We’re halfway through 2024 and we have seen lots of smartphone releases already. With that, let’s look back at some of the best smartphones you can get for just under PHP 15,000.
Note that the smartphones included in this article were officially released in the Philippines from January to June of 2024. Pricing details listed here reflect the suggested retail price (SRP) at launch as well as the latest pricing for some items (as of July 22, 2024).
We will also mention the phones’ AnTuTu benchmark score when available to provide a general idea on how these phones perform.
So, without further ado, let’s get right into the list.
Table of Contents
POCO X6 5G
First on this list is the vanilla POCO 12 X6 5G. This one carries the heftiest price tag in this list, starting at PHP 14,999, it packs some impressive specs to match.
It sports a 6.67-inch 1.5K AMOLED display with a smooth 120Hz refresh rate. This display panel can even reach a peak brightness of up to 1800 nits, and sandwiched on top is a Gorilla Glass Victus for added screen protection. Speaking of protection, the phone also gets an IP54 rating for dust and splash resistance.
Under the hood, the POCO X6 5G boasts the Snapdragon 7s Gen 2 chipset combined with at least 8GB of RAM and 256GB storage. In our testing, the phone managed to score 590,822 points in AnTuTu benchmark.
The rear protrudes triple camera setup: a 64-megapixel main shooter with optical image stabilization, an 8-megapixel ultrawide, and a 2-megapixel macro.
Its battery is rated at 5100mAh capacity and is paired with 67W fast charging. This model also gets a 3.5 mm audio jack which is a rare find nowadays.
Again, the POCO X6 5G starts at PHP 14,999 for the base model 8GB+256GB. A higher RAM and storage option could still fall within the budget but only during a sale. We recently spotted the 12GB+256GB at PHP 11,990, and even the base model went as low as PHP 10,990 during the 7.7 sale.
POCO X6 5G written review | video review
Price: PHP 14,999 SRP
Lazada 16
Shopee
TECNO POVA 6 Pro 5G
Next, we have a gaming phone on a budget, the TECNO POVA 6 Pro 5G. It features a unique “3D mecha” design on its back shell and it throws in some fancy LED lighting effect.
Flip to the front, it sports a 6.78-inch Full HD+ AMOLED screen running at 120Hz and with a peak brightness of 1300 nits. Powering this device is a Dimensity 6080 that comes with 12GB of on-board RAM and 256GB of storage.
Back to the rear, it features a “triple” camera setup, but don’t be fooled. Only one sensor is an actual camera which is the 108-megapixel main shooter with 10x in-sensor zoom. The other two rings are a 2-megapixel auxiliary lens and another as so-called AI lens.
Battery-wise, it packs a larger than usual 6000mAh unit paired with a 70W fast charging. The device also gets an IP53 rating for dust and splash resistance.
The TECNO POVA 6 Pro 5G sets you back only PHP 11,999.
TECNO POVA 6 Pro 5G written review 14 | video hands-on review
Price: PHP 11,999 SRP
Lazada
Shopee
TECNO Camon 30 5G
Another one from Tecno is the vanilla Camon 30 5G. It comes with the same price tag at as the POVA 6 Pro at PHP 11,999 but it exudes a more elegant design similar to those of its higher-end siblings.
The phone sports the same display size as the POVA 6 Pro, a 6.78-inch Full HD+ AMOLED panel with 120Hz refresh rate. Equipped with the slightly more powerful Dimensity 7020, it was able to score 513,359 points (source: 91Mobiles) in AnTuTu benchmark. That’s almost a 100K difference between the POVA 6 Pro and the Camon 30 5G.
For configuration, it packs 8GB of RAM and up to 512GB of internal storage. The cameras are decent with a dual rear setup headlined by a 50-megapixel main shooter that supports optical image stabilization along with a 2-megapixel depth sensor.
The front camera is an upgrade though, now housing a 50-megapixel selfie shooter. Tecno even throws in a dual tone LED flash (just like the POVA 6 Pro’s) to help capture better selfies at night.
Its battery is the usual 5,000mAh unit with support for 70W fast charging.
The TECNO Camon 30 5G starts at PHP 11,999 for the 256GB trim while the larger 512GB option is priced at PHP 13,999.
TECNO Camon 30 5G
Price: PHP 11,999 – PHP 13,999 SRP
Lazada 10
Shopee
Infinix NOTE 40 Pro+ 5G
This next one has a surprising feature that nobody else has implemented in this price range. Enter, the Infinix NOTE 40 Pro+ 5G boasting a headliner feature: 20W “MagCharge” wireless charging.
Wireless charging is typically found on high-end flagship models, so it’s impressive that Infinix managed to implement this feature on the NOTE 40 Series under the fifteen-thousand-peso mark.
That’s complemented with a blazing fast 100W wired charging and the phone even utilizes the Cheetah X1 chip for better power and charging management. The battery is a bit lower than usual at 4600mAh capacity but being paired with a faster charging, this shouldn’t be much of a problem.
