Some of the most common questions we get involve phones under Rs. 10,000 and particularly about which one of them to get. While, the perfect smartphone for you will depend on your particular requirements and use cases, we have shortlisted 10 devices that fall in this price range that we feel offer maximum bang for buck. You can use this list and to narrow down and find your ideal smartphone.
Click on any of the handset models to get the full list of specifications.
Although most phones on this list haven’t been sorted in any order, the Redmi Note 3 is still perhaps the best among the bunch in terms of value for money and that is why we have decided to include it first. It is also the latest amongst all the smartphones in the list and that definitely does come with its own perks. Check our review of the Redmi Note 3 here.
- What’s Good: The smartphone has a large 5.5″ 1080p display and for the first time in a Redmi Note phone, it also has a metal design that is quite rugged. It has a 16 Megapixel camera with fast PDAF and f/2.0 aperture. It supports 4G LTE and has a Hybrid DualSIM slot. One of the most powerful processors in this segment thanks to the Snapdragon 650 chipset. 4000 mAH battery that can charge up to 50% in one hour. It is also one of the very few devices under Rs. 10,000 that offers a fingerprint sensor.
- What’s Bad: Almost nothing save for the slightly buggy software.
- How much does it cost?: The Redmi Note 3 will set you back Rs 9,999 for the 16GB version while the 32GB version will set you back Rs 11,999. While it does have a Hybrid DualSIM slot that can replace one of the SIM slots with a microSD, make sure you get the right storage version especially if you want to use both the SIM card slots. Additionally, the 16GB version comes with 2GB of RAM which the 32GB version has 3GB of RAM. The smartphone will be available through flash sale on Mi.com and Amazon.in starting today. Flipkart and Snapdeal will also receive the phone in time.
The Vibe P1m is the smaller brother of the Vibe P1 which is probably one of the best bang for buck handsets under the Rs 20k mark. The Vibe P1m too does justice by offering quite an attractive package for less than Rs 10,000. Check out our review here.
- What’s Good: Not everyone wants a 5.5″ device and the P1m will fit people who are looking for something more compact, thanks to its 5″ 720p display. It doesn’t skimp out on features though since it has a 4000 mAH battery under the hood which will last even heavy users an entire day of use.
- What’s Bad: The screen resolution of 720p might be fine for some people especially on a 5″ screen while others will be looking for nothing less than a 1080p screen. The video quality from the primary camera isn’t very good.
- How much does it cost?: The Vibe P1m is available for a price of Rs 7,500 on some sites and with exchange, you can get the smartphone for as low as Rs 3,499 which makes it really good value for money.
The Vibe K3 Note was one of the most popular handsets in 2015 and one that really impressed us in our review. One year later, it still remains a strong contender even with its successor, the K4 Note having been announced.
- What’s Good: The K3 Note was one of the first “no-compromise” phablets available for under Rs. 10,000. It has a 5.5″ full HD display, removable battery, 13 Megapixel camera as well as Dual SIM support and a dedicated microSD card slot which is something even the mighty Redmi note 3 can’t boast about having.
- What’s Bad: The smartphone has an inferior plastic build compared to the Redmi Note 3 or even its sibling, the Vibe P1 due to the largely plastic construction. The battery life too is a bit on the shorter end.
- How much does it cost?: The value of the K3 Note hasn’t reduced much since the initial launch. However, you can buy the product for around Rs 8,999 and as low as 2,999 in exchange for your older phone.
The Zenfone 2 Laser is probably the only smartphone under Rs 10,000 that focuses on a superior camera experience. Check out the review here.
- What’s Good: The 13 Megapixel primary camera comes with an f/2.0 aperture, dual-tone LED flash and a Laser AF system which is usually seen only on high-end smartphones. The laser AF allows for a much faster AF lock. The phone has a large 5.5″ display and supports DualSIM 4G LTE. It also accepts microSD cards upto 128GB in capacity.
- What’s Bad: Despite having a large 5.5″ screen, the resolution is only 720p which results in a sub-par screen experience compared to most other 5.5″ smartphones on this list. Guess you win some you lose some. In this case, you are opting for an inferior display in exchange for a better camera.
