While flagship smartphones feature bleeding edge technology and features, most people only need a phone for day to day tasks, such as social media, video streaming, light gaming and messaging.
Luckily, you don’t have to spend more than a month’s salary just to get a pleasant smartphone experience. For under RM1,000, you have plenty of options to satisfy your needs. Do read on to find out which budget smartphone is the right one for you.
The All Rounder: Realme 10 – RM999
Key Features:
- Helio G99 Chipset
- ARM Mali-G57 MC2 GPU
- 8GB RAM (up to 16GB with Dynamic RAM)
- 256GB storage
- 6.4-inch 90Hz Super AMOLED display
- 50MP Colour AI Triple Camera
- 5,000mAh battery with 33W SuperVOOC charging
Coming at just under RM1,000, the Realme 10 is a well-rounded smartphone. It features a peppy Helio G99 chipset with 8GB of RAM, 256GB of storage and a smooth display. Battery life is excellent too, with up to 2 days of battery life. Charging speed also received an upgrade from its predecessor, now capable of 33W SuperVOOC charging.
The Arm Mali-G57 GPU is decent for gaming as well, capable of playing most mobile games such as PUBG Mobile at medium settings. Although the camera is nothing to brag about, it takes decent photos and videos under good lighting conditions.
Honourable Mention: Honor X8a – RM899
Key Features:
- MediaTek Helio G88
- Mali-G52 MC2
- 8GB RAM
- 128GB storage
- 6.7-inch FHD+ LTPO LCD display
- 100MP Triple rear camera
- 4,500mAh battery with 22.5W fast charging
The Honor X8a is a decent option if you want a reliable phone for under RM1,000. Yes, the specifications on paper is not as competitive as the realme 10, but it is cheaper and compensates with a better camera system. You also get 5G connectivity which is a plus for under RM1,000.
Camera is decent too, capable of capturing sharp images under good lighting. It also comes with 22.5W fast-charging, which is more than enough for most users.
The Gamer’s Choice: Infinix Note 12 2023 – RM799
Key Features:
- Helio G99 processor
- ARM Mali-G57 MC2 GPU
- 8GB RAM + 5GB RAM expansion
- 128GB storage (expandable up to 512GB)
- 6.7-inch FHD+ AMOLED
- 50MP Triple Night Camera
- 16MP selfie camera
- 5,000mAh battery, 33W fast charging
Gamers will be delighted with the Infinix Note 12 2023 as it is a great budget option for mobile gaming. While it does not have 5G, it more than makes up for it with its price point and hardware. The ARM Mali-G57 MC2 is more than capable of running esports games such as PUBG Mobile and MLBB at modest settings. The screen is large too, offering an immersive gaming experience. If you like to game for long hours, the 5,000mAh battery provides a long screen on time.
Honourable Mention: Infinix Hot 30 – RM599
Key Features:
- Mediatek G88 processor
- ARM Mali G-52 MC2
- 8GB RAM + 8GB RAM expansion
- 256GB storage
- 6.78-inch 2460 x 1080 90Hz IPS LCD display
- 50MP main camera
- Android 13
- 5,000mAh battery, 33W fast charging
Continuing on the legacy of the Infinix Hot 20, the Hot 30 is an ultra-budget smartphone for mobile gamers. While it does not boast powerful hardware, it does have quite a few optimisations via Dar-Link 3.0 to improve your gaming experience. It can run game titles such as Mobile Legends and Arena of Valor on lower settings, and the large battery is a boon for long gaming sessions too.
Best Camera: Redmi Note 12 5G – RM1,099
Key Features:
- Qualcomm SM4375 Snapdragon 4 Gen 1
- Adreno 619
- 8GB RAM
- 256GB storage
- 6.67-inch FHD+ 120Hz AMOLED display
- 48MP AI Triple Camera
- 5,000mAh battery with 33W fast charging
Yes, we know the MSRP of this smartphone is above RM1,000, but you can easily buy the Redmi Note 12 5G for less than RM1,000 at most stores. It offers a decent camera performance, with a 48MP primary, an 8MP ultrawide, and a 2MP macro camera. The images are sharp, and the secondary cameras are good enough for most applications.
The brand new Snapdragon 4 Gen 1 is decent as well, delivering decent performance for a wide variety of apps.
Best Software Support: Samsung Galaxy A24 – RM999
Key Features:
- Mediatek MT8781 Helio G99
- Mali-G57 MC2
- 8GB RAM + 8GB RAM expansion
- 128GB storage (expandable up to 1TB)
- 6.6-inch FHD+ SUPER AMOLED display
- 50MP triple camera with OIS
- 5,000mAh with 25W fast charging
Recently, Samsung has built a good reputation when it comes to software support and Android updates for their smartphones and the Galaxy A24 is no exception. The company has pledged 5 years of security updates and 4 Android version updates to ensure the longevity of the smartphone.
While the specifications do not blow its competition out of the water, it still offers a versatile package for different kinds of users. And if software matters to you, you can’t go wrong with this budget smartphone.
Final Thoughts
Budget phones have come a long way in terms of performance and value-for-money. You can definitely find some gems in the sub-RM1,000 segment, without too much of a compromised experience.
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