HUAWEI MatePad 12 X (2026) Review
The sub-Php8k price range for smarpthones is become more and more interesting as players continue to offer very cost-effective handsets. Three of the contenders are the Lenovo A7000, Alcatel Flash Plus and the Zenfone 2 ZE500CL — all of which are priced below the Php8,000 mark.
The sub-Php8,000 price point is projected to be the category with the biggest growth as it offers a balance between price and hardware with very little compromise.
| Lenovo A7000 | Alcatel Flash Plus | Asus Zenfone 2 ZE500CL | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Display | 5.5-inch IPS LCD display, 1280 x 720 @ 267ppi | 5.5-inch IPS LCD display, 1280 x 720 @ 267ppi | 5-inch IPS LCD display, 1280 x 720 @ 294ppi |
| Glass Protection | Asahi Dragontrail | Asahi Dragontrail | Corning Gorilla Glass 3 |
| Screen-to-Body Ratio | 71.7% | 71.7% | 65.3% |
| CPU | MediaTek MT6752m octa-core 1.5GHz | MediaTek MT6752m octa-core 1.5GHz | Intel Atom Z2560 1.6GHz dual-core processor |
| GPU | Mali-T760MP2 GPU | Mali-T760MP2 GPU | PowerVR SGX544MP2 |
| RAM | 2GB | 2GB | 2GB |
| Storage | 8GB | 16GB | 16GB |
| microSD | up to 32GB | up to 64GB | up to 64GB |
| WiFi | WiFi 802.11 b/g/n | WiFi 802.11 b/g/n | WiFi 802.11 b/g/n |
| Bluetooth | Bluetooth 4.0 LE | Bluetooth 4.0 LE | Bluetooth 4.0 LE |
| Cellular | dual-SIM, LTE | dual-SIM, LTE | LTE |
| GPS | aGPS | aGPS | aGPS, GLONASS |
| Rear Camera | 8MP, LED Flash | 13MP, LED Flash | 8MP, LED Flash |
| Sensor | Sony IMX219PQ | Sony IMX214 | Sony IMX219PQ |
| Front Camera | 5MP | 8MP | 2MP |
| Battery | 2,900mAh | Li-Ion 3,500mAh | Li-Po 2,500mAh |
| Audio | Dolby Atmos | - | - |
| OS | Android 5.0 Lollipop | Android 4.4 Kitkat | Android 5.0 Lollipop |
| Dimensions | 152.6 x 76.2 x 8mm | 152.3 x 76.4 x 8mm | 148.1 x 71.5 x 10.9 mm |
| Weight | 140 grams | 147 grams | 155 grams |
| Php7,390 | Php6,490 | Php7,995 |
Given the three handsets in the price range, it looks like you can buy any of them and still get really good bang for your buck.
However, we also closely inspect which one has better features over the others. Here’s our run down.
Winning Features
Lenovo A7000:
Alcatel Flash Plus:
Asus Zenfone 2 ZE500CL:
So, given the table of comparison above, which one would you pick?
Read the reviews here:
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NotaSheep says:
🥉 Bronze🏆1
I am 100% sure that the Zenfone 2 500cl is out of it’s league with it’s price and processor, it’s pretty much just a Zenfone 5 remake. Lenovo is… untrustworthy…
Alcatel as well but for the price and performance, it’s a solid pick… if only they sell it on retail stores
qwerty says:
🌱 Noobs🏆1
i agree with you that alcatel flash plus is better and bad thing though that it only sell online
david says:
🌱 Noobs🏆1
I think lenovo is more trustworthy than asus, :-D
Gerald de Guzman says:
🌱 Noobs🏆1
i LIKE THE ALCATEL, please update your review on Alcatel Flash Plus , please please please… thanks.
rusure says:
🥉 Rookie🏆1
Of the 3 , Asus is the worst. It’s fat, heavy and has unnecessary thick bezels especially on the chin. In spite of those, it’s the most expensive.
So skip this one. Nothing positive.
alan says:
🌱 Noobs🏆1
all built in batteries….
Anonymous says:
🌱 Noobs🏆1
There should be a “Availability” category there. I remember the times me and my friends tried to get my hand on Xiaomi Mi3 and Cherry Mobile Flare S3 (they were the best-for-the-buck at their time) before but they were so scarce that some either gave up (waited for the next best thing to arrive) or settled for something with a similar specs.
After all, how can you recommend a “worth your money” phone to someone when they can’t get hold of said phone?
Dem says:
🌱 Noobs🏆1
Well said
ako ito says:
🌱 Noobs🏆1
Does the alcatel will hit at the retail store like SM or only online…need some answer for this…thanks.
jay says:
🌱 Noobs🏆1
Aug pa sya available sa malls
paolo says:
🥉 Rookie🏆1
I have a feeling Lenovo and Alcatel will throw the buyers of their phones (As featured here) under the bus in terms of updates.
Only ASUS has consistently provided updates for their phones. New features and bug fixes and firmware. Heck, the original Zenfone 5 and 6 (spiritual predecessors of cheap ZF2) has a Lollipop update actually in the works.
NO Alcatel phone is slated to receive Lollipop. Yet? At all? No one knows, Alcatel does not say anything.
And only the absolutely most recent of Lenovo phones with a Snapdragon have confirmation of Lollipop updates, (S90, Vibe Z2 pro) some word on Mediatek phones like Vibe X2, but that’s about it.
PLEASE, consider this above all else, and not just the cheap price. Because manufacturers like to cheapen you out when you buy something for almost no profit to them.
