Just because your budget is low, doesn’t mean you have to settle for less. On the contrary, the smartphones listed in this particular post deliver a solid punch when it comes to features, performance, and everyday use. So, if you are about to splurge your hard-earned rupees on your new smartphone, select from the options we think offer the best value proposition for your hard money.
Infinix Hot 8 – Capable Contender
In the list of Xiaomis and Realmes of the world, Infinix has also been able to make its mark. This year, in particular, the brand has launched some brilliant devices with the Infinix Hot 8 offering solid features under Rs 10,000. It ticks off everything that you’d look in a budget smartphone, from a large 6.52-inch display to dual rear cameras. And the entire package is powered by a 5,000mAh battery.
Vivo U10 – Last’s Long
With the launch of its updated version called the Vivo U20, the U10 has slashed the price point of U10, making this an excellent entry-level option to consider. The U10 is the last Snapdragon 665 in our list, which makes it a unique smartphone for us. The first thing we like about the U10 is its design, which, although it feels a bit bulkier, fits perfectly in hand. The sleekier contours and punchy looking colors make the body feel premium than its counterparts. Performance is on par with the other two, but the FunTouch OS feels unrefined and jittery. The fingerprint sensor on the back is snappy, and the face recognition works well. The only let down of the U10 comes through its triple camera setup on the back, which invites a lot of grain and distortion throughout the shots we took. The battery, on the other hand, is fantastic as it managed to survive two days’ worth of average use without a single hitch.
Samsung Galaxy M10s – Solid Built
Next in line is Samsung’s updated M10s smartphone, which brings a high-resolution display, ultra-wide lens, and an updated 4000mAh battery to the table. The most prominent feature of the Samsung M10s is its reliability. The smartphone feels sturdy and well crafted with its balanced proportions, while the display is crisp and punchy with its HD+ resolution. Samsung has nailed the screen as it makes for a perfect binge-watching companion. The Exynos 7884B processor is a moderate performer but gets you around your everyday use. Camera specs, on the other hand, include a dual shooter of 13MP and 5MP lens, which, despite its low capacity, shoots some good-looking shots. The same cannot be said about the low light performance as there wasn’t a single shot that we could use due to the added grain and noise.
Samsung Galaxy M30 – Immersive Display
Last comes the Galaxy M30, which has a base variant priced at ₹9999. The smartphone comes with a large 6.4-inch FHD+ display, which offers a screen resolution of 2340 x 1080 pixels. This high PPI makes the show the most capable media consumption device. The Exynos 7904 processor sails through the average social media use but suffers from a large amount of frame rate drops while gaming. The Samsung One UI feels refined and smooth due to its optimized setup of buttery animations. The Triple camera setup of 13MP+ 5MP + 5MP captures some contrasting images despite nominal changes to the background, which we eventually narrowed down to a faulty device. Lastly, the battery of the M30 is a solid 5000mAh unit with 15W fast charging support, which got us through an entire day of extensive use in an around the office.
*This list has been created in no particular order and is based on the devices that we’ve tested and reviewed, and hence might miss out on some worthy options that we haven’t used ourselves.
