Best Smartphones Under Rs.10,000
Smartphones play a massive role in our day-to-day life and choosing the best phone is a difficult task. And when you are on a tight budget like Rs.10,000 it’s even tougher.
Thanks to the aggressive competition in India, you can now get a high-quality smartphone by spending less than Rs.10,000 bucks.
You can even tailor your search to match specific preferences like camera quality, battery life, gaming performance, design and so on.
In this article, we have compiled a list of the ten best smartphones under Rs.10,000 right now in India. Without further ado, let’s dive right into it.
Best Smartphone Under Rs.10,000
| 1. Poco M2 | Overall best pick |
| 2. Redmi 9 Prime | Runner-up pick |
| 3. Realme Narzo 10A | Feature Rich Smartphone |
| 4. Samsung Galaxy M01 | Non-Chinese Smartphone |
| 5. Infinix Hot 9 | Value for Money Smartphone |
| 6. Realme C12 | Best Smartphone for Beginners |
| 7. Motorola G8 Power Lite | Smartphone with Stock Android OS |
Note: The price shown are the once when we reviewed the products. However, as the promotional offers changes on the given E-commerce sites, the price may vary. Bettershark is supported by it's readers and when you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.
1. Poco M2
Overall Best Pick
- Powerful gaming processor
- Gorgeous FHD+ display
- Long-lasting battery life
Poco M2 is one of the entry-level smartphones from POCO that delivers excellent value for money proposition in the sub. Rs.10,000 price range.
Design and Build Quality
The glass front, plastic back and the plastic frame in between complete the POCO M2 design.
The front glass, However, is protected by the Corning gorilla glass 3 to minimise chances of accidental scratches.
POCO has also added a water repellent coating on top which will help dispose water droplets and sweat easily from the chassis.
This device is available in three exciting colours for you to choose from.
The design is similar to the Redmi lineup of smartphones, which is very odd since POCO is mostly rebranding Redmi phones these days with little or no change whatsoever.
The USB type C port on this device supports USB OTG to plug in external media devices for direct file access.
The speaker sounds reasonably loud and clear but exhibits some distortion at maximum volume levels.
Display
The POCO M2 features a 6.53-inch FHD+ display with a resolution of 1080 x 2340 pixels.
This is an IPS LCD with excellent viewing angles and colour accuracy.
With a tall aspect ratio of 19.5:9, thanks to the waterdrop notch upfront, this smartphone is somewhat usable with a single hand.
Having a pixel density of 397ppi, this is one of the best displays we have ever come across in a sub. Rs.10,000 smartphone.
Processor and Performance
The POCO M2 is powered by a MediaTek Helio G85 octa-core processor clocked at 2.0GHz.
This is a gaming-centric chipset with a powerful Mali G52 GPU that performs well with games such as PUBG, Fortnite and CS: GO.
Not only that, the 6GB RAM on this device is one of a kind in this price segment that along with 64GB of eMMC internal storage makes the performance buttery smooth, even with multitasking.
If you are looking for a budget Performance powerhouse, there is none better than POCO M2 in this price segment as of now.
Camera
The POCO M2 has a quad rear camera with a 13MP primary shooter followed by an 8MP ultrawide sensor, 5MP macro and 2MP depth mode sensor.
These cameras take good quality stills and videos at daylight but fail to impress during low light/night time.
The maximum video recording resolution of the rear camera is FHD at 30fps.
The front camera is a standard 8MP shooter that takes decent selfies, once again in well-lit conditions.
Battery Life
The POCO M2 is powered by a 5000mAh battery that will last easily for a day and a half with moderate to heavy usage.
This device supports 18w fast charging but ships with a standard 10w charger.
Verdict
The POCO M2 is possibly the best smartphone that money can get you around Rs.10,000 in India.
A full-fledged FHD+ display, powerful processor and long-lasting battery are what you are guaranteed to get with this purchase.
Decent build quality
Dedicated SD card slot
A fast and accurate fingerprint scanner
Standard eMMC5.1 storage
Specifications
| Operating System/UI | Android 10.0 |
| Internal Memory | 64 GB |
| RAM | 6 GB |
| Processor | MediaTek Helio G80 |
| Camera | 13MP+8MP+5MP+2MP Rear,8MP Front |
| Battery | 5000mAh |
| Display | 6.53-inch Full HD+ |
2. Redmi 9 Prime
Runner-Up Pick
- Vibrant Full HD IPS display
- Long-lasting 5020mAh battery
- AI quad rear camera
Redmi 9 Prime is the entry-level 9 series smartphone from Redmi which is placed just below the Redmi note 9.
