The first half of 2018 is almost over and we already have a great share of devices under Rs. 15000 or $222. The budget range of Rs. 7-15K is the most dominant of all and hence many manufacturers have resorted to providing value for money products thereby leading to increased competition which ultimately makes it difficult for the consumer to choose. Well! Don't worry, we here at The Serious Geek will help you choose your next ideal smartphone :-D
To make things simpler and the comparison more justified, we have further subdivided the range into two i.e 1. Rs. 7-10k and 2. 11k-15k
In the first sub-division we have products from Xiaomi and Oppo although many other devices are available yet we feel that the offerings from the above 2 brands provide higher value for money. You might wonder how can Oppo be a part of our list - Well! Its their sub-brand i.e RealMe
1. Oppo RealMe 1 -
This device is a powerhouse not just considering this range but also in the 11-15k mark since it comes with Mediatek's newest Helio P60 SoC which is based on the 12nm process. It comes with a combination of Cortex A73 and A53 cores which can handle the tasks with ease. The P60 SoC is known for its faster loading time of apps and games and the GPU used is the Mali G72-MP3 which is decent yet not as powerful as the Adreno 509 on the Snapdragon 636. The device is overall known for its performance and inspite of the Color OS, it does not slow down. The camera quality is also decent for the pricing and the battery capacity included is 3410 mAh. The device comes with Android Oreo and Oppo has planned upgrade to Android P once it becomes available.
Under Rs. 10k, we get the 3GB RAM and 32GB storage variant for Rs. 8990 via Amazon. The 4GB-64GB variant is available for Rs. 10990 and the top end variant with 6GB RAM and 128GB storage is available for Rs. 13990. We would recommend getting the 4GB variant if you are not restricted with your budget since in the 3GB variant, RAM management might be an issue due to the heavier Color OS although Oppo did rectify it with the latest update yet in the long run the 4GB variant would be better. One major con with the phone is the lack of fingerprint sensor which is sufficed by the face unlocking yet we believe that the fingerprint sensor is far more secure.
Overall the RealMe 1 is an option to choose if Performance, camera and design is your priority.
2. Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 -
The Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 comes with a 5.99 inch 18:9 FHD+ display and is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 625 SoC. This SoC is old yet capable however is lesser powerful than the Helio P60 although the GPU is better than that on the P60. The main highlight of the Note 5 is the battery capacity which is 4000 mAh and since the SoC is based on a 14nm process, the overall battery life is boosted to a greater extent.
The main differences between the Note 5 and RealMe1 is the battery, camera, Ui and the material used which is metallic in this case as against fibre glass used on the RealMe 1.
Well, if you prefer Xiaomi products and do not consider buying Oppo, then the Note 5 is a very great option. The main advantages include a fingerprint sensor which the RealMe 1 is devoid off and a much superior build quality however one area where the Note 5 lacks is the camera.
The 3GB-32GB retails for Rs. 9999 whereas the 4GB-64GB retails for Rs. 11999.
| SPECS | RealMe 1 | Redmi Note 5 |
|---|---|---|
| Display | 6 inch IPS | 5.99 inch IPS |
| Resolution | 2160×1080 18:9 aspect ratio | 2160×1080 18:9 aspect ratio |
| SOC | Helio P60 | Snapdragon 625 |
| GPU | Mali G72-MP3 | Adreno 506 |
| RAM and storage | 3/4/6 - 32/64/128 GB | 3/4 - 32/64 GB |
| Rear camera | 13MP f/2.2 | 12MP f/2.2 |
| Front camera | 8MP f/2.2 | 5MP |
| Battery | 3410 mAh | 4000 mAh |
3. Xiaomi Redmi 5 -
The Redmi 5 is a toned down version of the Redmi Note 5 and it comes with a smaller 5.7 inch display which is based on the 18:9 aspect ratio. The SoC used is Qualcomm Snapdragon 450 which is basically a Snapdragon 625 but with lower clock speed at 1.8 GHz. The battery capacity has been reduced to 3300 mAh which might seem less however the 14nm based SoC along with a HD+ resolution will ensure overall better battery life.
The cameras remain the same and will yield the same quality as the Redmi Note 5. This device is available in 3 variants - 1. 2GB-16GB - Rs. 7999 ; 2. 3GB-32GB - Rs. 8999 ; 3. 4GB-64GB - Rs. 10999
Pro tip - the RealMe 1 3GB variant for Rs. 8990 and the 4GB variant for Rs. 10990 is a better option than the Redmi 5.
Now, we shall take a look at the phones available in the 11k-15k range. Do remember that the 4 and 6GB variant of the RealMe 1 falls within this range.
