In the past couple of years, we have seen a huge rise in the number of smartphones as well as manufacturers. As MKBHD once said, “Budget Smartphones are getting better, and Flagships are getting cheaper.” However, this was not the exact line, but you got it right!
Flagship devices like Samsung S20, iPhone 12, etc. crush other smartphones by too many factors, but as we all know, they cost very high and are not considered in the budget for most people. Most users cannot utilize the full power of these devices and don’t even require them, but it’s a whole different story.
Coming back to the point, budget smartphones are an excellent choice for regular users. It is mainly because the most common requirement is the battery life. As budget smartphones are packed up with a less powerful processor, it is obvious that their battery will last longer. For this article, we will be looking at phones priced below ₹8,000; we made this list on our personal opinion and listed it down based on price, quality, durability, etc.
Table of Contents
List of Best Smartphones Under ₹8000 in India
Note: If you are not living in India, then don’t worry, many phones listed here are available worldwide, and you can easily order it online. We will also be updating the article frequently as new phones are released and are worth including in this list, so check back again before making a choice.
1. Realme C21
Many devices from Realme fit this price range, and the Realme C21 is the latest addition. The device comes with a plastic back, and it has a matte texture finish with a dual-toned pattern. The fingerprint scanner is also located on the back, and it comes in two different color options Cross Black and Cross Blue.
On the front, it has a large 6.5-inch IPS LCD with a screen resolution of 720×1600 pixels. It has got a dew drop-shaped notch cutout for the front camera and speaker grille, and there’s a small chin at the bottom. The display quality here is good, but it is a 720P display.
The MediaTek Helio G35 processor powers the device. This is a new processor from MediaTek for budget smartphones and performs fairly well. You can choose between 3GB or 4GB of RAM and up to 64GB of Internal Storage. We highly suggest you grab the 4GB RAM variant as it will perform better multitasking.
The software is Android 10 out of the box with Realme UI skin on top. It has a Triple camera setup on the back, and the main camera is 13MP, while the other two include a 2MP depth sensor and a 2MP macro lens. On the front, it has a 5MP camera for taking selfies.
The Realme C21 has a large 5000mAh battery inside. You can easily make the phone last an entire day on mild usage. It comes with a 10W fast charger in the box; since it doesn’t come with a fast charger recharging the device will take more than usual.
Technical Specifications
| SoC | MediaTek Helio G35 (12nm) |
| RAM and Storage | 3GB + 32GB | 4GB + 64GB |
| Display and Resolution | 6.5-inch (720×1600 pixels) |
| Camera | Triple Rear 13MP + 2MP + 2MP | Front 5MP |
| Battery | 5000mAh |
| Connectivity | Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n | Bluetooth 5.0 | MicroUSB 2.0 |
2. Tecno Spark 7
Moving on the list, the Tecno Spark 7 is another good choice in this price range. It has a plastic back with a matte textured finish. The design has a sunrays-type pattern in a dual-toned color finish and really cool. It comes in three color variants Morpheus Blue, Spruce Green, and Magnet Black. The back also has a fingerprint scanner.
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On the front, it has a 6.5-inch IPS LCD with a screen resolution of 720×1600 pixels. The screen has a dewdrop-shaped notch for the front camera, and you will see a fairly big chin at the bottom. The display you are getting in this price range is decent.
The Spark 7 is powered by the MediaTek Helio A25 processor paired with 2GB or 3GB of RAM and 32GB or 64GB of Internal Storage. It runs on the latest Android 11 with HIOS 7.5 skin on top. We highly recommend you get the high-end variant with 3GB of RAM, as it will help you in better multitasking.
The cameras here are not so great, but it gets the basic job done. On the back, you get a dual-camera setup with a 16MP main camera paired with a secondary AI lens. It has a Quad-LED flash. On the front, it has an 8MP camera for taking selfies.
The battery backup here is impressive. It packs a large 6000mAh battery inside. The only issue is with the charging technology. There is no fast charging support, so recharging the phone will take a lot of time. If you are on a budget and looking for a decent device with not many compromises, this device deserves a look.
