Best Smartphones Under Rs.7,000 (October 2021)

With the advent of cheap Chinese smartphones, a vast majority of common people stepped into the connected world at once. Earlier, the quality of such phones was questionable at best, but not today.

The entry-level smartphone market is no longer flooded with pitiable hardware from unknown brands. For a price bracket of Rs.7000, there are a lot of strong offerings in the market, both from domestic as well as international brands.

Without any further delay, let’s dive into this comprehensive list of the twelve best smartphones in India priced under Rs. 7,000.

Best Smartphones Under Rs.7,000

1. Redmi 9AOverall Best Pick
2. Realme C20Runner-up Pick
3. Lava Z2Feature-rich Smartphone
4. Techno Spark Go 2020Value for Money Smartphone
5. Infinix Smart 5APocket-friendly Smartphone
6. Lava Z66Best Affordable Smartphone
7. Realme C11 2021Smartphone for Everyday Use
8. Gionee Max ProDecent Entry-level Smartphone
9. Nokia C3Best Budget Smartphone
10. Lava BeUBest Smartphone for Females
11. Itel Vision 1 ProEntry-level 4G smartphone
12. Nokia C01 PlusHonourable Mention

Note: The price shown are the once when we reviewed the products. However, as the promotional offers changes on the given E-commerce sites, the price may vary. Bettershark is supported by it’s readers and when you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.

1. Redmi 9A

Redmi 9A

Overall Best Pick

  • Dual SIM 4G LTE
  • Decent HD+ display
  • Excellent battery life
BUY FROM AMAZON

Pros

Dedicated SD card slot 10W charger in the box

Android 10.0 Q OS

Robust build quality

Cons

Outdated micro USB port

Xiaomi had earlier spun off its Redmi series smartphones to an entirely new sub-brand dealing with budget devices in developing countries such as India and Indonesia.

The Redmi 9A as the name suggests is the latest entry-level smartphone running the latest Android 10.0 Q operating system with Xiaomi’s MIUI 12 skin on top.

Design and Build Quality

The Redmi 9A is entirely made of plastic and polycarbonate material. Incidentally, this makes the device very lightweight and comfortable to hold in the hand.

The textured pattern on the backplate makes this device somewhat fingerprint-resistant. This helps to keep your phone neat and clean, even if not used with a case.

Available in three different colours namely – ocean green, carbon grey and sky blue, the Redmi 9A is quite a looker in the sub. Rs.7,000 price segment. 

The overall fit and finish of this budget Android smartphone are excellent with no noticeable cost cuttings to be superficially visible.

The 2+1 slot design makes sure that you will have the freedom to use two SIM cards at once without sacrificing the slot for a dedicated SD card slot.

Display

The Redmi 9A budget Android smartphone comes equipped with a relatively large 6.53-inch HD+ display with a resolution of 720 x 1600 pixels.

Xiaomi claims that this IPS LCD panel is one of the brightest displays in its price segment, with a peak brightness level of 400 nits.

Being an IPS display, the viewing angles look great without any noticeable colour shifts whatsoever.

The colour reproduction is good for the price and a pixel density of 269ppi, makes this panel look adequately sharp and clean.

This dot notch display with the 20:9 aspect ratio delivers an immersive media consumption experience.

Processor and Performance

This smartphone is powered by the all-new MediaTek Helio G25 SoC clocked at 2.0GHz. 

This octa-core chipset is more powerful than the Snapdragon 439 processor which was present on the previous Redmi 8A smartphone.

The Helio G25 coupled with 2GB RAM runs the show smooth on this entry-level smartphone, thanks to the optimized Android 10.0 Q OS.

The Redmi 9A is one of the first Redmi smartphones that ships with the latest MIUI 12 skin out of the box.

Day to day tasks such as web browsing, e-mails, browsing social media websites etc will work fine without any kind of lags or stutters. 

However, don’t expect this smartphone to perform better in the gaming department as the lack of sufficient RAM ruins the experience.

Camera

The Redmi 9A features a single 13MP rear camera with LED flash and the front shooter is a 5MP sensor.

These cameras take decent quality still images under good lighting conditions. This Android smartphone is also capable of recording full HD videos at 30/60fps.

Battery Life

With a 5000mAh Li-ion battery powering the hardware inside, the Redmi 9A smartphone can easily last up to two days of moderate usage under normal conditions.

The optimized OS and the HD+ display helps the smartphone to deliver a respectable screen on time of about 8-10 hours on a single charge.

Verdict

The Redmi 9A is an ergonomically designed Android smartphone that feels premium for the price you are paying.

This smartphone will be an ideal choice for many customers who want a no-frills entry-level smartphone with great battery life and decent specifications, all under an affordable budget.

Specifications

Operating SystemAndroid 10.0 Q
ROM32 GB
RAM2 GB
ProcessorMediaTek Helio G25
Camera13MP Rear, 5MP Front
Battery5000mAh
Display6.53-inch HD+ Display

2. Realme C20

Realme C20

Runner-up Pick

  • Efficient MediaTek Helio G35 processor
  • Bright and vivid display
  • Good battery life
BUY FROM FLIPKART

Pros

Splash resistant design

Decent rear and selfie camera

Realme UI based on Android 10

Cons

No fingerprint sensor

Realme has consistently kept its presence in the Indian market by launching new phones every month or two.

