Check out these gadgets that everybody else is ignoring

In the fast moving world of tech, there are some products that are sadly ignored by the general populace. The reasons are varied (same launch date as competitors, less exposure because of a lower budget, not well known by the general public) but the results are the same – these gadgets aren’t given the same time of day by the general public, but deliver excellent value for money.

1. MyPhone Infinity Lite

MyPhone’s Infinity Lite really scratched our octa-core itch when we reviewed it a couple of months back. Although there’s a lot more competition in the affordable octa-core arena, the Infinity Lite stands out because it manages to deliver a good mix of performance, camera performance, battery life and price point. It also looks great, and regularly fool people into thinking that it’s a phone made by an international brand. If you’re in the market for a relatively affordable octa-core device, you might want to check it out in MyPhone’s kiosks and stores.

2. Nokia Lumia 930

When people talk about international flagships, Nokia’s (now Microsoft) Lumia series of devices are almost always left out of the conversation. It’s almost criminal, considering that the flagships in the Lumia lineup almost always deliver great all-around performance, especially in the camera department. The Lumia 930 is no different – it blew us away with its amazing, solid design and phenomenal camera performance. It’s the natural phone to buy if you’re upgrading from a lower spec Windows phone, but it also needs to be mentioned whenever people talk flagships.

3. Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.5

We were throughly impressed by Samsung’s Galaxy Tab S 8.4, so it only stands to reason that the bigger tablet would deliver roughly the same experience as its smaller brother. Unfortunately, some people actually prefer the smaller screen size since it’s handier and is actually cheaper by a few thousand pesos. It’s a shame, because the Galaxy Tab 10.5 actually deliver a better viewing experience (obviously) than its smaller brother. If you’re the sort of person who enjoys watching a lot of movies and playing Android games, it would be a travesty if you don’t consider the Galaxy Tab 10.5 when you’re shopping for your next hi-end tablet.

4. Sony Xperia Z2 and Z3

While you can’t call Sony’s Xperia Z2 and Z3 commercial flops, they’re not exactly flying off the shelves as fast as, say, Samsung’s Galaxy S5 and S4 series of smartphones. Which is unfortunate, since Sony’s Xperia Z series is actually better value in our opinion. While there’s not a lot of change as far as design goes everytime Sony does a refresh of these new products, Sony makes incremental improvements in performance and battery life. Don’t believe us? Just check out how well the Z3 did in battery tests against other flagships.

5. Cherry Mobile U3

Before you start raging in the comments how you’d never pay 5K for a feature phone, hear us out. The Cherry Mobile U3 isn’t just any feature phone. It’s an IP67 compliant phone that can take a lot of abuse and even an occasional dump in the water without any issues. In our opinion, households that have experienced severe flooding in the past should have one of these things in their emergency bag, just in case they’re hit by a flood, storm, or natural disasters. That soaking wet iPhone won’t be able to call on the government to rescue you if you get stranded in a flood, but that U3 will. 

6. Sony Action Cam AS30V

While most people are actually going gaga over GoPros, Sony’s AS30V actually does a lot of the things that the GoPro can do, for a lot less. While it’s limited to only 1080P recording, that’s good enough for most people. The smaller profile of the camera makes it easier to mount in some cases, and you can actually hear people talking properly even when the camera is in its water proof case. While it has a shallower depth rating than the GoPro, it nevertheless is a good action camera for most land-locked adventurers. Did we mention that it’s only Php 9,499, which is basically half the price of the GoPro?

7. Veho Muvi K2

Another great action cam brand that most people either ignore or don’t know about is Veho, and their Muvi line. The brand generally delivers excellent value for money when it comes to their devices, and the Muvi K2 is no exception. While we haven’t published the review yet (it’s coming soon!) we’ve used it enough to know that it’s a good action cam that can deliver roughly the same experience as a GoPro. It’s also capable of going deeper than a GoPro in its standard case, and costs a bit cheaper than GoPro’s hi-end Hero3+ model.

8. LG G3

Much like Sony’s Xperia Z2 and Z3, LG’s current flagship won’t be selling as much units as their Korean rival, Samsung. That’s a shame, because LG really went all out with the G3, in terms of design, features and function. In a world where other companies are content on iterating on their last commercial success, LG has taken the risk and went with the road less traveled with the G3. It’s really quite a device, and if you’re considering a new top-of-the-line Android device, you really need to take a good, hard look at the G3. 

9. iPhone 6 Plus

Okay, so the iPhone 6 Plus isn’t as neglected as the other devices in the list, seeing as iPhone has smashed pre-order records with their two new devices. We’re also betting even money that a lot of those pre-orders (as well as the initial buyers of the new iPhones) are the smaller iPhone 6’s, and not the bigger iPhone 6 Plus. Which is a shame, because the iPhone 6 actually represents the real upgrade from the iPhone 5s. Sure it’s more expensive, but the bigger real-estate of the iPhone 6 and the bigger size means an overall better experience and battery life, although Steve Jobs might be rolling in his grave because of it.

10. Nokia Lumia 530

Much like other devices in Nokia’s lineup, the Lumia 530 is destined to be ignored by the masses, especially since there are far more affordable options for Windows Phone now that Cherry Mobile is in business. But people tend to forget that the slightly lower specs of the Lumia 530 is offset by the fact that this is a phone made by roughly the same team that made the other Lumia handsets. If Nokia’s other Lumia devices are anything to go by, then you can expect the 530 to be a solidly built phone that gives you excellent value for money for its Php 4,900 pricetag.

EDIT: That certainly didn’t take long! We’ve gotten feedback from a few readers about their picks of underrated gadgets, and we’ve got to say, we’ve got t agree with some of them! We’re adding their picks in the entries below:

11. LG G2 Mini

With all the talk of the G3, we kind of forgot about LG’s miniaturized flagship, the G2 Mini. The G2 Mini had excellent performance during the time we had it, and while it doesn’t quite the same appeal as its bigger brother, its LTE performance and overall battery life made it a good choice for people looking for a decently priced LTE device.

 

 

12. MyPhone Agua Cyclone

MyPhone’s Agua Cyclone makes this list because it’s actually a very solid offering but isn’t as flashy looking as other devices sold in its same price range. It’s overall design is rather simple to look at, but it still possesses quite a powerful quad-core processor.