Technical Specifications
| SoC | MediaTek Helio A25 (12nm) |
| RAM and Storage | 2GB + 32GB | 3GB + 64GB |
| Display and Resolution | 6.5-inch (720×1600 pixels) |
| Camera | Dual Rear 16MP + AI Lens | Front 8MP |
| Battery | 6000mAh |
| Connectivity | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/ax | Bluetooth 5.0 | USB Type-C 2.0 |
3. Samsung Galaxy M02
Moving on the list we have the Samsung Galaxy M02. It is a budget device from Samsung and was recently launched. The phone is very basic and great if you are buying your first smartphone or going to use it as a secondary phone. It has a plastic back with a dotted texture design and comes with Black, Gray, Blue, and Red color options.
On the front, it has a 6.5-inch PLS IPS display with a screen resolution of 720×1600 pixels. The screen quality here is good. It has a dew drop-shaped notch for the front camera and there’s a little bit of chin at the bottom display. Since this is a 720p display you cannot view full HD+ contents, this is one of the compromises.
The phone is powered by the MediaTek MT6739W processor paired with 2GB or 3GB of RAM. If you are on a budget, you can grab the 2GB RAM variant, but this is not made for multitasking, so better go with the higher RAM option. It has 32GB of Internal Storage. The phone runs on Android 10 out of the box with One UI 2.0 Skin on top.
The software is the Go Edition of Android, which is lightweight, and you get to use the Go edition of Google Apps. On the back, it has a dual-camera setup; the main sensor is a 13MP, while the secondary sensor is a 2MP macro lens. On the front, it has a 5MP selfie camera.
One strong point of getting this phone is the brand value and the battery backup. It has a large 5000mAh battery inside, which can easily last up to 7 to 8hrs of the screen on time and an entire day on light usage. However, recharging this big battery will consume some of your time.
Technical Specifications
| SoC | Mediatek MT6739W (28nm) |
| RAM and Storage | 2GB + 32GB | 3GB + 32GB |
| Display and Resolution | 6.5-inch (720×1600 pixels) |
| Camera | Dual Rear 13MP + 2MP | Front 5MP |
| Battery | 5000mAh |
| Connectivity | Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n | Bluetooth 5.0 | microUSB 2.0 |
4. Realme C3
The Realme C3 is undoubtedly one of the best devices you can get in this price range. Realme has already flooded the market by launching many devices; however, this one seems to be the most promising. The Realme C3 was launched in February 2020 and packs some amazing specifications at a very affordable price.
Coming to the design, you have a very similar build compared to some other Realme devices such as the Realme 5. The phone has a plastic back with a nice run rays design and comes in Frozen Blue and Blazing Red Color variant. On the front, you get a 6.5 inch IPS LCD with a screen resolution of 720 x 1560 Pixels.
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The display has Corning Gorilla Glass 3 Protection, and the phone is also Splash resistant. It is powered by the Mediatek Helio G70 Chipset Paired with Mali-G52 GPU. You can choose between 2/3/4GB of RAM and 32/64GB of Internal Storage. The performance on this device is top-notch and the best in this price range. You can also do gaming on this device.
Coming to the camera’s, you get a decent camera setup as per the price. On the back, there’s the dual-camera module with a 12MP primary sensor and a 2MP depth sensor. The selfie camera on this phone is also decent; it has a 5MP sensor. Other features of the camera include LED Flash and HDR support.
Connectivity options on this phone include Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, Bluetooth 5.0, GPS, FM radio, Micro USB 2.0, and USB On-The-Go. It has a large 5000 mAh battery inside along with 10W charging support. You can expect great battery life out of this device.
Technical Specifications
| Soc | Mediatek Helio G70 (12 nm) |
| Ram and Storage | 2GB/3GB/4GB RAM and 32GB/64GB Storage |
| Display and Resolution | 6.5 inch (720 x 1560 pixels ) |
| Camera | Dual Rear 12 MP + 2 MP | Front 5 MP |
| Battery | 5000 mAh |
5. Redmi 8
Xiaomi Redmi series has been quite popular in the budget smartphone market. The Redmi 8 is the latest smartphone in the series, which was launched in October 2018. The phone has a nice gradient design and comes in three color variants Onyx Black, Ruby Red, and Sapphire Blue.
