Smartphone Guide Under 15000

Best Mobile Phones Under 12000 in India (Top-Notch Features)

Are you someone who is looking for an awesome smartphone but cannot spend a lot of money on it? Then you are at the right place, since we will bring you the best smartphones under 12000 in India that you can purchase with your hard-earned money. They have the best displays, processors, cameras, battery life, audio, video and more. These selected smartphones perform so well that it can put a more costlier phone to shame. After a lot of research, we have chosen a few smartphones that are extremely value for money and comes with the latest and best features such as 4G VoLTE, fast charging, VR support, 4K video recording to name a few. Earlier, we could not think of such features in mobiles under 12000 or less but it is now possible due to the immense competition among the manufacturers in the Indian smartphone market. The market is flooded by a lot of brands and in order to better each other, they are offering a lot of value for money smartphones.

This list is not based on any ranking since all of them excel in some particular department. So without any further delay, let’s get started.

Find out the best phones below 12000 in India

1. Honor 6X

Honor 6X - One of the best cheap smartphones

Honor 6X was launched back in January 2017 and is deservedly one of the best Android smartphones under 12000 in India. Now coming to its features, the 6X rocks a 5.5-inch 2.5D curved glass IPS display, that has a pixel density of 401 PPI and resolution of 1920 x 1080 pixels (Full HD). It is a crispy display and you’ll end up consume a lot of content on it for sure.

The phone is powered by a Kirin 655 octa-core processor clocked at 2.11GHz and for graphical prowess, it has Mali-T830 GPU. The phone comes with both 3GB and 4GB of RAM along with 32GB and 64GB of internal storage, which can also be expanded further up to 128GB by adding a microSD card. We would prefer the 4GB RAM variant for a better multitasking experience.

Coming to the software department of one of the best smartphones under 12000, we find it running on EMUI based on Android 7.0 Nougat OS and it is likely to get updated to Android 8.0 Oreo OS in the future. In the camera department, we are getting a 12 megapixel primary rear camera along with a 2 megapixel secondary rear camera. This dual camera setup helps in clicking great portrait images with background blur effect. We also get a 8 megapixel selfie camera on the front.

The phone also boasts of a fingerprint sensor located at the back, that can unlock the phone in just 0.3 seconds. The Honor 6X is a Dual SIM phone that supports 4G VoLTE and thus we can surely say it is one of the best VoLTE smartphones under 12000 in India. The VoLTE part is great since it makes the phone future proof and also fully compatible with the Reliance Jio 4G network.

Other connectivity and networking options include 3G HSPA+, WiFi 802.11 b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.1 LE and GPS. Under the hood, there is a 3340mAh battery with fast charing support. It will easily last you around one and half days with light usage and this feature cannot be found in most of the smartphones in this category for sure.

The Honor 6X is a great value for money smartphone that you should definitely look at if you want a good set of cameras.

Key Specifications of Honor 6X
Display 5.5-inch Full HD
Processor 2.1GHz Kirin 655 octa-core SoC
RAM 3GB/4GB
Storage 32GB/64GB (expandable - 128GB)
Operating System EMUI (Android 7.0 Nougat)
Rear Camera 12MP + 2MP with LED flash
Front Camera 8MP
Battery 3340mAh (non-removable) with Fast Charging
Fingerprint Rear
Connectivity 4G VoLTE

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2. Lenovo Z2 Plus

Lenovo Z2 Plus is the cheapest smartphone with Snapdragon 820 processor in India

Lenovo Z2 Plus, one of the most compact smartphones under 12000, was launched in India back in September 2016. It is one of the most powerful phones in this segment without any doubt. Now talking about its features, the Z2 Plus packs in a 5-inch 2.5D curved glass IPS display with a resolution of 1920 x 1080 pixels (Full HD) along with a pixel density of 441 PPI.

Under the hood, there is a Snapdragon 820 quad-core processor clocked at 2.15GHz. For graphical prowess, we get a Adreno 530 GPU. It is undoubtedly the best processor in this price segment since it is a flagship chipset from the house of Qualcomm, which can literally handle most of the apps and games with ease. Thus, the performance is incredible.

