The demand for entry level phones in India seems to be on the rise. If not already, this segment of phones under ₹8,000 is slowly becoming one of the most popular ones in the market, with a number of interesting budget offerings launched by some of the biggest brands in the past months. Devices like the Redmi 13C, POCO M5 and Samsung Galaxy M04 currently rule this segment where there’s an interesting intersection of full Android and Android Go-based phones. But despite, the budget segment of the market being currently flush with options and there existing plenty of devices one can buy in the segment, the buying pool is little smaller when the budget is brought down to ₹8,000. But we’re here to help with the confusion and help you make a good buying decision. Here are the best smartphones you can buy under ₹8,000.
- 1.
- Responsive display
- Decent performance
- Good front camera
- Too much bloatware
- Main camera lacks natural colours
- Slippery design
The Redmi 13C is one of the most dependable phones you can buy under ₹8,000. This is a 4G phone, but currently, the Indian market has no 5G phones at this price. The phone houses the MediaTek Helio G85 processor that is capable of handling basic tasks just fine. You also get a healthy 4/6/8 GB of LPDDR4X RAM for your multitasking needs. One of the highlights of this phone is its 90 Hz refresh rate display that makes operation feel smooth. The main 50-megapixel camera is also not bad for the price, outputting some pretty good images in ideal lighting.
- 2.
- Stylish design, Dependable performance, Value for money
- Takes eons to fully charge
The POCO M5 sports one of the most stylish designs in the budget smartphone market – a good blend of eye-catching and classy. You get all the essential features you would expect at this price including an impressive display, a capable processor, and a decent primary camera. You do miss out on 5G but that’s not expected at this price. The battery life is excellent, but it does take eons to charge due to the low charging wattage. All in all, a good value for money offering with very few cons.
- 3.
Motorola’s Moto G04 impresses with its sleek design, 6.5-inch HD+ display, and robust performance powered by a Unisoc T606 octa-core processor and 8GB of RAM. Photography enthusiasts will appreciate the 16 MP rear camera that takes pretty decent pictures for the price. With 128GB of internal storage expandable up to 1TB, storage concerns are alleviated. The device’s 5,000mAh battery ensures all-day usage. Overall, the Moto G04 delivers exceptional value in the budget smartphone market.
- 4.
The Samsung Galaxy M04 is also a good multitasked for the price. The smartphone is powered by a MediaTek Helio P35 SoC under the hood, which gives the smartphone enough power to run applications of daily use on the big 6.5-inch HD+ LCD display, which is bright but not the most stunning or vibrant display we have seen in this segment. The phone also comes with Android 12 out of the box, and is also future proof in the updates department with Samsung promising four years of security updates and two OS upgrades even in the budget segment. So if you want something that is reliable, has enough power to take care of all tasks, and is a long lasting option, the Samsung Galaxy M04 is for you.
- 5.
The itel S23 is a decent budget option with a few things going for it. The phone has a 90 Hz display which makes it feel smooth in day-to-day operation. It is also quite lightweight and comfortable to hold, at just 195 g. There’s a big 5,000 mAh battery on board which works well coupled with the Unisoc T616 processor. Since the processor is not very powerful, it doesn’t drain battery quickly which makes the phone last long. Some cons include a basic camera setup, the dated Android 12 OS out of the box, and slow 10W charging.
- 6.
Redmi 10A is a good offering which comes with pretty much all you’d want in a budget smartphone. It has a good, albeit single lens camera set-up at the back and also a capable front camera for selfies. The display on the phone again is good for the price, with the phone getting a 6.53-inch HD+ IPS display capable of reaching decent peaks at 400 nits. The processor inside is also good for handling simple apps and the occasional game you throw at it. This is the MediaTek Helio G25 SoC, which may not be the most powerful chip on a phone, but is definitely more than good enough to be on a phone in this budget smartphone list. This package is kept alive using a 5000mAh battery pack. However, there’s no fast charging on this one, so that’s a consideration which needs to be made before making a buying decision.
- 7.
- Attractive design, Good camera performance, Sufficiently powerful
- Display feels underwhelming, Bunch of bloatware apps, No type-C charging
The Redmi 12C is a solid entry-level offering. It has a striking design, a decent display, and good performance for the price. You will definitely encounter some lag and stutters, but that’s normal for a phone under ₹8,000. The battery backup won’t give you much to complain about but the charging speeds are on the lower side. The software is packed with bloatware, but if you’re already used to Xiaomi devices, you will feel at home here. The cameras are one of the best in the segment, making it a superb all-rounder at a competitive price.
- 8.
The Redmi A1 is one of the best looking and most popular Android Go phones that you can buy right now. Although it is an entry level offering and comes with a polycarbonate unibody design, the smartphone feels super solid and very premium in the hand, thanks to the leather-like pattern on the back panel. The display display is not the largest, but with a 6.52-inch size, it is big enough for all kinds of users, and the brightness is pretty good for media consumption. The processor is also good for the price, with the MediaTek Helio A22 SoC that we have seen on many smartphones at a higher price point. Probably the safest option if you are looking for something stylish, reliable, and long-lasting.
- 9.
The Realme C30 is a good option if you’re looking for a phone with a big, bright and vibrant display, along with a big battery, but on a tight budget. The 6.5-inch panel on the device is an IPS display which has a rather dull pixel density of only 270 ppi – a decent number is you plan on using the phone for browsing the web and reading news on the phone, but not the best if you want to consume HD content. It also offers workable viewing angles for times when you want to watch movies and TV shows, or when you want to glance through notifications of your home screen. The cameras on the device are also good for the price, with the Realme C30 featuring a single 8MP f/2.0 Wide-Angle lens that’s decent for day-time photography.
- 10.
This one’s a device that offers a sporty, ultra-slim design and decent in hand feel along with a display that’s good for watching movies and shows – at least for the price. In fact, the latter is definitely the highlight of the device. Paired with the 5000mAh battery pack on the phone, the device’s display enables long-runtimes for browsing the web and tasks of daily use. There’s also an 8-megapixel camera on the phone for times when you want to click the occasional picture.
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Dhriti Datta
Perpetually sporting a death stare, this one can be seen tinkering around with her smartphone which she holds more dear than life itself and stuffing her face with copious amounts of bacon. View Full Profile