The new Realme C20 is a continuation model in the C-series, priced at just Rs.6,799 and is powered by a powerful MediaTek processor.

Design and Build Quality

Realme C20 sports a polycarbonate back that has a textured finish on it which helps prevent fingerprint marks and smudges.

This device is comfortable to use with a single hand. Even though it weighs 190g, the phone doesn’t feel much heavy, thanks to its excellent weight distribution.

This smartphone has a splash-resistant design which means a small drop of rain or an accidental water splash will not cause any issue at all.

Talking about its physical appearance, this device has nothing on the top frame. The volume control and the power button are located on the right side, and on the left frame, there is a SIM tray that can be pulled out using an ejector pin.

We were disappointed with the port selection as the outdated micro USB in a 2021 smartphone is a bit of a letdown.

Along with the charging port, there is an audio jack as well and since the speaker is located on the rear side it is better to use earphones for the surrounding sound experience.

Display

The Realme C20 features a 6.5-inch HD+ LCD dew-drop display with a resolution of 1600 x 720 pixels.

Thanks to those thin bezels on the side and top, the display has an 89.5% screen to body ratio. You will get a delightfully immersive experience with media consumption.

This display has the protection of Corning Gorilla Glass 3 to keep it safe from accidental scratches.

This panel brightness can get high up to 400 nits which is sufficient for indoors and outdoor use for the most part.

Processor and Performance

The showrunner of the Realme C20 is the MediaTek Helio G35 octa-core processor with a clock speed of 2.3GHz.

The G-series processor from MediaTek designed to provide a smooth gaming experience in budget smartphones.

The 2GB RAM coupled with the MediaTek Helio processor delivers decent multitasking performance.

The GE8320 GPU is capable of processing games clash of clans, subway surfer, and more alike, but the battle royal games like PUBG Mobile will not run as the RAM is a major limiting factor.

Coming to the storage, this device has 32GB built-in storage in which you can store offline files and media. If that is not sufficient enough, you can insert a micro SD card.

This device comes pre-installed with the Android 10 OS. The user interface you get to see is Realme UI which is developed on top of Android and is quite well optimized compared to MIUI.

Camera

The Realme C20 has a single camera at the rear but the design imitates as it has a dual or triple camera setup.

The device has 8MP rear lens supported by the LED flashlight and on the front, there is a 5MP lens.

The rear camera clicks decent images and takes some time to focus on the object. The picture’s colour sometimes looks a bit oversaturated – it happens because of the chroma boost feature so make sure to turn it off if not necessary.

The details are good but the images are not sharp – we think the image processing is a bit slow and poor but it can be fixed within software update.

The front-facing camera clicks clear selfies whether you’re under natural or artificial lighting conditions.

Battery Life

The Realme C20 is powered by a 5000mAh battery that is rated to last up to 10-12 hours a day on moderate to heavy use.

The bundled 10W charger juice up the smartphone battery in 2 to 3 hours from zero to a hundred.

Verdict

If you are looking for a smartphone with good multitasking capabilities and better battery life for a budget under Rs.8,000, then Realme C20 is one of the wise choices to make.

Specifications

Operating SystemAndroid 10.0 Q
ROM32 GB
RAM2 GB
ProcessorMediaTek Helio G35
Camera8MP rear, 5MP front
Battery5000mAh
Display6.5-inch HD+ LCD display

3. Lava Z2

Lava Z2

Feature-rich Smartphone

  • Octa-core MediaTek chipset
  • Android 10 Go Edition
  • Decent HD+ display
BUY FROM AMAZON

Pros

USB Type-C port

Good battery life

Face unlock

Cons

Average selfie camera

Lava is an Indian consumer electronics company manufacturing budget smartphones while keeping the quality up to the standard.

Lava Z2 offers a lot at the price tag of Rs.7,000 including a big battery and a powerful MediaTek CPU.

Design and Build Quality

The design of the Lava Z2 smartphone is very similar to the Micromax In 1b.

About its build quality, this Lava smartphone has a polycarbonate back with a smooth textured finish that feels good in the hand.

The flame red colour gives this device a vibrant look and it is available in blue colour as well.

A small speaker cut out is given at the rear and the sound output is loud but not pleasing. We recommend using earphones or headphones to experience the surround sound experience.

The audio jack is placed at the bottom frame and besides it, there is a Type-C port as well which is a good thing to have in a smartphone these days.

Display

The Lava Z2 features a 6.51-inch HD+ IPS water-drop notch display with a resolution of 720 x 1600 pixels.

The thin bezels around the display provide a wide viewing experience while you’re watching movies or series.

This panel has decent colour reproduction and the visuals appear sharp and detailed.

Processor and Performance

The showrunner of the Lava Z2 is a powerful MediaTek Helio G35 octa-core processor designed on 12-nanometer architecture.

This is the most powerful CPU available in this price range.

The 2GB RAM onboard is efficient enough to execute day to day tasks such as browsing, messaging, social media and more.

