Ameya DalviJul 07, 2022 13:48:35 IST
We recently published our list of premium flagship phones, and now it is time to go back to the roots and look for the best smartphones available under Rs 10,000 this month. To be brutally honest, the options under 10K aren’t as good as what you would get six to nine months ago. But if you are on a tight budget, this is the best of what’s available currently.
As always, we have five options for you that meet our minimum criteria of 4 GB RAM, 64 GB internal storage, good display, decent processing power and at least Android 10 if not newer. And there’s one smartphone in this list that should surprise many in this budget. So let’s take a look.
Best phones to buy under Rs 10,000 in India
Micromax IN Note 1
The Micromax IN Note 1 is a little hard to find these days at certain locations but it is still a very good option in this budget. It is one of the very few phones under 10K that flaunts a Full HD+ display. The 6.67-inch screen here has a resolution of 2400 x 1080 pixels, and a tiny punch hole on top hosts a 16MP selfie camera. This phone is powered by a Mediatek Helio G85 chip, which is fairly powerful for the segment, and you get 4 GB RAM and 64 GB of internal storage that can be expanded further with a microSD card.
The X-shaped pattern at the back of the phone looks stylish. The Micromax IN Note 1 has four rear cameras comprising 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.
Micromax IN Note 1 price in India: Rs 9,999 for 4 GB RAM/ 64 GB storage
Infinix Hot 11
The Infinix Hot 11 is another phone in this list with a Full HD+ screen, and it is readily available across locations. It sports a 6.6-inch Full HD+ IPS display. This phone is powered by a Mediatek Helio G70 SoC, which is not a bad option at all in this budget. This phone too offers you 4 GB RAM and 64 GB storage that can be expanded further using a microSD card.
The rear camera department isn’t as flashy as that of the Micromax. You get a 13MP primary camera that is assisted by a depth sensing module. The 8MP front camera is decent enough at handling selfies and video calls. This phone has a 5200 mAh battery that keeps it running for close to two days of moderate use. The Infinix Hot 11 runs XOS 7.6 based on Android 11.
You do get a 2022 variant of this phone for the exact 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 previous iteration. All things considered, we would recommend the older variant itself while it is still available.
Infinix Hot 11 price in India: Rs 9,999 for 4 GB RAM/ 64 GB storage
Motorola G22
The Motorola G22 is quite an interesting addition in this budget. Some of its features are almost impossible to find in this budget, let alone all of them together. For starters, it has a 50MP primary camera, accompanied by an 8MP ultra-wide snapper, a 2MP macro camera and a 2MP depth sensor. The 16MP front camera is bound to please the selfie enthusiasts. The phone has a 6.5-inch HD+ IPS LCD display with a 90 Hz refresh rate. Yes, we are still talking about a phone priced under 10K.
The Motorola G22 is powered by a Mediatek Helio G37 chip, and you get 4 GB RAM and 64 GB internal storage that can be expanded further up to 1 TB with a microSD card. This phone has a 5000 mAh battery that keeps it running for close to two days of standard use, and even better, it supports 20W fast charging. The phone runs the latest Android 12, and like all Motorola phones, you get a near-stock Android user interface to go with it. In many ways, this is the best all-round phone under Rs 10,000 this month.
Motorola G22 price in India: Rs 9,999 for 4 GB RAM/ 64 GB storage
Poco C31
The Poco C31 is another good budget smartphone that holds on to its place in this list. It has a 6.53-inch HD+ display with a resolution of 1600 x 720 pixels and a modest Mediatek G35 SoC. You get 4 GB RAM here too along with 64 GB of internal storage that can be expanded further. This phone too has a 5000 mAh battery that powers it for close to two days of moderate use. The C31 comes with a fingerprint sensor at the back which was missing in the Poco C3.
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 runs Android 10 with a layer of Xiaomi’s MIUI 12 on top. It is a simple phone with the right set of features that can handle the usual day to day tasks with ease, and offers good value for money.
Poco C31 price in India: Rs 9,499 for 4 GB RAM/ 64 GB storage
Redmi 9 Activ
The Redmi 9 Activ is pretty much the Poco C31 without the macro camera and a few cosmetic changes. And it sells for Rs 500 less on Amazon India. This too has a 6.53-inch HD+ display with a resolution of 1600 x 720 pixels and is powered by a Mediatek G35 chip. You get 4 GB RAM, 64 GB of internal expandable storage, rear mounted fingerprint scanner and a 5000 mAh battery with similar battery backup.
You get two cameras at the back consisting of a 13MP primary camera and a 2MP depth sensor. A 5MP selfie camera takes care of selfies and video calls. The Redmi 9 Activ runs Android 10 with MIUI 12 on top. Given that it sells for a little less than the Poco C31, it might be a better buy, unless you have high regards for a 2MP macro camera.
Redmi 9 Activ price in India: Rs 8,999 for 4 GB RAM/ 64 GB storage
