Top Smartphones Under Php30K (Mid-2016)

We recently gave you our top lists for under Php5K and under Php10K, let’s up the budget a bit and see what smartphone brands under this price range. Check out our top smartphones under Php30k.

Note: Smartphones listed below are those that were announced or launched in the Philippines from January to June 2016 with SRPs ranging from Php20,000USD 341INR 28,892EUR 325CNY 2,482 to Php29,999USD 511INR 43,337EUR 487CNY 3,723. The list is arranged by price from lowest to highest.

Lenovo Vibe X3

First on the list is the Lenovo Vibe X3 which arrived in the country in April. It sports a 5.5-inch Full HD display with Gorilla Glass 3, Snapdragon 808 octa-core CPU, 3GB RAM, fingerprint scanner, and a Sony-made 21MP PDAF camera with 4K video support. Price is at Php 22,099USD 377INR 31,924EUR 359CNY 2,742 and is bundled with a free VR headset.

Lenovo Vibe X3 specs:
5.5-inch Full HD IPS display, 401ppi
Corning Gorilla Glass 3
1.8GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 808 hexa-core CPU
Adreno 418 GPU
3GB RAM
32GB internal storage
Up to 128GB via microSD (via SIM 2)
21-megapixel PDAF rear camera Sony IMX230 sensor w/ dual-tone LED flash
4K video support
8-megapixel front-facing camera
Dual-SIM
4G LTE, 3G HSPA+
WiFi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac
Bluetooth 4.1
GPS w/ A-GPS, GLONASS
NFC
IR blaster
FM Radio
Fingerprint scanner
Dual front-facing speakers w/ Dolby Atmos
Android 5.1 Lollipop w/ Vibe UI (upgradeable to Marshmallow 6.0)
3,500mAh battery
154 x 76.5 x 9.3 mm
175 g

Samsung Galaxy A7 (2016)

The Galaxy A7 (2016) is Samsung’s latest premium mid-range smartphone launched in April. It packs a 5.5-inch Full HD Super AMOLED display, Exynos 7580 octa-core CPU, 3GB RAM and fingerprint scanner. It is priced at Php 22,990USD 392INR 33,211EUR 373CNY 2,853.

Samsung Galaxy A7 (2016) specifications:
5.5-inch Full HD Super AMOLED display (1920×1080 pixels), 401ppi
Gorilla Glass 4
1.6GHz Exynos 7580 Octa-core processor
3GB RAM
16GB internal storage
up to 128GB via microSD
13MP rear camera, f/1.9 aperture, OIS, LED flash
5MP front camera, f/1.9
Dual-SIM hybrid
LTE Cat.6
WiFi 802.11 a/b/g/n
Bluetooth 4.1
ANT+
NFC
Fingerprint scanner
Android 5.1 Lollipop (upgradable to Marshmallow)
3,300mAh battery w/ Fast Charging
151.5 x 74.1 x 7.3mm
172g

Apple iPhone SE

Apple’s latest smartphone offering is a mix of old and new. The iPhone SE features the same body, design, and dimensions as the iPhone 5 but internally it is as powerful as the iPhone 6S. Price starts at Php 23,590USD 402INR 34,078EUR 383CNY 2,928 for the 16GB variant and can go up to Php 29,590USD 504INR 42,746EUR 480CNY 3,672 for the 64GB.

Apple iPhone SE specs:
4-inch (1136 x 640) IPS display, 326ppi
1.84GHz Apple A9 Twister dual-core CPU w/ M9 motion coprocessor
PowerVR GT7600 GPU
2GB RAM
16GB, 64GB internal storage
12MP iSight rear camera w/ 1.22µm pixels, True Tone Flash
1.2MP f/2.4 front camera w/ Retina Flash
4G LTE Cat.4
Wi-Fi 802.11ac
Bluetooth 4.2
GPS, A-GPS, GLONASS
NFC (Apple Pay)
Touch ID fingerprint scanner
Apple Lightning connector
iOS 9.3
1,624mAh battery
123.8 x 58.6 x 7.6 mm
113 g
Rose Gold, Gold, Space Gray, Silver

Huawei P9

Huawei made a buzz when they unveiled their flagship smartphone because of two things – the dual-12MP camera, and its collaboration with Leica for the said optics. It sports a 5.2-inch Full HD display, Kirin 955 octa-core CPU 3GB RAM, 32GB storage, fingerprint scanner, and Android Marshmallow. It launched in the Philippines with a price tag of Php 23,990USD 409INR 34,656EUR 389CNY 2,977.

