Best Gaming Smartphones Under ₹10,000

Xiaomi recently launched two new Redmi smartphones in India. The Redmi 12 5G debuted as the company's most affordable 5G smartphone, while the Redmi 12 arrived as a sub-10K 4G handset. However, our focus today is on the Redmi 12 5G.

The Realme C65 5G has been launched as the world's first phone with the MediaTek D6300 processor, which is paired with up to 6GB of LPDDR4x RAM and up to 128GB of native storage with support for up to 2TB additional storage expansion using a dedicated mircoSD card. The smartphone has the segment's best 120Hz display, featuring a 6.67-inch HD+ LCD screen with a 240Hz touch sampling rate and a peak brightness of 625 nits. The screen is also TÜV Rheinland Low Blue Light certified. ,For imaging, the Realme C65 5G offers a dual-camera setup including a 50MP primary sensor with an f/1.8 aperture and a secondary AI lens. There's an 8MP selfie camera with an f/2.0 aperture at the front. The device packs a 5,000 mAh battery with 15W fast charging support. On the software front, the Realme C65 5G runs Android 14 OS with Realme UI 5.0 on top. The phone also includes an Air Gesture feature, a Dynamic Button, an IP54 Rating, and a side-mounted fingerprint reader. ,In terms of pricing, the Realme C65 5G starts at Rs 10,499 for the base 4GB/64GB model, while the 4GB/128GB and 6GB/128GB variants cost Rs 11,499 and Rs 12,499, respectively. The phone is offered in Feather Green and Glowing Black colours.

The Poco C61 is a budget offering from the brand, that comes into the sub-10K segment. In terms of features, the phone has a 6.71-inch HD+ LCD screen with a peak brightness of 500 nits and a 90Hz refresh rate. It is powered by the MediaTek Helio G36 SoC paired with up to 6GB of LPDDR4X RAM and up to 128GB of eMMC 5.1 storage. On the software front, it runs Android 14-based MIUI. ,Moreover, the device packs a 5,000 mAh battery that supports 10W wired charging. For imaging, there is an 8MP dual-camera setup and a 5MP selfie camera. The Poco C61 also features a side-mounted fingerprint reader and a 3.5mm audio jack. The price of the handset starts at Rs 7,499 for the base 4GB/64GB model, while the 6GB/128GB variant is available at Rs 8,499 in India.

The Tecno Pop 9 is the latest 5G-enabled phone from the brand. It features an LCD screen with a 120Hz refresh rate. Powered by the MediaTek Dimensity 6300 SoC, the Tecno Pop 9 comes with 4GB of RAM and up to 128GB of onboard storage.  ,For imaging, there is a 48MP Sony IMX582 rear camera sensor paired with an LED flash. Upfront, it opts for an 8MP selfie camera. The Tecno Pop 9 is also claimed to be the first 5G phone in the segment with NFC support. The device packs a 5,000mAh battery with support for 18W wired charging.  ,Moreover, the Tecno Pop 9 features an IP54 rating for dust and splash resistance. As far as the price is concerned, it starts at Rs 9,499 for the 4GB/64GB model, while the 4GB/128GB storage variant will cost Rs 9,999 in India.

The Vivo T3 Lite comes as the company's most affordable 5G phone in India. The handset has a 6.56-inch HD+ LCD screen with a 90Hz refresh rate and a peak brightness of 840 nits. The device is powered by the MediaTek Dimensity 6300 SoC paired with up to 4GB of LPDDR4X RAM and 128GB of eMMC 5.1 storage that is expandable up to 1TB via a microSD card.  ,On the software front, the Vivo T3 Lite runs Android 14-based Funtouch OS 14 out of the box. For imaging, there is a dual-camera setup including a 50MP primary camera and a 2MP depth sensor. Upfront, the phone has an 8MP sensor for selfies. Moreover, it packs a 5,000 mAh battery with 15W fast charging support, although an adapter is not included in the box.  ,The Vivo T3 Lite also features a side-mounted fingerprint reader and an IP64 rating for dust and water resistance. The price of the phone starts at Rs 10,499 for the base 4GB/128GB model, while the 6GB/128GB variant will cost you Rs 11,499 in India.

The OPPO A3x comes with a starting price of Rs 12,499 and features a large 6.67-inch LCD HD + display. It also supports a 120Hz refresh rate, 1000 nits maximum brightness and 89.9% screen-to-body ratio. The handset is powered by the MediaTek Dimensity 6300 SoC, which is coupled with 4GB LPDDR4X RAM and up to 128GB of eMMC 5.1 internal storage. ,The phone packs a massive 5100 mAh battery with 44W fast charging support. It runs on Android 14-based ColorOS 14.0.1 and offers an 8MP dual rear camera setup and a 5MP selfie camera. Moreover, the OPPO A3x includes a 3.5mm audio jack.