Mobile gaming is becoming more and more popular. It's a great way to spend your spare time and to keep yourself occupied. However, as mobile games keep growing with new features from time to time, most of them demand high specs. Thankfully, you don't have to spend a lot on expensive gaming smartphones for an enjoyable gaming experience.
Budget mid-range phones are not only for the basic tasks in your daily life. They are also perfectly capable of playing games without lags. So if you're on a budget and you're looking for the best mid-range gaming phone, you've come to the right place as we will share our top 10 picks on the best gaming phones under Php 15,000 that you can purchase right away!
The products we introduce below were carefully curated by the mybest team, from the best-sellers of E-commerce sites like Lazada, and using the points mentioned in our detailed and thoroughly researched buying guide.
**Prices may vary depending on the website and their campaign period**
From ₱15,990
CPU | Qualcomm Snapdragon 860 (Octa-core) |
---|---|
GPU | Adreno 640 |
RAM | 8GB |
ROM | 256GB |
Screen Size | 6.67 inches |
Resolution | 1080 x 2400 pixels |
Refresh Rate | 120Hz |
Battery | 5160 mAh |
Gaming Mode Software | Yes |
Notable Features | Dynamic Switch, Dual Stereo Speakers, and Fast-Charging |
From ₱12,940
CPU | MediaTek MT6891Z Dimensity 1100 5G (Octa-core) |
---|---|
GPU | Mali-G77 MC9 |
RAM | 8GB |
ROM | 128GB |
Screen Size | 6.6 inches |
Resolution | 1080 x 2400 pixels |
Refresh Rate | 120Hz |
Battery | 5000 mAh |
Gaming Mode Software | Yes |
Notable Features | Dynamic Screen, Sensitive Touch Feedback, and 360 Ambient Light Sensor |
From ₱12,590
CPU | Qualcomm SM7150 Snapdragon 732G (Octa-core) |
---|---|
GPU | Adreno 618 |
RAM | 6GB |
ROM | 64GB |
Screen Size | 6.67 inches |
Resolution | 1080 x 2400 pixels |
Refresh Rate | 120Hz |
Battery | 5020 mAh |
Gaming Mode Software | Yes |
Notable Features | Extra Touch-Sensitive Screen and 108MP Rear Camera |
From ₱13,990
CPU | Mediatek Helio G95 (Octa-core) |
---|---|
GPU | Mali-G76 MC4 |
RAM | 8GB |
ROM | 128GB |
Screen Size | 6.4 inches |
Resolution | 1080 x 2400 pixels |
Refresh Rate | 90Hz |
Battery | 5000 mAh |
Gaming Mode Software | Yes |
Notable Features | Copper Liquid Cooling System |
From ₱13,590
CPU | MediaTek MT6833 Dimensity 700 5G (Octa-core) |
---|---|
GPU | Mali-G57 MC2 |
RAM | 6GB |
ROM | 128GB |
Screen Size | 6.6 inches |
Resolution | 1080 x 2400 pixels |
Refresh Rate | 90Hz |
Battery | 5000 mAh |
Gaming Mode Software | Yes |
Notable Features | 5G-Ready and Full HD Super AMOLED Panel |
From ₱13,610
CPU | Qualcomm SM6350 Snapdragon 690 5G (Octa-core) |
---|---|
GPU | Adreno 619L |
RAM | 6GB |
ROM | 128GB |
Screen Size | 6.49 inches |
Resolution | 1080 x 2400 pixels |
Refresh Rate | 90Hz |
Battery | 4300 mAh |
Gaming Mode Software | Yes |
Notable Features | Fnatic Mode and 5-G Ready |
From ₱9,590
CPU | Qualcomm SM4250 Snapdragon 460 (Octa-core) |
---|---|
GPU | Adreno 610 |
RAM | 6GB |
ROM | 128GB |
Screen Size | 6.51 inches |
Resolution | 720 x 1600 pixels |
Refresh Rate | 60Hz |
Battery | 5000 mAh |
Gaming Mode Software | Yes |
Notable Features | Expandable Storage Up to 1 TB and Multi-turbo 3.0 |
From ₱11,639
CPU | Kirin 810 (Octa-core) |
---|---|
GPU | Mali-G52 MP6 |
RAM | 8GB |
ROM | 128GB |
Screen Size | 6.4 inches |
Resolution | 1080 x 2310 pixels |
Refresh Rate | 60Hz |
Battery | 4200 mAh |
Gaming Mode Software | Yes |
