5G smartphones are becoming increasingly common these days. Once a flagship-exclusive feature, more and more smartphones are featuring 5G, especially those in the midrange segment. In the Philippines, you have many options nowadays thanks to OEMs bringing their competitive offerings to the market.

While more and more smartphones are coming in with 5G, adoption of the next-gen network is still at a breakneck pace in the country. Major telcos are upping their game though, with many areas receiving 5G connectivity sooner than later. Still, you have to be mindful of the areas without 5G yet — there are still a lot in the country, to be exact.

You don’t have to wait for a country-wide adoption of 5G to take advantage of its benefits though. Through these smartphones, you can now enjoy faster network speeds and flaunt the venerable “5G” icon to your friends. Here are the some of best 5G smartphones you can buy in the Philippines now, sorted by categories.

Flagship (PhP 30,000 and above)

Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra (Starts at PhP 69,990)

Samsung’s Galaxy S21 Ultra could arguably be the best 5G smartphone from the beloved Korean company to date. It has all the features one can ask from a flagship, including cutting-edge cameras and top-notch performance. 5G connectivity is made possible by next-gen processors such as the Exynos 2100 or Qualcomm Snapdragon 888.

Yes, the camera hump is still there but a refined design and the 108MP wide-angle primary camera should be enough to gloss this over. The Infinity-O display is also here to stay, along with 1440P+ resolution. Coupled with the fact that it now receives up to four years of software updates, the Galaxy S21 Ultra surely delivers in both the hardware and software front.

Apple iPhone 12 Pro Max (Starts at PhP 68,990)

This year’s iPhone 12 Pro Max is one of the first Apple devices to feature 5G conectivity. Upon first glance, Apple’s most expensive and largest flagship may look the same as last year’s model. After all, it still has the same three cameras on the back, and a notch that seems out of place in 2021. Make no mistake, however, since Apple has actually refreshed the design of its flagships to have flatter edges. Plus, there is a brand-new LiDAR sensor on the back along with MagSafe — Apple’s new proprietary wireless charging connector.

These changes and additions may not interest all users, but it is enough to give the iPhone 12 Pro Max a competitive edge. Couple that with six years of software support and you basically have a flagship worth your hard-earned money.

Huawei Mate 40 Pro (PhP 55,999)

This may not be the best time to adopt a Huawei flagship given the precarious situation the company finds itself in, but the Mate 40 Pro impresses at almost every level. The back design is arguably the one of best out there in the market today.  It hides the camera setup very well, which by the way is perfectly versatile and well-rounded. With a Kirin 9000 chipset running the show, buyers can expect a top-notch performance that punches its weight against Qualcomm and Samsung’s offerings.

The chipset also has a 5G modem built-in to support the next-gen network. For those worried about the app situation, Huawei has come a long way in remedying the lack of Google apps and Play Store on their devices. However, getting some of popular apps still proves to be a challenge though.

ASUS ROG Phone 5 (PhP 39,995)

A 5G-enabled gaming smartphone is what the ASUS ROG Phone 5 is all about, and it never failed on that front. The gaming-centric design is still here to stay, but ASUS surely fitted some cool tricks on the ROG Phone 5 that you may have seen before on certain ROG laptops.

Powering the device is a Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 with a Qualcomm Game Quick Touch included for best-in-class responsiveness. Truly, responsiveness is the name of the game since its display comes with a whopping 144Hz refresh rate. If those aren’t enough, it also has a 6,000 mAh battery is to keep going whatever tasks you throw at it.

Xiaomi Mi 11 (PhP 36,990)

Unarguably one of the first smartphones to launch with the flagship Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 processor, Xiaomi Mi 11 offers 2021 flagship specs at a bang-for-the-buck price. That has been the case for Xiaomi’s flagships anyway, which always have shook the competition with an attractive pairing of specs with prices.

One of the notable elements for Xiaomi’s latest flagship is the more rounded corners of the camera bump, which helps the Mi 11 stay distinct from its competitors. By the way, the camera bump houses a humongous 108 MP primary wide-angle lens paired with a 13 MP ultra-wide and a 5 MP depth sensor. Xiaomi also took the time to refine MIUI for version 12 in the Mi 11. Granted, ads are still a part of the OS but users now have more control over which apps they can uninstall or disable.

Upper Midrange (PhP 20,000 to PhP 29,999)

OnePlus 8T (PhP 29,990)

OnePlus’ tradition of bringing flagship features at bargain prices continues with the 8T, which is more than a refinement of the highly-popular 8 series. 5G connectivity is possible thanks to the included Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 processor. That processor alone is indicative of flagship performance, and it shows on this device. Everything just runs smoothly, which is also thanks to OxygenOS 11.

Buyers expecting flagship camera performance, however, would be a bit disappointed on the 8T. It is a great all-around camera for sure, but it lags behind flagships in night-time situations. Water-resistance ratings are also absent here as a cost-cutting measure. Finally, it lacks a curved display which is one of the highlights of the OnePlus 8 Pro.

vivo V20 Pro (PhP 24,999)

vivo continues to enjoy success on its V-series devices, which are predominantly midrange devices. The V20 series offers a Pro variant that features 5G, thanks to its Qualcomm Snapdragon 765G processor. This Pro variant is exactly the V20 Pro, which the company touts as the world’s slimmest 5G smartphone yet.

