Best Smartphones Under Rs. 15,000 in Nepal [Updated]

In this era, smartphones have become a necessity for many people. Likewise, the demand for smartphones in Nepal is increasing significantly to a considerable extent, with the launch of multiple smartphones, from high-end featured smartphones to budget smartphones. In this vast pool of variations of smartphones in the Nepali market, buyers may feel skeptical about making a choice. Not to mention the number of brands that are offering the products at a similar price range.

If you are looking for a device whose specifications are best for you and also comes at a reasonable price, we’ve got it covered. Here we’ve narrowed down a list of best smartphones under Rs. 15,000 in Nepal based on their specs and value. The phones under NPR 15,000 are entry-level or lower mid-range phones, which are in great demand and are quite popular in Nepal. Considering the demand for these phones, the competition between the companies like Samsung, Xiaomi, Realme, etc., in the smartphone industry is also fierce.

These phones are low-budget, but it does not mean their design and specs are compromised. The phones are quite stylish, and some even feature the latest Android OS, a good camera, impressive performance, and more. So, if you are looking for a smartphone to gift your parents or your young ones as a starter phone, then this article is for you.

List of Best Smartphones under Rs. 15,000 in Nepal (Summary)

Samsung Galaxy M02s

Samsung Galaxy M02s is a successor phone to the Samsung Galaxy M01 series. It has a plastic body and a big 6.5-inch HD+ Infinity-V display with a waterdrop notch housing a selfie camera. The rear panel features an AI Triple Camera setup comprising a 13MP primary sensor, 2MP Depth sensor, and a 2MP Macro sensor. Upfront, you get a 5MP sensor for selfies.

Powering the device is Qualcomm’s entry-level chipset – Snapdragon 450 manufactured in a power-efficient 14nm process. It is an Octa-core CPU backed with Adreno 506 GPU. The device runs on Samsung’s One UI core based on Android 10 OS and comes with RAM of 3GB/4GB and internal memory of 32GB/64GB. The storage can be configured up to 512GB via a dedicated microSD card slot.

The massive 5000mAh battery is used to fuel up the device with the support for 15W Fast Charging via a USB-C port, but Samsung only ships a 7.8W Charger inside the box.

So, if you are a Samsung lover but cannot afford its high-end devices, then Samsung Galaxy M02s is just for you as it brings a good value for money deal. I would say with the introduction of Galaxy M02s, Samsung has brought tough competition in the budget segment.

Samsung Galaxy M02s Specifications

Samsung Galaxy M02s price in Nepal is NPR 14,999 for the 3/32GB variant. The phone has a triple camera setup on the rear side and incorporates a powerful battery with fast charging technology. Though, you won’t get a fingerprint sensor.

POCO C3

POCO introduced POCO C3, which is an entry-level smartphone offering optimal performance at a reasonable price. POCO is a Xiaomi-based company that entered the Nepali market with its very first phone – POCO F1.  POCO C3 is basically the rebranded version of the Redmi 9C launched in Nepal as they are a lot similar to each other.

Regardless, the specifications and features the device is offering at this price range are definitively commendable. So, it deserves to be listed as the best smartphone under Rs. 15,000 in Nepal.

POCO C3 has adopted a dual-tone pattern design and does not have a fingerprint scanner in the back compared with the Redmi 9C. The phone showcases a 6.53-inch HD+ display with a waterdrop notch that houses a selfie camera in the front. The IPS LCD panel is protected by Panda Glass against minor scratches and drops.

The back has a triple camera setup with a LED flash placed inside the square-shaped camera module. The design structure includes a 13MP primary sensor, a 2MP depth sensor for portraits, and another 2MP macro sensor. For a selfie shooter, you get a 5MP lens with an f/2.2 aperture size.  

The phone performance power comes from an Octa-core MediaTek Helio G35 SoC (12nm) coupled with 3GB/4GB  of RAM and internal storage of 32GB/64GB. Poco C3 runs on MIUI 12 based Android 10 OS. The device boasts a massive battery prowess of 5000mAh with a Better Battery 2.0 feature and the support for 10W charging via a micro USB 2.0.

Comparing the POCO C3 with the Redmi 9C, POCO C3 misses out on the rear-mounted fingerprint scanner that is present in the Redmi 9C. Instead, you get an extra gigabyte of RAM, an ad-free UI experience, and a Better Battery 2.0 feature.

POCO C3 Specifications

POCO C3 price in Nepal is NPR 14,999 for the 4/64GB variant. The phone packs a decent camera setup, a huge battery life with fast charging, good display and performance, upright memory configurations, and a great UI experience. Though, it also misses out on a fingerprint sensor.

Xiaomi Redmi 9C

Xiaomi Redmi 9C shares a similar build and design as Redmi 9A but comes with superior specs. The phone showcases a 6.53-inch IPS LCD screen with an HD+ resolution of 720 x 1600 pixels and a 20:9 ratio. Upfront, there is a waterdrop-style notch that houses an AI selfie camera with a 5MP lens.

