Saturday, June 1, 2013

June 2013 Mid Level Smartphone Buyers Guide


Under mid-level phones I group those priced at Php10,000 or higher, but below Php20,000. Going back to the June's Entry Level Smartphone Buyers Guide, the best entry level phones, gives you an impressive Android offering and a pair of decent Windows Phones.  With a 5-inch smartphone with a HD display and quad core processor on the Android side of things, and a pair of pretty decent Windows Phones 8 device, it really puts a lot of pressure on the mid-level. 

A lot of entry level phones are actually better than their mid-priced counterparts. The reason is that a lot of the mid-level phones are still last years models, with the new Galaxy S 4 Mini and HTC M4 still to be released. 


The prices posted are those covered by an official manufacturers warranty.



1. Sony Xperia L (Php13,490) - A decent enough choice with a good camera

The Sony Xperia L has a 4.3-inch FWVGA (480 x 854) display with a dual core Qualcomm Krait processor. I really cannot say it is a better option than the lower cost Cherry Mobile Omega HD. Still it does pack a full gigabyte of RAM and a very decent 8 MP camera. It makes a decent choice for those who do not want a 5-inch phone or want a low cost phone with a good camera, but overall, it is not a better value for money proposition than the entry level Android offerings. 

Quick specifications:
  • Android 4.1 (Jelly Bean)
  • 4.3-inch FWVGA (480 x 854) display
  • 8 GB internal storage expandable via a MicroSD card slot
  • 1 GB RAM
  • 1 GHz dual core Qualcomm Krait processor
  • Adreno 305 graphics
  • 8 MP autofocus primary camera with LED Flash
  • 0.3 MP front camera
  • HSPA+
  • WiFi
  • Bluetooth
  • A-GPS
  • 1750 mAh battery

2. Nokia Lumia 720 (Php13,990) - Picking up where the Nokia Lumia 520 and Huawei Ascend W1 left off

If you want a Windows Phone 8 device, and want something more than the Nokia Lumia 520 and the Huawei Ascend W1, the Nokia 720 will fit the bill.

The Lumia 720 has a larger mid-sized 4.3-inch display and a better camera than the Lumia 520 or Ascend W1. At Php13,990, is priced a lot more though than either of these two phones, and does not represent a great value money for option. Still, it is the best mid-priced Windows Phone 8 device in the  market.

Quick specifications:
  • Windows Phone 8
  • 4.3-inch ClearBlack WVGA (480 x 800) display
  • 8 GB internal storage expandable via a MicroSD card slot
  • 512 MB RAM
  • 1 GHz dual core Qualcomm Krait Snapdragon processor
  • Adreno 203 graphics
  • 6.7 MP autofocus primary camera with a  Carl Zeiss lens and a LED Flash
  • 1.3 MP front camera
  • HSPA+
  • WiFi
  • Bluetooth
  • A-GPS
  • 2000 mAh battery




3. Sony Xperia SP LTE (Php18,200) - A really nice new mid-level offering from Sony

The newly released Sony Xperia SP is one of the first 2013 upper mid-level Androids released and it is a good one. A mid-level Android now means HD displays, powerful processors, LTE connectivity and long battery life for a pretty decent price. This phone is so good, that it really puts the pressure on the top of the line phones. The biggest weakness in the package is the camera which produces pictures, which in my opinion, are a bit lower than quality the the 5 MP shooter on the Samsung Galaxy Nexus.

Quick specifications:
  • Android 4.1 (Jelly Bean).
  • 4.6-inch HD (720 x 1280) display
  • 8 GB internal storage expandable via a MicroSD card slot
  • 1 GB RAM
  • 1.7 GHz dual core Qualcomm Krait processor
  • Adreno 320 graphics
  • 8 MP autofocus primary camera with LED Flash
  • VGA front camera
  • LTE/HSPA+
  • WiFi
  • Bluetooth
  • A-GPS
  • 2370 mAh battery

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