Top smartphones to buy under Rs 15,000 in India - November 2019

Are you looking for an all-rounder budget-friendly smartphone with cool features like an in-display fingerprint scanner, bezel-less display, best-in-class processor, massive battery, and, of course, high-definition cameras for photography? 

If yes, here's a list of best value-for-money smartphones from major vendors including Samsung, Xiaomi, Vivo, Motorola, Lenovo, Realme that won't dig a big hole in your pocket.

Redmi Note 8 Pro 

The Redmi Note 8 Pro boasts a 6.53-inch Dot Notch HDR-enabled 500nit Display with 2340 x 1080-pixels resolution and 91.4 percent screen-to-body ratio. The device is armored with an octa-core Helio G90T Professional Gaming Processor coupled with ARM Mali G76 MC4 800MHz GPU and up to 8GB RAM and up to 128GB onboard storage which is further expandable up to 512GB via a dedicated microSD card slot.

The Redmi Note 8 Pro houses a 20-megapixel AI selfie camera and Quad rear camera setup that includes an industry-leading 64-megapixel primary lens with f/1.7 aperture powered by Samsung ISOCELL Bright GW1 sensor, an 8-megapixel ultra-wide-angle lens with f/2.2 aperture that offers a 120-degree field of view, a 2-megapixel macro lens, and a 2-megapixel depth sensor.

Additional camera features include- 10x digital zoom, Phase and Contrast detection focus, Night mode, AI Scene detection, Custom watermark, Time-lapse video recording, 4K recording at 30fps, 1080P recording at 30fps/60fps, 1080P slow-motion recording at 120fps, 720P slow-motion recording at 960fps / 240fps / 120fps and more.

The Redmi Note 8 Pro is equipped with an in-built 4,500mAh battery that offers up to 10 hours of non-stop gaming and supports 18W Fast Charging and Quick Charge 4.0 technology.

The Redmi Note 8 Pro comes in Shadow Black, Gamma Green and Halo White color options and three memory configurations: 6GB+64GB priced at Rs.14,999, 6GB+128GB priced at Rs. 15,999 and the 8GB+128GB variant priced at Rs 17,999.

Realme 5 Pro

The device comes with a 6.3-inch FHD+ dewdrop display with 2340 x 1080-pixel resolution and 90.6 percent screen-to-body ratio and is powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 712 AIE coupled with Adreno 616 GPU and 10nm advanced process technology for high performance and low power consumption. The smartphone runs on Android 9.0 (Pie) with ColorOS 6.0 (realme edition)

The Realme 5 Pro houses a 16-megapixel AI-selfie camera powered by Sony IMX 471 Sensor and the AI Quad Camera setup on the back features 48-megapixel Primary lens with Sony IMX 586 Sensor, 8-megapixel wide-angle camera with f/2.25 aperture and 119-degrees field-of-view, 2-megapixel portrait camera, and 2-megapixel macro camera with 4cm shooting distance.

The Realme 5 Pro packs a 4,035 mAh non-removable battery that supports 20W VOOC 3.0 Flash Charging and comes with an AI cooling feature for a long-lasting and uninterrupted experience. The smartphone is available in two colors Sparkling Blue and Crystal Green and three variants: (4GB+64GB) at Rs 13,999 (6GB+64GB) at Rs 14,999 and (8GB+128GB) at Rs 16,999.

Samsung Galaxy M30s

The Samsung Galaxy M30s boasts a 6.4-inch (16.26cm) FHD+ Super AMOLED Infinity U display with a 91 percent screen-to-body ratio and 420nits peak brightness. It also features a rear-mounted fingerprint scanner.

The Galaxy M30s is powered by 2.3GHz octa-core Exynos 9611 SoC based on 10nm process technology and Mali G72 MP3 GPU for unmatched gaming and graphics performance. The phone comes with LPDDR4X RAM and UFS 2.1 Storage and runs on Android Pie out of the box with Samsung's new One UI.

In terms of optics, the device features a 16-megapixel front-facing camera with selfie focus and in-display flash and triple rear camera module that includes a 48-megapixel primary sensor with f/2.0 aperture, an 8-megapixel Ultra-Wide Angle lens with f/2.2 aperture and 123-degrees field of view, and a 5-megapixel shooter with f/2.2 aperture and Live Focus feature. Additional camera features include AI-backed Scene Optimizer, intelligent Flaw Detector, dedicated Night Mode for low-light shots and video capabilities include 4K recording, Super Slo-Mo, Super Steady and Hyperlapse.

A huge 6000mAh battery powers the Galaxy M30s which gets recharged with 15W Fast Charging via a USB Type-C port. The Samsung Galaxy M30s is available in three color options, namely, Opal Black, Sapphire Blue, and Pearl White carries a price tag of Rs 13,999 for the (4GB+64GB) variant, and Rs 16,999 for the (6GB+128GB) storage variant.