In terms of RAM and ROM, this smartphone is a leader since it rocks both 3GB and 4GB of RAM along with 32GB and 64GB of ROM. However, you cannot extend the storage as it does not have a microSD card slot. Thus, we will choose the 64GB RAM variant for more storage capacity and for better multitasking experience as well.

In the OS department, we are getting Android 7.0 Nougat OS and it is certainly expected to get an Android 8.0 Oreo update in the future. In the camera department, we are getting a 13 megapixel primary rear camera and a 8 megapixel selfie camera at the front. It is one of the best camera phones under 12000, so you’ll get great pictures but you should not expect flagship level images also.

There is a fingerprint sensor embedded into the home button, which can unlock the phone in just 0.1 seconds. It is a Dual SIM smartphone with support for 4G VoLTE. Other options include 3G HSPA+, WiFi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac (Dual Band), Bluetooth 4.1, USB Type-C and GPS. Under the hood, we find a 3500mAh battery which should last more than a day with moderate usage and it does support Quick Charge 3.0 fast charging as well.

The Lenovo Z2 Plus is one of the best smartphones under 12000 with great overall specifications and is surely one of the best compact mobiles in this segment. If you want a beast in terms of performance, then check out the Z2 Plus.

Key Specifications of Lenovo Z2 Plus
Display 5-inch Full HD
Processor 2.15GHz Snapdragon 820 quad-core SoC
RAM 3GB/4GB
Storage 32GB/64GB (non-expandable)
Operating System Android 7.0 Nougat
Rear Camera 13MP with LED flash
Front Camera 8MP
Battery 3500mAh (non-removable) with Quick Charge 3.0
Fingerprint Front
Connectivity 4G VoLTE

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Must Read: Best Smartphones Under 14000

3. Moto G5

Moto G5 - Best Smartphone under 12000

Moto G5, one of the best Android phones under 12000 in India, was launched back in April 2017. Coming to the other features of the device, it boasts of a 5.0-inch display, that has a pixel density of 441 PPI and resolution of 1920 x 1080 pixels (Full HD). Again, a commonly seen feature in this price bracket but impressive nonetheless.

This smartphone is powered by a Snapdragon 430 octa-core chipset clocked at 1.4GHz from the house of Qualcomm and for graphical performance we get Adreno 505 GPU. Both of them are mean machines that are quite powerful. You can easily run most of the popular apps and games without facing any lag or stuttering for sure.

The Moto G5 comes with 3GB of RAM and 16GB of internal storage. You can also bump up the storage up to 128GB by adding a microSD card. Out of the box, it runs on Android 7.0 Nougat OS and it will surely get an update to Android 8.0 Oreo OS in the near future. It is a Dual SIM phone with 4G VoLTE support.

In the camera department of one of the best smartphones under 12000, we find a 13 megapixel primary rear camera along with a 5 megapixel front-facing selfie camera. Both of them are quite good in terms of their pricing. You can even capture Full HD footage with the rear camera. As expected, we also get a fingerprint sensor located on the front, that can unlock the phone very quickly.

Other connectivity and networking options include 3G HSPA+, WiFi 802.11 a/b/g/n (Dual Band), Bluetooth 4.2 LE and GPS. There is a 2800mAh battery under its hood that also supports Turbo Charging. You’ll get about one day of battery life with moderate usage of the phone.

The Moto G5 is considered to be one of the best smartphone under 12000 because of its compact body and stock Android experience. If you’re looking for a phone that will get the latest Android updates, then go for the Moto G5.

