Once dual-core smartphones are a luxury and dual-core processors are only found in high-end smartphone but not anymore. With the processor prices coming down drastically over the last few years we now have Android powered smartphones with Quad Core processors at a fraction of a price we would have spent few years ago. Indigenous companies are also helping in getting the tech to consumers as fast as possible in a cut throat competition where companies are operating at thin margins to get market share. We now have phones that are powered by quad core processors as low as Rs. 10,000, most of these phones are from local companies and Chinese ones. They are budget phones but their build quality has been improved over the years. These phones may not match the phones from Samsung and Sony but they are nonetheless offer decent build quality and functionality.
Let us take a look at the Android smartphones that are powered by Quad Core processors and are priced below Rs. 15,000. The list is in no particular order and posted randomly.
Karbonn Titanium S1:
It is a budget Android phone, it is powered by a 1.2GHz Quad Core Processor. It comes with a 4.4-inch screen with qHD (960 x 540 pixels) resolution. It has a 5MP rear camera and a VGA front camera. It comes with 1GB of RAM and 4GB of internal memory with micro SD slot for memory expansion. It is available online from Flipkart with a price tag of Rs. 9,990. If you can stretch your budget a bit you can buy the Karbonn S2 Titanium which offers better camera and latest Android OS. It is a dual SIM phone and runs on Android 4.1 Jelly Bean OS. Karbonn Titanium S1 Specifications.
Xolo Q1000
Xolo recently released the Q1000, it is a dual SIM Android smartphone running on 1.2Ghz Quad core processor. It packs a 5-inch IPS display with HD (1280 x 720 picels) resolution. Other specifications of this handset include a 8M rear camera, 1.2MP front facing camera, 1GB of RAM, 4GB of internal storage with a micro SD expansion slot. It runs on the Jelly Bean OS and comes with 2100 mAh battery under the hood. It is available with a price tag of Rs. 14999 from Flipkart. Xolo Q1000 Specifications.
Intex Aqua i-5:
Intex has launched this phone two weeks back, it will be available by this month end widely but now you can buy this from Intex itself. It packs a 1.2GHz MediaTek Quad core processor with 1GB of RAM and 4GB of internal storage. It comes with a 5-inch IPS screen with qHD (960 x 540 pixels) resolution. It is a dual SIM smartphone, and comes with a 2000 mAh battery to power up the device. Under the hood there is a 12 megapixel rear camera with Autofocus and LED flash and a 2 MP front camera. Intex Aqua i-5 Specifications.
Zen Ultrafone 701HD:
Zen Mobiles launched this phone recently, it is the first phone in the ultrafone series. It is powered by a 1.2Ghz Quad Core Processor with 1GB of RAM and 4GB of internal memory. It comes with a IPS capacitive touch screen with HD (1280 x 720 pixels) resolution. On the camera front it has an 8MP shooter at the rear and a 3.2MP camera at the front. A 2000 mAh is under the hood to power up the device. It is available online for a price of Rs. 11,999 from Infibeam. It is also a dual IM phone and runs on Android 4.2 Jelly Bean OS. Zen Ultrafone 701HD Specifications.
Karbonn Titanium S2:
It is another quad core smartphones from Karbonn which offers better specifications than the Karbonn S1 Titanium and is no expensive. It is available online for a price tag of Rs. 10,299 from Flipkart. It is also powered by a 1.2GHz quad core processor. It has an 8 megapixel rear camera and a 2MP front camera. It has a 5-inch TFT touch screen display at FWVGA (854 x 480 pixels) resolution. It is a dual SIM smartphone and runs on Android 4.2.1 OS. Karbonn Titanium S2 Specifications.
Karbonn Titanium S5:
It is an upgrade from Karbonn from S1 and S2, the S5 Titanium is powered by a 1.2GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon Quad Core Processor. It comes with a 5-inch IPS screen at qHD (960 x 540 pixels) resolution. It packs an 8 megapixel shooter at rear and a 2 megapixel camera at the front. It comes with a 2000mAh battery to provide juice for this phones. 1GB of RAM is under the hood with 4GB of internal memory and a micro SD slot for memory expansion. It is available online for a price of Rs. 11575 from Flipkart. Karbonn Titanium S5 Specifications.