Starting at Rs.9,999 for the 4GB/64GB variant, the Redmi 9 prime is one of the most value for money smartphones available in the sub. Rs.10,000 price segment.
Design and Build Quality
The Redmi 9 Prime has a glass front and a plastic back with a plastic frame in the middle.
This helps the smartphone to be weighed less than 200g even with a large 5000mAh processor.
Redmi calls the design of this smartphone the Aura 360 pattern which we are familiar with the likes of POCO X2.
The circular gradient pattern around the camera looks and feels very premium.
Redmi has included a water repellent coating over the chassis to offer some sort of protection from liquid spills and light rains.
The physical fingerprint scanner on this smartphone is placed below the vertical camera module, just like that on the Redmi Note 8 Pro.
Display
This is one area where Redmi 9 Prime beats its competition by a significant margin.
While smartphones such as Realme Narzo and Motorola G8 Power lite come with HD+ displays in this price segment, Redmi has decided to include a 6.53-inch full HD panel with a resolution of 1080 x 2340 pixels.
This display is crazy good for the price in terms of colour accuracy and sharpness. It has a peak brightness of up to 400 nits for easy sunlight visibility as well.
Protected with Corning gorilla glass 3 on top, the Note 9 Prime has a pixel density close to 400ppi, which makes it quite comparable with the display of the higher-priced Redmi Note 9 Pro.
Processor
The Redmi 9 Prime is powered by MediaTek Helio G80 CPU, which is manufactured on a 12nm process.
This chipset is almost twice better than the Snapdragon 439 we had on the Redmi 8 smartphone.
Available in one RAM and two storage variants, both the 4GB/64GB and the 4GB/128GB Note 9 Prime is very fast and responsive.
Running on the latest Android 10 OS with MIUI skin on top, the Redmi 9 prime can even play games without any issues.
You will be able to enjoy titles such as PUBG and Fortnite with medium graphics settings and consistent frame rates.
Camera
The Redmi Note 9 has a quadruple rear camera setup which consists of a 13MP primary camera, 8MP ultrawide camera, 5MP macro camera and 2MP depth-sensing unit.
The front camera is an 8MP shooter with HDR and panorama support.
Both these camera units can capture videos at a maximum resolution of 1080p at 30fps.
Battery life
The Redmi 9 prime packs a massive 5020mAh Li-ion battery inside.
This battery is the same as that of the one found on its elder siblings – the Redmi Note 9 and the Redmi Note 9 Pro series.
With moderate to heavy usage, the Redmi 9 Prime is rated to last over two days on a single charge.
This device supports 18W fast charging if you can invest in a separate charger.
IR blaster remote
18W fast charging support
Attractive Aura 360 design
No bundled fast charger
Specifications
| Operating System/UI | Android 10.0 |
| Internal Memory | 64 GB |
| RAM | 4 GB |
| Processor | MediaTek Helio G80 |
| Camera | 13MP+8MP+5MP+2MP Rear,8MP Front |
| Battery | 5020mAh |
| Display | 6.53-inch Full HD+ |
3. Realme Narzo 10A
Feature Rich Smartphone
- Powerful Helio G70 processor
- AI triple rear camera
- Long-lasting 5000mAh battery
The Narzo series from Realme is a new budget-oriented gaming smartphone lineup.
The Realme Narzo 10A is the entry-level smartphone from the Narzo family priced at Rs.8,999.
Design and Build Quality
The Realme Narzo 10A is quite a stunner when it comes to the looks.
The phone looks and feels amazing in the hand, thanks to the matte finish plastic back case and the slim build profile.
The Narzo 10A comes with a special splash-resistant coating which will help repel water drops from the surface when met with water contact.
The fingerprint sensor is conveniently placed on the backside, in the normal resting position of the index finger.
The micro USB charging port, speaker and the 3.5mm headphone jack are placed on the bottom portion of the phone.
The front display is protected by Corning gorilla glass 3 for saving the panel from accidental scratches.
Overall, the Narzo 10A is a well-made phone considering its price tag.
Display
The Realme Narzo 10A features a 6.52-inch HD+ display with a resolution of 1600 x 720 pixels.
