The first quarter of the year just wrapped up, and today we’re featuring the best smartphones under Php15,000.
For this article, we’re focusing on value-for-money with a quick summary of specs and what the devices could offer. After all, a great phone should have a decent display, storage capabilities, and consistent performance.
Things like features and camera setups should be of luxury as every brand has their own spin on things. However, if we should find these and more under the price of Php15,000, then it’s surely a steal.
But as a disclaimer, the devices below fell within our set budget at the time of writing. These are inclusive of suggested retail prices (SRP) or prolonged sales prices.
We’ll also note that the price of these devices may vary from both physical and online stores. But if you ever find these smartphones with a promo, all the better!
Now then, let’s get to brass tacks with what the first three months of 2024 had to offer below!
Table of Contents
Cherry Aqua GR
First, we have the Cherry Aqua GR. This phone features a 6.8-inch FHD+ AMOLED display with 120Hz refresh rate and a Dimensity 7050 chipset.
This phone has a configuration of 8GB of RAM with 256GB of UFS 2.2 storage. It’s also capable of memory extension up to 8GB of virtual RAM.
And if you’re into taking photos, then you’re in for a treat. The phone has a triple camera setup highlighted by a 108MP super pixel camera, 8MP ultrawide, and 2MP depth lens.
For selfies, the Aqua GR has a 16MP shooter. The device also has an AI lens, auto HDR, and can shoot up to 4K videos.
Moving on, the Cherry Aqua GR has a 4,700mAh battery with 66W of fast charging support. This device is sleek, has surprisingly great performance, and a decent camera setup.
As per our recent review 21, we can vouch that the Aqua GR is a great choice for performance and everyday use. You can browse social media, check emails, and work on documents—all with apps running in the background.
With our review unit, there was no lag or slowing down with this device. Additionally, it was also a pleasant surprise when our reviewer was able to play Genshin Impact at maximum graphics settings.
Check out our YouTube video for more about the phone OR get the Cherry Aqua GR with links below.
Price: PHP 11,999
Lazada 17
Shopee 26
TECNO Pova 6 Pro 5G
The TECNO Pova 6 Pro 5G sports a 6.78-inch FHD+ 120Hz AMOLED display and a Dimensity 6080 chipset.
The smartphone has a configuration of 12GB of RAM with 256GB of internal storage. Similar to the Aqua GR, this phone also features memory extension up to 12GB of RAM.
However, it has more flexibility for storage with a dedicated microSD card slot.
The Pova 6 Pro also has a triple camera setup, led by a 108MP main shooter with 10x in-sensor zoom. The next set of sensors feature an AI lens and an unspecified 2MP lens.
Up front, the device has a 32MP selfie shooter with a dual-tone LED flash. The phone can shoot videos at a max resolution of 2K at 30fps and 1080p at 30 and 60fps.
The phone is powered by a large 6,000mAh battery with 70W of Ultra Charge support. The TECNO Pova 6 Pro offers a unique design, a great display, and quite a long battery life.
If you want to know more about the phone in-depth, check out our review here 47. You can also watch our YouTube video and check out shopping links for the TECNO Pova 6 Pro with links below!
Price: PHP 12,099 – 12,299
Lazada 15
Shopee 18
POCO M6 Pro 4G
The POCO M6 Pro 4G has a 6.67-inch FHD+ AMOLED display with 120Hz refresh rate. This phone is also protected by Corning Gorilla Glass 5 and powered by a Helio G99 Ultra chipset.
The M6 Pro has configurations of 8GB and 12GB for RAM, and 256GB and 512GB of UFS 2.2 storage. Users can also expand their storage via microSD card by sacrificing a SIM slot.
For cameras, the M6 Pro has a triple camera setup headlined by a 64MP main camera. The other lenses, on the other hand, feature a 8MP ultrawide and 2MP macro lens.
As for the front, the phone has a 16MP selfie shooter able to shoot videos in 1080p at 60fps. But for the main camera, the M6 Pro can shoot up to 4K at 60 fps.
This smartphone has a 5,000mAh battery with 67W of wired turbo charging. The POCO M6 Pro has plenty to offer, including a vibrant display, fast storage, and a good media consumption experience.
If you want to learn more about this device, we have this review 26 ready for your reading pleasure. You can also check out this YouTube video below to see how the phone is in real-life usage.
