2024 is up to a close and like we always do, it’s time for another smartphone roundup list!
Today, we’re going to have a rundown of some of the best sub-flagship and premium mid-range smartphones we have seen this year. Specifically, those priced between 26,000 up to 40,000 pesos.
So, without further ado, let’s get right into the list!
DISCLAIMER: The smartphones featured in this list were officially released in the Philippines throughout the entire 2024. Listed models reflect their suggested retail prices (SRP).
Table of Contents
Starting off this list, we have the HONOR 200 Pro offering one of the best camera setups and near-flagship performance at its price point.
Coming in at PHP 29,999USD 516INR 44,201EUR 499CNY 3,786, it boasts the Snapdragon 8s Gen 3 chipset and has a generous 512GB of internal storage paired with 12GB of RAM.
In our benchmark testing, the HONOR 200 Pro managed to get 1,163,791 points in ANTUTU which is definitely a good score.
Looking at the rear protrudes a very capable triple camera setup: a 50-megapixel main shooter that supports optical image stabilization, another 50-megapixel sensor for telephoto that also supports OIS, and a 12-megapixel ultrawide lens.
They also partnered with a famous French photography studio called ‘Harcourt’ to bring its iconic portrait styles into this phone. So, users can capture studio-level portraits easily from the HONOR 200 Pro, but of course it still needs a proper lighting and setup to achieve that effect.
Moving on to its other features, the phone sports a 6.78-inch Full HD+ curved OLED display running at 120Hz and has an HDR peak brightness of 4000 nits.
There’s also an addition of the so-called HONOR C1+ chip that basically boosts the phone’s signal reception. Battery-wise, the phone packs a 5200mAh unit that supports 100W of fast charging via USB-C and also 66W of wireless charging.
And for added protection, the phone comes with an IP65 rating for dust and water resistance. Meaning it can easily withstand a sudden downpour and spills, but it’s not meant for water submersion. So, keep that in mind.
HONOR 200 Pro written review | video review
Next, we have the realme GT 6 touted as a ‘flagship killer’. While there is some truth in that, personally, I would rather call it a ‘near-flagship killer’.
You see, the phone is powered by the same chip as the previous entry, which is the Snapdragon 8s Gen 3. However, it is not as powerful as a true flagship chip like the older Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 let alone the 8 Gen 3.
Nonetheless, the realme GT 6 is still a solid performer overall. For starters, it’s processing power is a notch above than most other models in this list. In ANTUTU, it garnered 1,546,135 points which is significantly higher than that of the HONOR 200 Pro running the same chipset.
Second, it comes with an LTPO OLED display which you’d typically see in flagship models. Its 6.78-inch screen also runs at 120Hz and has an HDR peak brightness of 6000 nits.
And third, its cameras are also good especially the 50-megapixel main shooter with OIS. It is complemented by another 50-megapixel telephoto lens, and an 8-megapixel ultrawide.
The phone supports the newest Wi-Fi 7 standard, packs a 5500mAh battery paired with 120W of fast charging, and it gets an IP65 rating as well.
realme GT 6 written review | video review
Moving on, this next one is perhaps more fitting of the term ‘flagship killer’ — at least when talking about the price-to-performance ratio. Enter the POCO F6 Pro coming in at only PHP 26,999USD 464INR 39,780EUR 449CNY 3,407 making it the most affordable one out of the bunch.
Powering the F6 Pro is a flagship chipset, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 and that’s a big win already for this phone. In ANTUTU, it managed to get 1,551,302 points even surpassing the realme GT 6 by a hair.
However, the phone may lack a bit in other areas, which might explain the same score as with a non-flagship chip. In particular, its cameras are not on par with the others. It does have a 50-megapixel main camera with OIS, but the other two lenses are an 8-megapixel ultrawide and a 2-megapixel macro lens.
Up front, it sports a 6.67-inch Wide QHD+ AMOLED display meaning it gets a higher screen resolution than usual which is exactly 3200 by 1440 pixels. It has a peak brightness of 4000 nits, and it runs at 120Hz as well but no LTPO here.
As for battery, it packs a 5000mAh unit paired with 120W of fast charging. There is no ingress protection here whatsoever which is a bit of a letdown, but it’s not a major deal-breaker at least for me.
Regardless of some of its shortcomings, the POCO F6 Pro is still a force to be reckoned with, especially for that price of just under 27,000 pesos. There’s nothing else that comes in this price point powered by a true flagship chipset.
POCO F6 Pro written review | video review
Speak of the devil, carrying the same price tag of PHP 26,999USD 464INR 39,780EUR 449CNY 3,407 is the vivo V40 5G. What’s so special about this premium mid-ranger is the big upgrade in its camera department: all cameras are now ZEISS-ed up.
Because unlike before, the ZEISS tuning was only reserved for its Pro counterpart.
From the rear, it has a 50-megapixel main shooter with OIS, a 50-megapixel for ultrawide with autofocus, and of course, the so-called Aura Light feature — which is somehow smaller than its predecessor but vivo does say it lights up brighter than before.
