Though the title may seem a bit generic and too plain for an article, I’ll be focusing on listing the cheapest Android phones in the Philippine market as of this writing and try to sort them subjectively from not so decent to very decent. And take note, I won’t tackle on the generic China phones that we always see on sidewalk bazaars. Sure they’re cheap, but they’re on a class of their own.
10: Cherry Mobile Candy (₱3,699)
- Android Froyo 2.2
- 2.8″ Resistive Touch Screen
- Dual Sim/Dual Standby
- MediaTek 416Mhz Processor
- ROM: 256mb / RAM: 128mb
- Dual Band GSM/GPRS/EDGE 900/1800
- Wi-Fi
- 1.3 MP Camera
- FM Radio
- 3.5mm Headset Jack
- Bluetooth
- Expandable Micro SD up to 16GB
Number 10 on my list is one of Cherry Mobile’s newest addition to their collection of Android phones. This dual-sim phone is the basic of the most basic phone in the list. It features the common smartphone staples such as WiFi, Bluetooth, camera and an expandable storage. It even has its FM radio, if you got bored of your redundant MP3 playlist. The specs never mentioned of any hint whether the screen can be auto-rotated or not. But based on my experience from products with similar style of marketing, if the feature is not listed, it probably doesn’t exist. The overall look of this phone is like the standard Java phone of Cherry Mobile. It’s like a dumb-phone installed with Android OS.
Pros: Comes with the standard features that an Android phone has. Has a plethora of colors to choose from.
Cons: It has the lowest specs overall. 416MHz for a processor is a bit too slow if you want to do more on your phone.
Why is it in number 10? It is because of the poor specs. Honestly, I could’ve placed it higher on the list since some phones I listed below have almost the same specs. The turning point was the terribly low ROM and RAM. Other phones have at least twice as much ROM and RAM than this device.
More Info: Not yet on their official website, though you can find a lot of sources from bloggers and Cherry Mobile Facebook page.
9: Cherry Mobile Candy Ch@t (₱3,699)
- Android Froyo 2.2
- 2.4″ Resistive Touch Screen with QWERTY Keypad
- Dual Sim/Dual Standby
- MediaTek 416Mhz Processor
- ROM: 256mb / RAM: 128mb
- Dual Band GSM/GPRS/EDGE 900/1800
- Wi-Fi
- 1.3 MP Camera
- FM Radio
- 3.5mm Headset Jack
- Expandable Micro SD up to 16GB
- Bluetooth
Cherry Mobile Candy Chat (also written as Cherry Mobile Candy Ch@t) is the sibling of the Cherry Mobile Candy. The specs between the two is almost the same aside from the noticeable physical QWERTY keyboard of Candy Chat. Like most touch-type phone, the screen is smaller than its full-touch counterpart with the screen menus located at the side of the screen rather than below. In conjunction with the statement I mentioned earlier, Candy Chat doesn’t mention Bluetooth in its list of features, but a recent confirmation from Cherry Mobile states that indeed it has Bluetooth. Well, considering that the price of Candy and Candy Chat is just the same, Candy Chat proves to be the pound for pound king against the CM Candy.
Pros: It’s a touch-type phone having a physical QWERTY keyboard. It’s easier to write SMS than using a resistive touchscreen phone. Different colors to choose from.
Cons: Same as the cons of Cherry Mobile Candy. How about some auto-rotate?
Why is it in number 9? First, I placed it higher than the Cherry Mobile Candy since it has a physical keyboard. QWERTY phones has always been very appealing to me, though I still prefer full-touch ones. But why didn’t it got any higher in my rankings is due to the lack of Bluetooth support. I would’ve ranked this at least one place higher if not for this missing feature that seems to be necessary for me. Most phones doesn’t support NFC yet, and Bluetooth is the next best alternative. Networking and sharing files from your phone is somewhat bleak yet, well at least for me.
More Info: Not yet on their official website, though you can find a lot of sources from bloggers and Cherry Mobile Facebook page.
