Best phones under Rs 15000 in India for December 2017

Finding the very best smartphone for less than Rs. 15,000 in the current crowded market is difficult at best. While the likes of the Samsung Galaxy S8, iPhone 7, LG G6 and HTC U11 steal show around the world, there's a lot of intriguing options available on in the world of budget phones.

Sadly smartphone innovation isn't cheap – and most of it is reserved for high-end contract handsets. Still the technology that was once impossible to imagine on budget phones is now available at cheapest possible prices. Thanks to the competitive market trends and Chinese manufacturers, who have changed the fate of affordable smartphones in India.

Here's a selection of our favourite cheap phones that cost under Rs 15,000.

Don't need to worry about cost? Check out our best phone list

The result of Xiaomi's partnership with Google, Mi A1 supported by the search giant's Android One program is aimed at users who want a premium smartphone experience in low price. The Mi A1 reboots Google's Android One program which was at first created for budget OEM's so that they could give a great experience to users with the help of stock Android. With its reboot, Google has tweaked that a bit and will not focus on smartphone manufacturers that can give a good overall experience to consumers, both with hardware and software.

The A1 features a full HD 5.5-inch IPS display and is powered by Qualcomm's Snapdragon 625 octa-core processor backed by 4GB of RAM and an onboard storage of 64GB which can further be expanded with the help of a microSD card. Mi A1 comes with dual camera setup and houses twin 12-megapixel camera modules, one wide-angle, f/2.2 aperture and the other one being a telephoto f/2.6 aperture lens. On the front, there is a 5-megapixel selfie camera as well. As the smartphone is a product associated with Android One, it runs on stock Android 7.1.2 with promised update to Android 8.0 Oreo. Mi A1 draws power from a 3,080 mAh battery which supports fast charging.

Buy Xiaomi Mi A1 from Flipkart @ Rs 14,999

Read the full review: Xiaomi Mi A1

Unofficially titled the “LG G6 mini”, the Q6 is an impressive midrange phone on its own. While it lacks certain flagship features, the FullVision display and rear-facing camera are stand-out inclusions that you probably won’t find elsewhere for this cheap.

After a long wait, the Q6 is one budget device from LG that has gathered deserved mentions in Indian market. The phone sports an impressive 12MP rear sensor which can click some impressive day light shots, that makes it rank up against the competition. The also adds up to the overall look from the front, however, the plastic back is prone to get scratched over time.

For its price, the phone offers tons of alluring features to stand out of the usual smartphones under 15k price segment.

Read the full review: LG Q6 review

Moto G5 Plus is the newest member in the list, as the smartphone made its entry in the middle of the March. Dominating the sub 20K category, the Moto G5 Plus is launched in two storage variants- 3GB RAM/16GB internal storage and 4GB RAM/32GB internal storage. However, only the 3GB/16GB variant falls under 15K price segment.

It is the first G series phone to come with metal build, which looks very fresh and premium. Another highlight of the phone is its camera which has been surely sustains the standards set by its sibling, Moto G4 Plus. The Snapdragon 625 chipset does a great job and 3GB RAM makes it good enough for multitasking.

Read the full review: Motorola Moto G5 Plus

For just Rs 15,000, Redmi Note 4 has redefined the hardware capabilities on an affordable handset. It looks and feels like a much more solid, with an attractive good-looking aluminium build, smooth performance and great battery life.

Its camera is capable of taking decent shots, its fingerprint sensor works well, and the MIUI UI is a genuinely decent enhancement of the stock Android operating system.

Read the full review: Redmi Note 4 review

Launched months back in India, the Moto G5 is the elder sibling of the Moto G5 Plus and successor to the Moto G4. With a Snapdragon 430 processor and 3GB of RAM, the smartphone justifies the price. Having the latest version of Android out-of-the-box makes it rare among its competitors.

The 13MP rear shooter is arguably the an impressive phone camera at the sub-15k mark. If you want to be able to take good photos but can't afford to buy a high-end phone, this is the considerable choice for you.

The missing fingerprint reader and a flush metal design is an incremental upgrade over its predecessor.

Read the full review: Moto G5

The Redmi 4 was originally launched in China as the Redmi 4X. The company launched the smartphone in 3 different variants at three different price slots, which makes it the best phone in its category.

It comes in 2GB, 3GB and 4GB RAM variants with 16GB, 32GB and 64GB of internal storage respectively. The Snapdragon 435 running at its heart makes it a decent performer for basic to moderate tasks.

For those who find it uneasy using a 5.5-inch screen and want a perfect alternate for a Redmi Note 4 or a Moto G5 Plus, the Redmi 4 can serve all your needs. The only issue with the Redmi devices is the supply, which Xiaomi says it's trying to improve.

Read the full review: Xiaomi Redmi 4

The Honor 7X brings an 18:9 aspect ratio to the mid-range segment along with dual-camera setup. Other than that, the camera onboard the 7X is a pretty good snapper while the slick metal unibody design makes it feel like a premium smartphone.

It runs on its in-house Kirin 659 chipset, which is claimed to be a tough competitor to Snapdragon 625 backed by 4GB of RAM. It comes in two storage variants- 32GB and 64GB. Only the 32GB variant falls under 15K category. It is still a good choice for those who like playing smartphone cameras and have a decent performance alongside.

Read the full review: Honor 7X

Xiaomi's huge smartphone series, Max got a second iteration this year which makes it one of the best big-display phones around. The 6.44-inch display is great to watch videos and consume content in general. That being said, it isn't anywhere near bulkier. At just 7.6mm it fits in the hand quite well and the aluminum casing gives it a robust and premium feel.

The Snapdragon 625 is one of the best available mid-range processor around which powers the Mi Max 2 here coupled with 4GB of RAM and storage variant of 32GB/64GB.

Speaking about its photographic capabilities, the 12-megapixel snapper onboard the phone does a good job but the front-facing camera is an average one.

What's amazing about the Mi Max 2 is the battery life which, even though powering a huge display is able to last for a day and then some.

Read the full review: Mi Max 2

Honor 8 Lite is one of the underrated budget phones of 2017 that offers a pretty impressive overall user experience. The highlight of the phone is its sleek and shiny body, impressive battery life and a feature rich OS. Also, the dual camera may not be the best in its segment but its good enough to get some impressive shots in the day light.

The OS comes with some really useful features on top of Android Nougat 7.0. It has a full HD display but that doesn’t impress as much as you would expect it to be. About the performance, the Kirin 655 chipset from Huawei is capable enough to handle graphic greedy games and offer a smooth performance, and the 4GB RAM aids the multitasking department. In short, this phone can get most of the job get done.