These days, flagship smartphones have gone beyond smart—they’re like mini-supercomputers in your pocket equipped with impressive yet handy functions, from multitasking to snapping impressive photos. However, aside from the essential ones, most ordinary users might not use those fancy features or have been underutilizing them.
Meanwhile, there are also the affordable budget smartphones—faster and better each year, they may not have all the bells and whistles you may find in the flagship models, but a good smartphone under RM1000 is also very much sufficient to run your life.
From capable Snapdragon phones to decent camera smartphones, here are some of the best cheap smartphones you can buy with RM1000 in Malaysia!
Editor
Jennifer chevron_right
Table of Contents
Top 9 Budget Smartphones Under RM1000 in Malaysia
Why It’s Our Top Pick:
Flagship-level performance with an affordable price tag—this is the most straightforward reason why the Redmi Note 12 tops our chart for best budget smartphones.
Overview:
Powered by the Snapdragon 4 Gen 1 mobile platform, the Redmi Note 12 delivers supreme performance while offering a day-to-night battery. With dual SIM and dual 5G support, you can enjoy faster download speed with lower frequency.
The 48-megapixel triple camera setup is expert in portraits and low-light shots. The ultra-wide camera allows you to capture more details in a single photo. What’s more, the 6.67-inch AMOLED display supports FHD+ resolution at a 120Hz high refresh rate for a smooth and seamless visual experience.
Xiaomi Redmi Note 12 Specifications
- CPU: Qualcomm Snapdragon 4 Gen 1
- GPU: Adreno 619
- Display: 6.67-inch, 107.4cm2 (~85.0% screen-to-body ratio), 1080 x 2400 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~395 ppi density), Corning Gorilla Glass 3, AMOLED, 120Hz, 1200nits (peak)
- RAM: 8GB
- Storage: 256GB
- Ports: USB-C port 2.0
- Dimensions: 165.88.5 x 76.21 x 7.98 mm
Who is this for?
For most general smartphone users, the Redmi Note 12 should satisfy your every need. Its large 120Hz OLED display is ideal for various scenarios as it will automatically adapt to the workload for a more engaged user experience. You can also load your favourite applications faster and store more memorable moments with the fast storage and RAM combination.
Overview:
Stand out to the Samsung Galaxy A14 5G featuring a stylish minimalist design with up to five colour options. Everything you love is in vivid high-definition and vibrant colours on the 6.6-inch Infinity-V Display.
On the performance side, you get an octa-core processor with a 5G connection for smooth gaming and instant sharing. Not to forget the One UI that unlocks a huge collection of handy features and most importantly, more room to add a personal touch to your smartphone.
Samsung Galaxy A14 5G Specifications
- CPU: MediaTek MT6833 Dimensity 700
- GPU: Mali-G57
- Display: 6.6-inch, 104.9cm2 (~80.2% screen-to-body ratio), 1080 x 2408 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~400 ppi density), PLS LCD, 90Hz
- RAM: 6GB
- Storage: 128GB
- Ports: USB Type-C 2.0
- Dimensions: 167.7 x 78.0 x 9.1 mm
Who is this for?
The Samsung Galaxy A14 5G is undoubtedly the best budget smartphone with 6GB RAM in the market. Its 5000mAh battery blows away your worries with a 2-day-lasting battery life. This is the ideal device for students and young professionals who pursue the best bang for value with adequate performance and stable OS.
Overview:
Delivering an outstanding viewing experience, the Xiaomi POCO X5 features a sleek 6.67-inch 120Hz AMOLED display with FHD+ resolution. Its 10-times precision improved touch control gives better accuracy for better game control.
The massive 5000mAh battery ensures all-day productivity and entertainment, even better with the ability to fast-charge at 33W. Onto security, the POCO phone comes with a side fingerprint sensor and AI face unlock. Despite its compact and slim design, you still get a 3.5mm jack to connect your wired headphones.
Xiaomi POCO X5 Specifications
- CPU: Qualcomm Snapdragon 695
- GPU: Adreno 619
- Display: 6.67-inch, 107.4cm2 (~85.0% screen-to-body ratio), 1080 x 2400 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~395 ppi density), Corning Gorilla Glass 3, Super AMOLED, 120Hz, 700nits (HDM), 1200nits (peak)
- RAM: 8GB
- Storage: 256GB
- Ports: USB Type-C 2.0
- Dimensions: 165.9 x 76.2 x 8.0 mm
Who is this for?