If you wonder about gaming, 2D games are playable but heavy 3D games like PUBG Mobile and COD: Mobile will not run on this smartphone.

On the storage front, this mobile phone has 32GB built-in out of which 24GB is available to use where you can store and install all media files and applications. You can insert an external SD card to increase the storage capacity up to 512GB.

This device is pre-installed with the Android 10 Go Edition operating system. It is a well optimised OS that gives a buttery smooth experience on devices with lower-end hardware.

Camera

The Lava Z2 encompasses a dual-camera setup on the rear consisting of a 13MP primary and 2MP autofocus lens.

Pictures taken with this camera unit in well-lit conditions deliver decent results. This smartphone supports up to 1080p video capture but without any stabilization options. 

The 8MP selfie with an aperture of f/2.0 is not as good as expected. In terms of sharpness, it is good but the colour looks washed out and its dynamic range is not impressive either.

Battery Life

The Lava Z2 is powered by a 5000mAh battery which is non-removable and lasts for a day with moderate use. 

The bundled 10W charger takes almost 3 hours 15 minutes to juice up the battery from 0-100%.

Verdict

The Lava Z2 is a feature-rich affordable smartphone with smooth and lag-free everyday performance without any compromise with regards to battery life.

Specifications

Operating SystemAndroid 10 Go Edition
ROM32 GB
RAM2 GB
ProcessorMediaTek Helio G35
Camera13MP+2MP Rear, 8MP Front camera
Battery5000mAh
Display6.51-inch HD+ IPS Display

4. Techno Spark Go 2020

Techno Spark Go 2020

Value for Money Smartphone

  • Excellent battery backup
  • Decent everyday performance
  • Good 720p HD display
BUY FROM FLIPKART

Pros

Front camera flash

Fingerprint scanner

Android 10 Go Edition OS

Cons

Slow charging

Tecno is a Chinese smartphone brand that recently came to India with some feature-packed smartphones at enticing entry-level price tags.

The Tecno Spark Go 2020 as the name suggests is a budget Android smartphone released in 2020 loaded with features, priced at just Rs.6,499.

Design and Build Quality

The Tecno Spark Go 2020 has a polycarbonate plastic whole body construction with a smooth textured finish at the back. 

The attractive colours and the textured pattern makes this smartphone look way too premium than its asking price. 

The camera unit in the rear sits almost flush with the backplate, which in turn minimizes the wobbling of the smartphone when placed on a flat surface. 

Apart from the camera unit, the backplate of the Tecno Spark Go 2020 is populated with a fingerprint scanner and a single rear-facing speaker. 

This smartphone is just 9.2mm thick and weighs around 196g. Even though this is not the lightest smartphone around, it fits in the pocket comfortably without feeling too much heft. 

Display

The Tecno Spark Go 2020 features a 6.52-inch HD+ TFT dot-notch display with a resolution of 720 x 1600 pixels.

This in-cell display has a modern 20:9 aspect ratio with minimal side bezels for an immersive media consumption experience. 

The colour reproduction and the sharpness of this panel can be said as decent and on par with its competitors. 

One of the advantages of this panel is its 480 nits brightness, which makes this phone a less messy affair. 

Processor and Performance

The Tecno Spark Go 2020 is powered by a quad-core MediaTek Helio A20 processor with a clock speed of 1.8GHz.

This entry-level A-series processor is less capable than the G series CPUs we reviewed on the Realme C20 but still delivers a decent day to day performance. 

The standard 2GB and 32GB RAM and ROM are what you get from this budget Android smartphone. 

The latest Android 10 Go edition OS makes everything work smooth and lag-free. The Go edition apps pre-installed on this device occupy much less space and require less power to run smoothly. 

However, the Hi OS6.2 based skin might be a bummer for many. Adding a skin on top of the clean OS is always going to take a toll on the entry-level processor. 

Speaking of storage, this device comes with a dedicated SD card slot for increasing the storage further. 

Camera

This Tecno smartphone comes with a dual rear camera and a dual-LED flashlight.

The 13MP primary camera shoots awesome pictures in good lighting condition. The secondary camera is an AI lens that helps you capture portrait shots.

Inside the camera app, you will find different modes like HDR, Pro etc which can be used to tweak variables such as focus, ISO, white balance etc manually while clicking photos.

The front camera on this device is an 8MP shooter with a dedicated flash for lighting up your face in the dark. 

This camera supports various AI modes to enhance the photos you take digitally. 

The photos and videos that come out of these cameras are really good for the price, we must admit.

Battery Life

The Tecno Spark Go 2020 has a 5000mAh battery onboard which easily lasts for a day and a half with heavy usage. 

If you’re a casual user, expect this smartphone to last two full days easily. However, the included 5W charger is pretty slow in juicing up the battery and may take more than three hours to completely juice up. 

Verdict

The Tecno Spark Go 2020 is a feature-loaded budget Android smartphone with decent everyday performance and impressive two-day battery life. 

Features such as a front cam selfie light and fingerprint scanner for a budget under Rs.7,000 makes this smartphone a really sweet deal.