8: Torque Droidz Glee (₱3,699)
- Dual SIM / Dual Standby
- Android 2.2 (Froyo)
- 2.8″ QVGA Resistive Touch
- MTK6516 416MHz CPU
- Quadband GSM
- ROM: 512MB / RAM: 256MB
- 1.3MP Camera / Video Record
- Java / EDGE / GPRS / MMS
- Wi-Fi / Bluetooth
- 3.5mm Stereo Headset Jack
- FM Radio / Multimedia Player
- Micro SD up to 32GB
Another phone with a 3.7K price. If we would compare this to the Cherry Mobile Candy, Torque Droidz Glee slays it completely. It has almost identical features with Candy except in the storage department. This one doubles the ROM and the RAM, including the allowed expandable memory. Glee surpasses Cherry Mobile’s entry-level phone with flying colors. Well, the only thing that the Candy outweighs Glee is the variety of colors to choose from; Droidz Glee only has one color, black.
Pros: Includes the standard smartphone features. But compared to Cherry Mobile Candy, this one is a better bang for the buck. With the two having identical hardware, this one doubles the ROM and the RAM giving better performance and more app storage than the latter.
Cons: Aside from the cons that I’ve written about the Candy, I guess it’s only losing edge against it is its looks. Glee only has one design and one color to choose from.
Why is it in number 8? It’s because it triumphs over the previous Cherry Mobile phones, not in the physical appearance, but in hardware performance. Though I’ve never personally tried the UI used in Torque phones, I could only assume that it is quite close to the native android UI. Also, based on the price range, this one is the best in its class. Regarding the durability, I think it’s OK, but don’t expect it to be tough like your old Nokia 5110.
More Info: http://torque.ph/torque/images/stories/Torque%20Gen.jpg (The official website is down)
7: Cherry Mobile Eclipse 2.2 (₱4,899)
- Android 2.2 (Froyo)
- Dual SIM / Dual Standby
- MediaTek MT6516 416MHz
- 3.2″ WQVGA Resistive Touch Panel @ 320×480 pixels
- ROM: 512MB / RAM: 256MB
- Expandable Micro SD up to 8GB
- Wi-Fi / Bluetooth / GPRS / EDGE / GPS
- FM Radio
- 3.5mm Stereo Audio Jack
- Standard Micro USB 1.1
- 2.0 Megapixel Camera
- Dual Band GSM / GPRS / EDGE 900 / 1800
As I’ve posted before, I’m torn between choosing this phone or the Alcatel OT Blaze Duo 890D since my wife’s phone was broken. But that was back in August, when these two phones were the cheapest among the cheap. Oh, just look at how fast technology can be marketed, in just a short span of three months, the first in my list of the cheapest android phone was pushed back to number 7. The main selling point of this phone is the larger 3.2″ resistive touch screen in comparison to the previous phones I’ve listed above. Basically, if we would compare this with number 8 above, the Torque Droidz Glee, this phone has a larger screen and better camera with 2.0 megapixels. Economy-wise, we should ponder if the ₱1,200 price difference from the previous phone is worth it, bigger screen, better camera, but lower expandable storage. Yes, too sad to say that this phone can only support up to 8GB of expandable memory, compared to 32GB of most Android phones. But still, let’s just say that after-sales support of Cherry Mobile is better than that of Torque, so this phone places at number 7.
Pros: The biggest screen and resolution so far for the 416MHz-ish processors.
Cons: Can only support up to 8GB of expandable storage.
Why is it in number 7? Personally, I don’t mind a smaller screen, so the bigger screen of this phone has only a little effect on my ranking this above the Droidz Glee. Performance-wise, Eclipse 2.2 doesn’t seem to outperform the Glee, but the reason I placed this above Torque’s cheapest phone is that I feel that Cherry Mobile’s after-sales support is better than that of Torque. I’ve seen Cherry’s website, and it gives much more frequent update, even firmware updates for it’s lineup of Android devices. On the other hand, Torque’s website, as of this time of writing, is still down. The last time I checked it when it was working, updates were a few months delayed.
More Info: Not yet on their official website, though you can find a lot of sources from bloggers and Cherry Mobile Facebook page.