Key Specifications of Moto G5
Display 5-inch Full HD
Processor 1.4GHz Snapdragon 430 octa-core SoC
RAM 3GB
Storage 16GB (expandable - 128GB)
Operating System Android 7.0 Nougat
Rear Camera 13MP with dual-tone LED flash
Front Camera 5MP
Battery 2800mAh (non-removable) with Turbo Charging
Fingerprint Front
Connectivity 4G VoLTE

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4. Coolpad Cool 1

Coolpad Cool 1 with Dual Rear Cameras: Specifications, Features and Images

Coolpad Cool 1, one of the best smartphones under 12000 with 4GB RAM in India, was launched back in December 2016. It is a beast in comparison to its competition in the same price segment. The phone is powered by a Snapdragon 652 octa-core processor clocked at 1.8GHz along with Adreno 510 GPU.

It boasts of 4GB RAM and hence it is a multitasking beast. You can carry out heavy multitasking on it and run multiple graphics intensive apps simultaneously with ease. However, a 3GB RAM variant is also available. The phone runs on EUI based on Android 6.0 Marshmallow OS and hopefully it should be upgraded to Android 7.0 Nougat OS in the near future.

The Cool 1 features a 5.5-inch IPS display, which has a screen-to-body ratio of 73.3%, resolution of 1920 x 1080 pixels (Full HD) and pixel density of 401 PPI. The display is great and hence you can watch your favorite movies and TV show. It is a Dual SIM phone and it comes with 32GB of internal memory, however you cannot expand it as it does not have a microSD card slot.

In the camera department of this smartphone under 12000, there are two 13 megapixel cameras at the back along with a 8 megapixel selfie camera on the front. Both of them perform can click great images. It is a 4G VoLTE phone, thus you can use Reliance Jio without any issue and make HD calls over LTE.

Other connectivity options include WiFi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac (Dual Band), 3G HSPA+, Bluetooth 4.0 and GPS. It has fast fingerprint sensor located at the back which can unlock the phone in just 0.15 seconds. Under the hood, there is a 4060mAh battery with support for Quick Charge 2.0. It should easily last for a couple of days with moderate usage.

Coolpad Cool 1, one of the best mobiles under 12000, is a true all-rounder in every department. If you want a great phone with good hardware and software wrapped around in a metal frame, do consider purchasing the Cool 1.

Key Specifications of Coolpad Cool 1
Display 5.5-inch Full HD
Processor 1.8GHz Snapdragon 652 octa-core SoC
RAM 3GB/4GB
Storage 32GB (non-expandable)
Operating System EUI (Android 6.0 Marshmallow)
Rear Camera Dual 13MP with dual-tone LED flash
Front Camera 8MP
Battery 4060mAh (non-removable) with Quick Charge 2.0
Fingerprint Rear
Connectivity 4G VoLTE

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5. Lenovo K6 Power

Lenovo K6 Power - One of the best smartphones under 10000 in India

The Lenovo K6 Power was launched back in December 2016. If you’re a VR enthusiast, then it is one of the best smartphones in this segment, since it comes with TheaterMax technology that will provide an immersive VR experience.

In our opinion, it is also one of the best audio phones below 12000 because of its Dolby Atmos support. Now coming to its basic hardware, the K6 Power boasts of a 5.0-inch IPS display that has a pixel density of 441 PPI and resolution of 1920 x 1080 pixels (Full HD). Again, basic thing here but its an immersive piece of display that you will end up loving.

Coming to the SoC, GPU, RAM and ROM, we are getting a Snapdragon 430 octa-core processor clocked at 1.4GHz, Adreno 505 GPU, 3GB or 4GB RAM and 32GB ROM. You can also choose to bump up the storage to 128GB by putting in a microSD card in this smartphone. The chipset can handle most of the popular apps and games with ease. For better multitasking experience, go for the 4GB RAM variant.

Now talking about its software, it runs on Lenovo Pure UI based on Android 7.0 Nougat OS. Lenovo’s in-house custom ROM called the Pure UI has certainly improved a lot as it was not usable couple of years back. In the camera department of K6 Power, we get a 13 megapixel primary rear camera along with a 8 megapixel front-facing selfie camera. Both of them are very good in well-lit conditions but not so great in low light environments.

