Top 10 Best Phones Under 12000 in India – 202216 min read

Introduction

The best smartphone under 12000 comes with every specification of your choice on a pocket-friendly budget!

Smartphones today have become more than just tech for communication. It can be your guide to new destinations, a travel buddy, your own personal jukebox, your movie screening system, and even a tool for capturing time in your spare time. 

But the best phone under 12,000 can be a tricky choice to make, considering all the brands coming up with the latest and exciting features. That is why we have researched for hours to bring to you a list of the best phone under 12000 in India!

All you need to do is go through this article, and select yourself the phone which best suits your ideal requirements!

List of the Best  Phone Under 12000 in India – 2021

After testing many popular and leading brand smartphones, we have picked out the top 10 best phones under the 12,000 bracket, each of which has individual qualities to be called the best phone under 12,000. 

1. XIAOMI REDMI NOTE 9

At the number 1 spot, we have Redmi Note 9, which is the best budget smartphone anyone would love to own. Redmi Note 9 comes with Octa-core Helio G85 Processor, which performs decently well for the price. You can effortlessly read articles, browse social media, watch videos, and play games. The best thing about this phone is its massive battery that goes on, and on.

Specifications:

• RAM: 4GB
• Storage Space: 64GB internal memory expandable up to 512GB
• Processor: Mediatek Helio G85 octa core processor 
• Battery: 5020mAH lithium-polymer battery 
• Camera: 48MP + 8MP + 2MP + 2MP | 16MP Front Camera
• Display Size: 16.5862 centimeters (6.53-inch) FHD+ display
• Operating System: Android v10 operating system
• USB: USB Type C
• 22.5W Fast Charger
• Item Weight: 199 g
• Warranty: 1 Year for Handset, 6 Months for Accessories

Pros:

• This phone is a camera champion
• Has a massive battery life
• Designed for your gaming needs
• Sturdy and stylish looks
• Enjoy a cinematic viewing experience
• Mature and feature-rich MIUI 11

Cons:

• Falls behind others in terms of charging time which is on the higher side

2. Samsung Galaxy M 11

The Samsung Galaxy M11 brings a 5000mAh battery and a 13MP triple camera which gets second place on this list of the best smartphones under 12000 in India. If you are a first time user of a smartphone then you can definitely try this phone out. With octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 450 SoC, various sensors, great storage, this phone’s charge last you for an entire day.

Specifications:

• RAM: 4GB
• Storage Space: 64 GB ROM | Expandable up to 512 GB
• Processor: Qualcomm Snapdragon (SDM450-F01)
• Battery: 5000 mAh Lithium-ion Battery
• Camera: 13MP + 5MP + 2MP | 8MP Front Camera
• Display Size: 16.26 cm (6.4 inch) HD+ Display
• Operating System: Android v10 operating system
• USB: USB Type C
• 15 W Fast Charger
• Item Weight: 168 g
• Warranty: 1 Year for Handset, 6 Months for Accessories

Pros:

• A big battery at 5000 mAh
• Has fewer chances of Bloatware Apps
• This phone offers various features on the software level as compared to the price
• The weight of the phone is very light
• Get triple camera set up for those perfect selfies
• Has tripe slot for larger memory

Cons:

• The phone can show lag issues after high-specs games

3. Realme 5i

The Realme 5i is here to meet your smartphone demands seamlessly as it has a massive 5000 mAh battery and is powered by a 2.0 GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 665 AIE Processor. You can make photography a serious business with its AI Quad camera that features a 12 MP Primary Lens, 8 MP Ultra Wide-Angle Lens, 2 MP Super Macro Lens, and 2 MP Portrait Lens, and hence is at number 3 on this list of the best phone under 12000 in India.

Specifications:

• RAM: 4GB
• Storage Space: 64GB internal memory expandable up to 512GB
• Processor: Mediatek Helio G85 octa core processor 
• Battery: 5020mAH lithium-polymer battery 
• Camera: 48MP + 8MP + 2MP + 2MP | 16MP Front Camera
• Display Size: 16.5862 centimeters (6.53-inch) FHD+ display
• Operating System: Android v10 operating system
• USB: USB Type C
• 22.5W Fast Charger
• Item Weight: 199 g

Pros:

• The Realme 5i flaunts a big 6.52-inch display with a teardrop notch
• No need to compromise on storage over connectivity
• The sixth-gen. CPU serves well for multitasking, day-to-day tasks
• Realme 5i can easily last for two days on moderate to heavy usage.
• Has 4 lens camera which takes amazing photos
• The Realme 5i offers a Full HD+ screen in sub-10K price-point