6: Alcatel One Touch Blaze Duo 890D (₱4,799)
- Android 2.2 (Froyo)
- MediaTek MT6516 420MHz
- 2.8″ TFT Resistive Touch Screen, 256K Colors @ 240×320 pixels
- ROM: 512 MB / RAM: 256 MB
- 150 MB Internal Storage
- Upgradeable storage up to 16 GB
- 2.0 Megapixel camera
- Dual SIM / Dual Standby
- GPRS / Edge Class 12 / WAP 2.0 / Wi-Fi / Bluetooth 2.1 A2DP / A-A-GPS
- FM Radio
- MMS
- SMS with Predictive Input CooTek
- G-Sensor
- MicroUSB 2.0
The Alcatel OT Blaze Duo 890D is the first international brand to be included on my list. This phone sports 3 vibrant colors, Fuschia, Orange and Steel Grey, which can highlight and help show your personality. As I’ve said before, this phone and Cherry Mobile’s Eclipse 2.2 have almost the same performance as they were powered by an almost the same set of hardware. With a smaller screen and resolution than that of Eclipse 2.2, it redeems itself with a faster CPU! Well not that fast, with 420MHz, it outperforms the Cherry Mobile’s Android phone 4MHz better, and I don’t think it makes a noticeable difference. Other than that, it can support microSD cards up to 16GB, double than that of Eclipse 2.2.
Pros: Sturdier build than the previous phones mentioned above. Variety of colors to choose from. Includes G-Sensor.
Cons: No 3G. If we were to consider the hardware limitations this device has, I could say that this is as fast as it gets.
Why is it in number 6? This phone has most of the features that mid-range Droids has, camera, G-sensor, Assisted GPS, but with the slow CPU, I believe this is as high as this phone can get on my list. Compared to the phones above within the 416MHz range, this is the best out of all of them. But compare this to an average Android phone, this phone will feel slow.
More Info: http://www.alcatelonetouch.com/ph/products/andorid_smartphones/ot-890d-ph.html
5: Alcatel Blaze One Touch 906 (₱5,499)
- Android 2.2 (Froyo)
- GSM Quad band (850/900/1800/1900) UMTS(900/2100) HSDPA up to 7.2mbps EDGE/WAP 2.0/Wi-Fi
- 2.0 megapixel Camera
- microSD up to 32GB
- Bluetooth 2.1 w/ A2DP
- Assisted GPS
- 2.8″ TFT Resistive Touch Screen 262K Colors @ 240×320 pixels
- Qualcomm MSM7227 600MHz CPU
- ROM: 512 MB (200 MB accessible)
This one looks and feels like its sibling, the Alcatel One Touch Blaze Duo 890D, but with a more fluid UI response. It is like an upgraded version of 890D with a different CPU, support for microSD card up to 32GB and 3G support. Other than that, it seems like it didn’t deviate from the previous phone. The screen is also resistive, which means that playing Fruit Ninja would be a challenge.
Pros: Faster CPU using Qualcomm MSM7227 at 600MHz. Support for microSD up to 32GB. Supports HSDPA up to 7.2 Mbps.
Cons: Resistive touch screen. It would have been perfect if it was capacitive.
Why is it in number 5? Hardware-wise, as a phone that feels like an upgraded version of 890D, this phone should rank higher than that of number 6. The only thing that pulled this phone down to number 5 is because of it’s resistive touch screen, otherwise, it could have been, at most, at the top 3.
More Info: http://www.alcatelonetouch.com/ph/products/andorid_smartphones/ot-906.html
4: Cloudfone Ice (₱4,990)
- Android 2.2 (Froyo)
- 600MHz CPU
- GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 / HSDPA 900 / 2100 / Wi-Fi / Wi-Fi Hotspot
- 3.2″ TFT Capacitive Touchscreen, 256K Colors @ 320x480px
- Accelerometer / Proximity Sensor
- microSD card up to 32GB
- Bluetooth 2.1 w/ A2DP
- microUSB 2.0
- 3.15 megapixel camera
- Digital Compass
- A-GPS
- ROM: 512MB / RAM: 256MB
This phone was like the result of an impulsive decision of Globe Telecom to directly rival Smart’s launching of it’s Smart Netphone 701. It was released in a spur of the moment, suddenly appearing on advertisements on national broadsheets. Globe’s Cloudfone Ice is a rebranded Huawei U8500 but some sources say that instead of the stock Android 2.1 (Eclair) of the original, this one comes with Android 2.2 (Froyo). The specs it has is pretty decent for an entry-level phone, 600MHz CPU, 3.2″ capacitive screen with accelerometer for UI auto-rotate plus a 3.15MP camera. Seems pretty good for a phone less than ₱5,000, right? Actually, the sad part is that this phone just seemed to disappear without anyone knowing. One moment this phone is on sale on Globe Business Centers, the next thing we know, the stocks are out without any idea when the next batch of phones will ship. This phone is like a mushroom, appearing out of nowhere, then disappears without any trace. I remember that this phone suddenly appeared on the list of Globe’s handsets for postpaid plans, then one day disappeared without notice. Everytime I ask Globe about it, they say that the phone is out of stock. Too bad huh?
