Lenovo K10 Note, Nokia 6.1 Plus to Realme 5i: Best phones under Rs 10,000 (May 2020)

Who would have thought compiling phone lists during lockdown would be a tough job? Well, it sure is challenging, courtesy of limited availability of handsets and lack of delivery at several locations. Generally, phones within a specific budget keep getting better and better every quarter. Unfortunately, that’s not the case this quarter as prices of smartphones have gone up and supply is limited. However, if your phone goes bad and you have to get a new one within a budget of Rs 10,000, you need to have options. So, here are the best you can get under 10K this month, in green and orange zones for now.

Phones you can buy under Rs 10,000 in India

Realme 5i

**Realme 5i (Review)** is a stylish phone that offers a lot of all-round capabilities. It is a scaled down version of the more expensive **Realme 5 Pro (Review)** , but with a larger screen. This phone has quad cameras at the back, with a 12 MP primary camera, along with an 8 MP ultra-wide, 2 MP macro, and a 2 MP depth sensor combination. [caption id=“attachment_7951711” align=“alignnone” width=“1024”] Realme 5i[/caption] The rear cameras manage to capture crisp shots with good detail, and accurate colours and sharpness. They do a more than decent job with night photography too, courtesy of the Nightscape mode. The 8 MP front shooter is good enough for selfies and video calls. The Realme 5i has a large 6.5-inch screen but with an HD+ resolution of 1600x720 pixels, with a layer of scratch resistant glass on top. It is powered by a Snapdragon 665 chip with 4 GB RAM and 64 GB storage. The standout feature of the Realme 5i is its mammoth 5,000 mAh battery that can last a couple of days of moderate usage. It runs Android Pie with a fairly clean ColorOS 6.0 user interface. Realme 5i price in India: Rs 9,999 for 4 GB RAM / 64 GB storage

Lenovo K10 Note

Lenovo K10 Note is the only phone from the previous list that managed to retain its price and place. The phone is powered by a Snapdragon 710 SoC with 4 GB RAM, 64 GB internal storage, and comes bundled with more than what most phones offer in this segment currently. It has a 6.3-inch Full HD+ display with a drop notch. There’s a 4,050 mAh battery that can keep it powered for over a day of moderate usage. [caption id=“attachment_7876301” align=“alignnone” width=“1280”] Lenovo K10 Note[/caption] There are three cameras at the back with a combination of 16 MP + 8 MP + 2 MP sensors. And what’s even better is that the company has opted for a telephoto lens here. The Lenovo K10 Note offers you 2X optical zoom, which none of the other phones in this list do. There’s also a 16 MP front camera for selfies. The phone runs Android Pie with ZUI 11 on top. Lenovo K10 Note price in India: Rs 9,999 for 4 GB RAM / 64 GB storage

Nokia 6.1 Plus

One of our favourite devices from a year ago makes its return to our list but in a different price bracket. In a world of bloating phones, if you happen to like compact and aesthetically appealing handsets, the **Nokia 6.1 Plus (review)** is your best option. It has a metal body sandwiched between two sheets of glass with Gorilla Glass 3 protection to give it a touch of class and sturdiness. It has a 5.8-inch Full HD+ notched display with a higher pixel density and hence, a sharper picture. Its 3,060 mAh battery takes you through a work day.

The phone is powered by a Snapdragon 636 SoC, and like all phones in this list, comes with 4 GB RAM and 64 GB expandable storage. The Nokia 6.1 Plus has 16 MP + 5 MP dual rear cameras and a 16 MP front shooter that do a great job for a phone in this segment. Most importantly, this is an Android One device, meaning it comes with stock Android UI and the promise of regular OS updates for a couple of years. An Android 10 update was rolled out for this phone earlier this year. All in all, it is a great combination of style and substance. Nokia 6.1 Plus price in India: Rs 9,499 for 4 GB RAM / 64 GB storage

Asus Zenfone Max M2

The Asus Zenfone Max M2 also featured in our list of phones under Rs 7,500. We have a higher capacity variant here. It sports a 6.26-inch HD+ notched display with a 1520x720 resolution and 2.5D glass on top. This phone is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 632 SoC. You get the 4 GB RAM and 64 GB internal storage variant in this budget. The storage can be expanded further up to 2 TB using a microSD card. The 13 MP + 2 MP dual rear cameras do a good job in well-lit conditions, and there’s an 8 MP front camera for selfies.

It launched with Android Oreo 8.1 and stock Android UI, but Asus has rolled out an Android Pie update for this phone in mid–2019. The current batch of this smartphone might have Android Pie out of the box. If not, you can always update it. The Asus Zenfone Max M2 has a 4,000 mAh battery that suffices for more than a day of standard usage without the need for a charger. Asus Zenfone Max M2 price in India: Rs 8,999 for 4 GB RAM / 64 GB storage

Motorola One Macro

As the name suggests, Motorola One Macro   **(****Review)** comes with a dedicated 2 MP macro camera at the back for those who like to get up close with objects. Giving it the company is a 13 MP primary camera with laser autofocus and 2 MP depth sensor. There’s an 8 MP camera at the front to take care of selfies and video calls. The phone has an elegant design with a 6.2-inch HD+ display that bears a drop notch and a glossy back with colour gradient. [caption id=“attachment_7508201” align=“alignnone” width=“1280”] Moto One Macro[/caption] The phone is powered by a capable Mediatek Helio P70 chip accompanied by 4 GB RAM and 64 GB internal (expandable) storage. There’s a 4,000 mAh battery that keeps it running for over a day of moderate usage. Like all Motorola phones, you get a near-stock Android user interface. The phone launched with Android Pie and an Android 10 update is in the works. Motorola One Macro price in India: Rs 9,499 for 4 GB RAM / 64 GB storage