Best Budget Phones for Video Editors

It’s not a stretch to say that in this current era of the internet that “video content is king”. Video platforms like YouTube and TikTok have been beating traditional platforms like blogs and news websites.

It’s no surprise then that aspiring content creators have flooded these video platforms in the hopes of making it big. It’s also no surprise as well that video editing as a career has become increasingly in demand as these content creators need the support in churning out appealing, high-quality videos.

There’s definitely an opportunity for aspiring Remote Filipino Workers (RFWs) to earn money as video editors to address this demand. If you are one of them, know that you don’t have to spend on an expensive computer to start your career.

There are budget phones for video editors available that you could use to create professional videos without spending too much on your gear. Best of all, you can purchase them with ease since they’re all available on Shopee and Lazada.

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Photo by Onur Binay on Unsplash

Which apps should your video editing phone be able to handle?

There’s nothing more infuriating for a video editor than getting the dreaded “There was an error saving this video” pop-up.

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Imagine waiting for more than a good few minutes (sometimes hours) only to get this error.

What a waste of time!

So, before you buy a budget phone for video editing, you need to know the system requirements of the apps you’ll need to do the job well. This way, you can lower the risk or even avoid getting the dreaded error message.

Here are some suggestions:

  • InShot (Android | iOS) is a simple and powerful video editing app perfect for beginners. For the app to run correctly, it’s recommended to have at least 2GB of RAM. Faster specs will help you reliably and quickly process your videos.
  • CapCut (Android | iOS) is a more advanced video editing app that is full of complex effects, transitions, sounds, chroma key, and other useful features. It’s an excellent app to learn as a professional video editor since it’s a popular app used by big-name vloggers and YouTubers worldwide. It’s recommended to have at least a 2.4GHz processor, 2GB of RAM, and 4GB of storage.
  • Mojo (Android | iOS) is an animated effects app that you can add to your videos to make them look more professional. Popularly used for social media videos, this app is perfect if your clients are businesses who want to improve their presence on TikTok, Instagram, and Facebook.

What useful features should phones for video editing have?

If you want to make professional-quality videos, here are the features you should look for when buying a budget phone for video editing:

  • Display Size – Having a larger display size means having a larger work space when doing video editing on your phone. This will make it easy for you to navigate all the buttons and windows of the video editing app. It’s also important that you can watch the edited video as other people would see it. So, it’s important to have a screen that can emulate that experience.
  • RAM – Multitasking is just part of the regular work day of a video editor. You may need to edit photos, generate effects, and splice footage in different apps. Having enough RAM will make it smoother and faster to switch between all the apps you’re using.
  • Processor, chipset & GPU – The combination of the phone’s processor, chipset, and GPU will impact the processing and rendering speeds for your videos. It will also help you avoid the dreaded “There was an error saving this video” pop-up.
  • Storage – Video editing tends to take up a lot of storage on your device. This is because videos usually have a large file size, even more so at higher resolutions. So, you need a large amount of storage so that your apps can access the videos needed for the job. Look for budget phones where you can expand storage using a microSD.
  • Color Gamut – This is the measure of how accurate your screen is in displaying the colors in photos and videos. For basic video editing, you don’t need to worry too much about this. However, there are video-editing projects that are color sensitive. If you get jobs like that, you need a phone that can display a near 100% wide color gamut.

Aside from that, you might want to purchase accessories, such as a phone stand or mouse, that will make working on your phone a more comfortable and productive experience. You can check the article “How to Work from Home Using Mobile Phones” for more recommendations.

Best Budget Phones for Video Editing Under ₱5,000

These are the cheapest phones available for video editing where you can expect a professional output. The small RAM means you have to be mindful of how many apps are open at the same time. The built-in storage is also small but you can expand them with a microSD card.

At this price range, you can do basic to slightly advanced video editing. Complex effects, high frame rates, and multiple layers may be difficult to process for these budget phones. While you can certainly try to push the limit, you should expect a slower processing and rendering time.

