Dinesh jain
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- 3 Feb 2014
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Last month we published our first monthly
buying guide for smartphones in India. Now, it
is time to update it. New phones have been
launched in September, prices have changed
and some devices have gone out of stock. The
market has changed and that means a new
guide that tells you the phones that are worth
buying at the moment.
If you are out in the market for a smartphone
right now, here is what we suggest, depending
on your budget.
Best smartphone for less than Rs 5,000
The prices of good Android phones are coming
down. But not fast enough. In the sub-Rs 5,000
market good -- and more importantly reliable --
devices are still difficult to find. Currently,
Karbonn Titanium S20 is a phone that looks
like the best bet for buyers who don't want to
spend more than Rs 5,000. In terms of
hardware, it is almost a copy of what Google
and its hardware partners have launched as
part of Android One phones. It has the same
1.3GHz MediaTek processor, 1GB RAM, 4GB
internal storage, 4.5-inch screen with 480 x
854 pixels resolution, 5-megapixel rear camera
and 0.3-megapixel front camera. The device
runs Android 4.4 aka Kitkat. The Titanium S20
is available from Amazon.in at a price of Rs
4,999.
Best smartphone for less than Rs 10,000
Last month the top phone in this segment was
Xiaomi's RedMi 1S. And nothing changes this
month even after the arrival of Android One
phones. The RedMi 1S continues to be an
impressive phone that delivers much more than
what you expect from a Rs 5,999 phone.
Powered by a quad-core processor running at
1.6GHz and 1GB RAM, the device offers
smooth enough performance, a good enough
screen with 720P resolution, a brilliant 8-
megapixel rear camera (for its price). The only
problem with the RedMi 1S is that buying it
could be cumbersome. It is available only at
Flipkart during weekly flash sale, which usually
lasts several seconds. If you get it, lucky you.
If no, you have to wait for the next sale.
Read about Xiaomi RedMi 1S performance and
camera in our full review
Best smartphone for less than Rs 15,000
There are several good options in this price
bracket but our choice is the new Motorola
Moto G phone. Also, called the Moto G (2nd
gen), it is a relatively minor upgrade to the last
year's Moto G. But that is enough to make it
the best phone in its category. It has a bigger
screen and better camera compared to its
predecessor. But like all Moto phones the core
hardware is not the reason why we
recommend the new Moto G. It is the software
and solid performance. The stock Android
experience is slick, smooth and reliable.
Everything works well on the phone and
without any lag. Also, Motorola has promised
that it will update the new Moto G, which has
a price of Rs 12,999, to Android L in the
coming months.
Read about the new Moto G performance and
camera in our full review
Best smartphone for less than Rs 20,000
The Rs 15,000-Rs 20,000 segment looks like
the one that manufacturers are avoiding.
Either they are targeting price point around Rs
10,000 or aiming higher than Rs 20,000. We
suggest that you stick with the new Moto G.
But in case you want to spend more, go for the
Samsung Galaxy Grand 2. Launched at a price
of around Rs 23,000, the Grand 2 is now
available for around Rs 18,000. In terms of
hardware, there is nothing dazzling. But it is a
capable phone. It offers mostly lag-free user
experience, decent battery life of around 14
hours and a camera that clicks good photos,
especially in macro mode. Overall, a reliable
and nice choice if you are looking for a
midrange phone.
Best smartphone for less than Rs 25,000
The first-generation Motorola Moto X continues
to tower over other phones in this segment
despite its compact size. The hardware it
packs in is good and goes well with the stock
Android 4.4 inside it. At a price of around Rs
23,000, Moto X is worth every paisa even
though its successor (which has been priced
higher) is out. The device has a vibrant 4.7-
inch screen with 720P resolution, a top-of-the-
line dual-core processor running at 1.7GHz, a
capable 10-megapixel rear camera and an
extremely ergonomic design that fits amazingly
well in hands. The software and hardware
combination that the Moto X offers at its price
is fantastic. Also, the device will be among the
first phones to get Android L. The only downer
is below average battery life of around 11-12
hours. It is only available at Flipkart.
Best smartphone for less than Rs 30,000
Here too we find that an older devices is a
better choice. LG G2 was launched last year
as the company's flagship phone. But after
numerous price cuts (all unofficial) it is now
available for a price of around Rs 29,000. At
this price, the G2 is fantastic phone. It is
powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 800
processor, which is still one of the fastest
mobile processors. It has 2GB RAM and 32GB
internal storage. The 5.2-inch screen with
FullHD resolution is brilliant and the 13-
megapixel camera is very capable. Even with
all the powerful hardware inside it, the phone
can last around 16-18 hours. Overall, the G2 is
one of the most well-rounded phones we have
seen in the market. It is an all-rounder. The
only issues is the odd placement of volume
and power buttons -- they are placed on the
back cover -- and it takes a while to adjust to
them.