Pros: Pretty decent specs, pushing the CPU to around 800MHz would’ve been perfect. The price is cheap for less than ₱5k and can be lowered to ₱499/month if you apply for Globe’s postpaid plan.
Cons: It’s now just a figment of our imagination and we don’t know when it will appear again on the market.
Why is it in number 4? To say it frankly, with a set of hardware specs like this, this phone could’ve jumped directly to number 2 in my list. But since it’s now just a figment of our imagination, it sits here at number 4, waiting to be forgotten. R.I.P. Cloudfone Ice.
More Info: http://surf.globe.com.ph/device/cloudfone-ice
3: Torque Droidz Mate (₱4,999)
- Dual SIM / Dual Standby
- Android 2.3 (Gingerbread)
- 3.2″ WQVGA Capacitive Touch
- SC6810 550MHz CPU
- Quadband GSM
- ROM: 512MB / RAM: 256MB
- 2MP Camera w/ Flash
- Video Recorder
- Wi-Fi / Bluetooth
- GPS Support
- 3.5mm Stereo Headset Jack
- FM Radio / Multimedia Player
- microSD up to 32GB
- G-Sensor / Proximity Sensor
Here is another challenger from the local market, Torque Droidz Mate. Based on the looks of the phone itself, it looks like a Google Nexus S with a Torque logo. I haven’t seen it personally, but based on what I saw from other Torque phones, the body is probably made from a not-so-high-grade plastic. The screen is big enough for an average Android phone with its 3.2″ screen. With it’s price being around ₱5k, this phone seems economical enough, considering it’s features per peso ratio. The slight problem with this unit is it’s slower than average CPU with only 550MHz. But with a price like this, asking for a faster Qualcomm or Nvidia Tegra CPU is way too much.
Pros: Decent features for a small price. Capacitive touch screen.
Cons: A bit slower CPU at 550MHz. Software updates are likely to be rare, but we never know as there is a separate download of Torque’s Phone Suite software especially for Android phones.
Why is it in number 3? I have to admit that the Cloudfone Ice’s specs are better than this one, but since it has disappeared on the face of the earth, Droidz Mate overtook it to this position. Well, unless we would compare it to a Huawei U8500, then the Torque Droidz Mate is pwned!
2: Cherry Mobile Cosmo (₱5,499)
- Android 2.2 (Froyo)
- 3.2″ HVGA Capacitive Touch Screen
- Qualcomm 600MHz Processor
- Wi-Fi / Portable Wi-Fi Hotspot / 3G / GPS / Bluetooth
- 2 MP Camera
- 512 Internal Memory (Micro SD up to16GB)
- RAM: 256MB
The second on my list is the Cherry Mobile Cosmo, and the fourth one from the line of Cherry Mobile Androids. It really amazes me how Cherry Mobile can bring their products much cheaper than other mainstream brands. Cosmo is a 3.2″ Capacitive Touchscreen phone powered by a 600MHz Qualcomm MSM7227 processor. Perhaps the only specs that made me choose this over the Torque Droidz Mate is the Wi-Fi hotspot feature. This is pretty handy since I frequently visit rural places where Wi-Fi isn’t available, packed with a laptop, it’s more essential to have a portable Wi-Fi hotspot and browse the web using the laptop, than browse using only the phone. Another thing, I didn’t see any mention of an accelerometer/G-sensor on the specs of this phone, but based on some reviews I’ve read about this phone, nobody mentioned that either, which probably means that it can at least rotate it’s UI. Well, bloggers may have complained about auto-rotate if it were not present, am I right? With the 600MHz processor, the UI is fluid enough for scrolling, but expect some lag sometimes.
Pros: Faster processor than what the Torque Droidz Mate can offer. Has Wi-Fi hotspot feature. Not sure about USB tethering though.
Cons: Plastic build.
Why is it in number 2? Once again I have to reiterate, Globe’s Cloudfone Ice is way better than this phone, but since it’s not available right now, this phone takes the 2nd spot away from Ice. And again, if we’re just considering Huawei U8500 and not Cloudfone Ice, U8500 will probably take the competition away from this phone. But compared to the number 3, the Torque Droidz Mate, this one bests the Droidz with its Wi-Fi hotspot feature and the 50MHz difference of processing speed.