You also can’t expect a highly accurate color display from your screen, but the size is large enough that you can do the job well. All in all, video editing phones in this price range get the job done so you can earn enough to eventually upgrade.

1. Infinix Smart 6 PLUS

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Important Specs for Video Editing:

Display Size: 6.82” HD+ Sunlight display, IPS LCD, 720 x 1600 pixels

Color Gamut: 72% NTSC Color Gamut

Brightness: 440 Nits

Refresh Rate: 60Hz

Memory: 2+2GB Extended RAM, 64GB storage (expandable with microSD)

CPU: Octa-core 12nm processor

GPU: Undisclosed

Chipset: Undisclosed

Other Specs:

OS: Android 11

Battery: 5000mAh

Camera: 8MP AI Rear & 5MP Front Camera

Connectivity: 4G LTE

Price: ₱4,790 from Infinix’s Official Lazada Store

The Infinix Smart 6 PLUS has impressive specs for its price. With a whopping 6.82” HD+ display, it’s at the top of the screen sizes available for phones. You’ll have an excellent view of your video editing workspace on this budget phone. Color-accurate jobs may be out of reach but you can handle other video editing projects well.

It also has a rare 2GB of built-in RAM and 2GB of virtual RAM available for your multitasking needs. 64GB of storage is also high for phones at this price, but it might not be enough for some video editing jobs. Thankfully, you can add more storage by using a microSD card for this phone.

Unfortunately, the type of CPU, GPU, and chipset for this phone were not disclosed by Infinix. However, knowing that it has at least an octa-core 12nm processor is enough for it to be useful for video editing jobs on your phone. Overall, it’s a decent, practical option for beginner video editors who don’t have the budget yet for higher-spec phones.

Best Budget Phones for Video Editing Under ₱10,000

Video editing phones at this price point have larger RAM, bigger storage, better quality screens, and faster processors. You can handle both basic and advanced video editing work on these budget phones.

Cutting and splicing multiple videos, using a green screen effect, adding animated text, and other kinds of video editing are all possible on this phone. They may not be the fastest phones in the market, but they can reliably get the job done.

Note that the features of the budget phones for video editors in this price range are very different. Some have 100% color accuracy, while others have faster processing capabilities. So, read the specs carefully and decide which is more important to the kinds of projects you handle.

1. Samsung Galaxy A03 (4GB+128GB Version)

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Important Specs for Video Editing:

Display Size: 6.5″ HD + TFT Infinity-V Display, PLS LCD, 720 x 1600 pixels

Color Gamut: 96% sRGB

Brightness: 400 nits

Refresh Rate: 60Hz

Memory: 4GB RAM, 128GB storage (expandable to 1TB with microSD)

CPU: Octa-Core 1.6GHz

GPU: Mali-G57 MP1

Chipset: Unisoc T606

Other Specs:

OS: Android 11 (One UI Core 3.1)

Battery: 5000mAh

Camera: 48 MP Main (Rear) + 2 MP Depth + 5MP Front Camera

Connectivity: 4G LTE

Price: ₱7,490 from Samsung’s Official Lazada Store

Samsung’s Galaxy A03 has a 4GB+128GB version available that’s perfect for video editing purposes. If you’re a fan of the brand but don’t want to splurge on their high-end phones, this is one of the cheapest Samsung phones around.

If you think you don’t need that large a memory, there are also cheaper 3GB RAM and 32GB/64GB storage versions available.

The processor, GPU, and chipset are all solid hardware that’s a definite improvement from the previous price range. There will be significantly less stuttering as you are editing and processing your videos.

If you’re planning on taking photos and videos yourself to use in your work, you now have a high 48-megapixel main camera available for your needs. Overall, it’s a reliable budget phone that offers more flexibility in what you can do with it.

