Philippines

Best Midrange Smartphones in the Philippines from P10,000 to P20,000

January 2021 Edition

Published

December 28, 2020

GadgetMatch

When premium phones are out of financial reach and entry-level handsets just don’t make your cut, something in between is the next best thing. This is our updated list of the best midrange smartphones retailing from PhP 10,000 to PhP 20,000.

Formulating this category was tricky, since you can’t set an exact price and some of these devices are, in fact, the flagship phones of their respective brands. To simplify things, we chose a price range that simply sits between our other lists for best budget, upper-midrange, and premium smartphones.

Here they are in no particular order:

Samsung Galaxy A42 5G (PhP 19,990)

Starting this category with what will be the theme for most of this list — 5G-capable phones for less. That’s exactly what the Galaxy A42 5G is. It misses the upper midrange category by a hair but what you’re getting here is everything you’ve come to expect from the Samsung A-Series at this price point but with the benefit of the next gen mobile connectivity.

HANDS-ON: Samsung Galaxy A42 5G

OPPO Reno4Z 5G (PhP 20,990)

Cheating a little bit with the pricing here but it’s only outside the indicated price range here by a hair so can we let it pass? We sure can. The OPPO Reno 4Z 5G performs similarly to the OPPO Reno4 despite having plenty of differences in specs. The one thing that the Reno4Z edges the Reno4 on is 5G. It’s a solid midranger with 5G connectivity. 5G Phones might be the norm in less than a year but for now, it holds a bit of an edge in this price range.

HANDS-ON: OPPO Reno4Z 5G

Moto 5 5G (PhP 16,990)

Motorola is back in the Philippines and while the razr is their top-of-the-line offering, they kept in mind the midrange market by offering what might be the most affordable 5G-ready smartphone right now. That’s great value right there on top of its Snapdragon 750G SoC and a vanilla Android experience.

FIRST LOOK: Moto G 5G

POCO X3 NFC (PhP 12,990)

The POCO X3 NFC might represent the ultimate value-for-money phone. It’s what the brand had been known for and they are doubling down on that mantra. The combination of a smooth 120Hz display, newer Snapdragon 732G chipset paired with Adreno 618 GPU, massive battery, and fast charging out of the box with that price is too hard to pass on.

HANDS-ON: POCO X3 NFC

Samsung Galaxy M31 (PhP 13,990)

This is a battery beast. Sometimes in this segment, you just need to have one standout thing going for you, and for the Galaxy M31, it is the 6,000mAh battery that works just as advertised. You’ll probably run out of juice first before this phone does.

HANDS-ON: Samsung Galaxy M31

Samsung Galaxy M51 (PhP 19,990)

Samsung appears to have a monopoly of battery beasts in this category with both the Galaxy M31 and now the Galaxy M51 making the list. Both will last you longer than you realize with the Galaxy M51 having better overall performance. Cameras are pretty much on the same level but you’re buying this for the massive 7,000mAh more than anything else.

REVIEW: Samsung Galaxy M51

realme 7 (PhP 14,990)

The Pro version is reserved for the Snapdragon chips while the non Pro is equipped with MediaTek. It’s like clockwork now for realme, and this value for money smartphones are what we should expect from them from here on out.

REVIEW: realme 7

Huawei Nova 7 SE (PhP 19,990)

Barely making the price point, Huawei phones are facing a unique problem with the lack of Google Mobile Services. That said, Huawei Mobile Services is making a headway. But the reason the phone lands on this list is because of its 5G capabilities. This is the first smartphone in this category to offer 5G — that has to count for something.

HANDS-ON: Huawei Nova 7 SE

Related Topics:Honor Nokia Realme Redmi Samsung

Philippines

Smart boosts 5G network in Siargao for World Surf League event

Smart expands 5G coverage across Siargao.

Published

November 4, 2026

GadgetMatch

Smart Communications is strengthening its 5G network in Siargao ahead of the World Surf League (WSL) Championship Tour, which is being held at Cloud 9 in General Luna until November 10.

The network enhancements aim to provide faster mobile connectivity for residents, tourists, athletes, media practitioners, and spectators attending the competition.

As the event’s official telecommunications partner, Smart has expanded its existing 5G coverage and capacity in key areas of the island. These include Cloud 9, Siargao Airport, Siargao Seaport, and other strategic locations.

The competition marks the first time the Philippines is hosting a stop on the prestigious WSL Championship Tour, bringing international surfing talent and visitors to the island.

“Siargao is an important tourism destination, and we are committed to supporting its continued growth through reliable connectivity,” said Lloyd R. Manaloto, Smart’s First Vice President and officer-in-charge.

He added that the partnership with WSL provides an opportunity to deliver better digital experiences to athletes, visitors, and local communities.

Beyond the competition, Smart says improved mobile connectivity can help residents and tourists with digital payments, accommodation and transportation bookings, real-time communication, and sharing their travel experiences online. It can also help local businesses facilitate transactions and engage customers.

Smart 5G offers for WSL visitors

Visitors attending the WSL Championship Tour can access select Smart Unli 5G offers, which include unlimited 5G data and non-stop 4G data starting at PHP 90 for three days.