On the front, you have a 6.22 inch IPS LCD with a screen resolution of 720 x 1520 Pixels. There is a dewdrop shaped notch design for the front camera, and there’s a Redmi branding on the bottom chin. The front of the device is also well protected by Corning Gorilla Glass 5 Protection.
The phone is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 439 Processor paired with Adreno 505 GPU. You have two variants to choose from 32GB + 3GB RAM, and 64GB + 4GB RAM. Talking about the software on this phone, you have Android 9.0 (Pie) with MIUI 11 Skin on top.
You have a decent camera setup here. On the back, it features a dual camera with a 12MP primary sensor and a 2MP depth sensor. It also has LED flash, HDR, and Panorama support. On the front, it has an 8MP selfie camera also with HDR support. In terms of security, you have a rear-mounted fingerprint scanner and face unlock feature.
Connectivity options in this phone include Wi-Fi 802.11, Bluetooth 4.2, GPS, Infrared Sensor, Wireless FM radio, USB 2.0, Type-C 1.0 reversible connector, and USB On-The-Go. One of the main highlights of this phone is the large 5000 mAh battery, which also has 18W fast charging support.
Technical Specifications
| Soc | Qualcomm SDM439 Snapdragon 439 (12 nm) |
| Ram and Storage | 32GB 3GB RAM, 64GB 4GB RAM |
| Display and Resolution | 6.22 inch (720 x 1520 pixels ) |
| Camera | Dual Rear 12 MP + 2 MP | Front 8 MP |
| Battery | 5000 mAh |
6. Vivo Y91i
The Vivo V91i is a budget centric device and was launched back in March 2019, and it is still a great device to buy in this price range. The device has a plastic back and offers a two-toned gradient design in Fusion Black, Sunset Red, and Ocean Blue color variants.
On the front, you get a 6.22 inch IPS LCD with a screen resolution of 720 x 1520 pixels. The display has three sides bezel-less design and a small chin at the bottom. It also has the notch design for the front camera and earpiece. Although it is a low-resolution display, the quality is good.
The device is powered by the Mediatek Helio P22 Chipset Paired with PowerVR GE8320 Chipset. It comes in two variants 2GB RAM + 16GB Storage and 2GB RAM + 32GB Storage. Moving on to software, you get Funtouch OS 4.5 Skin on top based on Android 8.1 (Oreo). You can expect a good day to day performance out of this device.
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Now talking about the camera, you get a single 13MP camera on the back with f/2.2 aperture while on the front, you get a 5MP camera for taking selfies. Some other features of the camera include LED flash and Panorama.
Connectivity options here include Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, Bluetooth 5.0, GPS, FM radio, micro USB 2.0, and USB On-The-Go. The 4030 mAh battery inside is great and will last you a full day on a single charge; however, there is no fast charging support on this device.
Technical Specifications
| Soc | Mediatek MT6762 Helio P22 (12 nm) |
| Ram and Storage | 2GB + 16GB, 2GB + 32GB |
| Display and Resolution | 6.22 inch (720 x 1520 pixels ) |
| Camera | Single Rear 13 MP | Front 5 MP |
| Battery | 4030 mAh |
7. Redmi 9A
Xiaomi introduced it’s A-series as a budget smartphone series a few years back, and the Redmi 9A is the latest smartphone in this series. It is a slight upgrade from its predecessor Redmi 8A and packs some minor improvements such as the screen and the battery. Let’s see what this device offers.
On the front, you have a 6.53 inch IPS LCD with a screen resolution of 720 x 1600 pixels. The screen has the 20:9 aspect ratio display, which is upgraded from the last one. The device runs on Android 10, Based on MIUI 12, so that’s a good thing you are already getting the latest version of Android installed.
