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The race to be the best brand in Android smartphones happens every year for big-time manufacturers such as Samsung, OnePlus, and Huawei. Year after year, these brands release a flagship smartphone to trump the competition or replace their old flagship model. In such a scenario, consumers are treated to a myriad of choices that makes it difficult for the uninformed. Luckily for you, we are here to sort these things out.
Online reviewers could go raving or ranting about the specs, storage capacity, or camera performance, but the best way to choose is to compare them with each other. Below we provide our top 10 picks of android smartphonesーsome are below ₱30,000ーand a thorough buying guide, fact-checked by IT Specialist JC Rogelio, to help choose a device from different brands that are available in the market today.
JC Rogelio is first and foremost a fan of upgrading and modifying computers. Due to his passion, he earned a degree in Information Technology from a university specializing in the field. He is tech-savvy and likes to research computer trends. He was a former employee of a Fortune 500 company in the Philippines and now has over 3 years of experience in the IT/Engineering field in Dubai.
Our recommendation articles are carefully researched and crafted by the mybest Philippines team of writers and editors. To stay true to our company’s mission and vision to help users’ selection process easier, we also collaborate with experts from various fields to ensure that our content stays factual and useful.
The expert oversees the Buying Guide only, and does not determine the products and services featured.
Table of Contents
Here are some key points to consider:
Many smartphone users take battery capacity for granted. Having the latest processor and largest RAM on your device will be useless if you can only use the device for a short period. It will be constantly plugged in a charger, and it won't last a whole day if you're always on the go. Also, newer components require a lot of power to operate, which is how an Android smartphone works.
Battery life should always be the priority of power smartphone users. Get a smartphone with at least 4000mAh of battery capacity to sustain your daily usage. Other brands offer more than that and have the latest tech that allows quick charging. The charging brick that comes with the device lets you fully charge the smartphone in just over an hour.
If you're going to use your mobile device for games, photography, or video conferences, you might need a bigger battery capacity such as 5000mAh. Fortunately, this is the standard for most mid-range models nowadays. If you're always in transit, then having a portable power bank with you is always a good idea.
Some brands have wireless charging or reverse charging capability to provide juice to other devices. Just keep in mind that wireless charging docks are generally sold separately and can come at hefty prices depending on the brand.
Others only have wired charging and it won't be much of a hassle if you are always close to a wall socket or devices that have USB ports. Whichever way you want to charge the smartphone is your choice but to be future-proof, choose a unit that has a Type-C USB slot.
Gauging a device's performance will always boil down to its processor, RAM capacity, and storage capacity. These two components should be on top of your mind when looking for the best Android device.
We're not going to dive down to the nitty-gritty of how a processor works in this article. But in the simplest terms, everything that happens within your smartphone relies on the capability of the processor. Specific smartphone brands use different processors in their devices: Snapdragon, MediaTek, Kirin, and Exynos, to name a few.
Take note that the graphics processing unit or GPU can be manufactured by a different brand and always come already packaged on the processor to fit in a smaller device. As of January 2022, Nanoreview has released the latest ranking of processors for mobile devices.
On that list, Snapdragon 8 Plus Gen 1 made by Qualcomm, is considered the leading processor. Then, it's followed by Dimensity 9000 by MediaTek and Exynos 2200 by Samsung. These are the best processors that you may want to be installed on your next Android mobile device.
Random Access Memory in PCs works the same with smartphones. A higher-capacity RAM lets you operate multiple tasks simultaneously without slowing down the system. An Android operating system is very notorious for having tons of bloatware from a smartphone brand on top of Google's software.
Wherein bloatware is always running in the background and constantly eating up significant RAM space, thus limiting your phone's ability to operate multiple apps. It is advisable to get at least 4GB of RAM to have a decent experience on your mobile device.
Anything and everything that you put into your phone eats up storage space. All the apps, photos, videos, or documents go straight to your ROM (Read-Only Memory). Cheaper models offer 16GB of space, but with the number of vital apps that a user might need, this space is not enough. Maxing out a smartphone's storage could also result in lags and a frustrating experience.
At least a 32GB space should be enough for light users or those who only need to install a handful of medium-sized apps. On the other hand, those who do business or pleasure on their smartphones should consider getting a 128GB variant. Well, when it comes to purchasing a mobile device, what you pay for is what you will get.
