Xiaomi has built their reputation around their products that deliver amazing value for the price. We are not 100% sure how they were able to do it, but we do know that that’s the reason why they are one of the biggest names in the industry today.
An example to that feat is the new Xiaomi Mi A2. This device easily has some of the best specs that you can get for the price. And as if it’s not affordable enough, Xiaomi announced a Php1,000 price drop of this device just recently.
The sudden price discount was really surprising and we can only think of one reason why Xiaomi did the move — the intensifying competition in the midrange market.
Xiaomi smartphones used to be the only brand that offers good smartphones at reasonable prices. But today, things are slowly changing now that Huawei and Honor are stepping up their game.
Honor, for one, launched the new Honor Play here in the Philippines. And if you haven’t heard this midrange device, it packs a chipset that we only see in high-end smartphones.
But can the Honor Play dethrone the Mi A2 as the best value-oriented midrange smartphone? Is the flagship-caliber processor enough to dominate the midrange market? Check our Honor Play versus Xiaomi Mi A2 specifications and features comparison to see which between these two devices is the better option. Let’s get it on!
| Honor Play | Xiaomi Mi A2 | |
|---|---|---|
| Operating System | Android 8.1 Oreo EMUI 8.2 | Android 8.1 Oreo Android One |
| SIM | Dual SIM Dual Standby Hybrid | Dual SIM Dual Standby |
| Display | 6.3-inch FHD+ IPS 2340 x 1080 pixel resolution ~409ppi 19:9 aspect ratio | 5.99-inch FHD+ IPS 2160 x 1080 pixel resolution ~403ppi 18:9 aspect ratio |
| Processor | 2.4GHz HiSilicon Kirin 970 octa-core | 2.2Ghz Qualcomm Snapdragon 660 octa-core |
| RAM | 4GB | 4GB |
| GPU | Mali-G72 MP12 GPU Turbo technology | Adreno 512 |
| Storage | 64GB expandable via microSD up to 256GB | 64GB non-expandable |
| Front camera | 16-megapixel 3D Portrait Lighting | 20-megapixel f/2.2 LED flash |
| Rear Camera | 16-megapixel + 2-megapixel PDAF f/2.2 AI scene detection LED flash | 20-megapixel + 12-megapixel PDAF AI Photo modes LED flash |
| Security | Fingerprint scanner Face Unlock | Fingerprint scanner Face Unlock |
| Connectivity | HSPA+, 4G LTE WiFi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac Bluetooth 4.2 GPS, A-GPS, GLONASS, BDS FM Radio NFC USB Type-C | HSPA+, 4G LTE WiFi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac Bluetooth 4.2 GPS, A-GPS, GLONASS, BDS FM Radio Infrared blaster USB Type-C |
| Dimensions | 157.9 x 74.3 x 7.5mm | 158.7 x 75.4 x 7.3mm |
| Weight | 176g | 166g |
| Colors | Midnight Black Navy Blue Violet | Gold Rose Gold Blue Red Black |
| Battery | 3,750mAh non-removable fast charging | 3,000mAh non-removable 10W charger |
| Price | Php15,990 | Php13,990 |
Sadly, it looks like Xiaomi’s winning streak ends here. The Mi A2 sure has a few leverages over the Honor Play, but those are not enough to defeat it.
For one, the Xiaomi Mi A2 has a better set of cameras. Its selfie camera is at 20-megapixels while on the back there’s a 20-megapixel and 12-megapixel dual shooters.
On the other hand, the Honor Play only has a 16-megapixel front and 16-megapixel + 2-megapixel dual rear cameras. The Mi A2 also runs on a cleaner version of Android.
But other than that, the Honor Play pretty much sweep all the victories on this specs battle.
Obviously, its main advantage is its Kirin 970 processor. That’s the same chipset found on the more expensive high-end devices such as the Honor 10 and the Huawei Nova 3.
And as if it weren’t enough, Honor’s offering also comes with GPU Turbo technology out of the box. So expect the best possible gaming experience from this thing.
Speaking of gaming, you can play longer with this device thanks to its 3,750mAh battery. That’s relatively bigger than the 3,000mAh capacity that’s found on the Mi A2.
Most Android enthusiasts would also appreciate its expandable memory as the Mi A2 doesn’t have a microSD card slot. In addition, it has a slightly larger 6.3-inch screen, while the latter only has a screen size of 5.99-inches.
The Honor Play has a price tag of Php15,990, while the Xiaomi Mi A2 has an SRP of Php13,990. Despite the Php2,000 price difference, you can surely get your money’s worth with Honor’s offering. Don’t get us wrong, the Xiaomi Mi A2 is an incredible smartphone for its price. But on paper, it’s definitely outclassed by the Honor Play.
So if you’d be getting one, we wish you good luck because, as of writing, Honor said that it’s now currently out of stock in their online and offline stores.