The mid-range segment of the smartphones is the most competitive segment and contributes the most to the sales. This segment is heavily populated with new brands emerging every year. This segment was mainly dominated by Xiaomi and Honor till recent times, however, brands like Asus, Realme and even Nokia are making strong contributions to this segment and offer excellent value.
We’ve compiled a list of the best smartphones in the sub Rs 15,000 segment that we’ve personally used and experienced.
Asus ZenFone Max Pro M2
The Asus ZenFone Max Pro M2 is powered by the new Qualcomm Snapdragon 660 chipset and the base variant of the smartphone comes in 4GB RAM and 64GB internal storage configuration. The best aspect of the smartphone is the inclusion of the mammoth 5,000mAh battery. The display of the Asus ZenFone Max Pro M2 measures 6.26-inches diagonally and has a FullHD+ resolution, there is a medium-sized notch on the top of the display to accommodate all the sensor and the front-facing camera. The display of the smartphone is also protected by Gorilla Glass 6 which shows that the brand has taken care of even the minute details. The rear camera of the display is a dual camera setup with a vertical alignment with a 12MP primary sensor and a 5MP secondary sensor for depth detection. The front camera is a 13MP shooter and the device runs on Stock Android.
Nokia 6.1 Plus
While the Nokia 6.1 Plus retails for a slightly higher price at Rs 15,999 it is expected to go down during the sales. The device is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 636 chipset and comes with 4GB RAM in the base configuration along with 64GB internal storage. The device has a 3,050mAh battery which is optimized to get you through a day of usage. The display on the Nokia 6.1 Plus measures 5.84-inches diagonally and has a FullHD+ resolution. The rear camera on the smartphone is a dual camera setup with a 16MP primary camera and a 5MP secondary camera for depth detection. The front primary camera on the device is a 16MP shooter and the device is a part of the Android One Program ensuring regular updates to the latest software version.
Realme U1
The Realme U1 is a great contender and places emphasis on the Selfie camera. The Realme U1 is powered by the MediaTek Helio P70 processor and has 4GB of RAM along with 64GB of internal storage in the base variant. The display on the Realme U1 is of 6.3-inches and has a FullHD+ resolution with a water-drop notch. The battery on the smartphone is a 3,500 mAh battery which easily gets it through the entire day. The rear camera on the Realme U1 is a horizontal dual camera setup with a 13MP primary sensor and a 2MP secondary sensor for depth detection. The front camera on the Realme U1 is a high-resolution 25MP sensor and takes very good selfies. The device runs on the ColorOS skin based on Android 8.1 Oreo.
Realme 2 Pro
The major difference between the Realme 2 Pro and the Realme U1 comes in the camera and the chipset used, both the smartphones look very similar and bear a lot of resemblances. The Realme 2 Pro is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 660 chipset and has 4GB of RAM in the base variant along with 64GB of internal storage. The device has a 3,500mAh battery similar to the Realme U1 and it is enough to get you through the day and more. The device has a 6.3-inch Water-drop notch display with a FullHD+ resolution similar to the Realme U1. The camera on the Realme 2 Pro is slightly different setup, the rear camera is improved and is set up consisting of a 16MP primary sensor with a much wider aperture, the secondary 2MP sensor is used for depth detection. The front camera on the Realme 2 Pro is powered by a 16MP front shooter and the device runs on ColorOS skin based on Android 8.1 Oreo.
Xiaomi Redmi Note 6 Pro
The Xioami Redmi Note 6 Pro is similar to the previous generation Redmi Note 5 Pro is a few aspects while bringing major changes in a few other. The device is still powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 636 chipset and has 4GB of RAM and 64GB of internal storage in the base variant. The battery on the Redmi Note 6 Pro is of 4,000mAh capacity and is easily enough for a day and beyond. The display on the smartphone measures 6.26-inches and has a FullHD+ resolution, there is a notch on the top of the display to accommodate all the sensor and the front camera. The rear camera setup on the Redmi Note 6 Pro consists of a 12MP primary sensor and a 5MP secondary sensor. The Selfie camera on the Redmi Note 6 Pro is also a dual camera setup consisting of a 20MP primary sensor and a 2MP secondary sensor. The device runs on MIUI 10 based on Android Oreo 8.1
Honor 8X
The Honor 8X has one of the best overall design and the device is powered by their in-house Kirin 710 chipset and comes with 4GB of RAM and 64GB of storage in the base variant. The Honor 8X has a 3,750mAh battery and the software optimization helps it get through the entire day of heavy usage with enough juice left. The display measures 6.5-inches diagonally and has a FullHD+ resolution. The rear camera setup on the Honor 8X is a dual camera setup aligned vertically, the primary sensor is a 20MP sensor with a 2MP secondary sensor for depth detection. The selfie camera is a 16MP sensor and works pretty well for selfies. The software is based on Android Oreo and runs the custom EMUI skin.