The selfie shooter is also a 50-megapixel sensor and has autofocus support as well.
Under the hood, the V40 is equipped with the Snapdragon 7 Gen 3, and it scored 815,842 points in ANTUTU — which is decent considering it is a mid-range chipset.
Flip to front, it sports a 6.78-inch Full HD+ AMOLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate and up to 4500 nits of HDR peak brightness.
Battery-wise, it gets a 5500mAh unit with 80W of fast charging. Another feature that made the V40 special is the added protection that is on the same level as your usual flagships. It has an IP68 rating allowing it to withstand submersion in water. Neat!
Although, like we always remind you, ingress protection wears off over time, so you still have to be careful regardless of how resistant your device is to the elements.
vivo V40 5G written review | video review
Next up, we have a really interesting phone not because of how it performs but how it flips. Enter the Infinix ZERO Flip which is probably one of the most affordable flip phones you can get in 2024 for just PHP 29,999USD 516INR 44,201EUR 499CNY 3,786.
And it’s not cheap in any way in case you’re wondering. The main feature, of course, is the 6.9-inch foldable Full HD+ AMOLED display and surprisingly there is zero gaps on the hinge, hence the name. (Well played, Infinix.)
On top of that, the screen supports LTPO, 120Hz refresh rate, and up to 1400 nits of peak brightness.
The cover display isn’t held back as well with a 3.64-inch AMOLED panel running at 120Hz and it’s even protected by Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2.
Performance-wise, the phone runs on a MediaTek Dimensity 8020 chip that is able to get 810,633 points in ANTUTU (according to 91Mobiles).
Its cameras also pack a punch — led by a 50-megapixel main shooter with OIS, a 50-megapixel ultrawide, and a 50-megapixel selfie snapper with autofocus.
The battery is rated at 4720mAh and comes with 70W of fast charging. However, no ingress protection here.
Infinix ZERO Flip price: PHP 29,999USD 516INR 44,201EUR 499CNY 3,786 (8+512GB) | Shopee, Lazada
Xiaomi 14T Pro
Moving on to a higher price bracket, we have the Xiaomi 14T Pro. It is a proper sub-flagship, priced at PHP 37,999USD 653INR 55,988EUR 632CNY 4,795.
It is powered by the Dimensity 9300+ which is a flagship chipset from MediaTek. In our benchmark test, the Xiaomi 14T Pro achieved a whopping 1,965,922 points in ANTUTU — and that is the highest score on this list, mind you.
The phone sports a 6.67-inch 1.5K AMOLED display running at up to 144Hz. However, no LTPO here despite the fact that other phones at lower price gets this feature.
It bounces back with its capable cameras though, especially with Leica optics, featuring a 50-megapixel main shooter with OIS, a 50-megapixel telephoto, and a 12-megapixel ultrawide.
Battery-wise, it packs a 5000mAh unit with support for 120W of fast charging and 50W of wireless charging. And for the complete flagship experience, it gets an IP68 rating as well for dust and water resistance.
Xiaomi 14T Pro written review | video review
Xiaomi 14T
There’s also the vanilla Xiaomi 14T. It is rocking a mid-range chipset, the MediaTek Dimensity 8300 Ultra but also features Leica optics with similar camera setup as the Pro version.
It also has the same display, same IP68 rating, and the same battery capacity but with a slightly lower charging speed at 67W and no wireless charging. But all comes at a significantly lower cost of PHP 29,999USD 516INR 44,201EUR 499CNY 3,786.
What might be a deal-breaker for some is the absence of a charging brick in the box. (Oof, Xiaomi.)
Xiaomi 14T price: PHP 25,999USD 447INR 38,307EUR 432CNY 3,281 (12+256GB) | Lazada, Shopee
Last, but definitely not the least is the Samsung Galaxy S24 FE. It is yet another sub-flagship phone carrying the highest price on this list at PHP 39,990USD 687INR 58,921EUR 665CNY 5,047.
For that price, you get a taste of premium with some cutbacks here and there. Under the hood, the Galaxy S24 FE is equipped with the company’s in-house Exynos 2400e, and before you type in any comments, this chipset is actually pretty good (at least on paper).
In our ANTUTU test, the phone managed to get over 1.4 million points (1,497,518) almost faring against the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 or even 8s Gen 3. There’s also the Samsung DeX support which are typically reserved for the flagship Galaxy phones, and the S24 FE is no exception.
Flip to front, it gets a 6.7-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X display with 120Hz refresh and 1900 nits of peak brightness. No LTPO here either.
The cameras are a bit underwhelming though: a 50-megapxiel main shooter with OIS complemented with an 8-megapixel telephoto and a 12-megapixel ultrawide.
Battery capacity is also lower than usual with a 4700mAh unit and it gets a slower charging speed of 25W. It does get 15W of wireless charging and a solid IP68 rating for dust and water resistance.
Samsung Galaxy S24 FE written review | video review
That finally wraps up this list! Did we miss anything? Which do you think is the best contender in this price range? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
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Ferdie Victorino says:
no Reno12?