Smartphone Gift Guide for Holiday 2015

Holiday shopping spree is among us again and we’re here to help you decide on purchasing your new smartphone. From the budget offering to the most powerful and expensive device, we’ve got you covered. We collated the devices based on their pricing for easier reading. Let’s begin!

Table of Contents

Under Php10,000USD 170INR 14,446EUR 162CNY 1,241

We’ll start off with the Moto E (2^nd Gen), which is currently priced at Php 4,999USD 85INR 7,222EUR 81CNY 620. It’s a well-built device from Motorola and could be perfect for those looking for a compact smartphone with its 4.5” qHD display and has a decent battery life. The Lazada exclusive Alcatel Flash 2 has a slightly 5” HD display and bigger RAM and you can have it for Php 5,990USD 102INR 8,653EUR 97CNY 743 with free flip cover, screen protector, and SIM card. If you are particular with software versions, you can opt for an Android One smartphone from Cherry Mobile, the One G1. Its promised fresh updates directly from Google is already a good selling point making it one of the few Android 6.0 Marshmallow devices in the market and it’s just priced at Php 5,999USD 102INR 8,666EUR 97CNY 744 w/ free 8GB microSD.

If you want a budget smartphone with fast autofocus feature, well the ASUS ZenFone 2 Laser is one of your options. It has two variants in the country, the ZE500KL and ZE550KL. The difference between the two is their screen sizes, 5-inch vs 5.5-inch but they are closely priced at Php 7,295USD 124INR 10,538EUR 118CNY 905 and Php 7,995USD 136INR 11,550EUR 130CNY 992 respectively. The Lenovo A7000 Plus, another Lazada exclusive, is also a good buy at Php 7,999USD 136INR 11,555EUR 130CNY 993 with its Dolby Atmos audio enhancement plus its crisp 5.5” 1080p display.

Another Php 7,999USD 136INR 11,555EUR 130CNY 993 device with a 1080p display is the Cherry Mobile Flare S4 Plus but is has a bigger 3GB of RAM for your multi-tasking needs. Before we jump off to the next price range, the Xiaomi Mi 4i is a steal with its midrange Snapdragon 615 chipset but carries a Php 9,799USD 167INR 14,156EUR 159CNY 1,216 price tag. It’s also worth mentioning that all of these handsets are LTE-capable so you can have the best browsing speeds available, if you have good reception.

Php10,000USD 170INR 14,446EUR 162CNY 1,241 – Php19,999USD 341INR 28,891EUR 325CNY 2,482

At this range, we can get a more feature-packed smartphone. First in line is the ZenFone 2 Selfie with its 13-megapixel front camera with dual tone LED flash, thus making it the ideal selfie smartphone. Another selfie-centric device on the list is the Sony Xperia C5 Ultra. We cannot deny the beauty of the device thanks to its extremely thin bezel, but the steep Php 17,990USD 307INR 25,988EUR 292CNY 2,233 pricing might be a deal breaker for some.

With the Lenovo Vibe P1, you can now own a smartphone with a fingerprint scanner for just 14,999. It also boasts a long-lasting 5000mAh battery. The ZUK Z1, on the other hand, almost has an identical look with the P1 but with a 2014 flagship internals like a Snapdragon 800 chipset, 3GB RAM and 64GB storage. It also has a fingerprint scanner and its SRP is amazingly affordable at Php 15,299USD 261INR 22,101EUR 248CNY 1,899.

If you want a sexy smartphone, you might want to consider the Huawei G8. It’s priced at 17,990 but you’re getting a sleek 7.5mm thin smartphone with the attractiveness of Huawei’s design language. Lastly, the elusive OnePlus 2 is the best Php 19,990USD 341INR 28,878EUR 324CNY 2,481 in the local grey market although price may vary. It’s pretty much like 30k flagship smartphone but significantly cheaper.

Php20,000USD 341INR 28,892EUR 325CNY 2,482 – Php29,999USD 511INR 43,337EUR 487CNY 3,723

Moving up to more expensive smartphones, the OPPO R7 Plus is pretty solid at 21,990 with a large 4100mAh battery paired with their own VOOC Flash Charging technology — battery juice shouldn’t be a problem with it. The Samsung Galaxy A8 phablet at Php24,990USD 426INR 36,101EUR 406CNY 3,101 is a good option for having a large 5.7” display and is really thin at 5.9mm. If you’re into Windows 10, the Microsoft Lumia 950 is already here in the country for Php 28,990USD 494INR 41,879EUR 471CNY 3,598.

If you prefer a smaller smartphone with beastly internals, the Sony Xperia Z5 Compact can offer that for Php 29,990USD 511INR 43,324EUR 487CNY 3,722. It’s flagship Snapdragon 801 chipset ensures powerful performance in a pocket-friendly package. Also, the Samsung Galaxy S6 got a price cut to Php 29,990USD 511INR 43,324EUR 487CNY 3,722 for the 32GB variant. Let’s not forget the Google Nexus 6P from Huawei with all the pure Android goodness is also coming to the local market for Php 29,990USD 511INR 43,324EUR 487CNY 3,722.

30,000 and above

If you want the best of the best, these are the smartphones you should consider. The LG G4 with its fantastic 16-megapixel camera with OIS, f/1.8, and manual mode is available for Php 31,990USD 545INR 46,213EUR 519CNY 3,970 and Php 32,990USD 562INR 47,657EUR 535CNY 4,094 for the genuine leather variant. The Huawei Mate S powered by a home-baked Kirin 935 Octa-core chipset is for sale at Php 31,995USD 545INR 46,220EUR 519CNY 3,971. The Windows 10 flagship Microsoft Lumia 950 XL is a good office smartphone especially if you also purchase the Display Dock which are priced at Php 32,990USD 562INR 47,657EUR 535CNY 4,094 and Php 3,390USD 58INR 4,897EUR 55CNY 421 respectively.

The Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge is also cheaper now at 34,990 and the curved edge display is really unique with the Edge series of the Korean-company.  There’s also a larger version dubbed as the Galaxy S6 Edge+ starting at Php 39,990USD 681INR 57,770EUR 649CNY 4,963. The flagship Sony Xperia Z5 is being sold for Php 35,990USD 613INR 51,991EUR 584CNY 4,466 with a 23-megapixel shooter that has been receiving praises as the best smartphone camera to date. The Samsung Galaxy Note 5 with the useful S-Pen for note taking, sketching or just doodling is for purchased at Php 36,990USD 630INR 53,436EUR 600CNY 4,590 (32GB).

The recently launched LG V10 has a secondary display, manual video mode, and everything you’d expect in a powerhouse Android smartphone. It can also support up to 2TB microSD and it’s a bit steep at Php 37,990USD 647INR 54,880EUR 617CNY 4,715. The list will not be complete without the latest smartphones from Apple. The iPhone 6s starts at Php 37,990USD 647INR 54,880EUR 617CNY 4,715 while the iPhone 6s Plus is at Php 43,990USD 750INR 63,548EUR 714CNY 5,459. Lastly, the latest Android-powered BlackBerry Priv is already in the country for a whopping Php 45,000USD 767INR 65,007EUR 730CNY 5,585.

Well, there you have it folks. These are the smartphones you can check into if you’re planning on having one. If you have suggestions, feel free to share them in the comment section below.