The Cheapest Smartphones in Malaysia

For those of you in search for the cheapest smartphones in Malaysia, here’s an article specially for you! In this article, we’ll be highlighting 5 lesser known brands that offer smartphones between price of RM 160 – RM 400.

Whether to be used as a backup phone, for your children or as a temporary phone for a visiting friend, these smartphones will definitely serve you well. While they may not have the best camera or processor, they’re definitely good enough for web browsing, making calls and even watching videos.

1. LEAGOO

Brand Origin: China
Local Service Center: Yes
Learn More: Website | Facebook

Perhaps most notable is their 5 year contract with Tottenham Spurs as their official mobile partner beginning 2017. Leagoo produces highly affordable smartphones and tablets and it is widely available throughout Malaysia.

The most popular model is the Leagoo’s Z20 which resembles the iPhone 11 Pro. Powered by a dual-core Unisoc Spreadtrum SC7731C processor  (a China based chipset producer) with 2GB ram and 16GB rom, the Z20 is probably not the best for heavy gaming or photography. It is also worth noting that the ZTE runs on Android 8.1. Nevertheless, with it priced as low as RM179, the Z20 makes for a great backup phone or can be a great entry phone for children with the main purpose of calling and moderate social media usage.

Lastly, Leagoo has a decent reputation in terms of after sales service and has available service centers in many states throughout the country.

2. ZTE

Brand Origin: China
Local Service Center: Yes
Learn More: Website | Facebook

Prior to the 2017 controversy and US trade sanctions, ZTE Corporation was amongst the global top 5 mobile phone vendors. Despite their falling out, ZTE is still committed to releasing affordable smartphones.

Amongst their most recent releases is the ZTE Blade A5 2020 which is priced at RM359. With an octa-core processor, 3200mAh battery and Android 9 built into it, we do think the slightly higher price point is justified. But if you’d like to go even lower in price, you can also check out the ZTE Blade A3 2020 and Blade L210 which are both priced at around RM220.

Like Leagoo, ZTE also has plenty of authorized resellers and service centers throughout Malaysia. So you won’t have to worry about after-sales related troubles.

3. Wiko

Brand Origin: France
Local Service Center: Yes
Learn More: Website | Facebook

A relatively strong contender in the low cost mobile phone industry is Wiko, a phone manufacturer based in France. Wiko has quite a number of phone models priced under RM300 which are available in Malaysia.

Released in 2020 is the Y61 model which is available for only RM279. This model comes complete with Android 10 and 2GB ram. In addition, the Wiko Y61 is powered by the Mediatek MT6761WE quad-core processor instead the Unisoc processor.

Once again, Wiko resellers can be found throughout Malaysia with ample service centers available to those facing issues with their devices.

4. Meizu

Brand Origin: China
Local Service Center: No
Learn More: Website | Facebook

Meizu started off an MP3 and MP4 manufacturer before later on transitioning into producing mobile phones. Back in 2015, Meizu was the 11th largest mobile phone manufacturer in the world but has since also slowly lagged behind the fierce competition. 

Nevertheless, when it comes to budget phones, we cannot afford to miss out mentioning the Meizu C9. Though released back in 2018, the C9 which is priced at RM 199 remains relevant with a 2GB Ram and Quad-core Unisoc SC9832E processor. The Meizu C9 remains a great reliable backup phone for many and has aged gracefully throughout the years. 

Unfortunately, there isn’t much local support here in Malaysia. The devices can mainly be found on Shopee and Lazada and for offline purchases, one can find this model available at Direct D.

2. Neffos

Brand Origin: China
Local Service Center: No
Learn More: Website | Facebook

Perhaps the newest kid on the block. Launched in 2016, Neffos is a smartphone brand under TP-Link Technologies Co., Ltd, a Chinese manufacturer of networking products.

Unlike most other smartphones that compete in processors and cameras, Neffos strength is in creating better signal phones. The high-performance baseband chip and Power Amplifier (PA), as well as EMC technology are adopted in every mobile phone to make the signal stronger, faster and more stable.

Neffos offer several models priced under RM400 but perhaps the one that stands out most is the C7s model. Priced at RM343, the C7s is an overall well-built phone. It goes head-to-head with the ZTE Blade A5 2020. Although the C7s loses out in the main specs, one should not take lightly the fact that the C7s incorporates technologies to enhance the overall phone signal.

Side-by-side Comparison: Cheapest Smartphones in Malaysia

	Leagoo	ZTE	Wiko	Meizu	Neffos
Model	Z20	Blade A5 2020	Y61	C9	C7s
Ram	2GB	2GB	2GB	2GB	2GB
Chipset	Spreadtrum SC7731C	Unisoc SC9863A	Mediatek MT6761WE	Unisoc SC9832E	Unisoc SC9863A
Processor	Quad-core 1.3 GHz	Octa-core 1.60 GHz	Quad-core 1.8 GHz	Quad-core 1.3 GHz	Octa-core 1.6 GHz
OS	Android 8.1	Android 9.0 Pie	Android 10 (Go Edition)	Android 8.0	Android 9.0Pie
Memory	16GB Rom	32GB Rom	32GB Rom	16GB Rom	16GB Rom
Battery	2800mAh	3200mAh	3000mAh	3000mAh	2600mAh
Price	~RM 179	~RM 359	~RM 279	~RM 199	~RM 343

With plenty of clone phones out in the market today especially on Shopee and Lazada, we definitely recommend considering these options over them.