Here are the 10 best smartphones available in India right now

India has over 928 million mobile subscribers as per the latest report by TRAI (Telecom Regulatory Authority of India) and it is easy to see their love for phones. But there are so many different phones on the market that people are often unsure as to whether they are getting exactly what they paid for. And of course, if you haven’t done your research, you can be sure the salesman will push the phone on you that offers them the highest margins, not the one that gives you the best performance.

But we’re here to help. Here’s a list of the ten best smartphones available in India right now. If you want a new phone, buy something on this list.

1. Xiaomi Redmi 1s – INR5,999 (US$97)

Launched in August, the Redmi 1s has truly defined value for money for Indians. Despite flash sales that sell limited units, the Redmi 1s remains a favorite. Apart from packing competitive hardware, the phone’s software skin dubbed MIUI offers themes to change the look and feel of the interface. Low-cost phones are often misconstrued as having a subpar software experience, and this phone changes that perception. We have no qualms labeling this phone a game-changer; it’s made other handset companies rethink their product lines.

Specifications:

• 4.7-inch IPS LCD display with 720×1280 pixel resolution
• quad-core 1.6 Ghz Qualcomm Snapdragon 400
• 1GB RAM; 8GB built-in
• Android 4.3 Jelly Bean with MIUI
• 8MP rear camera; 2MP front camera
• 3G, 2G; dual mini-SIM, Dual Standby
• 2,000 mAh battery
• 137mm x 69mm x 9.9mm
• 158 grams

2. Motorola Moto G 2nd Gen. – INR12,999 (US$212)

Motorola recently refreshed its hot-selling Moto G smartphone with impressive bumps in the hardware department. While some things remained the same, the Moto G 2nd Generation does feed Indians’ interest in large screen smartphones. Plus, it has better cameras and promises smooth and improved Android performance with longer battery life. And it’s destined to get the Android 5.0 Lollipop update before many of the other phones on this list.

Specifications:

• 5.0-inch IPS LCD display with 720×1280 pixel resolution
• quad-core 1.2 Ghz Qualcomm Snapdragon 400
• 1GB RAM; 8GB/16GB built-in
• Android 4.4.4 KitKat
• 8MP rear; 2MP front
• 3G, 2G; dual micro-SIM
• 2,070 mAh
• 141.5mm x 70.7mm x 11mm
• 149 grams

3. Xiaomi Mi3 – INR13,999 (US$228)

Want a flagship-level hardware and experience at the two-thirds of the price? The Mi3 shines with a stellar hardware and a pleasant design. Though it sounds “too good to be true,” it remains the best performer in the mid-range segment and challenges the premium phones. The MIUI skin on top of Android 4.3 integrates hundreds of features that true smartphone enthusiasts will thoroughly enjoy. Flipkart says the Mi3 is “coming soon” if you’re still saving for it. The only real downside is its lack of a expandable storage.

4. Micromax Canvas Knight A350 – INR14,000 (US$228)

5. Sony Xperia Z1 Compact – INR 26, 940 (US$440)

6. HTC One E8 – INR31,320 (US$505)

7. Sony Xperia Z3 – INR45,999 (US$750)

8. LG G3 – INR36,907 (US$608)

9. Samsung Galaxy Note 4 – INR 58,300 (US$950)

10. Apple iPhone 6 Plus – INR62,500 (US$1020)