MANILA, Philippines – There are plenty of arguments to be made against buying flagships today as budget and mid-tier smartphones are becoming more and more capable and affordable. 

That’s not to say flagships will be losing their footing in the market anytime soon as when it comes to picking a new smartphone, we firmly believe it mostly boils down to one thing – preference. If you want the latest innovations in technology and have the moolah to spare, flagships remain as your best options. 

So if you’re currently in the market for a new high-end smartphone, we’ve got you covered with our picks for the best flagships of the year. 

Samsung Galaxy S10e

Price: P39,990

The Samsung Galaxy S10e offers almost everything you get with the S10 and S10 Plus in a more compact and affordable package. Considering the biggest features you’re missing out on are the third camera, the curved edges, and the in-screen fingerprint scanner, this is a great choice for those who want a premium-level experience at a discount price. 

Huawei P30 Pro 

Price at launch: P50,990

The Huawei P30 Pro is a powerhouse of smartphone that touts an attractive design, a powerful Kirin 980 processor, and cutting-edge quad-rear cameras with up to 50x digital zoom and excellent low-light photography. Despite concerns of Huawei losing Android support in the ongoing trade war between US and China, the P30 line recently received an update for Android 10. It’s a top flagship in terms of innovations, design, and hardware, but if you’re going to spend this amount of money, know that there are tricky politics going on right now that may affect your device. 

The brand’s second flagship of the year, the Mate 30 Pro, has impressive new tricks including ultra slow-mo, scrolling up and down with hand gestures, and the absence of physical volume and camera shutter buttons with the side of the screen substituting to detect presses. But it doesn’t have Android, which, for the majority who do not want to tinker around with an ultra-expensive flagship to somehow make the usual Google apps work, is a deal-breaker. 

iPhone 11

Price at launch: starts at P47,990

Don’t let its lack of a “Pro” monicker fool you, the base iPhone 11 is the best iPhone you could get when it comes to value. You’re actually not losing anything with regards to performance here as all three models are powered by the same A13 chipset, which is quite powerful. Plus, you still get an ultra wide lens and good low light camera performance. 

OnePlus 7T Pro

Price at launch:  P42,990

The OnePlus 7T Pro is an upgraded version of the already-great OnePlus 7T. Aside from minor bumps in the spec sheet, its most unique selling point is its sizeable, notch-less display with a silky smooth 90Hz refresh rate. 

Vivo Nex 3

Price at launch: P39,999

Flaunting a waterfall display, the Vivo Nex 3 takes a bold step towards innovating on the design front. It’s less gimmicky and experimental than its predecessors as what you get here is essentially a good all-around phone with a big display size. 

Samsung Galaxy Note 10+ 

Price at launch: starts at P72,990

The Galaxy Note 10+ has essentially set the bar for phablets this year – a quite high one at that. It’s a phone that can do it all, boasting speedy performance, stellar cameras, a massive display, fast charging speed, and a beautiful design. If you’ve got the cash to spare, you can’t go wrong with the Note 10+. 

iPhone 11 Pro Max

Price at launch: starts at P73,990

If you think the base iPhone 11’s cameras are just not up to snuff, the iPhone 11 Pro Max is your next bet. The biggest and most expensive of Apple’s latest trio of iPhones boasts a triple-camera system that is said to be some of the best-performing shooters you can get in a smartphone. On top of this, it has an excellent 6.5-inch screen and superb battery life. 

OPPO Reno 10x Zoom

Price at launch: P45,990

OPPO’s most technically impressive phone this year. Amazing zoom capabilities that challenges Huawei’s and a sophisticated look that certainly gets Samsung’s attention. With the phone, the brand made headway to the premium market. It nails the premium experience and performance that will certainly help build its reputation in this segment of the market, a journey which started with last year’s Find X. This year, OPPO with its Reno 10x Zoom just seems more comfortable in the premium market, and will be exciting to watch in the coming year. 

TOP CHOICE: Samsung Galaxy Note 10

Price at launch: starts at P53,990

When comparing Samsung’s Galaxy Note 10 duo, the base model is arguably the better package. Sure, the Note 10+ is superior when it comes to hardware and size, but it’s hard to justify spending close to P20,000 more for these extra features, especially when the base model is already such an impressive smartphone. It touts a 6.3-inch AMOLED display, a triple-rear camera setup, an octa-core processor, 8GB of RAM, and, of course, a handy stylus. – Rappler.com