Cons:

• The phone is not a good one-hand fit due to its tall design

4. Redmi 9 Prime

The Redmi 9 Prime is priced reasonably just below the Rs.10,000 price point. The Realme 5i showcases a big 6.52-inch display with a teardrop notch. The bezels on the three sides of the display are quite thin. The phone has a 20:9 aspect ratio display that gives a respectable screen-to-body ratio of 89%. Xiaomi Redmi 9 Prime is powered by a 2GHz octa-core MediaTek Helio G80 processor and is at number 4 on our list of the 10 best smartphones under 12000 in India.

Specifications:

• RAM: 4GB
• Storage Space: 64GB internal memory expandable up to 512GB 
• Processor: Mediatek Helio G85 octa-core processor 
• Battery: 5020 mAh large lithium-polymer battery
• Camera: 13MP quad rear camera, ultra-wide, macro, portrait, AI scene recognition, HDR, pro mode | 8 MP front camera
• Display Size: 16.58 centimeters (6.53-inch) FHD+ capacitive multi-touch touchscreen
• Operating System: Android v10 operating system
• 1-year manufacturer warranty for device and 6 months manufacturer warranty
• USB: USB Type C
• 18W Fast Charger
• Item Weight: 199 g

Pros:

• The high screen-to-body ratio ensures comfortable streaming of multimedia content
• It packs a large 5020mAh battery capacity
• The charging time required is also very fast
• This phone has a durable build quality
• Comes with a superb display for the price
• It is fantastic for gaming and running multiple applications at the same time

Cons:

• If you like clicking pictures, this isn’t the perfect option
• Does not even have a basic water protection

5. Realme 5s

Among the best phones under 12000, the Realme 5s phone shines bright with its incredible performances. We have Redmi 5s at number 5 on our list of the best phone under 12000 in India. The phone comes with a Qualcomm Snapdragon 665 processor and Android 9 operating system. It has a display of 6.50 inches and has a 4 GB ram. The 48 + 8 + 2 +2 MP rear camera helps to take perfect shots and the 13 MP selfie camera is very useful to take incredible shots of yours. This 5000 mAh battery mobile has great battery life.

Specifications:

• RAM: 4GB
• Storage: 64GB internal memory expandable
• Display: 6.50″
• Rear Camera: 48 MP + 8 MP + 2 MP + 2 MP
• Front Camera: 13 MP
• Processor: Qualcomm Snapdragon 665
• Operating System: Android 9 (Pie)
• Battery Capacity: 5000 mAh
• Weight: 195 grams
• 1-year manufacturer warranty for device and 6 months manufacturer warranty

Pros:

• It has a comfortable display size
• Good for playing video games
• The battery quality is good
• It has an excellent slow motion feature
• It presents an excellent screen to body ratio
• This has a flash that enables you to take superb photos in low light conditions

Cons:

• This phone offers an average resolution
• It does not have wireless charging

6. Moto G9

The phone comes with a 6.80-inch touchscreen display with a resolution of 720×1640 pixels and an aspect ratio of 20.5:9. Motorola Moto G9 Power is powered by an octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 662 processor, which makes it quite fast. The Motorola Moto G9 is powered by a 5000mAh battery, which proves that it goes on, and on. This gets 6th place on our list of the best phone under 12000.

Specifications: 

• Warranty: 1 Year for Handset, 6 Months for Accessories
• RAM: 4 GB RAM
• Storage Space: 64 GB ROM | Expandable Upto 512 GB
• Processor: Qualcomm Snapdragon 662 Processor
• Battery: 5000 mAh Lithium-ion Polymer Battery
• Camera: 448MP + 2MP + 2MP | 8MP Front Camera
• Display Size, 16.94 cm (6.67 inch) Full HD+ Display
• Operating System: Android 10, Stock Android Experience
• HD+ IPS TFT LCD Max Vision Display
• 20 W Charger

Pros:

• Has a sturdy and well-built body
• Amazing display performance at the given price
• Has an excellent battery life
• The main camera does pretty well in daylight
• Clean Android but with a couple of Moto-added features

Cons:

• Unsatisfactory low-light performance
• The phone can behave a little sluggish after prolonged usage

7. Redmi 8A 

At number 7 on our list of the best phone under 12000 in India, is Remi 8A. This phone features a 5000 mAh battery for more calls, messages, and entertainment. Again this smartphone is equipped with a Snapdragon 439 processor and 2 GB RAM which allows more processing power when shuffling between apps on your phone. Also, make memories with its 8 MP front camera, and preserve it for a lifetime.

