The Best of 2014: Smartphones Below Php15K

You’ve seen most of our Best of 2014 stories and here to give you a quick guide on midrange phones is this compilation! These phones don’t go beyond the Php15K limit and mostly sport impressive specs like 2GB/3GB of RAM, Full HD display, and octa-core processors. Basically, these are the smartphones you’d consider when you want almost-flagship specs but on a budget. Check them out after the break.

This time, the smartphones listed below are all available here in the Philippines. The devices made it to this list because of their good balance in specs and price tags. They are arranged from the most expensive to the least expensive.

THL T200 Cyborg

Although not much of a name that you always hear around, THL’s T200 Cyborg boasts a 6-inch Full HD display reinforced with Gorilla Glass 3 that makes its screen more durable and resistant to scratches.

THL T200 Cyborg specs:
6-inch Full HD IPS OGS display @ 1920×1080 pixels, 367ppi
Gorilla Glass 3
1.7GHz MediaTek MT6592 octa-core processor
2GB RAM
Mali 450MP GPU
Expandable 32GB internal storage
up to 64GB via microSD
3G/HSPA+
Dual-SIM, Dual-Standby, Dual 3G
WiFi 802.11 b/g/n
Bluetooth 4.0
NFC, GPS
USB On-The-Go support
13MP Sony Blue Lens sensor rear camera, LED flash
1080p video recording @ 30fps
8MP front-facing camera
Li-Ion 2,600mAh battery
Android 4.2 Jellybean
160.8 x 84 x 9.4mm
139g
Price: Php14,999USD 256INR 21,668EUR 243CNY 1,861

CloudFone Thrill 600FHD

Known for its handsets that carry beefy batteries, CloudFone’s Thrill 600FHD promise speedy performance with its octa-core CPU clocked at 1.6GHz and 2GB RAM. There’s also 32GB of storage space so users could just stuff all your media files into it.

CloudFone Thrill 600FHD specs:
6-inch 1080 x 1920 IPS OGS display
1.7GHz MT6592 octa-core CPU
2GB RAM
32GB internal memory
13 megapixel camera with LED flash
8 megapixel front-facing camera
Android 4.4 KitKat
WiFi
GPS
3G
3,000 mAh battery
Price: Php13,999USD 239INR 20,223EUR 227CNY 1,737

Huawei Honor 6

The Huawei Honor 6 boasts 3GB of RAM which should take care all of your multitasking needs. It’s also partnered by a decent 16GB storage, 13MP rear camera with Sony’s lens, and an IR blaster so you can use it as your universal remote control for appliances. [Read our review here]

Huawei Honor 6 specs:
5-inch IPS LCD full HD display @ 1920 x 1080 resolution, 441ppi
Corning Gorilla Glass 3
Kirin 920 octa-core processor (4 x ARM Cortex A15 1.7GHz and 4 x A7 1.3GHz cores)
Mali-T624 GPU
3GB RAM
16GB internal storage
up to 64GB via microSD card
HSPA+, LTE Cat. 6 300Mbps
WiFi 802.11 b/g/n, dual-Band
13MP rear camera with Sony IMX214 sensor and f/2.0 aperture
Dual-LED flash
5MP front camera
IR Blaster
GPS with aGPS support
Android 4.4.2 KitKat with Emotion UI 2.3
Li-Ion 3100mAh battery
139.8 x 68.8 x 7.5mm
135 grams
Price: Php13,990USD 238INR 20,210EUR 227CNY 1,736

Cherry Mobile Cosmos Z2

Cherry Mobile is known for its cameras that take the megapixel count up there. This is the case for the 18MP-toting Cosmos Z2. It has its BSI sensor that helps in low-light situations, a front-facing 5MP camera, and video recording on Full HD resolution. [Read our review here]

