Realme Narzo 20A, Poco M2 to Motorola E7 Plus: Best phones under Rs 10,000 (Oct 2020)

We look to refresh our smartphone lists for this quarter, and we begin with the list of best phones under Rs 10,000. More than a refresh, you can call it an overhaul, as all the models from our two-month-old sub-10K list have been replaced by new devices. We have chosen phones with at least 4 GB RAM in this budget. And if that wasn’t enough, we have handsets with quad cameras too, along with large 5,000 mAh batteries. So let’s see what we have for you this month in this Xiaomi-dominated list.[caption id="attachment_8816901" align="alignnone" width="1280"]

Poco M2[/caption]

Best phones to buy under Rs 10,000 in India

Poco M2

The Poco M2 is the only phone in this list that bundles 6 GB of RAM, quite generous in this budget. On top of that, it has a large 6.53-inch Full HD+ display, which is again not very common in this price range. It is protected against scratches by a layer of Corning Gorilla Glass 3. The Poco M2 is powered by a Mediatek Helio G80 SoC with 6 GB RAM and 64 GB of internal (expandable) storage. This chipset is good enough for a bit of gaming on medium graphics settings.This phone has four cameras at the back. It has a 13 MP primary camera accompanied by an 8MP ultra-wide camera, 5 MP macro camera and a 2 MP depth sensor. The picture quality is more than decent for this segment. You also get an 8 MP camera up front for selfies and video calls. The Poco M2 has a 5,000 mAh battery that can go past a day and a half of moderate usage. The phone runs Android 10 with MIUI 11 on top. The phone actually sells for Rs 10,499, but Flipkart is offering an additional Rs 500 discount if you buy it using any credit or debit card, thus dropping its price under 10K.Poco M2 price in India: Rs 9,999 for 6 GB RAM/ 64 GB storage

Redmi 9 Prime

The Redmi 9 Prime (Review) is pretty much the Poco M2 in every sense, but with 4 GB RAM and a slightly higher capacity 5,020 mAh battery. The rest of its specifications are exactly the same as that of the M2. And of course, this phone is officially available on Amazon instead of Flipkart. Lastly, this phone sells under 10K even without any credit card offers. If you have the right card, you can always get another 10% off in the ongoing Amazon sale.[caption id="attachment_8956531" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Redmi 9 Prime. Image: Tech2/Priya Singh[/caption]Redmi 9 Prime price in India: Rs 9,999 for 4 GB RAM/ 64 GB storage

Redmi 9i

Redmi 9i completes the trifecta of Xiaomi phones in this list. This isn’t as good as the above two, but if you are on a tighter budget or need double the storage, the Redmi 9i is a good option for you. This phone too has a 5000 mAh battery that can last close to two days under moderate usage. The battery life gets a boost, courtesy of a 6.53-inch HD+ display with 1600 x 720 pixels and a modest Mediatek G25 SoC. You get 4 GB RAM here with an option of either 64 GB or 128 GB of internal storage that can be expanded further.[caption id="attachment_8817501" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Redmi 9i[/caption]You get a single 13 MP camera at the back, and a 5 MP selfie camera located in the drop notch at the top of the screen. It runs Android 10 with a layer of Xiaomi’s latest MIUI 12 on top. The Redmi 9i is a no-frills budget phone that can handle usual day-to-day tasks with ease, courtesy of a good amount of RAM, and provides you with ample storage for those endless WhatsApp forwards. Its neat design is an added bonus, and makes it look quite premium for this segment.Redmi 9i price in India: Rs 8,299 for 4 GB RAM/ 64 GB storage; Rs 9,299 for 4 GB RAM/ 128 GB storage

Realme Narzo 20A

Moving away from Xiaomi, you have this well-rounded new offering from Realme, the Narzo 20A. It is probably the best-looking phone in this list. This fairly stylish phone has a large 6.5-inch HD+ display with a drop notch and a layer of Corning Gorilla Glass 3 for protection against scratches. The choice of chipset is quite impressive too for this segment, with a Qualcomm Snapdragon 665 at the heart of this device. You get 4 GB RAM and 64 GB storage to go with it that can be expanded further using a microSD card.[caption id="attachment_8865011" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Realme Narzo 20A[/caption]The camera department at the back includes a 12 MP primary camera and two 2 MP depth sensors for additional focus on portrait shots (not sure how the extra depth sensor helps though). You get an 8 MP shooter at the front that handles selfies and video calls. Just like the phones above, the Realme Narzo 20A has a huge 5,000 mAh battery under the hood that manages to keep the phone powered for a day and a half to two of moderate usage. The phone runs Android 10 OS with Realme UI on top.Realme Narzo 20A price in India: Rs 9,499 for 4 GB RAM/ 64 GB storage

Motorola E7 Plus

Last but not the least, we have the Motorola E7 Plus -- the only phone in this list to boast of a 48 MP rear camera. Giving it company is a 2 MP depth sensor at the back and an 8 MP camera at the front to take care of selfies and video calls. The main camera supports pixel binning and captures some crisp shots in different lighting conditions that exceed expectations in this budget. The phone has a 6.5-inch HD+ display with a drop notch and a glossy back.[caption id="attachment_8843251" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Moto E7 Plus[/caption]The phone is powered by a capable Qualcomm Snapdragon 460 chip, and is accompanied by 4 GB RAM and 64 GB internal storage, that can be expanded further up to 512 GB with a microSD card. As for the battery, you guessed it: the Motorola E7 Plus too has a 5,000 mAh battery that keeps it running for well over a day and a half of standard usage. The phone runs Android 10, and like all Motorola phones, you get a near-stock Android user interface to go with it.Motorola E7 Plus price in India: Rs 9,499 for 4 GB RAM/ 64 GB storage