Formerly an attribute reserved only for high-end flagships phones, 4GB RAM is now also available even for affordable smartphones in India. This essentially translates to durable Android experience in the long run.
Even though it won’t improve your phone’s operating speed, more RAM should ensure durable performance for heavy users who plan on sticking with their phones for the next one to two years. So, if you are looking for a phone that allows you to engage with multiple apps without breaking a sweat, here are a few options you could consider for a budget of under 15,000 INR.
Redmi Note 4
The new poster boy for Xiaomi in India as of today is the Redmi Note 4. The handset is an iterative refinement over the blockbuster Redmi Note 3 and will be selling for about the same price. The high-end variant offers Snapdragon 625 SoC paired with 4GB RAM and 64GB storage.
The standout feature here is the battery backup. Xiaomi’s claim to unmatched battery backup in Note 4’s class do hold water. We could easily make it to two days on a single charge with light to moderate usage.
Xiaomi Redmi Note 4 Full Specifications and Lowest Price
Pros
- Excellent battery back-up
- Looks decent
- Capable performance
Cons
- Average rear camera
Coolpad Cool 1
Coolpad and LeEco’s joint venture, Cool 1 Dual (Review), is available in India both online and offline for 13,999 INR. And the variant selling online comes with 4GB RAM.
The USP of the handset is its camera performance. This is a one of its kind phone that houses dual 12MP sensors on the back that help click great color and monochrome shots, and of course shots with bokeh or background defocus effect. Other hardware specifications are also top notch for the price.
Coolpad Cool 1 Full Specifications and Lowest Price
Pros
- Powerful Chipset with 4GB RAM
- Great battery backup
- Assuring camera performance
- Looks premium
Cons
- Software doesn’t feel very well optimized
- Loudspeaker could have been better
Smartron srt.phone
Smartron srt.phone is a good performer considering the price one has to pay to own it. The srt.phone offers a bright screen, solid consistent performance, and a fast fingerprint sensor. It offers near stock Android experience and the company has promised timely updates for at least the next couple of years. If you are ok with the lack of killer looks and average camera performance Smartron srt.phone is worth considering.
Smartron srt.phone Specifications and Lowest Price
Pros
- Good hardware
- Stock Android
- Sharp display
Cons
- Average looks
- Mediocre camera
- No microSD card slot
Honor 6X
Another dual camera contender, the Honor 6X (Review) is also available in the same price bracket. The 4GB RAM variant of Honor 6X is now available for 13,999 INR. The 3GB RAM variant, on the other hand, is retailing for 10,999 INR.
The handset excels when it comes camera performance and also includes an extra depth sensor for adding background blur in images. The handset isn’t meant for high-end gaming but will get you through everyday tasks rather conveniently.
Honor 6X Full Specifications and Lowest Price
Pros
- Well optimized software
- Great battery backup
- Consistent camera performance
- Elegant design
Cons
- Gaming performance is not optimum
Also Read: Honor 6X Vs Coolpad Cool 1 Dual Camera Shootout
Xiaomi Redmi 4
Xiaomi Redmi 4 is currently undisputed king of under 10K budget smartphones. The Redmi 3S Prime successor is a compact phone that looks neat, feels good in hands, and offers dependable performance. It comes with a mammoth 4000mAh battery which gives it an edge over its competitors. On the downside, it has an average display and a hybrid sim slot that means you have to sacrifice either second SIM or microSD card privilege.
Xiaomi Redmi 4 Full Specifications and Lowest Price
Pros
- Metallic build
- Compact size
- Reasonable performance
Cons
- Hybrid SIM slot
- Poor Sunlight legibility
Bonus Smartphones
Huawei Honor 8 Lite
Recently launched Honor 8 Lite is already retailing a couple of thousand cheaper that what was its official retail price. The key highlights of the Honor 8 Lite are its gorgeous looks, decent cameras, and optimized software. It comes running on latest EMUI 5 which is based on Android Nougat. What’s really disappointing to see is how easily it attracts smudges.
The Kirin processor under the hood often stumbles under heavy load, but it’s still good enough for the basic and moderate user. At the time of writing, Honor 8 Lite is retailing for just a few hundred bucks above Rs. 15K.
Honor 8 Lite Full Specifications and Lowest Price
Pros
- Appealing design
- Software
- Decent camera
- Good battery life
Cons
- Mediocre chipset
- Fingerprint magnet
- Average display
Vivo V5
Vivo V5 (Full Review) is a great option if you are buying offline and need some selfie bragging rights. The Vivo V5’s claim to fame is its 20MP selfie shooter (which works great in low lighting) that’s also paired with a moonlight fill flash.
Apart from this primary highlight, the Vivo V5 has one of the fastest fingerprint sensors around, offers durable performance, and it also looks quite elegant.
Vivo V5 Full Specifications and Lowest Price
Pros
- Excellent fingerprint sensor
- Good Selfie camera software
- Hi-Fi audio
Cons
- Selfie camera overexposes backdrop
- UI feels primitive
Last updated on June 15, 2017.