Smart Postpaid subscribers can also take advantage of plans with Smart Device Link, allowing them to share their primary mobile number and plan with a smartwatch for calls, texts, and mobile data even when their iPhone is not nearby.

Smart subscribers who avail of select offers at designated booths and partner stores in Siargao may also receive freebies.

The network improvements are part of Smart’s continued investment in mobile connectivity across the Philippines. The company also highlighted its recognition from Ookla for Best Mobile Latency and Best Mobile Video Experience.

Philippines

LG showcases its latest AI TVs in the Philippines

OLED, Micro RGB, and QNED take the spotlight.

Published

November 2, 2026

GadgetMatch

LG Electronics Philippines showcased its latest AI-powered OLED, Micro RGB, and QNED televisions at the LG OLED TV Media Launch on October 30, 2026, at the Ayala Museum in Makati City.

Held under the theme “A Canvas of Possibilities,” the event demonstrated how LG’s latest television technologies can enhance home entertainment, gaming, and digital art experiences.

The showcase featured three television lines: the LG OLED evo AI, LG Micro RGB evo AI, and LG QNED evo AI. Each demonstrated different approaches to picture quality, color reproduction, and everyday viewing.

LG highlights its latest TV technologies

The True Cinema showcase highlighted the picture quality of LG’s latest television lineup. The LG OLED evo AI delivered an immersive viewing experience, while the LG Micro RGB evo AI demonstrated its Triple Crown 100% Color Coverage for vibrant, lifelike visuals.

The LG QNED evo AI also showcased its contrast, color reproduction, and motion capabilities, offering another option for viewers seeking an enhanced entertainment experience.

These televisions build on LG’s broader 2026 AI TV lineup, which the company introduced at IFA 2026 in Berlin, Germany.

Among the technologies highlighted was the α11 AI Processor Gen3, which debuted in the LG OLED evo series and extends to ultra-large Micro RGB evo TVs. The processor enables features such as AI Dual 4K Upscaling for sharper images and AI Sound Pro for more immersive audio.

LG also highlighted personalization features, including Voice ID for tailored content recommendations and AI Concierge for content discovery. LG Shield provides an integrated security system designed to protect user information and privacy.

Gaming and digital art take center stage

Beyond traditional television viewing, LG demonstrated how its displays can serve as entertainment hubs for gaming and digital art.

The Ultimate Gaming zone gave guests a closer look at the smooth gameplay experience offered by LG OLED evo AI technology. The gaming-inspired lounge highlighted how display innovations can make interactive entertainment more immersive.

Meanwhile, the Digital Art showcase featured LG OLED evo AI, LG QNED evo AI, and LG Micro RGB evo AI televisions displaying digital artworks through LG Gallery+.

The exhibit demonstrated how televisions can double as digital canvases, allowing users to bring artwork into their living spaces when they are not watching movies or playing games.

Through the launch, LG presented its latest televisions as more than displays for traditional entertainment, highlighting their potential to complement different interests, lifestyles, and creative pursuits.

“Through this launch, we wanted guests to see these innovations for themselves and imagine how they could bring the same experiences into their own homes,” said Yongwoo Park, Media Solutions Product Director at LG Electronics Philippines.

Philippines

realme 16 Pro 5G Harry Potter Edition: Price, availability in the Philippines

Hogwarts magic meets smartphone design

Published

October 29, 2026

GadgetMatch

The realme 16 Pro 5G Harry Potter Edition is now available in the Philippines for PHP 39,999. This limited-edition smartphone features a color-changing Hogwarts crest, an exclusive Harry Potter-themed interface, and a collection of Wizarding World memorabilia.

Limited to fewer than 200 units nationwide, the special edition is designed for fans and collectors of the beloved franchise.

Hogwarts magic in every detail

The realme 16 Pro 5G Harry Potter Edition comes in Magic Brown, featuring an Enchanted Texture Leather back with a three-dimensional diamond pattern inspired by wizard chessboards.

Its centerpiece is the Hogwarts Four-House Crest, which reveals the signature colors of Gryffindor, Slytherin, Ravenclaw, and Hufflepuff when exposed to direct sunlight or ultraviolet light. This effect uses realme’s Quadra Light-Sensing Color-changing Tech.

The phone also features a gold Hedwig-inspired camera design, matching gold accents along its edges, and a laser-engraved “Welcome to Hogwarts” inscription on the side.

A Hogwarts-inspired interface

The Harry Potter theme extends to the phone’s software. Exclusive wallpapers depict Hogwarts Castle at different times of the day, with Golden Dawn for daytime and Mystic Dusk for nighttime.

Other customizations include boot-up and fingerprint animations inspired by Hogwarts acceptance letters, more than 30 redesigned app icons, and camera watermarks inspired by the four Hogwarts houses.

A trunk full of collectibles

The limited-edition packaging takes the form of a Harry Potter-inspired trunk featuring the Hogwarts crest and the realme 16 Pro Harry Potter Edition branding.

Inside, fans will find a Hogwarts acceptance letter addressed to Mr. Potter, character postcards featuring Harry, Ron, and Hermione, and bookmarks representing all four Hogwarts houses.

The package also includes Hogwarts Crest pins and a Hogwarts Express-inspired ticket bearing the route from London to Hogwarts via Platform 9¾.