And if you’re ready to make a purchasing decision, we left links for the POCO M6 Pro 4G below!
The 8GB+256GB config is priced at PHP 10,499, while the 12GB+512GB config is priced at PHP 12,699 at Lazada.
The phone is also available with the 8GB + 256GB config in Shopee for PHP 14,999.
Price: PHP 10,499 – 14,999
Lazada
Shopee 13
HONOR X8b
Next, the HONOR X8b features a 6.7-inch FHD+ AMOLED display with a refresh rate of 90Hz. For its chipset, this phone runs on a Snapdragon 680 with eight cores.
This device has a configuration of 8GB RAM and 512GB of storage. If ever readers may ask about its 16GB RAM config in online stores, the extra 8GB of memory is virtual.
The HONOR X8b has a triple camera setup, headlined by a 108MP main camera. The phone also has a 8MP lens for depth, and a 2MP macro lens.
At the front, the phone also treats users to a 50MP selfie shooter. For video, the X8b can shoot videos with a maximum resolution of 1080p at 30fps.
The X8b has a 4,500mAh battery with 33W of HONOR SuperCharge support. This phone has strengths in base storage, a clean display, and a design language which resembles iPhones.
Curious about what else the X8b can do? We also posted a review 24 on the device along with another video if you want to see it in action.
Links for the HONOR X8b are below, as per usual.
Price: PHP 12,999
Lazada
Shopee
Redmi Note 13 Pro 4G (8GB+256GB)
Moving on, we have the Redmi Note 13 Pro 4G. The phone sports a 6.67-inch FHD+ AMOLED display with a refresh rate of 120Hz. It also runs on a Helio G99 Ultra chipset.
For configs, the device has a variant for 8GB RAM and 256GB of UFS 2.2 storage. The Note 13 Pro also has a memory extension capability of up to 4GB of RAM.
But if ever readers are curious, the Note 13 Pro does have a 12GB+512GB config option. However, it’s over the set budget by almost a thousand pesos.
Next, the Note 13 Pro has a triple camera setup headlined by a 200MP main shooter with OIS.
For other sensors, the phone also features an 8MP ultrawide and 2MP macro lens. And for selfies, the Note 13 Pro has a 16MP front camera.
Wrapping up, the device is powered by a 5,000mAh battery with 67W of charging technology.
The strengths of the Note 13 Pro are mainly in its balanced color reproduction and great contrast coming with the display. This sets the tone for a more-than-pleasant media consumption experience.
Its cameras aren’t too bad either, as end users can find it reliable enough in the right conditions. If you want to see what else the Redmi Note 13 Pro can do, you can check out our video here.
We also posted a review 10 here to go along with it, and of course, links to the device are below. The 8GB+256GB config is available on Shopee for PHP 13,299, while it’s available on Lazada for PHP 13,999.
Price: PHP 13,299 – 13,999
Lazada
Shopee
POCO X6 (8GB+256GB)
Last but certainly not the least, we have the POCO X6. This phone sports a 6.67-inch FHD+ AMOLED display with a refresh rate of 120Hz.
The phone also features Dolby Vision and is covered by Corning Gorilla Glass Victus for protection. For processing power, the X6 is powered by the Snapdragon 7s Gen 2 chipset.
The X6 has a config of 8GB of RAM with 256GB of UFS 4.0 storage that’s under budget. The higher configs of 12GB+256GB and 12GB+512GB will cost end users a thousand to three thousand more pesos.
For shooters, the X6 features a triple camera setup led by a 64MP main camera. Other lenses consist of a 8MP ultrawide and 2MP macro lens. For selfies, the phone has a 16MP front camera.
The POCO X6 is capable of recording videos up to 4K at 30fps. However, end users might want to prefer shooting at 1080p to save space.
For battery, the X6 is powered by 5,100mAh with 67W of turbo charging technology. The strengths of the X6 are led by its beautiful display, consistent performance, and produces accurate colors from its cameras.
If readers would prefer to see how the X6 performs through a video, feel free to check it out below. But if you want to continue reading, we also have a review 41 ready on the site.
Again, only the POCO X6’s minimum configuration of 8GB + 256GB of UFS 4.0 storage is available under the set budget.
