It used to take a few devices to do what phones can do these days. You can call, text and even take high-quality photos on them. However, this convenience comes at a cost: the best flagship phones cost a lot of money!
But what do you do if you want a high-quality phone but don’t want to pay more than RM2,000?
The good news is that the technology of phones have improved so much that even the features and specs on the non-flagship phone models of most brands are better than the flagship phones from five years ago.
What does this mean for you?
This means that these days, you can buy a phone at a fraction of the price of the flagship phone and get really good specs that will make your day-to-day use truly enjoyable.
And now, with GST out of the way, phone prices have gone down much more!
Sounds good?
Great. Now, let’s take a look at the best phones you can buy in Malaysia for under RM1,000.
My top pick for the best phone under RM1,000 is the Huawei Nova 2i. At this price, you can get a high-quality camera and a good performing OS. This is a device fit for the basic as well as the moderately heavy user.
[su_box title=”Our Top Choice: Huawei Nova 2i” style=”soft” box_color=”#0574de”]
The Huawei Nova 2i is the phone for the budget-conscious person who still wants to get most of the features from: a good rear camera, good performance OS, and good graphics.
At the price it’s selling at, the Huawei Nova 2i is a steal.
[su_button url=”https://www.lazada.com.my/products/huawei-nova-2i-dual-sim-dual-leica-64gb-rom-4gb-ram-lte-blue-official-huawei-warranty-kfc-voucher-rm30-i172787830-s316653849.html?” target=”blank” style=”3d” background=”#ef8b13″ size=”5″ center=”yes” radius=”5″]RM899 from Lazada[/su_button]
[su_button url=”https://shopee.com.my/Huawei-Nova-2i-RNE-L22-(4GB-64GB)-Original-Huawei-Malaysia-Warranty-i.22270115.580281604″ target=”blank” style=”3d” background=”#ef8b13″ size=”5″ center=”yes” radius=”5″]RM799 from Lazada[/su_button]
[/su_box]
In this Guide
Here’s what you need to know before buying a phone under RM1,000
Best Samsung Pick: Samsung Galaxy J7 Pro
Conclusion: Which Smartphone Under RM1,000 Should You Go For?
Here’s what you need to know before buying a phone under RM1,000
Unlike flagship phones which are usually full-featured, at this price range, you should expect to make some compromises.
Knowing which features are important to you and which ones you are willing to give up will make it much easier for you to pick the right phone for you.
Having said that, here are some things that you should consider:
Graphics. These days, phones at this price range come with pretty decent graphics. You can expect a display with at least 1080×1920 px.
Camera. At this price range, a 12MP rear camera can be expected. Although, it would be rare for phones at this range to spot an equal 12MP front camera unless it comes at the cost of compromising other aspects of the phone. The biggest compromise you would have for cameras of this price range is a poor night mode and camera stability.
Operating system. The operating system is the thing that will determine how pleasant it will be for you to use your phone.
Storage. At this price range, you can expect storage of at least 32GB, with more and more phones going up to 64GB.
Fingerprint. Fingerprint tech on smartphones is also becoming increasingly common. This is a feature you will see with a lot of phones within this budget range.
Overall, you will likely end up with a phone with a good back camera, decent front camera, screen graphics, fast performance and a few nice to haves of flagship phones at this price range.
Top Choice: Huawei Nova 2i
[su_box title=”Huawei Nova 2i” style=”soft” box_color=”#0574de”]
The Huawei Nova 2i is the phone for the budget-conscious person who still wants to get most of the features from: a good rear camera, good performance OS, and good graphics.
With a 13MP front camera, the Nova 2i is also a pretty good selfie phone.
At the price it’s selling at, the Huawei Nova 2i is a steal.
[su_button url=”https://www.lazada.com.my/products/huawei-nova-2i-dual-sim-dual-leica-64gb-rom-4gb-ram-lte-blue-official-huawei-warranty-kfc-voucher-rm30-i172787830-s316653849.html?” target=”blank” style=”3d” background=”#ef8b13″ size=”5″ center=”yes” radius=”5″]RM899 from Lazada[/su_button]
[su_button url=”https://shopee.com.my/Huawei-Nova-2i-RNE-L22-(4GB-64GB)-Original-Huawei-Malaysia-Warranty-i.22270115.580281604″ target=”blank” style=”3d” background=”#ef8b13″ size=”5″ center=”yes” radius=”5″]RM799 from Shopee[/su_button]
[/su_box]
The Nova 2i seems like it was designed for the budget conscious but picky smartphone buyer.
