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With the festive sales done and dusted, it is time to reset our budget back to Rs 10,000 and look at the best options available at this price point. Phones under 10K have been getting richer in features and performance by the quarter. You get phones with decent amounts of RAM, 50MP cameras and now we even have a couple of 5G-ready phones, which was unthinkable at the start of this year. If you are on a tight budget, here are five smartphones you should strongly consider at the moment.

Best phones to buy under Rs 10,000 in India

Poco M6 5G
The Poco M6 5G is the first of the two 5G-ready phones in this list. The phone is powered by a MediaTek Dimensity 6100+ chip, which is a very good choice in this segment, and you get 6GB RAM along with 128GB internal storage, further expandable up to 1 TB with a microSD card. This phone has a large 6.74-inch HD+ display with a 90Hz refresh rate, and the screen is protected against scratches by a layer of Corning Gorilla Glass.

The Poco M6 5G has a 50MP primary camera supported by a secondary depth sensing unit. A modest 5MP front camera takes care of selfies and video calls. This phone has a 5000 mAh battery that lasts over a day and a half of moderate use and supports 18W fast charging. However, the company packs a 10W charger in the bundle. The phone runs Android 13 with MIUI 14. This phone claims to be dust and splash resistant but there is no IP rating.

Poco M6 5G price in India: Rs 9,999 for 6GB RAM/128GB storage

Lava Blaze 2 5G
The Lava Blaze 2 5G is the other 5G-ready phone in this list, and there’s more to it. This phone has an attractive design with a glass back. It is powered by a Meditek Dimensity 6020 SoC, another good choice in this budget. You get 6GB RAM and 128GB internal storage that can be expanded further with a microSD card. The phone has a 6.56-inch HD+ IPS LCD display with a 90Hz refresh rate.

The photography department on the Lava Blaze 2 5G is helmed by a 50MP primary camera with PDAF and supported by a depth sensor. An 8MP front camera handles selfies and video calls. Its 5000 mAh battery keeps the phone running for over a day and a half of normal use, and supports 18W fast charging. Another key aspect of this phone is its clean and stock Android UI without any ads or bloatware, which is always great to have on any phone. This Lava phone runs Android 13.

Lava Blaze 2 5G price in India: Rs 9,699 for 6GB RAM/128GB storage

Redmi 12
Though not 5G-ready, the Redmi 12 is arguably the best all-round option under 10K and also the most affordable of the lot. The phone is powered by a Mediatek Helio G88 chip with 6GB RAM and 128GB internal (expandable) storage. It has a large 6.79-inch Full HD+ display (the only one in this list with a FHD screen) providing ample real estate for productivity and media consumption. It has 550 nits peak brightness and a 90Hz refresh rate for smooth scrolling in compatible apps.

The phone has an IP53 rating for dust and splash resistance and also a glass back. This Xiaomi phone has three cameras at the back with a combination of a 50MP main camera with PDAF, an 8MP ultra-wide shooter (quite rare under 10K) and a 2MP macro camera. You also get an 8MP selfie camera up front. The phone’s 5000 mAh battery lasts close to two days of moderate use and supports 18W fast charging with a 22.5W fast charger bundled in the package. The Redmi 12 runs Android 13 with MIUI 14.

Redmi 12 price in India: Rs 7,999 for 6GB RAM/128GB storage

Infinix Hot 40i
If you are looking for a phone with ample onboard storage under 10K, the Infinix Hot 40i is the phone for you. In addition to the Apple iPhone Pro series inspired design, it flaunts 8GB RAM and 256GB internal storage that can supposedly be expanded to 2 TB with a microSD card. It sports a 6.6-inch HD+ IPS LCD display with a 90Hz refresh rate. This phone is powered by a modest Unisoc T606 chip which should be fine for basic daily usage.

The photography department consists of a 50MP primary camera along with a depth sensor. There’s a 32MP front camera that will appeal to selfie enthusiasts; 32MP is extremely rare in this budget. The Infinix Hot 40i too has a 5000 mAh battery that can keep it running for a day and a half of normal use and supports 18W fast charging. This Infinix phone runs XOS13 based on Android 13.

Infinix Hot 40i price in India: Rs 8,999 for 8GB RAM/256GB storage

Nokia C32
The Nokia C32 is the second device in this list that offers a near-stock Android user interface. It runs Android 13 out of the box. This phone too sports a glass back, and that too a toughened one. Its 6.52-inch HD+ screen is protected by scratch-resistant glass as well. Though it’s an entry-level phone, it does look fairly stylish. It is also dust and moisture-resistant to an extent courtesy of an IP52 rating.

You can get its 6GB RAM and 128GB storage variant comfortably in this budget. Just like the Infinix Hot 40i, this phone too is powered by a Unisoc chip. The Nokia C32 has two rear cameras consisting of a 50MP primary camera with auto-focus and a 2MP macro camera. Selfie duties and video calls are handled by an 8MP front camera. Like others above, this phone too has a 5000 mAh battery that keeps it going for close to two days of moderate use.