fbpx

Smartphone Gift Guide for Holiday 2015

Holiday shopping spree is among us again and we’re here to help you decide on purchasing your new smartphone. From the budget offering to the most powerful and expensive device, we’ve got you covered. We collated the devices based on their pricing for easier reading. Let’s begin!

2015GiftGuide-Smartphones

Yugatech 728x90 Reno7 Series

Under Php10,000

We’ll start off with the Moto E (2nd Gen), which is currently priced at Php 4,999. It’s a well-built device from Motorola and could be perfect for those looking for a compact smartphone with its 4.5” qHD display and has a decent battery life. The Lazada exclusive Alcatel Flash 2 has a slightly 5” HD display and bigger RAM and you can have it for Php 5,990 with free flip cover, screen protector, and SIM card. If you are particular with software versions, you can opt for an Android One smartphone from Cherry Mobile, the One G1. Its promised fresh updates directly from Google is already a good selling point making it one of the few Android 6.0 Marshmallow devices in the market and it’s just priced at Php 5,999 w/ free 8GB microSD.

asus zenfone 2 laser_1

If you want a budget smartphone with fast autofocus feature, well the ASUS ZenFone 2 Laser is one of your options. It has two variants in the country, the ZE500KL and ZE550KL. The difference between the two is their screen sizes, 5-inch vs 5.5-inch but they are closely priced at Php 7,295 and Php 7,995 respectively. The Lenovo A7000 Plus, another Lazada exclusive, is also a good buy at Php 7,999 with its Dolby Atmos audio enhancement plus its crisp 5.5” 1080p display.

cherry mobile flare s4 plus_4

Another Php 7,999 device with a 1080p display is the Cherry Mobile Flare S4 Plus but is has a bigger 3GB of RAM for your multi-tasking needs. Before we jump off to the next price range, the Xiaomi Mi 4i is a steal with its midrange Snapdragon 615 chipset but carries a Php 9,799 price tag. It’s also worth mentioning that all of these handsets are LTE-capable so you can have the best browsing speeds available, if you have good reception.

Php10,000 – Php19,999

At this range, we can get a more feature-packed smartphone. First in line is the ZenFone 2 Selfie with its 13-megapixel front camera with dual tone LED flash, thus making it the ideal selfie smartphone. Another selfie-centric device on the list is the Sony Xperia C5 Ultra. We cannot deny the beauty of the device thanks to its extremely thin bezel, but the steep Php 17,990 pricing might be a deal breaker for some.

lenovo vibe p1_1

With the Lenovo Vibe P1, you can now own a smartphone with a fingerprint scanner for just 14,999. It also boasts a long-lasting 5000mAh battery. The ZUK Z1, on the other hand, almost has an identical look with the P1 but with a 2014 flagship internals like a Snapdragon 800 chipset, 3GB RAM and 64GB storage. It also has a fingerprint scanner and its SRP is amazingly affordable at Php 15,299.

huaweig8

If you want a sexy smartphone, you might want to consider the Huawei G8. It’s priced at 17,990 but you’re getting a sleek 7.5mm thin smartphone with the attractiveness of Huawei’s design language. Lastly, the elusive OnePlus 2 is the best Php 19,990 in the local grey market although price may vary. It’s pretty much like 30k flagship smartphone but significantly cheaper.

Php20,000 – Php29,999

Moving up to more expensive smartphones, the OPPO R7 Plus is pretty solid at 21,990 with a large 4100mAh battery paired with their own VOOC Flash Charging technology — battery juice shouldn’t be a problem with it. The Samsung Galaxy A8 phablet at Php24,990 is a good option for having a large 5.7” display and is really thin at 5.9mm. If you’re into Windows 10, the Microsoft Lumia 950 is already here in the country for Php 28,990.

SonyXperiaZ5Compact2

If you prefer a smaller smartphone with beastly internals, the Sony Xperia Z5 Compact can offer that for Php 29,990. It’s flagship Snapdragon 801 chipset ensures powerful performance in a pocket-friendly package. Also, the Samsung Galaxy S6 got a price cut to Php 29,990 for the 32GB variant. Let’s not forget the Google Nexus 6P from Huawei with all the pure Android goodness is also coming to the local market for Php 29,990.

30,000 and above

If you want the best of the best, these are the smartphones you should consider. The LG G4 with its fantastic 16-megapixel camera with OIS, f/1.8, and manual mode is available for Php 31,990 and Php 32,990 for the genuine leather variant. The Huawei Mate S powered by a home-baked Kirin 935 Octa-core chipset is for sale at Php 31,995. The Windows 10 flagship Microsoft Lumia 950 XL is a good office smartphone especially if you also purchase the Display Dock which are priced at Php 32,990 and Php 3,390 respectively.

s6edge-vs-s6edgeplus

The Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge is also cheaper now at 34,990 and the curved edge display is really unique with the Edge series of the Korean-company.  There’s also a larger version dubbed as the Galaxy S6 Edge+ starting at Php 39,990. The flagship Sony Xperia Z5 is being sold for Php 35,990 with a 23-megapixel shooter that has been receiving praises as the best smartphone camera to date. The Samsung Galaxy Note 5 with the useful S-Pen for note taking, sketching or just doodling is for purchased at Php 36,990 (32GB).

lg-v10-review-philippines-10

The recently launched LG V10 has a secondary display, manual video mode, and everything you’d expect in a powerhouse Android smartphone. It can also support up to 2TB microSD and it’s a bit steep at Php 37,990. The list will not be complete without the latest smartphones from Apple. The iPhone 6s starts at Php 37,990 while the iPhone 6s Plus is at Php 43,990. Lastly, the latest Android-powered BlackBerry Priv is already in the country for a whopping Php 45,000.

Well, there you have it folks. These are the smartphones you can check into if you’re planning on having one. If you have suggestions, feel free to share them in the comment section below.

Subscribe to Blog via Email

Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

Join 977 other subscribers
Avatar for Daniel Morial

This article was contributed by Daniel Morial, a film school graduate and technology enthusiast. He's the geeky encyclopedia and salesman among his friends for anything tech.

5 Responses

  1. Avatar for jay jay says:

    zemfone laser 5.5 is 11,000 +

  2. Avatar for Bee teen Bee teen says:

    I got the LG V10 as xmas gift for myself. Amazing phone! 32990. The 37990 is for installment only via credit card.

  3. Avatar for Buyer Buyer says:

    Best buy na ba yung Alcatel Flash 2 for it’s price range?

  4. Avatar for Globe Globe says:

    Hi Paul, The LG G4 has price dropped to 24k-25k for both the non leather and leather variants

  5. Avatar for Paul Paul says:

    Regarding your note: I think there ought to be a couple of windows phones and blackberries besides the new Lumias and the Priv.

Leave a Reply
JOIN OUR TELEGRAM DISCUSSION

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *