Ameya DalviJan 20, 2022 12:02:25 IST
Time to look at the best smartphone options available under Rs 10,000 at the start of 2022. And quite frankly, I wasn’t thrilled with what was on offer. Yes, we did get five good options but the choice was pretty straightforward given the limited handsets that would meet our requirements. We refused to entertain any phone with less than 4 GB RAM, 64 GB internal storage and a competent processor. Photography enthusiasts on a tight budget may have a few pleasant surprises here. Let’s take a look.
Best phones to buy under Rs 10,000 in India
Poco M2 Reloaded
The Redmi 9 Prime isn’t available in this budget this time. But worry not, the Poco M2 Reloaded is, and it is pretty much the same phone. It is one of the few phones in this segment to sport a Full HD display. You get a 6.53-inch screen protected against scratches by a layer of Corning Gorilla Glass 3. The phone is powered by a Mediatek Helio G80 SoC, and accompanied by 4 GB RAM and 64 GB internal (expandable) storage. The chipset is powerful enough for day to day tasks, and also for a bit of gaming at low to medium settings.
Poco M2
The Poco M2 Reloaded flaunts quad cameras at the back. You get a 13MP main camera along with an 8MP ultra-wide shooter, 5MP macro camera and a 2MP depth sensor. The image quality is acceptable for this budget. An 8MP front camera takes care of selfies and video calls. This phone has a 5000 mAh battery that lasts for a day and a half of moderate use. It runs Android 10 with MIUI 12 on top.
Poco M2 Reloaded price in India: Rs 9,999 for 4 GB RAM/ 64 GB storage
Micromax IN Note 1
The Micromax IN Note 1 is our next best pick in this budget. This is the second of the two phones on this list with a Full HD+ display. The 6.67-inch screen here has a resolution of 2400 x 1080 pixels, and it has a tiny punch hole on top for a 16MP front camera. This phone is powered by a slightly more powerful Mediatek Helio G85 chip, and you get 4 GB RAM and 64 GB of internal storage that can be expanded further with a microSD card.
Micromax IN note 1
The Micromax IN Note 1 has four cameras at the back that consists of a 48MP primary camera, 5MP ultrawide shooter, 2MP macro camera and a 2MP depth sensor. A 5000 mAh battery keeps the phone powered for over a day and a half of moderate use, and also supports 18W fast charging. The phone runs Android 10. The X-shaped pattern at the back of the phone is eye-catching.
Micromax IN Note 1 price in India: Rs 9,499 for 4 GB RAM/ 64 GB storage
Motorola E40
The Motorola E40 is another phone in this list to flaunt a 48MP rear camera. Giving it company are a 2MP macro camera and a 2MP depth sensor. An 8MP camera at the front takes care of selfies and video calls. The main camera captures some crisp shots in different lighting conditions that are bound to meet expectations in this budget if not exceed them. The phone has a 6.5-inch HD+ display, and it supports 90 Hz refresh rate for smooth scrolling in compatible apps; something great to see in this segment.
The phone is powered by a Unisoc T700 chip, and again, you get 4 GB RAM and 64 GB internal storage that can be expanded further with a microSD card. The Motorola E40 too has a 5000 mAh battery that keeps it running for well over a day and a half of standard use. The phone runs Android 11, and like all Motorola phones, you get a near-stock Android user interface to go with it. If you are a fan of stock Android UI, this is the phone for you under 10K.
Motorola E40 price in India: Rs 9,999 for 4 GB RAM/ 64 GB storage
Samsung Galaxy M12/F12
In case you weren’t aware, the Samsung Galaxy M12 and F12 are identical phones, one available on Amazon India and the other on Flipkart. In addition to the brand value, you also get a pretty decent feature set. You get a 6.5-inch HD+ display again with a 90 Hz refresh rate for flicker-free scrolling. The phones have huge 6000 mAh batteries that can keep them powered for two full days of moderate use, and support 15W fast charging.
Samsung Galaxy M12. Image: Samsung
These phones offer four cameras at the back comprising a 48MP primary camera, 5MP ultrawide snapper, 2MP macro camera and a 2MP depth sensor. You get an 8MP camera at the front to handle selfies and video calls. These Samsung phones are powered by an Exynos 850 SoC, and you get 4 GB RAM and 64 GB internal storage. The storage can be expanded further using a microSD card. The phones run Android 11 with Samsung’s One UI 3.1.
Samsung Galaxy M12/F12 price in India: Rs 9,499 to Rs 9,699 for 4 GB RAM/ 64 GB storage
Infinix Hot 10S
If you are looking for a phone with a large screen, look no further. The Infinix Hot 10S sports a 6.82-inch HD+ screen that also has a 90 Hz refresh rate for smoother experience. Just like the Micromax phone above, this too is powered by a Mediatek Helio G85 SoC that is a good choice in this budget. Yes, you get 4 GB RAM and 64 GB storage here too, and can be expanded further using a microSD card.
Infinix Hot 10S
Rear camera department includes a 48MP primary camera and a 2MP depth sensor. The 8MP selfie camera gets the designated job done. This large phone also has a large 6000 mAh battery that should keep this phone running for close to two days of moderate use. The back panel of this phone has a neat little texture that adds to the style quotient. The Infinix Hot 10S runs XOS 7.6 based on Android 11.
Infinix Hot 10S price in India: Rs 9,999 for 4 GB RAM/ 64 GB storage
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