Best smartphone for less than Rs 35,000
In this price bracket, last month we
recommended the HTC E8. The E8 is a solid
phone with top notch hardware. But the new
Motorola Moto X aka Moto X (2nd gen) aka
Moto X (2014) is a better phone. Wrapped in a
beautiful aluminium frame, the new Moto X
has premium looks and impeccable finish. The
phone has top notch hardware inside it,
including Qualcomm Snapdragon 801
processor, 2GB RAM and 16GB internal
storage. The 13-megapixel rear camera is very
good, though not in the league of super
shooters like the Galaxy S5 or the iPhone 5S.
The 5.2-inch screen uses AMOLED panel and
hence shows pleasant and vibrant colours.
Just like other Moto phones, the device comes
with stock Android and several "touchless"
controls that allow a user to perform various
tasks on it using voice commands or gestures.
The new Moto X is sold at a price of Rs
31,999 on Flipkart.
Best smartphone for less than Rs 40,000
Now we are moving into the territory of super
phones. All phones in this price bracket offer
good experience but in our opinion Samsung
Galaxy S5 with a price of around Rs 37,000
delivers the best value. It has everything you
can ask for in a high-end smartphone. And
some more. The device is powered by
Samsung's own 8-core Exynos processor. It
has a gorgeous Super AMOLED screen with
FullHD resolution. With around 13 hours of
battery life the phone lasts one day of use for
all but most demanding users. Camera,
especially when the light is decent, has stellar
performance. Even the TouchWiz user
interface is smooth and lag-free on the Galaxy
S5. The only downer is the plasticky body.
Though the build quality and finishing is
fantastic. The phone is water-proof. Galaxy S5
comes with a heart rate sensor, which works
with excellent S Health app and will please
people who like to track their physical activity.
Like iPhone 5S, the device also has a
fingerprint scanner, although it is not very
accurate.
Special mention
Unless you were stranded on an island last
month, you must be aware that Apple launched
the iPhone 6 and the iPhone 6 Plus in
September. These devices are yet to come to
India. But the launch means the price of
iPhone 5S has come down significantly as
dealers clear the stock. If you look around on
the web, you can fine the iPhone 5S selling for
as low as Rs 35,000. This is a very good price
for a device like iPhone. If you ignore its
smallish screen - only 4-inches - the iPhone 5S
is a fantastic phone with superb performance
and a brilliant camera. If you are thinking of
entering the world of Apple, iPhone 5S,
especially at its current prices, is one good
way to do it.
Best smartphone for less than Rs 45,000
None. There are phones that cost more than
Rs 40,000 but they are not worth the price. We
suggest you buy either the new Moto X or
Galaxy S5. Use the saved money to treat your
friends in a fancy restaurant.
Best smartphone for less than Rs 50,000
None. Save the money. You can go on a nice
holiday later.
Best phablet
Samsung Galaxy Note 3 continues to be our
favourite phablet even though a few other
fantastic large-screen devices like the Lenovo
Vibe Z and LG G2 Pro are available in the
market. The reason why the Note 3, which is
sold for a price of around Rs 40,000, gets our
nod is because of its stellar screen, fantastic
camera and a very capable stylus. The best bit
about the Note 3 is its integration with the
stylus. The customised software in the device
helps a user make the most of the stylus. If
you don't need the stylus-related functionality,
we suggest you buy a large-screen phone.
Devices like the Galaxy S5 and Moto X are
cheaper than the Note 3 and except the stylus-
related functionality, offer similar experience.
Best camera phone
The Lumia 1020 is old but it is still gold. If you
need a phone that can double up as your
point-and-shoot camera in most circumstance,
go for the Lumia 1020, which is available for
around Rs 40,000. The 41-megapixel Pureview
camera in the device is a, well, pure work of
art. It is an engineering marvel. The
accompanied operating system - Windows
Phone - is not so good compared to Android
and iOS on several parameters, but as far as
the camera performance is concerned, the
Lumia 1020 is excellent, especially when the
shooting conditions are tough and when you
are thinking of getting a little creative with
your photography.
Smartphone with the best battery life
If long battery life is your only requirement,
Lenovo P780 is the phone that you will like. It
is an old phone though. It was released in
June last year and loses out to newer devices
in pure performance, camera and screen
quality. But its 4000 mAh battery is something
that can keep it going for days. As we said, if
battery life is all you require, you can't go
wrong with the P780 that sells for around Rs
16,000.
At the same time, the LG G2 is also a good --
and more useful -- option if you are looking for
a phone with big battery life. Though it is also
more expensive.