Specifications

Operating SystemAndroid 10 Go Edition
ROM32 GB
RAM2 GB
ProcessorMediaTek Helio A20
Camera13MP+AI Lens, 8MP Front camera
Battery5000mAh
Display6.52-inch HD+ InCell TFT Display

5. Infinix Smart 5A

Infinix Smart 5A

Pocket-friendly Smartphone

  • MediaTek Helio A20 CPU
  • Immersive HD+ display
  • Decent camera performance
BUY FROM FLIPKART

Pros

Fingerprint scanner

Good battery life

XOS based on Android 11 OS

Cons

No USB-C port

Infinix is a HongKong based smartphone manufacturer popular for its feature-rich budget Android smartphones mainly in the Asian market. 

The Infinix Smart 5A is the best affordable smartphone under the price of Rs.7,000 that comes with good design and offers value for money performance for the price you pay.

Design and Build Quality

The back panel of Infinix Smart 5A is made from polycarbonate materials and it has a prism flow design that makes this smartphone stand out from its competitors.

Weighing at 188 grams, this smartphone does not feel that heavy in hands and you can use it with one hand.

This device has a fingerprint scanner at the back and it works perfectly fine.

This smartphone has a SIM tray on the left side which you can take out using the ejector tool. It has support for dual 4G SIM cards and a dedicated micro SD card slot.

The bottom frame of this smartphone houses a 3.5mm audio jack, micro USB port, and a primary microphone.

The volume up/down and power key is located on the right side and all three keys are easily reachable.

Display

The Infinix Smart 5A sports a 6.52-inch HD+ IPS display with a resolution of 720 x 1560 pixels.

The display has 500 nits of peak brightness so the outdoor usability of this smartphone is decent.

Thanks to the IPS technology, the viewing angles are good without any noticeable colour shift.

We are impressed with the 90.5% screen to body ratio and watching movies on this panel will be a delightful experience.

Processor and Performance

The Infinix Smart 5A comes equipped with the MediaTek Helio A20 quad-core processor with a clock speed of 1.6GHz.

This smartphone has 2GB RAM onboard that is more than sufficient for everyday use if you stick with casual apps that is. 

Gaming is not the strong forte of this smartphone and we don’t expect it either considering the price. Well, you can try some light games like Subway surfer and Candy Crush.

The 32GB internal storage lets you store files offline and you can also insert a microSD card to expand the storage.

This Infinix device comes pre-installed with XOS 7.6 based on Android 11 OS. The UI might feel a bit confusing at first but getting used to it takes a couple of days only.

Camera

The Infinix Smart 5A has an 8MP lens followed by the depth sensor at the rear.

The photos from the rear camera come out clean but the picture quality is not sharp and the colours are a bit soft.

In low light conditions, the photos exhibit significant noise so make sure to take pictures in broad daylight.

The depth sensor is useful for taking portraits and for the price, we’d say the blur effect is good and can be improved to much better levels in the future with software updates.

In the rear camera, you will have AI filters and other options to play with.

Moving to the front, there is an 8MP selfie camera and selfie pictures come out clear. Even under dim light conditions, you can take good selfies as there are dual LEDs on the front.

Battery Life

The Infinix Smart 5A is powered by a 5000mAh lithium-polymer battery that is rated to last up to an entire day with heavy use.

The 10W bundled charger will juice up the battery levels from 0 – 100% in 2:30 to 3 hours.

Verdict

The Infinix Smart 5A is a value for money smartphone at the price of Rs.6,699.

This smartphone has a clean design and the hardware inside offers good performance with day to day use.

Specifications

Operating SystemAndroid 11
ROM32GB
RAM2 GB
ProcessorMediaTek Helio A20
Camera8MP + Depth sensor rear, 8MP front
Battery5000mAh
Display6.52-inch HD+ IPS display

6. Lava Z66

Lava Z66

Best Affordable Smartphone

  • Octa-core processor inside
  • Decent HD+ display
  • Good rear camera
BUY FROM FLIPKART

Pros

Dedicated rear fingerprint scanner

MicroSD card slot

Stock Android 10 OS

Cons

Slow charging

Lava is an Indian brand which manufactures affordable feature phones and smartphones.

The Lava Z66 is an entry-level smartphone priced at Rs.6,999 ideal for first time smartphone users as well those who need a budget secondary smartphone.

Design and Build Quality

The Lava Z66 features a glossy polycarbonate back that looks nice but is a fingerprint magnet. You either have to use the device with a case or will have to clean the back frequently to keep it look pristine. 

Weighing at just 162 grams, this smartphone feels lightweight in hands and does not feel like carrying a brick while in pockets.

Design wise, there’s nothing out of the blue that Lava has done; however, the bright colour scheme is indeed refreshing to look at. 

This smartphone supports dual 4G SIM cards in terms of cellular connectivity. There is a physical rear mounted fingerprint scanner for quick and safe log in. 

Display

The Lava Z66 sports a 6.08-inch HD+ display with a resolution of 1560 x 720 pixels and an aspect ratio of 19:9.

This HD panel has a pixel density of 283ppiI and it provides sharp quality visuals with decent colours and brightness.