One of the biggest factors that consumers consider is the display type and how big is the screen size. All modern mobile phones have touchscreens so it is only logical to make the screens responsive, tougher, and with high resolution.
Imagine watching your favorite Korean drama on a small screen, where you have to squint your eyes so you can read the small subs below the screen. Hard, isn't it?
A huge screen lets you enjoy streaming and better social media interaction. Anything above 5.5 inches should be your target size when you're planning to play online games or watch the next episode of your anime series on Netflix. You can go for something bigger, just know that this might be at the expense of portability especially if you always put your phone in your pocket or purse.
Smartphones currently have three types of display: AMOLED, IPS LCD, and LCD. By far, AMOLED (active-matrix organic light-emitting diode) is the best type of display that you can get. In the case of Samsung smartphones, their flagship phones use a Super AMOLED display. It provides the best viewing angle, highest brightness and produces the best color contrast, among others.
An IPS LCD (in-plane switching liquid crystal display) can perform at par with AMOLEDs, but the viewing angle is not ideal and is a notch lower when it comes to brightness. Some manufacturers still use this display because of its lower price to keep their flagship devices more affordable.
LCDs belong to the lowest tier of the display hierarchy. These displays are commonly found on budget and older phone models that have smaller screen sizes and lower resolutions.
Most smartphones released at least six years ago have some kind of toughened glass screen cover. This protects the display from scratch, nicks, and bumps for careless users. Today, there are four types of glass being used by brands on their smartphone models: a 2.5D, Sapphire, Asahi Dragontail Glass, and Corning Gorilla Glass.
A 2.5D is used on curved displays, while Sapphire glass is an exceptionally hard but brittle material that other brands considered. Dragontail glass is a Japanese-made alkali aluminosilicate that has the same properties as Gorilla glass. This type is favored by Chinese smartphone makers to create larger and thicker screens.
As of writing, Corning Gorilla Glass is the gold standard when it comes to durability, scratch-resistance, and clarity. This company boasts of withstanding fifteen repetitive one-meter drop tests without damage.
A resolution defines the number of pixels on a display, and it matters when you have a big screen size. The more pixels it has, the more defined and sharper the images will be. Conversely, if you have a large screen but don't have a higher resolution, the image will appear pixelated and unpleasant to look at.
Usually, brands label their products' resolution by using terms like HD, Full HD, Full HD+, and Quad HD which can be confusing. To briefly explain the difference among these types, HD is 1280 x 720 pixels, Full HD is 1920 x 1080 pixels, Full HD+ is 2200 x 1080 pixels, and finally, Quad HD is 2560 x 1440 pixels.
A higher camera megapixel doesn't necessarily equate to high-quality photos or videos. Do your due diligence when looking for a smartphone with claims of incredible camera capabilities. The trend today on flagship devices is to put as much camera at its rear to cover as much room for photo or video-shooting customizations. Also, selfie cameras are not an exception.
As a minimum requirement, you must be looking at a 16MP rear main camera and an 8MP selfie camera. Unfortunately, the camera sensors should be the real concern of any user. A camera sensor captures the light that comes in through the sensor to create a digital photo. It is responsible for the image's depth of field.
If you're focused on the customizations and manipulation of images and videos, any camera app can do that for you. Again, the quality of the camera sensors must be scrutinized first before your purchase. If you're not too sure about it, you can always watch a YouTube vlog review to inform yourself.
After discussing the essential factors in choosing the best smartphone, let's take a step forward by knowing some of the best features that might love to have on your devices.
Consumers today just don't want a pretty picture, it must also sound as pretty. A stereo-quality playback means you don't need a separate listening device if you're watching or just enjoying a smooth jazz track.
Some models are actually sacrificing their unit's thickness just to fit in a surround stereo speaker. Oftentimes, thinner smartphone models may produce crappy and shattered sound because of the small driver, but you can always use a Bluetooth headphone or speaker for that.
Flagship devices are equipped with several connectivity options to make them future-proof. Bluetooth and NFC (near-field communication) connections are the common interfaces that most smartphones have.
In terms of WiFi connections, there are options to use dual bands such as 2.4Ghz and 5Ghz. A 4G/5G connectivity is a must for frequent travelers and tourists to take advantage of the newer and faster SIM carrier connection.
Users with an active outdoor lifestyle should have an IP68 rated smartphone to protect the device from both solid and liquid particles. The first number on the IPXX rating indicates how the device handles solid particles, while the second number is how it fares against liquids.