Notable Features | GPU Turbo Software and Low Battery Consumption |
From ₱10,499
CPU | Mediatek Helio G95 (Octa-core) |
---|---|
GPU | Mali-G76 MC4 |
RAM | 8GB |
ROM | 128GB |
Screen Size | 6.78 inches |
Resolution | 1080 x 2460 pixels |
Refresh Rate | 90Hz |
Battery | 5000 mAh |
Gaming Mode Software | Yes |
Notable Features | Game Booster Dar-Link and Heat Pipe Thermal Module 2.0 and Powerful Audio System |
From ₱5,999
CPU | MediaTek Helio G25 (Octa-core) |
---|---|
GPU | PowerVR GE8320 |
RAM | 4GB |
ROM | 64GB |
Screen Size | 6.8 inches |
Resolution | 720 x 1640 pixels |
Refresh Rate | 120Hz |
Battery | 6000 mAh |
Gaming Mode Software | Yes |
Notable Features | Gigantic 6000 mAh Battery and 6.8 Inches Wide Screen |
To give you a rundown, here are our top 3 picks for the best gaming phones under Php 15,000 you can buy online:
Check out the table below to further compare the characteristics of these three gaming phones under Php 15,000, as well as the other seven that made it to our list.
Image | 1 ![]() POCO | 2 ![]() POCO | 3 ![]() Xiaomi | 4 ![]() Realme | 5 ![]() Samsung | 6 ![]() OnePlus | 7 ![]() Vivo | 8 ![]() Huawei | 9 ![]() Infinix | 10 ![]() Tecno |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Name | X3 Pro | X3 GT | Redmi Note 10 Pro | Realme 8 | Galaxy A22 | Nord N10 | Y20s | Nova 7i | Zero X NEO | POVA NEO |
Features | The Ultimate Budget Gaming Phone That's Slightly Above 15k But Definitely Worth the Price | Dynamic Screen That Lets You Play Visually Demanding Games | A Solid Handset for Both Gaming and Photography | Play Fast-Paced Games At Max Settings Without Overheating | A Reliable Phone That's Perfect for Casual Gamers | A 5G-Ready Phone for Lag-Free Gameplays | A Budget Gaming Phone With Expandable Storage Up to 1 TB | An All-Around Phone for Gaming or Everyday Use | An Affordable Option With a Dedicated GPU for Gaming | Enjoy Uninterrupted Gameplay With Its 6000mAh Battery |
Price Starts at | ₱15,990 | ₱12,940 | ₱12,590 | ₱13,990 | ₱13,590 | ₱13,610 | ₱9,590 | ₱11,639 | ₱10,499 | ₱5,999 |
CPU | Qualcomm Snapdragon 860 (Octa-core) | MediaTek MT6891Z Dimensity 1100 5G (Octa-core) | Qualcomm SM7150 Snapdragon 732G (Octa-core) | Mediatek Helio G95 (Octa-core) | MediaTek MT6833 Dimensity 700 5G (Octa-core) | Qualcomm SM6350 Snapdragon 690 5G (Octa-core) | Qualcomm SM4250 Snapdragon 460 (Octa-core) | Kirin 810 (Octa-core) | Mediatek Helio G95 (Octa-core) | MediaTek Helio G25 (Octa-core) |
GPU | Adreno 640 | Mali-G77 MC9 | Adreno 618 | Mali-G76 MC4 | Mali-G57 MC2 | Adreno 619L | Adreno 610 | Mali-G52 MP6 | Mali-G76 MC4 | PowerVR GE8320 |
RAM | 8GB | 8GB | 6GB | 8GB | 6GB | 6GB | 6GB | 8GB | 8GB | 4GB |
ROM | 256GB | 128GB | 64GB | 128GB | 128GB | 128GB | 128GB | 128GB | 128GB | 64GB |
Screen Size | 6.67 inches | 6.6 inches | 6.67 inches | 6.4 inches | 6.6 inches | 6.49 inches | 6.51 inches | 6.4 inches | 6.78 inches | 6.8 inches |
Resolution | 1080 x 2400 pixels | 1080 x 2400 pixels | 1080 x 2400 pixels | 1080 x 2400 pixels | 1080 x 2400 pixels | 1080 x 2400 pixels | 720 x 1600 pixels | 1080 x 2310 pixels | 1080 x 2460 pixels | 720 x 1640 pixels |
Refresh Rate | 120Hz | 120Hz | 120Hz | 90Hz | 90Hz | 90Hz | 60Hz | 60Hz | 90Hz | 120Hz |
Battery | 5160 mAh | 5000 mAh | 5020 mAh | 5000 mAh | 5000 mAh | 4300 mAh | 5000 mAh | 4200 mAh | 5000 mAh | 6000 mAh |