2. Xiaomi Redmi Note 11 (4GB+64GB) Global Version

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Important Specs for Video Editing:

Display Size: 6.43″ FHD + DotDisplay, AMOLED, 1080 x 2400 pixels

Color Gamut: DCI-P3 wide color gamut

Brightness: 700 nits, 1000 nits peak

Refresh Rate: 90Hz

Memory: 4GB RAM, 64GB storage (expandable up to 1TB with microSDXC)

CPU: Octa-core (4×2.4 GHz Kryo 265 Gold & 4×1.9 GHz Kryo 265 Silver)

GPU: Adreno 610

Chipset: Qualcomm SM6225 Snapdragon 680 4G (6 nm)

Other Specs:

OS: Android 11 (upgradable to Android 12), MIUI 13

Battery: 5000mAh

Camera: 50MP main (rear) camera, 8MP ultra-wide camera, 13MP front camera

Connectivity: 4G LTE

Price: ₱9,499 on Xiaomi’s Official Lazada Store

The Xiaomi Redmi Note 11 (4GB+64GB) is a definite step up from the Galaxy A03 both in specs and price. You can confidently work on color-sensitive projects on its very accurate DCI-P3 wide color gamut AMOLED screen. It also has a brighter display with a higher refresh rate, all of which will make working on this screen a delight.

It might only come with 64GB of storage but you can expand it up to 1TB with a microSDXC card. While it only has 4GB of RAM, it has the Snapdragon 680 chipset which can smoothly and reliably process your videos.

If you have the budget for it, it’s hard to go wrong with the Redmi Note 11 from Xiaomi as your go-to budget phone for video editing. Plus, if you want to use your phone for some casual gaming, the Snapdragon 680 is optimized for that purpose.

3. Infinix Note 12 G96 (8GB + 256GB Version)

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Important Specs for Video Editing:

Display Size: 6.7” FHD True Color AMOLED Display, 1080 x 2400 pixels

Color Gamut: 100% DCI-P3 Color Gamut

Brightness: 1000 nits peak

Refresh Rate: 60Hz

Memory: 8+5GB Extended RAM, 256GB storage (expandable with microSDXC)

CPU: Octa-core (2×2.05 GHz Cortex-A76 & 6×2.0 GHz Cortex-A55)

GPU: Mali-G57 MC2

Chipset: Mediatek MT6781 Helio G96 (12 nm) Ultra Gaming Processor

Other Specs:

OS: Android 12

Battery: 5000mAh

Camera: 50MP Rear & 16MP Front Camera

Connectivity: 4G LTE

Price: ₱9,990 from Infinix’s Official Lazada Store

The Infinix Note 12 G96 has very impressive specs that are rare to find in this price range. The 6.7” FHD True Color AMOLED screen means you have a large space to work comfortably in even the most complex video editing projects. The 100% DCI-P3 color gamut means you can handle color-sensitive projects that otherwise you’d have to turn down before.

But the real winner here is the large RAM and storage. With 8GB of RAM, you can open multiple apps at the same time without worrying that it might affect the phone’s performance. 256GB of storage is also a steal at this price point. With such a large space, you might not even need to spend on a microSD if you can manage your files well.

Its processing capabilities and camera are no slouches either. It’s really hard not to recommend a budget phone for video editing with specs like these. The Infinix line continues to impress as a budget phone in this price range.

Best Budget Phones for Video Editing Under ₱20,000

This is probably the highest price range that you should consider when buying a budget phone for video editing. You’re almost at half the price of a decent desktop computer for editing videos.

At this price point, you should only accept at least 6GB of RAM and 128GB of storage. You also don’t want to limit the types of video editing projects you can accept, so choose only color-accurate screens.

Also, at this price point, you can be more flexible in choosing specs that are not solely for video editing. For example, you might be into photography, video recording, or gaming on your phone. If any of those are important to you then feel free to splurge. You have to balance work and play to have a healthy professional life as well.

