Top 3 Mobiles of 2016 under Rs 10000

The most powerful magic number in the Indian mobile market is “Under Rs 10000”. Just by the sheer amount of queries I get for suggesting a mobile under Rs 10000, speaks about the popularity of this segment. A few years ago, a good smartphone has to be expensive and today that is not the case. You can get a nice smartphone for less than Rs 10000 and the market is flooded with options.

Here are my nominees for the best mobiles under Rs 10000 in the year 2016.

The result (People’s choice)

Expert Opinion

I am not going to differ much from people’s choice. When I asked the question, I actually knew this would be the result. People’s choice is more about popularity and user’s experience with it. My opinion would be an educated analysis comparing all the factors and options in this segment.

No 1: Redmi 3s / Prime

For Rs 8999, you get a premium looking metal body design, a decent camera and display and a dependable battery life. The Redmi 3S has good hardware and software synergy and ultimately resulting in a good user experience. The camera performance is not great under low light and the display is not great under direct sunlight. If you are a frequent traveler and looking for a dependable budget mobile with great battery life, the Redmi 3S or the Redmi 3S prime with fingerprint scanner is the one. The Redmi 3s is priced at Rs 6999 and that makes it a clear winner in the entry-level segment. This mobile is priced like an entry-level mobile, but performs like a mid level mobile. Hence it is a clear winner to be the best mobile under Rs 10000 among all mobiles in this segment in the year 2016.

Read full review here

No 2: Moto G4 Play

Moto G is the first mobile to defy all odds and come out as a winner in this segment. This year we saw many iterations of the G4. The G4 Play is priced at Rs 8999 and it is a stripped down version of the G4 Plus. The G series enjoy the privilege of being the mobile with the latest stock OS and the cleanest user experience. It has a decent performance and it is the value for money option. The mobile does not have killer looks, but many care about looks in this segment. It is also water resistant. If you are looking to choose a safe option, nothing much can go wrong with the Moto G4 Play.

No 3: Swipe Elite Plus

I choose the Swipe Elite Plus over the remaining options in this segment. Swipe Elite Plus is priced at Rs 6999. At Rs 7000, the device you are buying is a great value for money. I would recommend Swipe Elite Plus, if you are looking for an economic option and keen on aesthetics and camera. It is a no frills no thrills device with straight forward objective to give a good user experience at an economic value and very little compromises. It is available on Flipkart and occasionally the price drops to Rs 5999.

It is a sturdy mobile and is also water resistant, which I have tested personally. I would recommend this mobile to anyone who is on a tight budget. I have also personally experienced the service quality and I must say, that though I went to a service center in tier 3 city, the experience was smooth.

Read full review here

Honorable Mentions

I am not a big fan of the Moto E series. These mobiles have serious performance issues and the Lenovo K5 Note and Swipe Elite Plus have better performance compared to Moto E3 Power. But the honorable mention would be for the Lenovo K6 Power. At Rs 9999, the K6 power is an all round mobile. I have not spent much time with it, hence I am unable to place it among the Top 3. But it is a potential candidate.