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The sub-Rs. 15,000 smartphone segment has seen a 5G awakening of sorts post the pandemic. Most manufacturers rushed to launch 5G-ready devices back then, but only a few of them managed to offer good value for money. The easiest trick in the book was to reduce the number or quality of cameras, and so it soon became a problem to get a decent camera at this price point. However, 4G smartphones continued to be launched, and this was largely because most 4G devices in this segment seemed to offer unmatched value by offering features like splash resistance, stereo speakers, and more.
Although the “5G tax” has been gradually phased out over time, there are still manufacturers like Motorola and Realme that have recently announced new 4G devices even though 5G services are operational in major cities and towns.
Unfortunately, even some recently launched 4G devices like the Realme C55 didn’t make it to our list due to lackluster software performance. While we would normally recommend buying a 5G smartphone to future-proof your experience, we’ve still kept several 4G smartphones in this list as most of the newer 5G devices we’ve reviewed simply didn’t make the cut.
Below is our list of the best phones you can buy in India right now for under Rs. 15,000, in no particular order.
| Phones under Rs. 15,000 | Gadgets 360 Review (out of 10) | Price in India (as recommended) |
|---|---|---|
| Infinix Hot 30 5G | 8 | Rs. 14,999 |
| iQoo Z6 Lite 5G | 8 | Rs. 13,999 |
| Moto G52 | 8 | Rs. 12,999 |
| Redmi 10 Prime | 8 | Rs. 12,999 |
| Realme Narzo 30 5G | 8 | Rs. 14,999 |
| Samsung Galaxy F22 | 8 | Rs. 11,499 |
| Redmi Note 10S | 8 | Rs. 14,999 |
Infinix Note 30 5G
The Infinix Note 30 5G can best be described as the “all-rounder”. It is one of the few recently launched 5G smartphones that not only offers good value for money but also performs as expected. Priced starting at Rs. 14,999 for the 4GB RAM model and Rs. 15,999 for the 8GB RAM model, this budget smartphone offers enough raw performance for casual usage and some mid-level gaming thanks to its MediaTek Dimensity 6080 SoC.
Camera performance is also pretty good for its segment, with its 108MP snapper taking impressive photos in both daylight and low-light conditions. There’s a 45W charger included in the box and it juices up that large 5,000mAh battery pretty quickly. The phone also has an IP53 rating. While all of the above sounds impressive for a budget smartphone, the bloated XOS 13 software, which also has a mild learning curve, might not be for everyone.
iQoo Z6 Lite 5G
The iQoo Z6 Lite 5G offers you reliable camera performance and a beautiful design for an attractive price. As the name suggests, there are also 5G radios, although there are only two 5G bands. iQoo has decided to go for an LCD display with a refresh rate of 120Hz, which also makes this smartphone suitable for gaming. The combination of a Qualcomm Snapdragon 4 Gen 1 SoC and a large 5,000 mAh battery also makes it suitable for entertainment, as the speaker at the bottom proved to be sufficiently loud in our test. While this phone seems to meet all the right requirements, you should keep in mind that there is no charger in the box. The software experience is also not the best in its class.
Moto G52
The Moto G52 doesn’t have 5G radios. This may be an issue for those eagerly awaiting the transition to 5G networks. The G52 is really for those who aren’t planning on jumping on the 5G bandwagon right away, but are more interested in value. With that in mind, the Motorola Moto G52 is focused on entertainment, with a 90Hz refresh rate pOLED display and stereo speakers with Dolby Atmos support. Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 680 SoC isn’t a beast, but it’s more than capable of handling day-to-day tasks (along with some light gaming), and that’s partly thanks to Motorola’s near-stock Android software. The phone also has a big 5,000mAh battery and ships with a 33W charger in the box. While the phone looks appealing, it also has an IP52 rating for mild dust and water resistance.
Redmi 10 Prime
The Redmi 10 Prime sports the family look and features a large 6.5-inch full-HD+ display with a 90Hz refresh rate. It has a side-mounted fingerprint scanner, a plastic frame and a quad-camera system on the back. Powering the smartphone is the MediaTek Helio G88 SoC, along with a large 6,000mAh battery with support for 18W fast charging. The daylight camera performance is average despite the 50-megapixel primary camera. The low-light image quality is also a bit disappointing, which is one of the major drawbacks of this phone. While it doesn’t have the same impact as its predecessor, it does offer better performance, so if that’s important to you, the Redmi 10 Prime will suit your needs.
We also tested the Redmi 11 Prime 5G, which, as the name suggests, has 5G. However, it’s only suitable if 5G connectivity is high on your priority list.
Realme Narzo 30 5G
The Realme Narzo 30 5G is a sleek and stylish 5G smartphone with a 90Hz refresh rate, great battery life, and average gaming performance. The cameras are a little disappointing for both photos and videos, and to make matters worse, there’s no ultra-wide angle camera. You get Realme UI plus a few pre-installed apps that can spam you with unwanted notifications. That sleek design is surprisingly housed in a 5,000mAh battery, although charging is a bit slower. Still, if you want 5G and are on a tight budget, the Narzo 30 5G is a good phone to consider.
Samsung Galaxy F22
Samsung’s Galaxy F22 is a fairly basic budget smartphone that goes big on battery life. It features a vibrant 6.4-inch 90Hz HD+ Super AMOLED display, but lags somewhat elsewhere. The large 6,000mAh battery will easily last you two days, but takes a while to charge. Camera performance is pretty average for its segment, but daylight video quality is good despite being limited to 1080p. The Galaxy F22’s design is best described as utilitarian, with a display that uses Gorilla Glass 5 for protection and a plastic unibody. The phone lacks the 5G radios that are available in the more recent Galaxy F23 5G, but if a vibrant display and strong battery life are priorities, the Galaxy F22 fits the bill.
Redmi Note 10S
The Redmi Note 10S, despite being quite old, is still a solid offering in the segment. It has been replaced by the Redmi Note 11S (which adds 5G radios and a 108-megapixel primary camera), which carries a higher price tag. For an older device, it still packs a punch in terms of specs and also has an IP53 rating for dust and water resistance. There’s a 6.43-inch AMOLED display with Corning Gorilla Glass 3. It has stereo speakers and an IR emitter, both of which are uncommon on budget smartphones. The Note 10S has a MediaTek Helio G95 SoC along with 6GB of RAM, and you can choose between 64GB and 128GB of storage. The phone comes with a slew of pre-installed apps that occasionally push spam notifications. Xiaomi offers a quad-camera setup on the Redmi Note 10S with a 64-megapixel primary sensor.
