Best phones under Rs 15,000 (July 2022): Oppo K10, Redmi Note 11 to Motorola G31

All the handsets from our previous list of phones under Rs 15,000 were eligible for inclusion in this list too. Most of them are still going strong, but a few new contenders have arrived and have managed to displace some of the old guard. Other than phones with 50MP cameras, we also have a few 5G ready phones in this budget now.

As we generally do, we have opted for handsets with 6 GB RAM, and you also have some options with AMOLED screens or high refresh rate displays or even both. Time to look at who made the cut this month.   Best phones to buy under Rs 15,000 in India Oppo K10  The Oppo K10 comfortably retains its place in our list courtesy of its well-rounded feature set for this segment starting with an IP5X rated dust-proof design. It sports a 6.59-inch Full HD+ display with a 90 Hz refresh rate. Oppo has opted for a Qualcomm Snapdragon 680 chip, which is a very good choice in this budget. It is accompanied by 6 GB RAM and 128 GB of internal storage that can be expanded further using a microSD card. This phone runs Android 11 with ColorOS 11.  

The photography department is helmed by a 50MP primary camera that does most of the heavy lifting. Giving it company are a 2MP depth sensor and a 2MP macro camera. The 16MP front camera is pretty good at handling selfies and video calls. The Oppo K10 has a 5000 mAh battery that keeps it running for more than a day and a half of moderate use. The company also bundles a 33W SuperVOOC charger to juice it up briskly.   Oppo K10 price in India: Rs 14,990 for 6 GB RAM/ 128 GB storage Oppo A74 5G And there’s another Oppo phone in this list. I don’t remember seeing two handsets from the company in the same list under 15K prior to this. This option is specifically for those who want a 5G ready phone. The Oppo A74 5G is one of the most affordable 5G phones around. There is nothing flashy about its spec-sheet, but just like the K10, it has most of the key bases covered. This too runs Android 11 with ColorOS 11.

You get a 6.5-inch Full HD+ LCD display with a 90 Hz refresh rate. This too comes with 6 GB RAM and 128 GB internal storage, however, you get a Snapdragon 480 SoC instead of 680 here. The rear camera department has quad cameras with a combination of a 48MP primary shooter, along with an 8MP ultra-wide camera (missing in the K10), 2MP macro camera and a 2MP depth sensor. The Oppo A74 5G has a 5000 mAh battery that lasts as long but supports 18W fast charging.     Oppo A74 5G price in India: Rs 14,990 for 6 GB RAM/ 128 GB storage Infinix Note 12 5G  Infinix as a brand has been quite impressive this year and has been consistently making it to our list of budget phones. The Infinix Note 12 5G is one of the latest from the company to catch our eye. It sports a large 6.7-inch Full HD+ AMOLED display with a 90 Hz refresh rate. Even better, this phone is powered by a Mediatek Dimensity 810 SoC, which is a great option in this segment and easily the most powerful in this list. You get 6 GB RAM and 64 GB of internal storage that can be expanded further using a microSD card.  

In the photography department, you get a 50MP primary camera and a 2MP depth sensor along with an AI lens. The 16MP front camera is adept at handling selfies and video calls. The Infinix Note 12 5G has a 5000 mAh battery that should keep it running for close to a day and a half of moderate use. It supports 33W fast charging. This Infinix phone runs the latest Android 12 with XOS 10.6 UI. Did I mention this device is less than 8 mm in thickness? Infinix Note 12 5G price in India: Rs 14,999 for 6 GB RAM/ 64 GB storage Motorola G31 The Motorola G31 holds on to its place in our list thanks to its impressive features and UI, and is now available under 14K. It has a 6.4-inch Full HD+ AMOLED screen, but with standard 60 Hz refresh rate. This phone has a 50MP primary camera at the back, along with an 8MP ultrawide shooter and a 2MP macro camera. A 13MP selfie camera is located in a tiny punch hole at the top of the screen. The phone has a water-repellent design which is ideal for this season. It doesn’t have an IP rating though.

The Moto G31 is powered by a Mediatek Helio G85 chip that is decent enough for day to day operations. It is accompanied by 6 GB RAM and 128 GB internal (expandable) storage. Battery backup is quite good with a 5000 mAh battery keeping the phone powered for over a day and a half of moderate use. And last but not the least, like most Motorola phones, the G31 has a clean and near-stock Android user interface. It runs Android 11 and one can expect an Android 12 update later this year. Motorola G31 price in India: Rs 13,999 for 6 GB RAM/ 128 GB storage Redmi Note 11 The Redmi Note 11 is another good allrounder in this segment with an impressive display. It has a 6.43-inch Full HD+ AMOLED screen with a 90 Hz refresh rate that flaunts a peak brightness of 1000 nits. The screen is protected against scratches by a layer of Corning Gorilla Glass 3. Just like the K10, this phone too is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 680 SoC with 6 GB RAM, but the internal storage stands at 64 GB, and can be expanded further with the memory card.  

The Redmi Note 11 has four cameras at the back starting with a 50MP primary camera, along with an 8MP ultra-wide shooter, 2MP macro camera and a 2MP depth sensor. You get a more than decent 13MP front camera for selfies and video calls. This phone too has a 5000 mAh battery that keeps the phone powered for close to a day and a half of moderate use. The bundled 33W fast charger promises to charge it fully in an hour. The phone runs Android 11 with MIUI 13. Redmi Note 11 price in India: Rs 13,999 for 6 GB RAM/ 64 GB storage