This 20:9 panel has a screen to body ratio of 89.8%, with a pixel density of 269ppi.
This panel can get bright, up to 480nits which will let you use the phone outdoors effortlessly.
The colour and the contrast levels are excellent and it’s evident that Realme hasn’t cut the corners when it comes to the display department.
Processor and Performance
This is where the Narzo 10A outshines its competitors. The MediaTek Helio G70 is a mid-range gaming chipset which punches way above its weight.
Specifically designed for gaming this octa-core chipset can handle pretty much everything throws at it effortlessly.
The 4GB RAM along with the 64GB internal storage is a pretty standard affair when it comes to phones under Rs.10,000.
Games like PUBG will run as HD settings fine without any stutters. COD mobile runs fine with medium graphics settings as well.
Camera
The Realme Narzo 10A has a triple rear camera system. The main sensor is a 12MP shooter with f/1.8 aperture for better low light photography.
The is also a 2MP macro mode sensor for close up shots and a 2MP depth sensor for bokeh mode portraits.
This device can record full HD videos at 30fps with the rear camera.
In the front, there is a 5MP shooter with HDR capability for better selfies.
The images and videos appear decent enough with vivid colours and details when captured in good lighting conditions.
Battery Life
The Realme Narzo 10A packs in a massive 5000mAh battery inside. This battery will last you for a day or two even with heavy usage.
Realme has also included a 10W fast charger in the box which takes around 2 hours to completely charge the device from zero.
Verdict
If you are in search of a gaming phone under Rs.10,000, you should consider checking out the Narzo 10A.
The Helio G70 chipset inside is tailored for gaming and will deliver a pleasant experience for sure.
Reverse charging feature
Splash-proof design
Dedicated SD card slot
No USB type C port
Specifications
| Operating System/UI | Android 10.0 |
| Internal Memory | 64 GB |
| RAM | 4 GB |
| Processor | MediaTek Helio G70 |
| Camera | 12MP + 2MP + 2MP Rear, 5MP Front |
| Battery | 5000mAh |
| Display | 6.52-inch HD+ |
4. Samsung Galaxy M01
Non-Chinese Smartphone
- Easy to use OneUI interface
- Long-lasting battery life
- Decent everyday performance
Samsung has been consistently outnumbered in sales of budget segment smartphones by Xiaomi for a while now.
This was mainly because the Samsung budget phones were specced abysmally and the price for the same was significantly higher than its Chinese counterparts in the segment.
Samsung tries to bridge this gap by introducing the affordable yet feature-rich M series smartphone of which the M01 is the entry-level offering.
Design and Build Quality
The Samsung Galaxy M01 is made from a polycarbonate plastic shell with a glossy finish which looks decent for the price tag it carries.
The build quality seems quite OK for the price and matches the competition.
The rounded corners and edges help this phone to be easily held in the hand and aides better one-hand usability.
The rear side of the phone houses the dual cameras assisted with an LED flash.
The Galaxy M01 comes with a micro-USB port for charging and data syncing and has a 3.5mm jack for plugging in earphones and headphones.
Display
This budget entry-level smartphone has a 5.7-inch HD+ display with a resolution of 720 x 1520 pixels.
The company fondly calls this display as an infinity V display, thanks to the waterdrop notch in the front.
The 19:9 display has a screen to body ratio of 77% and comes with a pixel density of around 295 ppi.
The display is sufficiently bright and the colours look vivid for the price.
Processor and Performance
The Samsung Galaxy M01 packs in a Qualcomm Snapdragon 439 chipset clocked at 2.0GHz.
This processor coupled with 3GB of RAM runs all the casual applications with relative ease and no stutters.
However, the limited RAM might exhibit lags if you are planning to heavily multitask or play memory-intensive games on this device.
Apart from the 32GB internal storage, this device comes with a dedicated SD card slot which can take cards up to 128GB.
Connectivity
This dual SIM budget Android smartphones have two SIM slots and support dual VoLTE.
Camera
This smartphone has a 13MP + 2MP rear camera setup of which the 2MP is a depth sensor which helps you take portrait mode shots.
The front 5MP shooter does its job in well-lit conditions to say the best.
Battery Life
Powering the Samsung Galaxy M01 is a 4000mAh Li-Po battery which is rated to last for two days worth of moderate to heavy usage.
Thanks to the non-full-HD display, the battery life on this device is quite impressive.
