2017 had been one of the great years for smartphones that contributed to fabulous designs, great cameras and newer level of processing power. Time is seldom kind to tech gadgets and this product category has rattled along at a crazy pace rendering some of the most popular smartphones obsolete within months of launch. Then there are some that survive the test of time. Just surviving is one thing but staying relevant is something else. We have put together some such smartphones that are still worth considering even a year or more after their debut. Apple iPhone 7 (Rs 42,000) Apple iPhone 7 shared a similar design language like its predecessor, but the phone packed compelling features underneath its hood. The phone came with a brilliant camera sensor, bright display, new home button and to remind you, the iPhone 7 was the first smartphone to have done away with the 3.5mm headphone jack. Its efficient processor promised faster performance and less power consumption. The phone was launched in India for a price starting at Rs 60,000. Currently, the phone is available at a price of Rs 42,000 which is an ideal option if you want to grab a not-very-old iPhone featuring a very good camera, refined design and holds a lighter price compared to its successor, the iPhone 8. LG G6 (Rs 29,500) LG G6 debuted in the Indian smartphone market last year for a price of Rs 51,990. Although the phone came with an off-beat form factor (Univisium) and good camera lens, it couldn’t gain traction the way the company expected. However, the phone currently retails at a much lower value than its original MOP. The LG G6 is listed online for a price of Rs 29,500 which is a very good deal. The phone features a beautiful display with added Gorilla glass protection both on the rear and up front. The phone offers camera sensors that easily manage to capture good contrast and colour. Further, the Snapdragon 821 SoC still delivers snappy performance and comfortably handles graphics-intensive activities. Honor 8 (Rs 15,999) The Honor 8 is another handset in the list that is worth picking from the mid-range lot in case if you are looking for a smartphone with a classy design, sharp screen and excellent camera performance. The Honor 8 camera offered the possibility to play around with different settings for instance, adjusting the depth of field, refocusing on the subject etc. The dual cameras deliver solid performance even in low-light conditions. Huawei’s in-house Kirin 950 processor under the hood provides smooth performance while multitasking and playing games. The striking glass design, brilliant camera and compact size at an affordable price offer great value for money even if the phone is more than a year old. Xiaomi Redmi 4 (Rs 8,499) Xiaomi is well known for releasing a line of products which consumers in India consider to be great value for money. The Redmi 4 is one of those affordable devices that came with decent specifications and tagged an attractive price. The smartphone is an ideal buy for those who want to upgrade from a basic entry-level handset and don’t want to spend much on a smartphone. The phone is built out of metal and features a decent 5-inch display in a compact form factor. The octa-core Snapdragon 435 chipset promises decent performance and manages to handle casual games without any stutter. Another perk of having the Redmi 4 is its big 4100mAh battery that comfortably delivers more than a day’s worth of usage. Lenovo Z2 Plus (Rs 10,999) This lesser-known Lenovo device was a highly anticipated smartphone nearly a year and a half ago due to its high-end specifications and attractive price. It featured the then Qualcomm flagship Snapdragon 820 SoC in a sub-Rs 20,000 price bracket. Add to that decent amount on internal storage and a respectable 3500mAh battery. Though the device did not sell as well as anticipated back then, shelling out Rs 10,999 for its 3GB RAM + 32GB storage version is not a bad deal at all. It can rival most of the newer phones available in that price bracket even today.
