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Our Top 10 Smartphones under Php15k for 2013

Bob Freking October 24, 2013 · 6 min read

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If you’re on a tight budget on getting your new smartphone and you want the best bang for your buck, then look no more as we’ve got you covered! Here are our top 10 smartphones under Php15k for October 2013.

top smartphones 15000 philippines

Notes:

Prices are based on online sellers and SRPs; listed in no particular order.
We wanted to keep the list as diverse as possible.

1. Starmobile Knight (±Php11,290)

If you’re looking for the best of Starmobile, then the Knight is your only choice for the moment. It offers a great balance of design, speed & performance.

knight

Starmobile Knight specs:
4.7-inch (1280 x 720, 312ppi) HD LCD
Corning Gorilla Glass
1.2 Ghz MediaTek MT6589 quad-core CPU
1GB of RAM
4GB of internal storage
up to 32GB via microSD
18 megapixel AF BSI rear camera w/ dual-LED flash
8 megapixel AF BSI front-facing
dual-SIM
2,000mAh battery
Android 4.2 Jellybean

However, even with the great package, you can always add a little more to the Knight’s price & get something better.

2. Nokia Lumia 920 (±Php14,280 – 15,980)

We have a wide range of cameraphones in this list, but most of them can only take so much beating in image quality, especially in low-light. This is why the 8.7 megapixel PureView packing Nokia Lumia 920 makes it into this list!

nokia lumia 920

Nokia Lumia 920 specs:
4.5-inch 720p display PureMotionHD+ @ 1280×768 pixels
Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 1.5GHz dual-core, Krait processor
Adreno 225 GPU
1GB RAM
32GB internal storage
LTE
8.7MP rear camera, LED flash
1.3MP front-facing camera
2,000mAh Li-Ion battery
Windows Phone 8

The Nokia Lumia 920 is quite heavy though, and it’s a flagship phone from last year which others may find lacking already.

3. BlackBerry Q5 (±Php13,700)

BlackBerry’s most affordable BB10 smartphone will still make the cut if you’re looking for the best BlackBerry experience & keyboard.

q5_1

BlackBerry Q5 specs:
3.1-inch IPS LCD display @ 720×720 pixels, 328ppi
Qualcomm MSM8960 Snapdragon S4 1.2GHz dual-core
Adreno 305 graphics
2GB RAM
8GB internal storage
up to 64GB via microSD card
5MP autofocus rear camera, LED flash
2MP front-facing camera
BlackBerry OS 10.1
Li-Ion 2,180mAh battery

The thing is, BBM is already out for iOS & Android, and it’s harder to pick BlackBerry more than ever. However, the BBM experience with phones like the Q5 will still remain unparalleled.

4. LG Nexus 4 (±Php13,600 – 13,990)

Coming in white or black, 8GB or 16GB variants, the Nexus 4 is still easily one of the phones I’d recommend to anyone looking for the best Android experience. It has the highest spec configuration in this list with a quad-core Snapdragon S4 Pro CPU, 2GB RAM & an Adreno 320 GPU; not to mention, it gets the latest version of Android first.

Nexus 4

LG-Google Nexus 4 specs:
4.7” True HD IPS+ display 1280 x 720 @ 318ppi
Gorilla Glass 2 coated display
1.5GHz Snapdragon S4 Pro (APQ8064)
2GB of RAM
Adreno 320 GPU
8/16GB non-expandable internal storage
8MP autofocus camera w/ LED flash
1.3MP front-facing camera
NFC
2100mAh non-removable battery
Android 4.3 Jelly bean (upgradable to KitKat)

However, I’m always quick to ask people who need advice “do you need a good camera?”, cause the Nexus 4 just isn’t that good in this field.

5. Asus FonePad (±Php13,500)

Before you come telling me that this is a 7-inch tablet, well it’s still also a phone – and a pretty well-packed one nonetheless.

fonepad philippines

ASUS FonePad specs:
7-inch WXGA (1280×800) IPS touchscreen display, 216ppi
1.6GHz Intel Atom Z2460 processor
PowerVR SGX540 GPU
1GB RAM
32GB internal storage
MicroSD card slot w/ support for up to 32GB
3.15MP autofocus camera
1.2MP front-facing camera
Non-removable 4270mAh Li-Ion battery
Android Jelly bean

However, a tablet-phone is surely not for everyone. If you’re not that type of person, you can always look at other phones in this list.