The touch response is good as the screen registers all the taps and swipes flawlessly. However, we advise you to install a toughened glass over the display to keep it safe from scratches and other damage. 

Processor and Performance

The Lava Z66 is powered by a 1.6GHz octa-core processor and 3GB RAM.

In day to day use, you will not notice any lags or stutters unless you start to use multiple apps at once.

You can play some light games but don’t expect it to run high-end 3D games like Call of Duty Mobile.

The 32GB internal storage should be sufficient for users who don’t have much to store offline and if you have hundreds of files to store then do prefer utilizing the dedicated micro SD card slot.

Out of the box, the device runs on Android 10 and since the interface here is mostly stock, there will be no annoying ads or promotional notifications.

Camera

The Lava Z66 houses a dual-camera setup supported by an LED flashlight in the rear.

The 13MP lens provides good quality photos in broad daylight. You will get sufficient colours and details in the photo without any pixelation.

The 5MP AF lens helps you lock the focus automatically on the subject.

The 13MP front camera delivers standard results and it is nothing mind blowing but not bad either considering the price. 

Battery Life

The Lava Z66 is powered by a 3950mAh battery that will easily last for a day with a full charge.

The bundled charger takes around 3 hours 15 minutes to recharge the battery completely.

Verdict

The Lava Z66 is an excellent budget smartphone that offers a good day to day performance for a budget under Rs.7000.

Specifications

Operating SystemAndroid 10.0 Q
ROM32GB
RAM3 GB
Processor1.6GHz octa-core
Camera13MP +5MP rear, 13MP front
Battery3950mAh
Display6.08-inch HD+ display

7. Realme C11 2021

Realme C11 2021

Smartphone for Everyday Use

  • Octa-core processor
  • Multi-touch HD+ display
  • 1-Year warranty
BUY FROM FLIPKART

Pros

Decent rear camera

Android 11 OS

Good battery backup

Cons

No fingerprint sensor

The C series from Realme is a budget Android smartphone lineup targeted at beginner smartphone users and those who need a secondary device. 

The C11 2021 compared to the original C11 that was released last year is a downgrade but more affordable than ever. 

Design and Build Quality

Realme copied the design of Realme C20 with the Realme C11. If you notice both of these devices from its back then it is hard to tell which one is which.

The polycarbonate back has a textured finish with the square-shaped camera module and a matte strip on the side that houses the Realme logo.

The look and feel of this smartphone are good and it does feel much bulky in hand as it weighs 190 grams.

Pulling out the SIM tray, there is a place for two SIM cards and a dedicated slot for an external SD card.

The device has a water repellent design so a few drops of water can not damage the device.

Even though this is a 2021 model smartphone, it still features a micro USB port which feels like a major letdown.

Display

The Realme C11 2021 sports a 6.5-inch HD+ display with a resolution of 1600 x 720 pixels.

The colour reproduction of this panel is decent, however, the viewing angles are not that good.

Speaking of the display brightness, you can comfortably use this device indoors under direct sunlight, the display legibility is average.

The panel is touch responsive and has minimal bezels on the sides which offers an immersive wide viewing experience.

Processor and Performance

The Realme C11 2021 is powered by the 1.6GHz octa-core processor coupled with the 2GB RAM providing good performance on day to day tasks.

As for the storage, this smartphone has 32GB of internal storage where you can store music, videos, movies, documents, etc. If the space is insufficient then you can insert an SD card with a capacity of up to 256GB.

The device comes pre-installed with the Android 11 OS with the skin of Realme UI Go Edition on top. Realme UI does have plenty of ads here and there but the user interface is better than ColourOS and FunTouch OS.

Camera

From the design, it does feel like the smartphone has a dual-camera setup but in reality, the Realme C11 2021 features a single 8MP lens.

The photos captured in bright daylight have saturated colours and enough details. In portrait mode, the edge detection needs a bit of a correction otherwise the bokeh photos look great considering the price.

There are few other modes like panorama, burst, internal, and pro mode.

Burst mode is the most useful as you just have to hold the phone and press and hold the shutter button. It will take 20 images of the same object and out of them it will show you the best one and you can easily delete the other photos.

The 5MP selfie camera takes decent photos in ample lighting conditions.

Battery Life

The Realme C11 2021 has a 5000mAh lithium polymer battery inside that provides backup for an entire day with normal use.

The 10W bundled charger takes almost 2 to 2:30 hours to recharge the battery levels from zero to full.

Verdict

The Realme C11 2021 is a budget smartphone for casual users who need a smartphone for web surfing and social networking.

It offers excellent battery life and has a decent camera. For the asking price of Rs.7,000, this smartphone will be worth the investment for normal users.

Specifications

Operating SystemAndroid 11
ROM32GB
RAM2 GB
Processor1.6GHz octa-core
Camera8MP rear, 5MP front
Battery5000mAh
Display6.5-inch HD+ display

8. Gionee Max Pro

Gionee Max Pro

Decent Entry-level Smartphone

  • Entry-level processor
  • Bright HD+ display
  • Good build quality
BUY FROM FLIPKART

Pros

Decent camera results

Good battery life

Dedicated SD card slot

Cons

Slow charging

Heavy

Gionee was a very popular brand back in 2016 but they can’t keep up with the competition that Xiaomi has created, however, the company still manufactures affordable phones and releases them frequently.