Gaming Mode Software | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Notable Features | Dynamic Switch, Dual Stereo Speakers, and Fast-Charging | Dynamic Screen, Sensitive Touch Feedback, and 360 Ambient Light Sensor | Extra Touch-Sensitive Screen and 108MP Rear Camera | Copper Liquid Cooling System | 5G-Ready and Full HD Super AMOLED Panel | Fnatic Mode and 5-G Ready | Expandable Storage Up to 1 TB and Multi-turbo 3.0 | GPU Turbo Software and Low Battery Consumption | Game Booster Dar-Link and Heat Pipe Thermal Module 2.0 and Powerful Audio System | Gigantic 6000 mAh Battery and 6.8 Inches Wide Screen |
Link |
Here are some key points to consider:
For more detailed information, read through our buying guide below.
CPU and GPU sum up a phone's performance. Knowing about these specs will surely help you purchase a fast, smooth, and lag-free gaming phone as they indicate how a phone performs when playing games or running apps on it.
Everything you do on your phone depends on its processor or CPU. It's considered the "brain" of the phone as it receives and executes every command. However, it's often overlooked by people. On the contrary, you should the phone's CPU should always be considered as it affects a phone's speed, efficiency, and battery life.
A good processor brings a smooth and lag-free experience, whether you run multiple apps simultaneously or play games continuously. Mid-range processors like the Snapdragon 7 series, Snapdragon 888, MediaTek Dimensity 1000 series, and Kirin 9000 are suitable for an enjoyable mobile gaming experience.
A graphics processing unit or GPU renders videos, images, and animations that you see on a phone's display. It is an essential part of a phone, especially if you want to play graphically demanding games, such as PUBG, Fortnite, and Asphalt 9.
Without it, a phone cannot support high-performance games and high-quality UI. Every phone's CPU is equipped with a corresponding GPU, and the best GPUs these days are Adreno and Mali. CPU brands Kirin and MediaTek use Mali, while Snapdragon comes with Adreno.
After knowing about the core parts of a smartphone, let us now move on to two types of data storage: RAM and ROM. Just like the CPU and GPU, they also play a huge role in a phone's performance, especially for gaming.
The random access memory or RAM is where the game or other apps' temporary data are stored. Every game occupies a certain amount of RAM. Basically, the higher the RAM, the smoother the game runs. If the phone does not have enough RAM space, then the game will lag.
Let's say you've bought a phone that has 4GB RAM and want to play PUBG Mobile, which requires 2 to 3GB RAM. You'll be able to play the game, but there's a possibility that it will lag, especially if other apps are running in the background. For lag-free gaming, 6 to 12GB RAM is ideal.
Read-only memory or ROM is the phone's internal storage. It is where the apps are stored by default. Usually, mid-range phones come with 16 to 32GB of internal storage, but the most recent ones are now available with 64 to 128GB ROM. In some cases, you can expand its storage capacity even more with a microSD as long the phone supports it.
To have enough space for many games, 65GB is a decent choice. However, it might not be enough if you want to play large games that update from time to time, like Genshin Impact, Mobile Legends, and Call of Duty Mobile. So we recommend that you go for 128GB to be able to install a lot of games and store tons of photos, videos, files, and other apps.
