With the rising demand for smartphones brought about by online classes and even work-from-home set-ups, you have to be sure that the device you are using ace everything in terms of performance, hardware, and of course, affordability. Fear not as Xiaomi phones are here!
We can not deny that these are very trying times, so we have to look for alternatives that work without the hefty price tag. We have prepared a list of our Xiaomi faves and a buying guide to help you choose between the different product offerings of one of the most affordable yet functional mobile phone brands in the market right now.
Xiaomi has always been one of the more well-known brands for electronic gadgets and smartphones that can compete with more high-end brands without the steep price point. Since its founding in 2010, this Beijing-based Chinese electronics company has steadily grown into the technology giant that it is today.
The affordability and innovation of Xiaomi’s products make it a hard name to beat, and with them, you can be sure that you get the quality you need. The next thing you have to look into now is exactly what kind of smartphone you need. Read on as we guide you through choosing your next Xiaomi phone.
Looking at new phone choices can be overwhelming, considering all the different factors you have to consider. Worry not! We have prepared a guide that will help you choose what Xiaomi phone fits most into your everyday life.
Okay, so you need a new phone. The next question that you have to answer now is what exactly do you need it for? Smartphones nowadays come in all shapes and sizes, and with each difference comes a wide assortment of features.
A smartphone has two general types of storage: internal and external. Before buying a phone, consider what you’ll need the storage for.
A phone’s internal memory is optimized to store the data that comes with apps that you download from the app store. If you use a lot of apps, be it social media or games, then you’ll definitely benefit from a phone with huge internal storage. Most Xiaomi phones’ internal storage capacities range from 64 GB up to a whopping 256 GB.
Whether you use your phones to download music from iTunes or saving them offline from Spotify, you will surely benefit from having more external storage space. You can also opt to extend your internal storage space, the one used to store apps, by upgrading your external storage, which usually comes in the form of Micro SD cards.
These SD Cards can come in 4 GB variants up to 512 GB depending on the allowances of your phone. The bigger the storage capacity, the more music and movies you can save on your device.
In the age of social media, one does need a reliable camera to ensure that the moments you would like to share with others are of the best quality possible. To achieve this, you must look into the camera specifications of the phone you would like to purchase.
When choosing a phone based on the camera, a great rule of thumb is: the higher the megapixel (MP) count, the greater the picture it can take.
Most smartphone cameras nowadays are also equipped with smart features that automatically optimize their settings depending on what you’re pointing at. This is perfect for people who want to get the greatest shots possible every time without wanting the fuss of manually adjusting the camera settings.
For people more adept at trying out new things with photography, you’re going to have to look at what the phone camera can offer in terms of its lenses. Most phones nowadays come with multiple cameras that all do different things.
The different lenses that come with smartphones are as diverse as the different phones themselves, but here are a few that you can look for in your next phone.
Some phone cameras offer a wide-angle lens, which can take in more objects in a picture, while other phones even have depth lenses perfect for blurring the background of the picture to put more focus on the object.
If you’re one of those who are used to taking pictures using highly technical cameras, then you’d be surprised to see that smartphone cameras can offer the same things. Some cameras offer manual settings such as ISO adjustment, aperture, and even HDR or High Dynamic Range.
For starters, ISO is a setting that controls the brightness of your picture; the higher the ISO setting, the brighter the shot. Aperture, on the other hand, refers to the "pupil" of the camera's lens. This controls how much light gets to enter the lens and can also assist in providing a depth of field.
Meanwhile, high Dynamic Range or HDR refers to the AI technology that uses multiple pictures and combines them to form one high-quality shot. Most AI cameras have this feature, and this can be very helpful to aspiring photographers.
Because of restrictions brought about by the pandemic, most if not all types of schoolingーand even workーhave migrated to the internet. If your primary online class device is your smartphone, it’s wise to invest in a phone with 4G or at least LTE capabilities.
