From Rs 10,000, it is time to bump our budget to Rs 15,000 for a new smartphone. Here, one can expect features like AMOLED displays, 120 Hz refresh rate and even 5G compliance. Needless to say, you get faster processors and better cameras as well. That being said, let’s take a look at what are the best smartphone options available under Rs 15,000 this month.
Best phones to buy under Rs 15,000 in India
Motorola G54 5G
The Motorola G54 5G is one of the best options in this budget and is packed with some impressive features, some of which are uncommon in this price bracket. This phone has a 50MP primary camera at the back, and that’s not all; it has optical image stabilisation (OIS) too, which is almost unheard of in this budget. Then there’s an 8MP ultrawide camera with auto-focus, which doubles up as a macro camera. A 16MP front camera does a good job with selfies and video calls. This phone has a water-repellent design with a modest IP52 rating.
You get a 6.5-inch Full HD+ IPS LCD display with 120Hz refresh rate for a flicker-free experience. The Motorola G54 5G is powered by a MediaTek Dimensity 7020 chip which is a good choice for this segment. You get its 8 GB RAM and 128 GB internal (expandable) storage variant in this budget. A large 6000 mAh battery keeps it powered for over two days of moderate use, and a 33W fast charger is bundled along. It runs Android 13, and like most Motorola phones, the G54 has a clean and near-stock Android user interface.
Motorola G54 5G price in India: Rs 14,999 for 8GB RAM/128GB storage
iQOO Z7s 5G
We just said OIS was rare in this budget but here’s another phone for you that boasts of that feature. The iQOO Z7s 5G offers a nice mix of features for its asking price. In addition to a sleek design and an IP54 rated ingress protection, it sports a 6.38-inch Full HD+ AMOLED display with 90Hz refresh rate. This phone is powered by a Snapdragon 695 SoC, and you get 6 GB RAM and 128 GB internal (expandable) storage to go with it.
This phone has a 64MP primary camera with OIS that does a pretty good job for the segment, and there’s a 2MP depth sensor for assisting it in portrait photography. A 16MP front camera handles selfies and video calls quite well. The iQOO Z7s 5G has a 4500 mAh battery that can keep it running for well over a day of normal use. Even better, the company bundles a 44W fast charger that promises to charge 50 per cent of the battery in 25 minutes. This phone runs Android 13 with FunTouch OS 13 UI.
iQOO Z7s 5G price in India: Rs 14,999 for 6GB RAM/128GB storage
Poco M6 Pro 5G
The Poco M6 Pro 5G is the only option in this list that offers 256 GB internal storage, and is by far the most affordable too, in case you don’t want to spend the full 15K. This phone is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 4 Gen 2 chip, and you get 8 GB RAM along with the aforementioned generous storage. This phone has a large 6.79-inch Full HD+ display with a 90 Hz refresh rate, and the screen is protected against scratches by a layer of Corning Gorilla Glass.
The Poco M6 Pro 5G has two cameras at the back consisting of a 50MP primary camera and a 2MP depth sensor. An 8MP selfie camera is located in a punch-hole at the top of the screen. This phone has a 5000 mAh battery that lasts over a day and a half of moderate use, and the company bundles a 22.5W fast charger to charge it briskly. The phone runs Android 13 with MIUI 14. This phone is IP53 rated dust and splash resistant.
Poco M6 Pro 5G price in India: Rs 12,499 for 8GB RAM/256GB storage
Realme 12X 5G
The new Realme 12X 5G is another stylish option in this budget. The design is elegant and the phone is fairly slim, measuring well under 8 mm in thickness. You get a sizable 6.72-inch Full HD+ IPS LCD display with 120 Hz refresh rate. It is powered by a MediaTek Dimensity 6100+ SoC, which is good enough for this segment. You get a choice between 6 GB and 8 GB RAM along with 128 GB internal storage that can be expanded further using a microSD card.
The photography department comprises a 50MP primary camera with a 2MP depth sensor at the back and an 8MP selfie camera up front. This Realme phone is fitted with a 5000 mAh battery that keeps it running for over a day and a half of moderate use. The bundled 45W fast charger can juice up 50 per cent of the battery in just half an hour. The Realme 12X 5G runs the latest Android 14 with Realme UI 5.0.
Realme 12X 5G price in India: Rs 13,499 for 6GB RAM/128GB storage ; Rs 14,999 for 8GB RAM/128 GB storage
Samsung Galaxy F15 5G
The Samsung Galaxy F15 5G brings forth some useful upgrades over its predecessor and a nice mix of features at an affordable price point. You now get a 6.6-inch Full HD+ Super AMOLED display with a 90 Hz refresh rate, as opposed to a PLS option on the F14. This phone is powered by a MediaTek Dimensity 6100+ SoC, which is quite popular in this segment lately and comes with 6 GB RAM and 128 GB internal (expandable) storage.
The photography department consists of three cameras at the back with a combination of a 50MP primary camera, a 5MP ultrawide shooter and a 2MP macro camera. The company has retained the 13MP front camera for selfies and video calls. A big 6000 mAh battery keeps the phone powered for over two days of moderate use, and it also supports 25W fast charging. However, the company does not bundle a charger along and needs to be purchased separately. The Samsung Galaxy F15 5G runs Android 14 with One UI 6.
Samsung Galaxy F15 5G price in India: Rs 14,499 for 6GB RAM/128GB storage
