MANILA, Philippines – While the budget segment has continuously been pushing the limit with regards to value for money, there are still people who have a bit more cash to spend, looking for new innovations and features that don’t necessarily break the bank. 

For those who are in the market for affordable smartphones with those added “extras,” here are our picks:

Realme 5 Pro

Price at launch: starts at P11,990

Realme has outdone itself once again, releasing the Realme 5 Pro for cheaper than its predecessor, the Realme 3 Pro, with enough new additions to warrant an upgrade.

Packing a quad-camera setup that features a 48MP main shooter, a 4,035mAh fast-charging battery, and a Snapdragon 712 chipset, the Realme 5 Pro is undoubtedly one of your best options when it comes to overall value. 

Samsung Galaxy A30s

Price at launch: P12,990

The Samsung Galaxy A30s sports a vibrant 6.4-inch screen using the company’s Super AMOLED screen technology. It also has most of what you come to expect in this price segment: an in-display fingerprint scanner, an octa-core processor, up to 4GB of RAM, and a 4,000mAh battery. 

Xiaomi Mi A3

Price at launch: P11,990

The Xiaomi Mi A3 covers the basics when it comes to midrange offerings: 48MP ultra wide triple camera, Snapdragon 665, a 4030mAh battery that supports fast charging, and an in-screen fingerprint scanner. Those who enjoy the stock Android experience or are bothered by bloatware might also appreciate that this phone runs on Android One. 

OPPO A5 2020

Price at launch: P10,990

The OPPO A5 2020 is essentially an affordable alternative to the A9 2020, housing the same Snapdragon 665 chipset and 5000mAh battery under the hood. While it’s missing the A9 2020’s 48MP primary shooter, the 4 rear cameras are still versatile enough to handle most of your everyday shooting needs. 

TOP CHOICE: Redmi Note 8 Pro

Price at launch: starts at P11,490

It’s hard to argue that Xiaomi gives you the best value for your money when it comes to specs, and the Redmi Note 8 Pro is no exception. The phone is a significant upgrade from its predecessor, the Note 7 Pro, touting a 64MP quad-camera setup, Helio G90T chipset, up to 8GB of RAM, and a 6.54-inch display with HDR support, to name a few. This is probably as close as you can get to premium features in this price segment. – Rappler.com