Cherry Mobile Cosmos Z2 specs: 
5-inch Full HD IPS OGS display @ 1920×1080 pixels, 440ppi
Dragontrail Glass
1.7GHz MediaTek MT6592 octa-core processor
2GB RAM
Mali 450MP GPU
Expandable 16GB internal storage
up to 64GB via microSD
3G/HSPA+
Dual-SIM, Dual-Standby
WiFi 802.11 b/g/n
Bluetooth 4.0
FM Radio Tuner
GPS
USB On-The-Go support
18MP BSI rear camera, LED flash
1080p video recording @ 30fps
8MP front-facing camera
Li-Ion 2,000mAh battery
Android 4.2 Jellybean
upgradable to Android KitKat
145 x 69.8 x 7.5mm
Price: Php12,999USD 222INR 18,778EUR 211CNY 1,613

MyPhone Infinity

Another decent offering from a local brand is MyPhone’s Infinity. This phablet touts a 5-inch Full HD display that translates to a 441 pixel count which should make for a crisp and clear viewing experience.

MyPhone Infinity specs:
5-inch IPS Full HD (1080 × 1920) display, 441ppi
Corning Gorilla Glass 2
1.7GHz MediaTek MT6592 octa-core CPU
Mali-450MP GPU
2GB RAM
16GB internal storage
No microSD card support
16 megapixel rear camera, w/ LED flash
5 megapixel front camera
dual-SIM (micro), dual-standby
HSPA+, 3G
WiFi b/g/n
Bluetooth
GPS
USB OTG
Android 4.2.2 Jellybean
2,350mAh non-removable battery
7.3mm thin
Black and White
Price: Php12,999USD 222INR 18,778EUR 211CNY 1,613

Cherry Mobile Omega Infinity (X110)

This dual-SIM smartphone has yet another 18MP rear and 8MP front shooter. It also has Miracast support that lets users mirror the content seen on the phone onto a nearby TV. [Read our review here]

Cherry Mobile Omega Infinity (X110) specs:
5.5-inch IPS LCD display @ 1920×1080 pixels, 401ppi
Mediatek MT6592 1.7GHz octa-core CPU
Mali 450-MP Graphics
2GB RAM
32GB internal storage
HSPA+
dual-SIM, micro-SIM slot
WiFi b/g/n 802.11 b/g/n
Bluetooth 4.0
18-megapixel rear camera w/ LED flash
8-megapixel front-facing camera
GPS with aGPS
Miracast
Li-Ion 2,900mAh battery
Android 4.2 Jellybean
Price: Php11,999USD 204INR 17,334EUR 195CNY 1,489 (from 14,999)

THL 5000

We included another THL into the list mainly because of its monster battery that has a capacity of 5000mAh. With this size of battery, lasting a day on a single charge won’t be a problem no more! It’s also got some bells and whistles like NFC connectivity, USB-OTG support, and NXP-box audio.

THL 5000 specs:
5-inch Full HD IPS display, 441ppi
Corning Gorilla Glass 3
2.0GHz MediaTek MT6592 Turbo octa-core CPU
2GB RAM
Mali-450 MP4 GPU
16GB internal storage
up to 64GB via microSD
13 megapixel Sony IMX 135 rear camera, f/1.8 aperture
5 megapixel front camera
HSPA+
WiFi b/g/n
NFC
Bluetooth 4.0 w/ A2DP
GPS, A-GPS
USB OTG support
NXP-box audio
Android 4.4 KitKat
5,000mAh battery
144.9 x 72.3 x 8.9mm
Price: Php11,999USD 204INR 17,334EUR 195CNY 1,489

ASUS ZenFone 6

One of the series that shook the smartphone world is the Zenfone lineup that flaunts high-end specs with a very reasonable price. The Zenfone 6 is the biggest and already the most expensive in the family at just Php12K, but check out its specs below and you’ll see that it’s seriously worth considering if you’re on the prowl for capable phablets.  [Read our review here]