Huawei P9 specs:
5.2-inch Full HD IPS display (1920 x 1080 pixels), 423ppi
2.5GHz Kirin 955 octa-core processor
Mali-T880 MP4 GPU
3GB RAM
32GB internal storage
Expandable via microSD, up to 128GB (uses SIM 2)
Dual 12-megapixel hybrid autofocus rear camera w/ dual-tone LED flash, Leica optics
8-megapixel front-facing camera
Dual SIM
LTE
Wi-Fi 802.11 ac, dual-band
Bluetooth 4.1
GPS w/ A-GPS, GLONASS, BDS
NFC
USB Type-C
Fingerprint scanner
3000mAh Li-Ion battery
Android 6.0 Marshmallow w/ Emotion UI 4.1
145 x 70.9 x 6.95 mm
144 g

ASUS ZenFone Zoom

Arrived in the country back in January is the ASUS ZenFone Zoom, the company’s camera-centric smartphone boasting a 13MP camera with 3x optical zoom. Powering the device is an Intel Atom Z3590 quad-core CPU, 4GB RAM, and 3,000mAh battery. It is priced at Php 26,995USD 460INR 38,997EUR 438CNY 3,350.

ASUS Zenfone Zoom specs:
5.5 inch IPS LCD display @ 1920×1080 pixels, 401ppi
Corning Gorilla Glass 4
2.5GHz Intel Atom Z3590 64-bit quad-core CPU
PowerVR 6430 GPU
4GB RAM
128GB internal storage
up to 128GB via microSD card
13-megapixel rear camera w/ 3x optical zoom, dual-tone LED flash
5-megapixel front-facing camera
Dual-SIM
LTE Cat4+
Wi-Fi 802.11ac
Bluetooth 4.0
GPS w/ A-GPS support
3000mAh Li-Po battery
Android 5.0 Lollipop w/ Zen UI
158.9 x 78.8 x 12 mm
185 g

Acer Liquid Jade Primo

The only Windows 10 Mobile-powered smartphone on the list is the Acer Liquid Jade Primo. It sports a 5.5-inch Full HD AMOLED display, Snapdragon 808 hexa-core CPU, 3GB RAM, 21MP camera, and USB Type-C. It is sold with a Continuum Kit for Php 28,990USD 494INR 41,879EUR 471CNY 3,598.

Acer Liquid Jade Primo specs:
5.5-inch Full HD AMOLED display, 401ppi
2.5D corning Gorilla Glass
100% NTSC color gamut, 10000:1 contrast
Qualcomm Snapdragon 808 hexa-core CPU
Adreno 418 GPU
3GB RAM
32GB internal storage
up to 128GB via microSD (uses SIM 2 slot)
21MP rear camera w/ dual-LED flash, 4K video recording
8MP front camera
Dual-SIM (nano)
4G LTE, 3G HSPA+
WiFi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, Dual-Band MIMO
Bluetooth 4.1
GPS, A-GPS
USB Type-C
2,800mAh battery
Windows 10 Mobile
156.5 x 75.9 x 8.4 mm
150 g

Huawei P9 Plus

For those who want more from the Huawei P9 should take a look at its big brother – the P9 Plus. It features a 5.5-inch Full HD display, Kirin 955 octa-core CPU, 4GB RAM, 64GB internal storage, fingerprint scanner, USB Type-C, and the same dual-12MP camera. It is priced at Php 29,990USD 511INR 43,324EUR 487CNY 3,722.

