As always, we have some exciting handsets on our list of smartphones under Rs 15,000 for the month of October. Given that this is a season for online sales, we have managed to slip in some more expensive phones that are now available in this budget. We have phones with 64 MP cameras, 6 GB RAM, AMOLED screens, 120 Hz refresh rate displays and more. Time to look at our top picks within Rs 15,000 this month.
Best phones to buy under Rs 15,000 in India
Motorola G40 Fusion
Let’s start with the largest and most powerful one of the lot that’s a great all-round package in this budget. The Motorola G40 Fusion is the perfect option for those who like big-screen phones. It has a huge 6.8-inch Full HD+ LCD display with HDR10 compliance and a 120 Hz refresh rate; that’s rare in this segment. This phone has a 64 MP primary camera at the back, along with an 8 MP ultrawide camera and a 2 MP depth sensor. A tiny punch-hole at the top of the screen hosts a 16 MP front camera to take care of selfies and video calls.
The Moto G40 Fusion is powered by the Snapdragon 732G SoC, that is an excellent choice for the segment, and is accompanied by 6 GB RAM and 128 GB internal (expandable) storage. Battery backup is quite solid with a 6,000 mAh battery keeping the phone powered for over two days of moderate use. It also supports 20 W fast charging with QuickCharge 4 support. Most importantly, if you love the stock Android user interface, you should strongly consider this phone. Like most Motorola phones, the G40 Fusion has stock UI and runs Android 11 out of the box.
Motorola G40 Fusion price in India: Rs 14,999 for 6 GB RAM/ 128 GB storage
Samsung Galaxy M32
The Samsung Galaxy M32 is very different from the Moto above but an equally good option under Rs 15,000 for brand-conscious buyers. It offers a good mix of features, in addition to the Samsung brand name. The key feature of this handset is its sharp 6.4-inch sAMOLED Full HD+ display with a 90 Hz refresh rate. The battery backup is as good as the Motorola’s, courtesy of a 6,000 mAh battery that can last two full days of moderate use.
It offers quad cameras at the back with a 64 MP primary shooter, 8 MP ultrawide camera, a 2 MP macro camera and a 2 MP depth sensor. The 32 MP front camera located in a drop notch will have the selfie enthusiasts interested. The Samsung Galaxy M32 is powered by a modest Mediatek Helio G80 SoC, and you can purchase its 6 GB RAM and 128 GB (expandable) storage variant in this budget. The phone runs Android 11 with Samsung’s One UI 3.1.
Samsung Galaxy M32 price in India: Rs 14,999 for 6 GB RAM/ 128 GB storage
Poco M2 Pro
The Poco M2 Pro retains its spot on the list courtesy of its impressive feature set. The phone has a large 6.67-inch Full HD+ display with a punch-hole for a 16 MP selfie camera. The screen is HDR compliant and can get up to 450 nits bright. It is protected against scratches by a layer of Corning Gorilla Glass 5, and the protection extends to its glass back too. The Poco M2 Pro is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 720 SoC with 6 GB RAM and 64 GB internal (expandable) storage. Another powerful chip for this segment.
This phone too has four cameras at the back, starting with a 48 MP primary camera, along with an 8 MP ultra-wide shooter, 5 MP macro camera and a 2 MP depth sensor. The image quality is quite good in various modes. The M2 Pro has a 5,000 mAh battery that can last for over a day and a half of moderate use. Even better, the company bundles a 33 W fast charger to juice it up briskly. The phone launched with Android 10 and MIUI 11. The Android 11 update with MIUI 12.5 has started rolling out for the Poco M2 Pro.
Poco M2 Pro price in India: Rs 12,999 for 6 GB RAM/ 64 GB storage
Realme Narzo 30
Realme’s Narzo 30 is another impressive all-rounder in this budget. Other than a stylish exterior, the phone has a 6.5-inch Full HD+ display with a 90 Hz refresh rate for flicker-free scrolling in supported apps. It has a punch-hole that hosts a 16 MP front camera. This phone is powered by Mediatek’s Helio G95 chip that is more than powerful for day-to-day tasks, and for some gaming too at medium settings. You get 6 GB RAM and 128 GB internal (expandable) storage to go with it.
Rear camera department consists of three cameras starting with a 48 MP primary camera, 2 MP macro camera and a 2 MP depth sensor. The company has given the ultrawide camera a skip here. The image quality of the main camera is pretty good for the segment in various lighting conditions. The Realme Narzo 30 has a 5,000 mAh battery that can go on for a day and a half of moderate use. You also get a 30 W Dart charger in the package that can take the battery from 0 to 100 percent in a little over an hour. The phone runs Android 11 with Realme UI 2.0.
Realme Narzo 30 price in India: Rs 14,499 for 6 GB RAM/ 128 GB storage
Redmi Note 10S
The Redmi Note 10S rounds off this list of phones under Rs 15,000 with some more impressive features. It may not be as powerful as the Pro or Max variants from the same series, but does offer some of their features at a lower price point. This is one of the more compact and lighter phones in this budget (for today’s standards). It has a 6.43-inch Full HD+ AMOLED screen that can get as high as 1100 nits bright (theoretically), and is protected against scratches by a layer of Gorilla Glass 3. Just like the Narzo 30, this phone too is powered by Mediatek’s Helio G95 chip. It is accompanied by 6 GB RAM and 64 GB of internal storage that can be expanded further.
The Redmi Note 10S has quad cameras at the back featuring a 64 MP primary camera, an 8 MP ultra-wide shooter, 2 MP macro camera and a 2 MP depth sensor. The image quality is perfectly acceptable for this segment. A 13 MP front camera is adept at handling selfies and video calls. The phone runs Android 11 with MIUI 12.5 on top. This phone has a 5,000 mAh battery that can go beyond a day and a half of moderate use, and supports 33 W fast charging.
Redmi Note 10s price in India: Rs 13,999 for 6 GB RAM/ 64 GB storage