Rediff.com« Back to articlePrint this article

The best smartphones under Rs 10,000

July 17, 2019 15:02 IST

Searching for a good phone that does not cost the earth? Ashish Narsale gives you his expert suggestions.

Photograph: Kind courtesy asus.com

You want a new phone at a reasonable budget, but the multiple options available have left you confused.

Don't worry! Here's my list of the best, and latest, phones you can buy for around Rs 10,000.

 

Xiaomi Redmi Note 7 S

IMAGE: The Xiaomi Redmi Note 7 S. Photograph: Kind courtesy mi.com

The first phone on my list comes from Xiaomi, the king of budget phones.

The Redmi Note 7 S is the lite version of the Redmi Note 7 Pro.

But it's not really 'lite' as it is armed with the Qualcomm Snapdragon 660, an Octa-core processor and a Samsung GM1 48 MP as its main camera sensor. While the Redmi Note 7 Pro has a Sony IMX 586 flagship camera sensor, there's not much difference between the two.

The Redmi Note 7 S offers Snapdragon's Quick Charge 4 capability for a battery of 4000 mAh capacity.

The 3GB RAM + 64GB ROM version will cost you RS 10,999.

The higher capacity RAM variant -- 4GB RAM + 64GB -- is priced at Rs 12,999, which is not really a killer deal for an additional GB of RAM.

The plus points

 
Samsung Galaxy M20 

IMAGE: The Samsung Galaxy M20. Photograph: Kind courtesy samsung.com

If you are looking for mammoth battery life, you might want to consider the Samsung Galaxy M20; it has a 5000 mAh battery with fast charging capability.

The phone also comes with Samsung's latest Infinity V display, with full HD resolution.

The M20 is Dolby Atmos certified, to give you a 360 degree surround sound experience through earphones or Bluetooth speakers.

It sports a dual camera setup, with one as an ultra wide camera to help you get more scene in the frame.

A 3GB RAM + 32GB ROM version will cost you Rs 9,990.

The plus points

 

Asus Zenfone Max Pro M2

IMAGE: The Asus Zenfone Max Pro M2 Photograph: Kind courtesy asus.com

We have a competitor for the Samsung Galaxy M20 here.

Asus Zenfone Max Pro M2 is powered by Qualcomm's Snapdragon 660 SoC.

It has a massive 5000 mAh battery with fast charging capability.

The phone comes with full HD and full view display with a notch.

It also comes with an impressive dual camera and a main sensor with wide f/1.8 aperture for low light photography.

Selfie lovers can shoot pictures in dark conditions as it has a dedicated soft LED flash in front.

If you want to increase your phone's memory, it has a dedicated memory card slot.

It's priced at Rs 9,999 for 3GB RAM + 32GB ROM and Rs 11,999 for 4GB RAM + 64GB ROM.

The plus points

 

The LG W30

IMAGE: The LG W30. Photograph: Kind courtesy lg.com

If you are looking for a triple camera phone that costs under Rs 10,000, then the LG W30 could just be the answer.

It has 12MP autofocus for low light, 13MP autofocus for 100 degree wide shot and 2MP fixed focus depth sensing camera for portraits.

The LG W30 is not short on battery backup as it comes with big 4000 mAh battery for all day long usage.

The processing is supported by a mid range MediaTek Helio P22 SoC so if you looking to play games like PUBG, this is not the phone for you.

On the other hand, if you love clicking photos with your phone, the LG W30's 3GB RAM + 32GB ROM is available for Rs 9,999.

The plus points

 

Realme 3

IMAGE: The Realme 3. Photograph: Kind courtesy realme.com

You will fall in love with its Gradient Unibody Design.

The phone is powered by MediaTek Helio P70 SoC with 4230 mAh battery for all day usage.

It is embedded with a 13 MP wide f/1.8 aperture for low light shots and it has the flagship Nightscape feature in camera for night shots with lesser noise.

The phone is available in three variants -- 3GB RAM + 32GB ROM for Rs 8,999, 3GB RAM + 64GB ROM for Rs 9,999 and 4GB RAM + 64GB ROM for Rs 10,999.

The plus points

~ Which is your favourite smartphone under Rs 10,000? Let us know, and share your reasons as well, in the message board below.

ASHISH NARSALE