This year we got to see a lot of innovations in smartphones whether it be in design, software features and hardware. Even the budget segment saw a lot of debuts from the companies which shocked the buyers with their value proposition. Unlike what the people would think, the Indian smartphone market came with a surge of budget based smartphones which packed amazing features, impressive design and reliable hardware. Since it is the end of the year, we decided that we’d feature a list of the best budget smartphones out there which made it to the headlines this year. In case you are planning to buy a phone under the Rs 10,000 range, then here are the titles that you must consider.
Xiaomi Redmi Note 5
Out of all the other phones which follow in this list, the Redmi Note 5 is the device which stands firm on all the fronts. Whether it is the camera, hardware, software or design, the smartphone does it all. The Redmi Note 5 features a 5.99-inch Full HD+ display and under the hood, packs the Qualcomm Snapdragon 625 chipset. The phone packs 3GB/4GB of RAM and 32GB/64GB of internal storage. On the rear, we see a 12MP camera sensor along with a fingerprint sensor, while on the front, the phone features a 5MP shooter. This device also doesn’t fall short on the battery as it features a 4000mAh unit. The phone has also been recently updated to Android 8.1 Oreo. Xiaomi has priced the Redmi Note 5 at Rs 9,999 and Rs 11,999 for the 3GB RAM and 4GB RAM variants respectively. The Redmi Note 5 was later on overshadowed by Redmi 6 Pro which had similar specifications as the former but brought dual cameras and trendy notch design to the table.
Xiaomi Redmi Y2
If you want to get your hands on an amazing camera phone under the Rs 10,000 price tag, then the Xiaomi Redmi Y2 is the phone you should pick. This device boasts of some very impressive imaging prowess given its price tag. The phone features a dual rear camera setup which comes with a 12MP sensor paired with a 5MP sensor. On the front, the phone features a 16MP shooter. There are also plenty of AI features which notch up the quality of images.
Other features of the phone include 5.99-inch HD+ display and the Qualcomm Snapdragon 625 chipset under the hood running on a 3080mAh battery. The two variants of the phone include 3GB RAM & 32GB of internal storage and the second one with 4GB of RAM and & 64GB of internal storage. On the software front, the phone boots MIUI 9.5 based on Android 8.1 Oreo. The two variants of 3GB+32GB and 4GB+64GB have been priced at Rs 9,999 and Rs 11,999 respectively after a recent price cut.
Asus Zenfone Max M2
Towards the end of the year, Asus pleasantly surprised the budget phone buyers with a new offering. The highlight of this phone is that it comes with stock Android and it packs massive battery ensuring long running times. This new phone is the Asus Zenfone Max M2 and it sports a 6.26-inch HD+ display with a 19:9 aspect ratio. The processor on this phone is the Qualcomm Snapdragon 632 SoC along with 4GB of RAM. This device also gets a dual rear camera setup which comes with a 13MP f/1.8 aperture sensor paired with a 2MP secondary sensor. For selfies, there is an 8MP snapper with a selfie flash. The battery on this device is a massive 4,000mAh one. The Asus Zenfone Max M2 starts retailing at a price of Rs 9,999.
Realme 2
While we talked before about design and innovation this year, this is the smartphone that we were thinking. Out of all the phones, the Realme 2 can be easily considered as the most attractive budget offering. That is also the reason, why the former Oppo sub-brand sold massive units of this phone online. The Realme 2 sports an HD+ display and it comes powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 450 chipset. The other specifications of the Realme 2 include 3GB/4GB of RAM and 32GB/64GB of internal storage, along with a dedicated microSD card slot.
For camera and imaging, the phone features a dual rear camera setup with a 13MP and 2MP depth sensor. For selfies, the phone comes with an 8MP shooter. On the software front, the phone boots Android 8.1 Oreo-based ColorOS and keeping the lights on for this device is a 4230mAh battery. Initially, the 3GB+32GB variant of the Realme 2 was priced at Rs 8,999, but after a price hike, the phone retails for Rs 9,499, while the higher variant of the Realme 2 is available for Rs 10,990.
Redmi 6/Redmi 6A
The Redmi 6A is yet another very attractive offering in the sub-Rs 10,000 price segment, and it features a 5.45-inch HD+ display with 18:9 aspect ratio. Under the hood, the phone runs on MediaTek Helio A22 chipset, in combination with 2GB/3GB of RAM and 16GB/32GB of internal storage. There is also a microSD card slot for expanding storage. For camera and imaging, the phone features a 12MP shooter on the rear and a 5MP shooter on the front. The battery on the device is 3000mAh one, and it is one of the few devices to launch with MIUI 10 out of the box. After a price hike last month, the base variant of Redmi 6A (2GB+16GB) now costs Rs 6,599, while the 2GB RAM + 32 GB ROM bears a price tag of Rs 7,499 after the hike.
The Redmi 6 is also a phone by Xiaomi which stands a bit ahead of the Redmi 6A. The device features a 5.45-inch HD+ display and packs the MediaTek Helio P22 chipset for processing. The variants of the phone in the market include 2GB/16GB, 3GB/32GB and 4GB/64GB.As opposed to the Redmi 6A, this device comes with a dual rear camera setup. On the rear, we get to see a 12MP + 5MP sensor pairing, and it comes equipped with AI-based features for better quality pictures. The selfie camera on the device is a 5MP shooter. Running the phone is a 3000mAh battery, and as for software, this one also boots MIUI 10 out of the box. The Redmi 6 starts retailing with a price tag of Rs 8,499.
