureView technology, Carl Zeiss optics, OIS, AF and LED flash
• 0.9-megapixel front camera
• WiFi, Bluetooth, GPS, A-GPS, GLONASS, NFC
• 3G, LTE
• Microsoft Phone 8.1 with Lumia Denim update
• 2200mAh battery
• Php 18,990

While the Lumia 830 is hardly what you’d call a top-spec flagship (what with its lowly Snapdragon 400 processor), it still has most of the things that made the more expensive 930 great. The camera, for example, is capable of taking great photos even with a smaller resolution sensor compared to the 930. Battery life is pretty ace too, as well as the device’s overall smoothness (thanks to Windows Phone 8.1) despite the somewhat limited hardware.

Sony Xperia Z2

While Sony has officially unveiled the Xperia Z3, the Xperia Z2 is still a great smartphone borne out of Sony’s need to release two flagships a year. It has everything you need in a smartphone: fast Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 processor, 3GB of RAM, water resistance and a great camera.

(Read our Sony Xperia Z2 review here)

Sony Xperia Z2 Specs

• 2.3GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 processor
• 3GB of RAM
• 5.2-inch full HD Triluminos display, X-reality engine, 1080 x 1920 resolution
• 16GB storage, expandable via microSD up to 64GB
• Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, Wi-Fi Direct, DLNA, WiFi hotspot, Bluetooth 4.0
• 3G, HSPA, LTE
• 20.7-megapixel camera with 1/2.3-type Exmor RS CMOS sensor, G lens and BIONZ image processing engine, 4K recording capable
• 2.2-megapixel front camera
• IP55 & IP58 dust and waterproof
• 3200mAh battery
• Android 4.4 KitKat

Right now the Xperia Z2 is available at just PHp 20,400 from Kimstore, which is technically slightly over our Php 20K budget for this guide, but since it’s not really that much we’re still including it.

Honorable mentions

Sony Xperia Z Ultra Google Play Edition

While it’s getting a bit long in the tooth, Sony’s Xperia Z Ultra is still a pretty good buy if you’re looking for a big-screen smartphone. The Google Play edition of the phone which you can find in Widget City is actually an improved version as it strips away all of Sony’s UI overlay leaving you with a pure Android experience.

(Read our Xperia Z Ultra review here)

Sony Xperia Z Ultra Specs

• 2.2GHz Quad-core CPU Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 Processor
• Adreno 330 GPU
• 2GB RAM
• 16GB Internal Storage, expandable via microSD Card
• 6.4-inch Full HD TRILUMINOS™ Display for mobile powered by X-Reality™
• 8.0-megapixel rear-facing camera with Exmor RS for Mobile, HDR
• Front-facing camera (not sure yet what the MP is)
• WiFi, WiFi Hotspot, 3G, HSPA+, Bluetooth, NFC, GPS/aGPS
• 3,000mAh Battery
• Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean
• Waterproof and dust-resistant (IP55/IP58) durable design

Even better – Google usually pushes out Android updates to both Nexus and GPE devices first before everyone else, and there’s a good change you’ll be able to experience Lollipop ahead of the majority of the population if you buy this phone. The GPE edition of the Xperia Z Ultra retails for Php 15,980 from Widget City.

THL 5000

If there’s one thing everybody hates, it’s running out of juice. As today’s smartphones become faster and faster (and consume more juice), battery life has basically become stagnant. That’s why we liked the THL 5000, and its absolutely massive 5000mAh battery. You can forget about charging the THL 5000 for two days and it’ll still have juice left over for you when you need it most.

(Read our THL 5000 review here) 

THL 5000 specs

• 2.0 GHz MediaTek MT6592 octa-core processor
• Mali-450 MP4 GPU
• 2GB RAM
• 5-inch full HD IPS display, Corning Gorilla Glass 3 proctection, 1920 x 1080 resolution
• 16GB internal storage, expandable via microSD
• 13-megapixel Sony IMX 135 rear camera with f/1.8 aperture
• 5-megapixel front camera
• WiFi, Bluetooth 4.0, GPS, A-GPS, NFC, USB OTG
• 3G, HSPA+
• 5,000mAh battery
• Android 4.4 KitKat
• 144.9 x 72.3 x 8.9mm

While people will be polarized at its custom Hydroid UI that Novo7 Tech stuck in there, the upside is that the unit is rooted out of the box making it perfect for people who like tinkering with their smartphones. The THL 5000 retails for Php 11,990.

Xiaomi Mi 4

We’re not really sure why we’re including the Mi4 here in the list because it’s not being offered officially here by Xiaomi. It’s probably because we fell in love with it when we first saw it a few months ago during the official announcement of the Redmi 1S in the PH.

(Read our hands-on of the Xiaomi Mi4 here)

Xiaomi Mi 4 specs

• 2.5GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 quad-core processor
• Adreno 330 GPU
• 3GB of RAM
• 5-inch full HD IPS display, 1920 x 1080 resolution
• 16/64GB of storage
• 13-megapixel rear camera with AF and LED flash, f1.8, real-time HDR, 4K video recording (Sony IMX214)
• 8-megapixel front camera, f1.8, 80-degree wide angle (Sony IMX219)
• WiFi, Bluetooth, NFC, GPS, A-GPS, GLONASS
• 3G, LTE
• 3080mAh battery
• Android 4.4 KitKat with MIUI

Regardless, there are ways to get the Xiaomi Mi4 if you really want the Chinese company’s latest flagship. You can always order it through the company’s e-commerce site in China and pray that it reaches the PH in one piece (and without exorbitant taxes levied on it by the gov’t). The base model of the Xiaomi Mi 4 retails at around Php 14K.

Starmobile Knight X

While we’ll probably get flamed for including the Knight X in this list, we don’t care – we’re really excited about the new device from the local brand. Currently the most advanced flagship that a local company has put out, it has all the right things going for it – fast processor, good internals and dual LTE capability.

(Read our hands-on of the Starmobile Knight X here)

Starmobile Knight X specs

• MediaTek MT6595M octa-core processor with big.LITTLE technology (2.0GHz quad-core ARM Cortex-A17, 1.7GHz quad-core ARM Cortex-A7)
• PowerVR IMG Rogue G6200 GPU
• 3GB of RAM
• 5.5-inch full HD IPS display panel, scratch resistant glass, 1920 x 1080 resolution
• 32GB of storage
• 13-megapixel rear Sony Exmor RS IMX135 camera, AF, F2.2 aperture
• 5-megapixel fixed focus front camera
• Dual SIM (micro and nano SIM),
• 3G, Dual LTE switching
• WiFi, Bluetooth, GPS, A-GPS, GLONASS, NFC, USB OTG, IR Blaster
• Android 4.4 KitKat
• 3350mAh battery
• 152 x 77.7 x 8.9mm

Probably the only downer is the price. At Php 15,990, it’s currently one of the most expensive locally branded devices to hit the market today. And much like the company’s Octa, people are equally divided if the smartphone is worth the money. We spent some quality time with it, and we think it’s hitting all the right notes, though only a full review will tell us for sure.

That’s it for this guide! Watch out for the final installment in the next few days, where we’ll tackle devices starting from Php 20K up!