As for other highlights, it sports a 6.78-inch Full HD+ curved AMOLED display with 120Hz refresh rate and 1300 nits of peak brightness. It’s covered by a Gorilla Glass 5 and the phone also gets an IP53 dust and splash resistance.
Just like the Camon 30 5G, the NOTE 40 Pro+ 5G comes equipped with the Dimensity 7020 chipset, 12GB of RAM, and 256GB of internal storage. Interestingly, it scored lower on AnTuTu, reaching around 451,385 points.
At the rear, it features a triple camera system headlined by a 108-megapixel main shooter with optical image stabilization and 3x lossless zoom. It’s complemented with a macro and a depth sensor both having 2-megapixel count.
The Infinix NOTE 40 Pro+ 5G retails for PHP 13,999.
Infinix NOTE 40 Pro+ 5G written review 26 | video review
Price: PHP 13,999 SRP
Lazada 18
Shopee
Infinix NOTE 40 5G
There’s also the vanilla Infinix NOTE 40 5G carrying a bigger storage capacity at a lower price tag. This model has mostly similar specs with the Pro+ but expect it to tone down in some areas. That includes the charging, it opts for a slower 33W wired charging and 15W wireless charging.
Its battery gets a 5000mAh capacity though. The display and cameras are pretty similar too. As for its AnTuTu score, it was able to achieve over 485,194 points (source: 91Mobiles).
The Infinix NOTE 40 5G currently comes at around PHP 13,500 that comes with 12GB RAM and a whopping 512GB internal storage.
Infinix NOTE 40 5G best features 10 | video review
Price: PHP 12,999 SRP
Lazada 10
Shopee
Xiaomi Redmi Note 13 Pro (4G)
Here comes another Note device and it’s from Xiaomi this time with its Redmi Note 13 Pro (4G variant). While it’s a bit of a bummer that it’s limited to 4G connectivity, its compelling feature set is hard to ignore.
The device sports a 6.67-inch Full HD+ AMOLED display, 120Hz refresh, and with 1300 nits of peak brightness. Sandwiched on top is a Gorilla Glass 5 and it’s IP54-rated for dust and splash resistance.
It packs the MediaTek Helio G99 Ultra configured with up to 12GB RAM and 512GB expandable storage. With that, the phone scored 420,669 points in AnTuTu.
The Redmi Note 13 Pro’s cameras are perhaps its biggest asset. The rear protrudes three cameras: a staggering 200-megapixel main shooter with support for optical image stabilization, an 8-megapixel ultrawide, and a 2-megapixel macro sensor.
This looks promising on paper, but like we always say, higher megapixel count doesn’t equate to image quality. But expect the phone to capture images with greater detail.
As for the battery, the phone packs a 5,000mAh unit with 67W fast charging.
The Redmi Note 13 Pro sets you back PHP 13,999 for the 8GB+256GB configuration.
Xiaomi Redmi Note 13 Pro (4G) written review | video review
Price: PHP 13,999 SRP
Lazada
Shopee
HONOR X8b
Want a 512GB phone for less? Then the HONOR X8b fits just right, coming at just PHP 12,999.
It has a 6.7-inch Full HD+ AMOLED display but with a lower refresh rate at only 90Hz. Honor claims it can reach a peak brightness of up to 2000 nits, although it doesn’t really matter that much since this feature is only useful for certain scenarios. Say you’re watching an HDR content, only some parts of the screen would reach this maximum brightness for a short amount of time.
Moving on, the chipset is a bit dated with the Snapdragon 680 powering the phone. It garnered a measly score of 320,656 points.
Its redeeming feature is surely the massive 512GB storage capacity. Perhaps another great feature is its camera capabilities. The phone’s rear protrudes a triple camera setup that consists of a 108-megapixel main shooter, 5-megapixel ultrawide, and a 2-megapixel macro.
The front camera is also worth mentioning: a 50-megapixel selfie shooter housed in a pill-shaped notch alongside a dedicated LED flash.
Battery is rated at 4500mAh capacity and supports 35W wired charging. Again, the HONOR X8b is priced at just PHP 12,999.
HONOR X8b written review 12 | video hands-on review
Price: PHP 12,999 SRP
Lazada
Shopee
Cherry AQUA GR
And last but definitely not the least is a solid comeback: the Cherry AQUA GR. For a local brand, this one is on par with the offerings from the popular brands.
The phone also boasts the Dimensity 7050 chipset with 531,243 points in AnTuTu benchmark. For config, it has 8GB of RAM and 256GB expandable storage.
Cherry took a bold approach with the back panel design and crafted this large, rectangular camera island. The camera sensors are even aligned horizontally at the center.
It’s a triple camera setup with a 50-megapixel main shooter, an 8-megapixel ultrawide, and a 2-megapixel depth helper. And as for the battery, it packs a 4700mAh cell with 66W fast charging.
The Cherry AQUA GR is yours at only PHP 11,999.
Cherry AQUA GR written review 11 | video review
Price: PHP 11,999 SRP
Lazada
Shopee
That finally wraps up this list of best smartphones under Php15,000 for the first half of 2024. Which do you think is the best contender in this price range? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
Which country price is