Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 Pro to Oppo Realme 1: Best smartphones under in India ₹15,000

If you’re looking for a smartphone within ₹15,000, here’s a list of the top choices available.

Looking for a new smartphone? Here are the best Android phones in India under ₹15,000. (Xiaomi)

The Indian market is flooded with smartphones priced under ₹15,000. Until last year, the budget segment mostly featured phones with top-of-the-line specifications with aggressive pricing. But this year we've seen smartphone companies shifting their focus from the specifications to other critical elements such as design and overall user experience.

Today we'll be looking at the best smartphones available in India between ₹15,000 and ₹10,000. Xiaomi has been at the forefront in this category but recent launches from companies like Honor, Oppo and Asus give customers more options to consider.

Xiaomi Redmi Note 5, Redmi Note 5 Pro
Xiaomi's Redmi Note 5 and Redmi Note 5 Pro carry on the company's dominance in the budge segment. This year, the smartphones not only offer incremental upgrades but come with a refreshed design and look. Redmi Note 5's top model with 4GB RAM and 64GB storage is available at ₹11,999. The base model of Redmi Note 5 Pro with 4GB RAM and 64GB storage comes under the price bracket retailing at s 14,999.

Redmi Note 5 offers a 5.99-inch full HD+ display with 18:9 aspect ratio, a Snapdragon 625 processor, a and a 4,000mAh battery. The smartphone's 12-megapixel rear and 5-megapixel selfie cameras produce decent results. If camera is your priority then you can opt for the Redmi Note 5 Pro which has a dual-camera setup of 12-megapixel and 5-megapixel sensors. There's a 20-megapixel selfie camera as well which comes with Beautify 4.0 and bokeh mode.

In terms of specifications, Redmi Note 5 Pro comes with a 5.99-inch full HD+ display, Snapdragon 636 SoC, and 4,000mAh battery. Both phones run Android Nougat based MIUI 9, and feature face unlock.

Xiaomi Mi A1
Xiaomi Mi A1 is the company's first Android One smartphone made in partnership with Google. With the Mi A1, you get stock Android 7.1.1 Nougat along with timely security updates. Mi A1 also offers a pair of 12-megapixel rear cameras, and a 5-megapixel selfie camera. It comes with an octa-core Snapdragon 625 SoC, a 3,080mAh battery, and a 5.5-inch full HD display. The phone is offered at ₹13,999 with 4GB RAM and 64GB storage.

Oppo Realme 1
Oppo Realme 1 is a new entrant in the budget segment. While it starts at ₹8,999 there's a 6GB RAM plus 128GB storage variant available at ₹13,990. Oppo Realme 1's design stands out for a budget phone which it flaunts in a plastic body but with a glossy finish. The phone comes in two colour options of diamond black, solar red, and a limited edition silver.

Other than the design, the smartphone also offers a decent set of specifications like a MediaTek Helio P60 processor, Color OS 5.0 based on Android 8.1 Oreo, and a 3,140mAh battery. Oppo Realme 1 has an 8-megapixel selfie camera with features like 'Super Vivid Mode' and AR stickers.

Honor 9 Lite
Honor 9 Lite is one good looking smartphone with a 2.5D glass on the rear and front panel. The glossy back gives the phone a very premium look and comes in three colours of glacier gray, midnight black, and sapphire blue. The phone also stands out for its quad-camera setup of 13-megapixel and 2-megapixel sensors on the front and back.

Honor 9 Lite has two variants which are both available in this price bracket. The base model with 3GB RAM and 32GB storage is priced at ₹10,999, while the top model with 4GB RAM and 64GB storage retails at ₹14,999. For performance, Honor 9 Lite uses in-house Kirin 659 processor, and runs Android Oreo based on EMUI 8.0.

Moto G6
Moto's next-generation G series smartphone, Moto G6 comes with a better and trendier design featuring a Corning Gorilla Glass body. Moto G6 also features face unlock with Google Lens support coming soon. The smartphone also offers a near stock Android 8.0 Oreo experience. For photography, Moto G6 sports a dual-camera setup of 12-megapixel and 5-megapixel sensors at the rear, and a 16-megapixel selfie camera. Up front, there's a 5.7-inch full HD+ IPS display with 18:9 aspect ratio.

Under the hood, the smartphone runs Qualcomm Snapdragon 450 processor paired with 3GB RAM and 32GB storage. This variant of Moto G6 is priced at ₹13,999. The phone is fuelled by a 3,000mAh battery.

Honourable mentions

Asus Zenfone Max Pro M1
Asus Zenfone Max Pro M1 is also a considerable option with the smartphone starting at ₹10,999 for the 3GB plus 32GB model. You can get a higher 4GB plus 64GB storage variant at ₹12,999. The smartphone's highlight is its massive 5,000mAh battery which has been tested to last over a day on a single charge. Unlike other Asus phones, the Zenfone Max Pro M1 runs stock Android 8.0 Oreo with a promised upgrade to Android P.

Oppo A83
Oppo A83 is a good choice for selfie enthusiasts as the smartphone's 8-megapixel camera comes with AI features. The smartphone uses AI and beautify algorithm to deliver impressive selfies. It also has a 13-megapixel rear camera with an 'Expert' mode. Under the hood, you get a MediaTek MT6737 processor with 3GB RAM and 32GB storage. The smartphone is priced at ₹13,990.