It is true that in today’s time you don’t really need to spend a lot of money to buy a smartphone equipped with premium features. Samsung, Xiaomi, and Realme are constantly launching Value for Money smartphones under Rs 15,000. There are many smartphones from Realme Narzo 10 Series, Samsung Galaxy M21 to Redmi Note 9 Pro, and Vivo Z1 Pro, which will give you great specifications and features at a low price. We bring you the guide of the best smartphone every month, in which according to our review, a list of smartphones that have scored good scores is given. We have updated this guide once again and added a few other smartphones to it including Realme Narrows 10 and Samsung Galaxy M21.
Realme launched its Youth-Centric Narzo 10 Series in India. At the same time, Samsung launched the new Galaxy M21 in the Indian market. There are also some older models, which were included in our previous guide and have retained their place in the June 2020 list as well. These include Vivo Z1 Pro, Redmi Note 9 Pro, Note 8 Pro, Vivo U20.
If you have a budget of Rs 15,000 to buy a new smartphone, then you do not have to do research everywhere. We have brought here a list of some of the best smartphones for you, which will fit within your budget. Gadgets 360 has reviewed all these smartphones and they have not disappointed us in our testing.
Best phones under 15,000
| Phones under Rs.15,000 | OffersCouponsDeals rating (out of 10) | Price in India (as recommended) | Buy Now |
|---|---|---|---|
| Samsung Galaxy M21 | 7 | Rs.13,199 | Buy Now |
| Realme Narzo 10 | 8 | Rs.11,999 | Buy Now |
| Redmi Note 9 Pro | 8 | Rs.13,999 | Buy Now |
| Realme 6 | 8 | Rs.13,999 | Buy Now |
| Vivo Z1 Pro | 8 | Rs.13,990 | Buy Now |
| Redmi Note 8 | 7 | Rs.11,999 | Buy Now |
| Vivo U20 | 8 | Rs.11,990 | Buy Now |
Samsung Galaxy M21
We were quite surprised at how similar the Galaxy M21 was compared to the Samsung Galaxy M30s. In fact, apart from a high-resolution selfie camera on the new model, the two phones are almost identical. The best thing is that the price of Samsung Galaxy M21 is kept lower than the Galaxy M30S, which makes it a better option.
Some of the strong points of the phone include its excellent AMOLED display, low weight, very good battery life, and decent app performance. It runs on Samsung’s One UI 2.0 interface based on Android 10. It works on the Exynos 9611 chipset, which is not the most powerful chipset, especially if you have better Qualcomm and MediaTek chipsets available on some smartphones in the same segment. Still, for general use and light gaming, the Eginos 9611 chipset performs well.
Triple rear cameras work fine during the day, but they struggle a bit in low light. The 20-megapixel selfie camera is a nice improvement over the Galaxy M30s. Photos taken during the day bring good detail and even low light shots cannot be called bad.
The 4 GB RAM and 128 GB storage variants of the Samsung Galaxy M21 are sold in India at a price of Rs 13,199 and its high-end variant comes with 6 GB RAM + 128 GB storage, priced at Rs 15,499.
Samsung Galaxy M21 Specifications
Summary
| performance | Samsung Exynos 9611 Octa core |
| storage | 64 GB |
| camera | 48MP + 8MP + 5MP |
| battery | 6000 mAh |
| display | 6.4″ (16.21 cm) |
| ram | 4 GB |
| Launch Date in India | March 18, 2020 (Official) |
key specs
| front camera | 20 MP |
| battery | 6000 mAh |
| processor | Samsung Exynos 9 Octa 9611 |
| display | 6.4 inches |
| ram | 4 GB |
| rear camera | 48 MP + 8 MP + 5 MP |
Special features
| other sensors | Light sensor, Proximity sensor, Accelerometer, Gyroscope |
| fingerprint sensor position | Rear |
| fingerprint sensor | Yes |
General
| quick charging | Yes |
| operating system | Android v10 (Q) |
