Best Smartphones of 2018 (PHP 15K-20K)

2019 will bring out a lot of new line of smartphones, but before we welcome those, it is time to look back at the best smartphones of 2018. For this list, I’ll be enumerating the devices between PHP 15K and PHP 20K. Which one do you think is the best in this price range? Check it out!

Author’s Note: The smartphones listed are those announced in 2018 and are officially available in the Philippines. Highlighted are the best devices from each brand but we’re also including their alternatives.

Table of Contents

Nokia 7 Plus

The Nokia 7 Plus is HMD Global’s premium mid-range smartphone which features a Snapdragon 660 chipset, 4GB RAM, 64GB storage, 12MP + 12MP dual rear cameras powered by Carl Zeiss optics, and is part of the Android One program. For the price of PHP 19,990USD 341INR 28,878EUR 324CNY 2,481, you are actually getting a lot of great features including its solid build quality and design.

Alternatives:

Aside from the Nokia 7 Plus, the Nokia 6.1 Plus is actually one of my favorites for its compact and handy size. It is priced at PHP 15,990USD 272INR 23,099EUR 260CNY 1,984.

VIVO V11

The VIVO V11 is one of the most popular smartphones of the company mainly due to its in-display fingerprint scanner and JOVI AI feature. For PHP 19,999USD 341INR 28,891EUR 325CNY 2,482, you’ll get a Snapdragon 660 AIE chipset, 6GB RAM, 64GB storage, and 3,400mAh battery with dual-engine fast charge technology.

Alternatives:

The VIVO V11i is basically a lite version of the VIVO V11 and for PHP 15,999USD 273INR 23,112EUR 260CNY 1,985, you’ll already have almost all of the features of its sibling except for the in-display fingerprint scanner.

Sony Xperia XA2 Ultra

Sony did not release a lot of phones in 2018 but the Xperia XA2 Ultra is one of their devices that made the cut in the list. At PHP 18,990USD 324INR 27,433EUR 308CNY 2,357, it already has a Snapdragon 630 chipset, 4GB RAM, 64GB storage, USB Type-C port, and 3,580mAh battery.

ASUS ZenFone 5 (ZE620KL)

The ZenFone 5 (2018) is one of the best camera smartphones based on DxOMark. It comes with a Snapdragon 636 chipset, 4GB RAM, 64GB storage, 12MP + 8MP dual rear cameras, 8MP front camera, and 3,300mAh battery with BoostMaster and Smart Charging technology. It is priced at PHP 17,995USD 307INR 25,996EUR 292CNY 2,233.

Pocophone F1

When you are asked which Xiaomi smartphone in this price range is the best, the most obvious answer is the Pocophone F1. You’ll never go wrong with its performance since it sports a Snapdragon 845 chipset, 6GB RAM, and 64GB/128GB storage. It is priced at PHP 17,990USD 307INR 25,988EUR 292CNY 2,233 for the 6GB/64GB variant while the 6GB + 128GB is priced at PHP 19,990USD 341INR 28,878EUR 324CNY 2,481.

Alternatives:

Let’s not forget the Xiaomi Mi 8 Lite which is priced at PHP 16,990USD 290INR 24,544EUR 276CNY 2,108 for the 6GB + 128GB variant while the Xiaomi Mi A2 is priced at PHP 17,490USD 298INR 25,266EUR 284CNY 2,171.

OPPO F9

The OPPO F9 is the company’s latest mid-range smartphone priced at PHP 17,990USD 307INR 25,988EUR 292CNY 2,233. It features a Helio P60 chipset, 6GB RAM, 64GB/128GB storage, 3,500mAh battery with VOOC charging technology.

Alternatives:

If you don’t like the OPPO F9’s design, then you can definitely go with the OPPO F7 6GB variant which is priced at PHP 16,990USD 290INR 24,544EUR 276CNY 2,108.

Samsung Galaxy A7 2018

Samsung wow-ed the people by releasing their first triple-rear camera smartphone which was first seen with the Huawei P20 Pro. It features an Exynos 7885 chipset, 4GB/6GB RAM, 64GB storage, 24MP + 8MP + 5MP triple rear cameras, 24MP front camera, and 3,300mAh battery. It is priced at PHP 17,990USD 307INR 25,988EUR 292CNY 2,233.

Alternatives:

Other Samsung smartphone alternatives include the Samsung Galaxy A6+ which is priced at PHP 17,990USD 307INR 25,988EUR 292CNY 2,233 and Samsung Galaxy J8 2018 priced at PHP 15,990USD 272INR 23,099EUR 260CNY 1,984.

Huawei Nova 3i

Of course, who would forget the most iconic mid-range smartphone of Huawei in 2018? The Huawei Nova 3i comes with a Kirin 710 chipset, 4GB RAM, 128GB storage, and 3,340mAh battery. For PHP 15,990USD 272INR 23,099EUR 260CNY 1,984, I can say that it is one of the best bang-for-the-buck smartphones in this price range.

And that sums up our list! If you have any other recommendations, let us know in the comments section below.