Moto G8 Plus

The Moto G8 Plus features a 6.3-inch Max Vision FHD+ U-notch display with 2280 x 1080-pixels resolution and an aspect ratio of 19:9. It comes with water repellent design to protect the device from accidental spills and splashes and also incorporates a rear-mounted fingerprint scanner.

The device is powered by octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 665 chipset coupled with Adreno 610 GPU, 4GB RAM and 64 GB onboard storage which is further expandable up to 512 GB via a hybrid MicroSD card slot. The device runs on Android 9 Pie.

As for the camera, the phone features a 48-megapixel primary lens with f/2.0 aperture and Quad Pixel technology, followed by a 5-megapixel depth sensor with f/2.2 aperture and a 16-megapixel dedicated ultra-wide angle action camera with f/2.2 aperture and 117-degree field-of-view. Additional camera features include- Digital zoom (up to 8x), Burst shot, Auto HDR, Timer, High res zoom, Portrait mode, Slow motion video, Timelapse video, Hyperlapse video, Night Mode, Electronic video stabilization and more.

The device packs a 25-megapixel selfie camera with f/2.0 aperture, 4x low light sensitivity, Auto HDR, Slow motion video, Timelapse and other features. The front camera supports FHD video recording at 120fps / 30fps and HD recording at 30fps.

The Moto G8 Plus houses a 4000mAh battery that lasts up to 40 hours on a single charge and offers 8 hours of power in just 15 minutes of charging via 15W TurboPower charging technology.  The phone is available in two color options- Cosmic Blue and Crystal Pink and is priced starting at Rs 13,999. 

Xiaomi Mi A3

The device sports a 6.08-inch (15.46cm) HD+ (1560 x 720 pixels) resolution AMOLED Dot Drop display with Corning Gorilla Glass 5 protection, an aspect ratio of 19.5:9 and a waterdrop-style notch.

The Xiaomi Mi A3 is powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 665 AIE coupled with Adreno 610 GPU, giving a superior gaming and browsing experience and 11nm technology to save power for uninterrupted work and play. The phone runs on Android 9.0 (Pie) and is a part of Google's Android One program.

The device houses a 32-megapixel AI selfie camera with f/2.0 aperture for stunning shots and AI smart triple rear camera set up that includes a 48MP high-resolution primary sensor (f/1.79 aperture) with Sony IMX586 sensor, 118° ultra-wide 8MP secondary sensor with f/2.2 aperture, and 2MP depth sensor with f/2.4 aperture.

The Xiaomi Mi A3 is equipped with an in-built 4,030 mAh high-capacity battery, which also supports 18W fast charging and Quick Charge 3.0 Technology. The smartphone comes with three color options: Kind of Gray, Not just Blue and More than White. The phone is available in two variants: (4GB + 64GB) at Rs 12,999 and (6GB + 128GB) at Rs 15,999.

Vivo Z1 Pro

The Vivo Z1 Pro features a 6.53-inch FHD+  IPS display with 2340 x 1080-pixels resolution, 90.77 percent screen-to-body ratio, 19.5:9 aspect ratio and a rear-mounted fingerprint scanner. The device is powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 712 mobile platform with AI Engine along with 6GB and 128GB onboard storage and operates on Funtouch OS 9.0 based on Android 9.0 Pie.

The ZI Pro houses 32-megapixel front-facing camera with f/2.0 aperture. The triple camera setup on the back features a 16-megapixel primary lens with f/1.8 aperture, an 8-megapixel Super wide-angle lens with f/2.2 aperture and a 2-megapixel depth sensor with f/2.4 aperture. The rear camera supports the slow motion, Time Lapse, AI Beauty, Live Photo, Backlight HDR, Portrait bokeh and more.

The device is equipped with a 5000mAh battery that supports 18W Dual Engine Fast Charging technology. The Vivo Z1 Pro is available in Mirror Black, Sonic Blue and Sonic Black color options and 4GB+64GB, 6GB+64GB, 6GB+128GB memory configurations, carrying a price tag of Rs 13,990, Rs 14,990 and Rs 16,990 respectively.

Realme XT

The Realme XT boasts a 6.4-inch (16.3cm) FHD+ Super AMOLED dew-drop display with 2340 x 1080-pixel resolution at 402 ppi, 91.9 percent screen-to-body ratio and Corning Gorilla Glass 5 protection on both the front and the back panel. The device is powered by a 2.3 GHz octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 712 AIE chipset based on 10 nm process technology along with Adreno 616 GPU, 8GB RAM, 128GB onboard storage and runs on Android 9 Pie with customized ColorOS 6 on top.

For photography, the device features a 16-megapixel front-facing camera powered by a Sony IMX471 sensor with f/2.0 aperture. The Quad camera module on the back incorporates a 64-megapixel primary lens powered by Samsung GW1 Sensor with f/1.8 aperture; an 8-megapixel Ultra-wide-angle lens with f/2.25 aperture and 120-degree field-of-view; a 2-megapixel portrait lens with f/2.4 aperture and six styles, and a 2-megapixel macro lens with f/2.4 aperture. 