LTE and 4G-capable phones typically allow for faster internet speeds using your mobile data - sometimes even faster than some Wi-Fi Connections! This kind of internet connectivity also ensures the stability of your connection. Hence, if you are always on Zoom or MS Teams for your online video classes, invest in these features.
If you want a new phone for gaming, it is wise to look for what type of hardware chips it has on its board. Gaming can be a particularly demanding activity for your phone, so you have to ensure that your phone can handle it. A good marker to look out for in terms of CPU is how many cores it has. Most phones nowadays have between 4 (Quadcore) to 8 (Octa-core) cores.
The more cores the phone has, the faster it can process information and, therefore, perform better. This can be checked by looking into what kind of processor your phone has. Though most phones nowadays have 8 cores, there are still models in the market with less, so be sure to check for it accordingly.
If a trusty mobile secretary is what you need, you have to make sure that your phone can handle multiple apps running at the same time. A good way to see how much activity your phone can handle is by looking at its RAM or Random-Access Memory.
Typically, RAMs range from 4GB to 12GB. Again, the greater the memory it has in its RAM, the more applications it can open simultaneously without slowing down.
A phone's battery can be its biggest feature because what will you do with a great camera or a heavy-duty operating system if the phone can’t stay alive long enough for you to make full use of them? Make sure to look for one with a long-lasting battery.
Most phones nowadays typically have a battery capacity of around 4,000 mAh to 6,000 mAh. Look for one with a high mAh capacity to ensure that it can sustain power longer. While it largely depends on how much you use your phones, a good parameter to know is that 3000 mAh can usually dole out 15 hours of standby time.
Long charging times can also be a hassle, especially if you need your phone with you always and can’t afford to put it down for long periods of time. In that case, choose phones with fast-charging capabilities to top up energy in a small amount of time.
We've prepared this helpful top 10 list to make it easier for you to choose which phone suits your needs best. We based this list on the phone's features, price point, and specifications,
**Prices may vary depending on the website and their campaign period**
From ₱6,990
Screen Size &Resolution | 6.53", 2340x1080 |
---|---|
Battery | 6,000 mAh |
Processor | Qualcomm Snapdragon 662 (Octa-core) |
RAM | 4 GB |
Internal Storage | 64 GB, 128 GB |
Expandable Memory | Up to 512 GB |
Dual Sim? | Yes |
Camera | 48 MP (wide), 2 MP (macro), and 2 MP (depth) |
From ₱10,990
Screen Size &Resolution | 6.67", 1080 x 2400 pixels |
---|---|
Battery | 5020 mAh |
Processor | Qualcomm SM7125 Snapdragon 720G (Octa-core) |
RAM | 6 GB & 8 GB |
Internal Storage | 64 GB & 128 GB |
Expandable Memory | Up to 512 GB |
Dual Sim? | Yes |
Camera | 64 MP (wide), 8 MP (ultrawide), 5 MP (macro), 2 MP (depth) |