Almost all mobile phones today have some sort of AI unlocking feature such as face unlock, fingerprint unlocks, or voice unlock. This can give save you extra seconds especially if you open your phone all the time. Apart from these, the standard 4-digit PIN or pattern unlock still exists.
There are two main ways to purchase an Android smartphone: mobile carriers and retailers. The price and payment method will change depending on what you choose, so we’ll discuss the pros and cons of each.
If you can’t afford a single purchase spending, then getting an Android phone through a postpaid plan might be a good option. Yes, you’ll be locked in a contract for two years, but it allows you to pay in installments. The initial cash-out for the phone will come out cheaper, but the cost will incur in the long run, as you are gradually paying for it on top of your monthly subscription and line usage.
If you do need the services that a postpaid plan offers, it will most likely be worth it. But if you’re signing up just for the sole purpose of acquiring a smartphone, it might be wise to think about it more carefully.
If you’re not comfortable with having monthly payments or don’t need the services of a postpaid plan, then it’s better to buy the device from a retailer. These phones come unlocked, which means you’ll be able to choose your carrier or could replace the SIM card if you're out of the country.
Plus, you are not bound to a contract with any mobile carrier and won't receive pesky spam messages because you're on the mailing list of a mobile carrier.
Products | Image | Click to purchase | Price | Key features | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra 5G | ₱64,880 High Mid | The Best and Latest Smartphone From Samsung | ||
2 | Xiaomi Mi 12 Pro | ₱47,999 High Mid | A Xiaomi Flagship That Raises the Bar | ||
3 | realme GT 2 Pro | ₱33,990 Mid | Realme's Most Recent and Impressive Release Yet | ||
4 | OnePlus 10 Pro | ₱38,690 Mid | OnePlus' Fastest and Lightest Smartphone | ||
5 | Oppo Reno 7 5G | ₱26,999 Low Mid | A High-End Oppo Phone That Won’t Hurt Your Pocket | ||
6 | Huawei Mate 40 Pro 5G | ₱55,999 High Mid | Simply the Best from Huawei | ||
7 | Pixel 6 | ₱29,590 Mid | Google's Latest Handset Offering | ||
8 | ASUS ROG Phone 5 | ₱56,599 High Mid | Asus's ROG Is Still the Best Mobile Gaming Device | ||
9 | Vivo T1 | ₱16,999 Low Mid | An Affordable Phone With Solid Specs | ||
10 | Motorola moto G51 | ₱11,495 Low | A Budget-Friendly Option With Expandable Storage |
Samsung's Galaxy S22 Ultra is a phone that is packed with all the amazing features you would expect from a world-renowned brand. It boasts a 6.8-inch AMOLED screen, a 120Hz refresh rate, and 12GB of RAM to ensure that your apps run as smoothly as possible.
The Galaxy S22 Ultra is equipped with a 108MP main camera, far superior to any of its competitors. Moreover, the device has four additional lenses so you can get a higher field of depth in all your shots. This, plus the 40MP front camera is the reason why this Samsung model is one of the best camera phones on the market today.
If you owned the Galaxy S21, these impressive features may come as no surprise. The most significant improvement of this series has got to be the processor boost, which replaced the old Snapdragon 888 with the more responsive Snapdragon 8 Gen 1. If you're looking for the best and money is not an issue, then this is the way to go.
In the past few years, Xiaomi has emerged as one of the leading manufacturers of smartphones and other smart devices. Their flagship model as of now is the Mi 12 Pro, a promising contender of other high-end devices, even those from gadget giants such as Samsung and Apple. The Mi 12 Pro has the brand's familiar notch display and Corning Gorilla Glass protective display.
Also, it uses Android 12, so you won't have to worry about being behind the latest OS updates. It runs on a Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 GPU, which is the top 4 processor in the market right now. While this device only gives you two additional lenses, they are, however, top of the line with a 50MP pixel count for each.
In a lot of aspects, this device is on par with Samsung's Galaxy Note S22 Ultra. It only falls slightly behind when it comes to pixel density as it has a camera with 50MP, half of what Samsung offers. Also, the 4600mAh battery capacity is a shade lower than the Galaxy S22. Still, the Mi 12 Pro is the perfect device if you're willing to overlook these things for a lesser price tag.
