Entry-level smartphones are getting more and more powerful as time goes by, and most of them seem too good to be true to be categorized as an entry-level one. Now, if you’re looking for smartphones that won’t break the bank, we’ve curated a list of budget smartphones that were released in 2019 that are still worth getting this year.
Xiaomi Redmi Note 8
The Redmi Note 8 is quite an impressive smartphone — it has an excellent feel to it, the cameras deliver moderate images, it has a modest battery life, and it comes with a good panel. You’d also be expecting good performance with its Snapdragon 665, up to 4GB RAM, and internal storage up to 128GB.
The Redmi Note 8’s configurations are priced as follows:
- 3GB + 32GB – PHP 7,990
- 4GB + 64GB – PHP 8,990
- 4GB + 128GB – PHP 9,990
Xiaomi Redmi Note 8Â specs:
6.3-inch dot notch FHD+ (2340 x 1080) IPS display, 409ppi
Corning Gorilla Glass 5
Qualcomm Snapdragon 665 2.0GHz octa-core
Adreno 610 GPU
3GB, 4GB RAM
32GB, 64GB, 128GB storage
48MP F1.8 + 8MP F2.2 ultra-wide (120-degrees) + 2MP F2.4 macro + 2MP F2.4 depth quad-rear cameras
13MP F2.0 front camera
Dual-SIM
4G LTE
WiFi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac
Bluetooth 5.0
IR Blaster
GPS, A-GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, BDS
3.5mm audio port
USB 2.0 Type-C
Fingerprint scanner (rear-mounted)
Loudspeaker w/ Smart PA technology
MIUI (Android 9 Pie)
4,000mAh battery w/ 18W fast charging
Vivo Y17
The Vivo Y17 has its pros up its sleeve, such as its incredible battery life, bright display, modest camera quality, and that sweet wide-angle camera quality. You’d also get a sizeable 5,000mAh battery, 4GB RAM, and 128GB of internal storage. It is priced at PHP 9,999.
Vivo Y17Â specs:
6.35-inch HD+ (720 x 1544 px) 19.3:9 IPS display, 268ppi
Octa-core 2.3GHz MediaTek Helio P35
PowerVR GE8320 GPU
4GB RAM
128GB internal storage
13MP F2.2 PDAF (main) + 8MP F2.2 (wide-angle)+ 2MP F2.4 (depth) triple rear cameras
20MP f/2.0 front camera
4G LTE
Single SIM or Dual SIM
WiFi 802.12 b/g/n
Bluetooth 5.0
GPS, A-GPS
FM radio
Fingerprint scanner
Android 9 Pie
5000mAh battery with 18W fast charging
159.4 x 76.8 x 8.9mm
190.5g
Mineral Blue, Mystic Purple
Realme 5
Realme is offering up a great value-for-money smartphone with the Realme 5. For an entry-level device, it has a sizeable display, quad cameras, face unlock, and enormous battery life. You’d also be getting smooth performance as it is powered with Snapdragon 665, up to 4GB RAM, and internal storage up to 128GB.
The Realme 5 is priced at the following:
- 4GB + 128GB – PHP 9,990
- 3GB + 64GB – PHP 7,990
- 3GB + 32GB – PHP 6,990
Realme 5Â specs:
6.5-inch Mini-drop HD+ (1600 x 720) Full-screen display
Qualcomm Snapdragon 665 2.00GHz 11nm octa-core
Adreno 610 GPU
3GB, 4GB RAM
32GB, 64GB, 128GB storage
Expandable storage via dedicated microSD card slot
12MP F1.8 main + 8MP F2.25 Ultra-Wide lens + 2MP Portrait + 2MP Macro quad-camera setup
240fps slow-mo, 4K/1080p 30fps
13MP F2.0 front camera
4G LTE
Bluetooth 5.0
Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac
GPS, A-GPS, Galileo, BDS
3.5mm audio port
Micro USB
Splash Resistant
Fingerprint scanner (rear-mounted)
Face Unlock
ColorOS 6 (Android 9 Pie)
5,000mAh battery w/ 10W charging
Crystal Blue, Crystal Purple
Xiaomi Redmi 8
The Redmi 8 sports a 6.22-inch dot notch display, with a 1520 x 720 HD+ resolution. Snapdragon 439 powers it, along with an Adreno 505 GPU, and offers a massive 5,000mAh battery with 18W fast charging support. It is priced at PHP 6,990 for the 4GB + 64GB model, and PHP 6,490 for the 3GB + 32GB.