Screen size and screen resolution are the two main elements you need to consider to enjoy a high-definition display. A large screen size lets you see the game's interface easily, while resolution lets you enjoy the game's details crystal clear. But you might be disappointed with the phone's display quality if these two do not fit or go with each other well.
A low resolution on a big screen is not as clear as a high resolution on a small screen. In this case, the display will appear blurry and pixelated. So if you're going to buy a phone with a 6 to 6.7 inches screen size, make sure that it comes with 1280 x 720, 1920 x 1080, or 2560 x 1440 screen resolution.
Refresh rate measures how quickly the phone's display or images updates. If you often watch gameplay videos and play competitive games, a high refresh rate can improve your overall experience. It makes the smartphone more responsive and makes the gameplay appear smoother.
60Hz is the default refresh rate for most smartphones. However, it may be prone to motion blurs and lags, particularly for fast-paced games where every frame counts. So it's better to go for a smartphone with a 90Hz or 120Hz refresh rate for smoother and sharper animation.
Aside from a phone's core features, you should also check its battery life. Games draw out more power than apps, videos, and music. Its brightness level, temperature, and connections also affect its battery life. Lastly, keep in mind that discharge rates vary from device to device and user to user.
A 4000mAh battery is good for casual gaming, but we recommend a 5000mAh battery if you want to play games for hours without interruptions. You may want to opt for one with a quick-charging feature as it will surely take a long time to recharge a large battery capacity.
Since some mid-range phones are not built specifically for gaming, they might not have an extra high refresh rate, cooling systems, and touch-sensitive screens. Fortunately, most smartphones these days now come with gaming mode software that boosts the phone's gaming performance.
For instance, Oppo and OnePlus have a default gaming app called Game Space. It automatically optimizes games and lets you manage all of your games in one place. Also, you can customize it according to your preference by managing notifications, incoming calls, brightness, and other settings that affect your gameplay.
Besides the important specs mentioned above, you should also consider getting a phone with other features such as an anti-glare screen, a fast-charging battery, and quality speakers to enhance your overall gaming experience. Some budget gaming phones even support 5G LTE SIM for low latency and higher data speed.
Lags, frame drops, stutters, and hangs are the most annoying things you don't want to experience in the middle of your gameplay. Your phone might be perfectly capable of gaming, but there are more ways to improve and boost its performance. Here are some smartphone tips from Kingston Technology that could help you win your game without any hassles.
Tips:
Below are some of the most asked questions on the web answered by the mybest team.
If your phone lags, the first thing you can do is refresh your phone by restarting it. If it still runs slow after rebooting, its internal storage might be full, and you need to uninstall unused apps, close running apps, delete large files, and clear caches and excess data to free up space.
Applications and features update from time to time, so you should also check if your phone uses an outdated operating system. If so, update it to the latest version to avoid incompatibility issues. However, if the lag persists and you don't see any improvement, consider seeking a professional's assistance as the problem might be hardware-related.
Yes, you can use your phone while charging. However, its charging speed will be slower than normal. While the battery loads power as you use your phone, the current supplied to the battery will be reduced. Your phone might also heat up because running applications, especially graphics-intensive games, consume a lot of power.
To get the most out of your battery's life, below are some of the battery-saving tips you can do.
With the best mobile gaming accessories, such as gamepads, headsets, and stands, you can save yourself from bad controls, poor audio quality, and other factors that can affect your gameplay. If you need more guides and product recommendations, check out our other articles below!
Learning about the things you need to consider before buying a budget gaming phone can be a bit tricky. But remember that you don't have to purchase an expensive gaming phone for the ultimate gaming experience. Just aim for a good CPU, GPU, RAM, and ROM, and you'll surely get your game on.
Also, don't forget to consider its display and battery life, and opt for one with a gaming mode software to boost your game performance. If you find this article helpful, feel free to share with us your insights on our Instagram and Facebook page. Happy gaming!
Author and Re-editor: Erika Nollora Ceguerra
Editor: Ayeza Mangulabnan
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