The plastic back has a triple camera setup comprising a 13MP primary lens, a 2MP depth sensor, a 2MP macro sensor, and a LED flash packed inside a squarish camera module. It also has a rear-mounted fingerprint sensor in the back.

The processing power comes from the latest budget gaming-focused  MediaTek Helio G35 SoC. It is an Octa-core CPU based on a 12nm FinFET process bundled with PowerVR GE8320 GPU. Talking of memory configurations, you get either 2GB/3GB of LPDDR4X RAM and 32GB/64GB of eMMC 5.1 storage.

Redmi 9C runs on the latest MIUI 12 based on Android 10 OS. It integrates a large 5000mAh battery with a 10W micro-USB charger inside the box. Redmi 9C also has TUV Rheinland low blue light certification. The phone supports AI Face Unlock and Fingerprint sensors to ensure security against unauthorized access.

Xiaomi Redmi 9C Specifications

Xiaomi Redmi 9C price in Nepal is NPR 12,999 for the 2/32GB variant and NPR 14,999 for the 3/64GB variant. The phone offers a good value for money deal for users running tight on budget with its triple camera setup, an adequate battery capacity, and a fingerprint sensor.

Infinix Hot 9 Play

The Infinix made a comeback in the Nepali market with the Infinix Hot 9 Play. Infinix is a relatively new name in the smartphone market in Nepal. It is an entry-level phone from the company that boasts a 6.82 inches bigger display and a massive 6000 mAh battery. 

Infinix Hot 9 Play comes with a large 6.82-inch TFT IPS LCD panel with an HD+ resolution of 720 x 1640 pixels. The display has a small teardrop notch that houses a selfie camera and minimum side bezels, except for the chin area with a slightly thicker bezel. The body is plastic built with a gem-cut design in the back.

The Infinix Hot 9 Play features a quad-core MediaTek Helio A22 SoC with four Cortex-A53 clocked at 2.0 GHz for the base variant of 2GB RAM and 32GB integrated storage. The higher-end model of 4GB/ 64GB memory configuration equips MediaTek Helio A25 SoC – an octa-core processor with four Cortex-A53 clocked at 1.8 GHz and four Cortex-A53 clocked at 1.5 GHz. Besides, the device integrates PowerVR GE8320 GPU and runs on Android 10 Go Edition.

The Infinix Hot 9 Play packs a dual-camera setup comprising a 13MP primary sensor and a QVGA low-light sensor with a Triple-LED flash. Upfront, an 8MP selfie snapper sits inside the teardrop notch. Moreover, the phone highlights a 6000 mAh biggest battery to provide a long-lasting battery life, but it will be time-consuming to juice up the device using a micro USB data/charging connection.

Featuring a bigger display and the biggest battery, the Infinix Hot 9 Play earns its place in the list of best smartphones under Rs. 15,000.

Infinix Hot 9 Play Specifications

Infinix Hot 9 Play price in Nepal is NPR 11,490 for the 2/32GB variant and NPR 14,990 for the 4/64GB variant. Despite being a new entry in the Nepali smartphone market, it has earned a spot on the list with its massive display and battery, decent design, and good camera performance.

Realme C11

Realme C series lineup is for budget phones. Realme C11 is another entry-level budget phone after Realme C3 and vouches for a good-enough gaming experience in the budget.

It features the MediaTek Helio G35 SoC – an octa-core CPU based at 12nm technology and clocked at 2.3 GHz with the main focus on gaming at the budget segment. The performance side is complemented with IMG PowerVR GE8320 GPU, 2GB LPDDR4X RAM, and 32GB internal storage.

The phone runs on Realme’s own Realme UI 1.0 based on Android 10 OS. Realme C11 comes in a plastic body with a subtle texture of wavy lines in the back, giving the phone an attractive design. The device highlights a 6.5-inch IPS LCD panel with an HD+ resolution of 1600 x 720 pixels on the front. The display gives a 20:9 aspect ratio and has the Corning Gorilla Glass 3 protection.

There is an AI dual-camera setup featuring a 13MP primary sensor, a 2MP depth sensor, and a LED flash fitted inside the square-shaped camera module. Upfront, a 5MP AI selfie shooter sits inside a mini-notch. Powering the phone is a 5000 mAh battery with the support of a 10W charger. Unfortunately, the device does not support fast charging, and fueling up the device is a dated micro USB connection.

Realme C11 Specifications

Realme C11 price in Nepal is NPR 14,990 for the 2/32GB variant. The splash-resistant, sturdy and durable design, good battery life, decent camera setup are the plus points of this phone. However, a good processor and a fingerprint sensor would make this phone a great deal.

