Best Smartphones in the Php 10K to Php 15K Range (Q3 2017)

Best Smartphones in the Php 10K to Php 15K Range (Q3 2017)

It’s time for another Unbox top list.

Currently looking for a reliable, but powerful mid-range (or mid-range priced) smartphone that won’t break the bank? You’ve come to the right place then. It’s time again for Unbox’s top smartphones lists!

Today, we’ll be focusing our sights on the heavily-contested price tier of Php 10,000 to Php 15,000. Handsets in this tier are usually packed with great hardware and features at a price that doesn’t cost an arm and a leg to purchase.

For this post, we’ll limit our scope to phones locally released last year, 2016, to current day 2017. Feel free to chime in and post suggestions as well, as this list is not that overly exhaustive. We’ll be sorting the list based on price and starting with the least expensive of the bunch.

Edit: Thanks for the suggestions, folks. We’ve updated the article title and some parts to better reflect the contents of the list. Kudos to those who posted corrections as well.

Doogee Mix

  • MediaTek Helio P25 octa-core processor
  • ARM Mali-T880 MP2 graphics unit
  • 6GB of RAM
  • 5.5-inch HD AMOLED display, 1280 x 720 resolution
  • 64GB of expandable storage, up to 128GB via microSD
  • 16-megapixel primary rear camera + 8-megapixel secondary rear camera, with PDAF
  • 5-megapixel front camera, wide angle
  • Dual SIM, with 4G LTE, LTE-A
  • WiFi, Bluetooth, GPS, A-GPS
  • Fingerprint sensor
  • 3380mAh battery
  • Android 7.0 Nougat
  • Price: Php 10,695 (6GB version, via Lazada)

Doogee’s bezel-less Mix runs on MediaTek’s mid-tier P25 chipset and is armed with a staggering 6GB worth of RAM. The smartphone also features a dual rear camera setup as well as wide-angle selfie snapper. The Doogee Mix is a solid choice for those looking for a stylish jack-of-all-trades handset with ludicrous amounts of RAM.

Read: Doogee Mix Unboxing, Quick Review: Cheapest 6GB, “Bezel-less” Phone In The Market

Vivo V5

  • MediaTek MT6750 octa-core processor
  • ARM Mali T860 graphics unit
  • 4GB of RAM
  • 5.5-inch HD IPS display, 1280 x 720 resolution
  • 32GB of expandable storage, via microSD
  • 13-megapixel rear camera, with PDAF, LED flash
  • 20-megapixel front camera, f/2.0
  • Dual SIM, with 4G LTE, LTE-A
  • WiFi, Bluetooth, GPS, A-GPS
  • Fingerprint sensor
  • 3000mAh battery
  • Android 6.0 Marshmallow,  with FunTouch UI
  • Price: Php 10,990

The Vivo V5 originally had a Php 12,990 price tag when it was locally unveiled. Recently, Vivo has slashed its price down to Php 10,990, making the handset a more enticing mid-range option. The strengths of the Vivo V5 lie in photography, as the smartphone packs a powerful 20-megapixel selfie snapper and a 13-megapixel rear sensor. The V5’s other specs are nothing to scoff as well, though not as high-powered compared to the other smartphones in this list. Still, if you’re a shutterbug on the hunt for a decent phone with great photography potential, then the V5 is a good choice.

Read: Vivo V5 Review: Coming for the Selfie Throne

 

Xiaomi Mi 5

  • Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 quad-core processor
  • Qualcomm Adreno 530 graphics unit
  • 3GB of RAM
  • 5.15-inch Full HD IPS display, 1920 x 1080 resolution, Corning Gorilla Glass 4 protection
  • 64GB of internal storage
  • 16-megapixel Sony IMX298 rear camera, f/2.0, with PDAF, OIS, 4-axis OIS
  • 4-megapixel front camera
  • Dual SIM, with 4G LTE, LTE-A
  • WiFi, Bluetooth, GPS, A-GPS, GLONASS, NFC
  • Fingerprint sensor, USB Type-C port
  • 3000mAh battery, with Qualcomm Quick Charge 3.0
  • Android 7.0 Nougat, with MIUI 8
  • Price: Php 10,960 (3GB RAM, 64GB storage version, via Lazada)

Xiaomi’s early 2016 flagship, the Mi 5 is quite ahead from a mid-ranger in terms of hardware and performance, but it currently sports a price tag well within our mid-range scope. It’s almost unfair to pit the Xiaomi Mi 5 against the other devices in this article, but what can you do? That’s how the cookie crumbles. That’s how Xiaomi rolls. You’ll have to rely on Lazada to purchase a unit, as well as follow-up any warranty or service concerns.

Read: Xiaomi Mi 5 Review: As Good As Other 2016 Flagships At More Than Half Of The Price

Huawei GR5 2017

  • HiSilicon Kirin 655 octa-core processor
  • ARM Mali-T830 MP2 graphics unit
  • 3GB of RAM
  • 5.5-inch Full HD IPS display, 1920 x 1080 resolution
  • 32GB of expandable storage, via microSD
  • 12-megapixel primary rear camera + 2-megapixel secondary rear camera
  • 8-megapixel front camera
  • Dual SIM, with 4G LTE, LTE-A
  • WiFi, Bluetooth, GPS, A-GPS
  • Fingerprint sensor
  • 3,340mAh battery
  • Android 6.0 Marshmallow, with EMUI 4.1
  • Price: Php 11,990

Huawei‘s mid-range darling, the GR5 2017 shows up in this list, brandishing its efficient Kirin 655 processor and a pair of rear shooters. Having a customized homegrown chipset works well in favor of Huawei as the GR5 2017 boasts great battery life. The Kirin 655 is also a decent performer as well if synthetic benchmarks are to be cited. A large 3340mAh battery and a stylish metal-glass finish complete the GR5 2017’s package.