1. Asus Zenfone Max Pro M1 -
The name itself defines everything since it comes with a 'MAX' battery capacity of 5000 mAh along with a screen size of 5.99 inch with 18:9 aspect ratio and FHD+ resolution. The 'Pro' in the name is due to the powerful midrange SoC i.e Snapdragon 636 which is based on KRYO cores. Although in raw performance the Helio P60 is powerful yet the GPU on the 636 is much better than the P60 which translates to better gaming performance.
One area where this device does not stand out is in the camera department (13+5 MP rear and 8MP front). The front facing camera quality is underwhelming and the rear camera quality is average however the camera quality can be improved by porting Google camera although it requires root and enabling Camera2 api.
Hence, if battery life and performance along with an almost stock Ui is your priority then the Zenfone Max Pro M1 is the best choice. Also Asus has promised an upgrade to Android P once it becomes available.
The device is available in 2 variants : 3GB-32GB Rs. 10999 and 4GB-64GB Rs. 12999. There is another variant of the Zenfone Max Pro M1 (6GB -64GB) that is yet to become available and it has slightly different specification in terms of camera (16+5 MP rear and 16MP front) although we cannot provide our opinions on that variant as of now.
2. Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 Pro -
The Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 Pro when it was announced few months ago was the leader in this price range. The base variant was initially available for Rs. 13999 however due to taxes and increased expenditures, Xiaomi had to increase the price to Rs. 14999. Yet, inspite of a marginal increase, the demand and popularity never ceased. Even if one has a budget of Rs. 20000, the Note 5 Pro is the way to go.
Like the Asus Max Pro M1, it comes with a Qualcomm Snapdragon 636 SoC that handles all the tasks. It comes with a large 4000 mAh battery and the camera quality which was once a weak point with Xiaomi, is no longer the same since in this range it is the best. The rear cameras of 12+5MP captures great shots and even do a wonderful job with portraits. The front facing 20MP camera handles the selfies which also does a great job. Overall, be it performance, battery life and camera, Xiaomi has ticked all the parameters and the best part is that they have maintained the pricing very well. It is available in 2 variants 4-64GB - Rs. 14999 and 6-64GB - Rs. 16999.
One area which becomes a deciding factor is the Ui since MiUi is not a cup of tea for everyone hence it depends on personal preference.
| SPECS | Zenfone Max Pro M1 | Redmi Note 5 Pro |
|---|---|---|
| Display | 5.99 inch IPS | 5.99 inch IPS |
| Resolution | 2160×1080 18:9 aspect ratio | 2160×1080 18:9 aspect ratio |
| SOC | Snapdragon 636 | Snapdragon 636 |
| GPU | Adreno 509 | Adreno 509 |
| RAM and storage | 3/4/6 - 32/64 GB | 4/6 - 64GB |
| Rear camera | 13 + 5MP (f/2.2+f/2.4) | 12 + 5MP (f/2.2+f/2.0) |
| Front camera | 8MP f/2.2 | 20MP f/2.2 |
| Battery | 5000 mAh | 4000 mAh |
There is another device which falls in both the categories that we created and it is the Xiaomi Redmi Y2. The Y series from Xiaomi is selfie focussed and this device is known as Redmi S2 in China.
The device comes with a 5.99 inch HD+ display and is powered by the Snapdragon 625 SoC. It has a smaller 3080 mAh battery capacity however has the same rear camera specs of the Redmi Note 5 Pro. The front facing camera is of 16MP as against 20MP on the 5 Pro. It comes in 2 variants - 3GB-32GB Rs. 9999 and 4GB-64GB Rs. 12999.
The only reason for choosing this device considering the 3-32GB variant is for the camera quality and if you do not prefer Oppo's RealMe1. The lower screen resolution and lower battery capacity than the other equivalent offerings, do not justify the pricing of the 4-64GB variant yet it is much better than any Samsung phone in this range (like the J6 :-D).
These were some of the smartphones that we feel are truly value for money. Every device has some or the other feature where it excels in and the best part is that unlike previous years, the performance aspect has not been compromised. If we have to summarize then under Rs. 10k, considering our priority of an all rounder our pick will be the RealMe 1 and above Rs. 10k and till Rs. 20k our pick will be the Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 Pro unless storage is the priority since with the RealMe 1 for Rs.13990 we get 128GB storage. If you have questions regarding any device or are still having a tough time selecting a device do hit us up in the comments below, it will be our pleasure to guide you and also if you own any one of the above products, we would like to know your thoughts and experience with the product.
Images via Amazon and Flipkart