1. Xiaomi Redmi Note 11 Pro 5G (8GB+128GB) Global Version

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Important Specs for Video Editing:

Display Size: 6.67″ FHD+ AMOLED DotDisplay, 1080 x 2400 pixels

Color Gamut: DCI-P3 wide color gamut

Brightness: HBM 700 nits (typ), 1200 nits peak brightness (typ)

Refresh Rate: Up to 120Hz

Memory: 8GB RAM, 128GB storage (expandable up to 1TB with microSDXC)

CPU: Octa-core CPU, up to 2.2GHz

GPU: Qualcomm Adreno 619

Chipset: Qualcomm SM6375 Snapdragon 695 5G (6 nm)

Other Specs:

OS: MIUI 13, based on Android 11

Battery: 5000mAh

Camera: (Rear) 108MP wide camera, (Rear Video) 1080p 1920×1080 | 30fps, (Front) 16MP

Connectivity: 5G

Price: ₱19,999 on Xiaomi’s Official Lazada Store

Featuring the Snapdragon 695 5G, the Xiaomi Redmi Note 11 Pro 5G is a powerful device for video editing on the go. By connecting to the 5G network, you can download and upload large files very quickly.

It might have smaller built-in storage compared to the Infinix Note 12 G96, but you can always upgrade it through a microSDXC card. It also features an 8GB RAM for your multitasking needs, as well as, a wide DCI-P3 color gamut for those color-accurate projects.

But the best reason to choose this phone over the previous price range is the very impressive 108MP wide camera and 1080p 1920×1080 video recording capabilities. Not only can you use those features for work but it’s also perfect for someone who enjoys taking photos and filming videos as a hobby.

2. vivo T1 5G

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Important Specs for Video Editing:

Display Size: 6.44” FHD+ AMOLED Display, 1080 x 2404* pixels

Color Gamut: 100% DCI-P3 Color Gamut

Brightness: Up to 1,300 nits peak

Refresh Rate: 90Hz

Memory: 8GB RAM, 128GB storage (expandable with microSDXC)

CPU: Octa-core (2×2.2 GHz Kryo 660 Gold & 6×1.7 GHz Kryo 660 Silver)

GPU: Adreno 619

Chipset: Snapdragon 778G 5G Processor

Other Specs:

OS: Android 11, Funtouch 12

Battery:  4700mAh

Camera: 64MP+8MP+2MP Rear Camera & 16MP Front Camera

Connectivity: 5G

Price: ₱16,999 on vivo’s Official Lazada Store

Similar to previously recommended phones, the vivo T1 5G has a 100% DCI-P3 color accurate display, an 8GB RAM, and a 128GB expandable storage all of which are useful for video editing work.

However, where it shines is with its Snapdragon 778G 5G. It’s a step up above Redmi Note 11 Pro 5G processor and will definitely help you process and render videos faster.

Although it does have a respectable, but lower megapixel camera with only 64MP compared to the Redmi Note 11 Pro 5G’s 108MP. But if you prefer gaming over photography as a hobby, then this might be the better phone for you.

It can smoothly run most of the popular games such as Genshin Impact, Call of Duty, and Mobile Legends Bang Bang. You might experience some stuttering at the higher graphic settings but it’s definitely manageable and an overall great gaming experience.

Frequently Asked Questions

1) When should I upgrade to a computer for video editing?

After you have earned enough money from doing video editing on your phone, you can start researching the specs of the computer you need for the next step in your career. You don’t have to buy an expensive one immediately, instead, you can take it step by step.

Desktop computers are usually cheaper than laptops, plus they are easier to customize and upgrade. That’s why most people recommend desktops for professional video editors. However, if you do need to do video editing on the go, check out our recommendations on the “Best Laptops for Video Editing Under ₱60000.”

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Rod Michael Perez

Rod Michael Perez is the co-founder of The Remote Filipino Worker, a freelance writer, and an aspiring startup founder. He aims to help people who are in the same field to have a better buhay digital. On a day off, he plays video games, takes care of his dog, and cooks for his wife.