The Gionee Max Pro is a budget Android smartphone with entry-level hardware and offers decent performance for the price of Rs.5,999.

Design and Build Quality

The material used for construction is plastic and the good thing is that it has a textured finishing that resists the fingerprint marks and provides a comfortable grip at the same time.

This smartphone weighs 212 grams and it does feel heavy which is acceptable considering the battery size.

Unfortunately, Gionee has used a micro USB port for the charging and data transfer. It might be a part of cost-cutting so we can’t complain about that.

This smartphone supports dual 4G network and has a dedicated microSD card slot as well.

At the bottom, you see there are two speaker grills which is just a cosmetic design choice. The only working speaker is on the right side of the micro USB port.

Display

The Gionee Max Pro features a 6.52-inch HD+ full view display with a resolution of 720 x 1560 pixels.

The display is bright enough for indoor use and outdoors while the sun is not at its brightest.

The colour reproduction is decent at best and watching media on this thin-bezel display would be a good experience.

The touchscreen works fine and there is no noticeable pixelation while watching any kind of media.

Processor and Performance

The Gionee Max Pro is powered by the Unisoc 9863a octa-core processor designed on 28-nm architecture.

It’s a power-hungry processor but don’t worry the company has balanced this fault by using a large battery.

Many smartphone providers only provide 2GB of RAM at this price while Gionee Max Pro comes with 3GB of RAM.

The performance is decent for an entry level smartphone and everyday tasks such as web browsing and social media usage will work just fine.

Out of 32GB internal storage, you will get 25GB of storage to use and if that’s not sufficient then you can expand the storage through an external SD card.

As for the OS, this device comes pre-installed with Android 10 and the experience is near to stock without any ads or bloatware.

Camera

The Gionee Max Pro features a dual camera setup in the rear consisting of a 13MP primary and a 2MP depth sensor.

While capturing the photos using the rear camera, make sure to turn on HDR to provide a punchy colour output.  

You can record videos in 1080p at 30fps from the rear camera and keep in mind that you will not get any kind of stabilization.

The 2MP depth sensor helps to click portrait images and the camera app has the option to change the depth effect manually. The problem is that edge detection is not that good.

Moving to the selfie camera, this smartphone houses an 8MP front-facing camera that provides decent selfies.

Battery Life

As we said, the battery is the reason why the device is heavy and how Gionee overcomes the relatively lesser power-efficient processor.

It has a 6000mAh battery inside that helps this smartphone to last for a day and a half even with heavy use.

Inside the retail box, you will get a 10W regular charger that takes around 3-4 hours to juice up the battery completely.

Verdict

The Gionee Max Pro is a good budget smartphone with a respectable build quality and feature set.

It is priced conveniently under Rs.7,000 and delivers a satisfactory customer user experience.

Specifications

Operating SystemAndroid 10.0 Q
ROM32GB
RAM3 GB
Processor1.6GHz octa-core
Camera13MP +2MP rear, 8MP Front
Battery6000mAh
Display6.52-inch HD+ display

9. Nokia C3

Nokia C3

Best Budget Smartphone

  • Decent everyday performance
  • Stock Android UI
  • Decent display
BUY FROM AMAZON

Pros

Build quality

Excellent performance

AI-powered camera

Cons

No full HD display

Nokia has been known for great phones in the past and at present HMD, which builds Nokia phones under a trademark license does the same but the pricing was always a little offset, similar to Motorola.

The Nokia C3 packs respective internals at a competitive price point which makes it one of the top performers in its price category.

Design and Build Quality

The Nokia C3 has a premium design for its price. The notchless display and the glass back make this device look more attractive than ever before.

The side bezels are relatively minimal and the chin bezel houses the Nokia logo. The side inserts are made of high-quality plastic and it feels strong and durable.

The fingerprint on the back is located at an ideal resting position for the index finger, making the locking and unlocking process easier.

Since this budget smartphone has a high body to screen ratio and rounded 2.5D glass, one hand usage is not a problem.

Display

The display is the part where Nokia has done some cost-cutting with this device.

The Nokia C3 features a 5.99-inch IPS LCD with a resolution of 720 X 1440 pixels.

Had it been a full HD display, the Nokia C3 would have become one of our top choices in this segment.

The edge to edge 2.5D curved display is a treat to look at despite its low resolution. The colours are accurate and the brightness levels are decent.

Processor

What runs the Nokia C3 is an Unisoc SC9863A Octa-Core chipset clocked at 1.6GHz.

The 2GB RAM is enough for this SoC to show its might when it comes to app loading and multitasking.

Running on stock Android 10 OS, the interface is fluid and smooth as no other phone.

If you are not content with the onboard 16GB storage, there is a dedicated SD card slot that accepts cards up to 128GB effortlessly.

Camera

As with other smartphone manufacturers, Nokia also banks on AI for its camera.

The single rear camera setup has an 8MP primary camera with a dedicated LED flash.