| sim slots | Dual SIM, GSM+GSM |
| model | Galaxy M21 |
| launch date | March 18, 2020 (Official) |
| custom ui | Samsung One UI |
| brand | Samsung |
| sim size | SIM1: Nano SIM2: Nano |
| network | 4G: Available (supports Indian bands) 3G: Available, 2G: Available |
| fingerprint sensor | Yes |
Multimedia
| audio jack | 3.5 mm |
| audio features | Dolby Atmos |
| loudspeaker | Yes |
Performance
| chipset | Samsung Exynos 9 Octa 9611 |
| graphics | Mali-G72 MP3 |
| processor | Octa core (2.3 GHz, Quad core, Cortex A73 + 1.7 GHz, Quad core, Cortex A53) |
| architecture | 64 bit |
| ram | 4 GB |
Design
| width | 75.1 mm |
| weight | 188 grams |
| build material | Back: Plastic |
| thickness | 8.9 mm |
| height | 159 mm |
| colours | Midnight Blue, Raven Black |
Display
| display type | Super AMOLED |
| aspect ratio | 19.5:9 |
| bezelless display | Yes with waterdrop notch |
| screen to body ratio claimed by the brand | 91 % |
| pixel density | 403 ppi |
| screen protection | Corning Gorilla Glass v3 |
| screen to body ratio calculated | 84.02 % |
| screen size | 6.4 inches (16.21 cm) |
| screen resolution | 1080 x 2340 pixels |
| touch screen | Yes Capacitive Touchscreen, Multi-touch |
Storage
| internal memory | 64 GB |
| user available storage | Up to 49 GB |
| expandable memory | Yes Up to 512 GB |
Camera
| camera setup | Single |
| settings | Exposure compensation, ISO control |
| camera features | 4 x Digital Zoom, Auto Flash, Face detection, Touch to focus |
| image resolution | 8000 x 6000 Pixels |
| autofocus | No |
| shooting modes | Continuos Shooting, High Dynamic Range mode (HDR) |
| resolution | 20 MP f/2.2 Primary Camera |
| physical aperture | F2.2 |
| optical image stabilisation | No |
| flash | No |
| video recording | 1920×1080 @ 30 fps |
Battery
| user replaceable | No |
| type | Li-ion |
| quick charging | Yes Fast, 15W |
| capacity | 6000 mAh |
Network connectivity
| wifi | Yes Wi-Fi 802.11, ac/b/g/n/n 5GHz |
| wifi features | Wi-Fi Direct, Mobile Hotspot |
| bluetooth | Yes v5.0 |
| volte | Yes |
| usb connectivity | Mass storage device, USB charging |
| sar value | Head: 0.468 W/kg |
| nfc | No |
| network support | 4G (supports Indian bands), 3G, 2G |
| gps | Yes with A-GPS, Glonass |
| sim 1 | 4G Bands:TD-LTE 2600(band 38) / 2300(band 40) / 2500(band 41) FD-LTE 2100(band 1) / 1800(band 3) / 2600(band 7) / 900(band 8) / 850(band 5) / 800(band 20)3G Bands: UMTS 1900 / 2100 / 850 / 900 MHz2G Bands: GSM 1800 / 1900 / 850 / 900 MHz GPRS:Available EDGE:Available |
| sim size | SIM1: Nano, SIM2: Nano |
| sim 2 | 4G Bands: TD-LTE 2600(band 38) / 2300(band 40) / 2500(band 41) FD-LTE 2100(band 1) / 1800(band 3) / 2600(band 7) / 900(band 8) / 850(band 5) / 800(band 20)3G Bands: UMTS 1900 / 2100 / 850 / 900 MHz 2G Bands: GSM 1800 / 1900 / 850 / 900 MHz GPRS:Available EDGE:Available |
Realme Narzo 10
Realme recently launched its Narzo 10 series. The Realme Narzo 10 smartphone is a good offer for under Rs 15,000. Realme is looking to focus on the youth here. Therefore, the company teases the phone for better gaming performance. The Narzo 10 includes the MediaTek Helio G80 chipset, which handles games well and is solid in terms of app loading and multitasking performance as well. This smartphone also has good battery life.
The main area where the Narzo 10 could do better is its cameras. Daylight performance was good with all the rear cameras and the same front, but the low-light performance did not please us much. The camera app could have been a bit more intuitive. Realme UI looks fresh and interesting, but still contains lots of bloatware.
It has only one configuration with 4 GB RAM and 128 GB storage. It costs Rs 11,999. Narzo 10 minor issues can be forgiven at this price.
Realme Narzo 10 Specifications
Summary
| performance | MediaTek Helio G80 |
| storage | 128 GB |
| camera | 48+8+2+2 MP |
| battery | 5000 mAh |
| display | 6.5″ (16.51 cm) |
| ram | 4 GB |
| Launch Date in India | May 18, 2020 (Official) |
Key specs
| front camera | 16 MP |
| battery | 5000 mAh |
| processor | MediaTek Helio G80 |
| display | 6.5 inches |
| ram | 4 GB |
| rear camera | 48 MP + 8 MP + 2 MP + 2 MP |
Special features
| other sensors | Light sensor, Proximity sensor, Accelerometer, Gyroscope |
| fingerprint sensor position | Rear |
| fingerprint sensor | Yes |
General
| quick charging | Yes |
| operating system | Android v10 (Q) |
| sim slots | Dual SIM, GSM+GSM |
| model | Narzo |
| launch date | May 18, 2020 (Official) |
| custom ui | Realme UI |
| brand | Realme |
| sim size | SIM1: Nano SIM2: Nano |
| network | 5G: Supported by device (network not rolled-out in India), 4G: Available (supports Indian bands), 3G: Available, 2G: Available |
| fingerprint sensor | Yes |
Multimedia
| fm radio | Yes |
| audio jack | 3.5 mm |
| loudspeaker | Yes |
Performance
| bootup time tested by 91mobiles | 27.0 s |
| chipset | MediaTek Helio G80 |
| graphics | Mali-G52 |
| processor | Octa core (2 GHz, Dual core, Cortex A75 + 1.8 GHz, Hexa Core, Cortex A55) |
| architecture | 64 bit |
| ram | 4 GB |
Design
| build material | Back: Plastic |
| thickness | 9 mm |
| width | 75.4 mm |
| weight | 199 grams |
| waterproof | Yes Splash proof |
| height | 164.4 mm |
| colours | That White, That Green |
Display
| display type | IPS LCD |
| aspect ratio | 20:9 |
| bezelless display | Yes with waterdrop notch |
| screen to body ratio claimed by the brand | 89.8 % |
| pixel density | 270 ppi |
| screen protection | Corning Gorilla Glass v3 |
| screen to body ratio calculated | 82.29 % |
| screen size | 6.5 inches (16.51 cm) |
| refresh rate | 60 Hz |
| screen resolution | 720 x 1600 pixels |
| touch screen | Yes Capacitive Touchscreen, Multi-touch |
Storage
| internal memory | 128 GB |
| usb otg support | Yes |
| expandable memory | Yes Up to 256 GB |
Camera
| camera setup | Single |
| settings | Exposure compensation, ISO control |
| camera features | 10 x Digital Zoom, Auto Flash, Face detection, Touch to focus |
| image resolution | 8000 x 6000 Pixels |
| sensor | CMOS image sensor |
| autofocus | Yes Phase Detection autofocus |
| shooting modes | Continuos Shooting, High Dynamic Range mode (HDR) |
| resolution | 16 MP f/2.0, Wide Angle Primary Camera(26 mm focal length, 3″ sensor size, 1µm pixel size) |
| physical aperture | F2.0 |
| flash | Yes LED Flash |
| video recording | 1920×1080 @ 30 fps |
Battery
| user replaceable | No |
| standby time | Up to 936 Hours(2G) |
| type | Li-ion |
| quick charging | Yes Quick, 18W |
| usb typec | Yes |
| capacity | 5000 mAh |
Network connectivity
| wifi | Yes Wi-Fi 802.11, b/g/n |
| wifi features | Mobile Hotspot |
| bluetooth | Yes v5.0 |
| volte | Yes |
| usb connectivity | Mass storage device, USB charging |
| sar value | Head: 0.857 W/kg, Body: 0.609 W/kg |
| nfc | No |
| network support | 5G supported by device (network not rolled-out in India), 4G (supports Indian bands), 3G, 2G |
| gps | Yes with A-GPS, Glonass |
| sim 1 | 4G Bands:TD-LTE 2600(band 38) / 2300(band 40) / 2500(band 41) FD-LTE 2100(band 1) / 1800(band 3) / 900(band 8) / 850(band 5)3G Bands: UMTS 1900 / 2100 / 850 / 900 MHz2G Bands: GSM 1800 / 1900 / 850 / 900 MHz GPRS:Available EDGE:Available |
| sim size | SIM1: Nano, SIM2: Nano |
| sim 2 | 4G Bands: TD-LTE 2600(band 38) / 2300(band 40) / 2500(band 41) FD-LTE 2100(band 1) / 1800(band 3) / 900(band 8) / 850(band 5)3G Bands: UMTS 1900 / 2100 / 850 / 900 MHz 2G Bands: GSM 1800 / 1900 / 850 / 900 MHz GPRS:Available EDGE:Available |
Redmi Note 9 Pro
One of the best phones in the Rs 15,000 segment is the recently launched Redmi Note 9 Pro smartphone. Dual-SIM Redmi Note 9 Pro comes with a 6.67-inch full-HD + (1080×2400 pixels) IPS display. Although it weighs a bit more, which is 209 grams, its design is such that you will not feel much of its weight.
