Android devices have come a long way. Gone are the days when “premium” specifications such as a Full HD or even 720p displays and high performance processors were only available on flagship devices. This, however, brings up a new dilemma: which Android smartphone offers the best value for money?
With so many good – no, great – Android devices on the market today, it’s impossible to identify which device is the best overall. Chinese manufacturers, especially, have given new meaning to the term “value for money” by packing high-end hardware into affordable smartphones. Let’s take a look at some of the best value for money Android smartphones you can buy in Malaysia today, that you simply cannot go wrong with.
honor 7
honor’s latest flagship is a vast improvement over its predecessor, the honor 6. It now features a more premium construction, a faster processor, a better camera, and most of all, a very, very fast fingerprint sensor. In our review of the honor 7, we loved how quick the sensor recognised our fingerprint; so much so it’s now my favourite method to unlock a device.
Other than that, the honor 7’s 20MP rear camera with PDAF is a very capable shooter. Images shot with it are detailed and crisp, and the colours are more true to life as well. It’s worth noting that the honor 7 uses an IMX 230 sensor from Sony, which is the very same sensor found on the flagship Motorola Moto X Style. Thanks to this sensor, the honor 7’s commendable camera performance doesn’t come as a surprise.
However, what makes the honor 7 a truly value for money device is what it offers as a package. Its smart key is a very convenient feature to launch your favourite apps, and it also has a very good battery life as well as an excellent display. On top of that, the honor 7 is the only device in this top seven list with a fingerprint sensor and an IR blaster, not to mention it’s one of the most premium feeling devices here. What more can you ask for from a RM1,399 device?
Specs
Display: 5.2” 1920 x 1080 IPS LCD
Processor: 2.2GHz HiSilicon Kirin 935 octa-core
RAM + ROM: 3GB + 16GB (microSD up to 128GB)
Cameras: 20MP Rear + 8MP Front
Cellular: LTE
Battery: 3,100mAh
Price: RM1,399
OnePlus One
Although the One has been on the market for over a year now, it’s still a very capable device with plenty of value for money. Unlike its successor, the One is considerably cheaper at only RM1,199 for the 64GB option. For that kind of money, you’re getting a quick (although a little old) Snapdragon 801 processor paired with 3GB of RAM, a 5.5-inch 1080p JDI display, and a 3,1000mAh battery.
That being said, not all is perfect about the OnePlus One. Although it comes with a very generous 64GB storage, the fact that it doesn’t have a microSD card slot is a limiting factor. Its camera is also one of its biggest weaknesses, producing just average-looking images that are often blurry or underexposed. If you can accept these sacrifices, you’ll be happy with the OnePlus One.
Specs
Display: 5.5″ 1920 x 1080 JDI
Processor: 2.5GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 quad-core
RAM + ROM: 3GB + 64GB
Cameras: 13MP Rear + 5MP Front
Cellular: LTE
Battery: 3,100mAh
Price: RM1,199
Asus ZenFone 2
As the world’s first Android smartphone with 4GB of RAM, the ZenFone 2 easily makes it into this list. Not just because of its generous amount of RAM, but also because of its fast Intel Atom Z3580 processor and ergonomically sound design – the curved back panel makes its a joy to hold.
The ZenFone 2’s camera is also Asus’ pride and joy, which is very capable in low-light conditions, thanks to the company’s PixelMaster technology. That being said, we found that the camera isn’t the most responsive in our review, although the resulting images are good.
For RM1,399 (yes, the price has gone up recently), the generous 64GB of internal storage along with a microSD card slot makes the ZenFone 2 perfect for users who need a lot of storage, although they’d have to live with the device’s plastic construction and some complaints about battery life.
Specs
Display: 5.5″ 1920 x 1080 IPS LCD
Processor: 2.3GHz Intel Atom Z3580 quad-core
RAM + ROM: 4GB + 64GB (microSD up to 64GB)
Cameras: 13MP Rear + 5MP Front
Cellular: LTE
Battery: 3,000mAh
Price: RM1,399
Motorola Moto X (2014)
Surprise surprise, Motorola’s 2014 Moto X is in this list thanks to a hefty price reduction ever since it was introduced. Originally priced at RM1,888, it is now going for only RM1,299. The appeal of Motorola devices nowadays lie in one very simple fact: they run on an almost stock version of Android. Thanks to this, even the 2014 iteration of the Moto X is set to receive Android 6.0 Marshmallow sometime in the future.
As for what the Moto X has to offer, it has a 5.2-inch 1080p AMOLED display, a Snapdragon 801 processor paired with 2GB of RAM, 16GB of internal storage, 13MP rear and 2MP front-facing shooters, as well as a 2,300mAh battery, which is rather…small. Also, the 2014 Moto X lacks a microSD card slot, so you’re stuck with only 16GB of storage. That being said, those who love the pure Android experience will find the Moto X an appealing device.
Specs
Display: 5.2″ 1920 x 1080 AMOLED
Processor: 2.5GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 quad-core
RAM + ROM: 2GB + 16GB
Cameras: 13MP Rear + 2MP Front
Cellular: LTE
Battery: 2,300mAh
Price: RM1,299
Xiaomi Mi Note
“Value for money” and Xiaomi are practically synonymous today. While the Mi Note is Xiaomi’s most expensive device yet in Malaysia, it is also one of the most premium devices in this list. The back glass panel coupled with the capable Snapdragon 801 processor makes the Mi Note one heck of a device, offering premium feel and performance to match. After all, Xiaomi didn’t get this big if it produced lacklustre devices.
