Best phones under 15,000 rupees

Companies like Xiaomi, Motorola, and more recently Honor, Nokia, and RealMe have changed the game in India, with budget-friendly smartphones offering impressive performance and features. This has given rise to a whole new budget category in India.

Here we'll be looking for the best phones under 15,000 rupees, here are some best options according to my research.

Xiaomi Redmi Note 7

The Xiaomi Redmi Note 7 Pro, sporting the much-hyped 48MP rear camera, However, the more affordable and almost as impressive Redmi Note 7 is also an excellent option if you are looking for one of the best Android smartphones under 15,000 rupees.

Xiaomi’s Redmi Note series is incredibly popular, but it was due for a refresh, at least in terms of design. With the latest Redmi Note featuring a glass sandwich design instead of the all-metal builds. Another key upgrade is the USB-C port.

Under the hood is the Qualcomm Snapdragon 660 processor, along with 3/4GB of RAM and 32/64GB of storage. Giving the 48MP rear camera a skip with this more affordable version, the Redmi Note 7 comes with a 12MP camera combined with a 2MP depth sensor. On the front, there’s a 13MP camera to cover your selfie requirements. Running on a beast 4,000mAh battery.

The 3GB RAM/32GB storage variant is priced at 9,999 rupees, while the 4GB RAM/64GB storage iteration will set you back 11,999 rupees.

Specs

6.3-inch IPS LCD display with 2340 x 1080 resolution
2.2GHz octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 660 processor
Adreno 512 GPU
3/4GB of RAM
32/64GB of built-in storage, further expandable via microSD up to 256GB (uses SIM 2 slot)
12 and 2MP rear cameras, 13MP front-facing camera
Dual SIM (dual standby)
4,000mAh battery
Android 9.0 Pie
159.2 x 75.2 x 8.1mm, 185grams

Samsung Galaxy M20

A comeback from Samsung as most of its budget friendly smartphones didn't get much attention from a long time.

Samsung needed to keep up with the competition and that’s exactly what it did with the Galaxy M20. It’s the first smartphone from Samsung to feature a notch of the minimalist, waterdrop variety. You also get all the usual features that we’ve come to expect from phones in this price range — a Full HD+ display, premium build quality, a dual rear camera setup, and a mid-to-high-end processing package.

The secondary camera of the dual rear cameras is an ultra-wide angle lens, instead of the depth sensor found with other devices. The Galaxy M20 comes with a huge 5,000mAh battery, promising excellent battery life. Finally it comes with a USB-C port and offers fast charging capabilities.

The Samsung Galaxy M20 will go on sale at the extremely reasonable price points of 10,990 rupees and 12,990 rupees for the 3GB RAM/32GB storage and 4GB RAM/64GB storage versions.

Specs

6.3-inch IPS LCD display with Full HD+ resolution.
1.8GHz octa-core Samsung Exynos 7904 processor.
Mali-G71 MP2 GPU.
3/4GB RAM.
32/64GB internal storage, expandable via microSD card up to 512GB.
13MP and 5MP rear cameras, 8MP front-facing camera.
dual SIM (dual standby).
5,000mAh battery.
Android 8.1 Oreo.
156.4 x 74.5 x 8.8mm, 186grams.

Realme 2 Pro (4GB RAM)

Realme entered India with one of the best smartphones under 15,000 rupees — the Realme 1. Less than six months later, the company released its successor, the RealMe 2 Pro, hoping to continue its impressive run in the competitive Indian market.

The RealMe 2 Pro features key upgrades across the board. You get a large display with a barely-noticeable waterdrop notch. The device is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 660 processor, along with up to 8GB of RAM and up to 128GB of built-in storage. You get a dual rear camera setup and an upgraded front-facing shooter. Keeping it all running is a 3,500mAh battery.

The Realme 2 Pro is available with three different configurations and four color options. However, only the version with 4GB of RAM and 64GB of storage, priced at 13,990 rupees, comes under the specific under-15,000 rupees price segment. You can get 6GB variant for an additional 2,000 rupees. Finally, the high-end 8GB of RAM and 128GB of built-in storage version will set you back 17,990 rupees.

Specs

.3-inch IPS LCD display with Full HD+ resolution.
2.0 GHz octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 660 processor.
Adreno 512 GPU
4/6/8GB RAM.
64/128GB internal storage, expandable via microSD card up to 256GB.
16MP and 2MP rear cameras, 16MP front-facing camera.
dual SIM (dual standby).
3,500mAh battery.
Android 8.1 Oreo.
156.7 x 74 x 8.5mm, 174grams.

Asus Zenfone Max Pro M2

The Asus Zenfone Max Pro M1, was an excellent smartphone. Now Asus is on the way to continue the series — the Zenfone Max Pro M2.
The Zenfone Max Pro M2 comes with a notched display. Compared to its predecessor, it has a faster processor, a higher (6GB) RAM variant, improved cameras, and an equally large 5,000mAh battery. This phone is also the first in the budget-friendly category to feature the latest Gorilla Glass 6 protection. Asus has also dropped its Zen UI in favor of stock Android, and the device will receive the official update to Android 9.0 Pie soon.
What remains the same is Asus’ extremely high pricing. The Zenfone Max Pro M2 starts at just 12,999 rupees for the version with 3GB of RAM and 32GB of built-in storage. The 4GB of RAM and 64GB of storage version will be a better option at a price of 14,999 rupees.

Specs

6.26-inch IPS LCD display with Full HD+ resolution.
2.2GHz octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 660 processor.
Adreno 512 GPU
3/4/6GB RAM.
32/64GB internal storage, expandable via microSD card up to 512GB.
12MP and 5MP rear cameras, 13MP front-facing camera.
dual SIM (dual standby).
5,000mAh battery.
Android 8.1 Oreo
157.9 x 75.5 x 8.5mm, 175grams.

Best phones under 15,000 rupees