Locally branded smartphones are everywhere and I literally mean EVERYWHERE. They are preferred by the masses, because they cost less compared to international smartphone brands. However, do you actually get the most on what you pay for when purchasing local branded smartphones?
Here are 8 reasons why you should buy international branded smartphones instead of local ones.
Build quality
In comparison with, lets say Lenovo or Asus, the quality overall for local brands are at far apart.
Design-wise, local brands intend to be as generic as possible, though sometimes, they change their exterior design on higher handsets just to hide a lack of new features, in comparison to international brands that doesn’t only highlight their system, but also their phone’s exterior design, which can be seen on the sandstone black themed design of OnePlus One (priced at P13,990).
System updates are often late, or they never arrive
Local brands are notorious on software updates. Their device’s software updates sometimes arrives late or it’ll never arrive at all. This threatens the phone’s performance capability, since the software needs to be frequently updated for the phone to function at its best.
For Lenovo and Asus, software updates should always be to quick and up to date, this is seen on their latest flagships like Lenovo Vibe Shot (priced at P15,490Â for the Z90-7 variant)Â and Zenfone 2 (priced at P14,500 for the ZE551ML variant).
Too much cost cutting
Marketers of local brand smartphones hide their product’s poorness of quality through lowered prices. They use this method, to gain as much of the market as they can, a marketing strategy that works on many people.
Specs are skimmed
Specs for local brands are often times overlooked by their companies. These specs go unnoticed and unseen, because the marketers hide them beneath the low prices of their products. These factors are important because, it affects the phones longevity and performance.
Battery capacity diminishes faster, after hundreds of charges
As a former local brand smartphone user, I oftentimes have battery problems on my old phone, wherein i have to replace the battery every single time.
Its very inconvenient to have “disposable” like batteries, since the main reason we initial bought the local branded smartphone is to save some cash.
Lenovo’s high spaced and affordable phones are an option
Lenovo’s high-quality handsets are all greatly at far against local smartphones. Let’s check some of their high spaced and highly affordable line of phones.
A latest throw in from Lenovo, is the Lenovo Vibe Shot. The 5.0-inch 1080p IPS LCD screen and by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 615 powered chipset is top notch. The Vibe Shot is protected by Corning’s Gorilla Glass 3.
Another option from Lenovo is the Lenovo K3 note (priced at P7,990), the K3 note has a 5.5-inch FHD IPS screen. It has Android 5.0 Lollipop OS, and its chipset is powered by octacore 1.7 GHz Cortex-A53.
Asus has an array of budget-wise smartphones available
Another good option for you, is the new line of Asus smartphones that are budget-wise, yet high, in terms of quality.
Like the latest from Asus, the Zenfone Selfie (priced at P11,995). The 5.5-inch, IPS screen Asus phone is top tier, yet very affordable. The Zenfone Selfie is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 615Â chipset and has an Android 5.0 Lollipop for its OS.
Another option is the mentioned, Zenfone 2 ZE551ML.
There are many options available in the Asus line-up that has provides higher-quality, in terms of phone performance and specs superiority.
Like the Zenfone 4, the Zenfone 5 and the Zenfone 6, all in which are very affordable.
Camera performance is mediocre
Camera performance on some local brands are really bad, in terms of detail preservation, color saturation and overall camera capabilities. Since, these handsets are likely made from low quality materials. This differentiates the camera capabilities of both local and international brands.
International brand of phones sets a standard rule that they should follow, in providing high end outputs. With these rules, they are able to provide technically efficient cameras for their phones, which can be fond on the 16MP, optical image stabilization, autofocus, triple-LED (dual-tone) flash camera of the Lenovo Vibe Shot.
A friendly reminder
We all want to get as much as what we pay for on different things, so we should learn to spend our resources on something efficient and quality-oriented. We shouldn’t let the price of a product, be the only factor that will affect our point of purchase.
Please leave a comment or suggestion down below regarding this topic, or any other suggestions you can give us. We highly appreciate all feedback.
Asus Zenfone 2 551ML specs |
Lenovo Vibe Shot Z90-7 specs |
| 5.5-inch 1080p FHD IPS, 401ppi | 5-inch IPS 1080p FHD IPS LCD, 441ppi (720HD Z90-3) |
| Gorilla Glass 3 | Gorilla Glass 3 |
| Intel 3560/3580, quadcore | Snapdragon 615 octa chipset |
| 2/4GB RAM, 16/32/64GB ROM | 3GB RAM |
| microSD up to 64GB | 32GB internal, microSD max 128GB |
| 13-megapixel, HDR, dual tone LED flash | 16MP camera, HDR, Optical Image Stabilization, Tricolor LED flash, 1080p video, AF focus assists |
| 1080p video | 1080p video |
| 5-megapixel selfie, no video | 8MP selfie |
| Dual 4G LTE, WiFi ac, Bt 4.0, GPS,NFC,FM | Dual 4G LTE, WiFi a, Bt 4.1, GPS, FM Radio |
| 3000mAh battery | 3000mAh battery |
| Android 5.0 Lollipop | Android 5.0 Lollipop |
| P14,500 for the 64GB variant price as of August 29 | P14,490 as of August 31 for the Z90-7 |
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Crab mentality at its finest. I see this as a cheap shot to pull down locally-manufactured phones to market the Lenovo and Asus phones.