Verdict
If you are in search of a branded budget smartphone with unmatched reliability, the Samsung Galaxy M01 is one of the best phones available under Rs.10,000.
OTG compatible
Dedicated SD card slot
Fast face unlock
No fingerprint scanner
Specifications
| Operating System/UI | Android 10.0 |
| Internal Memory | 32 GB |
| RAM | 3 GB |
| Processor | Qualcomm Snapdragon 439 |
| Camera | 13MP + 2MP Rear, 5MP Front |
| Battery | 4000mAh |
| Display | 5.7-inch HD+ |
5. Infinix Hot 9
Best Value for Money Smartphone
- Punch hole camera IPS HD+ display
- Excellent battery life
- 13MP AI quad rear camera setup
Infinix is a Hongkong based company popular for its budget smartphones in developing countries.
The Infinix Hot 9 packs in the most value for money internals when it comes to a smartphone priced under Rs.10,000.
Design and Build Quality
The Infinix Hot 9 has a modern design pleasing to the eyes for a phone costing under Rs.10,000.
The construction is of plastic, but that doesn’t make the device cheap in hand.
The glossy plastic back has a textures design which looks attractive under direct light.
The 20:9 display adorns the front has a 2.5G curved finish at the edges making the phone easy to hold in hand.
Display
The Infinix Hot 9 Pro features a large 6.6-inch HD+ display with a resolution of 1600 x 720 pixels.
This display has a punch hole cutout to house the front camera, giving it a 90% screen to body ratio, quite unheard in its segment.
The display of this smartphone has a peak brightness of 480 nits which is good enough for indoor as well as outdoor usage.
The colours look vivid and the blacks are defined. This is an IPS panel meaning the viewing angles are excellent.
Processor and Performance
The Infinix Hot 9 is powered by a slightly outdated Helio P22 processor coupled with 4GB RAM and 64GB internal storage.
The processor performs well when it comes to casual usage and multi-tasking but stutters with resource-intensive operations and gaming.
If you’re a hardcore gamer, we don’t recommend this phone. Instead, if you are more into media consumption and normal usage, this is the best buy for the price.
Camera
The Infinix Hot 9 features a quad rear camera setup. The main sensor is a 13MP shooter followed by 2MP depth sensor, 2MP macro sensor and a low light sensor.
The photos from this setup appear detailed and colour accurate under favourable lighting conditions. This smartphone is capable of recording full HD videos at 30fps as well.
The front camera is an 8MP sensor with a slew of AI features such as emojis, 3D face beautification, AI portrait etc.
Battery Life
This smartphone is powered by a 5000mAh battery inside which will last you for a full day and a half worth of heavy usage.
The bundled charger is of 10W and charges the battery quite slowly.
Verdict
The Infinix Hot 9 is for those who want good battery life and decent camera performance for a budget under Rs.10,000.
XOS UI on top of Android 10 Q
Dedicated SD card slot
Eye care mode
Not for gaming
Specifications
| Operating System/UI | Android 10.0 |
| Internal Memory | 64 GB |
| RAM | 4 GB |
| Processor | MediaTek Helio P22 |
| Camera | 13 MP + 2 MP + 2 MP + Low Light Sensor Rear, 8MP Front |
| Battery | 5000mAh |
| Display | 6.6-inch HD+ |
6. Realme C12
Best Smartphone for Beginner Users
- Long-lasting battery life
- Decent everyday performance
- Best suited for beginner smartphone users
Realme C12 is a budget Android smartphone launched as the younger sibling of the Realme C15 and the predecessor to the Realme C3.
Design and Build Quality
In terms of design, the Realme C12 looks and feels almost similar to that of the Realme C15.
The glass front, plastic back and frame design are, as it is and the build quality seems decent for the asking price.
For scratch resistance, Realme has added Corning Gorilla glass in the front.
The square-shaped camera module along with the physical fingerprint scanner beside is what populates the rear panel of this smartphone.
Unfortunately, this smartphone comes with a micro USB port for charging and data syncing.
Display
The Realme C12 features a 6.5-inch IPS LCD panel with an HD+ resolution of 720 x 1600 pixels.
This 19.5:9 aspect ratio panel has a screen to body ratio of 83.1% which is quite decent for a smartphone of this price range.
This panel has a decent pixel density of 264ppi that aides in decently sharp-looking visuals and texts from a distance.
Processor and Performance
The Realme C12 smartphone is powered by a MediaTek Helio G35 octa-core processor clocked at 2.3GHz.