Specifications:

• Warranty: 1 Year for Handset, 6 Months for Accessories
• RAM: 2 GB RAM
• Storage Space: 32 GB ROM | Expandable Upto 512 GB
• Processor: Qualcomm Snapdragon 439 Processor
• Battery: 5000 mAh Battery
• Camera: 12MP Rear Camera | 8MP Front Camera
• Display Size, 15.8 cm (6.22 inch) HD+ Display
• Operating System: Android 9
• HD+ IPS TFT LCD Max Vision Display

Pros:

• The camera quality is good compared to its price
• This phone has a commendable battery life
• Also, it features the Corning Gorilla Glass 5 
• This phone has a very good display quality
• The phone is splash-resistant

Cons:

• Does not support fast charging
• Has a slow performance, especially on the 2GB variant

8. Oppo A5 

The Oppo A5 is definitely a budget smartphone and comes with a trendy design and great features. It features a 6.5-inch HD+ display, which is protected by Corning’s Gorilla Glass. It also supports Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 665 chip, despite its affordable price, the handset is loaded with a quad-camera setup. The phone features a waterdrop notch with an 8 MP selfie camera. It is a dual SIM phone that supports 4G VoLTE, and draws power from a 5,000 mAh battery, and gets 8th place on this list of the best smartphones under 12000 in India.

Specifications:

• RAM: 3 GB
• Storage Space:  64GB internal memory expandable up to 256GB 
• Processor: MediaTek Helio G85 (MT6769V/CZ) Processor
• Battery: 5000 mAh Li-Polymer Battery 
• Camera: 12MP + 8MP + 2MP + 2MP | 8MP AI front camera
• Display Size: 16.5 centimeters (6.5-inch) with 1600 x 720 pixels resolution
• USB: USB Type C
• Operating System: Android v9.0 based on Color OS 6.1
• 18 W Fast Charger
• Item Weight: 195 g

Pros:

• The strongest feature of the Oppo A5 is its 5000mAh battery
• This phone has a fantastic design when compared to the price
• On the software front, you get Oppo’s recently refreshed ColorOS 6
• This is a budget phone which is balanced in terms of specifications
• Has Snapdragon 665 provides faster performances while simultaneously lowering power consumption by 20%

Cons:

• There is no support for fast charging 
• The ColorOS is not the best of Android operating systems
• The rear camera systems of its competitors are also superior

9. Micromax Note 1

Micromax IN Note 1 has a 6.67inch IPS grade Full HD+ Center punch-hole display, MediaTek Helio G85 octa-core processor, 5000mAh battery with 18W fast charging support. This gets the 9th place on our list of the best phone under 12000 in India. This phone is a Stock UI based on Android 10, USB Type-C, Headphone jack, Dedicated Google Assistant Button, Triple Slot, Quad Camera setup at the rear with 48MP Samsung GM1 sensor, 16 MP front Cam, Rear Fingerprint scanner, promises 2 years of security updates also.

Specifications:

• RAM: 4GB
• Storage Space: 64 GB ROM | Expandable Upto 256 GB
• Processor: MediaTek Helio G85 (MT6769V/CZ) Processor
• Battery: 5000 mAh Li-Polymer Battery 
• Camera: 48MP + 5MP + 2MP + 2MP | 16MP Front Camera
• Display Size: 16.94 cm (6.67 inch) Full HD+ Display
• Operating System: Stock Android 
• USB: USB Type C
• 18 W Fast Charger
• Item Weight: 196 g

Pros:

• It supports reverse charging support
• Not only software is great but also the hardware
• The battery capacity of this phone is great
• Supports super-fast charging
• Enjoy a smooth experience, as this phone supports a pure Android OS experience with no ads or Bloatware

Cons:

• Its plastic build quality is very low
• Does not come with Widevine L1 support which is a major con
• Low-light photography is not good

10. Realme Narzo 10A

At the bottom end of our list of the best phone under 12000 in India, we have, Realme Narzo 10 A. It comes with a MediaTek Helio G70 processor and an Android 10 operating system. The phone comes with 3 GB RAM and 32 GB storage. It has a battery capacity of 5000 mAh and has fast charging facilities. With three rear cameras with 12 MP, 2 MP, 2 MP, and 5 MP sensors front camera it helps to take quite appealing photos.

