Best Phones Under Rs. 15,000: Diwali Gifts Shopping Guide

The Diwali season in India is a time for new things and these days that means new mobile phones more than anything else. Whether you're getting yourself a long awaited present, or gifting a phone to someone else in your family, there are plenty of great options out there today that don't cost half a lakh. We've listed out the ten best phones you can buy for between Rs. 5,000 and Rs. 15,000. All the phones in the list are pretty good devices though a few really stand out. We decided to stick to phones that have at least 3G support, and also phones that have been launched reasonably recently. Interestingly, it's the first time that we're looking at a list of phones under Rs. 15,000 that doesn't include anything other than Android phones, thanks to these filters.

Check out the full list below, to help you pick your phone. The detailed ratings of phones will help you quickly compare devices and help decide which phone you want to buy.

1) Yu Yunique

The Yu Yunique (Review) isn't a phone that is going to wow you, but if you're looking for a value for money phone that does a reasonable job on all counts, it's one to look out for. Just don't expect too much from the camera.

2) Yu Yuphoria

The Yu Yuphoria (Review | Pictures) edges just ahead of its sibling the Yu Yunique on this list. The Yuphoria's camera fared a little better in our testing, and it is also the better looking phone, for only a slight premium.

3) InFocus M530

The InFocus M530 (Review | Pictures) is going to be a divisive pick here - you need to know that the battery life is really bad. On the other hand, the design and display are pretty good, and the camera and performance are well ahead of others at the same price.

4) Lenovo A6000 Plus

Another good all-rounder, the Lenovo A6000 Plus (Review | Pictures) is a great buy if battery life is a priority for you, though the camera is still very average.

5) Lenovo K3 Note

The Lenovo K3 Note (Review | Pictures) is a good all-rounder with great performance. For the price, you're getting good display and design, and the only (slight) quibbles we have are around the camera and battery life, but if it's in your budget, then this looks like a great pick.

6) Coolpad Note 3

The Coolpad Note 3 (Review | Pictures) is a good middle of the road Android phone. It's nothing special, but for the price, it delivers good performance, great battery life, and a decent camera. So why is this phone on the list? There's one standout feature that makes it score high on many a wish-list, and that's the fingerprint scanner. This is one of the more interesting new features to come to Android, and makes the Coolpad Note 3 a very tempting buy for some.

7) Huawei Honor 4C

If you want excellent performance and a dependabe camera then the Huawei Honor 4C (Review | Pictures) appears to be a solid choice. Its rather average display and the fact that it doesn't support 4G in India are two things that keep it from being the top pick.

8) Xiaomi Mi 4i

The Xiaomi Mi 4i (Review) is amongst the highest rated phones on our list, and it's easy to see why. It's a good looking phone with a great display, good battery life and performance, and a decent enough camera.

9) Motorola Moto G (Gen 3)

Together with the Yu Yureka Plus and the Xiaomi Mi 4i, the Motorola Moto G (Gen 3) (Review) rounded out our top three phones under Rs. 15,000 in terms of ratings. Water and dust resistant, the phone has good battery life and performance, though its display and camera could be better.

10) Xolo Black

The Xolo Black (Review | Pictures) is a decently built phone that offers a lot of UI customisation options, and reliable performance, but the custom UI can be sluggish at times.

11) Gionee Marathon M4

The Gionee Marathon M4 (Review) set a battery life record for us, justifying its bulk with a battery that kept going and going and going. The added bulk also has the bonus of making the phone feel well built and solid, and the camera is pretty good as well.

Bonus

These are our top ten picks but you could also check out some other phones like the Xiaomi Redmi 2 Prime (Review, the InFocus M330 (Review), or the Asus Zenfone 2 Laser (ZE550KL) (Review), which are also within the budget. They all have their own pros and cons as well, and for our picks, we tried to stick to the most rounded choices, but if you have specific needs from your phone, do check out these alternatives.

Which phones caught you eye? Tell us via the comments.