Powering up the device is the MediaTek Helio G25 Chipset paired with PowerVR GE8320 GPU. The device performs well for all day to day tasks and some low-end games. The phone comes in a few different RAM and Storage variants such as 2GB + 32GB and 3GB + 32GB. The internal Storage is also further expandable up to 512GB via a Micro SD card.
The camera on this phone is not so great, but they will get the job done. You have a single 13 MP rear-facing camera with f/2.2 aperture, LED flash, and HDR support. On the front, it has a 5 MP selfie shooter with f/2.2 aperture and HDR Support. The device has a large 5000 mAh battery, which is more than enough to last you a full day; additionally, it also has 10W fast charging support.
Connectivity options on this phone include Wi-Fi 802.11, Bluetooth 5.0, GPS, FM Radio, and micro USB 2.0. There are many different color variants; this phone comes in Carbon Gray, Sky Blue, and Ocean Green.
Technical Specifications
| Soc | MediaTek Helio G25 (12 nm) |
| Ram and Storage | 32GB 2GB RAM, 32GB 3GB RAM |
| Display and Resolution | 6.53 inch (720 x 1600 pixels ) |
| Camera | Singe Rear 13 MP | Front 5 MP |
| Battery | 5000 mAh |
8. Nokia 3.1 Plus
The Nokia 3.1 is a budget device from HMD Global and was launched in October 2018. It is a decent device in this price range and great for every day to day task; however, don’t expect high-end gaming. The device has an excellent build quality, and you have an aluminum frame and aluminum back, which comes in Blue, White, and Gray color variant.
On the front, you get a 6.0 inch IPS LCD with a screen resolution of 720 x 1440 pixels. The screen has an 18:9 aspect ratio display and comes with a minor top and bottom bezels. The screen also has some kind of morning gorilla glass protection.
Powering up the device is the Mediatek MT6762 processor paired with PowerVR GE8320 GPU. You can choose between 2GB/3GB of RAM and 16GB/32GB of Internal Storage. When it comes to software, the phone runs on Android 8.1 (Oreo) out of the box and has received the update to Android 9.0 (Pie).
The camera on this device is excellent in this price range. You get a dual rear-facing camera setup with a 13MP primary sensor and a 5MP secondary sensor. On the front, you get an 8MP camera for taking selfies. Some other features of the camera include LED flash, HDR, and Panorama.
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Connectivity features on this phone include Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.1, GPS, NFC, FM radio, Micro USB 2.0, and USB On-The-Go. In terms of security, you get a rear-mounted fingerprint scanner. The device has a decent 3500 mAh battery inside, along with 10W fast charging support.
Technical Specifications
| Soc | Mediatek MT6762 Helio P22 (12 nm) |
| Ram and Storage | 2GB/3GB RAM and 16GB/32GB Storage |
| Display and Resolution | 6 inch (720 x 1440 pixels ) |
| Camera | Dual Rear 13 MP + 5 MP | Front 8 MP |
| Battery | 3500 mAh |
9. Moto E6S
The Motorola E6s is a budget-oriented smartphone from Motorola, which was launched in September 2019. The phone offers both stylish design and decent specifications, making it an amazing value for the money package. The device looks premium; it has a gradient back design and comes in Polished Graphite, Bright Cherry, and Dark Red color variant.
On the front, you have a 6.1 inch IPS LCD with a screen resolution of 720 x 1560 Pixels. The screen has the 19.5:9 aspect ratio, and there’s also a notch design for the front camera and some basic sensors. The device is also splash resistant, so a little bit of rain won’t be a problem.
The device is powered by a Mediatek Helio P22 Chipset paired with the PowerVR GE8320 GPU. It comes in two variants 32GB + 2GB RAM, and 64GB + 4GB RAM. You get a clean software experience on this phone; it runs on Android 9.0 (Pie) without any custom skin on top.
The cameras on this phone are not so great, but for the price, it gets the job done. On the back, you have a dual-camera setup with a 13MP primary sensor paired with a 2MP depth sensor. On the front, you have a single 8MP camera for clicking selfies. The camera also features LED flash and HDR support.