If you're looking for a phone that will give you the most bang for your buck, then the Realme selection is the right place to look. The GT 2 Pro is a powerful device that boasts high-end features such as a robust processor, ensuring a smoother gaming experience.
This phone also uses the latest operating system, so you won't have to worry about lags. The RAM is a massive 12GB, while the refresh rate can reach up to 120Hz for greater responsiveness even when you're running multiple apps simultaneously.
Aside from its built-in specs, Realme's GT 2 Pro also offers you a lot of color options. You can choose between steel black, paper white, or paper green. Plus, it's extremely light, thin, and sleek, a great choice even for those who are picky when it comes to aesthetics.
Another smartphone that has been neck and neck with flagships is One Plus' 10 Pro 5G. One Plus has been one of the first ones to introduce a refresh rate of up to 120Hz and offer other advanced smartphone features as well. The 10 Pro's resolution, for instance, is an impressive 1440 by 3216 pixels perfect for streaming movies and videos in general.
The Corning Gorilla Glass Victus provides users peace of mind when it comes to the screen's durability. The 50MP ultra-wide-angle camera is not bad either, and in fact, is way more than enough to produce studio-worthy shots on your handheld device.
What's amazing about OnePlus' 10 Pro is that everything from its display, refresh rate, CPU/GPU, android system, RAM, and storage is on the same level as other high-end smartphones yet the price is significantly cheaper. With all that being said, there is no denying that this phone deserves its spot at the top half of this list.
If you're looking to upgrade your phone to something that was released this year but don't want to spend above 30K, then the latest in Oppo's Reno series is for you. It comes with a Dimenstiy 900 GPU, currently the third-best processer in the industry. Plus, it can store up to 256GB of data, which is far more generous than what its competitors are offering.
Of course, it is impossible to discuss Oppo without mentioning its camera specs. The front camera alone is 32MP, ideal for taking selfies and for video calls. The rear camera, on the other hand, has a pixel density of 64MP, capable of Instagram-worthy pictures and reels. Oppo's Reno 7 is arguably the best budget camera phone out there.
On top of all that, this device supports dual sim and is capable of 5G internet for a more stable online experience. It also supports 65W fast charge, which means you can get from 15% to 100% in only 30 minutes! Purchasing a unit from Shopee or Lazada will also come with freebies such as a pair of earphones and a sim card respectively.
Paying for the best from Huawei means you should be looking at the Mate 40 Pro. With monster specs and a solid build, this smartphone runs at a 90Hz refresh rate. It boasts of IP68 water and dust resistance rating, making it an excellent daily driver.
At a premium price, you'll get premium specs such as a top-end Kirin 9000 5G processor, 8GB of RAM, and 256GB of internal storage that is expandable through the memory card slot. Although it only has 4400mAh of battery capacity, it supports up to 66W of fast charging, 50W on wireless charging, and reverse charging of 5W.
If optical zoom photography is your thing, one of the rear cameras has up to 5 times zoom capability. Unfortunately, this handset has no Google apps support, but this won't dissuade Huawei fans since they could still download their favorite apps from a third-party app provider.
All of the shortcomings of Google's Pixel 5 seem to have been augmented by its predecessor, Pixel 6. It has a larger screen and a 41614mAh battery capacity that allows you to stay connected for longer. While there are some welcome improvements it also retained some of the old features of the Pixel 5 such as the AMOLED display and the 90Hz refresh rate.
In terms of its processing power, this device also received an upgrade as it now houses the latest Mali-G78 GPU. This GPU, which is also Google's first custom-built chip, ranks 10th in the 2022 list of the best-performing smartphone processors. This upgrade promises up to 80% faster performance than other Pixel models.
Unfortunately, it still has a lot of rough edges that need to be pointed out. For instance, the 8MP front camera feels inadequate given the price of the unit, and storage space can easily become an issue as apps seem to get larger. Still, the Pixel 6 is perfect if you value longevity, as it has a next-gen chip, 5 years' worth of security updates, and a durability rating of IP68.
Asus' ROG Phone 3 remains the top choice for mobile gaming with parallel smartphone capabilities. It is undeniable that this is a powerful device that pushes the envelope when it comes to performance and user configuration. It also has the largest battery capacity of 6000mAh to let you extend any gaming sessions without a glitch.
You can also deliberately slow down its charging time to stretch its battery's lifespan, thereby preventing the faster decline of battery cells with ultra-fast charging methods. If you're not too particular about phone photography, you can forego the decent camera output.
