Table of Contents
1. Asus Zenfone Max Pro M1
The Asus Zenfone Max Pro M1 was designed especially for India, and offers unmatched specifications considering its price. The Qualcomm Snapdragon 636 processor is matched with 3GB or 4GB of RAM, and 32GB or 64GB of storage depending on which variant you choose. Another highlight is the 5000mAh battery. Camera quality is pretty good, and the phone lasted a full day on one charge but we expected even better. The software is stock Android rather than ZenUI, and Asus promises frequent updates
2. Asus ZenFone Max M2 64GB
The Asus ZenFone Max M2 isn’t a replacement for the ZenFone Max M1, but slots above it. This phone has up-to-date styling with a large notched display, and also brings the relatively powerful Qualcomm Snapdragon 632 processor to a new low price. Performance was good, and the Android UI was smooth throughout our review. This phone even ran a few recent games at decent quality settings without any stutters. The 4000mAh battery is also great in real-world usage.
3. Realme 1 64GB
The Realme 1 features a unique design, superb performance, good battery life, a dedicated microSD card slot, and a decent display. The lack of a fingerprint sensor, the cluttered software, and the average cameras however prevent the phone from becoming the absolute best on offer in this segment.
4. Asus ZenFone Max M2 32GB
The Asus ZenFone Max M2 isn’t a replacement for the ZenFone Max M1, but slots above it. This phone has up-to-date styling with a large notched display, and also brings the relatively powerful Qualcomm Snapdragon 632 processor to a new low price. Performance was good, and the Android UI was smooth throughout our review. This phone even ran a few recent games at decent quality settings without any stutters. The 4000mAh battery is also great in real-world usage.
5. Honor 8C
The Honor 8C has a dedicated microSD slot, a quick and accurate fingerprint sensor, and solid battery life. However, the average cameras, performance issues, cluttered user interface, and all plastic build prevents it from challenging the likes of the Asus ZenFone Max Pro M1, Nokia 5.1 Plus, and Realme 1.
6. Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 3GB/32GB
The Redmi Note 5 is the successor to the Redmi Note 4. It sports a 5.99-inch 18:9 display with fullHD+ resolution and Corning Gorilla Glass for protection. The Note 5 is powered by a Snapdragon 625 processor and has up to 4GB of RAM and 64GB of internal storage. It is a dual-SIM device and has a hybrid dual-SIM tray. You can use two Nano-SIMs or a single Nano-SIM along with a microSD card. The phone runs on Android 7.1.2 Nougat with Xiaomi’s custom MIUI 9 on top. It has a non-removable 4000mAh battery and supports quick charging but doesn’t come with a quick charger. It has a 12-megapixel camera at the back as well as a 5-megapixel selfie camera with a selfie flash.
7. Realme 2
The Realme 2 offers stellar battery life, a unique design, a dedicated microSD card slot, and good build quality. However, the sub-standard display, average cameras, and iffy fingerprint sensor prevent it from challenging the likes of the Xiaomi Redmi 5 and Redmi Note 5.
8. Xiaomi Redmi Y2
The Redmi Y2 is a selfie-focused smartphone from the Chinese smartphone maker Xiaomi. It sports a 5.99-inch HD+ display with a resolution of 720×1440 pixels and an 18:9 aspect ratio. Xiaomi has opted for the Snapdragon 625 SoC along with 3GB of RAM and 32GB of internal storage. The Redmi Y2 is a dual SIM device and has two nano SIM slots. It also has a dedicated microSD card slot that accepts cards up to 256GB. The phone runs on MIUI 9.5 on top Android 8.1 Oreo. Being a selfie-focused camera, it has a 16-megapixel selfie camera and a dual camera setup consisting of a 12-megapixel primary camera and a 5-megapixel secondary sensor.
9. Samsung Galaxy M10
The Samsung Galaxy M10 is the first of two smartphones from the company to feature a notched display. The design of the smartphone is impressive, and the dual-camera setup allows you to take wide-angle shots, which we found to be fun. Good battery life and dual-VoLTE standby are other useful features, but the Samsung Galaxy M10 is let down by performance thanks to its dated SoC, along with slow charging, and no fingerprint sensor. While the device is an important entry-level option from Samsung, it doesn’t quite impress as much as the Galaxy M20.
10. Lenovo K9
The Lenovo K9 marks a return for the once-popular brand to the highly competitive budget segment. It promises two cameras on the front and two on the rear, as well as an attractive glass body. We were a little disappointed with the construction quality of our review unit, but it did look very good. Performance is just about okay for an entry-level phone and the cameras actually surprised us with decent results in some situations, though this is still very much an entry-level phone. Battery life is a strong point, and the software is clean with useful customisations. The hybrid dual-SIM slot is disappointing.