For more intensive phone usage, we strongly recommend getting a smartphone with at least 8GB RAM such as the Xiaomi POCO X5. Its Snapdragon 695 chipset is full of power and surely can meet your everyday needs plus multitasking. Also, the all-in-one camera system works excellently in various shooting scenarios including night shooting.
Overview:
Game freely on the vivo Y77 powered by a dual-mode 5G Dimensity 810 chip which runs at a clock speed of 2.4GHz. With 4GB extended RAM realized by software on top of the default 8GB RAM, you can run more apps in the background and switch smoothly between them.
The 5000mAh massive battery together with MediaTek 5G UltraSave Technology keeps you connected all day long. You can expect ample juice for up to 8 hours of PUBG gaming or 18 hours of YouTube streaming.
Vivo Y77 Specifications
- CPU: MediaTek Dimensity 810
- GPU: Mali-G57
- Display: 6.58-inch, 104.3cm2 (~90.6% screen-to-body ratio), 1080 x 2408 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~401 ppi density), IPS LCD
- RAM: 8GB + 4GB
- Storage: 256GB
- Ports: USB Type-C 2.0
- Dimensions: 164.0 x 75.8 x 8.3 mm
Who is this for?
Gamers will certainly value the vivo Y77 as it brings mobile gaming to the next level. With all the top-notch hardware plus Ultra Game Mode, you can stop worrying about your problems and get deeper into the beautiful virtual world. The AI algorithm will smartly optimize the system to run intensive games without any glitches thanks to the Multi-Turbo 5.5 technology.
Overview:
Dive into your favourite content and games with the huge 6.7-inch 90Hz display of the Samsung Galaxy A05s. You can enjoy seamless, vivid picture quality at FHD+ resolution and 16M colour depth.
Under the hood, the octa-core Snapdragon chipset works effortlessly to provide the performance capacity required for daily tasks and intense gaming. Its 25W fast-charging battery gives the power that keeps you going for the whole day. Of course, this Galaxy phone also supports the user-friendly One UI which greatly improves your everyday mobile experience.
Samsung Galaxy A05s Specifications
- CPU: Qualcomm Snapdragon 680
- GPU: Adreno 610
- Display: 6.7-inch, 108.4cm2 (~82.9% screen-to-body ratio), 1080 x 2400 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~393 ppi density), PLS LCD, 90Hz
- RAM: 6GB
- Storage: 128GB
- Ports: USB Type-C 2.0
- Dimensions: 168.0 x 77.8 x 8.8 mm
Who is this for?
For those people who enjoy binge-watching Netflix shows or streaming YouTube videos on phones, the Samsung Galaxy A05s is a great choice. Everything becomes more fun and engaging on the large 6.7-inch high-resolution screen. Even with the big display, this device maintains a flyweight design of 194g to minimise the strain on your hands over long hours.
Overview:
Never miss capturing any mesmerizing moments in life on the Xiaomi POCO M5s. The 64MP quad-camera produces beautiful, high-resolution images enhanced with a cutting-edge AI-powered algorithm. The camera can extend up to 118 degrees in the ultra-wide mode to capture more stunning images.
For display, the POCO M5s houses a sharp and bright 6.43-inch AMOLED DotDisplay. Its dual speaker setup allows you to fully immerse in the stereo surround sound during entertaining. We are also glad that POCO still keeps the 3.5mm headphone jack on this slim profile phone unlike most of its competitors.
Xiaomi POCO M5s Specifications
- CPU: MediaTek Helio G95
- GPU: Mali-G76
- Display: 6.43-inch, 99.8cm2 (~83.5% screen-to-body ratio), 1080 x 2400 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~409 ppi density), Corning Gorilla Glass 3, AMOLED, 450nits (typ), 700nits (HBM), 1100nits (peak)
- RAM: 8GB
- Storage: 256GB
- Ports: USB Type-C 2.0
- Dimensions: 160.5 x 74.5 x 8.3 mm
Who is this for?
The Xiaomi POCO M5s packs a class-leading quad camera setup among the budget smartphones. There are multiple camera modes such as Ultra HD mode, Ultra-wide mode, Macro mode and more to fulfil your photography needs. We are also well pleased with the generous amount of RAM and ROM that makes heavy apps run smoother while large games load faster.
