Best value for money Android smartphones in India

It has been a long time since we published a smartphone buying guide, so here it is. I have compiled a list of Android smartphones currently available in the country, which offer the best price-to-value ratio.

These are some of the best overall smartphones in their respective price-brackets but if you are looking for something specific like a great camera in sub-20,000 or lots of on-board storage in sub-INR 10K price-segment, you won’t find such smartphones here. That said, it doesn’t mean that the smartphones listed below are under-performers or below-average devices.

So, without wasting any more words, here are the best value for money Android phones in India.

Sub- 10,000 price bracket

Moto E by Motorola: Motorola’s mass market Android phone Moto E is here. It packs some impressive specifications for the given price-tag like dual-core processor, 4.3-inch qHD display and 1GB of RAM. It is a no-brainer for anyone looking to buy a smartphone in this budget.

Buy from Flipkart for just INR 6,999

Lava IRIS 406q: This budget Android smartphone from Lava comes with some decent entry-level specifications like 1.2GHz quad-core Snapdragon 200 processor, 4-inch WVGA display and Android 4.3. Lava has also promised to update the phone to Android 4.4 in the coming months.

Buy from Flipkart for just INR 6,999

Panasonic T21: Despite not being much active in the Indian smartphone arena, Panasonic has released some decent Android devices like T21, which comes with 4.5-inch 720p HD display, 1.2GHz dual-core processor, Android 4.1 and 8MP rear camera.

Buy from Flipkart for INR 8,650

INR 10,000 to INR 15,000 price-bracket

Moto G: Moto G is simply a no-brainer for this price-segment. Thanks to a great pricing and specifications like HD display, quad-core Snapdragon 400 processor, the phone is the best value for money smartphone under INR 15,000.

Buy from Flipkart for INR 12,499 (8GB) or INR 13,999 (16GB)

XOLO Q1100: XOLO is one Indian smartphone vendor that really seems to be trying to provide quality smartphones and is not just sticking to MediaTek chips for its phones. The XOLO Q1100 is one such smartphone that comes with Qualcomm Snapdragon 400 quad-core processor like Moto G and packs 720p HD 5-inch display, 1GB of RAM, 8MP rear camera and Android 4.3 – all quite decent specifications for this segment. It was originally launched for around INR 15K but after some price-cuts, it can be grabbed for around INR 12K online.

Buy from Flipkart for INR 11,984

INR 15,000- INR 20,000 price-bracket

Samsung Galaxy Grand 2: Samsung Galaxy Grand 2 has fixed many of the issues that were present in its predecessor and the smartphone is actually quite decent. Thanks to some price-correction, it can be grabbed for around INR 20,000 online.

Buy from Amazon for INR 20,088 (10pc cash back for Citibank credit card holders)

Sony Xperia SP: Sony has really got its act together in the last two years and has been releasing some really good Android smartphones and Xperia SP is one such phone. After multiple price-cuts, it has emerged as a great sub-INR 20K smartphone. It packs 4.6-inch HD display, 1.7GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon dual-core processor, 1GB of RAM, 8MP camera and Android 4.1 (4.3 update available, 4.4 expected to arrive)

Buy from Flipkart for INR 17,445

INR 20,000- INR 30,000 price bracket

Moto X: The great smartphones don’t need octa-core processors or Quad-HD displays, even with decent specifications, the smartphones can offer an experience that will leave other smartphones behind. Moto X is a clear example of such great phones.  Available in multiple colour options as well as two wood backs, Moto X is a high-performance mid-range Android and it won’t disappoint you.

Buy from Flipkart for INR 23,999 (plastic back) or INR 25,999 (wood back)

Google Nexus 5:  It is the best value for money smartphone out there in any price-bracket apart from probably Moto G. It offers clean Google experience Android with high-end specifications in a price-tag that actually makes sense.

Buy from Google Play for INR 28,999 (16GB) or INR 32,999 (32GB) or from Flipkart for starting INR 28,750

Samsung Galaxy S4: Samsung might be released the successor to Galaxy S4 in the form of Galaxy S5 but that doesn’t mean Galaxy S4 is no-longer a great smartphone. Thanks to the recent price-cuts, Galaxy S4 actually makes more sense to buy than Galaxy S5. The phone comes with specifications like 5-inch full HD display, 2GB of RAM, Exynos 5 octa processor and 13MP rear camera.

Buy from Amazon for INR 27,385

INR 30,000-INR 40,000 price-bracket

Sony Xperia Z1/ Xperia Z1 Compact: Although Sony is getting ready to announce Xperia Z2 in the country, Sony Xperia Z1 and Z1 Compact remain good options for anyone planning to buy a smartphone with great imaging capabilities and top of the line specifications. Z1 is for the people who prefer bigger display and Z1 Compact will be liked by the consumers, who want a handier smartphone. Both phones pack Snapdragon 800 quad-core processor, 2GB of RAM, and 20.7MP camera.

Buy Sony Xperia Z1 from Flipkart for INR 36,755

Buy Sony Xperia Z1 Compact from Flipkart for INR 34,553

INR 40,000 and above

I wouldn’t really call any smartphone that has been priced over INR 40,000 value of money but if have the moolah, then you can grab HTC One (M8), Samsung Galaxy S5 or Samsung Galaxy Note 3.