Raxxia says:
🌱 Noobs🏆1
after sales and update na lang labanan nila dito at lamang dito ang ASUS. ^_^
john says:
🌱 Noobs🏆1
the alcatel flash plus here is hand down the best among the 3. panalo talaga ang camera sensor, it is used by android flagships last year( LG G3, One plus one and MI4). The sony IMX219PQ sensor used by the lenovo and zenfone is just the worst camera sensor in the market, based just on my experience. Di ka rin lugi sa xpu ng flash plus kahit mediatek siya, powerful naman tas ayos din ang baterucapacity. di
john says:
🌱 Noobs🏆1
the alcatel flash plus here is hand down the best among the 3. panalo talaga ang camera sensor, it is used by android flagships last year( LG G3, One plus one and MI4). The sony IMX219PQ sensor used by the lenovo and zenfone is just the worst camera sensor in the market, based just on my experience. Di ka rin lugi sa cpu ng flash plus kahit mediatek siya, powerful naman tas ayos din ang batery capacity. di ka talaga magsisisi jan. hehe. zenfone user din ako pero na amaze talaga ako sa specs g flash plus hehe. thumbs up alcatel for releasing this kind of smartphone
Bob Ong says:
🌱 Noobs🏆1
Mehdiatek
benc says:
🌱 Noobs🏆1
dami mong malalaman. The best? 267ppi for a 5 incher phone? Sabaw! Yan hirap sa inyong mga fandroid eh, puro kayo specs. Lakas nga ng specs sa papel sabaw naman in reality… Kaya ako d ako bibili ng android. Apple pa din. Sa inyo na specs nyo, mura nga di mo naman magamit ng maayus, ganun din. Nagtapon lang kau ng pera.
ryan says:
🌱 Noobs🏆1
benc? seriously? did you reallythink that an HD display for a 5.5 incher smartphone is that bad? what do you expect from a 6 thousand pesos smartphone? must be equipped with 4K display resoltion? did you really compare the iphone with this device?Ang tanga mo. 40 thousand yung iphone 6 plus. kung may 40k man ako eh galaxy s6 nalang or lg g4 ang bibilhin ko. icompare mo yung iphone mo sa mga phones na yan. talong talo ka.
tsaka did you specify that you have ip6+? Sabihin mo nga sakin ano ba talaga advantage ng full hd display? to stream in 1080p? sa tingin mo ba kakayanin ng mobile data mo yan? or kahit sa DSL mo? sasakit nalang ulo mo. kontento na ako sa 720p HD display for smartphones Worry free at based on my experience super sharp parin naman ng resolution na yan.
eto lang tandaan mo. kong totoong mayaman ka di ganyan kasama ugali mo. halatang nangungutang lang para may maipangyayabang. di mo makakain yang iphone mo pag gugutomin ka. tse
appleturd says:
🌱 Noobs🏆1
Ignore that Apple-turd benc. Like most Apple fanbois, he attempts to cover up his single-digit IQ with loads of elitism and condescension.
Flavio says:
🌱 Noobs🏆1
Kahit apple o android o windows phone o BB, 7k o 40k, tapos taon taon din nagpapalit, sino nagtatapon ng pera? Bali wala specs o tibay kung hindi susulitin para lang makasunod sa uso. Hindi sa pagiging fandroid o isheep yan, nasa pagpapahalaga sa naipundar, mura man o mahal.
darvs says:
🌱 Noobs🏆1
Tcl m2u has a yamaha music chipset in it, so i suppose d same goes to afp since rebrand sya nito.. Kndly consider.. Ty
krusher says:
🌱 Noobs🏆1
Alacatel is awsome giant battery 10% every 1hr drain 2k14 NBA
+ data connection… At 10% brightness
Anderson says:
🌱 Noobs🏆1
Meizu m1 note ako. updated lagi flyme
Froknoi says:
🌱 Noobs🏆1
I have 3 words for this one :
Customer Support Matters…
Welsht says:
🌱 Noobs🏆1
I agree with you!
But.. If masira man ng flash plus, I would rather buy a new one… Kasi Baka mas mahal pa ng Parts and Labor kaysa bumili ng bagong flash plus..
OS update support na lang sana. :)
This says:
🌱 Noobs🏆1
puro non removable ang battery ng mga toh?
klky says:
🌱 Noobs🏆1
kng gsto mo ng may pagka premium feel at trsted brand.. asus kna.. d kayang talunn ng alca at lenovo yan..
kng specs wise naman at bang 4 d buck, afp ako dyan sure.
kng gsto mo naman lumobo battery ng cp mo, alam na this
klky says:
🌱 Noobs🏆1
zenUI pla nkalimutan ko ska updates
g2 says:
🌱 Noobs🏆1
Guys
Which is better these Three phones. Or the LG G2 considering na mababa na price ng g2
Aladin says:
🌱 Noobs🏆1
Isa ako sa mga masuwerteng unang nagkaroon ng Alcatel Flash Plus,
Thanks to Lazada ,pag order ko last friday,kinabusan ng 12noon ay dumating agad itong unit ko.
So far I’m satisfied in terms of performance,
One thing lng gusto Kong malaman kung paano ung fast charging?
20% remaining pa pero umabot prin ng 4hrs.
Meron bng dapat i-activate or need mag DL ng apps?
Any help guys..
Thanks
webpinoy says:
🌱 Noobs🏆1
zenfone 2 is trash. Still with the heat issues because of intel cpu. dapat lagyan nila ng heatsink at fan haha. They should just stick in making computers.