Aside from its thin profile, the device packs respectable specs for its class. The processor itself is quite capable, handling games, apps, and some intensive tasks. Likewise, the camera setup is versatile for almost every scenario thanks to the 64MP wide-angle lens coupled with an 8 MP ultra-wide and a 2MP depth sensor.

Samsung Galaxy A52 5G (PhP 23,990)

For 2021, Samsung is finally getting more serious about its A-series lineup and the latest Galaxy A52 5G is an evidence for this. Gone are the flashy yet equally divisive design of the yesteryear, now replaced by a minimal yet almost-professional look thanks to a unibody matte finish all throughout the device.

The display also gets a nice bump in the refresh rate department, which is now a whopping 120Hz for the 5G-enabled variant. The processor here is also a win, with Samsung fitting in a Qualcomm Snapdragon 750G. The primary rear camera gets a bump to 64MP, while the battery sees modest increase to 4,500 mAh. Almost everything here gets a nice bump, and Samsung is even generous to include IP67 dust and water resistance.

OPPO Reno5 5G (PhP 23,990)

OPPO is shaking things up on the upper midrange segment with the release of OPPO Reno5 5G. It is the smaller brother of the Reno5 Pro 5G, having a 6.4-inch FHD+ resolution instead. Beyond that, it retains almost all of the features including the quad-camera setup in the form of 64MP wide-angle + 8MP ultra-wide-angle + 2MP depth + 2MP macro lens.

With a Qualcomm Snapdragon 765G, the device supports 5G connectivity and features modest performance for almost everyone. It’s not exactly flagship class, but it has the chops to play even the most graphically intensive games. And yes, the 3.5mm headphone jack is still here, which is getting quite rare to find in this price segment.

OnePlus Nord (PhP 21,990)

OnePlus stole the scene again last 2020 when it launched its first Nord device. It was the brand’s another attempt in the midrange segment after the ill-fated OnePlus X. So far, OnePlus’ strategy is working, with Nord driving sales for the brand thanks to its unique set of features including OxygenOS. When it launched in the Nord, it represented an Android purists’ dream.

Since then, the OS underwent major changes in its latest version mimicking another brand’s signature design. Still, it is not as bloated as the others. Beyond the OS, OnePlus Nord offers a Qualcomm Snapdragon 765G processor and a quad-camera setup. That camera setup may not excel in one particular area, but it is decent enough for most situations.

Huawei Nova 7 5G (PhP 17,990)

Huawei has put compelling options in recent years, and the Nova 7 5G is no exception. It is one of the first devices in the upper midrange segment to feature 5G, all thanks to the in-house Kirin 985 chipset. The chipset definitely keeps up with everything thrown at it, even on the most intensive tasks. Battery life is also a big plus for the midrange. Finally, its camera is definitely capable of any situation.

The plastic build and lack of a 3.5mm audio jack may put off some buyers, but it definitely is a well-made phone featuring everything one can ask for a flagship at a reasonable price. The biggest drawback though: the lack of Google apps and Play Store.

Lower Midrange (PhP 10,000 to PhP 19,999)

Mi 10T (PhP 19,990)

Xiaomi is only one of the few that dared to offer a 5G smartphone in the Philippines with a sub-PhP 20K price. Yes, the Mi 10T is still dangerously close to PhP 20K, but it represents one of the best bang-in-the-buck devices right now.

First, it has a Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 processor for flagship performance. It is quite rare for any brand to offer a device with a flagship processor in this price segment, but Xiaomi is not like any of those brands. The Mi 10T also gets a capable camera setup, with triple cameras in the rear providing flexible shooting modes.

TCL 10 5G (PhP 17,990)

Some of you out there may get confused with the inclusion of a TCL smartphone. Include this on your “today I learned” — TCL makes smartphones that are worth a second look. Chief among that is the TCL 10 5G with a price so appealing for buyers who really wanted to have a 5G-capable smartphone.

It’s no slouch too with the features it packs. A Qualcomm Snapdragon 765G runs the show, and the HDR-capable full HD display is something worth looking at. It even has a glass body which is truly quite rare for the price. Bundle in a headphone jack, and you clearly have a winner with the TCL 10 5G.

moto g 5G Plus (PhP 16,990)

It’s no secret that the primary draw of the moto g 5G Plus is its 5G capability. But there’s more to this phone. It sports a tall 6.7-inch FHD+ display with support for a 90Hz refresh rate, comes with a satisfyingly clean My UX, and equipped with a no-slouch Snapdragon 765G chipset.

Furthermore, this phone promises up to two days of battery life with its 5000mAh battery. And it fills up quickly with its 20W TurboPower charging. It’s easily one of the affordable options you can have if you’re looking for a future-proof handset.

No budget option yet

There are now quite a few 5G smartphones in the Philippines, and there’s more incoming as adoption continues to grow. However, it is quite baffling to see that there are no budget 5G smartphones yet. By the way, budget here means smartphones costing less than PhP 10,000.

One of the probable reasons why is the cost involved in the manufacturing process. Like every other technology, it takes time for the cost of manufacturing to go down especially with the strained capacity and logistics. The same goes for the manufacturing of modems that enable 5G connectivity.

As general advice, buyers rocking a 4G smartphone shouldn’t outright buy a new 5G-enabled smartphone just yet. Yes, it is the future of cellular networks but it doesn’t mean the end for 4G yet. For the greatest and the latest though, smartphones with 5G are the way to go.