However, the lack of a microSD card slot on the Mi Note is its main disadvantage. While 64GB of storage is plenty, some users need more than that for various reasons, and a microSD card slot would have easily solved this. That being said, Xiaomi has good reasons to not feature expandable memory on its flagship devices, and Hugo Barra explained it best here.
Specs
Display: 5.7″ 1920 x 1080 IPS LCD
Processor: 2.5GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 quad-core
RAM + ROM: 3GB + 64GB
Cameras: 13MP Rear + 4MP Front
Cellular: LTE
Battery: 3,000mAh
Price: RM1,549
Sony Xperia M5
The Xperia M5 offers something that other devices in this list do not have: water and dust resistance. While it may not seem like much, this feature can be of paramount importance for certain users. Powered by MediaTek’s new Helio X10 processor paired with 3GB of RAM, the M5 is more than capable to running day-to-day tasks efficiently.
Also, the Xperia M5’s 21.5MP rear and 13MP front-facing cameras are its standout hardware. Sony claims that the M5’s hybrid autofocus enables it to focus on subjects within 0.25 seconds, which is very impressive. While its 2,6000mAh battery doesn’t look that impressive on paper, Sony’s smartphones are known for their great battery life, and Sony said that the M5 is capable of lasting up to two days on a single charge.
As the Xperia M5 is the only device here which features water and dust resistance, it’s not all that surprising to see that it’s also the most costly smartphone at RM1,599. What you’ll be getting for that kind of money, however, is a device that offers good performance and great battery life – if we were to take Sony’s word for it.
Specs
Display: 5″ 1920 x 1080 IPS LCD
Processor: 2.0GHz MediaTek MT6795 Helio X10 octa-core
RAM + ROM: 3GB + 16GB (microSD up to 200GB)
Cameras: 21.5MP Rear + 13MP Front
Cellular: LTE
Battery: 2,600mAh
Price: RM1,599
Lenovo Vibe Z2 Pro
That’s right, this is yet another 2014 flagship device, making it the third one in this list. Much like the Moto X, the reason why the Z2 Pro offers plenty of value for money now is its hefty price cut from RM2,299 to RM1,399; that’s a whopping RM900 price difference.
As a flagship device, the Z2 Pro offers some serious hardware. It has a large 6-inch 2K 2560 x 1440 IPS display, a Snapdragon 801 processor paired with 3GB of RAM, and an adequate 32GB of non-expandable internal storage. It also has very good battery life thanks to its huge 4,000mAh battery.
However, the Z2 Pro’s software isn’t all that great. In our review of it last year, we found that it has plenty of bloatware installed. The software isn’t the most stable as well, with several apps force closing or freezing. That being said, it has been some time ever since we stumbled into those issues – and you can always switch to the Google launcher in the developer options.
Specs
Display: 6″ 2560 x 1440 IPS LCD
Processor: 2.5GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 quad-core
RAM + ROM: 3GB + 32GB
Cameras: 16MP Rear + 5MP Front
Cellular: LTE
Battery: 4,000mAh
Price: RM1,399
(Bonus) honor 4X
If you’re looking for something even more affordable, the honor 4X is an excellent choice. Despite the slight price increase from RM619 to RM649, the 4X is still a fantastic package. It has a good 720p IPS display, a Kirin 620 octa-core processor paired with 2GB of RAM, 8GB of internal storage (expandable with a microSD card up to 32GB), and a commendable battery life thanks to the 3,000mAh battery.
Although the honor 4X’s processor isn’t the fastest one around, we found in our review that the device doesn’t feel sluggish at all. Of course, it doesn’t offer the same kind of performance you’d come to expect from a flagship device. At its price point, the honor 4X balances performance, LTE connectivity and good battery life that is hard to get at this price.
Specs
Display: 5.5″ 1280 x 720 IPS LCD
Processor: 1.2GHz HiSilicon Kirin 620 octa-core
RAM + ROM: 2GB + 8GB (microSD up to 32GB)
Cameras: 13MP Rear + 5MP Front
Cellular: LTE
Battery: 3,000mAh
Price: RM649
(Bonus) Xiaomi Redmi Note 2
How can a list of value for money Android devices not include the recently announced Xiaomi Redmi Note 2? For RM649, Xiaomi’s latest device in its affordable Redmi lineup offers specifications unheard of at such a price point. These include a 5.5-inch 1080p display, a MediaTek Helio x10 processor paired with 2GB of RAM, 16GB of expandable internal storage, and a well-built polycarbonate body.
Of course, the saying “you get what you pay for” can’t be any more true with the Redmi Note 2. As it is one of the most affordable devices in this list, users will have to live with the liberal use of plastic in this smartphone. That being said, it does offer something a lot of devices today don’t have: a removable battery. This, coupled with the fact that it has the same processor found on more expensive devices, make the Redmi Note 2 a worthy option for budget-conscious consumers.
Specs
Display: 5.5″ 1920 x 1080 IPS LCD
Processor: 2.0GHz MediaTek Helio X10 octa-core
RAM + ROM: 2GB + 16GB
Cameras: 13MP Rear + 5MP Front
Cellular: LTE
Battery: 3,060mAh
Price: RM649
Final Words
When deciding on which Android smartphone is perfect for you, on paper specifications alone are not enough. In order to make an informed decision, various aspects of a device – such as ergonomics, design, features, and of course, value for money – have to be considered as well. Do you value a premium metal construction over plastic? What about neat features such as a fingerprint sensor or water resistance? Finally, there’s also the question of which Android skins do you prefer. These are the questions that will help you make an informed decision.
The Android devices outlined in this article are some of the most noteworthy ones that offer excellent value for money. You can’t go wrong with any of the devices in this list, as they would definitely get you your money’s worth – and maybe a little more!
Disclaimer: this article was sponsored by honor Malaysia.
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