Buying guide: Best smartphones you can buy in October 2014
buying guide for smartphones in India. Now, it
is time to update it. New phones have been
launched in September, prices have changed
and some devices have gone out of stock. The
market has changed and that means a new
guide that tells you the phones that are worth
buying at the moment.
If you are out in the market for a smartphone
right now, here is what we suggest, depending
on your budget.
Best smartphone for less than Rs 5,000
The prices of good Android phones are coming
down. But not fast enough. In the sub-Rs 5,000
market good -- and more importantly reliable --
devices are still difficult to find. Currently,
Karbonn Titanium S20 is a phone that looks
like the best bet for buyers who don't want to
spend more than Rs 5,000. In terms of
hardware, it is almost a copy of what Google
and its hardware partners have launched as
part of Android One phones. It has the same
1.3GHz MediaTek processor, 1GB RAM, 4GB
internal storage, 4.5-inch screen with 480 x
854 pixels resolution, 5-megapixel rear camera
and 0.3-megapixel front camera. The device
runs Android 4.4 aka Kitkat. The Titanium S20
is available from Amazon.in at a price of Rs
4,999.
Best smartphone for less than Rs 10,000
Last month the top phone in this segment was
Xiaomi's RedMi 1S. And nothing changes this
month even after the arrival of Android One
phones. The RedMi 1S continues to be an
impressive phone that delivers much more than
what you expect from a Rs 5,999 phone.
Powered by a quad-core processor running at
1.6GHz and 1GB RAM, the device offers
smooth enough performance, a good enough
screen with 720P resolution, a brilliant 8-
megapixel rear camera (for its price). The only
problem with the RedMi 1S is that buying it
could be cumbersome. It is available only at
Flipkart during weekly flash sale, which usually
lasts several seconds. If you get it, lucky you.
If no, you have to wait for the next sale.
Read about Xiaomi RedMi 1S performance and
camera in our full review
Best smartphone for less than Rs 15,000
There are several good options in this price
bracket but our choice is the new Motorola
Moto G phone. Also, called the Moto G (2nd
gen), it is a relatively minor upgrade to the last
year's Moto G. But that is enough to make it
the best phone in its category. It has a bigger
screen and better camera compared to its
predecessor. But like all Moto phones the core
hardware is not the reason why we
recommend the new Moto G. It is the software
and solid performance. The stock Android
experience is slick, smooth and reliable.
Everything works well on the phone and
without any lag. Also, Motorola has promised
that it will update the new Moto G, which has
a price of Rs 12,999, to Android L in the
coming months.
Read about the new Moto G performance and
camera in our full review
Best smartphone for less than Rs 20,000
The Rs 15,000-Rs 20,000 segment looks like
the one that manufacturers are avoiding.
Either they are targeting price point around Rs
10,000 or aiming higher than Rs 20,000. We
suggest that you stick with the new Moto G.
But in case you want to spend more, go for the
Samsung Galaxy Grand 2. Launched at a price
of around Rs 23,000, the Grand 2 is now
available for around Rs 18,000. In terms of
hardware, there is nothing dazzling. But it is a
capable phone. It offers mostly lag-free user
experience, decent battery life of around 14
hours and a camera that clicks good photos,
especially in macro mode. Overall, a reliable
and nice choice if you are looking for a
midrange phone.
Best smartphone for less than Rs 25,000
The first-generation Motorola Moto X continues
to tower over other phones in this segment
despite its compact size. The hardware it
packs in is good and goes well with the stock
Android 4.4 inside it. At a price of around Rs
23,000, Moto X is worth every paisa even
though its successor (which has been priced
higher) is out. The device has a vibrant 4.7-
inch screen with 720P resolution, a top-of-the-
line dual-core processor running at 1.7GHz, a
capable 10-megapixel rear camera and an
extremely ergonomic design that fits amazingly
well in hands. The software and hardware
combination that the Moto X offers at its price
is fantastic. Also, the device will be among the
first phones to get Android L. The only downer
is below average battery life of around 11-12
hours. It is only available at Flipkart.
Best smartphone for less than Rs 30,000
Here too we find that an older devices is a
better choice. LG G2 was launched last year
as the company's flagship phone. But after
numerous price cuts (all unofficial) it is now
available for a price of around Rs 29,000. At
this price, the G2 is fantastic phone. It is
powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 800
processor, which is still one of the fastest
mobile processors. It has 2GB RAM and 32GB
internal storage. The 5.2-inch screen with
FullHD resolution is brilliant and the 13-
megapixel camera is very capable. Even with
all the powerful hardware inside it, the phone
can last around 16-18 hours. Overall, the G2 is
one of the most well-rounded phones we have
seen in the market. It is an all-rounder. The
only issues is the odd placement of volume
and power buttons -- they are placed on the
back cover -- and it takes a while to adjust to
them.
