Quad core processor based smartphones are literally raining these days while octa core and hexa core phones are becoming common too, especially in the Rs 10,000+ segment. Also high end features like 2 GB RAM, huge memory, powerful cameras are also becoming common to devices priced even under Rs 20,000.
For instance, recently Chinese handset giant, Xiaomi launched its Mi3 in India for just Rs 14,999 which comes with 5 inch FHD display, 2.3 GHz Snapdragon 800 processor, 2 GB RAM, 16 GB inbuilt memory etc.
Earlier, Karbonn launched its octa core and hexa core chip armed smartphones in the Rs 10,000 to Rs 20,000 segment. This segment has several octa core phones like Intex Aqua Octa, Micromax Canvas Knight, Gionee Elife E7 Mini, Karbonn Titanium Octane etc.
It is thus quite natural to get confused in the sea of such good looking smartphones. Here thus we have tried to select five devices from the clutter. While selecting them we have considered the brand value, specifications, and our own reviews. Also, we have tried to accommodate one option from various operating systems. For Android lovers, we will come out with another list of ‘best five Android smartphones between Rs 10,000-Rs 20,000†later. Note that handsets are listed here randomly and this does not reflect their ranking at all.
Once launched for a hefty price of Rs 34,490, it is now available for less than Rs 20,000. The LG Optimus 4X HD has a 4.7 inch IPS touchscreen with HD Resolution and Corning Gorilla Glass protection. Though it comes with Android ICS version, LG has recently issued the Android KitKat version for the smartphone. It is armed with the Nvidia Tegra 3 quad core processor, 1 GB RAM, 16 GB internal storage, and a 64 GB micro SD card slot.
The Optimus 4X HD has an 8 megapixel rear camera and a 1.3 megapixel front camera. It has a 2150 mAh battery. This single SIM based smartphone has 3G connectivity, WiFi, DLNA, Bluetooth, Micro USB port, and GPS.
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Samsung Galaxy S3
It too is quite a old handset but still is as attractive as the new devices. It comes with a 4.8 inch Super AMOLED Display with high definition resolution and Corning Gorilla Glass 2 protection. It has a slim body (8.6 mm thickness) and is quite lightweight (133 grams) .
The said version has 16 GB Internal Memory and has an expandable storage slot that can accommodate a micro SD card of 64 GB capacity. It is recently been upgraded to Android KitKat version which runs on the powerful 1.4 GHz Exynos 4412 quad core processor and Mali 400MP4 GPU and 1 GB RAM.
The Samsung Galaxy S3 has a superb 8 megapixel rear camera which could easily capture full HD videos in 30 fps. A 1.9 megapixel camera is in its front for video calls and selfies. The Galaxy S3’s 2100 mAh battery also offers superb battery life – 11 hours of 3G talktime. This single SIM based device has also WiFi, Bluetooth, and MHL connectivity options.
Currently it is being offered by many Indian e-retailers for about Rs 18,000.
Those who want to explore the Windows Phone devices, Nokia Lumia 1320 is a great option.
The Nokia Lumia 1320 features a 6 inch touchscreen that has 1280×720 pixels resolution. This display has wide viewing angle and has Corning Gorilla Glass protection. It has Windows 8 operating system and a 1.7 GHz Snapdragon S4 dual core processor and 1 GB RAM.
The 9.8 mm thick Lumia 1320 has a huge 3400 mAh battery that promises 21 hours of 3G talktime. It has decent 8 GB internal storage and an expandable storage slot that can accommodate a micro SD card of up to 64 GB capacity. Moreover, it has a 5 megapixel rear camera and a front camera as well for selfies.
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BlackBerry Z3
In the price segment stated above, BlackBerry Z10 too is available but we have opted for the BlackBerry Z3 which is new and has been praised by many.
BlackBerry Z3 offers a 5-inch with 960×540 pixel resolution. BlackBerry has powered this large screen with a dual-core 1.2 Ghz Qualcomm Snapdragon 400 mobile processor which is paired with 1.5 GB RAM. In terms of hardware specifications, the BlackBerry Z3 kind of replicates what Samsung Galaxy Grand 2 offers but without the HD display.
The Z3 has 8 GB on-board storage and Memory card slot to add up to 32 GB micro SD card. At the rear, it has a 5 megapixel camera with LED flash and auto focus. This camera can be used to capture decent quality images and also record full HD video.
Other significant features of the Z3 include WiFi support, Bluetooth 4.0 LE, Near Field Communication, FM Radio, GPS with A-GPS support and micro USB 2.0 port along standard audio port. The specifications sheet also mentions an micro HDMI port to connect the phone to a large display.
BlackBerry Z3 runs BlackBerry 10.2.1 OS out of the box. Clearly, BlackBerry banks on this capability to let the consumers enjoy best of the BlackBerry as well as Android platform. It has a non-removable 2500 mAh battery and micro-SIM support.
Though there are several octa core phones in this segment, the Karbonn Titanium Octane Plus is the newest and has best features. This handset has a 5 inch IPS display with full HD resolution, the latest Android KitKat operating system, a powerful 1.7 GHz Mediatek True Octa Core processor, Mali 450 MP4 GPU, and 2 GB RAM.
The Karbonn Titanium Octane Plus, which is currently retailing for about Rs 16,000, has a 16 megapixel rear camera and an 8 megapixel front camera. This dual SIM smartphone has Bluetooth, WiFi, 3G connectivity, GPS, and a micro USB port. Storage wise too it looks quite attractive with 16 GB internal memory and a 32 GB micro SD card slot. This 7.6 mm thick handset has a 2000 mAh battery.
You can read our first cut of the Karbonn Titanium Octane Plus here.