To overcome the global threat of COVID19, the human race is easing into a totally new lifestyle, ensuring health through social-distancing and adopting hygiene as the primary protocol. Telecommunications provide sustainable growth for us, as innovative and resourceful enterprises are coming up with a blast of futuristic devices and solutions to deliver the most needed services for the masses.
The telecom market in Pakistan has also evolved according to the situation and changes in consumers’ expectations. Powerful with appealing looks, new smartphones are introduced with superior functions to ease the lives of consumers during the strict preventive lockdowns.
On top of this list of feature-rich devices, the tech-analysts and experts have time and again focused on entry-level smartphones as more and more consumers get to buy them. While the market is littered with such entry-level phones, we’ve picked out the best ones based on their design, battery, and performance but most importantly pricing!
HUAWEI Y6p (PKR 20,899/-)
Aimed at addressing the communication needs of YOUNGSTERS with the smallest budgets, Huawei has launched an impressive device named the Y6p. It enables unmatched prowess for more intensive and critical use, with its 5,000 mAh battery and a 13MP Triple Camera setup that captures spectacular images (impressive night-mode too) with stunning clarity in pictures. Put together with a 5MP Ultra Wide lens and a 2MP depth sensor, it can create super-impressive and natural bokeh effects in your photos. This device also allows fascinating creative expressions and sharing on social networks with its 16MP selfie camera on the front.
Packed with a 3GB RAM and 64GB ROM, HUAWEI Y6p features immersive viewing on its 6.3-inch HD+ display, while a rear ultra-fast fingerprint sensor ensures complete security of data. Enjoy the most awesome surround-sound music and crisp audio, with the HUAWEI SuperSound and party-mode with FM radio. It is available in three soothing colors – Phantom Purple, Emerald Green & Midnight Black.
Samsung Galaxy A20s (PKR 30,500/-)
Another big name in the ‘Budget’ Smartphone category is the Samsung Galaxy A20s. It offers attractive specs for the consumers who want to have a good phone at an ‘almost’ affordable price. Its 6.5-inch Infinity-V display doesn’t match an HD+, but it provides good experience while gaming or watching movies or videos. Its triple rear-camera setup comprises of a 13MP main sensor, enriched by an 8MP Ultra Wide sensor, and a 5MP Depth Sensor, along with a flash. While its front camera can take 8MP Selfies. Data security is ensured by a fingerprint reader, while its 4,000 mAh battery delivers average battery usage.
Moreover, with such a big screen, this may not prove itself to be good at battery timing, especially if you’re an intensive phone user. The 1.8GHz Octa-Core Processor chipset is good enough for an entry-level phone, but it may prove to be a bit uninspiring, when compared to the other competing devices, in this category. The 3GB or 4GB RAM and 32GB or 64GB ROM are quite good, but maybe less than some generic devices in this category and this price tag. This phone tends to be priced higher than its competitors in this category.
Oppo A5s (PKR 20,999/-)
The 3GB version of the Oppo A5s is an entry-level mobile, the consumers may find it very attractively priced at PKR 20,999/- in Pakistan as the primary attraction of this brand is its cheaper price, but this device did compromise on its capacity, with a lower ROM of 32GB, while some users may also have complaints about its performance and durability. The MediaTek Helio P35 is the most common chipset used in the cheapest smartphones, so the phone may be a bit slow on multitasking. If the users get uncomfortable with the storage capacity, they can use a dedicated microSD card to add 256GB extra, which is usually far slower than primary storage.
Even the Dual camera setup is not as good as the Triple cameras offered by the premium branded phones in this category. It has a dual rear camera with a 13MP primary sensor and only a 2MP depth sensor and an LED flash. The selfie sensor on the front is 8MP. Here the camera pales in comparison to the HUAWEI Y6p which offers more for a slightly lesser price. The visual experience is quite good due to its 6.2 inches Full HD+ resolution, while your data is strongly protected, due to a rear-mounted fingerprint scanner. Powered by a 4,230 mAh battery, it is somewhat lesser than its competitors in this segment, while the Android 9 Operating System is also an attractive feature of this low-priced phone.
Vivo Y11 (PKR 19,999/-)
Another brand, Vivo is emerging well in several segments of the Pakistani market. In the entry-level segment, Vivo has introduced the Y11 smartphone, priced at PKR 19,999/-. This device is bought for its cheaper price alone as the features offered are quite basic. The photography enthusiasts however may find it exciting due to the 13MP Dual Camera, featuring a 2MP Depth sensor, but you may also know that a higher number of megapixels doesn’t actually have that good outcome when it comes to camera result. The selfie freaks may also love its 8MP front camera, to capture their most memorable moments, while they can enjoy their visual experiences with the 6.35 inch IPS HD screen. The robust 5,000 mAh battery also makes it a good choice, as it promises lasting performance for the passionate surfers and social-media geeks.
Let’s hope Vivo also offers good battery optimization in this low budget phone, otherwise, these specs are just numbers. The Qualcomm Snapdragon 439 OctaCore processor may not be the best in class, however, users may enjoy some degree of multitasking, while the 3GB RAM and 32GB ROM also add to their performance capacity. Another thing to note here is that Vivo Y11 gives you 32GB while you can get a 64GB on the HUAWEI Y6p – for almost the same price.
Other than that, the ease of use and convenience for users is also enhanced by the Android 9 Operating system. All these low-priced devices are within the reach of consumers with limited budgets. Now, everyone can have access to the fascinating world of digital infotainment and global accessibility, to enhance their personal performance and quality of life, while they can engage more closely with the digital communities around the globe.