Choosing a new smartphone can be a daunting task. Given the amount of
choice available in the market, it is very easy to get confused. To
simplify this task, we have compiled a list of a best smartphones which
offers the best combination of features and pricing.
Sub-Rs 10,000
The
entry-level smartphone segment is most happening price segment in the
country. Almost every single mobile phone manufacturer has its products
in the segment, making it near impossible to choose your next phone in
this budget. If you are going for a smartphone in this budget, chances
are that you are a first time smartphone buyers and, like everyone else,
you don't want to waste your hard earned money on pretenders.
We
recommend Sony Xperia tipo in sub-Rs 10K price segment. It is one of the
best budget phones around. With features like 800MHz processor and
Android 4.0, you get a decent hardware with a recent Android version
on-board. tipo also comes with a 3.2-inch scratch-resistant
display with 480x320p resolution. You can even get a dual-SIM version of
the phone by paying a little extra money with identical features.
Alternatives
If
you are a Nokia fan and don't trust other manufacturers, you can opt
for Nokia Asha 311, a recently launched Series 40 phone. It may not be
able to compete with Android or iOS in features, but certainly provides
simplicity and the credibility of Nokia. Asha 311 comes with
industry-standard specification and you get a 1GHz processor, a 3-inch
display with 400x240p resolution, 3G and 3.2MP camera at a very
affordable price.
If you prefer QWERTY, HTC ChaCha is your best
bet. Originally launched with a price around Rs. 15,000, the price of
this smartphone has since come down to under Rs. 10,000 and it is the
best QWERTY in this budget. It might not be running on Jelly Bean or Ice
Cream Sandwich, but other features make it worthy of consideration. ChaCha
comes with 2.6-inch 480x320p resolution display, 512MB RAM, 800MHz
processor, 5MP rear camera and front camera.
Rs. 10,000 to 15,000
The
low-mid range price segment has also seen plenty of activity in the
recent months and many interesting new smartphones have landed in this
budget.
We recommend the Nokia Lumia 710. Powered by Windows Phone
7.5, the smartphone packs some great features at a great price. It
might not boast of the app choice provided by Android, but you will find
most of the popular apps on the platform and more are being added every
day. The smartphone features a 1.4GHz processor, 3.7-inch 800x480p
resolution display, Windows Phone 7.5, 5MP rear camera, and 1300 mAh
battery. The phone should also get the forthcoming Windows Phone 7.8
update, though, like other Windows Phone of its generation, it will miss
out on the Windows Phone 8 update.
Alternatives
If don't
want to go Windows Phone way, LG Optimus L5 is a decent option with
Android in this budget segment. LG Optimus L5 is part of Korean
manufacturer's L-Style series of smartphones and comes with good
features and a nice design. The smartphone features a 4-inch display,
800MHz processor, 5MP rear camera, Android 4.0.
You can also opt
for HTC's Desire C, another potent Android smartphone in the budget. The
smartphone comes with Android 4.0 and HTC Sense UI. Other features
include 5MP rear camera, 800MHz processor and 1500 mAh battery.
Rs. 15,000 to 20,000
With
time, Rs. 15-20K price segment has become quite interesting. Dual-core
processor powered smartphones have breached Rs. 20K price point and we
often see high-end smartphones getting price-cut and landing in this
price-bracket. Thus, we have some really nice smartphones in this budget
and choosing one is really hard.
We recommend the Sony Xperia U
because of the great specifications in a price that borders Rs. 15K. The
smartphone is part of Sony's NXT lineup and has recently got the Ice
Cream Sandwich update. It also comes with dual-core processor and a
3.5-inch display. The overall performance of the smartphone is great and
you will not find a more powerful smartphone at its price.
Alternatives
Don't
like buying Sony smartphones, you can opt for Motorola's Atrix 2, which
also received its Android 4.0 update recently. Powered by a dual-core
processor, the smartphone sports a 4.3-inch qHD display, making it a
great media consumption device thanks to the large display size. The
smartphone also offers a decent 8MP rear camera, VGA front camera and
1785 mAh battery.
Another alternative is Samsung Galaxy S Advance,
a Galaxy series smartphone from the Korean manufacturer. Galaxy S
Advance packs some great features and is powered by Android 2.3, but
company has promised to provide Jelly Bean update to the smartphone,
skipping ICS altogether. It comes with 4-inch Super AMOLED display,
dual-core processor, 1500 mAh battery, 5MP rear camera, and 1.3MP front
camera.
Rs. 20,000 to 30,000
Typically this amount could buy
you the flagships devices from most manufacturers but Rs. 20-30K price
bracket no longer houses industry's top devices. However, there are
still many great smartphones to choose from in the segment.
We
recommended LG Optimus 4X HD for the price-segment and there is no doubt
that this is the best smartphone that you can buy right now under Rs.
30K. Powered by Tegra 3 quad-core processor, the device sports a
4.7-inch 720p display, 8MP rear camera, front camera and Android 4.0.
This is the only quad-core smartphone in this budget and is a steal at
current pricing.
Alternatives
Despite the launch of Galaxy
Note II, Samsung Galaxy Note still remains a great device to buy. The
specifications of the phablet are still better than many smartphones and
company has already promised Jelly Bean update for the device. It
features a 5.3-inch Super AMOLED HD display, 1.4GHz quad-core processor,
8MP rear camera, front camera and Android 4.0. The device also comes
with S-Pen support.
If you don't want to go for Android, Nokia's
Lumia 800 is another alternative that you can choose in this budget.
Featuring a 1.4GHz processor and 3.7-inch AMOLED display in a
spectacular design, the smartphone is worthy contender for Windows Phone
lover in this budget. It too comes with 8MP camera, Windows Phone 7.5
and 16GB of internal storage. The same warning as the Lumia 710 regards
to software updates applies.
Above Rs. 30,000
What used to be a price segment for rare devices, now houses the real high-end devices with monster specifications.
With
the iPhone 5 yet to launch in the country, we recommended Samsung
Galaxy S III if money's no bar. The smartphone is one of the best
Android smartphones around. Powered by a quad-core processor, the
smartphone comes with 4.8-inch Super AMOLED HD display, 8MP rear camera
and a host of software customisations. The device is scheduled to get
Jelly Bean update very soon.
Alternatives
HTC's flagship
smartphone One X is no less than Samsung Galaxy S III and perhaps the
only place where the S III scores a significant advantage is in software
customisations. The smartphone has an awesome display and a great
camera. One X comes with quad-core processor, 4.7-inch 720p display and
8MP rear camera.
Don't want to go for neither Galaxy S III or One
X, until iPhone 5 lands in India, iPhone 4S is your best bet. The
smartphone has already got iOS 6 update and packs some decent
specifications despite being a year old. The smartphone comes with
3.5-inch Retina display, dual-core processor and 8MP rear camera. Some
retailers have dropped the price of the iPhone 4S, making it an even
more attractive option.