This processor along with the 3GB RAM and 32GB eMMC 5.1 storage delivers satisfactory performance with casual tasks such as web browsing and media consumption.
The limited RAM may hinder intense multitasking and induce lag while gaming with resource-intensive titles.
Camera
The Realme C12 features a triple rear camera setup that consists of a 13MP primary sensor with PDAF support.
This sensor along with the 2MP B&W sensor as well the 2MP depth sensor delivers decent looking photos and 1080p FHD videos at 30fps.
In the front, the Realme C12 sport a standard 5MP wide-angle shooter that provides good quality daylight selfies.
Battery Life
The Realme C12 is powered by a whopping 6000mAh non-removable battery that will last you for two full days when with heavy usage.
The bundled charger is of 10W and takes around 2.30-3 hours to completely juice up.
Verdict
The Realme C12 is a perfect choice for beginner smartphone users, especially adults who require a no-frills Android smartphone with decent everyday performance and long-lasting battery life.
USB OTG support
Rear-mounted fingerprint reader
Dedicated SD card slot
Outdated micro USB charging port
Specifications
| Operating System/UI | Android 10.0 |
| Internal Memory | 32 GB |
| RAM | 3 GB |
| Processor | MediaTek Helio G35 |
| Camera | 13MP+2MP+2MP Rear, 5MP Front |
| Battery | 6000mAh |
| Display | 6.52-inch HD+ |
7. Motorola G8 Power Lite
Smartphone with Stock Android OS
- Massive 5000mAh battery
- Decent HD+ display
- Clean and bloat-free stock Android UI
Motorola has been receiving a lot of flake for its pricing strategy as well the choice of the processor on their latest G8 series smartphones.
The company, it seems, has understood the mistake and is back in business with a feature-rich budget smartphone for consumers in the Indian market, the Motorola G8 Power lite.
Design and build quality
The Motorola G8 Power lite has a polycarbonate matte finish design with a curved back.
The backside of the device resembles the Redmi Note 5 Pro from Xiaomi due to the vertical dual camera placement.
Even though the bezels are thin around the display, there is a considerable lower chin on the front which houses the Motorola brand name.
The rear-mounted fingerprint has the famous Motorola logo embossed on it.
Overall the build quality feels very premium and the device doesn’t feel too heavy.
Display
The display on this device is a 6.5-inch IPS LCD panel with an HD+ resolution of 1600 x 720 pixels.
The display is sharp and vivid with accurate colours. The brightness and contrast levels are excellent as well.
The 20:9 aspect ratio display has a centre-punch camera hole similar to the ones found on expensive Samsung devices.
The pixel density of 269 ppi means the images and texts will appear sharp but little bit pixelated if viewed close enough.
Performance
Motorola has been notorious for including outdated SoC in their newer gen smartphones and selling at exorbitant prices.
This time around, the Motorola G8 Power Lite comes with a MediaTek Helio P35 processor which is a budget powerhouse.
Accompanied with 4GB of RAM, this device can handle multitasking very well. Games like PUBG Lite play smoothly and notably, without any overheating.
Camera
This device has a triple rear camera setup which consists of a 16MP main unit, a 2MP macro sensor and a supplementary 2MP depth sensor for accurate portrait mode clicks.
The front 8MP shooter lets you take good quality selfies even under low lighting conditions.
The rear camera supports 1080p recording at 30 fps.
Battery
Powered by a respectable 5000mAh battery, this device will last easily over a day of moderate to heavy usage, especially with the pure stock Android OS.
Unfortunately, Motorola bundles the 10W charger in the box which takes around 2-2.30 hours to completely juice up the battery.
Verdict
It seems Motorola has got it right this time around.
With a good display, a well-built chassis, powered by a decent processor, the Motorola G8 Power lite ticks most of the right boxes for a phone priced under Rs.10,000.
The long-lasting battery makes this a media consumption device without having to worry about the device getting turned off amidst your favourite show.
Fast and accurate fingerprint reader
Dedicated SD card slot
Slow charging speed
Specifications
| Operating System/UI | Android 9.0 |
| Internal Memory | 64 GB |
| RAM | 4 GB |
| Processor | MediaTek Helio P35 |
| Camera | 16MP + 2MP + 2MP Rear, 8MP Front |
| Battery | 5000mAh |
| Display | 6.5-inch HD+ |
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