Specifications:

• Processor: MediaTek Helio G70
• Operating System: Android 10
• RAM: 3GB
• Display: 6.50″
• Rear Camera: 12 MP + 2 MP + 2 MP
• Front Camera: 5 MP
• Storage: 32 GB
• Battery Capacity: 5000 mAh

Pros:

• Has a great software performance 
• The battery life of this product is great
• Dual sim and an expandable memory slot
• Comes with a splash-resistant design

Cons:

• Camera quality is not so good when compared to others on this list
• The weight of this phone is quite heavy
•  It offers an average resolution

Buyer’s Guide: Best Phone Under 12,000 

Choosing the best phone under 12,000 needs a certain knowledge about smartphone technology. We have listed down a few important aspects to check out before you look for the smartphone that best suits your requirements.

RAM

In order for your phone to perform all the tasks smoothly, the RAM (Random Access Memory) is the most important thing to look out for. Like computers, smartphones today, dearly focus on the RAM, which will let you stay glued to your phone for a long time, without any disturbance.  

Storage

Smartphones today are inseparable from humankind, and most of our personal data is stored inside these little devices. From pictures to music, books, and even our most precious social media accounts, and their data are registered inside them. With the advent of internet banking, our bank account details often stay stored on a smartphone. Due to keeping track of all the minute details of our daily lives, the smartphone comes with a good amount of storage space. So, the more storage space you can get the more items you can store. 

Processor

If the RAM is the heart of a smartphone, the processor is the soul of the device. All of these together build the best phone under 12,000. The processor of your smartphone partly allows you to run the tasks smoothly without interruptions. The speed of the processor determines whether the phone will run smoothly or not. If the processor speed is good enough any app will open seamlessly, without stopping in the middle. 

Camera

Smartphones today come with cameras that can click picture-perfect images and record videos in High Definition. Many phones have been designed in a way that puts special emphasis on the camera. Smartphone cameras have also evolved with time meeting the demand for this ‘Selfie Generation’. There are a few features that make the best smartphone camera. The high number of megapixels is one thing, apart from that good aperture, shutter speed, autofocus speed, low light photo capture functionality, ISO balance is important for clicking any picture from any device. 

Operating System

The operating system will ensure how your phone will work. There are two operating systems that are worth considering, iOs and Android. Choose the best phone under 12000 that supports the operating system that you like.

Battery

Your smartphone runs on a battery, and without that, your smartphone does not look so smart anymore. People do a number of tasks on their phone throughout an entire day, for which your phone needs to stay turned on and not be a spoilsport by shutting down in the middle of something. As we mostly spend our time on the phone, the battery back up needs to be good enough to afford such usage. So go for the best phone under 12,000 that has a higher battery capacity, to keep you in touch with the world at your fingertips. 

Display

Phones today have gone way past their initial criteria for calling people. Additionally, they also play an integral part in clicking pictures, taking notes, and playing games with high-graphics, as well as high-quality videos. The bigger and clearer the screen, the better will be your visual experience and an even better understanding of color and tone while clicking a picture. 

Build Quality

The reason for smartphones being so popular is due to their portability. It allows you to connect with the world, on the go. So, it is evident that accidents might occur to your phone, thus the build quality comes into play. It is important that your phone is made sturdy, and can endure minimum damages like slipping off of your hand. 

Latest Technology

Smartphones are constantly evolving with time from the outside appearance to the technology inside. It is important that you stick to the latest technology, because most with the evolving phone technologies, all apps that you probably use are also upgrading. But a phone with old technology will not support a very advanced app. 

Warranty

An electronic gadget that stays with you more than you actually think of surely needs a warranty to go with it. We understand that phones are important in today’s life in almost every field, other than entertainment purposes. But electronic items can malfunction at any time, for which there needs to be some sort of assurance for some time that will cover the repair cost. 

Price

When you are strictly tied under a budget, you cannot do anything much about it. However, smartphones have a wide variety, and there is no shortage of mobile phones at the 12,000 price bracket. So you don’t have to worry about investing a little more money, as you surely will find the best phone for under 12,000. 

Also Read: Best Phones Under 15000

Conclusion

The best phone under 12,000 must have all the subtle qualities that give you utter satisfaction in using the device. Determine your requirements and know all about mobile phones in general, which in turn will lead you to the best phone under 12000 in India.

Was this article of help to you? Then do share it with your friends and family who are looking for budget-smartphones. Also, do not forget to mention our feedback and your top pick on this list in the comments section below.