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Best Smartphones under Rs. 15000 in India - August 2017

Finding the very best smartphone in the current crowded market is difficult at best. While the likes of the Samsung Galaxy S8, iPhone 7, LG G6 and HTC U11 steal show around the world, there's a lot of intriguing options available on in the world of budget phones.

Sadly smartphone innovation isn't cheap and most of it is reserved for high-end contract handsets. Still the technology that was once impossible to imagine on budget phones is now available at cheapest possible prices. Thanks to the competitive market, who have changed the fate of affordable smartphones in India.

Here's a selection of our favourite cheap phones that cost under Rs 15,000.

Coolpad Cool Play 6

The Cool Play 6 comes with a premium metal design, the latest version of Android, a dual camera setup at the rear and fairly powerful hardware for the price

Coolpad Cool Play 6

The new Coolpad smartphone has a 5.5-inch full-HD (1080x1920 pixels) display and runs Android 7.1.1 Nougat-based custom Journey UI. The phone will get Android 8.0 update by December 2017, the company says. Under the hood is the 1.4GHz octa-core Snapdragon 653 processor (four 1.95GHz cores + four 1.44GHz cores), backed by 6GB of RAM. Coolpad Cool Play 6 has 64GB inbuilt storage, with provision for storage expansion via microSD cards; the dual-SIM (Nano+Nano) phone features hybrid setup.

The Coolpad Cool Play 6's camera features two 13-megapixel sensors on the back, with f/2.0 aperture, dual-tone, dual-LED flash and support for HDR and 4K videos. The front camera has an 8-megapixel sensor with f/2.2 aperture. Connectivity features of the Coolplay 6 include 4G VoLTE, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.0, and USB Type-C. The phone has a 4000mAh battery, and Coolpad claims it has through software optimisations ensured the device delivers performance of a 4500mah battery.

Lenovo K8 Note

The things that really make the K8 Note stand out are its display, stock Android, superb performance, a dual-camera setup.

Lenovo K8 Note

Lenovo K8 Note smartphone was launched in August 2017. The phone comes with a 5.50-inch touchscreen display with a resolution of 1080 pixels by 1920 pixels at a PPI of 441 pixels per inch.

The Lenovo K8 Note is powered by 1.4GHz MediaTek Helio X23 processor and it comes with 3GB of RAM. The phone packs 32GB of internal storage that can be expanded up to 128GB via a microSD card. As far as the cameras are concerned, the Lenovo K8 Note packs a 13-megapixel primary camera on the rear and a 5-megapixel front shooter for selfies.

The Lenovo K8 Note runs Android 7.1.1 and is powered by a 4000mAh non removable battery. It measures 154.50 x 75.90 x 8.50 (height x width x thickness) and weigh 180.00 grams.

The Lenovo K8 Note is a dual SIM (GSM and GSM) smartphone that accepts Nano-SIM and Nano-SIM. Connectivity options include Wi-Fi, GPS, Bluetooth, USB OTG, FM, 3G and 4G (with support for Band 40 used by some LTE networks in India). Sensors on the phone include Compass Magnetometer, Proximity sensor, Accelerometer, Ambient light sensor and Gyroscope.

Moto G5 Plus

Refreshed from top to bottom, the Moto G5 Plus has redefined itself and it didn't even have to. The premium build, competent specs and low price will suit deal-seekers and phone enthusiasts alike.

Moto G5 Plus

The Moto G-series has finally made a comeback and the G5 Plus is now one of the best budget smartphones available today. The performance might not be the best, but it definitely is the best camera phone in a budget. The phone has an improved design than last year and in our testing we found the Qualcomm Snapdragon 625 quite dependable. You also get Android Nougat 7.0 out of the box and we can expect it to get the next Android update as well. The battery life is also quite good, but its USP is still its camera. Specs: Display: 5.2-inch, 1080p SoC: Qualcomm Snapdragon 625 RAM: 3/4GB Storage: 16/32GB Camera: 12MP, 5MP Battery: 3000mAh.