It sports a pretty good, dual lens, 16MP back camera and a 13MP front camera. As such, there is no compromise when it comes to either of photos you take or selfies.
With the Android 7.1 running the phone, you can expect high-end, smooth performance even for this price. To top it off, the screen graphics at 1080×1920 px is just right to give it that high quality, premium phone feel.
Closest Runner Up: Honor 7X
[su_box title=”Honor 7X” style=”soft” box_color=”#0574de”]
The Honor 7X is a very close runner-up of the Huawei Nova 2i. The biggest difference in their features is their front cameras. While the Nova 2i sports a 13MP front camera, the Honor 7X spots a measly 8MP.
The biggest advantage for the Honor 7X is that it is roughly RM100 cheaper than the Nova 2i.
[su_button url=”https://www.lazada.com.my/products/6-off-gst-honor-7x-64gb-rom4gb-ramdual-16mp-camera-original-huawei-malaysia-set-i213686352-s269254588.html?” target=”blank” style=”3d” background=”#ef8b13″ size=”5″ center=”yes” radius=”5″]RM799 from Lazada[/su_button]
[su_button url=”https://shopee.com.my/HUAWEI-HONOR-7X-4-64-FULL-VIEW-FREE-10-GIFTS-1-GIFT-BOX-(HUAWEI-MALAYSIA)-i.2466084.755255302″ target=”blank” style=”3d” background=”#ef8b13″ size=”5″ center=”yes” radius=”5″]RM809 from Shopee[/su_button]
[/su_box]
The Honor 7X is a close runner-up to the Huawei Nova 2i. In terms of its OS performance, back camera, storage and graphics, the Honor 7X is not too far different from the Nova 2i. All of its other features match that of the Huawei Nova 2i, including fingerprint tech.
The main difference is in the front camera. Whereas Nova 2i sports a 13MP front camera, the Honor 7X only sports an 8MP front camera.
If you happen to want a pretty good front camera, you might be slightly disappointed with the Honor 7X as compared to the Nova 2i. But if you don’t mind a lower-end front camera in exchange for about RM100 in savings compared to the Nova 2i, the Honor 7X is a good pick for its price.
Best Selfie Camera Pick: Oppo F5
[su_box title=”Oppo F5″ style=”soft” box_color=”#0574de”]
The Oppo F5 made its debut as a phone made for selfies. With its 20MP front camera and beautification features, this phone sports one of the best selfie cameras at this price range.
[su_button url=”https://www.lazada.com.my/products/oppo-f5-capture-the-real-you-i187939027-s228408558.html?” target=”blank” style=”3d” background=”#ef8b13″ size=”5″ center=”yes” radius=”5″]RM1,099 from Lazada[/su_button]
[su_button url=”https://shopee.com.my/OPPO-F5-F5-YOUTH-9-GIFTS-4GB-RAM-32GB-ROM-4G-i.2466084.795401746″ target=”blank” style=”3d” background=”#ef8b13″ size=”5″ center=”yes” radius=”5″]RM988 from Shopee[/su_button]
[/su_box]
The Oppo F5 is the first selfie-first phone by Oppo and the predecessor of the newer Oppo F7. As such, it has put all its development efforts into the business of taking a nice selfie.
With a 20MP front camera and beautification features, the Oppo F5 beats the Huawei Nova 2i and Honor 7X in the front camera department.
This is the perfect phone for people who use the front camera more often than the back camera. At 2160×1080, the Oppo F5’s screen display is slightly better than the Nova 2i and Honor 7X.
Other than the powerful front camera and slightly better screen graphics, however, other features of the Oppo F5 prove lackluster.
For around RM200 more from the Nova 2i and RM300 more from the Honor 7X, the Oppo F5 has half the storage at 32GB. At 16MP, the Oppo F5’s back camera is the same as the Honor 7X and Nova 2i.
The Oppo F5 is also run on Oppo’s ColorOS 3.2. If you have never used an Oppo phone before, there are some limitations to Oppo’s ColorOS (like limitations on alarm settings and data settings access) that will need some getting used to.
Nonetheless, this phone is a worthy buy for the selfie-enthusiast. If you are not one of them, I would recommend you consider either the Nova 2i or the Honor 7X.