6. Samsung Galaxy Grand (±Php12,400 – 12,680)

For this price range, Samsung’s offering a very decent deal too in the form of the Galaxy Grand.

galaxy grand

Samsung Galaxy Grand i9082 specs:
5-inch WVGA LCD screen @ 187ppi
1.2GHz dual-core processor
1GB RAM
8GB internal storage
Dual SIM
expandable up to 64GB via microSD
8MP autofocus camera w/ LED flash
2MP HD front-facing camera
2100mAh Li-Ion battery
Android 4.1.2 Jelly bean

Everything looks decent for the dual-SIM smartphone except for the 5-inch display with lackluster resolution.

7. Nokia Lumia 625 (±Php12,200)

The second Nokia handset in this list also makes the cut because of a great balance in specs. It also has a huge screen for a Windows Phone, and it packs LTE on-board.

lumia 625

Nokia Lumia 625 specs:
4.7-inch IPS ClearBlack LCD screen, 800×480 @199ppi
1.2GH Snapdragon S4 MSM8930 dual-core processor
Adreno 305 GPU
Expandable 8GB internal storage (up to 64GB)
512MB RAM
5MP rear camera w/ LED flash
VGA front-facing camera
LTE
2000mAh Li-Ion battery
Windows Phone 8 (w/ Amber update)

However, you may want to think hard about this one – especially with the Lumia 625’s 512MB RAM & all.

8. HTC Windows Phone 8X (±Php12,080 – Php13,500)

If Windows Phone 8 & HTC are your endgames, then the HTC Windows Phone 8X is perfect for you. It packs a beautiful design with decent internals – from Beats Audio to that wide-angle front-facing camera.

Conclusion

HTC Windows Phone 8X specs:
4.3-inch S-LCD2 HD display @ 1280×720 pixels, 342ppi
Snapdragon S4 Krait (MSM8960) 1.5GHz dual-core
Adreno 225 GPU
1GB RAM
16GB internal storage
8MP autofocus camera w/ flash, 2.1MP secondary camera
1800mAh Li-Po battery
Windows Phone 8

The downside is it’s also a phone which has some age to it already. If you wish to stay updated and a bit more futureproof, then the HTC 8X is easy to disregard.

9. Cherry Mobile Cosmos Z (±Php11,300 – 11,999)

We have to applaud Cherry Mobile for this one; the Cosmos Z is the most affordable phone with a full HD 1080p display!

Cherry Mobile Cosmos Z specs:
5-inch IPS LCD display @ 1080×1920 pixels, 441ppi
Mediatek MT6589 1.5GHz quad-core processor
PowerVR SGX 544MP
1GB RAM
16GB internal storage
micro SD up to 32GB
18.2MP BSI rear camera with LED flash
8MP front-facing cameraDual SIM
Li-Ion 2,000mAh battery
Android 4.2.1 Jellybean

CM updates their lineup of phones very often though, so the Cosmos Z might easily see a successor soon. Also, the phone suffers from a low battery capacity, so you may want to think twice too.

10. Sony Xperia SP (±Php13,990 – 15,700)

Sony won’t be too late in the game as it has a very capable performer in its hands. With the Xperia SP, you can access LTE networks without facing much hardware & software compromises.

xperia sp

Sony Xperia SP specs:
4.6-inch HD display @ 720 x 1280, 319ppi
Qualcomm MSM8960 Snapdragon Pro 1.7GHz dual-core processor
Adreno 320 GPU
1GB RAM
8GB internal storage
up to 32GB via microSD card
LTE
NFC
8MP rear camera, LED flash
VGA front-facing camera
Android 4.1 Jellybean
2370mah Li-Po battery

While seemingly perfect for the mid-range market, reviews have pointed out that it has an underwhelming display.

Well, there you have it and that’s our list for now. We’ll be updating you with more as time goes by, and if you have any other suggestions, feel free to comment down below!

What is the price of the Starmobile Knight?

The Starmobile Knight is priced at approximately Php11,290.

