Tech tips

Are you looking for the best one under INR 10,000? Well, if you are, then you are in the right place! As technology surges ahead becoming more affordable by the day, features such as high-functioning rear cameras, full HD displays and fingerprint sensors are becoming a common part of even budget phones.

The sub-10,000 market is a very significant one in India and contributes heavily to annual mobile phone sales in the country. There were several new entries into the scene this year and since most of them offer great specifications, it becomes difficult to choose the right model. Therefore, here’s a little something to help you out. Heres a comprehensive look at the five best phones under Rs 10,000 in India.

  1.   Xiaomi Redmi Note 7 

The Redmi Note 7 does not offer a 48MP camera, but it comes packed with power as it runs on a Snapdragon 660 SoC that will not let you down when it comes to performance. The vibrant display and new colour gradient make the phone visually stunning. 

It is similar to the Asus Pro M2 but comes with a smaller battery that is well capable of lasting a day and a half.  Performance is where this phone outshines its competitors because the Snapdragon processor makes this phone the fastest in the market for this price range. 

The camera performance, like with all Xiaomi phones is quite good, and the front camera produces some memorable selfies.   The night mode in the primary camera has been well appreciated by users, and so has the noise reduction feature in the video recording. 

Designwise, the screen is protected by Gorilla Glass 5 and has an exceptional finish. The only downfall would be the UI as the phone runs the MIUI 10, which is notorious due to the server ads that it comes with, but overall the phone works great.  

If you don’t mind splurging a little extra, the Redmi Note 7S is a great option, as it sits between the Redmi Note 7 and Redmi Note 7 Pro. This was runs on the MIUI 10.3 and allows a lot of customisations. The major difference though is the camera, as the Note 7S supports a 48MP primary sensor making it a great camera phone.  

2.   Realme 3 Pro 

The Realme 3 Pro is considered one of the company’s flagships and has been designed to go head to head against the Redmi Note 7 Pro. Similar to the Realme 2 Pro in terms of design, the phone features a small notch and slim.

The 6.3inch fullHD+ display helps in bringing to life vivid colours and perform commendably even under direct sunlight. The phone also has three slots, meaning you have enough space for two NanoSIMs and a microSD card. It comes with the Qualcomm Snapdragon 710 SoC., which is one of the best ships in the under 20,000 market. 

The phone comes in two varieties; 4GB RAM and 6GB RAM. The OS used is similar to the Android 9 Pie and runs smoothly.   The phone, thanks to the great processor can handle intensive apps and games and does not heat up at all. 

3.   Samsung Galaxy M10 

The most significant advantage that the Samsung Galaxy M10 provides is that it houses an ultra-wide-angle camera which was not something you would regularly see in the under Rs10,000 segment, making it an excellent buy for the price.

The primary camera does a great job, as with all Samsung phones when the lighting is good enough, and the display stretches till the end, making it a great phone to watch videos and movies on. As long as you don’t want heavy multitasking, the phone is an excellent buy for the price, and the battery is good enough for it to last over a day on a maximum charge.  

 However, the old chipset is not the most reliable, and hence, performance suffers as a result of this. But thanks to optimisations Samsung has deployed, the phone works well enough and can handle a multitude of apps reasonably well. The waterdrop notch on the screen, makes the phone’s display the best in the under 10,000 categories.  

 Further, if you don’t mind splurging a little more, the Galaxy M30 is a great option. The 3GB variant of this phone falls in the under 10,000 categories and is a great buy for the price, sporting a Super AMOLED display. The fullHD+ panel gives crisp images and the Samsung Exynos 7904 SoC also allows for intensive gaming and app use.  Once again, as with most Samsung processors, the device does tend to heat up when used for extended periods of time. However, the greatest drawback is that it comes with an Android Oreo and not Android Pie.   

4.   Realme 5

The Realme 5 comes with an updated crystal back panel and polycarbonate exterior, making it a little heavier than its predecessor. The phone has a huge 6.5-inch HD+ display, which has good brightness optimisation even though the resolution is a little low. The phone, much like most Realme phones, has three slots in the side, allowing the phone to carry Nano-SIMs and a microSD card.

The Realme 5 runs on the ColorOS 6.0.1, which resembles the Android 9 Pie, allowing a lot of customization options such as gestures and shortcuts. The phone utilizes a Snapdragon 665 SoC which allows for intensive gaming without much heating up. The phone sports four cameras in the back, and is the first sub-10,000 phone to do so. These include a primary camera, a depth sensor, a wide-angle lens and a macro lens.

The 13-MP front camera gifts you some great selfies, while supporting video stabilization. While the cameras do a great job in good lighting, they struggle to capture the same quality under low-lighting, which is the main drawback of this phone. The 5000mAh battery can easily last a day and half on a single charge. That is a good thing, given that the phone does not support fast charging. The phone has multiple variants, with the base variant which comes stocked with 3GB of RAM is a good buy at 9000.

5.   Asus Zenfone Max Pro M1 

The Asus Zenfone Max Pro M1 is similar to the Redmi Note 5 Pro but outperforms it as it comes with stock Android. The build quality is fantastic, and the phone feels very robust and sturdy while the 16 MP dual back camera is quite adept at capturing pictures.  

The fact that it comes with the Android 8.1 Oreo helped in boosting sales, and it looks like it will end the year as one of the most popular budget phones. They also provide regular updates for the UI, making it a reliable phone that stays relevant. The phone also comes with a massive 5,000mAh battery that ensures that it will stay alive even under strenuous use.  

Athulya

Being a cinephile with a love for all things outdoorsy, Athulya never misses a chance to chase inspiring stories or poke fun at things, even when the subject is herself. Currently pursuing a degree in mechanical engineering, she is someone innately interested in technical and scientific research. Music reviews and op-eds define her as they allow her to explore different perspectives. Though sometimes she thinks she makes more sense playing the guitar than she does while writing.