SoyaCincau’s best smartphones under RM2,000

Great smartphones are getting affordable and affordable smartphones are also getting pretty great. These days, with the number of premium flagships launching in Malaysia sporting excellent specifications for a bargain price, we thought we’d throw together a list of high-end flagships that won’t break your bank.

Here are SoyaCincau’s best smartphones under RM2,000

Of course, what is a list without some rules right? For this smartphone guide, the rules were simple:
1. The smartphones had to be priced between RM1,500 and RM2,000 (launch price)
2. Launched in 2016

But we don’t just do listing, as you would know if you’ve checked out our previous guides (under RM1,000, under RM600). At the end of the article, we will also include a few “Editor’s Choice” smartphones that represent what we think is the best of the best in this category.

Ready? Let’s go.

[nextpage title=”OnePlus 3″]

You can’t realistically make a list of best flagship smartphones without including the OnePlus 3. The 3 is really a return to form for OnePlus after the rather disappointing OnePlus 2. It’s got high-end top-of-the-line specs like a Snapdragon 820 processor, a whopping 6GB of RAM and 64GB of base storage all wrapped up on a nice metal unibody that’s super thin.

It’s also got a pretty good camera which is a nice change of pace after the previous OnePlus flagships’ frankly disappointing cameras. The only caveat, in addition to the lack of expandable memory, is the fact that the OnePlus 3 is an elusive smartphone. It’s often sold out (because of how popular it is) so you might have a hard time finding one for yourself.

For more info, check out our review of the OnePlus 3.

OnePlus 3 — Snapdragon 820/6GB RAM/64GB internal storage — RM1,888

Where to buy:

Store: Authorised Brightstar retailers

[nextpage title=”ZTE Axon 7″]

ZTE made a huge splash with the Axon 7. It is a truly premium flagship smartphone both inside and out sans the premium flagship price tag. Encased in its anodised aluminium body beats the heart of a Snapdragon 820 processor, 4GB of RAM and 64GB of storage. It’s also got a fingerprint scanner at the back for that added security and a high-resolution Quad HD AMOLED panel in front for a crisp viewing experience.

You also get a 20-megapixel camera with both OIS and EIS for unsteady hands and an awesome set of front-facing stereo speakers with Dolby ATMOS and Dolby Digital surround technology. Adding to that awesome sound experience is a high-quality Hi-Fi AK4961 and AK4490 audio processors to ensure that you get a great sound experience even with headphones.

ZTE Axon 7 — Snapdragon 820/4GB RAM/64GB internal storage — RM1,999

Where to buy:

Store: Authorised ZTE retailers

[nextpage title=”Samsung Galaxy A9 Pro”]

This year, Samsung went massive with the Galaxy A9 Pro. It’s a gigantic 6-inch device that sports Samsung’s beautiful Super AMOLED display with a Full HD resolution. Inside, it’s powered by a capable Snapdragon 652 processor paired with 4GB of RAM and 32GB of internal storage.

If 32GB isn’t enough for you, this dual SIM device also supports storage expansion via a dedicated microSD card slot. The best part? Samsung is bundling every Galaxy A9 Pro with a 64GB microSD card for free.

Besides that, it continues the Galaxy A’s trend of a premium glass and metal build while also sporting a front-mounted fingerprint scanner for easy access to your secured device. Camera-wise, it gets a capable 16MP/8MP combo with fast f/1.9 aperture lenses.

Samsung Galaxy A9 Pro — Snapdragon 652/4GB RAM/32GB internal storage — RM1,999

Where to buy:

Store: Authorised Samsung retailers

[nextpage title=”OPPO F1 Plus”]

Here’s one for the selfie-obsessed. The OPPO F1 Plus is OPPO’s most capable “selfie expert” yet, both in terms of camera quality and build. Although the on-paper internal specifications of a MediaTek Helio P10 processor and 4GB of RAM with 64GB of internal storage is a little underwhelming compared to the other devices on this list, thanks to OPPO’s excellent optimisation, it actually runs pretty smoothly.

What it lacks in raw performance, it makes up for with an excellent metal build and a jaw-dropping 16-megapixel selfie camera with the OPPO F1 series’ famous beautifying features. It also has one other standout feature in the lightning quick fingerprint scanner. And when we say lightning quick, we mean it.

For more info, be sure to check out our review of the OPPO F1 Plus

OPPO F1 Plus — MediaTek Helio P10/4GB of RAM,64GB of internal storage — RM1,898

Where to buy:

Online: OPPO Online Store

Store: Authorised OPPO retailers

[nextpage title=”honor 8″]

They say beauty lies in the eye of the beholder, but you really can’t deny that the brand new flagship smartphone from honor — the honor 8 — is a beautiful smartphone. It looks absolutely stunning with its gorgeous glass and metal build. What’s more, if you get the variant with higher storage, it comes in a sexy dark blue that’s almost too good looking to give up.

On the inside, it’s packing some respectable specifications too, with a Kirin 950 processor and 4GB of RAM with a choice of either 32GB or 64GB of internal storage. That’s the same kind of specs that you’d find on the far more expensive Huawei Mate 8.

It’s also got an interesting dual-camera setup where one shoots monochrome and the other shoots in colour — sort of like what you’d find on the Huawei P9.

honor 8 — Kirin 950/4GB RAM/32GB of internal storage — RM1,699
honor 8 — Kirin 950/4GB RAM/64GB of internal storage — RM1,899

Where to buy:

Online: Vmall.my

[nextpage title=”ASUS ZenFone 3″]

This year, ASUS showed us that they wanted to play with the big boys in the premium market. Not only did they revamp the entire ZenFone lineup, they also radically redesigned their handsets, shedding the stigma of being cheap and cheerful.