There is a fingerprint sensor at the back as well. It is a Dual SIM phone with 4G VoLTE support but it has a hybrid slot. Other options include 3G HSPA+, WiFi 802.11 b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.2 LE and GPS. Under its hood, we find a 4000mAh battery and it should around two days with moderate usage. Sadly, it does not support fast charging though.

The Lenovo K6 Power is one of the best smartphones under 12000, without a shadow of doubt. If you want a smartphone purely for entertainment, then do go for the K6 Power.

Key Specifications of Lenovo K6 Power
Display 5-inch Full HD
Processor 1.4GHz Snapdragon 430 octa-core SoC
RAM 3GB/4GB
Storage 32GB (expandable - 128GB)
Operating System Lenovo Pure UI (Android 7.0 Nougat)
Rear Camera 13MP with LED flash
Front Camera 8MP
Battery 4000mAh (non-removable)
Fingerprint Rear
Connectivity 4G VoLTE

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Must Read: Best Smartphones Under 13000

6. YU YUREKA BLACK

YU YUREKA BLACK - Best Smartphone under Rs. 9000 in India

YU YUREKA BLACK is one of most affordable smartphones under 12000 with 4GB of RAM. It was announced back in June 2017. Now coming to its specifications, it boasts of a 5.0-inch 2.5D curved glass IPS display, that has a pixel density of 441 PPI and resolution of 1920 x 1080 pixels (Full HD). You’ll love watching your favourite movies and TV shows on this crispy display.

Talking about the processor, GPU, RAM and ROM on this beast, we get a Snapdragon 430 octa-core chipset clocked at 1.4GHz, Adreno 505 GPU, 4GB RAM and 32GB ROM. It has good processing power to handle heavy workload and hence day-to-day usage will be a breeze. It can also handle some heavy multitasking because of the 4GB RAM.

The internal storage can be bumped up to 128GB by sliding in a microSD card. In terms of software, we are getting AOS based on Android 7.1.1 Nougat OS and YU plans to update it to Android 8.0 Oreo OS. It is almost like stock Android but comes with some added features. We get Around YU 2.0, an integrated discovery platform for a lot of services.

In the camera department, there is a 13 megapixel primary camera at the back along with a 8 megapixel front-facing selfie camera. They can click good photos in most of the lighting conditions. It is a Dual SIM smartphone under 12000 but it comes with a hybrid slot. Hence, you can only put a the second SIM or microSD card simultaneously.

We also get a fingerprint sensor embedded into the home button, which can unlock the phone in just 0.2 seconds. Coming to the networking and connectivity options on this phone, it includes 4G VoLTE, 3G HSPA+, WiFi 802.11 b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.1 LE and GPS. Under the hood, there is a 3000mAh battery which should be decent for one day of usage, however it does not support fast charging.

The YU YUREKA BLACK is one of the best smartphones under 12000 this year. If you want a great Micromax phone in this budget, then do have a look at the YUREKA BLACK.

Key Specifications of YU YUREKA BLACK
Display 5-inch Full HD
Processor 1.4GHz Snapdragon 430 octa-core SoC
RAM 4GB
Storage 32GB (expandable - 128GB)
Operating System AOS (Android 7.1 Nougat)
Rear Camera 13MP with LED dual flash
Front Camera 8MP with LED flash
Battery 3000mAh (non-removable)
Fingerprint Front
Connectivity 4G VoLTE

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Thus, we come to an end of our best smartphones under 12000 list. We hope you have liked our list and have purchased your dream smartphone. If you want to tell us anything regarding the quality of our article or point out any mistake, do let us know in the comments section. We will try to bring you better and fresh content in the near future. Also, we will keep on updating this list of best Android phones under 12000 every month to include the latest and best smartphones launched under this category. Check out our other articles below, if you want to buy smartphones in some other price segments.

About the author

Bibek Saha

He is the Co-Founder of BSU. A Tech enthusiast at heart, who loves to write long form articles. A certified foodie who won't give up Chicken for anything else in this world. A Manchester United fan, who loves to play Fifa when not in work mode.

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