From ₱19,990
Screen Size &Resolution | 6.67", 1080 x 2400 pixels |
---|---|
Battery | 5000 mAh |
Processor | Qualcomm SM8250 Snapdragon 865 (Octa-core) |
RAM | 8 GB |
Internal Storage | 128 GB & 256 GB |
Expandable Memory | N/A |
Dual Sim? | Yes |
Camera | 108 MP (wide), 13 MP (ultrawide), 5 MP (macro) |
From ₱19,990
Screen Size &Resolution | 6.67", 1080 x 2400 pixels |
---|---|
Battery | 4700 mAh |
Processor | Qualcomm SM8250 Snapdragon 865 (Octa-core) |
RAM | 6 GB & 8 GB |
Internal Storage | 128 GB & 256 GB |
Expandable Memory | N/A |
Dual Sim? | Yes |
Camera | 64 MP (wide), 13 MP (ultra-wide), 5 MP (telephoto macro), 2 MP (depth) |
From ₱4,690
Screen Size &Resolution | 6.53", 720 x 1600 pixels |
---|---|
Battery | 5000 mAh |
Processor | MediaTek Helio G25 (Octa-core) |
RAM | 2 GB, 3GB, & 6 GB |
Internal Storage | 32 GB & 128 GB |
Expandable Memory | Up to 128 GB |
Dual Sim? | Yes |
Camera | 13 MP (wide) |
From ₱9,999
Screen Size &Resolution | 6.67", 1080 x 2400 pixels |
---|---|
Battery | 5160 mAh |
Processor | Qualcomm SM7150-AC Snapdragon 732G (Octa-core) |
RAM | 6 GB |
Internal Storage | 64 GB, 128 GB |
Expandable Memory | Up to 128 GB |
Dual Sim? | Yes |
Camera | 64 MP (wide), 13 MP (ultra-wide), 2 MP (depth), 2 MP (macro) |
From ₱5,790
Screen Size &Resolution | 6.53", 720 x 1600 pixels |
---|---|
Battery | 5000 mAh |
Processor | MediaTek Helio G35 |
RAM | 2 GB, 3 GB, and 4 GB |
Internal Storage | 32 GB, and 64 GB |
Expandable Memory | Up to 128 GB |
Dual Sim? | Yes |
Camera | 13 MP (wide), 2 MP (depth), and 2 MP (macro) |
From ₱30,990
Screen Size &Resolution | 6.67", 1080 x 2400 pixels |
---|---|
Battery | 4720 mAh |
Processor | Qualcomm SM8250 Snapdragon 865 (Octa-core) |
RAM | 8 GB and 12 GB |
Internal Storage | 128 GB and 256 GB |
Expandable Memory | N/A |
Dual Sim? | Yes |
Camera | 64 MP (wide), 13 MP (ultrawide), and 5 MP (depth) |
From ₱9,990
Screen Size &Resolution | 6.53", 1080 x 2340 pixels |
---|---|
Battery | 4500 mAh |
Processor | Mediatek Helio G90T (Octa-core) |
RAM | 6 GB, and 8 GB |
Internal Storage | 64 GB, 128 GB, and 256 GB |
Expandable Memory | Up to 256 GB |
Dual Sim? | Yes |
Camera | 64 MP (wide), 8 MP (ultra-wide), 2 MP (macro), 2 MP (depth) |
From ₱14,200
Screen Size &Resolution | 6.47", 1080 x 2340 pixels |
---|---|
Battery | 5260 mAh |
Processor | Qualcomm SDM730 Snapdragon 730G (Octa-core) |
RAM | 6 GB and 8 GB |
Internal Storage | 64 GB and 128 GB |
Expandable Memory | N/A |
Dual Sim? | Yes |
Camera | 64 MP (wide), 8 MP (ultra-wide), 2 MP (macro), 5 MP (depth) |
Image | 1 ![]() Xiaomi | 2 ![]() Xiaomi | 3 ![]() Xiaomi | 4 ![]() Xiaomi | 5 ![]() Xiaomi | 6 ![]() Xiaomi | 7 ![]() Xiaomi | 8 ![]() Xiaomi | 9 ![]() Xiaomi | 10 ![]() Xiaomi |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Name | Poco M3 | Redmi Note 9 Pro | Mi 10 T Pro 5G | Poco F2 Pro 5G | Redmi 9A | POCO X3 NFC | Redmi 9C | Black Shark 3 | Redmi Note 8 Pro | Mi Note 10 Lite |