Read: Huawei GR5 2017 Review: Dual-cam Mid-range Winner

Xiaomi Mi Max 2

  • Qualcomm Snapdragon 625 octa-core processor
  • Qualcomm Adreno 506 GPU
  • 4GB of RAM
  • 6.44-inch Full HD IPS display, 1920 x 1080 resolution
  • 64GB of expandable storage, up to 128GB via microSD
  • 12-megapixel Sony IMX386 rear camera, Large Pixel, with PDAF
  • 5-megapixel front camera, with wide-angle lens
  • Dual SIM, with 4G LTE, LTE-A
  • WiFi, Bluetooth 4.2, GPS, A-GPS, GLONASS, NFC
  • Fingerprint sensor, IR blaster, stereo speakers
  • 5300mAh battery, with Qualcomm Quick Charge 3.0
  • Android 7.0 Nougat, with MIUI 8
  • Price: Php 11,999 (via Lazada)

In the mood for a near-tablet phablet loaded with premium specs? The Xiaomi Mi Max 2 has you covered for that itch with its large, 6.44-inch display panel. There’s a lot to gush about the Mi Max 2, with hardware such as a Snapdragon 625 chipset, 4GB RAM, a great Sony IMX386 rear sensor, and a hearty 5300mAh battery with Quick Charge 3.0. Lotsa value for your money in this phablet package.

Read: Xiaomi’s Mi Max 2 is Now Official

Samsung Galaxy J7 Prime

  • Samsung Exynos 7870 octa-core processor
  • ARM Mali-T830 MP2 graphics unit
  • 3GB of RAM
  • 5.5-inch Full HD TFT display, 1920 x 1080 resolution, Corning Gorilla Glass 4 protection
  • 32GB of expandable storage, via microSD
  • 13-megapixel rear camera, f/1.9, with AF, LED flash
  • 8-megapixel front camera, f/1.9
  • Dual SIM, with 4G LTE, LTE-A
  • WiFi, Bluetooth, GPS, A-GPS,
  • Fingerprint sensor
  • 3300mAh battery
  • Android 6.0 Marshmallow, with TouchWiz UI
  • Price: Php 12,499

Brand trust is still a thing nowadays, and despite the debacle over the Note 7, Samsung is still one of the most trusted tech brands out there. While the Samsung Galaxy J7 Prime pales in comparison to the previously listed Xiaomi devices, it still comes with reliable hardware and Samsung-caliber build quality. Despite the lack of an AMOLED panel, the J7 Prime’s display still produced decent color saturation and contrast ratios based on our testing.

Read: Samsung Galaxy J7 Prime Review: The Finest of the J Series? 

Xiaomi Mi 5s

  • Qualcomm Snapdragon 821 octa-core processor
  • Qualcomm Adreno 530 graphics unit
  • 5.15-inch Full HD IPS display, 1920 x 1080 resolution
  • 3GB of RAM
  • 64GB of internal storage
  • 12-megapixel Sony IMX378 rear camera, with PDAF, dual-LED flash
  • 4-megapixel front camera
  • Dual SIM, with 4G LTE, LTE-A
  • WiFi, Bluetooth, GPS, A-GPS,
  • Ultrasonic fingerprint sensor, USB Type-C port
  • 3200mAh battery, Qualcomm Quick Charge 3.0
  • Android 6.0 Marshmallow, with MIUI 8
  • Price: Php 12,699 (via Lazada)

The Xiaomi Mi 5s is the refreshed version of the Mi 5, shipping with an upgraded Snapdragon 821 chipset, a Force Touch panel, a new Sony IMX rear sensor and an ultrasonic fingerprint scanner. The upgrades bumped the handset’s pricing a bit higher than its predecessor, but the handset is still well worth the purchase. The Mi 5s is easily the most powerful smartphone in this top list.

Read: Xiaomi’s New Mi 5s Flagship Has A Fingerprint Scanner Under Glass

LG Q6

  • Qualcomm Snapdragon 435 octa-core processor
  • Qualcomm Adreno 505 graphics unit
  • 3GB of RAM
  • 5.5-inch Full HD+ IPS FullVision display, 2160 x 1080 resolution, 18:9 aspect ratio
  • 32GB of expandable storage, up to 256GB via microSD
  • 13-megapixel rear camera, with AF, LED flash
  • 5-megapixel front camera, wide-angle
  • Dual SIM, with 4G LTE, LTE-A
  • WiFi, Bluetooth 4.2, GPS, A-GPS, GLONASS
  • USB Type-C port
  • 3000mAh battery
  • Android 7.1.1 Nougat, with LG UX
  • Price: Php 13,990

Added by popular demand, the sexy LG Q6 sits at the end of this list as the most expensive option. What you get in exchange for shelling out that much money is a handset with a sweet Full HD+ FullVision panel with a 2160 x 1080 resolution. It comes with the new budget Snapdragon 435 chipset, which posts modest performance despite its tiering. Its lack of a fingerprint sensor is most likely a cost-cutting move from LG, so if you’re used to one, then it might be an issue for you.

Read: LG Launches Q6?, Q6 and Q6+ Mid-range Phones

 

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)

5 Dual Camera Smartphones You Can Buy For Under 20k (Q3 2017)

5 Great Smartphones under 30K (Q3 2017)

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