Ameya DalviJan 05, 2023 21:52:27 IST
It’s a new year and hence the time to reset our smartphone lists. As always, we start with the best on offer under Rs 10,000 at the moment. Despite the modest budget, we have made sure that each handset has at least 4 GB RAM, 64 GB internal storage, a good display and decent cameras. A couple of surprises await you. Here are your five options this month. Take your pick.
Best phones to buy under Rs 10,000 in India
Samsung Galaxy F13
Certain colour variants of the Samsung Galaxy F13 are still available for purchase under Rs 10,000 on Amazon India. The phone offers a good mix of features for its selling price. It is amongst the few phones under 10K to boast of a Full HD+ display. Its 6.6-inch screen is protected by a layer of Corning Gorilla Glass 5. This phone is powered by Samsung’s Exynox 850 chip, and comes with 4 GB RAM and 64 GB of internal storage that can be expanded further up to 1 TB with a microSD card.
The photography department is pretty neat for a budget phone with three cameras at the back comprising a 50MP primary camera, 5MP ultrawide shooter and a 2MP depth sensor. You also get an 8MP front camera for selfies and video calls. A big 6000 mAh battery keeps the phone powered for close to two days of moderate use, and also supports 15W fast charging. The Samsung Galaxy F13 runs Android 12 with One UI 4.1.
Samsung Galaxy F13 price in India: Rs 9,499 for 4GB RAM/64GB storage
Motorola G32
The Motorola G32 is another very good option in this budget. Some of its features are quite interesting for this price bracket starting with its IP52-rated dust and water-repellant design. The photography department here is even better than the Samsung with a 50MP primary camera, accompanied by an 8MP ultra-wide snapper and a 2MP macro camera. The 16MP front camera should please the selfie crowd. The phone has a 6.5-inch Full HD+ IPS LCD display with a 90 Hz refresh rate; the latter is a pleasant surprise in a phone priced under 10K.
The Motorola G32 is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 680 chip, and you get 4 GB RAM and 64 GB internal storage that can be expanded further with a microSD card. Its 5000 mAh battery keeps the phone running for over a day and a half of standard use, and supports 33W fast charging. The phone runs Android 12 out of the box with a promise of Android 13 and regular security updates. Like all Motorola phones, you get a near-stock Android user interface. That’s quite a feature list for a budget phone.
Motorola G32 price in India: Rs 9,999 for 4GB RAM/64GB storage
Infinix Hot 11
The Infinix Hot 11 retains its place in our list due to its impressive feature set. This phone has a 6.6-inch Full HD+ IPS display and is powered by a Mediatek Helio G70 SoC, which is a decent option for this budget. This too bundles 4 GB RAM and 64 GB storage that can be expanded further using a microSD card. The camera department is modest with a 13MP primary camera assisted by a depth sensor. The 8MP front camera gets the job done when it comes to selfies and video calls.
This smartphone has a 5200 mAh battery that keeps it running for well over a day and a half of moderate use. The Infinix Hot 11 runs XOS 7.6 based on Android 11. You also get a 2022 variant of this phone for the same price that offers a slightly larger 6.7-inch screen and a Unisoc T610 processor. The battery capacity is marginally lower at 5000 mAh. Rest of the specifications are the same as its earlier iteration. We still prefer the older variant though.
Infinix Hot 11 price in India: Rs 9,999 for 4GB RAM/64GB storage
Micromax IN Note 1
The Micromax IN Note 1 makes it to our list yet again. While it remains a very good option in this budget just like the Infinix Hot 11, it also shows that the evolution in this segment has slowed down considerably. It has a 6.67-inch Full HD+ screen with a tiny punch hole at the top that hosts a 16MP selfie camera. The X-shaped pattern at the back of the phone is eye-catching and makes the phone look stylish. A 5000 mAh battery keeps it powered for over a day and a half of moderate use, and supports 18W fast charging.
The Micromax IN Note 1 is powered by a Mediatek Helio G85 chip, which is a fair choice for the segment, and you get 4 GB RAM and 64 GB internal expandable storage. This phone has four rear cameras consisting of a 48MP primary camera, 5MP ultrawide shooter, 2MP macro camera and a 2MP depth sensor. The phone launched with Android 10, and an Android 11 update should be out by now.
Micromax IN Note 1 price in India: Rs 9,990 for 4GB RAM/64GB storage
Poco C31
If you don’t want to spend the whole 10K, you are in for some luck. The 4 GB RAM and 64 GB storage variant of the Poco C31 is currently selling for just Rs 7,499, and for that price, it is not a bad option at all. It has a 6.53-inch HD+ display with a resolution of 1600 x 720 pixels and a modest Mediatek G35 SoC. The internal storage that can be expanded further like all other phones in this list. The C31 has a fingerprint sensor at the back, in case you were wondering given its selling price.
You get three rear cameras with a combination of 13MP primary camera, 2MP macro camera and a 2MP depth sensor. A 5MP selfie camera is located in a drop notch at the top of the screen. The Poco C31 launched with Android 10 and Xiaomi’s MIUI 12 on top. You now get an Android 11 update for this phone with MIUI 12.5. This phone has a 5000 mAh battery that powers it for close to two days of moderate use. This phone ticks a lot of boxes and offers good value for money at its current price tag.
Poco C31 price in India: Rs 7,499 for 4GB RAM/64GB storage