The flagship segment of smartphones may drive people’s flights of fantasy but the mid-range segment is where the real action is. The entry level phones do constitute the largest piece of the market pie when it comes to business numbers, but the Rs 10,000 to Rs 15,000 segment has been growing at a remarkable pace. Not too long ago, this segment was referred to as the lower mid-range. But courtesy of some of the handsets that are now available in this price bracket that offer exceptional performance and value for their asking price, we can now conveniently term this segment as simply mid-range. So let’s take a look at some of the top smartphones that have raised the bar in this budget. Asus Zenfone Max Pro M1 (Rs 12,999 to Rs 14,999) Asus unveiled a new handset yesterday that has the potential to be their best seller ever in India. Asus Zenfone Max Pro M1 seems to have been launched with a single purpose in mind - to take the Redmi Note 5 Pro head on. And the new Zenfone does come equipped with the necessary wares to accomplish that mission. It is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 636 SoC, the same chipset at the core of the Redmi Note 5 Pro. The similarities don’t end there. Just like the Xiaomi handset, the Zenfone Max Pro M1 comes with 4GB and 6GB RAM variants with 64GB onboard storage with a scope for further expansion using a microSD card. The screens are similar too with each smartphone sporting a 5.99-inch full HD+ 18:9 display with a resolution of 2160 x 1080 pixels. For photography, there is a 13MP+5MP dual camera setup at the rear and an 8MP selfie camera at the front. Just like earlier Zenfone Max phones, the Zenfone Max Pro M1 has a massive battery backup rated at 5000 mAh. In a smart move, Asus has opted for stock Android UI on this phone over it’s not-so-impressive Zen UI. The phone runs Android 8.1 Oreo out of the box. The pricing is extremely impressive with the 4GB RAM version pegged at Rs 12,999, while the 6GB RAM variant asking just Rs 2000 extra. However, you will have to wait for just over a week to get your hands on one of them. Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 Pro (Rs 13,999) This is currently the most desirable phone in the segment, and its supply is still way lower than the consumer demand for this handset. As I mentioned earlier, the specifications of the Redmi Note 5 Pro are very similar to that of the Asus Zenfone Max Pro M1 and the salient commonalities are already listed above. The photography department here is taken care of by a combination of 12MP+5MP sensors at the back and a whopping 20MP sensor up front with a soft light for low-light selfies. It comes with a respectable 4000mAh battery that powers the device comfortably for a day with moderate usage. The Redmi Note 5 Pro still runs Android 7.1 Nougat with Xiaomi’s MIUI 9 layer on top. It is expected to get Android Oreo soon. The 4GB RAM + 64GB storage variant of this handset can be purchased for Rs 13,999, if you get lucky in the weekly flash sale or if you spot one in offline stores. Xiaomi Mi A1 (Rs 13,999) One of the best sellers in this segment, the Xiaomi Mi A1 may not be around for too long despite the company issuing a statement that it hasn’t been discontinued. Its successor is expected to be announced in a couple of days. In spite of all that, the Mi A1 is still a robust device. It has a classy design, dual cameras and most importantly, stock Android, courtesy of Android One initiative. It is powered by a Snapdragon 625 SoC and packs 4GB RAM and 64GB internal storage that can be expanded further. The Mi A1 uses two 13MP cameras at the back, one of them boasting of a telephoto lens for 2X optical zoom, a rarity these days. Not much praise has been heaped on the image quality of this handset, but I can tell you from personal experience that the cameras clearly punch above their weight in most conditions except night photography. But the main selling point of the Mi A1 remains its stock Android UI and OS updates for two years promised by Xiaomi and Google. The phone currently runs Android Oreo. Motorola G5S Plus (13,999) Just like the Redmi Note 5 Pro and Asus Zenfone Max Pro M1 are meant to take each other on, the Motorola G5S Plus and Mi A1 are meant to lock horns in perpetuity (or till stocks last). That’s because they are too similar in many ways except their design perhaps. You find the same Snapdragon 625 SoC here with 4GB RAM, 64GB storage (expandable) and a pair of 13MP cameras at the rear. The UI too offers near stock Android experience but this handset doesn’t belong to the Android One camp. Still on Android 7.1 Nougat, the Oreo update is expected soon or so we have been hearing. It’s sturdy construction and distinct design language still makes it desirable and is certainly not a bad deal for Rs 13,999. The price often drops by a thousand or so on Amazon. Keep an eye on it if interested. Speaking of keeping an eye on something, you may want to do so for its successors - the Moto G6 series that is expected shortly too. Honor 7X (Rs 12,999) Last but not the least, and incidentally the first of the affordable near bezel-less display phones from the Huawei sub-brand, say hello to Honor 7X. This handset offers you a metal back and a vibrant 5.93-inch full HD+ 18:9 display with 2160 x 1080 pixels. The rear cameras sport a 16MP+2MP sensor combination. Selfies are handled by an 8MP sensor up front. This smartphone is powered by a Kirin 659 SoC with 4GB RAM and 32GB storage with a microSD card slot for further expansion. The phone runs Android Nougat 7.0 with their proprietary EMUI 5.1 layer on top. At Rs 12,999, the Honor 7X is a very neat deal and arguably the most good looking phone of the lot.