What makes the Nokia Lumia 920 stand out in this list?

The Nokia Lumia 920 stands out for its 8.7 megapixel PureView camera with excellent low-light performance.

How much internal storage does the Nokia Lumia 920 have?

The Nokia Lumia 920 has 32GB of internal storage.

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best smartphones philippines philippines phones below 15000 phones philippines top smartphones top smartphones under 15 YugaTech List

Bob Freking

Writer

Bob Freking occasionally contributes articles to the website. He is a UST Graduate of Commerce & Business Administration, Major in Marketing Management, and a full-time Sith Lord with three dragons.

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140 Comments

Krishna · 13 years ago

Hi!

Does the CM Cosmos Z better than O+8.15?
Or the lenovo S820?
or the sony xperia c?
Please advice which is better of these mobile phones because I’m not good when it comes to specs? Which among these is a best to buy? Please help… Thanks!

Sean · 13 years ago

That’s really true! Napaka useful ng LG phones. And I hope magtagal pa kayo :)

Lino · 13 years ago

LG do really have a Filipino heart! this is really touching : http://instagram.com/p/g1pLbmL…

sexy · 13 years ago

i don’t know nexus is at this price! :)

inlove · 13 years ago

nexus so cool! its from google and LG ^^

jungle · 13 years ago

LG always makes a phone that their market can afford and also helps them :)

Jane · 13 years ago

that’s truee! Very helpful to consumers :)

robin · 13 years ago

congrats LG…. ask q lng po how much the Nexus 4?

saws · 13 years ago

Congrats LG for being successful :)

nina · 13 years ago

hi. okay ba ung lenovo s820? kung papipiliin kayo galaxy grand or lenovo s820?

mark · 13 years ago

wow…. congrats LG u deserve it..

Mikie · 13 years ago

LG Really deserve to be part of the top 10 best smartphone! this is really something :)

lexie · 13 years ago

LG Nexus! love it!

nica · 13 years ago

Amazing invention from LG!

chiz · 13 years ago

Really amazing LG! I’m really a fan! I hope have more updates soon. #G2

Mikel · 13 years ago

ka addick LG! napaka galing kasii! affordable pa! G2 na talaga gusto ko :0

michael · 13 years ago

LG is the best smartphone….

FEA · 13 years ago

sana magkarun na ko ng ganito! LG you’re the best! :)

edward · 13 years ago

Lg nexus 4!!! :) ilove that! For only 14k

Ben Astorga · 13 years ago

The list is definitely missing last year’s flagships eg: The S3 and HOX/+!

Miley · 13 years ago

When things go wrong! LG is always on it’;s way to help : http://instagram.com/p/g1pLbmL_FK/

Andy · 13 years ago

THE REVIEW WAS FANTASTIC. IT’S like I wanna view it for more :)

chloe · 13 years ago

LG always come up with the best product! like the nexus others are the G2 and and now the G-flex.

Macy · 13 years ago

Trouble with snap shots? LG is the answer. Shacky hands is now no longer the problem :)

MAy · 13 years ago

No problem with LG! It has the ultimate must have processor! very techie :)

shane · 13 years ago

LG always makes the best!

Mikey · 13 years ago

this is really something LG! I love it! you’re great! No one can beat you! :)

silver · 13 years ago

The ultimate must have for me is the LG G2! it has a 13mp camera and a snapdragon processor.. tho its a little pricey, it still is the best for me

fanatic · 13 years ago

ganda nung LG ahh ang vibrant ng color

Me · 13 years ago

how about Alcatel scribe HD?

Ajejejejeje · 13 years ago

Nexus 4 should top this list. Hmmmmm….

