Flipkart currently has 262 entries for phones that cost between Rs 10,000 and Rs 20,000. Are all of them worth buying? Of course not. In fact, most of them aren't worth a second look. After all, price is king and there isn't much to differentiate between these handsets. So what should you buy if you're looking for a phone in this budget? Asus Zenfone 5 (Rs. 10,000) / Motorola Moto G 2nd Generation (Rs. 11,000) At the lowest end of the rung, the Asus Zenfone 5 and the 2nd generation Moto G are both capable performers with very little to differentiate between the two. Zenfone 5 has a better camera, the Moto G has better battery life. Zenfone 5 has the cool Zen UI, Moto G has a clean Android interface. Both perform just as well, both screens are just as good; it really comes down to what matters more to you: a better camera on the Asus or assured updates to the new versions of Android on Motorola. Read the review of Asus Zenfone 5 here. Read our Moto G 2nd Gen review. Xiaomi Mi4i (Rs. 12,999) Marrying the right features to the right price, the Xiaomi Mi4i strikes a fantastic balance. It's got great build quality, it's packed with hardware that no phone at this price offers, and it looks pretty good too. Particularly worth noting is the screen, which is perfectly legible in direct sunlight; and the camera is better than what you normally get in sub-20K phones. However, you will be limited to 16GB of onboard memory as there is no expandable memory card slot. Read our review for more details. OnePlus One (16GB - Rs. 18,999) One of the most talked-about phones on the Internet, the OnePlus One is yet another handset to offer premium features at a low price. While the specifications are impressive, it is the software that sets this one apart. The OPO runs on CyanogenMod, a custom forked version of Android, which is a geek's delight for its customizability. Indeed, if you love tinkering around with your device, look no further, the OPO has endless tweaks and fantastic developer support. Watch our video below: Read our review for more details. Lenovo Vibe X2 (Rs. 18,000 approx) In the hype around the Micromaxes, Xiaomis and OnePluses, the Lenovo Vibe X2 doesn't often get a mention. However, you'd be crazy to overlook this one. Among the phones we reviewed in the past few months, the Vibe X2 was one of the most impressive, for its "layers" design. Imagine this: When you're going to travel for a full day, you can add a "battery layer" to boost your battery life; on any other day, you can add a "speaker layer" to listen to tunes while you work. It's the same phone, just with different modes for different purposes. Watch our video below: Read our review of the phone here. Microsoft Lumia 640XL (Rs. 15,799) The upcoming free Windows 10 operating system has everyone excited, and if you want to get in on the ground floor, the Microsoft Lumia 640XL is a great mid-range handset for that. Its large 5.7-inch screen is easy on the eyes, it has one of the better cameras in the budget phone segment, the 3,000 mAh battery easily lasts a day, and its bold colours will draw some attention. The size might not be suitable for everyone, but if Windows is what you want, the 640XL is a good choice. Read our review for more details. Samsung Galaxy S4 (Rs. 18,000 approx) An oldie but still a goodie. Samsung has moved on to the Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 Edge now, but the old Galaxy S4 still packs a punch with its 5-inch Full HD AMOLED display, dual quad-core processors, and all the bells and whistles a smartphone needs. The 13-megapixel shooter is still one of the best cameras we have seen in a phone, and at this price, it's a serious competitor to the likes of the Xiaomi Mi4 and OnePlus One, especially when you consider the brand and after-sales service. Asus Zenfone 2 (Rs. 18,999) The Zenfone 2 comes in various models, going all the way up to a 4G model with 128GB memory and 4GB of RAM. That costs a cool Rs. 30,000, but the sub-20K model is pretty impressive in its own right with 32GB memory and a microSD slot, 4G connectivity, and 4GB RAM. The camera, especially, is the highlight of the Zenfone 2, shooting images that rival those taken by phones twice its price. Indeed, most of the specifications are what you will get in a flagship smartphone from one of the premier Android brands. And we love what Asus has done with the Zen UI custom interface on top of Android Lollipop. What's not to like? Watch our video below: Read our review of the phone here.
