dna Picks: Week 4, July '15, Budget Smartphones
So you're hunting for a new phone. You check your standard Flipkart and Amazon India, and you visit actual physical stores, but there's still no way you can just hold a phone in your hand and make a decision. Despite the specs you can look at, some of that has to be a leap of faith. So here, we're going to minimize the risk. In our dna Picks for budget phones, we're considering all smartphones between Rs 5,000 to Rs 15,000. Granted, not everyone's budget is the same. Maybe you're ony willing to pay 10k, maybe your definition of budget is 20k or more. Not to worry, this is just to give buyers a general idea of what they're getting into when they're choosing a phone on the cheaper end of the scale. So have at thee!
So you're hunting for a new phone. You check your standard Flipkart and Amazon India, and you visit actual physical stores, but there's still no way you can just hold a phone in your hand and make a decision. Despite the specs you can look at, some of that has to be a leap of faith. So here, we're going to minimize the risk. In our dna Picks for budget phones, we're considering all smartphones between Rs 5,000 to Rs 15,000. Granted, not everyone's budget is the same. Maybe you're ony willing to pay 10k, maybe your definition of budget is 20k or more. Not to worry, this is just to give buyers a general idea of what they're getting into when they're choosing a phone on the cheaper end of the scale. So have at thee!
This model is a reliable one. It's speedy, efficient, and doesn't look half bad. Nothing unique about this however.
Key Specs: Display: 5.5" HD(1280x720p)Processor: 1.5GHz 64-bit MediaTek MT6752 octa-coreCamera: 8MP rear camera and 5MP front cam. Memory: 2 GB DDR3 RAM, 8GB internal storage, expandable to 32GB. Connectivity: Dual SIM, 4G enabledOS: Android 5.0 Lollipop with Lenovo’s Vibe UIBattery: 2900mAhPrice: Rs 8,999
The newest smartphone on this list, the Yureka Plus is destined to succeed if it follows the success of it's ancestor. Cyanogen OS is ultra customisable, and very secure, so it's worth giving a shot. Be warned, the original Yureka did have unpatched heating issues.
Key Specs: Display: 5.5" full HD(1920x1080p), 401ppi, oleophobic coatingProcessor: 1.5GHz octa-core Snapdragon 615, Adreno 405 GPUCamera: 13MP f/2.2 rear camera and 5MP front cam. Memory: 2 GB DDR3 RAM, 16GB internal storageConnectivity: 4G enabledOS: Cyanogen OS 12 over Android 5.0 LollipopBattery: 2500mAhPrice: Rs 9,999
Xiaomi's flagship from earlier this year, it has a great camera with a beautify mode to die for. Watch out for the battery heating during heavy gaming, and make sure you try a phone with MIUI 6 before you buy.
Key Specs: Display: 5.5" full HD(1920x1080p), 441ppiProcessor: 2.5GHz octa-core Snapdragon 801, Adreno 330 GPUCamera: 13MP rear camera with 4K recording and 8MP front cam. Memory: 3 GB DDR3 RAM, 16GB internal storageConnectivity: Dual SIM, 4G enabledOS: Android 5.0 Lollipop with Lenovo’s Vibe UIBattery: 3080mAhPrice: Rs 12,999
A redesign of the older Redmi, this phone is priced the same as the ultra cheap Moto E 2nd gen, but beats it out on hardware packed into the micro package. Again, make sure you're a fan of MIUI 6 first, and then you're good to go.
Key Specs: Display: 4.7" (1280x720p) displayProcessor: 1.2GHz quad-core Snapdragon 410 processorCamera: 8MPrear camera and 2MP front cam. Memory: 1GB DDR3 RAM, 8GB internal storage, expandable to 32GB. Connectivity: Dual SIM, 4G enabledOS: MIUI 6 over Android KitKatBattery: 2200mAh battery.Price: Rs 5,999
A recent entry in this category, the Lenovo K3 Note provides some great stats at a decent entry price. It's been incredibly popular, selling out in under 5 seconds during each flash sale. Have to wait and see what extended use says about the phone.Key Specs: Display: 5.5" full HD(1920x1080p)Processor: 1.7GHz 64-bit MediaTek octa-core processor, ARM MALI-T760 GPUCamera: 13MP rear camera with Dual LED flash and 5MP front cam.Memory: 2 GB DDR3 RAM, 16GB internal storage, expandable to 32GB.Connectivity: Dual SIM, 4G enabledOS: Android 5.0 Lollipop with Lenovo’s Vibe UIBattery: 3000 mAh battery.Price: Rs 9,999