 "Best phones under Rs 10,000 (Jan 2026): Samsung Galaxy M06 5G, Redmi A4 5G to Lava Storm Play 5G")
A new year signals new beginnings, and it is time to reset our budget back to Rs 10,000 and look at a fresh set of smartphones you can buy for that much money.
Though one cannot expect powerful processors and great cameras, the phones worth buying should still be capable of handling day to day tasks with ease and also provide reasonable storage space. Hence, as always, we have made sure that the chosen phones have at least 6 GB RAM and 128 GB storage. Here are the best smartphones worth buying under 10K this month.
Best phones to buy under Rs 10,000 in India
Redmi A4 5G
The Redmi A4 5G is our top pick in this budget courtesy of a good mix of features. The phone is powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 4s Gen 2 chip, and you get 6 GB RAM along with 128 GB internal storage, further expandable using a microSD card.
This phone sports a large 6.88-inch HD+ IPS LCD display with 120 Hz refresh rate, which is great for content consumption and entertainment.
The Redmi A4 5G has a capable 50MP primary camera at the back, supported by a secondary depth sensing unit. A 5MP front camera takes care of selfies and video calls.
The phone’s 5160 mAh battery lasts a day and a half of moderate use, and supports 18W fast charging. Interestingly, the company packs a 33W fast charger in the bundle. The phone launched with Android 14 with Xiaomi’s HyperOS, and the company has promised 2 major Android updates and 4 years of security updates for this phone, which is handy.
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View AllRedmi A4 5G price in India: Rs 9,499 for 6 GB RAM/ 128 GB storage
Ai+ Nova 5G
The Indian-made Ai+ Nova 5G is another good option in this budget and with a few bucks to spare. Other than affordability, it also focuses on data privacy. It runs Android 15 out of the box with NxtQuantum OS that promises a bloatware-free experience with additional security features.
One can expect at least one more major Android update for this phone going ahead. The photography setup is quite similar to the Redmi above, comprising a 50MP primary camera with auto-focus and a depth sensor at the back and a 5MP selfie camera at the front.
The phone has a bright 6.7-inch HD+ display with 120 Hz refresh rate. A 5000 mAh battery keeps it powered for a day and a half of moderate use and supports 18W wired charging. The Ai+ Nova 5G is powered by a Unisoc T8200 SoC and you get 6 GB RAM and 128 GB internal storage to go with it. The storage can be expanded further to 1TB with a microSD card. You also get an 8 GB RAM variant of the phone for Rs 1,000 more.
Ai+ Nova 5G price in India: Rs 7,999 for 6 GB RAM/ 128 GB storage; Rs 8,999 for 8 GB RAM/ 128 GB storage
Realme Narzo 80 Lite
The Realme Narzo 80 Lite is the only non-5G phone in this list but it does make up for that with style and a large battery in a fairly slim body measuring less than 8 mm in thickness. Its 6300 mAh battery lasts over two days of moderate use and also supports reverse charging to juice up devices like wireless earphones. This Realme phone has a 6.74-inch HD+ LCD display with 90 Hz refresh rate. Its loud speakers make it ideal for entertainment, but avoid disturbing others when in public spaces.
The camera department here is quite modest with a 13MP primary camera at the back and a 5MP selfie camera up front.
The Realme Narzo 80 Lite is powered by a Unisoc T7250 SoC, and you get 6 GB RAM and 128 GB internal expandable storage to go with it. The phone runs Android 15 with Realme UI 5.0. It has an IP54 rating that makes the phone dust and splash resistant.
Realme Narzo 80 Lite price in India: Rs 8,899 for 6 GB RAM/ 128 GB storage
Samsung Galaxy M06 5G/ F06 5G
The Samsung Galaxy M06 5G and F06 5G are pretty much the same phones, one officially available on Amazon and the other on Flipkart respectively. They are fitted with a bright 6.74-inch HD+ PLS LCD display with 90 Hz refresh rate. You get a 50MP + 2MP camera setup at the back and an 8MP camera up front. They have a 5000 mAh battery each with support for 25W fast charging. However, a charger isn’t bundled along with either of them.
The phones are powered by a 5G-ready Mediatek Dimensity 6300 SoC with 6 GB RAM and 128 GB internal expandable storage.
The Samsung Galaxy M06 and F06 run Android 15 with One UI 7, and the company has promised four years of OS and security updates for these devices, keeping them secure and relevant for long. Such a commitment is great to see in the entry-level segment.
Note: The actual price of their 6 GB RAM variant is Rs 10,999, but with the right payment method in the ongoing Republic Day sales, you can score them for less than 10K.
Samsung Galaxy M06 5G/ F06 5G price in India: Rs 9,900 (effectively) for 6 GB RAM/ 128 GB storage
Lava Storm Play 5G
The Lava Storm Play 5G is arguably the best looking phone in this list and has a well-rounded feature set too. The phone flaunts IP64-rated dust and splash resistance in addition to style. It is powered by a Mediatek Dimensity 7060 chip, which is quite a powerful option in this segment, and just like the Samsung phones, you can get its 6 GB RAM and 128 GB internal expandable storage variant in this budget with the right payment methods. The company claims to use the faster UFS 3.1 storage that is a rarity in this segment.
It sports a big 6.75-inch HD+ IPS LCD display with 120 Hz refresh rate. The photography department consists of a 50MP primary camera and a depth sensing unit. You get an 8MP front camera to handle selfies and video calls.
The Lava Storm Play 5G has a 5000 mAh battery that keeps the phone powered for a day and a half of moderate use and supports 18W wired charging. This phone runs Android 15 with at least one more major Android update guaranteed.
Lava Storm Play 5G price in India: Rs 9,900 (effectively) for 6 GB RAM/ 128 GB storage
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