More Info: http://www.cherrymobile.com.ph/products/smart-social/cosmo
1: Samsung Galaxy Y GT-S5360 (₱5,700)
- Android 2.3.5 (Gingerbread)
- 832MHz ARMv6 Processor
- 2.0 megapixels (2x Digital Zoom)
- GPRS / EDGE / 3G / Wi-Fi 802.11b/g/n / Bluetooth v3.0 / USB 2.0 / A-GPS
- 180MB User memory
- RAM: 290MB
- 2.8″ TFT QVGA Capacitive Touchscreen @ 320x240px
- microSD up to 32GB
Finally, the Android phone that is one of the cheapest in the Philippine market with every features worthy of the every cent you spend on it, the Samsung Galaxy Y GT-S5360! Most people today associate Android smartphones with Samsung, and it’s because of the quality Samsung gives on every Android phones they make. On one look, you can notice the sturdy build of this phone, the metal highlights on the side and the tough plastic that Samsung uses on their series of Galaxy phones and tablets. We have to take note that the back cover of the phone is made of plastic with metallic gray finish. Too bad, the capacitive screen does not have Gorilla Glass, so a screen protector might be handy for this device. Most features of a Galaxy phone is included in this tiny package, GPS, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, 3G, tethering, TouchWiz UI and proximity sensor. Probably the striking difference that you will immediately notice compared to the line of Galaxy phones, is the small screen. With only 2.8″ of screen, typing and composing SMS would be tough. Also compared to the other phones on this list, the Galaxy Y has the fastest processor overall at 832MHz, fast enough for an entry-level smartphone.
But of course, not all phones are perfect, and this one has its own imperfections as well. The main issue that I encounter with this phone is its small internal memory. 180MB of user storage is not enough for a power user like me, but it’s like sufficient for non-techie persons. Though the storage is expandable up to 32GB (yes, according to the user manual, it supports up to 32GB and not 16GB from the website), some applications take up space of the internal storage and cannot be transferred to the SD card. So if you install a lot of applications, chances are you’ll hit the memory limit.
I think if you’re wanting an entry-level Android phone, and you have more than ₱5,000, this is the best choice for you in the long run. Take note that Globe and Smart gives the phone a tag price at around ₱5,990, just ₱10 short of 6k. But when I roamed around malls and cellphone dealers, the average price is around ₱5.7k. But there was a store where they sell it for just about ₱5,500, about the same price than that of Cherry Mobile Cosmo, and they sell it cheaper than that of the Samsung store that I visited.
Pros: Fast CPU at 832MHz. Fully packed with features common with Samsung Galaxy phones. Sturdy build. Crisp and bright display, perfect to use even under the sun. As of this writing, an update to Android 2.3.6 is available via Samsung Kies application.
Cons: Small user memory, just about 180MB. Small display. Low-resolution camera at 2.0MP. No support for Flash Player.
Why is it the number 1? First and foremost, this is the cheapest Android phone that Samsung has. If you’re brand-conscious, I know that you’ll go after Samsung than Cherry Mobile or Torque. And we all know that Samsung is way better than these other local brands. So, if you seek economy and quality for your new Android phone, I suggest you choose this one. Though some other phones on this list has bigger screen size, performance-wise, this phone kills them all.
Of course, sorting these phones subjectively tends to have an objective criteria to prevent the list from getting too biased. There are some factors that I considered before ranking them based on my own whim. Probably the factor that tends to affect the decision is the device’s screen type, whether resistive or capacitive. Other things that I considered is the screen size, CPU speed and internal storage. I would like to take note that never did I consider the Android versions of the phones that I listed. This is due to the nature of the Android OS, most phones can be upgraded to a higher version via firmware updates from the manufacturer. Other devices that seemed to be abandoned by the manufacturer can be rooted and installed a custom firmware in some ways or another.
I would like to say that though these phones are cheap, I know that it can last longer if taken with proper care. Though if you really strive for extreme quality, there are other ways to get your phone cheap like subscribing to a postpaid plan. Telecom companies usually gives you a discount or sometimes free mobile phones in exchange for your soul an exclusive service lock-in period of around 2 years or so.
And now I’m searching for the cheapest tablets for myself this Christmas. If I can, I’ll post a list of the cheapest tablets that I will find.