Looking for a new phone?

The smartphone market in India is exploding. Almost daily there are new phones that come into the market. And almost every weak there is a price cut on the existing models selling here. The competition among different companies, especially in the mainstream market is fierce. 

This is all good news for consumers. The only problem, a fairly minor one at that, is that the choice available to consumers may confuse them. Well, worry not. With this guide we hope to make it simpler for you to find the best phone for your needs and your budget. 

Best phone for less than Rs.5,000: Motorola Moto E (first gen)

The Moto E (first generation) is actually a phone that sparked this sort of revolution in the low-priced segment of the smartphone buyer. And while its original price was Rs.6,999, now it is available at a cool price of Rs.4,999. In terms of hardware, there are a few other phones better than the Moto E but in terms of experience nothing matches it at this price. Despite its age, the old Moto E remains a phone that offers fairly fast and smooth Android experience with almost pure Android Lollipop inside it. The camera is weak point but frankly at this price point, the fact that Moto E provides smooth and fairly reliable Android experience is more than enough for us to recommend it. 

Also consider: The Spice Dream Uno 498 is an Android One phone. It was launched at a price of around Rs.6,000 but is now available for Rs.3,999. It is almost as good as the Moto E and an unbeatable deal at its existing price. 

Also Read:

Best phone for less than Rs.10,000: Lenovo A7000

This used to be the category ruled by the Yu Yureka. But sadly, the Yureka is out of the stock -- though there are chances that it may return some time later -- so we are giving the nod to A7000 here. Camera is the weak part with the A7000 but other than that, it is one hell of a phablet. The screen is totally brilliant, the performance is very good and the software is fairly usable. At a price of Rs.8,999, the A7000 is a good value for money. 

Also consider: The other phone that we recommend in this price range is Xiaomi RedMi Note. It is slightly heavier and bulkier than the A7000, but has a better camera and better battery life. Now it is also available at a lower price of Rs.7,999, which makes it an even better value for money. 

Best phone for less than Rs.15,000

The phone that we recommend in this price bracket is the Motorola Moto G (2nd) generation. Surprised? Yes, there are better phones than the Moto G in terms of hardware in this price bracket. the Xiaomi Mi 4i has a killer screen. The Xiaomi Mi 4, which recently got the price cut, has a fantastic camera and a cool design. But the reason why we give nod to the Moto G is the overall experience. we are a big fan of how well Android Lollipop works on the Moto G. the experience is fast, fluid and totally lag free. There is no heating, no nasty bugs and battery life is utterly fantastic. Yes, camera is not all that great on the Moto G but we think that is a fair trade-off to make in return of reliability and solid performance. 

Also consider:If you want killer hardware and best-in-class camera you can't go wrong with the Xiaomi Mi 4 in this price range. Now available for Rs.14,999, it is one superb deal at its latest prices.

Best phone for less than Rs.20,000

This has to be the One Plus One. Launched at a price of slightly above Rs.20,000, now this phone is selling for Rs.18,999 in India. This is a fantastic price of a device that is arguably one of the most balanced phones in the market this side of Rs.30,000. It has powerful hardware and a good -- although not brilliant -- camera. Software too is fairly good, especially the CyanogenMod that is still available for the phone. 

Also consider: The OnePlus One is a big phoneso if you are looking for something smaller, consider the very good Lenovo Vibe X2. In terms of hardware, this phone is not as good as the Mi 4 or the OnePlus One and the camera is a weka point, but overall it is still a very neat package with a price of around Rs.17,000.

Best phone for less than Rs.25,000

For long we have recommended the Motorola Moto X (2nd gen) but always in a different price category. Now this phone is selling for a price of around Rs.22,000 and we don't have any qualms in saying that at this price, the new Moto X is a fantastic deal. It has got good hardware, almost pure Android Lollipop and a decent screen and camera. Though, if you are going for it, we also suggest that you take a serious look at the 32GB version that sells for around Rs.25,000.

Also consider: The Nexus 5 is slightly old now but it remains one of the fastest Android phones you can buy. It is so good that it still continues to be the best phone if you are looking to get the most out of Android. Yes, the battery life is downright bad and the camera, compared to the one in phones like the Galaxy S6 and iPhone 6, is relatively poor but still the overall experience that the phone offers is solid. It is available for a price of around Rs.23,000, although could be little difficult to find. 

Also Read: Full review of the Motorola Moto X (2nd gen) 

Best phone for less than Rs.30,000

None. Instead you can buy the devices that we have suggested in the Under Rs.25,000 category and get similar experience.

But consider: In case you are looking for a really good phablet, you can consider Samsung Galaxy Note 3. This is not the latest Note - that is the Note 4 - but still this is one of the best phablets in the market. The camera, the 5.7-inch screen and the battery life are particular good. It is available for around Rs.28,000

Best phone for less than Rs.35,000

None. Instead you can buy the devices that we have suggested in the Under Rs.25,000 category and get similar experience.

But consider:If you are looking to get into the Apple's world, the iPhone 5S is available in this budget. Yes, the iPhone 6 is so much better but the iPhone 5S continues to be a fairly good option if you don't want an Android phone. 

Best phone for less than Rs.40,000

Samsung Galaxy S6 debuted at a price closer to Rs.50,000 but now it is available at a relatively more affordable price. Now selling for around Rs.38,000, the S6 is a fantastic phone. It hits all right notes. It has a gorgeous design, a brilliant screen and a camera that is among the best seen in a phone. Highly recommended.  

Best phone for around Rs.50,000

If you are planning to drop half a lakh rupees on your next smartphone, we totally recommend the Apple iPhone 6 to you. It is one fantastic smartphone. Fast and with superb hardware, including a brilliant screen and class-leading, the iPhone 6 is arguably one of the best smartphones made so far. With a budget of around Rs.50,000 you can get the 64GB version. One limitation with the iPhone is Apple's software that many users may find a bit too simple and limiting. If you like Android, we would suggest you save money and pick a phone that we have recommended in other price brackets.