Gabs · 13 years ago

Kung may Star Mobile Knight, dapat may Cherry Mobile Cosmos X2. Daming aspect na lamang ang X2 sa knight.

ichigo · 13 years ago

di pa cguro nbabalitan ng author ung bgo sa CM tsk2… lahat ng nasa list nya taob dito
Cherry Mobile Omega HD 2X initial specs
•Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean
•5.7-inch Full HD IPS Display (1920×1080 pixel resolution)
•MTK6589T 1.5GHz quad-core processor
•2GB RAM
•32GB internal storage
•18-megapixel main camera with LED flash
•8-megapixel front camera
•HSPA+
•Wi-Fi, Wi-Fi hotspot
•GPS, A-GPS

ichigo · 13 years ago

12,399 nga pla price nito…

Servogate · 13 years ago

Hi Yuga please review the ff mobile phone

Knight vs Cosmoz X2 vs 530QX

2toyzki · 13 years ago

Kahit hindi ko gusto yung article or author, binabasa ko pa din dahil kay Abuzalzal :>

Konix · 13 years ago

no love for the Lenovo P780? hehe just shows the P780 is probably the most underrated smartphone of the bunch.

Syntax · 13 years ago

I’d rather pick Lumia 720 over 625 anyday. The only advantage of 625 is it has LTE. Huge screen but pathetic pixel density.

flitzoffthehook · 13 years ago

O+ 8.16 PASOK NA PASOK. nakita ko lang kanina sa eat bulaga. 5.7in display.. 1.2 quad, 3g, 8gb, 13mp. for only 13k! pwedeng pantapat sa Samsung G. Mega series.

wew · 13 years ago

daming mga di marunong magbasa hahahaha bobo amf

jason bourne · 13 years ago

The lenovo P780 is better than some of these phones… Sana magkakaroon 8gb version ng p780 dito Pinas

Daniel · 13 years ago

I’ll argue with the BlackBerry Q5, it’s tagged at 18 990 , 13 700 I think that’s a price for 2nd hand or used.

JP · 13 years ago

Can anybody here tell me what stores herer in Manila sell the LG Nexus 4 at (±Php13,600 – 13,990)? Not the online stores please. Also I did see the huawei ascend d1 quad xl being sold for somewhere between 7500-8k at a memo xpress store. Is it a steal at that price?

abuzalzal · 13 years ago

Go to Hotgadgets at Startek! Sa may tabi ng galleria yun. Dun ko binili gamit ko.

meh · 13 years ago

Nexus 4 should be at the top of the list. Its not using a terrible mediatek processor. It gets updates directly from google (some of these other off brand phones might not ever get official android updates)

abuzalzal · 13 years ago

Isa na namang ugok! Another fool joined the club of people who can’t fucking read.

Sabi nga sa notes, “LISTED IN NO PARTICULAR ORDER”!!!

What the fuck is wrong with you, people?! These people needs to re-learn their Reading Comprehension subject in an Elementary School…LMAO!

DSkyHellsing · 13 years ago

Gusy compare nyo nga to sa Telego Mobile
ang ganda e Quadcore pa sa murang halaga.?
FB page nila: http://www.facebook.com/telegophilippines

W980 – 5,899Php

Specs:

Android: 4.2.1 jellybean
Network: Quadband GSM Dualband Wcdma/umts
HSPA (see wikipidia)
Cpu: Mt6589 quadcore @1.2ghz
Gpu: Powervr sgx544 mp
Ram: 1gb
Memory: 4gb expandable up to 64gb usb flashdrive support
Screen: 5inch 960x540qhd ips display
Camera: back 8mp/flash
front 2mp
Bluetooth: 4.0
Wifi: 802.11 b/g/n
Gps: yes
Radio: yes
Sensor: G-sensor proximity sensor
Flash player11

abuzalzal · 13 years ago

Hehe List ni Freks ‘yan ano ba kayo, walang basagan ng trip, kahit sabihin niyang ”in no particular order” aba’y binalandra talaga yung SM Knight sa unahan para di naman ma-obvious :-)

Pero Freking , isn’t your
”We wanted to keep the list as diverse as possible.” criteria FLAWED???

Dapat yan points system.

1.Performance/Peso ratio (Camera,UI,Specs etc etc)
2.Design/Aesthetics.
3.Software /AfterSales Support.

Diverse nga marami namang patapon, shoeskopo!