Best Samsung Pick: Samsung Galaxy J7 Pro
[su_box title=”Samsung Galaxy J7 Pro” style=”soft” box_color=”#0574de”]
The Samsung Galaxy J7 Pro is the best Samsung phone at this range. Although there are no noteworthy features that makes the Galaxy J7 Pro rise above cheaper options like the Huawei Nova 2i and Honor 7X, it is a good option for people who want to stay within the Samsung experience.
[su_button url=”https://www.lazada.com.my/products/samsung-galaxy-j7-pro-32gb-1-year-samsung-malaysia-warranty-i227392020-s292613691.html?” target=”blank” style=”3d” background=”#ef8b13″ size=”5″ center=”yes” radius=”5″]RM964 from Lazada[/su_button]
[su_button url=”https://shopee.com.my/Samsung-Galaxy-J7-Pro-SM-J730Y-Dual-SIM-3GB-32GB-ORIGINAL-Samsung-Warranty-i.13884416.108281578″ target=”blank” style=”3d” background=”#ef8b13″ size=”5″ center=”yes” radius=”5″]RM999 from Shopee[/su_button]
[/su_box]
The only advantage that the Samsung Galaxy J7 Pro has over cheaper options in this list such as the Huawei Nova 2i and Honor 7X is that it provides a Samsung experience to those who want to stick to it.
With a 32GB storage, the Samsung Galaxy J7 Pro packs only half the storage space of the Huawei Nova 2i and Honor 7X. As compared to the Nova 2i and Honor 7X, the Galaxy J7 Pro also has a lower MP back camera at just 13MP compared to the 16MP of both Nova 2i and Honor 7X.
Screen graphics wise, the Galaxy J7 Pro sports the same screen graphics quality to the Nova 2i and Honor 7X.
Cheapest Pick: Xiaomi Mi A1
[su_box title=”Xiaomi Mi A1″ style=”soft” box_color=”#0574de”]
The Xiaomi Mi A1 is the cheapest phone in this list. With almost the same features as the Nova 2i in terms of screen graphics and performance, the Xiaomi Mi A1 is RM200 cheaper.
If you don’t mind the 12MP back camera and 5MP front camera, this could be a good cheap pick for you.
[su_button url=”https://www.lazada.com.my/products/xiaomi-mi-a1-4gb64gb-rom-original-international-global-rom-i185559840-s224891807.html?” target=”blank” style=”3d” background=”#ef8b13″ size=”5″ center=”yes” radius=”5″]RM699 from Lazada[/su_button]
[su_button url=”https://shopee.com.my/Xiaomi-Mi-A1-4GB-Ram-64GB-32GB-Rom-Global-Version-Global-Rom-Import-Set-i.2302204.916406976″ target=”blank” style=”3d” background=”#ef8b13″ size=”5″ center=”yes” radius=”5″]RM635 from Shopee[/su_button]
[/su_box]
The Xiaomi Mi A1 is Xiaomi’s first phone to feature the Android OS. It is a good budget pick for those who can be satisfied with its 12MP back camera and 5MP front camera, which is behind the 16MP and 13MP of our top pick Huawei Nova 2i.
This will not be a good choice for those who are interested to take selfies. The 5MP front camera will likely produce grainy photos.
However, if the front camera is not a feature you see yourself using that often, or you are willing to compromise on, the Xiaomi Mi A1 is a good choice.
At just RM699, you will get 64GB of storage, 1098×1080 graphics run on the Snapdragon 625 processor.
Conclusion: Which Smartphone Under RM1,000 Should You Go For?
For the everyday user, the best buy is the Huawei Nova 2i. It has the best camera, performance, graphics and storage features for this price range.
If the Nova 2i is out of your budget and you don’t mind having a lower MP front camera, the phone you can consider is the Honor 7X which is RM100 cheaper.
On the other hand, if having a camera which you can use to take good selfies is a priority for you, and you are willing to compromise on storage and OS performance, the Oppo F5 will be a slightly costlier but more suitable choice.
If you want to stay within the Samsung experience, the Samsung Galaxy Pro J7 could be a good option for you in this price range, though for its features, when compared to cheaper and more feature-filled options like the Huawei Nova 2i and Honor 7X.
References:
Over to you. Have you used any of these phones before? Share your experience with us below:
