With today's launch of the Xiaomi Redmi 1S, the budget smartphone segment has a new leader. But Xiaomi will follow its flash sale model for the foreseeable future, meaning it's not going to be easy to get your hands on one. Case in point, the 40,000 units Xiaomi put up this time went out of stock in 4.2 seconds. So, if you happen to get tired of trying, here are some other smartphones that you can go for. Let's go from the most inexpensive to the most expensive options.
Asus Zenfone 4
Asus has launched two very good devices in its Zenfone series. The Zenfone 4 has a 4-inch 720p display with the Intel Z2520 dual-core processor. It costs the same as the Redmi 1S and provides good value for money.
Price: Rs. 5,999
Karbonn Titanium S1 Plus
If you read the magazine, you would know that in our recent under 10k smartphone shootout, this was the phone that took the best performer ranking. The Titanium S1 Plus has a quad-core 1.2 GHz SoC with 1 GB of RAM. It also doesn't cost much more than the Redmi 1S.
Price: Rs. 6,490
Moto E
The erstwhile leader of the budget segment is still a good phone to buy. If brand recognition matters for you, then the Moto E would be the best choice for you. It lacks the specifications of the Redmi 1S or Zenfone 4, but this was the phone that revolutionised this segment.
Price: Rs. 6,999
Asus Zenfone 5
The elder brother of the Asus Zenfone 4 and the first smartphone that Asus launched in India. The Zenfone 5 has a 5-inch 720p display with the 2 GHz Intel Z2580 dual-core processor. It performs well and is a well built device. It costs you more though, but if you have a budget of Rs. 10,000 then this is a very good buy. It was also the best value for money smartphone in our under 10k smartphones shootout published in the magazine recently.
Price: Rs. 9,999
Intex Aqua i5 HD
The Redmi 1S has an amazing camera that you won't find in any other smartphone that costs below Rs. 7,000. The Intex Aqua i5 HD on the other hand has a 13 MP camera, which you won't find in many other smartphones priced within Rs. 10,000. The camera is quite good too and takes clean shots.
Price: Rs. 10,990
ZTE V5
Speaking of 13 MP cameras, ZTE just launched this smartphone in India (a few hours before this slideshow was made). We haven't had the device for a full review yet, but it felt good on first impressions. If you have the budget, then you should probably wait for this one. It's available on Snapdeal exclusively and has the same Dragontrail glass protection that the Redmi 1S uses. Also, ZTE has gone with the OGS technology for the display. We'll tell you more after the full review.
Price: Rs. 10,999