Take Frek’s list with a grain of pamintang-durog.

akodatuba · 13 years ago

andami mo pang alam na point system.gawa ka nlang ng sarili mo blog at dun ka mag rant!

akodatuba · 13 years ago

@abuzalzal, andami mo pang alam na point system.gawa ka nlang ng sarili mo blog at dun ka mag rant!

wew · 13 years ago

bobo edi gumawa ka ng sarili mong listahan!pag point system ang ginawa nila mas magiging kumplikado basahin ang article lalo na sa mga di naman tech hardcore at enthusiasts,in other words magiging boring basahin. kung may nakikita kang phone na sa tingin mo ay patapon at di dapat kasama, OPINYON MO YUN. bawat tao may kanyakanyang listahan ng top 10 smartphones at ang nilagay nila dito ay top 10 in general. puro ka satsat ni hindi ka pa nga makapagbigay ng konkretong ebidensya,nagbigay ka lng ng twitter acct para masabeng may ebidensya,d naman mapost ang picture.haaayy mga bobo nga naman

Jimmy Nap · 13 years ago

@abuzalzal

Hindi ka na naman pinagbigyan ng gay lover mo kaya nag kaka ganyan ka? Venting out your sexual frustrations here is counter productive. My advise to you is to find a goat or something!

Don’t feed the troll · 13 years ago

seryoso guys, wag na kayo mag cocomment sa post ni abuzalzal, sabi nga sa internet “don’t feed the freakin’troll”. pag wala na kausap yan iiyak yan, hahaha

for those who think they need to bash this guy, please don’t. just scroll down and read the other comments. let us ignore @abuzalzal and make a stress free yugatech.

jaiii · 13 years ago

ask ko lng, ang HTC 8X ba ay LTE capable na?

bastard athiest · 13 years ago

abuzalzal’s rants in 3…2…1

rey · 13 years ago

pano yung huawei ascend d1 quad xl na naka sale ngayon for 8K?

Theodore · 13 years ago

Neuxs 4 should be the one….. Look at the specs… And also, The knight is weak when it is compared to Nexus 4. 1.5GHz vs 1.2GHz = 1.2GHz ang nanalo? At pa 4th pa ang Nexus 4?

basabasadin · 13 years ago

Sir basa basa din. No particular order.

abuzalzal · 13 years ago

Isa pang ugok! Another fool joined the club of people who can’t fucking read.

Kapal pa ng mukha na ilagay yung link ng blog niyang bulok sa username…lol

cmas84 · 13 years ago

Hey, no love for Myphone phones here? The Myphone Iceberg is a good contender as well IMO. =)

Ex-Alodian Knight · 13 years ago

True. They don’t get much love.
When we speak the M-word (MyPhone), yuga just covers his ears and goes “lalalalalalalala, I can’t hear you, it’s got a map at the back, lolololol”

I was saddened when they didn’t include the Vortex.

awdog · 13 years ago

Wow ignorance. Nexus 4 should have been #1. HD screen, Quad-core, 2GB RAM, updated software

Super House Of Dead Ninjas

pompom · 13 years ago

its in NO particular order boss!

Hay · 13 years ago

“Prices are based on online sellers and SRPs; listed in no particular order.”

basa basa din.

rocketlog · 13 years ago

Wow, ignorance talaga, awdog. Hahaha. No particular order nga e.

But, you do have a point. Nexus 4 tops this list. Kung ranked talaga sila, I’d rank them like this:

1. Nexus 4 top
2/3. Xperia SP / Lumia 920 for the LTE.
4. Cosmos Z
5. HTC WP8X
6. StarMobile Knight
7-10. The remaining ones just don’t appeal to me anymore.

Again, it’s my own ranking. So you don’t have to agree with it. (bored lang talaga ako ngayon)

My biases are:
1. I get good LTE coverage most of the time so I put more weight sa LTE;
2. I don’t like MTK chips (I think dual-Kraits work, and;
3. I’m not a sucker for 1080P displays. I think around 300PPI is good enough.

Boss · 13 years ago

basa basa din Lubyu

ignorante · 13 years ago

wow. ignorance talaga.

Nam · 13 years ago

HI Bob,

I like the article. Especially with the coming Nexus 5 and falling prices for the Nexus 4, I think that ill go for the 4.

All of you can find the best prices for mobile phones in the philippines here -http://www.oizoioi.ph/Apple-iPhone-5-16GB-Black-Slate-1-59.html – we compare all of the online prices in Philippines.