Xiaomi Redmi 8Â specs:
6.22-inch HD+ (1520 x 720)Dot Notch IPS display, 270ppi
Corning Gorilla Glass 5
Qualcomm Snapdragon 439 octa-core CPU
Adreno 505
3GB + 32GB
4GB + 64GB
Expandable up to 512GB via microSD
12MP + 2MP dual rear cameras
8MP front camera
Dual SIM
4G LTE
Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n
Bluetooth 4.2
GPS, A-GPS
Rear-mounted fingerprint sensor
AI Face Unlock
3.5mm headphone jack
USB Type-C
5,000mAh battery with 18W fast charging support
MIUI (Android 9 Pie)
156.48 x 75.41 x 9.4mm
188g
Huawei Y7 Pro (2019)
The Huawei Y7 Pro 2019 offers a bright and vibrant display. The performance is decent and relatively fast thanks to its Snapdragon 450 chipset and 3GB RAM. Its battery life is impressive since it lasts longer than most competing smartphones in this price segment. It is priced at PHP6,990.
Huawei Y7 Pro 2019 specs:
6.26-inch 19:9 HD+ IPS screen @ 1520 x 720 pixel resolution, ~268ppi, Dewdrop notch
1.8GHz Octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 450
Adreno 506 GPU
3GB RAM
32GB storage
expandable up to 512GBÂ via microSD
13MP f/1.8 + 2MP f/2.4 dual rear cameras w/ LED flash, AI Scene Detection
16MP front camera
Dual 4G LTE
Dual SIM, Dual Standby
WiFI 802.11 b/g/n
Bluetooth 4.2
GPS, A-GPS
Huawei EMUI 8.2 (Android 8.1 Oreo)
4,000mAh non-removable battery
159 x 76.9 x 8.1 mm
168g
Colors: Aurora Blue, Midnight Black
Realme C2 2020
The Realme C2 2020 and the C2 have no difference in terms of design and specs aside from the larger storage. Instead of 16GB, it is now 32GB, while the 32GB became 64GB. Compared to last year’s Realme C1, the C2 is definitely an upgrade. Although the battery capacity is lower than the C1’s, the C2 still has the upper hand with its smaller notch, up-to-date software, good performance, and, most especially, its diamond-cut design.
Here are the prices of each Realme C2 2020 variants:
- 2GB + 32GB – PHP 5,490
- 3GB + 64GB – PHP 6,490
Realme C2 specs:
6.1-inch 19.5:9 HD+ dewdrop display, 89.35% screen-to-body ratio
Corning Gorilla Glass 3
2GB/3GB RAM
16GB/32GB
Helio P22 12nm 2.0GHz octa-core
PowerVR GE8320 GPU
13MP f/2.2 + 2MP dual rear camera
80fps/480p slow motion
5MP front camera
Dual-SIM card slot
Dedicated microSD card slot
Dual VoLTE
AI Face Unlock
ColorOS 6.0 (Android 9 Pie)
4,000mAh battery
Diamond Blue, Diamond Black
OPPO A5s
The OPPO A5s delivers a sizeable screen, pretty great battery life, expandable storage, and a decent enough performance. It’s also protected with Corning Gorilla Glass 3. The A5s is priced at PHP5,990.
OPPO A5s specs:
6.2-inch HD+ (720 x 1520) waterdrop IPS display, 271ppi
Corning Gorilla Glass 3
MediaTek Helio P35 2.3GHz Octa-core
PowerVR GE8320 GPU
3GB RAM
32GB storage
microSD up to 256GB (dedicated slot)
13MP + 2MP dual rear cameras with LED Flash
8MP front camera
4G LTE
Dual SIM, Dual Standby
WiFi
Bluetooth
GPS, GLONASS, BeiDou, Galileo
Fingerprint scanner
ColorOS 5.2 (Android 8.1 Oreo)
4230mAh battery
155.9 x 75.4 x 8.2mm
170g
Red, Black
And there you go. Did we miss anything on our list? Let us know in the comments down below!