The price is about the same as other flagship phones from different brands, but it is understandable since you're purchasing a solid gaming device that does so much more. After all, it costs a lot of money to make sure that all these PC-level specs can be integrated into a handheld device.
Everything on the list over your budget? If yes, then this gaming flagship device from Vivo is something that you should definitely check out. It has a 6.44-inch AMOLED screen and a 90Hz refresh rate for an immersive display and a seamless gaming experience. These features alone are hard to find, especially for mid-range phones at this price point.
Whether you're a casual or hardcore gamer, Vivo's T1 has got you covered. It has its own cooling technology and a gaming mode that you can easily activate for more optimized gaming. Additionally, it has a 5000mAh battery capacity and is capable of 66W fast charging, meaning you can charge quicker and play for longer.
An obvious downside of this phone is that it uses an IPS LCD instead of an AMOLED screen, which means that you won't get better contrast and more vivid colors with its display. That's the only downside, however, as this phone offers decent specs such as a main and rear camera with 50 and 16MP respectively.
Most of us had a Motorola phone back in the day. It was durable, reliable, and most importantly, it can carry out tasks without skipping a beat. If you're a fan of the brand, then definitely check out their newer releases which sports more advanced functions. One of these is the moto G51, a mid-range phone that only costs a little over ₱10,000!
Released only in November 2021, this smartphone has a 5000mAh battery, a 50MP main camera, and a Snapdragon 140 chipset. It also has a frame rate of 120FPS, ideal for gaming. In case the 128GB storage capacity is not enough, you can always expand it up to 512GB without any problems.
Of course, given its price, this device had to make some compromises with its specs and build. First, you get an LCD screen instead of an AMOLED display. Second, the RAM is limited to 6GB which can be a bummer if you're looking for a phone that can multi-task between apps. Still, a phone that supports dual sim and 5G connectivity for around 10k is a pretty sweet deal.
Below are some of the most asked questions on the web answered by the mybest team.
Contrary to popular belief, camera sensor size matters more than megapixels when it comes to capturing high-resolution photos. Their size determines how much light enters and larger ones will result in a higher dynamic range and cleaner images. Xiaomi's Mi 11 Ultra features a 1/1.12 inch sensor, the largest so far among all Android phones.
On the other hand, if you'll use pixel density as the basis, then the answer would be Samsung's Galaxy S22 Ultra or anything from the S22 series. Their latest flagship model has a 108MP rear camera and a 40MP selfie camera. If you're looking for a more budget-friendly camera phone, then Oppo's line also has a lot of great offers.
The answer depends on how advanced its specs are but to give you an idea, a mid-range phone with decent specs will set you back 10,000-25,999 pesos. With this budget, you can already get your hands on a smartphone with at least a 6.3-inch screen and 32-128GB worth of storage space.
If you're willing to splurge on a high-end phone with above-average specs, then that will most likely cost you 26,000 pesos or more depending on its features. Android smartphones in this range already come equipped with a next-gen chipset and a camera quality upwards of 50MP.
Android phones, as well as any other smartphone, are unlikely to get a virus. So far, there has been no Android phone with a virus that was able to replicate itself in the same way that a traditional computer virus can. Still, there are many other types of Android malware that you should look out for.
Luckily, most smartphones automatically filter out malicious software to block it from 'infecting' your device. Google Play Protect is a built-in malware protection app that is pre-installed on devices with Google. It is a virus-scanning app that keeps your phone safe and protected from malware.
If you're searching for the right Xiaomi or Realme handset for your needs, or just looking around for a cheaper smartphone to fit your budget, check our recommended list products that might help you. Just click on the links below and find the latest device for you or your family.
Re-editor: Katrina Balingit
Our buying guide was carefully researched and crafted by the mybest team of writers and editors, in collaboration with the expert featured in this article. We used the buying guide as a basis for choosing and ranking the product recommendations, and we looked at reviews and ratings from different E-commerce sites like Lazada, Shopee, and more.
No. 1: Samsung |Galaxy S22 Ultra 5G
No. 2: Xiaomi |Mi 12 Pro
No. 3: realme |GT 2 Pro
No. 4: OnePlus|10 Pro
No. 5: Oppo|Reno 7 5G
View Full RankingThe descriptions of each product are referenced from content available on manufacturer, brand, and e-commerce sites.
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