If you’re not willing to take a chance on an unfamiliar brand, then the Moto G line remains the best value Android smartphone in town.

Who's this for?

Anyone on a budget who still wants a decent level of performance and a handset that they won’t be embarrassed to pull out of their pocket.

The latest version of Android, along with a solid build, camera and fingerprint sensor make this great value for your £170 (around $200, AU$275), though we think it’s worth stretching to £180 (roughly $220, AU$290) for the extra 1GB of RAM.

Should you buy it?

There isn’t a better Android smartphone in the sub-£200 price range, so if that’s your budget, then yes, you should buy the Moto G5.

If you want to play demanding games, or you’d like NFC for mobile payments, then you’re likely going to have to spend a fair bit more.

Lenovo Z2 Plus

A great buy for those who want oodles of power in a small and compact chassis. The camera is rather disappointing though and the design is a bit uninspired.

Lenovo Z2 Plus

The Z2 Plus has spent enough time in the market and till now there is no major issue found with the smartphone. It is the most affordable flagship and comes with the Qualcomm's Snapdragon 820 CPU, 4GB/3GB of RAM. It comes packed in an all-glass body that looks good but is obviously a fingerprint magnet too. Despite of the handy form factor, the smartphone looks slightly thick which is not an issue with me personally.

It comes with 24/7 activity tracking via dedicated sensor processing unit and a body. A great buy for those who want oodles of power in a small and compact chassis. Though, the camera is not one of the finest but battery life is impressive.

Overall, Lenovo has surprised me with the Z2 Plus, especially with its focus on one-handed use in a day and age where companies are moving more and more towards phablets.

Honor 6X

Honor has cemented itself as one of the world's best budget phone makers with the Honor 6X, but a few little problems still hold it back from the perfect five-star review.

Honor 6X

Honor’s latest smartphone feels and looks like any other budget smartphone, but unlike many smartphones out there, it features a new SoC, developed by Huawei itself. It also has 3GB of RAM, along with 32GB of storage. While it does not have the best in class performance, it does have one of the best cameras we have seen on a budget smartphone in recent times. The 12MP + 2MP dual camera setup takes good images in general and can also take nice ‘Bokeh’ images. Specs: Display: 5.5-inch, 1080p SoC: HiSilicon Kirin 655 RAM: 3GB Storage: 32GB Battery: 3340mAh OS: Android 6.0

Why should I buy the Honor 6X?

If you’re after a phone but don’t have enough money to pick up a flagship, this is a great alternative. In a budget market flooded with options, the Honor 6X sticks its head above the water with a premium look and good spec in almost every area.

The chipset will be able to run most of your favorite games and the battery life is solid enough to get you through a hectic day.

With a good camera on both the rear and front, it’s hard to go wrong with the Honor 6X.

Why shouldn’t I buy the Honor 6X?

This isn’t for everyone – especially if you’re looking for a flagship-feeling phone. If you’re used to a high-end design and the best spec out there you will inevitably be disappointed if you buy the Honor 6X.

The Honor 6X is also a touch more expensive than a lot of other phones packing a similar spec, so be sure to see what else is out there and make sure you want to spend that extra $60 or £50 on the Honor 6X before you buy one.

Costco Black Friday AD Leaks With Numerous Laptop, Desktop, Tablet PC Deals

Costco lists plenty of PC sales in its leaked Black Friday ad, but it doesn't list the final sale price.

The last of the warehouse club trinity has seen its Black Friday ad leak, as Costco joins Sam's Club and BJ's Wholesale in having its plans divulged for the shopping holiday. The good news for potential PC buyers? Costco has more laptop and desktop deals listed than its competitors. The bad news? You'll need to do some sleuthing to determine what price it's actually offering on them.

While most Black Friday ads list the final price you pay Costco apparently wants you to be happy just knowing the amount you're saving. In addition to forcing you to do extra work (such as actually going to a Costco location or its website) the tactic can conceal a favorite Black Friday pricing strategy: raising the "original" price to inflate the discount offered.

