The smartphone war is growing rapidly as each competitor tries to out-do the other. Larger screens, lightning fast processors and plethora of specs and features make headlines every other day as manufacturers churn out a wide variety of smartphones to capture the largest segment of the market.
Mid-range phones usually have dual-core processors, 1Gb ram, 4 inches screen, an 8mp camera as the least requirement and range under 30K in Pakistan.
If you’re planning to buy your new smartphone but are confused with the myriads of options available then check out the list below to pick your choose amongst the 5 best smartphones that the market has to offer under 30K.
(Disclaimer: Prices may vary a little due to market fluctuations)
Sony Xperia Z
Price: 30,000 PKR
Warranty: 1 year Brand warranty
HARDWARE:
CPU: Quad-core 1.5 GHz Krait Qualcomm Snapdragon
GPU: Adreno 320
RAM: 2GB
Internal: 16 GB
Card slot: MicroSD card (up to 32 GB)
HDMI: Yes
OS & Network:
OS: Android v4.1.2 (Jelly Bean),v4.2, upgradeable to 5.0 (Lollipop)
Network: 2G, 3G and 4G
DISPLAY:
DISPLAY Size: 5.0 inches, 1080 x 1920 pixels, (~441 ppi) ,TFT capacity Touchscreen
Timescape UI – Sony Mobile BRAVIA Engine 2
Protection: Dust and water resistant, Shatter proof and scratch-resistant glass
CAMERA:
Primary: 13 MP, autofocus, LED flash
Secondary: 2.2 MP, 1080p@30fps
Video: 1080p@30fps continuous auto-focus, video light
PROS: Bravia display engine, Powerful camera, Rapid processor, Upgrade-able to lollipop, 4G, NFC, Premium Glass body, TV-Out HDMI, Water and dust proof.
CONS: Slight shutter lag, Bravia engine drains battery, Non-removable battery
CONCLUSION: This phone dominates every other in terms of camera, display, looks and protection. Amazing camera, sharp colors and beautiful design highlight this phone.
Samsung Galaxy S3 Neo I9300-I
Price: 24,000 PKR
Warranty: 1 year Brand warranty
Hardware:
CPU: Quad-core 1.2 GHz Cortex-A7
GPU: Adreno 305
RAM: 1.5 GB
Internal: 16 GB
Card slot: MicroSD card (up to 64 GB)
OS & Network:
OS: Android OS v4.3 (Jelly Bean), upgradeable to 4.4 (Kitkat)
Network: 2G & 3G
DISPLAY:
DISPLAY Size: 4.8 inches, 720 x 1280 pixels, (~306 ppi), Super AMOLED
CAMERA:
Primary: 8 MP, pixels autofocus, LED flash
Secondary: 1.9 MP 720p@30fps
Video: 1080p@30fps
PROS: Super AMOLED display, snappy processor, sufficient RAM, Samsung Touchwiz UI, Dual SIM.
CONS: Plastic body, 4G unavailable, Lollipop upgrade unavailable, No HDMI port, No NFC or S-Beam
CONCLUSION: A great bargain for the price. This phone delivers snappy performance, beautiful display and an amazing interface.
Huawei Honor 3X Pro
Price: 26,500 PKR
Warranty: 1 year Brand warranty
HARDWARE:
CPU: Octa-core 1.7 GHz Cortex-A7, Mediatek
GPU: Mali-450MP4
RAM: 2GB
Internal: 32 GB
Card slot: MicroSD card (up to 32 GB)
OS & Network:
OS: Android v4.2.2 (Jelly Bean),v4.2, upgradeable to 4.4.2 (KitKat)
Network: 2G & 3G Dual Sim
DISPLAY:
DISPLAY Size: 5.5 inches, 1080 x 1920 pixels, (~401 ppi) , LTPS LCD
CAMERA:
Primary: 13 MP, autofocus, LED flash
Secondary: 5 MP
Video: 1080p@30fps
PROS: Big battery, Sharp display, powerful processor, commendable camera, Dual SIM.
CONS: No 4G, Lollipop upgrade unavailable, No HDMI port, No NFC or DLNA, low resale value
CONCLUSION: Challenging the big boys, this phone is loaded with powerful features. It Sports the most powerful processor, biggest screen, sharp display and a remarkable camera. The only thing that prevents this player’s dominion in the market is the low resale value due to low brand recognition and image.
RIVO PHANTOM PZ-15
Price: 23,500 PKR
Warranty: 1 year Brand warranty
HARDWARE:
CPU: 1.7 GHz Octa-Core MediaTek
GPU: Mali-450MP4
RAM: 2GB
Internal: 16 GB
Card slot: MicroSD card (up to 32 GB)
OS & Network:
OS: Android OS v4.4 (KitKat)
Network: 2G & 3G Dual Sim
DISPLAY:
DISPLAY Size: 5.0 Inches 720 x 1280 (~294 ppi), HD AMOLED
CAMERA:
Primary: 13 MP, autofocus, LED flash
Secondary: 5 MP
Video: 1080p@30fps
PROS: Crisp HD display, powerful processor, impressive camera, Aluminium Unibody Design, Dual SIM.
CONS: Non-removable battery, No 4G, No Lollipop upgrade announced yet, No HDMI port, No NFC or DLNA, new entrant in market, relatively low ppi density.
CONCLUSION: A new player in the market, this phone aims to hit big. A snappy quad core processor, an HD AMOLED display and surprisingly good camera promise smooth performance. Backed by Advance Telecom, a giant in the Pakistani market, this phone will surely to give the well-established competitors a run for their money.
QMobile Noir Z6
Price: 27,300 PKR
Warranty: 1 year Brand warranty
HARDWARE:
CPU: Octa-core 1.7 GHz Cortex-A7, Mediatek
GPU: Mali-450MP4
RAM: 2GB
Internal: 16 GB
Card slot: Not available
OS & Network:
OS: Android Jelly bean (version 4.2.1) Upgradeable to KitKat (v4.4.2)
Network: 2G & 3G Dual Sim
DISPLAY:
DISPLAY Size: 5.0 Inches, (~441 ppi pixel density), Super AMOLED
Protection: Corning Gorilla Glass 3 (Front and back)
CAMERA:
Primary: 13 MP, autofocus, LED flash
Secondary: 5 MP
Video: 1080p@30fps
PROS: Corning Gorilla Glass Body, Slim body, powerhouse Processor, Super AMOLED, High pixel per inch (ppi) count, admirable camera, Dual SIM.
CONS: Non-removable battery, No memory card slot, No 4G, Lollipop upgrade unavailable, No HDMI port, No NFC or DLNA, low resale value
CONCLUSION: Q-Mobile powerhouse Z6 delivers its level best in this flagship model. Z6 surprisingly boasts a Corning Gorilla Glass 3 body with metal sides to flaunt premium looks and maximum protection while retaining a slim body. Its powerhouse processor with its 8 cores provides snappy performance coupled with an amazing super AMOLED display with incredible depth and colors.