Ameya DalviApr 14, 2022 18:01:23 IST

A lot of newer handsets have made it to our list of phones under Rs 15,000 this month as compared to its previous iteration. Most of the phones here have either 50MP or 64MP cameras; something unthinkable a couple of quarters ago. We have strived to include handsets with 6 GB RAM, and some also have AMOLED screens or high refresh rate displays or both in this budget. Time to look at your best options under 15K and what they bring to the table.

Best phones to buy under Rs 15,000 in India

Oppo K10

This new budget smartphone from Oppo has a pretty impressive feature set for the segment starting with an attractive IP5X rated dust-proof design. The K10 sports a 6.59-inch Full HD+ display with a 90 Hz refresh rate. Oppo has opted for a Qualcomm Snapdragon 680 SoC to power this phone, which is a very good choice in this budget. You get 6 GB RAM and 128 GB of internal storage that can be expanded further using a microSD card.

In the photography department, the 50MP primary camera does most of the heavy lifting. You also get a 2MP depth sensor and a 2MP macro camera to give it company. The 16MP front camera is pretty good at handling selfies and video calls. The Oppo K10 has a 5000 mAh battery that should keep it running for close to a day and a half of moderate use. The company also bundles a 33W SuperVOOC charger to juice it up in double quick time. This phone runs Android 11 with ColorOS 11.

Oppo K10 price in India:Rs 14,990 for 6 GB RAM/ 128 GB storage

Redmi Note 11

The Redmi Note 11 is another good allrounder in this segment. This phone does one better when it comes to display. It has a 6.43-inch Full HD+ AMOLED screen with a 90 Hz refresh rate and a peak brightness of 1000 nits. The screen is protected against scratches by a layer of Corning Gorilla Glass 3. This phone too is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 680 chip and accompanied by 6 GB RAM but half the internal storage (64 GB), which can be expanded further.

The Redmi Note 11 has four cameras at the back starting with a 50MP primary camera, along with an 8MP ultra-wide shooter, 2MP macro camera and a 2MP depth sensor. You get a 13MP front camera for selfies and video calls. This phone has a 5000 mAh battery as well that keeps the phone powered for close to a day and a half of moderate use. And you get a 33W fast charger in the package that promises to charge it fully in an hour. The phone runs Android 11 with MIUI 13.

Redmi Note 11 price in India: Rs 14,499 for 6 GB RAM/ 64 GB storage

Poco M4 Pro

The new Poco M4 Pro borrows a couple of features from its Xiaomi cousin above. This too has a 6.43-inch Full HD+ AMOLED screen with a 90 Hz refresh rate and can get up to 1000 nits bright. And yes, the Gorilla Glass 3 protection is present here too. Poco has opted for a different SoC though, and this smartphone is powered by a Mediatek Helio G96 chip. It is accompanied by 6 GB RAM and 64 GB of internal (expandable) storage.

The Poco M4 Pro has three cameras at the back helmed by a 64 MP primary camera. Support cast includes an 8 MP ultra-wide snapper and a 2 MP macro camera. The M4 Pro goes one up on the Redmi Note 11 in the selfie department offering a 16MP front camera. The phone runs Android 11 with MIUI 13. It has a 5000 mAh battery that can go beyond a day and a half of moderate use, and a 33W fast charger is bundled along. Now, that’s three times in a row we have seen that combination, isn’t it?

Poco M4 Pro price in India: Rs 14,999 for 6 GB RAM/ 64 GB storage

Motorola G31

The Motorola G31 retains its place in our list courtesy of a bunch of impressive features. It has a 6.4-inch Full HD+ AMOLED screen, but with a standard 60 Hz refresh rate. This phone too has a 50MP primary camera at the back, along with an 8MP ultrawide shooter and a 2MP macro camera. A tiny punch hole at the top of the screen hosts a 13MP front camera that is adept at taking care of selfies and video calls. The phone has a water-repellent design which should make it slash proof to an extent, but it doesn’t have an IP certification.

The Moto G31 is powered by a Mediatek Helio G85 SoC that is decent enough for day to day tasks. It is accompanied by 6 GB RAM and 128 GB internal (expandable) storage. Battery backup is quite good with a 5000 mAh battery keeping the phone powered for over a day and a half of moderate use. But more importantly, like most Motorola phones, the G31 has a clean and near-stock Android user interface. It runs Android 11 at the moment and one can expect an Android 12 update later this year.

Motorola G31 price in India: Rs 14,999 for 6 GB RAM/ 128 GB storage

Realme Narzo 30

There was quite a competition for the last spot but we eventually decided to give the Realme Narzo 30 the nod as it ticks a lot of key boxes. Other than a stylish design, the phone sports a 6.5-inch Full HD+ display with 90 Hz refresh rate for flicker-free scrolling in compatible apps. A 16MP selfie camera located in a punch hole at the top of the screen will please the selfie enthusiasts. This phone is powered by a Mediatek Helio G95 chip that still has ample muscle for day to day tasks as well as a bit of gaming at medium settings. You now get the 6 GB RAM and 128 GB internal (expandable) storage variant in this budget.

Rear camera department has three shooters starting with a 48MP primary camera, 2MP macro camera and a 2MP depth sensor. The image quality of the main camera is pretty good for the segment. The Realme Narzo 30 too has a 5000 mAh battery that can go on for a day and a half of moderate use. And even better, the company bundles a 30W Dart charger that can recharge the battery fully in a little over an hour. The phone runs Android 11 with Realme UI 2.0.

Realme Narzo 30 price in India: Rs 14,790 for 6 GB RAM/ 128 GB storage