Nokia 2.4

Nokia 2.4, a successor to Nokia 2.3, is an entry-level smartphone with some upgrades in design and features compared to its predecessor. The phone composes a metal frame and a polycarbonate body with a 3D nano-textured finish in the back.

On the front, it equips a 6.5-inch IPS LCD screen with a waterdrop notch housing a selfie camera and Nokia branding on the bottom bezel. Also, an HD+ resolution of 1600 x 720 pixels and a 20:9 aspect ratio with 270 PPI density provides a better viewing experience as compared with its predecessor.

Nokia 2.4 equips MediaTek Helio P22 SoC based on 12nm manufacturing process. It is an octa-core 2.0 GHz Cortex-A53 CPU integrated with PowerVR GE8320 GPU. For memory, the phone is available in two memory configurations – 2GB/32GB variant and 3GB/64GB variant with a dedicated microSDXC.

The phone operates on Android 10 with the Android One program on the software side, meaning Android 11 and Android 12 guaranteed and three years of security updates.

The phone flaunts a dual-camera setup consisting of a 13MP primary sensor and a 2MP depth sensor alongside a LED flash, enclosed inside a rectangular pill-shaped module. A 5MP selfie snapper sits on the waterdrop notch for the front camera. Nokia 2.4 packs an AI-assisted Adaptive Battery of 4500 mAh with 10W  charging via a micro USB connection. Besides, it has security features like a fingerprint sensor (rear-mounted) and a Face Unlock.

Nokia 2.4 Specifications

The price of Nokia 2.4 in Nepal is NPR 14,599 for the 2/32GB variant. Nokia 2.4 is a decent budget smartphone that offers good battery life, a robust design, a fingerprint sensor, and the Android One program featured.

Xiaomi Redmi 9A

Xiaomi Redmi 9A, a successor to Redmi 8A, is the most affordable entry-level smartphone from the brand. The phone gives a decent value for money with some great features and some compromised. It has a polycarbonate body with a design quite similar to its predecessor.

The 6.53 inches IPS LCD panel with an HD+ resolution of 720 x 1600 pixel and aspect ratio of 20:9 is better than its predecessor, but it lacks Corning Gorilla Glass 5 protection present in Redmi 8A.

Powering the device is MediaTek’s gaming-focused G-series chipset – Helio G25. Helio G25 SoC is a 12 nm-based octa-core CPU consisting of eight ARM Cortex-A53 cores clocked at 2.0 GHz. The processor is complemented with PowerVR GE8320 GPU, 2GB of RAM, and 32GB of storage upgradeable up to 512GB using a dedicated microSD card slot. Besides, the phone runs on MIUI 12 based on Android 10 OS.

A 13MP camera alongside a LED flash is packed inside a pill-shaped module aligned vertically on the top-left side. Upfront, a 5MP selfie camera sits inside the teardrop notch. A 5000 mAh battery powers the phone with 10W charging using a micro USB port. Here, the Redmi could have upgraded the Type-C port with 18W charging of the Redmi 8A, which is a downfall.

Xiaomi Redmi 9A Specifications

Xiaomi Redmi 9A price in Nepal is NPR 11,499 for the 2/32GB variant. It is a pocket-friendly phone offering an enhanced battery life to deliver long term performance and a splash-proof design for quality.

What features should you consider before buying phones under NPR 15,000?

With the wide variety of smartphones available in the market offering different features, it often creates a dilemma in deciding which features you want the most in your smartphone, as you might have to compromise some other features.

Here, we’ve made a list of factors you should consider before deciding to buy phones under RS. 15,000.

i. Camera

One of the trending features of a smartphone is its camera. But, do not get fooled by its higher megapixels as it does not mean a better camera. Check out the camera aperture size, ISO levels, pixels size, sensor, and more.

ii. Processor and OS

The chipset selection in the device is the most critical factor as its performance depends on it. The processor performance depends on two specifications – The number of Core and Clock Speed (GHz). So, make sure you check both specifications as the processor performance determines the device’s speed and User Experience.

Also, consider selecting the one with the latest mobile operating system and fewer bloatware and Ads.

iii. Memory Configurations

Another thing that will alter your device’s speed and performance is RAM and ROM. If you are a multi-tasker, then go for a higher RAM variant. Also, consider a smartphone with a high internal storage capacity (ROM) and expandable external storage.

iv. Display and Build Quality

The display size depends on your preference; however, you should check whether it has HD+, FHD+, or QHD+ resolution for better display quality. For a device under Rs. 15,000, you most likely get an IPS LCD panel and a plastic build body, but the design may vary.

v. Battery and other features

Furthermore, check out the Battery Life and Charging technology. Most smartphones are adopting security features like fingerprint sensors in the budget segment as well. So, if you prefer these additional features, you can prioritize choosing the one with a fingerprint sensor.

While these are the features you prefer in your smartphones, but another crucial thing you should do is to compare their pricing.