The resulting device was the all new ZenFone 3. It’s made out of brand new glass and metal materials which is a far cry from the plastic days of the ZenFone 2. They’ve also included a fingerprint scanner, a more capable 16-megapixel camera as well as a revamped ZenUI Android skin.

Inside, it’s now packing a Snapdragon 625 processor that features a 14nm process for maximum efficiency and performance. Couple that with a generous 4GB of RAM and this smartphone is as smooth as butter.

While the model that we’ve chosen sports a 5.5-inch Full HD display, the ZenFone also comes in a 5.2-inch form factor that’s RM200 cheaper.

For more information, check out our review of the ASUS ZenFone 3.

ASUS ZenFone 3 (ZE552KL) — Snapdragon 625/4GB RAM/64GB of storage — RM1,699

Where to buy:

Online: ASUS store, DirectD

[nextpage title=”Xiaomi Mi 5″]

The once king of the affordable premium smartphone market came back strong in 2016 with the radically redesigned Xiaomi Mi 5. Following in the design footsteps of the Mi Note, the Mi 5 features one of the best builds you’ll ever find on a Xiaomi device with its curved glass back and metal frame.

Performance, however, does leave some to be desired as Malaysia received the underclocked base model which features a Snapdragon 820 processor that’s clocked at only 1.8GHz instead of the usual 2.15GHz. It is paired with 3GB of RAM and 32GB of internal storage, but it doesn’t have expandable storage. Xiaomi’s Mi 5 also packs a 16-megapixel f/2.0 aperture primary camera with a 4-megapixel selfie-shooter up front.

For more information, check out our review of the Xiaomi Mi 5

Xiaomi Mi 5 — Snapdragon 820/3GB RAM/32GB of internal storage — RM1,549

Where to buy:

Store: All authorised Xiaomi retailers

[nextpage title=”Sony Xperia X Compact”]

When it comes to compact Android smartphones, nobody does it better than Sony. The Xperia X Compact is Sony’s latest handset to bear the Compact moniker and it’s pretty much what you’d expect — a small, 4.6-inch 720p version of the Xperia X — but with a little twist.

While the internals remain the same in the form of a Snapdragon 650 processor with 3GB of RAM and 32GB of internal storage, the new X Compact features one of the most advanced camera systems Sony has ever fitted to a smartphone.

Sony calls it a tri-sensor camera system because alongside the 23-megapixel Exmor RS sensor, it also sports a laser AF sensor for fast autofocus and an RGBC-IR sensor that’s dedicated to accurately gauging a scene’s correct white balance.

Sony Xperia X Compact — Snapdragon 650/3GB RAM/32GB of internal storage — RM1,999

Where to buy:

Store: All authorised Sony Mobile retailers

[nextpage title=”Apple iPhone SE”]

Apple’s iPhone SE is significant for a number of reasons. While some of them are a little dumb, you can’t deny that the biggest thing about the SE is that owning a top-of-the-line iPhone with flagship-level specifications has never been cheaper.

It sports basically the same specifications as the iPhone 6s with an Apple A9 dual-core chip paired to 2GB of RAM. It’s also got the excellent 12MP iSight camera — which is still absolutely solid today — and will get software support for some years to come. What’s more, the 4-inch form-factor is a welcomed respite from the market’s overwhelming desire to produce smartphones with larger and larger displays.

If you want a high-end iPhone that doesn’t break your bank or your hand, the iPhone SE is your best choice.

Apple iPhone SE — Apple A9/2GB RAM/16GB of internal storage — RM1,949

Where to buy:

Online: Apple Malaysia store

Store: All authorised Apple retailers

[nextpage title=”Comparison”]

Here’s a table comparing each device side by side. Click on the desk to view an enlarged version.

There are many things to keep in mind when you’re picking a smartphone, especially one that costs almost RM2,000. One thing you should keep in mind is what you want from a smartphone. Do you want uncompromising performance? Do you want a beautiful display? Do you want portability?

It’s incredibly important that you look through the specifications and how much each of these handsets cost before making your decision. That said, when you spend this much money on a handset, you’re almost guaranteed a decent handset.

Still have trouble deciding? Well, check out the next page of this guide for our Editor’s Choice.

[nextpage title=”Editor’s Choice”]

You’ve seen your options, now here are some of our favourite devices.

1. OnePlus 3 — Best overall performer

Although all of the smartphones here are pretty close in terms of performance, the OnePlus 3 is by far our favourite. It’s got all the great features that you’d want in a flagship smartphone. The performance from that Snapdragon 820 processor and 6GB of RAM is literally instantaneous. Couple that with a great build, incredible fast charging and a capable camera and you’ve got seriously good smartphone even if it was priced at a much higher bracket.

2. honor 8 — Best looking smartphone

Honor really hit the nail on the head with their latest flagship smartphone’s design. While their previous smartphones haven’t been particularly good looking, this new honor 8 is absolutely beautiful. From the way the materials feel in your hand to the way the light glints and shimmers off the back of that handset, this is a gorgeous handset and will make you feel like a million bucks.

3. Apple iPhone SE — Best compact smartphone

Top-of-the-line flagship performance in a package that’s only 4 inches in size coupled with a stellar camera and a fantastic build. It’s also running on arguably the best mobile operating system in the world right now. What more could you want from a compact smartphone? Perhaps its biggest flaw is the 16GB of non-expandable base storage, but if you store your content intelligently on the cloud, it might be enough to get you by. If you need more storage, we highly recommend forking out an extra RM250 to get the iPhone SE 64GB that’s priced at RM2,199.