The output from the rear cameras look great and has a lot of details and colour accuracy.

The front 5MP camera is a selfie shooter and features artificial portrait mode as well.

Battery Life

The Nokia C3 is powered by a 3040 mAh Li-ion battery that lasts for a day of moderate to heavy usage.

Being stock Android and free of bloatware, this device does deliver impressive battery life for its size.

Verdict

If you don’t mind the HD+ display, that’s however indistinguishable from a full HD one for an untrained eye, the Nokia C3 is a good deal under Rs.7,000.

Specifications

Operating SystemAndroid 10.0 Q
ROM16 GB
RAM2 GB
ProcessorUnisoc SC9863A Octa Core
Camera8MP Rear, 5MP Front
Battery3040mAh
Display5.99-inch HD+ Display

10. Lava BeU

Lava BeU

Best Smartphone for Females

  • Vivid HD+ panel
  • Decent performance on daily use
  • Android 10 Go Edition
BUY FROM AMAZON

Pros

Useful Be Safe app

Responsive fingerprint scanner

Flashy design

Cons

Slow charging

Lava is an Indian brand pushing the boundaries of its limit to survive against foreign brands like Infinix, Tecno, etc.

The Lave BeU smartphone was released in early January 2021 and is priced at Rs.6,388. Let’s find out what this device has to offer.

Design and Build Quality

In terms of looks, the Lava BeU is more like a showpiece. The device is painted with the Rose Pink colour and to be honest, it feels like the device is specifically designed for females.

Diving more into the design, the camera module on this smartphone has fake crystals implanted right beside the lenses that look shabby.

The back panel and the frames of this smartphone are made using polycarbonate materials.

The device weighs just 176 grams and feels very comfortable in the hands. This smartphone has an audio jack placed at the top and a charging port at the bottom.

To unlock the device quickly, there is a fingerprint sensor on the rear which is positioned where the fingers rest naturally.

Display

The Lava BeU features a 6.01-inches HD+ display with a resolution of 1560 x 720 pixels.

Thanks to its small size display and rich pixel density of 281 PPI, the visuals that appear on this panel look sharper and clearer for the price.

This panel has decent colour reproduction and it provides a great wide viewing experience when it comes to media consumption.

The display is touch responsive and since it does not have any scratch guard protection we advise you to get one from your nearest mobile shop.

Processor and Performance

The 1.6GHz octa-core processor inside the Lava BeU is coupled with the 2GB RAM and provides a smooth performance on daily use.

You can stream videos and can do social messaging simultaneously without noticing any lag or stutter.

This smartphone is not capable of delivering an efficient gaming performance but you can play some light casual games.

This smartphone comes with 32GB of built-in storage with the provision to expand storage via an SD card.

The Lava BeU comes pre-installed with the Android 10 Go Edition OS and the UI is stock without any fancy bloatware on top.

Camera

The Lava BeU comes with a dual rear camera which consists of a 13MP primary sensor and a 2MP depth sensor, accompanied by an LED flashlight. 

The rear camera performs well in daylight conditions also the camera has face beauty features to enhance the image quality.

Apart from that, the camera is loaded with other basic features like burst mode, panorama, time-lapse, night mode, and QR code scanner.

The 8MP selfies camera is not that great as it lacks details and sharpness. Compared to selfie cameras, the rear lens performs way better.

Battery Life

The Lava BeU is powered by a 4060mAh battery that will easily last you a day on streaming videos, calling, and messaging.

The bundled 7W charger will take almost 3 and half hours to recharge the smartphone battery from 0-100%.

Verdict

The Lava BeU is an excellent smartphone to gift your mother, sister, or even a girlfriend or wife. We’d say because the design of this smartphone is much suited for females.

The device also has an app like “Be Safe” to track where your loved ones are and the app is feature-rich so it will be helpful in the necessary conditions.

Specifications

Operating SystemAndroid 10 Go Edition
ROM32 GB
RAM2 GB
Processor1.6GHz octa-core
Camera13MP +2MP rear, 8MP front
Battery4060mAh
Display6.08-inch HD+ display

11. Itel Vision 1 Pro

Itel Vision 1 Pro

Entry-level 4G Smartphone

  • Fingerprint scanner
  • Decent display
  • Long-lasting battery life
BUY FROM AMAZON

Pros

Attractive gradient colour scheme

AI-powered camera

One year replacement warranty

Cons

Software updates are hard to come by

Itel is a Chinese budget smartphone manufacturer headquartered in Shenzhen. 

The Itel Vision 1 Pro is a feature-rich entry-level smartphone that packs in a lot of goodies that most other smartphones miss out on in this segment. 

Design and Build Quality

The Itel Vision 1 Pro features a modern design strategy that looks similar to some of the branded smartphones out there in the market.

The rear camera bump reminds us of the Pixel lineup and the front tear-drop notch.

The plastic build quality is nothing much to write about but the gradient finish colour scheme looks very attractive and appealing to the eyes. 

The button placements are quite comfortable to reach and the buttons themselves feel very tactile.

The textured back offers a good amount of handgrip so that the phone won’t slip from your hands that easily. 