Celkon Signature HD A119Q
Celkon recently launched the Signature HD A119Q smartphone at Rs. 12499. It is also powered by a 1.2GHz MediaTek MT6589 processor with PowerVR SGX544 GPU. It has 5-inch display screen at HD (1280 x 720) resolution. The internal storage is pegged at 4GB and 1GB of RAM, it also features a micro SD card for memory expansion. It is also a dual SIM Android smartphone running Jelly Bean OS. On the camera front it has a 12 megapixel rear camera and a 3Mp front facing camera. It is available online from Snapdeal.
Xolo Q800
Q800 is powered by a 1.2GHz Quad Core MediaTek MT6589M processor with PowerVR SGX544 GPU. It features a 4.5-inch display screen with qHD resolution at 254ppi. It packs 1GB of RAM and 4GB of internal memory with a micro SD slot. An 8 megapixel camera on the back and a 1 megapixel camera at the front are added for the imaging needs. A 2100mAh battery is powering up the device under the hood. It is priced at Rs. 11500 and available from Flipkart. Xolo Q800 Specifications.
Gionee Gpad 2
Gionee is a Chinese brand and is not very well known here, but they have decent phones including Gpad G1, G2 and Dream D1. The Gpad G2 features a 5.3inch screen with qHD resolution. Under the hood it packs a 1.2GHz quad core processor with 1GB of RAM and 4GB of internal memory. It comes with 8MP rear camera and a 1.9MP front camera. There is a 3000mAh battery to provide juice to the handset. It is available for Rs. 13,500 and more online. Gionee Gpad G2 Specifications.
Micromax Canvas HD A116
It is one of the first phones to come with a quad core processor and shaked the market. It still has a lot of fan following although initially it struggled a lot due to supply constraints. It is powered by a 1.2GHz Quad Core processor with 1GB RAM and 4GB of internal memory. It comes with a 5-inch IPS touch screen with HD (1280 x 720) resolution. It has price increase once since it is available and is now available for Rs. 13699 from Flipkart. Micromax Canvas HD A116 Specifications.
Spice Pinnacle Pro Mi 535
Spice Mi-535 is a dual SIM Android smartphone running Jelly Bean OS. It packs a 1.2GHz quad core processor with 1GB of RAM and 16GB of internal storage. It features a 5.3-inch IPS LCD screen at qHD resolution. On the camera front it comes with a 8MP rear camera with dual LED flash and a 5MP front camera. A 2550 mAh battery is included to power up the device. It is available with a price tag of Rs. 14,990 from Saholic.
Most of the phones we listed here are running on 1.2GHz MediaTek Quad Core processor with 1GB of RAM with few exceptions. And they all have similar specifications except a few things, so decide yourself what phone you would want to buy. Related: Top 10 Android Phones below Rs. 10000
These phones aren’t exactly mainstream. They have much to prove before getting recommended. I would not suggest these to any newcomer to the world of Android as they make for an uninspiring experience. Better start with a decent phone like Samsung Quattro or even some older but better supported phone like Samsung S2. This will at least give a realistic experience as opposed to some crappy one offered by these not so known phones.
They may not be bad but there comes a point when the buyer finds himself stranded in a sea of other phones. Some convenience taken for granted like after sales service and unofficial support is just absent for these lesser known companies. The user should have a good first experience rather than a harrowing one. Unless one gets lucky and faces no problem using the phone during its useful lifetime.
Better opt for a better supported and more powerful phones built with quality materials for a decent experience instead of saving on the initial costs only to spend later on maintenance.
The main worry about these phones is the support, many of these companies doesn’t have support centers. Even Micromax is not good in giving customer support.
I agree with what you have said, but the market thinking is different, because we see there is lot of demand for these kind of phones.
Just revamped phones from China. Just like Rahul said, better opt for a better supported and more powerful phones built with quality materials for a decent experience instead of saving on the initial costs only to spend later on maintenance.
Yes some of them re-branded phones from China, and some are direct from Chinese brands.
What processor does the spice stellar pinnacle pro have? Is it the MTK mt6589 or 6589M or some other?