Best smartphone for less than Rs 35,000
In this price bracket, last month we
recommended the HTC E8. The E8 is a solid
phone with top notch hardware. But the new
Motorola Moto X aka Moto X (2nd gen) aka
Moto X (2014) is a better phone. Wrapped in a
beautiful aluminium frame, the new Moto X
has premium looks and impeccable finish. The
phone has top notch hardware inside it,
including Qualcomm Snapdragon 801
processor, 2GB RAM and 16GB internal
storage. The 13-megapixel rear camera is very
good, though not in the league of super
shooters like the Galaxy S5 or the iPhone 5S.
The 5.2-inch screen uses AMOLED panel and
hence shows pleasant and vibrant colours.
Just like other Moto phones, the device comes
with stock Android and several "touchless"
controls that allow a user to perform various
tasks on it using voice commands or gestures.
The new Moto X is sold at a price of Rs
31,999 on Flipkart.
Best smartphone for less than Rs 40,000
Now we are moving into the territory of super
phones. All phones in this price bracket offer
good experience but in our opinion Samsung
Galaxy S5 with a price of around Rs 37,000
delivers the best value. It has everything you
can ask for in a high-end smartphone. And
some more. The device is powered by
Samsung's own 8-core Exynos processor. It
has a gorgeous Super AMOLED screen with
FullHD resolution. With around 13 hours of
battery life the phone lasts one day of use for
all but most demanding users. Camera,
especially when the light is decent, has stellar
performance. Even the TouchWiz user
interface is smooth and lag-free on the Galaxy
S5. The only downer is the plasticky body.
Though the build quality and finishing is
fantastic. The phone is water-proof. Galaxy S5
comes with a heart rate sensor, which works
with excellent S Health app and will please
people who like to track their physical activity.
Like iPhone 5S, the device also has a
fingerprint scanner, although it is not very
accurate.
Special mention
Unless you were stranded on an island last
month, you must be aware that Apple launched
the iPhone 6 and the iPhone 6 Plus in
September. These devices are yet to come to
India. But the launch means the price of
iPhone 5S has come down significantly as
dealers clear the stock. If you look around on
the web, you can fine the iPhone 5S selling for
as low as Rs 35,000. This is a very good price
for a device like iPhone. If you ignore its
smallish screen - only 4-inches - the iPhone 5S
is a fantastic phone with superb performance
and a brilliant camera. If you are thinking of
entering the world of Apple, iPhone 5S,
especially at its current prices, is one good
way to do it.
Best smartphone for less than Rs 45,000
None. There are phones that cost more than
Rs 40,000 but they are not worth the price. We
suggest you buy either the new Moto X or
Galaxy S5. Use the saved money to treat your
friends in a fancy restaurant.
Best smartphone for less than Rs 50,000
None. Save the money. You can go on a nice
holiday later.
Best phablet
Samsung Galaxy Note 3 continues to be our
favourite phablet even though a few other
fantastic large-screen devices like the Lenovo
Vibe Z and LG G2 Pro are available in the
market. The reason why the Note 3, which is
sold for a price of around Rs 40,000, gets our
nod is because of its stellar screen, fantastic
camera and a very capable stylus. The best bit
about the Note 3 is its integration with the
stylus. The customised software in the device
helps a user make the most of the stylus. If
you don't need the stylus-related functionality,
we suggest you buy a large-screen phone.
Devices like the Galaxy S5 and Moto X are
cheaper than the Note 3 and except the stylus-
related functionality, offer similar experience.
Best camera phone
The Lumia 1020 is old but it is still gold. If you
need a phone that can double up as your
point-and-shoot camera in most circumstance,
go for the Lumia 1020, which is available for
around Rs 40,000. The 41-megapixel Pureview
camera in the device is a, well, pure work of
art. It is an engineering marvel. The
accompanied operating system - Windows
Phone - is not so good compared to Android
and iOS on several parameters, but as far as
the camera performance is concerned, the
Lumia 1020 is excellent, especially when the
shooting conditions are tough and when you
are thinking of getting a little creative with
your photography.
Smartphone with the best battery life
If long battery life is your only requirement,
Lenovo P780 is the phone that you will like. It
is an old phone though. It was released in
June last year and loses out to newer devices
in pure performance, camera and screen
quality. But its 4000 mAh battery is something
that can keep it going for days. As we said, if
battery life is all you require, you can't go
wrong with the P780 that sells for around Rs
16,000.
At the same time, the LG G2 is also a good --
and more useful -- option if you are looking for
a phone with big battery life. Though it is also
more expensive.
Buying guide: Best smartphones you can buy in October 2014