Surprisingly, this device comes with a physical fingerprint sensor in the back for added security.

Display

The Itel Vision 1 Pro, as we discussed above features a teardrop-shaped notch on top of the display.

The display on this smartphone is a 6.52-inch HD+ panel with a resolution of 1600 x 720 pixels.

The in-cell TFT display has a peak advertised brightness of up to 500 nits, making it one of the brightest in its segment.

The colours look nice and accurate, so do the contrast levels. There is no considerable amount of bezels around the display except for the bottom chin.

Processor and Performance

The Itel Vision 1 Pro is powered by a quad-core processor clocked at 1.6GHz.

While this processor may not scream big on papers, it handles all the day to day tasks quite smoothly.

The 2GB RAM and the 32GB onboard storage lets you deal with minimal multitasking without much lags or stutters either.

Gaming isn’t the strongest forte of this device, so if you are buying this device just for that, keep this in mind. 

Camera

Behind the Itel Vision 1 Pro is a square-shaped camera compartment that houses an 8MP primary sensor with 0.3MP depth-sensing unit and an AI unit accompanied by an LED flash.

This camera unit comes with a host of AI modes and enhancements which promises to make your clicks look much better than ever before. 

In daylight, these cameras return decent still and video samples. The 5MP sensor in the front supports AI filters and beauty modes as well.

Battery Life

The Itel Vision 1 Pro is powered by a 4000mAh Li-ion battery, which will last you for roughly one and a half days of moderate to heavy usage. 

Battery life is highly subjective and depends upon a variety of factors such as the screen brightness, apps you are running and such.

Verdict

The Itel Vision 1 Pro is a feature-rich entry-level smartphone priced under Rs.7,000 suitable for those who want more for less.

The fingerprint sensor, triple rear cameras and the dedicated SD card slot makes this device a product worth considering for its price.

Specifications

Operating SystemAndroid 10.0 Q
ROM32 GB
RAM2 GB
Processor1.4GHz quad-core
Camera8MP AI Triple rear, 5MP front
Battery4000mAh
Display6.52-inch HD+ display

12. Nokia C01 Plus

Nokia C01 Plus

Honourable Mention

  • Stock Android Go OS
  • Textured design on back panel
  • Lightweight and portable
BUY FROM FLIPKART

Pros

Decent processor

Up to 7 hours of battery life

Dedicated microSD card slot

Cons

micro USB port for charging

Nokia once used to be the most successful mobile phone brand back in time but due to lack of innovation, they fell behind. 

The brand still markets budget smartphones with stock Android OS and if you have a budget of around Rs.6,500, then this might be the one you should check out.

Design and Build Quality

The Nokia C01 Plus looks kinda old even though it’s a 2021 model. The removable back panel has a textured design which prevents fingerprint marks.

Removing the polycarbonate back, there is the good old fashioned removable battery, SIM card slot, and a dedicated microSD card slot.

This smartphone is very lightweight that it doesn’t even feel while carrying in the pocket.The micro USB and audio jack port is located at the top side of the frame.

Display

The Nokia C01 Plus features a 5.45-inch HD+ display with a resolution of 720 x 1440 pixels.

This display has decent side viewing angles. The bezels are comparatively thick, but acceptable for the price.

The screen readability is good whether you use this smartphone indoor or outdoor, just avoid the direct sunlight otherwise you will struggle to notice the visuals.

Processor and Performance

The Nokia C01 Plus comes equipped with a Uniscoc SC9863A octa-core processor.

It’s a decent processor and when paired with the 2GB RAM it offers a good day to day performance.

You can play games but not the high-end ones games like subway surfer and temple run will run smoothly but battle royale games won’t.

The inbuilt storage is only 16GB so utilize the dedicated SD card slot to increase the storage capacity.

This device comes with the pre-installed Android 11 Go Edition. It’s a light version of the original Android 11 that is designed for budget devices so users can get a smooth experience.

Camera

The Nokia C01 Plus has a 5MP lens on the front and back.

To be honest, the photos are clear enough, no doubt about that but the colours and sharpness take a slight hit.

The same goes with the video recording as well, only in good lighting conditions, you will be able to record decent quality videos.

Battery Life

The Nokia C01 Plus is powered by a 3000mAh lithium battery that is rated to last up to 6 – 7 hours with constant use on a full charge.

The bundled 5V charger will juice up the battery in 2:30 – 3 hours.

Verdict

The Nokia C01 Plus is a decent smartphone for people who are tight on budget and starting with the smartphone for the first time.

Specifications

Operating SystemAndroid 11 Go Edition
ROM16 GB
RAM2 GB
ProcessorUnisoc SC9863A
Camera5MP Rear, 5MP Front
Battery3000mAh
Display5.45-inch HD+ display

This list includes the twelve best value for money smartphones that you can currently purchase under a price bracket of Rs.7,000.

We have tried our level best to take every type of user out there into consideration while preparing this list.

We hope this article will lead your way to satisfy the purchase experience. For more such awesome suggestions and buying guides, subscribe to our mailing list. 

Thanks for reading and have a nice day!

Leave a Comment