Huawei P9 Plus specifications:
5.5-inch Full HD IPS display (1920 x 1080 pixels)
2.5GHz Kirin 955 octa-core processor
Mali-T880 MP4 GPU
4GB RAM
64GB internal storage
Expandable via microSD, up to 128GB (uses SIM 2)
Dual 12-megapixel hybrid autofocus rear camera w/ dual-tone LED flash, Leica optics
8-megapixel autofocus f/1.9 front-facing camera
Dual SIM
LTE
Wi-Fi 802.11 ac, dual-band
Bluetooth 4.1
GPS w/ A-GPS, GLONASS, BDS
NFC
IR Blaster
USB Type-C
Fingerprint scanner
3400mAh Li-Ion battery
Android 6.0 Marshmallow w/ Emotion UI 4.1
152.3 x 75.3 x 6.98 mm
162 g

Sony Xperia X

Last, but not the least, is Sony’s latest Android device – the Xperia X. Launched just this month, this new smartphone boasts a 5-inch Full HD display, Snapdragon 650 CPU, 3GB RAM, 64GB internal storage, 13MP PDAF camera, fingerprint scanner, and Android Marshmallow. It is priced at Php 29,990USD 511INR 43,324EUR 487CNY 3,722.

Sony Xperia X specs:
5.0-inch Full HD Triluminos display, 441ppi
1.8GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 650 hexa-core CPU
Adreno 510 GPU
3GB RAM
64GB internal storage
up to 256GB microSD
23MP PDAF rear camera w/ LED flash
13MP front camera
Dual-SIM
4G LTE Cat.6
WiFi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac
Bluetooth 4.2, A2DP, aptX, LE
GPS, A-GPS, GLONASS
NFC
FM radio
Fingerprint scanner
2,620mAh battery
Android 6.0.1 Marshmallow
142.7 x 69.4 x 7.9 mm
153 g
White, Rose Gold, Lime Gold, Graphite Black

Bonus:

Note: The smartphones below are not officially available in the Philippines but can be purchased through online shops.

OnePlus 3

The OnePlus 3 is the company’s latest flagship device. It packs a 5.5-inch Optic AMOLED display, Gorilla Glass 4, Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 CPU, 6GB RAM, 16MP PDAF camera and Oxygen OS based on the latest Android Marshmallow. It is available at Widget City for Php 20,990USD 358INR 30,322EUR 341CNY 2,605. See listing here.

OnePlus 3 specs:
5.5-inch Optic AMOLED display @ 1920×1080 pixels, 401ppi
Corning Gorilla Glass 4
Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 2.15GHz quad-core processor
Adreno 530 GPU
6GB LPDDR4 RAM
64GB internal storage
4G LTE Cat. 6
Dual-SIM
WiFi 802.11a/c
Bluetooth 4.2
NFC
16MP rear camera with Sony IMX298 sensor, OIS, PDAF, LED flash
4K video recording
8MP front-facing camera with Sony IMX179 sensor, EIS
3,000mAh Li-Ion battery w/ Dash Charge support (5V 4A)
Oxygen OS 3.0 (Android 6.0.1 Marshmallow)
152.7 x 74.7 x 7.4 mm
158 g

Sony Xperia X Performance

The top-of-the-line Xperia X lineup is the Xperia X Performance. It has the same looks as the Xperia X but with a beefier Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 CPU, larger 2,700mAh battery, and IP68-certified body. It is available at Widget City for Php 29,990USD 511INR 43,324EUR 487CNY 3,722. See listing here.

Sony Xperia X Performance specs:
5.0-inch Full HD Triluminos display, 441ppi
1.8GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 650 hexa-core CPU
Adreno 510 GPU
3GB RAM
64GB internal storage
up to 256GB microSD
23MP PDAF rear camera w/ LED flash
13MP front camera
Dual-SIM
4G LTE Cat.6
WiFi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac
Bluetooth 4.2, A2DP, aptX, LE
GPS, A-GPS, GLONASS
NFC
FM radio
Fingerprint scanner
IP68-certified body
2,700mAh battery
Android 6.0.1 Marshmallow
143.7 x 70.4 x 8.7 mm
164.4 g
White, Rose Gold, Lime Gold, Graphite Black

And that sums it up. If we missed anything, let us know in the comments field below.