The Redmi Note 9 Pro uses the Octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 720G processor and comes in two variants, one with 4GB RAM and 64GB storage and the other with 6GB RAM and 128GB storage. The price of the first variant is Rs 13,999. Although it was priced at Rs 12,999 at the time of launch, but due to the increased GST rate, its price has been broken. The phone’s 6 GB RAM + 128 GB storage variant is priced at Rs 15,999.
Xiaomi Redmi Note 9 Pro Specifications
Summary
| performance | Snapdragon 720G |
| storage | 64 GB |
| camera | 48+8+5+2 MP |
| battery | 5020 mAh |
| display | 6.67″ (16.94 cm) |
| ram | 4 GB |
| Launch Date in India | March 17, 2020 (Official) |
Key specs
| front camera | 16 MP |
| battery | 5020 mAh |
| processor | Qualcomm Snapdragon 720G |
| display | 6.67 inches |
| ram | 4 GB |
| rear camera | 48 MP + 8 MP + 5 MP + 2 MP |
Special features
| other sensors | Light sensor, Proximity sensor, Accelerometer, Compass, Gyroscope |
| fingerprint sensor position | Side |
| fingerprint sensor | Yes |
General
| quick charging | Yes |
| operating system | Android v10 (Q) |
| sim slots | Dual SIM, GSM+GSM |
| model | Redmi Note 9 Pro |
| launch date | March 17, 2020 (Official) |
| custom ui | MIUI |
| brand | Xiaomi |
| sim size | SIM1: Nano SIM2: Nano |
| network | 4G: Available (supports Indian bands), 3G: Available, 2G: Available |
| fingerprint sensor | Yes |
Multimedia
| audio jack | 3.5 mm |
| loudspeaker | Yes |
Performance
| bootup time tested by 91mobiles | 26.0 s |
| chipset | Qualcomm Snapdragon 720G |
| graphics | Adreno 618 |
| processor | Octa core (2.3 GHz, Dual core, Kryo 465 + 1.8 GHz, Hexa Core, Kryo 465) |
| architecture | 64 bit |
| ram | 4 GB |
Design
| build material | Back: Gorilla Glass |
| thickness | 8.8 mm |
| width | 76.6 mm |
| weight | 209 grams |
| waterproof | Yes Splash proof |
| height | 165.7 mm |
| colours | Aurora Blue, Glacier White, Interstellar Black |
Display
| display type | IPS LCD |
| aspect ratio | 20:9 |
| bezelless display | Yes with punch-hole display |
| pixel density | 395 ppi |
| screen protection | Corning Gorilla Glass v5 |
| screen to body ratio calculated | 84.62 % |
| screen size | 6.67 inches (16.94 cm) |
| screen resolution | 1080 x 2400 pixels |
| touch screen | Yes Capacitive Touchscreen, Multi-touch |
Storage
| internal memory | 64 GB |
| usb otg support | Yes |
| expandable memory | Yes Up to 512 GB |
Camera
| camera setup | Single |
| settings | Exposure compensation, ISO control |
| camera features | 10 x Digital Zoom, Auto Flash, Face detection, Touch to focus |
| image resolution | 8000 x 6000 Pixels |
| sensor | CMOS image sensor, ISOCELL Plus |
| autofocus | Yes Phase Detection autofocus |
| shooting modes | Continuos Shooting, High Dynamic Range mode (HDR) |
| resolution | 16 MP Primary Camera(1µm pixel size) |
| physical aperture | F1.79 |
| flash | Yes LED Flash |
| video recording | 1920×1080 @ 30 fps, 1280×720 @ 30 fps |
Battery
| user replaceable | No |
| standby time | Up to 492 Hours(2G) |
| talktime | Up to 29 Hours(2G) |
| quick charging | Yes Fast, 18W |
| usb typec | Yes |
| type | Li-Polymer |
| battery charging time 20 to 100 tested by 91mobiles | 02h 15m 07s |
| capacity | 5020 mAh |
Network connectivity
| wifi | Yes Wi-Fi 802.11, ac/b/g/n, MIMO |
| wifi features | Wi-Fi Direct, Mobile Hotspot |
| wifi calling | Yes |
| bluetooth | Yes v5.0 |
| volte | Yes |
| usb connectivity | Mass storage device, USB charging |
| nfc | No |
| network support | 4G (supports Indian bands), 3G, 2G |
| gps | Yes with A-GPS, Glonass |
| sim 1 | 4G Bands:TD-LTE 2300(band 40) / 2500(band 41) FD-LTE 2100(band 1) / 1800(band 3) / 900(band 8) / 850(band 5)3G Bands: UMTS 1900 / 2100 / 850 / 900 MHz2G Bands: GSM 1800 / 1900 / 850 / 900 MHz GPRS:Available EDGE:Available |
