The seven best mobile phones for less than 350 thousand pesos

Buying cheap cell phones might not be as easy as you imagine. Called “entry” or low-end, these are basic equipment that strictly respect what is promised: connectivity and autonomy.

Because its functionality is rather restrictive, at least compared to high-end cell phones, its duration can be quite long, depending on usage. Almost all the models in the following list have a 5,000 mAh battery, for example, the same as high-end smartphones, which is a good base.

As we can see, the vast majority of the selected devices, in addition to having a ceiling of 350,000 pesos and being of Chinese origin —except Samsung—, also have other characteristics that make them relatively similar. In the end, in the budget, the packages offered by these models are more or less similar, and what will prevail will be above all the “stomach” taste on the part of the consumer.

In general, entry-level models have a standard set of features, but there are small variations that can make the difference: they range from small design accents to the amount of memory or the processor included. However, it must be considered that beyond the reference value for each model, there are several financing plans, depending on the company.

Today, these are the seven most attractive entry-level models currently available on our market. Let’s see them again.

The most economical line from Samsung, the largest manufacturer of smart phones of the world, has just presented its new models. Although most of its devices exceed our cap, the A34 only exceeds 9,000, so we’re including it anyway.

This new model, the A34, features an extremely clean, simple, elegant and symmetrical design, supported by its 6.6-inch Super AMOLED display (with up to 1000 nits of brightness and a sufficient refresh rate of 120 Hz) . It is in four colors: black, gray, purple and light green.

In the camera section, it has a 48MP main lens, an 8MP ultra-wide lens, a 5MP macro lens and, on the front, a 13MP selfie lens. MP, as well as its post-production software which, among other details, allows you to erase objects from the photo through its artificial intelligence software.

What is remarkable, in addition to being 5G and weighing only 199 grams, is that it is IP67 certified: it can hold up to one meter under water (not salty, be careful) and for 30 minutes. Its robust 5000mAh battery, thanks to the phone’s peak performance, can last up to two days depending on settings and usage. It includes 128GB of storage, which isn’t a lot, but it’s good for getting started and having the essential apps. It is the most complete in this list and, by the way, also the most expensive.

Also fresh out of the oven, this model is exactly what Motorola does best: the mid-range. The brand today has a large portfolio, which includes multiple alternatives for all budgets and needs in this range. There is literally something for everyone.

But the G53 is perhaps the most balanced of all, with a neat and sober design (in blue and dark gray colors), with a good 6.5-inch IPS LCD screen (with a refresh rate of 120 Hz) , a built-in 5G connectivity system, with Android 13 (the latest version), a Snapdragon 480+ 5G processor and a 5,000 mAh battery, with a combo of 128 GB of storage with 6 GB of RAM, something unusual for this category. The camera array includes a 50MP main on the rear and a for selfies 8MP front. It weighs just 183 grams and is water and dust resistant.

Similar in terms of benefits and features, this recent launch from the Chinese giant once again puts it on the table as an excellent alternative to get the most benefits at the lowest possible price.

This new model features a 6.71-inch IPS LCD screen and a Mediatek Helio G85 (12nm) processor with 6 GB of memory, which is quite acceptable to start with. Its autonomy is given by a good 5,000 mAh battery (with a fast charge of 10 watts), as well as a combo of 128 GB of storage and 4 GB of internal memory. There is a 50MP main camera and a 5MP front camera for selfies. It has a handy rear biometric reader and it might be a bit heavier than the others at 192 grams, but it’s still under 200g, which is considered light in our books. It is available in green and gray and includes a one-year warranty.

Honor, the Chinese brand that became independent a few years ago from its parent company, Huawei, is gradually beginning to prosper in our country with the imminent launch of its top of the range, the very interesting Honor Magic 5 Pro, and also its minor brother, the Magic 5 Lite, with its striking shockproof screen.

But the smartphone we’re including here is part of the midrange-oriented X range, which released three models last year, which surprised us pleasantly. For this list we are left with the middle one, the most balanced: the Honor X8, made of glass and plastic, which features a large 6.7-inch LCD screen (2388 x 1080), with biometric side unlocking and a pleasant weight. of 177 grams.

Inside, it has a Snapdragon 680 (6nm) processor along with 6GB of RAM and 128GB of space. It doesn’t reach 5G networks, which is a point against it, although that certainly won’t be necessary either. Its cameras are more than decent and include a 64MP main lens, as well as a 2MP macro and telephoto lens respectively. The battery, yes, only reaches 4,000 mAh. It has a two year warranty.

Last year we tested the Oppo Reno 7, the Chinese manufacturer’s latest iteration in its mid-range family, which unfortunately falls outside our cap on this list. But the model we offer here is only the previous one, in its lightest version, which qualifies in the price range.

With only 7.95mm (very thin) and only 175 grams of weight (very light), its AMOLED screen is large at 6.71 inches and its cameras are not bad at all: we have a 48MP main, a 2MP deep and a 2MP macro lens. Beyond the numbers, what’s great about this model, which comes in black and rainbow gray, is its deep customization and photographic software with night mode and artificial intelligence for retouching and post- production. Its combo of 6 GB of memory and 128 GB of storage gives it good performance. A nice design and 33 watt fast charging encapsulates another good entry-level alternative.

Another of the relatively new Chinese manufacturers is Vivo, which since its arrival a few years ago and with the exception of its top model, the X80, has focused mainly on the mid-range.

This alternative fits very well into this niche, providing the features expected for this range: 5,000 mAh battery, dual cameras (13MP main, 2MP macro), with artificial intelligence software, facial recognition, and a reader biometric on the side button. . Alright there.

The design is again accentuated with simple and classic lines. It has a very good weight, 179 grams, and its memory reaches 4 GB, although there is 1 GB of ROM memory which can be supplemented when the work demand is higher. The screen measures 6.51 inches (1600 x 720), which is enough for watching videos or playing games. What more can you ask for for $109,990?

This last model in the list, launched at the beginning of this year, is the cheapest and possibly the cheapest available in our local market today. Again addressing all possible segments, Motorola presents this discreet and ultra-cheap mobile, at less than 100,000 pesos.

The E13 has a 6.5-inch screen (720 x 1200) and, at its heart, a UniSoc T606 processor (12 nm), with 4 GB of RAM, although it integrates 64 GB of storage with Android 13 on a 5000 mAh battery. All with a weight of 180 grams and splash resistant. It has Android 13 – the latest version – and a two-year warranty.

*Prices for products in this item are updated as of March 29, 2023. Values ​​and availability may change.