ASUS ZenFone 6 specs:
6-inch IPS display, 1280 x 720 @247ppi
Corning Gorilla Glass 3
Intel Atom Z2560 1.6GHz dual-core processor with HyperThreading Technology
PowerVR SGX 544 MP2
2GB RAM
16GB internal storage
64GB via microSD
WiFi 802.11 b/g/n
3G/HSPA+
Bluetooth
13MP BSI rear camera w/ LED flash
1080p video recording @30fps
2MP front-facing camera
Dual-SIM
3300mAh battery
Android 4.3
166.9 x 84.3 x 9.9mm
200g
Price: Php11,995USD 204INR 17,328EUR 195CNY 1,489

Xiaomi Mi 3

Of course, Xiaomi’s Mi3 is in this list. With an asking price of less than Php11K, it’s got internals that are seen inside flagship models including a Full HD display, 2GB of RAM, NFC, and a quad-core Snapdragon processor. [Read our review here]

Xiaomi Mi 3 specs:
5-inch Full HD IPS display, 441ppi
Gorilla Glass 3
2.3GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 quad-core CPU
Adreno 330GPU
2GB RAM
16GB internal storage
13 megapixel rear camera w/ dual LED flash
2 megapixel front camera
HSPA+, 3G
WiFi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, WiFi Direct
NFC
Bluetooth 4.0 w/ A2DP
GPS, AGPS, GLONASS
USB OTG
3,050mAh battery
MIUI v5 (Android 4.4.2 KitKat)
144 x 73.6 x 8.1mm (dimensions)
145 grams (weight)
Php10,599USD 181INR 15,311EUR 172CNY 1,315

If you still have a little bit more budget to shell out, why not check these devices as well since their price tags are just a wee bit over Php15K.

Starmobile Knight X

Starmobile Knight X specs:
5.5-inch Full HD IPS display @ 1920 x 1080 resolution
Scratch-resistant glass
MediaTek MT6595M octa-core CPU (2.0GHz quad-core Cortex-A17 and 1.7GHz quad-core Cortex-A7)
PowerVR IMG Rogue G6200 GPU
3GB RAM
32 GB internal storage (non-expandable)
13MP rear camera with Sony Exmor RS IMX135 sensor, dual LED flash, and F2.2 aperture
5MP front camera
Dual-SIM
3G, LTE
Bluetooth, Wi-Fi
GPS, A-GPS, GLONASS
NFC
USB OTG support
IR blaster
3,350mAh battery
152 x 77.7 x 8.9 mm
Price: Php15,990USD 272INR 23,099EUR 260CNY 1,984

Sony Xperia C3

Sony Xperia C3 (Single-SIM) specs:
5.5-inch HD Triluminos Display, 267ppi
Mobile BRAVIA Engine 2
1.2GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon quad-core CPU
Adreno 305 GPU
1GB RAM
8GB internal storage
up to 32GB via microSD
8 megapixel AF rear camera w/ LED flash
5 megapixel front camera w/ LED flash
LTE, HSPA+
WiFi, WiFi Hotspot
DLNA
Bluetooth 4.0
GPS, A-GPS, GLONASS
2,500mAh battery
Android 4.4 KitKat
156 x 78.5 x 7.6 mm
150 g
Price: Php15,990USD 272INR 23,099EUR 260CNY 1,984

Meizu MX4

Meizu MX4 specs:
5.36-inch Full HD IPS display @ 1920 x 1152 resolution, 418ppi
Corning Gorilla Glass 3
Aircraft-grade aluminum frame
MediaTek MT6595 processor (quad-core 2.2GHz Cortex-A17 and quad-core 1.7GHz Cortex-A7)
PowerVR G6200 GPU
2GB RAM
16GB, 32GB, 64GB internal storage
20.7MP rear camera with Sony IMX 220 Exmor RS BSI sensor, f/2.2 aperture, dual-tone LED flash
4K video recording, 720p slow motion feature
2.1MP front camera
Bluetooth 4.0
GPS, GLONASS, Wi-Fi
3G, LTE
147 grams
3100mAh battery
Android 4.4 KitKat with Flyme 4.0
Colors: Gray, gold, and white
Price: Php16,990USD 290INR 24,544EUR 276CNY 2,108 (32GB)