Connectivity features on this phone include Wi-Fi 802.11, Bluetooth 4.2, GPS, FM radio, micro USB 2.0, and USB On-The-Go. Everything here is backed up by a decent 3000 mAh battery inside, capable of 10W fast charging. In terms of os security, you have a rear-mounted fingerprint scanner.
Technical Specifications
| Soc | Mediatek MT6771 Helio P60 (12 nm) |
| Ram and Storage | 64 GB, 4 GB RAM or 32 GB, 3 GB RAM |
| Display and Resolution | 6.2 inch (720 x 1520 pixels ) |
| Camera | Dual Rear 13 MP + 2 MP | Front 2 MP |
| Battery | 4230 mAh |
10. Realme 3i
Realme has been dominating the Indian Budget market with their amazing devices. The Realme 3i is a budget-oriented smartphone which was launched in July 2019. The device offers some amazing specifications at an affordable price. We get to see a new and improved front design and a gradient back finish. The phone comes in three color variants Diamond Blue, Diamond Red, and Diamond Black.
On the front, you have a tall 6.2 inch IPS LCD with a screen resolution of 720 x 1520 Pixels. The has a teardrop-shaped notch which houses the front camera and the speaker grille. The screen has a 19:9 aspect ratio, and in terms of security, it has Corning Gorilla Glass.
The phone is powered by an Octa-Core Mediatek Helio P60 Chipset and Mali G72 MP3 GPU. There are two variants of this phone available 3GB + 32GB and 4GB + 64GB. The internal Storage is also further expandable up to 256 GB via a dedicated Micro SD card slot. The phone runs on Android 9.0 Pie based on ColorOS 6.
On the back, you have a dual rear-facing camera setup with a combo of 13MP primary sensor with f/1.8 aperture and a secondary 2MP depth sensor. The rear camera also features LED flash and HDR support. On the front, you have a single 13MP camera with an f/2.0 aperture. The front camera also features HDR support.
Connectivity options in this phone include Wi-Fi 802.11, Bluetooth 4.2, GPS, FM radio, micro USB 2.0, and USB On-The-Go. In terms of security, the phone has a rear-mounted fingerprint scanner as well as face unlock. The phone has a large 4230 Mah battery, which is appreciated. You can get through 2 days of use on a single charge.
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Technical Specifications
| Soc | Mediatek MT6771 Helio P60 (12 nm) |
| Ram and Storage | 64 GB, 4 GB RAM or 32 GB, 3 GB RAM |
| Display and Resolution | 6.2 inch (720 x 1520 pixels ) |
| Camera | Dual Rear 13 MP + 2 MP | Front 2 MP |
| Battery | 4230 mAh |
Final Words
These are our top 10 smartphone pick under the ₹8,000 price range for you to check out. Most of the smartphone listed above has almost the same specifications so you can pick one depending upon the software.
Some of these smartphones come with their skinned version of Android like MIUI, EMUI, and, ZenUI, while the Nokia 3.1 Plus comes with Pure Stock Android. You can pick one depending upon your taste and previous experience with the brand. We hope this article was helpful for you if you still have a doubt or suggestion feel free to let us know.
The best bang for your bucks will be the Realme C21 and the TECHNO Spark 7, which has a good compact design, comes with a massive battery, a good display, and great cameras, and if you strictly want to go for Stock Android, then you should prefer Nokia 3.1 Plus.
Summary List of Best Mobile Phones Under 8000 in India
| Best Mobile Phones Under 8000 in India | Price |
| Realme C21 | ₹ 7,999 |
| Tecno Spark 7 | ₹ 7,499 |
| Samsung Galaxy M02 | ₹ 7,999 |
| Realme C3 | ₹ 7,099 |
| Redmi 8 | ₹ 7,199 |
| Vivo Y91i | ₹ 7,990 |
| Redmi 9A | ₹ 7,499 |
| Nokia 3.1 Plus | ₹ 7,195 |
| Moto E6S | ₹ 7,999 |
| Realme 3i | ₹ 8,499 |
Our List of Best Smartphones (Indian Edition)
