10 Best 5G Phones in the Philippines 2021 (Samsung, Apple, and More)

Choosing a new phone can be really daunting. It can leave a lot of people stumped, considering that there are so many features that differentiate smartphones. We've rounded up our top 10 picks of the best 5G phones that you can purchase online, so you don't have to go through hours of research. 

**Prices may vary depending on the website and their campaign period**

When buying a phone, it's a must to compare the different specifications, so you're aware of your phone's capabilities. In this buying guide, we'll show you which specs to prioritize, so you don't have to read long spec sheets.

If you want to get the best experience you can get with your smartphone, the display should be one of the top priorities to look at when you purchase your phone. We can narrow it down to three important factors: size, resolution, and refresh rate. 

When choosing a phone, take into account the screen size. Would you prefer it to be comfortable for one-handed use? If yes, then it's best to check out phones that are smaller in size and can fit into your pocket and the palm of your hand easily. 

However, phone screens have consistently increased in size for the past few years, so it can be difficult to find smaller phones these days. The smallest screen size you would usually find is closest to 6 inches. On the other hand, if the size isn't much of an issue or if you prefer something bigger, there are phones with screen sizes close to 7 inches. 

If you like to unwind by playing games, then you should definitely opt for a high refresh rate. The refresh rate refers to the number of times the display refreshes an image per second. This is particularly useful for gamers because every frame counts, especially when you want to play competitive games like PUBG and CoD Mobile. A high refresh rate of 120 or 144 Hz is highly recommended. 

One aspect of the screen that we can all appreciate is the clarity of the display. What’s the specification responsible for this? The screen resolution. A lot of phones have a resolution of 1080p, which is usually sufficient for your movie-watching needs. But, you can always go for the higher 1440p resolution if you have the budget to spare. 

The phone’s processor is arguably one of the most difficult parts to understand. So let’s break it down into three: the clock speed, number of cores, and distance between transistors. When combining all of these factors, you can determine which phone is more powerful than the other.

When it comes to clock speed, always go for a phone containing a processor with high clock speeds. Its range is usually around 1.8-2.8 GHz. And for the number of cores, 4 cores is usually suitable for most users. Power users, however, might be unsatisfied with 4, and should opt for 8 cores instead.

While reading the spec sheet, you might see a number that’s expressed in nanometers (nm). This is the distance between the transistors in a chipset. A shorter distance translates to a more efficient use of power by the phone. So, try to go for one with a lower number so that your phone can run the most intensive apps. The shortest distance you can find is currently 5 nm.

Smartphone cameras are so impressive that they can easily rival DSLRs. It comes with the advantage of being pocket-friendly, and, of course, having all the other features that come with a phone. That being said, you might want to consider a camera with excellent photo and video capabilities. 

A common marketing ploy by phone manufacturers is to emphasize the number of megapixels a phone camera has. While it matters to some extent, an absurdly high megapixel count won’t always give you the best photos. For as long as the camera has at least 12 megapixels, it should be able to take great photos.

Knowing the camera’s pixel size can also help you become a more discerning buyer. It’s usually in the range of 0.8-2.0 µm; for sharper photos, a higher value is recommended. Make sure you use this information together with the megapixel count to determine whether a phone can take sharp photos.

If you often take videos, then make sure to check the phone's video capabilities. A good video camera can take videos with a resolution of up to 8K,  although resolutions of 1080p, 1440p, and 4K are still great for most people who want to take excellent videos.

Pay attention to the frames per second (fps) that each video resolution provides. If it’s around 30 fps, you should know that it’s more than enough for most videos. If you like taking videos of action-packed scenes, like a sports competition, you might appreciate footage taken at 60 fps.

Isn’t it difficult to lug around a heavy power bank with you when you go about your day? There’s one simple solution to that: get a phone with a high battery capacity. It’s best to go for a capacity of at least 4000 mAh, so it can easily last you one whole day. 

And don’t forget to look for a fast-charging feature, too! You wouldn’t want to sacrifice a short charging time for a high battery capacity. The higher the wattage, the better. It can go to as high as 65W, which can fully juice up your phones in half an hour.

Having the option to use a memory card for expandable storage is a welcome feature in your phone. If you’re the type to download lots of music, photos, and videos, then watch out for this feature. 

Of course, if you’re dead set on buying a phone that doesn’t have expandable storage, you can just pay additional fees for more storage. However, do take note that buying a memory card will usually turn out to be cheaper than taking this route. 

Slow internet can easily tick you off. Ever since we became so reliant on the internet, a fast internet connection is almost considered a need. That's why an online tech publication, MakeUseOf, provided us with some tips on how to solve this. 

Tips: 

1. Restart your phone. It's a common solution, but it can sometimes solve your internet connection issues.
2. Move to a different location. Check if you are in an even-leveled location, underground, or surrounded by concrete. This can affect the speed of your connection. 
3. Update and disable network-heavy apps. Network-hogging apps could be consuming a lot of bandwidth, which slows down other apps. Check this in your settings. 
4. Disable Data Saver or Low Power Mode. These modes are meant to reduce data usage. If you're looking for speed, don't forget to turn this off. 
5. Remember your mobile data cap. Unlimited plans sometimes undergo throttling in times of network congestion. Always have an idea about how much data you should use before experiencing slowdowns in internet speeds.
6. Disconnect from your VPN. VPNs may provide you privacy, but they can also slow down your internet connection.
7. Check for network outages. Scroll on your news feed and timelines so you have an idea if there's a network outage. Or better yet, check your carrier's official pages for updates. 
8. Reset your phone's network settings. This is similar to restarting your phone, although some of your data will be deleted. This includes old Wi-Fi access points and Bluetooth devices. 
9.  Remove and reinsert your SIM card. Make sure your phone is turned off to prevent any possible damage.
10. Call your carrier's support. The worst-case scenario is that the previous steps do not work. In that case, it's best to contact your carrier for other solutions.

Having old routers and Wi-Fi devices at home surely won't help with slow internet. Try checking out the links below if you're looking for an upgrade. Who knows, you might just get the blazing fast internet speed that you've been yearning for. 

Having a fast internet connection is a must when we live in such a fast-paced world. With the inception of 5G, it's a wise option to purchase a phone that's capable of connecting to these networks. There aren't so many to choose from in the market yet, but a 5G-capable phone will certainly be a phone that you can be confident in keeping in the long run.

Author: Andrei Merino

Editor: R. Umlas

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