INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:

Authors: JordanFinding the very best smartphone under Rs 15,000 in a crowded market is difficult

While the big guns like the Samsung Galaxy S9, iPhone X, LG V30 and Google Pixel 2 steal the show when it comes to flagship smartphones,

there are a lot of intriguing options available in the world of budget phones as well.Sadly though, smartphone innovation isn't cheap –

and most of it is reserved for high-end phones

However, the technology that was once impossible to imagine on budget phones is now available at cheapest possible prices, thanks to the

competitive market and Chinese manufacturers, that hold a massive market share in India.We have used a lot of them, and many have actually

impressed

Right now, there are some really good choices under Rs 15,000 range

If your budget is close to what we just mentioned, then we have some recommendations.Don't need to worry about cost Check out our best phone

listXiaomi Redmi Note 5 ProWeight: 181g | Dimensions: 158.6 x 75.4 x 8.1mm | OS: Android 7.0 | Screen size: 5.99-inch | Resolution: 1080 x

cameraImmersive displaySame design and build as Note 4No fast chargingXiaomi Redmi Note 5 Pro is close to being the most dominant contender

in sub 15k price segment

It was the first phone to ship with Snapdragon 636, now accompanied by the Zenfone Max Pro M1

The phone offers solid performance for price and combines all the necessary features like a good battery, big display, software features and

more.We even compared its new dual camera module with the OnePlus 5T, and the results were surprisingly good.Read the full review:Redmi Note

5 ProAsus Zenfone Max Pro M1The comeback phone for AsusWeight: 180g | Dimensions: 159 x 76 x 8.5 mm | OS: Android 8.1 Oreo | Screen size:

camera: 8MPHumongous batteryPowerful chipsetMediocre camera qualityOne of the most sensible phones that Asus has made in years

Yes, that's the kind of response the phone is getting after release

And the company has released the latest update that brings security patches and fixes performance.It has everything that the Redmi Note 5

Pro has and it offers slightly better battery life, plus, a stock Android experience

The camera is where the device looses some points, it doesn't impress in comparison to the Note 5 Pro, which is the only issue. Read the

full review: Asus ZenFone Max Pro M1 Xiaomi Mi A1Weight: 165g | Dimensions: 155.4 x 75.8 x 7.3mm | OS: Android 7.1.2 | Screen size:

camera: 5MPBest dual camera system on a budgetGoogle software with timely updatesSmaller batteryDerivative designThe result of Xiaomi's

partnership with Google, the Mi A1 is supported by the Search giant's Android One program

It is aimed at users who want a premium smartphone experience at a low price. The Mi A1 reboots Google's Android One program, which was at

first created for budget phone makers

Google has now tweaked the finer points just a bit and will now house all phones that run on stock Android and not made by the company.The

Mi A1 features a full HD 5.5-inch IPS display and is powered by Qualcomm's Snapdragon 625 octa-core processor, backed by 4GB of RAM and an

onboard storage of 64GB which can further be expanded with the help of a microSD card. The Mi A1 has a dual camera setup and houses twin

12-megapixel camera modules, one wide-angle, f/2.2 aperture and a telephoto f/2.6 camera

On the front, there is a 5-megapixel selfie camera as well. As the smartphone is associated with Android One, it runs on stock Android

7.1.2 with promised update to Android 8.0 Oreo and even Android P

The Mi A1 draws power from a 3,080 mAh battery which supports fast charging.Buy Xiaomi Mi A1 from Flipkart @ Rs 14,999Read the full

review:Xiaomi Mi A1Honor 9 Lite (32 GB)Weight: 149g | Dimensions: 151 x 71.9 x 7.6mm | OS: Android 8 Oreo | Screen size: 5.6-inch |

2MPVibrant 18:9 displayPremium lookingAndroid 8.0 OreoEMUI is a messFast charge not supportedThe Honor 9 lite has everything going for

itself in the design department with the shiny 2.5D glass on back

It looks dapper in the Sapphire Blue colour variant.The 18:9 aspect ratio display is vibrant and is reason enough to buy this phone

It also has a quad-camera setup

The front-facing cameras capture some good pictures while the rear one leaves much to be desired

There's no fast charge support which might be a deal breaker for some. Read the full review: Honor 9 Lite reviewXiaomi Redmi Note 5 (3GB

RAM)The 18:9 display make it to the Redmi Weight: 180g | Dimensions: 158.5 x 75.5 x 8.1 mm | OS: Android 7 | Screen size: 5.99-inch |

5MPValue for moneyGood battery lifeStill runs Android NougatDated designFor just Rs 9,999, the Redmi Note 5 replaces the Note 4 for the top

spot

The new phone is an update over its predecessor

It has a new 18:9 display with a slightly better camera and software optimisations

The smartphone has everything that one expects from a phone of this range. The Snapdragon 625 with 3GB RAM is good enough to sail you

through intensive usage with a phenomenal full-day battery life.Read the full review: Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 reviewMoto G5 PlusThe best Moto G

performanceNon-removable batteryNo NFCThe Moto G5 Plus is one of the best smartphones under Rs 15,000

Dominating the sub 20K category, the Moto G5 Plus was launched in two storage variants - 3GB RAM/16GB internal storage and 4GB RAM/32GB

internal storage

However, only the 3GB/16GB variant falls under the Rs 15K price segment.It is the first G series phone to come with a metal build and looks

very fresh and premium

Another highlight of the phone is its camera, which has sustained the standards set by its sibling, the Moto G4 Plus, and has improved upon

them

The Snapdragon 625 chipset does a great job and 3GB RAM makes it good enough for multitasking.Read the full review: Motorola Moto G5

PlusHonor 7XHonor updates one of its best to Android NougatWeight: 165g | Dimensions: 156.5 x 75.3 x 7.6 mm | OS: Android 7 | Screen size:

8MPPremium buildVibrant 18:9 displayImpressive cameraNo USB Type-CCharges slowlyThe Honor 7X brings an 18:9 aspect ratio to the mid-range

segment, along with dual-camera setup

Other than that, the camera onboard the 7X is a pretty good snapper while the slick metal unibody makes it feel like a premium smartphone.It

runs on the Kirin 659 chipset, which is claimed to be a tough competitor to the Snapdragon 625 backed by 4GB of RAM

It comes in two storage variants - 32GB and 64GB

Only the 32GB variant falls under the 15K category. It is still a good choice for those who like playing with smartphone cameras but can't

afford more expensive phones.Read the full review:Honor 7XXiaomi Mi Max 2The best gets even betterWeight: 211g | Dimensions: 174.1 x 88.7 x

Battery: 5300mAh | Rear camera: 12MP | Front camera: 5MPSturdy builtHumongous display to consume contentAmazing battery lifeAverage

front-facing cameraXiaomi's big-screen smartphone series, the Mi Max got a second iteration this year, which makes it one of the best

big-display phones around

The 6.44-inch display is great to watch videos and consume other content. That being said, it is nowhere near as bulky as you would expect

from such a size

At just 7.6mm, it fits in the hand quite well and the aluminium casing gives it a robust and premium feel.The Snapdragon 625 is one of the

best available mid-range processors around and it's coupled with 4GB of RAM here

There are two storage variants: 32GB/64GB.Speaking about its imaging capabilities, the 12-megapixel snapper is decent, but the front-facing

camera is average.What's amazing about the Mi Max 2 is the battery life

It lasts for a full day easily, despite the large display.Read the full review:Mi Max 2FbbAkXFFW2ffdkg8VK7aAC.jpg#

Best phones under Rs 15,000 in India for May 2018