I think this article just serves as an advertising space for asus and lenovo. Based on my own experience, there is a local product that surpasses every nitpicked negative detail you’ve writte on this article. Myphone products has great quality, good camera, durable battery, and a lower to similiar price tag as international offerings. Do not forget that cherry mobile has been manufacturing android one phones which have very good build quality and on time software updates since the hardware materials used were chosen by Google.
Dahil sa article na ito sinisira nyo yung image ng blog nyo , nagiging bias kayo kasi binayaran kayo. Marami namang brand ang pwede mong ipanlaban sa asus at lenovo katulad ng Mi, Meizu , and some local brands na kaya tapatan ang mga brand na ine endorsed nyo. Kung sana yung ginawa nyo nalang article tungkol sa pagpili ng affordable at best smartphone for your budget. Baka dun maraming matutuwa at marami kayong matutulungan lalo na yung mga baguhan palang sa smartphone. :3
Magkano binayad sainyo ng asus at lenovo???
Di naman sa butt hurt ako pero wag kayong
mag degrade ng isang product ng walang
basihan like customer review etc..
Very poorly done. It is painful to read a supposedly objective which is laced with biased advertising. Since you keep on pulling up asus and lenovo, you should have at LEAST made a point by point comparison on your supposed local brands vs asus and lenovo.
What’s that jomat? You are always hungry? Is that why you compromised journalistic integrity for whatever Asus and Lenovo paid you? My high school students write way better analysis than this. Disappointing.
local brands phone is a choice, asus and lenovo aren’t the better nor less defect but have higher price tag due to the fact they have to paid someone like you to talk sh”t for them,
one and a half year old na yung starmobile play ko pero still running good as day one… biased naman yung article… di naman lahat ng local brands eh bad…
brad merchandiser ako ng appliance. marami na akong nakausap na mga customer na nagtatanung tungkol sa quality ng local appliances natin vs sa mga internation brands alam mo kung anu standard answer sa tanung na un… depende sa paggamit which is true depende pa rin yan sa affordability at pangangailangan mo bakit ako bibili ng phone na worth 15k above kung ang gamit mo lang naman eh mainly text and call at internet.
Lenovo? Asus? Or local brands?
Depende yan sa paggamit,
Omega xl ko 2 years na ayos pa din.
P.s kung gagawa ka ng article wah masyado pahalatang biased ka huh 😉
you’ve moved into dangerous territory by writing this article…sure, you made you point…any idiot can write a blog or an article these days….but man…you’re obviously a sell out LOL!
you’ve moved into dangerous territory by writing this article…sure, you made your point…any idiot can write a blog or an article these days….but man…you’re obviously a sell out LOL!
Your Asus and Lenovo + Local Brands… ALL MADE IN CHINA!
So is the iPhone.
Dumbass ka pota may bahid din ng china ginagamit nating devices tanga mo.
Puro pangtanga ang mga articles dito.
I agree with this article. Local brand sucks and their crazy prices also sucks. That stupid Flare X or even the G1 are over priced! 6? It should be 4.5K at most. I’d rather buy Lenovo A 7000 PLUS or ASUS LASER than buying stupid Cherry mobile
A blog written by a cheap blogger.. Seriously! The camera of Starmobile is better than your Lenovo or Asus which is actually marketed by China. This is a non-sense, biased, poorly written blog. So sorry! You’re wrong.. very wrong…
As a Flagship user and sony fan, this is a biased article. My first touch screen phone is myphone and it do last for years until i have enough money to buy a flagship. Naka depende sa user yan.
Mabuhay! Ako ay isang Pilipino at sa aking palagay ay dapat suportahan natin ang ating sariling produkto. Maaaring hindi pa nga sila kasing husay ng mga international brands, pero ang pagsusulat ng article na kagaya ng ganito ay maaring pumatay sa lokal na industriya. Sa halip na siraan, sa aking palagay ay dapat tulungan natin sila sa pamamagitan ng pagbibigay ng customer feedback at mga “constructive criticisms” na dapat rin naman ay tanggapin nila. Hindi ba’t maganda kung sa hinaharap ay kapantay na natin ang mga international brands kagaya ng Apple o Samsung, at ang mga foreigners na mismo ang gugustuhin ang gawang pinoy? Tulungan natin ang industriya ng mga phones sa Pilipinas!
Useless blog useless article .. Halatanh di marunong mag research ang author kung paano gumawa ng article . wag ipahahalata na may sponsor kat may kinikilingan . kung gusto nyong sumikat na blog be fair sa mga reviews nyo 1 / 10 ?