Overview:
Featuring the next-generation mobile data network, the Samsung Galaxy A23 5G delivers super-smooth gaming and streaming with 5G fast speeds. Its 6.6-inch Infinity-V Display produces a rich viewing experience with FHD+ technology at a 120Hz high refresh rate.
For gaming, Game Booster intelligently tracks your gaming patterns to optimize the battery life, temperature and memory. It’ll also block background activities and notifications to prevent you from losing focus. Worth mentioning that its Dolby Atmos audio outputs full, loud and surrounding sounds for an extraordinary listening experience.
Samsung Galaxy A23 Specifications
- CPU: Qualcomm Snapdragon 695
- GPU: Adreno 619
- Display: 6.6-inch, 104.9cm2 (~82.5% screen-to-body ratio), 1080 x 2408 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~400 ppi density), Corning Gorilla Glass 5, PLS LCD, 120Hz
- RAM: 6GB
- Storage: 128GB
- Ports: USB Type-C 2.0
- Dimensions: 165.4 x 76.9 x 8.4 mm
Who is this for?
The Samsung Galaxy A23 5G is a future-proof budget smartphone which comes with cutting-edge 5G connectivity. You’ll get blazing-fast speed for sharing and downloading thus maximizing your productivity and entertainment. The 5000mAh battery lets you keep doing what you love doing for hours before the next charge.
Overview:
The HONOR X8a is extra slim and lightweight, making it fit perfectly in your hand. The 6.7-inch full-view display with minimized bezels brings you an unimaginable visual experience. Certified with TÜV Rheinland Low Blue Light, the display is comfortable for the eyes by reducing blue light damage effectively.
The HONOR X8a packs a best-in-class 100MP Ultra-Clear main camera that makes every shot a masterpiece. Furthermore, the dual-view mode doubles the filming fun with endless possibilities for Vlog from different creative perspectives.
HONOR X8a Specifications
- CPU: MediaTek Helio G88
- GPU: Mali-G52
- Display: 6.7-inch, 108.7cm2 (~89.6% screen-to-body ratio), 1080 x 2388 pixels (~391 ppi density), IPS LCD 90Hz
- RAM: 8GB
- Storage: 128GB
- Ports: USB Type-C
- Dimensions: 162.9 x 74.5 x 7.5 mm
Who is this for?
4G smartphones are still relevant at this moment as not every area is under 5G coverage. The HONOR X8a is one of the best 4G smartphones out there which offers near flagship-level specifications. We are truly in love with its 100MP main camera as it will automatically recognize various scenes and deliver stunning shots. For seamless file transfer between devices, this Android phone also supports HONOR Share.
Overview
Running at high clock speed with low power consumption, the Qualcomm Snapdragon 680 brings next-level power to the realme 9i. The advanced Dynamic RAM Expansion is a blessing for heavy mobile users. It allows the 6GB memory to be expanded up to 11GB for serious workloads.
The realme 9i not only supports 33W fast charging but is also integrated with 5-stage safe charging protection, allowing for a faster and safer charge. By enabling Super Power Saving Mode, you can get up to 995 hours on standby.
realme 9i Specifications
- CPU: Qualcomm Snapdragon 680
- GPU: Adreno 610
- Display: 6.6-inch, 104.8cm2 (~84.2% screen-to-body ratio), 1080 x 2412 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~400 ppi density), Dragontail Pro Glass, IPS LCD, 90Hz, 480nits (typical)
- RAM: 6GB
- Storage: 128GB
- Ports: USB Type-C 2.0
- Dimensions: 164.4 x 75.7 x 8.4 mm
Who is this for?
Looking for an all-rounder budget Android smartphone with 128GB of base storage to store tons of your precious photos and favourite games? You might want to consider the Realme 9i. It has a 90Hz ultra-smooth display with enhanced visual clarity besides a high-efficiency Snapdragon chipset. Taking stunning HD images is easy peasy with the 50MP AI triple camera.
Which phone brand has the most service centres in Malaysia?
Samsung Support Centre:
Samsung is one of the biggest smartphone manufacturers in the world, and also in Malaysia, so naturally they have plenty of service centers here. You can easily run into a Samsung service centre in most of the modern shopping malls nationwide. And it’s not only smartphones; you can also get all your Samsung devices including wearables and home appliances serviced on an appointment basis!
OPPO Customer Service Centre:
You’ve probably seen OPPO Customer Service Centers everywhere. They can be connected in a shopping mall or as a stand-alone store. Similar to other brands, you can find the list of service centers available from its dedicated support website.