The new Samsung Galaxy A05 launched in India a couple of weeks ago and it is a major upgrade over the A04. This includes the much better 6.7” FHD+ display (up from 6.5” HD+) and a more powerful Helio G85 chipset (vs. Helio P35). The more powerful chipset also enables 1080p video at 60fps (up from 30fps). It’s still a 4G phone, but it’s still a lot of phones for ₹10,000.
The Nothing Phone (2) has been around for a few months and balances premium features with keeping the price under control. It is powered by the capable Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1, which drives a 6.7” 120Hz LTPO AMOLED display (10-bit, FHD+) and a pair of 50MP cameras on the back.
Next up, the Realme Narzo 60 trio. The Narzo 60 Pro runs on the Dimensity 7050 and has a 6.7” 120Hz AMOLED display (10-bit, FHD+). It stands out with a 100MP main camera (which will handle zooming, but there’s no ultra wide). The 5,000mAh battery supports 67W fast charging.
The Realme Narzo 60x also has a 6.72” 120Hz display, but it is an IPS LCD (FHD+). The chipset takes a step back to the Dimensity 6100+ and the camera drops to 50MP. The battery capacity is the same at 5,000mAh, but charging takes longer as it tops out at 33W.
Then there’s the vanilla Realme Narzo 60. This is the smallest of the trio, even if not by much. It has a 6.43” 90Hz AMOLED display and a Dimensity 6020 (which is very similar to the 6100+). The camera features a 64MP sensor and a 2MP depth sensor. The battery is the same as the 60x with 5,000mAh capacity and 33W charging.
To break up all the Androids, here is an iOS option – the iPhone 13 is a couple of years old now, but Apple prices fall slowly. It’s still a capable phone that will be supported for years to come and prices falling slowly means that the phone will keep some resale value.
Back to Android. The Tecno Pova 5 Pro has white LED lights on the back, similar to the Nothing. The Pova fancies itself a gaming phone with a 6.78” 120Hz IPS LCD (FHD+) and a Dimensity 6080 chipset. Its 5,000mAh battery charges at 68W (hitting 50% in 15 minutes), which is unheard of in this price range. The 50MP camera on the back is effectively alone.
The Tecno Spark Go 2024 was released this week, so it’s not quite but almost into next year. It’s a 4G phone with the Unisoc T606 chipset and a 6.6” 90Hz IPS LCD with HD+ resolution. The camera is pretty basic (13MP back, 8MP front) and so is the 5,000mAh battery with 10W charging.
The Samsung Galaxy A54 and A34 appear in these posts quite often as they bring the best value for money out of Samsung’s 2023 lineup. The A54 in particular has S23 looks at a mid-range price. It’s lacking a tele camera and has a weaker Exynos 1380 chipset, but will receive the same software support as the flagship.
The Galaxy A54 brings a slightly larger 6.6” display (up from 6.4” on the A54) and an older Dimensity 1080 chipset. It has the same 5,000mAh battery with 25W charging and will receive the same software support – 4 OS updates (both already got their first) and 5 years of security patches.
If you’re in the market for a new tablet, the base Apple iPad is available with some discounts. Amazon has the 2022 model in Wi-Fi and 4G flavors, though the surcharge for the 4G one makes us appreciate tethering.
Flipkart has the older 2021 model that is significantly cheaper You will miss out on the new USB-C port, also it uses the older Apple A13 (vs. A14) chipset with only 3GB of RAM (one gig less than the 2022 model).
If for some reason you want a tablet with its own 4G connection, check out the Realme Pad 2. This is an 11.5” slate with a Helio G99 chipset, quad speakers and an 8,360mAh battery with 33W charging.
There is even a sub-₹10,000 tablet – the Honor Pad X8. It has a 10.1” display with FHD 16:10 resolution. The base model has only a 3/32GB memory configuration, so you may want to spend the ₹2,000 more to get the 4/64GB one (this one also comes with a free flip case).
Honor Pad X8
Wi-Fi
₹12,000/₹11,000 off
4/64GB model comes with free flip cover
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