As with its rivals Costco has limited its slate tablet specials to Samsung's Galaxy Tab A models. Its $100 discount on the 10.1-inch version is $20 more than what Sam's Club is offering (and also includes a 32GB microSD card) while it's also taking $80 off the price of the 8-inch flavor (currently $199.99 on Samsung's own site). Like BJ's, Costco also has a sale on Microsoft's Surface Pro 4 tablet with Intel's Core i5 processor, providing $250 of savings (presumably the configuration with 4GB of RAM and 128GB SSD though the ad doesn't specify).

Also like BJ's the Surface Book 2-in-1 is discounted with an unspecified Core i5 configuration receiving a $250 price trim. There are a baker's dozen more laptops listed in Costco's Black Friday with the following savings advertised:

Acer Chromebook 14 (14-inch full HD, Intel Celeron) -- $65 off
Acer Spin 3 2-in-1 (15.6-inch touchscreen, Core i7) -- $100 off
Acer Spin 5 2-in-1 (13.3-inch full HD touchscreen, Core i5) -- $100 off
Dell Inspiron 15 5000 2-in-1 (15.6-inch full HD touchscreen, Core i7) -- $200 off
Dell Inspiron 15 7000 (15.6-inch full Hd display, Core i7) -- $150 off
Dell XPS 13 (13.3-inch QHD+ touchscreen, Core i7) -- $300 off
HP Envy x360 13-y013cl 2-in-1 (13.3-inch touchscreen, Core i7) -- $200 off
HP Envy x360 13t 2-in-1 (13.3-inch touchscreen, Core i7) -- $300 off
HP Envy 15t (15.6-inch full HD touchscreen, Core i7) -- $200 off
HP Envy 17t (17.3-inch full HD display, Core i7) -- $400 off
HP Pavilion 15t (15.6-inch full HD touchscreen, Core i7) -- $400 off
HP Pavilion 15t (15.6-inch full HD touchscreen, Core i7, Windows 10 Professional) -- $550 off
Lenovo Flex 4 2-in-1 (15.6-inch touchscreen, Core i7) -- $250 off

Costco lists a trio of desktop PC deals in its ad including an HP Pavilion all-in-one with 23.8-inch touchscreen and Core i5 CPU for $150 off. There's also an HP Envy 750-467c tower with a Core i7 processor for $250 off while a Dell XPS 8900 tower also equipped with a Core i7 chip and an unspecified Nvidia graphics card gets a $200 discount.

Staples Black Friday AD Leaks With Cheap Windows Laptops, Amazon Fire Tablet PC Deals

No Apple iPad deals in the Staples Black Friday AD this year.

As Black Friday draws within three weeks, the ad leaks are starting to pick up in pace. For tech buyers, the Staples Black Friday ad leak may be the biggest so far and it provides further evidence of an early trend. It's the latest retailer not to promote any deals on that former Black Friday stalwart - Apple's iPad tablet.

Part of that is due to Apple's stinginess on discounts in general and part is due to the fading appetite of consumers for new tablets. Nevertheless, Staples still has the most tablet deals we've seen from a Black Friday ad this year including matching BJ's Wholesale with a $33.33 special on the Amazon Fire 7-inch tablet. It goes one better by also having an Amazon Fire HD 8 slate on sale but this is a case where a little research shows it's not as good a deal as advertised.

Staples hypes the sale price of $79.99 as $50 but there are two oddities in the listing. First, Amazon itself lists the price of the Fire HD 8 as $89.99 not the $129.99 regular price Staples is claiming. Even more egregiously the Fire model shown in the ad has only 8GB of storage whereas the current base Amazon version comes with 16GB. In other words Staples is trying to sell an older model with less storage for a mere $10 less than the current version but touting massive savings. You've been warned.

