This year has been great in terms of phones, especially if we consider just low-cost smartphones .
There are devices existing in the market that have the latest mid-range processors, priced affordably. The Asus Zenfone Max Pro M1 is the most recent example of one such phone. But unfortunately, it costs Rs 11,000 while we are listing phones under Rs 10,000.
Moreover, there is a lot to come in the coming days. We were expecting the Moto G6 series to debut under the given budget, but the cheapest it could go is Rs 11,999 with the G6 Play. If you're fine with a phone that offers good value for money and handles mild usage with ease, you can take a look the phones below.
They are priced under Rs 10,000 and do everything you expect from a phone at this range.
Redmi 6 Pro
Weight: 178g | Dimensions: 149.3 x 71.7 x 8.8mm | OS: Android 8.0 Oreo | Screen size: 5.84-inch | Resolution: 1080 x 2280 (19:9 aspect ratio) | CPU: Snapdragon 625 | RAM: 4GB/3GB | Storage: 64GB/32GB | Battery: 4000mAh | Rear camera: 12+5MP | Front camera: 5MP
Xiaomi has added the new Redmi 6 Pro smartphone to its sub 10K lineup this time. It's the first Pro smartphone in the segment, and it justifies to the name with some promising specs on paper and reliable real life performance. It gets the notch design, being the first from the company to have the feature, a 4000mAh battery and last years most reliable mid-range chipset Snapdragon 625 with 3/4GB of RAM and a full HD display. For its price, it's a steal.
Xiaomi Redmi Y2
The perfect revision for the Redmi Y1
Weight: 160.7g | Dimensions: 160.7 x 77.3 x 8.1 mm | OS: Android 8.1 | Screen size: 5.99-inch | Resolution: 720 x 1440 pixels | CPU: Snapdragon 625 | RAM: 3/4GB | Storage: 32/64GB | Battery: 3080mAh | Rear camera: 12MP+5MP | Front camera: 16MP
The Redmi Y2 is a big upgrade over its predecessor for sure, but the benchmark at this price is the Redmi Note 5 or the Asus Zenfone Max Pro M1. If compared to Redmi Note 5, it's more feature rich and balanced. The ZenFone Max Pro has an advantage of a bigger battery and superior chipset, but if camera is a concern, the Y2 looks like a better fit.
Read Redmi Y2 Review
Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 (3GB RAM)
The 18:9 display make it to the Redmi
Weight: 180g | Dimensions: 158.5 x 75.5 x 8.1 mm | OS: Android 7 | Screen size: 5.99-inch | Resolution: 1080 x 2160 pixels | CPU: Snapdragon 625 | RAM: 3/4GB | Storage: 32/64GB | Battery: 4000mAh | Rear camera: 12MP | Front camera: 5MP
For just Rs 9,999, the Redmi Note 5 replaces the Note 4 for the top spot. The new phone is an update over its predecessor. It has a 18:9 display with a slightly better camera and software optimizations. The smartphone has everything that one expects from a phone of this range.
The Snapdragon 625 with 3GB RAM is good enough sail through intensive usage with a phenomenal full day battery life.
Read Redmi Note 5 review
Honor 9N
Still the prettiest
Weight: 152g | Dimensions: 149.2 x 71.8 x 7.7 mm | OS: Android 8.0 Oreo | Screen size: 5.84-inch | Resolution: 2280 x 1080 | CPU: Kirin 659 | RAM: 3GB / 4GB | Storage: 32GB / 64GB / 128GB | Battery: 3000mAh | Rear camera: 13MP + 2MP | Front camera: 16MP
Interested in buying a smartphone with a notch but don't want to spend too much? Huawei's Honor brand has a smartphone for you in the form of Honor 9N. The Honor 9N features a 5.84-inch display with Full HD+ resolution and is powered by an octa-core Kirin 659 chipset, paired with 4GB RAM and 64GB internal storage.
Another highlight of the Honor 9N is its dual camera setup on the back - there is a 13MP primary camera along with a 2MP secondary camera. On the front, the phone has a 16MP camera for handling your selfie needs.
Xiaomi Redmi 5 (3GB RAM)
Pocketsize powerhouse
Weight: 157g | Dimensions: 151.8 x 72.8 x 7.7mm | OS: Android 7.0 | Screen size: 5.7-inch | Resolution: 720 x 1440 | CPU: Snapdragon 450 | RAM: 2/3/4GB | Storage: 16/32/64GB | Battery: 3300mAh | Rear camera: 12MP | Front camera: 5MP
The Redmi 5 succeeds the Redmi 4 from Xiaomi. It's a huge upgrade over its predecessor in terms of display and internals, but the design still remains identical to the older Xiaomi phones.
It runs Snapdragon 450, which is the latest chipset for budget phones and works pretty well in day to day usage. There are three RAM variants of the phone but the 3GB variant at Rs 8,999 offers the best value for money proposition. Despite of a cut in the battery, it can easily sail you through a full day of usage. The build is solid and new display looks like a great alternative to consume media on the go.
Read the full review: Xiaomi Redmi 5 review
Honor 7C
A dependable yet affordable substitute
Weight: 164g | Dimensions: 158.3 x 76.7 x 7.8mm | OS: Android 8.0 | Screen size: 5.99-inch | Resolution: 720 x 1440p | CPU: Snapdragon 450 | RAM: 3/4GB | Storage: 32/64GB | Battery: 3000mAh | Rear camera: 13+2MP | Front camera: 8MP
The Honor 7C offers face unlock, dual rear cameras and a big screen on a serious budget, and that makes it an interesting handset.
It's great to see features filter down price tiers, and Honor is leading the charge at the budget end of the market with the 7C. If you're funds are limited, this is a phone that should be worth considering.
Read Honor 7C review
Moto E5
Big battery, better design
Weight: 174g | Dimensions: 154.4 x 72.2 x 9 mm | OS: Android 8.0 Oreo | Screen size: 5.7-inch | Resolution: 1440 x 720 | CPU: Snapdragon 425 | RAM: 2GB | Storage: 16GB | Battery: 4000mAh | Rear camera: 13MP | Front camera: 5MP
The Moto E5 is a toned down variant of the Moto E5 Plus. The E5 Plus is a better choice among the two, but it's the E5 that falls under Rs 10,000 price bracket. It's a pretty nice looking phone than most its competitors, and it brings the simplicity of stock Android experience.
The Redmi 5 is a better option if power is preference, but the E5 dominates with its solid battery life and better design.
Review- Moto E5