| sim size | SIM1: Nano, SIM2: Nano |
| sim 2 | 4G Bands: TD-LTE 2300(band 40) / 2500(band 41) FD-LTE 2100(band 1) / 1800(band 3) / 900(band 8) / 850(band 5)3G Bands: UMTS 1900 / 2100 / 850 / 900 MHz 2G Bands: GSM 1800 / 1900 / 850 / 900 MHz GPRS:Available EDGE:Available |
Realme 6
Realme 6 is designed to be much better, but the side-mounted fingerprint scanner may not be the best one. The weight of this device is 191 grams, while the phone’s display comes with a 90 Hz refresh rate.
The Realme 6 smartphone has a MediaTek Helio G90T processor, which is a gaming processor. Apart from this, in terms of RAM and storage, you will get three variants in this phone, 4 GB RAM + 64 GB storage model, 6 GB RAM + 128 GB storage model, and 8 GB RAM + 128 GB storage model. At the same time, we found that the camera quality of this phone proves to be better in daylight. The base variant of the phone costs Rs 13,99
Realme 6 Full Specifications & Review
Vivo Z1 Pro
The design and gradient finish of Vivo’s first online exclusive smartphone Vivo Z1 Pro is eye-catching. The phone has a Qualcomm Snapdragon 712 processor, which can fulfill everyday tasks comfortably. When we used this phone, we did not see any problem. The battery of Vivo Z1 Pro is 5,000 mAh and in terms of weight, it can prove to be a bit annoying smartphone. This phone weighs 201 grams.
The Vivo Z1 Pro offers a hole-punch display, which has now become the common screen found in this price range. The phone’s panel is quite sharp, giving a great viewing angle. In this phone, you get a triple rear camera setup, which provides a great picture-taking experience in daylight. At the same time, the camera of this phone works well even in low light.
Vivo Z1 Pro also has three variants available, 4 GB + 64 GB, 6 GB + 64 GB and 6 GB + 128 GB. You will find two variants of the phone in this price range.
Vivo Z1 PRO Full Specification & Review
Redmi Note 8
The Redmi Note 8 phone is available under Rs 10,000 only. The initial price of this phone is Rs 10,999, it is the most affordable smartphone in this budget range. This phone has a crisp full-HD display and a Qualcomm Snapdragon 665 processor. This phone is also available in two variants, one 4 GB + 64 GB and the other 6 GB and 128 GB. Both phones are in your budget.
Xiaomi has given a quad rear camera setup in Redmi Note 8. There will be a 48-megapixel primary camera, 8-megapixel wide-angle shooter, and two 2-megapixel sensors. The camera performance of the phone is quite good in this price range.
Redmi Note 8 Full Specification & Review
Vivo U20
Vivo launched the Vivo U Series to compete with Redmi and Realme. The Vivo U20 phone is equipped with Qualcomm Snapdragon 675 processor and the battery of this phone is 5,000 mAh. At the same time, a triple rear camera setup has been given on this phone. The weight of the phone is slightly heavier due to the battery. In the phone’s bomb, you will find a Micro-USB port, which is a bit disappointing, because now Type-C ports are also available in the market in this price range.
Apart from this, the company will also provide an 18-watt charger with this phone. This phone is also great in this price range, on this phone you can do many things at one time whether it is watching videos or chatting. The phone camera is average. If you are looking at a phone for photography in this budget, then this phone is probably not for you.
This phone will get 2 variants, 4 GB RAM and 64 GB storage variants, and another 6 GB RAM and 64 GB storage variants. The base variant of this phone costs Rs 11,990 and the top variant costs Rs 12,999.
