It is amazing how fast novelty features go mass market in the tech industry. Metal unibody, dual camera, and fingerprint sensor were once limited to premium phones. It then trickled down to mid-range segment and last year manufacturers started offering these features under Rs 10,000. And now, some of these fancy features have made it to the entry-level smartphones. Thanks to this, consumers are now spoilt for the choice when choosing a smartphone under Rs 7,000. (All prices as of January 2018)
Xiaomi Redmi 5A (Rs 7,000)
While the Mi A1 rules the budget segment, the Redmi 5A takes the crown in the entry-level category. The phone offers a sleek design with polycarbonate build. The phone has a 5-inch HD IPS LCD screen. The device is powered by Qualcomm's Snapdragon 425 chipset. For Rs 7,000, you get 3GB RAM with 32GB storage. The 2GB variant costs Rs 6,000. The Redmi 5A sports a 13MP rear camera. For selfies, you get a 5MP front snapper. The phone is 4G VoLTE compatible and draws power from a 3000 mAh battery. It comes with an IR blaster that can be used for controlling appliances. On the software side of things, you get Android 7.1.2 Nougat with MIUI 9 on top.
Also read: Redmi 5A review
Infocus Vision 3 (Rs 7,000)
The Infocus Vision 3 offers thin-bezel design at an affordable price. Throw rounded corners and 2.5D curved glass to the mix, and you get the most stylish handset on this list. Its 5.7-inch HD+ IPS screen has a tall 18:9 aspect ratio. The Vision 3 squeezes in a bigger screen in a compact form factor. Infocus has chosen MediaTek MTK6737 SoC (System on Chip) over Snapdragon to keep the costs in check. The phone offers a dual camera setup at the back. The primary 13MP sensor is accompanied by a 5MP depth sensor to pull off bokeh effect. The 4G VoLTE smartphone packs-in a 4000mAh battery.
Also read: Infocus Vision 3 review
Nokia 2 (Rs 6,500)
If you prefer a trusted name over specifications, the Nokia 2 is the phone for you. It offers European elegance and sturdy build quality. The handset sports a 5-inch IPS LCD with a screen resolution of 720 x 1280 pixels. The Snapdragon 212 chip is not very powerful, but Nokia's nearly stock Android runs well on the hardware. The Nokia 2 comes with 1GB RAM and 8GB internal storage. On the photography front, the phone sports an 8MP main camera. For selfies, there's a 5MP camera on the front. The phone packs in a 4100mAh battery, which easily lasts over a day on a single charge.
10.or E (Rs 7,000)
Manufactured by the Chinese company Huaqin, 10.or E takes on the likes of Xiaomi and Nokia. The smartphone sports a 5.5-inch Full HD IPS display. The smartphone is powered by Snapdragon 430 chipset. It offers 3GB of RAM and 32GB internal storage. For photography, it is equipped with a 13MP rear camera. Selfies are taken care of by a 5MP snapper. The 10.or E comes with 4G VoLTE compatibility and 4000mAh battery. On the software side of things, you get Android 7.1.2 out-of-the-box. It is upgradable to Android 8.0 Oreo. The company has kept the software customisation to a bare minimum, which is good news for Android purists.
Also read: 10.or E review
