Manufacturers these days make sure that they launch a device in every price category. Manufacturers have been launching devices at an incredible clip recently with nearly 2-3 phones launching every day, which makes one wonder if it is becoming any easier for a consumer to pick the right one for her needs. Admit it, when there are a lot of options, decision making doesn’t get easier. So if your budget is Rs 7,000, relax, as we have got you covered with this shortlist of 5.
The leader in the pack. Xiaomi is famous for its aggressive pricing and has just done that with the Redmi 3S. The Redmi 3S sports a 5 inch HD (720 x 1280p) IPS LCD display which is wrapped in a beautiful metallic unibody. A finger print scanner in its back adds a feature usually found in pricier phones. The phone is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 430 Octa-Core Chipset clocked at 1.4 GHz, Adreno 505 and 2GB RAM. It runs on Android 6.0.1 marshmallow out of the box with MIUI on top. For photography, The Redmi 3S has a 13 megapixel rear camera with f/2.0 Aperture and front 5 megapixel with f/2.2 aperture camera with both of them capable of recording at 1080p.
One segment where Redmi 3S has been a leader since its launch is the battery. The phone has a massive 4100 mAh lithium-ion battery which can get you through a couple of days with moderate usage. In storage department, the 3S offers 16GB of internal memory which is expandable via micro SD card. Though it is dual SIM, it comes with a hybrid slot for same. Other connectivity options include built-in WiFi, Bluetooth 4.1, and GPS and VoLTE support.
If you thought the incredible call and data offers from Jio are a way to cover up for any deficiencies, think again. Reliance has been introducing a lot of smartphones under its new brand ‘Lyf’. Though the Wind 3 though comes with a polycarbonate design, it still feels solid in hands. The Wind 3 comes with a big 5.5 inch IPS LCD screen with 1280 x 720 pixel resolution. To power the device you get a Quad-Core Qualcomm Snapdragon 410 chipset clocked at 1.2 GHz with 2GB RAM. For graphics you get Adreno 306 and it runs on Android 5.1.1 Lollipop out of the box. The Wind 3 out of the box comes with 16GB internal storage which is expandable via microSD to up to 32GB.
The Wind 3 boasts an 8 megapixel rear camera and a 2 megapixel front camera, both capable of Full HD (1080p) video recording. It also comes with built-in WiFi 802.11 b/g/n, Bluetooth, GPS with a 2920 mAh battery. It is a dual SIM device with a separate slot for microSD card. However, Wind 3 doesn’t have a fingerprint scanner.
Lenovo has been a major competitor in the budget smartphone category. The Vibe K5 comes with 5 inch screen with 1280 x 720 pixel Resolution and metal body which looks extremely premium. Though the phone runs on Android 5.1 Lollipop with Lenovo’s Vibe UI, it is quite powerful thanks to its 64-bit Qualcomm Snapdragon 415 octa core Processor clocked at 1.4 GHz, Adreno 405 GPU and 2GB RAM. For storage it has 16GB internal memory which is expandable up to 32GB via microSD card.
Coming to the photography department, the Vibe K5 has a 13 megapixel primary camera with auto focus and LED flash and a 5MP front camera. Lenovo Vibe K5’s USP is its sound output. Lenovo has implemented a twin high quality stereo speakers with Dolby Atmos technology. Powering the device is the 2750 mAh battery which Lenovo claims will last you about 15 hours on a 3G network. It is also a dual SIM device.
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Coolpad Note 3 Lite – Rs 6,999
Coolpad is a new entrant when compared to other device manufacturers in the list. The Coolpad Note 3 though comes with a polycarbonate build but has a texturized back to improve grip while holding the device. It too has a 5 inch HD display panel. The phone runs on Android 5.1 out of the box with Coolpad’s own CoolUI 6.0 and is powered by a Mediatek quad-core 1.3 GHz processor and 3GB RAM.
It has 16GB internal memory which is expandable to up to 32GB. You get the same 13MP rear facing camera with f/2.0 aperture and a 5MP front camera which has become the default option on most budget Android smartphones these days. To power up the device is a 2500 mAh battery which may be a deal breaker for some but should get you through a day’s usage. You also get dual SIM capabilities and a finger print scanner which is located at its back.
The last one in the list is the Swipe Elite Plus 16GB variant. The Swipe Elite Plus comes with a unique design with all the controls at the back. In the front you get a 5 inch Full HD (1920 x 1080) IPS LCD display making it the only phone with this resolution in the list. The Elite Plus has a 1.5 GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon MSM8939 octa-core processor with Adreno 405 GPU and 2GB of RAM. It comes with 16GB internal storage which is expandable up to 64GB via microSD. 
One downside is that it comes with Android 5.0.2 Lollipop with Freedom-OS out of the box. Swipe claims that the phone also boasts a Dragontrail Glass for screen protection. In the camera department, the Elite Plus doesn’t disappoint as well with solid 13 MP rear camera and an 8 MP selfie camera. Battery department is another area where it is a decent buy. The Elite Plus comes with a respectably big 3050 mAh battery which will be enough for a days usage given the high res display. It is also a dual SIM device and has OTG support. One thing which is surely missing here is a fingerprint scanner which would make the Elite Plus the best all-rounder on paper.