Instead of iPads the stores with Black Friday ad leaks have thus far listed Samsung Galaxy Tab discounts. Unfortunately for Staples its specials are undercut by rivals - Its $99.99 price on the 7-inch Tab A is $10 more than in BJ's ad (and BJ's also throws in a 16GB microSD card) while its $129.99 price on the 8-inch Tab A is $10 more than in Costco's ad. Unlike its competitors however, Staples has a sale on the budget friendly 7-inch Galaxy Tab E Lite at $69.99, it's actually $50 off the current price Samsung has on its site. But it's less successful with its $799 Surface Pro 4 pricing, which is $50 more for the same configuration as BJ's (though still $200 less than Microsoft's current price).

As with Costco, Staples has a large number of Windows laptop deals for Black Friday highlighted by a $229.99 HP 15-AY061 with Intel Pentium N3710 CPU, 8GB of RAM, 500GB hard drive and 15.6-inch display. That's $90 less than the current price not $190 as the ad states. In fact this is the case with many of the PC sales Staples list. The price currently on its website is already reduced meaning the savings are less whopping than its ad suggests.

While there is no $100 laptop like Dell has for a Doorbuster, there are four additional notebook specials for under $300. The Dell Inspiron I5555-0012 (AMD A8 processor, 6GB of RAM, 500GB hard drive, 15.6-inch display) for $269.99 - a Dell Inspiron (Pentium CPU, 4GB of RAM, 500GB hard drive, 11.6-inch display) for $299.99, the HP 15-AY065 (Core i3-5005U, 6GB of RAM, 1TB hard drive, 15.6-inch display) for $299.99, and the Lenovo IdeaPad 100 (also Core i3-5005U, 4GB of RAM, 500GB hard drive, 15.6-inch display) for $299.99. In addition to those sales there are 11 further laptop deals that Staples is advertising:

$349.99 -- Dell Inspiron i5559-1350SLV (Core i3/6GB/1TB/15.6-inch)
$389.99 -- HP Pavilion 14-al062 (Core i5/12GB/1TB/14-inch)
$399.99 -- HP 14-al061nr (Core i3/8GB/1TB/14-inch)
$399.99 -- HP 17-x061 (Core i3/8GB/1TB/17.3-inch)
$449.99 -- Dell Inspiron 13 I5368-2405GRY (Core i3/8GB/500GB/13.3-inch full HD touchscreen)
$449.99 -- Dell Inspiron i5559-3349SLVV (Core i5/8GB/128GB SSD/15.6-inch)
$479.99 -- HP Pavilion 15-au062 (Core i5/8GB/1TB/15.6-inch-inch)
$499.99 -- HP Pavilion 15-au063 (Core i7/12GB/1TB/14-inch)
$499.99 -- Lenovo Flex 4 (Core i5/8GB/256GB SSD/14-inch full HD touchscreen)
$599.99 -- Lenovo Ideapad 510 (Core i5/8GB/1TB/15.6-inch full HD)
$629.99 -- HP Pavilion x360 15-bk010nr (Core i5/8GB/1TB/15.6-inch full HD touchscreen)

There are also a half-dozen desktop deals split between towers and all-in-ones. The tower sales start at $279.99 ($70 less than current price) with the HP Slimline 260-P026 which comes with a Core i3-6100T processor, 8GB of RAM, and terabyte hard drive. Jumping up to $399.99 ($180 off) is the HP Pavilion 510-P026 with Core i5-6400T quad-core CPU, 12 Gigs of RAM and 1TB hard drive while the Dell Inspiron 3650 features a faster Core i5-6400 chip, 8GB of RAM and 1TB of hard drive space for $449.99 though note you can get it for that price right now from Staples.

As with the towers the three all-in-one PC specials comprise a pair of HPs and a Dell. The HP 22-B016, with Intel Pentium processor, 4GB of RAM, terabyte hard drive and 21.5-inch full HD display is $299.99 or $80 off the current price, while the Pavilion 24-B016 comes a Core i3-6100T, 8 Gigs of memory, 1TB hard drive, and 23.8-inch full HD screen for $449.99 or $50 less than the current price. Finally, the Dell Inspiron 5459 also includes a 23.8-inch display but adds touchscreen capabilities along with a Core i5-6400T processor for $699.99 or $200 off the regular price.