The Realme XT is equipped with a 4000mAh battery that supports 20W VOOC fast charging, Dolby Atmos for immersive sound effect and an in-display fingerprint sensor for the fastest unlocking experience in just 0.34 seconds. 

Available in Pearl White and Pearl Blue color options, the Realme XT is priced at Rs 15,999 for the base model (4GB+64GB), Rs 16,999 for (6GB+64GB) storage variant and Rs 18,999 for (8GB+128GB) high-end variant.

Lenovo K10 Note

The youth-centric Lenovo K10 Note sports a 6.3-inch full-HD+ dewdrop notch display with 19:5:9 aspect ratio, 90 percent screen-to-body ratio. The phone is powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 710 AIE chipset which runs on 10nm process technology coupled with Adreno 616 GPU, Spectra 250 ISP, and X15 Modem and runs on Android 9 Pie.

On the imaging front, the Lenovo K10 Note houses a 16-megapixel AI selfie camera with bokeh effect and triple camera setup on the back that includes a 16-megapixel primary lens with f/1.8 aperture, an 8-megapixel secondary shooter with 2x optical zoom lens and f/2.4 aperture and a 5-megapixel tertiary lens with f/2.2 aperture and super-bokeh effect. The AI-powered Super Night Mode helps capture clear and stabilized shots in low-light conditions.

The phone is equipped with a powerful 4050mAh battery with 18W fast charging support. The Lenovo K10 Note also incorporates a rear-mounted fingerprint scanner and support Dolby Atmos sound technology for an immersive, cinematic experience. The phone is available in Knight Black color and is priced at Rs 13,999 for the (4GB+64GB) storage variant and Rs 15,999 for the (6GB+128GB) variant.

Redmi Note 8

The Redmi Note 8 features a 6.3-inch (16cm) FHD+ Dot Notch display with 2280 x 1080-pixels resolution, 19.5:9 aspect ratio, 90 percent screen to body ratio and comes with TÜV Rheinland certification for eye protection. The phone is protected by Corning Gorilla Glass 5 on the front and back as well and also incorporates a rear-mounted fingerprint scanner.

The device is powered by octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 665 Mobile Platform based on 11nm process technology along with Adreno 610 GPU and up to 6GB RAM and 128GB onboard storage. It also incorporates a dedicated MicroSD card slot that supports storage expansion up to 512GB.

In the optics department, the device houses a 13-megapixel front-facing camera with f/2.0 aperture and a quad rear camera setup that comprises of a 48-megapixel primary lens with f/1.8 aperture, an 8-megapixel Ultra-wide angle lens with f/2.2 aperture that offers 120-degrees field-of-view followed by a 2-megapixel depth sensor with f/2.4 aperture and lastly a 2-megapixel Macro lens with f/2.4 aperture.

Additional camera features include Ultra-wide angle recording, Macro recording, Short video mode, 4K recording at 30fps, 1080p recording at 30fps / 60fps, 720p recording at 30fps / 120fps / 240fps and 1080p slow motion recording at 120fps.

The device packs a 4000mAh battery that lasts up to two days and supports 18W Fast Charging via Type-C port. The Redmi Note 8 is available in Space Black, Neptune Blue, and Moonlight White color options and two memory configurations: 4GB + 64GB priced at Rs. 9,999 and 6GB+128GB model priced at Rs 12,999.

Motorola One Action

The Motorola One Action features a with a 6.3-inch CinemaVision Full HD+ display with a screen resolution of 2520 x 1080 pixels, an aspect ratio of 21:9 and 84 percent screen-to-body ratio. The device is powered by octa-core Samsung Exynos 9609 SoC (2.2 GHz) paired with Mali G72 MP3 GPU and is a part of the Android One program.

The Motorola One Action comes with 4GB RAM and 128GB of onboard storage with Universal Flash Storage (UFS) and a hybrid microSD card slot that supports storage expansion up to 512GB. The device packs an in-built 3,500 mAh battery, which can go a full day on a single charge and 10W Rapid Charging support. 

The One Action features an ultra-wide action camera with the ultra-wide-angle lens that lets you capture more in every frame (nearly four times more). The Motorola One Action houses an AI-enabled triple rear camera system that includes a 12-megapixel main camera with f/1.8 aperture and 1.25micron pixel size, 5-megapixel depth sensor for perfect portrait shots and a 16-megapixel video camera sensor with 117-degree field-of-view, binned to 4MP with Quad Pixel 2.0micron and f/2.2 aperture. The smartphone's ultra-wide action camera is equipped with an enhanced video stabilization feature for smooth videos.

The lone 4GB+128GB variant of the camera-centric phone carries a price tag of Rs. 13,999 in India.