- How much does it cost?: The Asus Zenfone 2 is available at a price of Rs 8,999 and can go as low as Rs 2,999 depending on the phone you are exchanging. If camera is a priority, then you should probably shortlist this one.
The Asus Zenfone Max is probably the most battery life oriented smartphone on this list with its massive 5000 mAH battery.
- What’s Good: The 5000 mAH battery will definitely last you a long time even if you are a heavy user. What more, the Zenfone Max doubles up as a battery pack since it can charge other devices and Asus also bundles an OTG adapter in the box to make use of this function.
- What’s Bad: Like the Zenfone 2 Laser, users will be getting a 5.5″ display with a resolution of 720p with the Max. On the plus side, a lower resolution means that the phone will run for longer on the already massive 5000 mAH battery.
- How much does it cost?: The Zenfone Max will set you back Rs 9,999 which for all practical purposes is Rs 10k. It is available for as low as Rs 3,999 depending on the smartphone you are willing to exchange.
The Coolpad Note 3 is the first smartphone in India to come with a fingerprint sensor for under Rs 10,000. Here is our review.
- What’s Good: Did we mention that it has a fingerprint sensor? It has a large 5.5″ display and a primary 13 Megapixel camera which takes good photos. It also has a secondary 5 Megapixel camera up front. It also has 3GB of RAM which many of the phones in this range aren’t offering.
- What’s Bad: The screen resolution is 720p and the phone has a relatively plain design and uses more of plastic in its construction.
- How much does it cost?: The Coolpad Note 3 will set you back Rs 8,999 and is available in White and Black variants.
The Meizu M2 Note is probably one of the most refined handsets in this price range. Check out the review here.
- What’s Good: High quality build quality and good display performance (5.5″ 1080p). The primary 13 Megapixel camera is quite capable of taking good shots and there is a secondary 5 Megapixel camera up front as well. It also has a Hybrid DualSIM slot that supports 4G LTE.
- What’s Bad: The single button for navigation isn’t everyone’s cup of tea and that may deter some people from buying it.
- How much does it cost?: The M2 Note costs Rs 9,999.
The original mid-ranger for the masses is now in its 3rd generation and has just received a permanent price cut. Check out our full review here.
- What’s Good: Moto devices has an almost stock Android UI and experience which gives smooth performance. They are also one of the first to receive updates to the latest versions of Android. It is also the only phone below Rs 10k to have water proofing features, thanks to the IPX7 rating.
- What’s Bad: The 5″ display is nice but the resolution of 720p might put off some potential buyers.
- How much does it cost?: The 3rd generation Moto G is available at a price of Rs 9,999 after undergoing a recent price cut.
The Honor 2 Plus is Huawei’s competitor to the Lenovo Vibe P1m.
- What’s Good: It too packs a massive 4000 mAH battery under the hood. The phone has a 5″ display, 4G LTE support with DualSIM slot and a microSD card slot. It also has a slightly faster CPU clock speed and higher 13 Megapixel camera compared to the Vibe P1m.
- What’s Bad: Inferior build quality and materials used compared to the Vibe P1m.
- How much does it cost?: The Honor Holly 2 Plus costs Rs. 8,499 which is around 500 rupees more than Lenovo’s Vibe P1m but you get something that is perhaps a bit more unique.
It would be unfair to not include a Windows device in the list since there are many purists out there who still want to use a Windows phone.
- What’s Good: The Lumia 550 runs on the latest version of Windows which is Windows 10. It brings about a lot of improvements and feature additions compared to older versions of Windows. It also supports 4G LTE and can take microSD cards upto 200GB. It also has a smaller 4.7″ display for those who want a sub 5 inch display phone.
- What’s Bad: The cameras at the front and back offer lower resolutions compared to other smartphones in the list. The front camera is a 2 Megapixel unit while the primary camera is a 5 Megapixel unit.
- How much does it cost?: Most retailers are selling the smartphones at a fraction below Rs 9,000.