Features | An Affordable Phone With Everything You Need | Flagship-Level Camera With Premium Features | Hard-Hitting Phone for Those Who Need More | 5G Phone Without the Steep Price Point Of Its Competitors | A Basic Phone With A Not-So-Basic Battery | A Phone Heaven-sent For Gamers | A Premium Camera Phone Without the Premium Price | The Xiaomi Gaming Standard | The Phone Perfect for Online Classes | The All-Around Premium Phone |
Price Starts at | ₱6,990 | ₱10,990 | ₱19,990 | ₱19,990 | ₱4,690 | ₱9,999 | ₱5,790 | ₱30,990 | ₱9,990 | ₱14,200 |
Screen Size &Resolution | 6.53", 2340x1080 | 6.67", 1080 x 2400 pixels | 6.67", 1080 x 2400 pixels | 6.67", 1080 x 2400 pixels | 6.53", 720 x 1600 pixels | 6.67", 1080 x 2400 pixels | 6.53", 720 x 1600 pixels | 6.67", 1080 x 2400 pixels | 6.53", 1080 x 2340 pixels | 6.47", 1080 x 2340 pixels |
Battery | 6,000 mAh | 5020 mAh | 5000 mAh | 4700 mAh | 5000 mAh | 5160 mAh | 5000 mAh | 4720 mAh | 4500 mAh | 5260 mAh |
Processor | Qualcomm Snapdragon 662 (Octa-core) | Qualcomm SM7125 Snapdragon 720G (Octa-core) | Qualcomm SM8250 Snapdragon 865 (Octa-core) | Qualcomm SM8250 Snapdragon 865 (Octa-core) | MediaTek Helio G25 (Octa-core) | Qualcomm SM7150-AC Snapdragon 732G (Octa-core) | MediaTek Helio G35 | Qualcomm SM8250 Snapdragon 865 (Octa-core) | Mediatek Helio G90T (Octa-core) | Qualcomm SDM730 Snapdragon 730G (Octa-core) |
RAM | 4 GB | 6 GB & 8 GB | 8 GB | 6 GB & 8 GB | 2 GB, 3GB, & 6 GB | 6 GB | 2 GB, 3 GB, and 4 GB | 8 GB and 12 GB | 6 GB, and 8 GB | 6 GB and 8 GB |
Internal Storage | 64 GB, 128 GB | 64 GB & 128 GB | 128 GB & 256 GB | 128 GB & 256 GB | 32 GB & 128 GB | 64 GB, 128 GB | 32 GB, and 64 GB | 128 GB and 256 GB | 64 GB, 128 GB, and 256 GB | 64 GB and 128 GB |
Expandable Memory | Up to 512 GB | Up to 512 GB | N/A | N/A | Up to 128 GB | Up to 128 GB | Up to 128 GB | N/A | Up to 256 GB | N/A |
Dual Sim? | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Camera | 48 MP (wide), 2 MP (macro), and 2 MP (depth) | 64 MP (wide), 8 MP (ultrawide), 5 MP (macro), 2 MP (depth) | 108 MP (wide), 13 MP (ultrawide), 5 MP (macro) | 64 MP (wide), 13 MP (ultra-wide), 5 MP (telephoto macro), 2 MP (depth) | 13 MP (wide) | 64 MP (wide), 13 MP (ultra-wide), 2 MP (depth), 2 MP (macro) | 13 MP (wide), 2 MP (depth), and 2 MP (macro) | 64 MP (wide), 13 MP (ultrawide), and 5 MP (depth) | 64 MP (wide), 8 MP (ultra-wide), 2 MP (macro), 2 MP (depth) | 64 MP (wide), 8 MP (ultra-wide), 2 MP (macro), 5 MP (depth) |
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Looking for the next smartphone to buy or maybe a tablet for your online class needs? Check out these other articles we have prepared for you!
In the time of online classes, gaming, and even work-from-home setups, it can be really confusing to choose a suitable smartphone with more and more phones competing in the market. We hope the options we've laid out for you right here were able to help you choose from the different offerings that Xiaomi has.
Xiaomi phones are a great example of the marriage of affordability and function. No need to be intimidated by really steep price tags - Xiaomi has a device perfect for you!
Author: Jojo Malasig
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