Huawei nova 12i

A 108 MP main camera on a phone this price is the headline here, backed by a 2 MP depth sensor for portrait shots. It won't compete with flagship low-light performance given the modest f/1.9 aperture and lack of OIS, but for daylight shots and social media posts, that resolution gives you room to crop and still keep detail. The 6.7-inch IPS LCD panel runs at 90Hz, which makes scrolling and casual gaming feel smoother than the standard 60Hz you'd get on cheaper alternatives.

Power comes from a Snapdragon 680 4G, paired with 8GB RAM and 256GB storage, no expandable storage though, so that's your ceiling. It's built for everyday tasks rather than heavy gaming; the Adreno 610 GPU handles light titles fine but don't expect much beyond that. Huawei nova 12i price in Malaysia starts from RM1299.

Battery life should hold up well thanks to the 5000 mAh cell, and 40W wired charging gets you a meaningful top-up in half an hour. One thing worth flagging before you buy: this runs EMUI 14 without Google Play Services, so app installation works differently than on a standard Android phone.