10 Best Gaming Phones Under ₹15000 in India [Smooth Experience]
Mobile gaming has seen an astronomical rise in the past couple of years. Smartphones are now expected to run high graphic intense games like PubG Mobile, Call of Duty, and more at 60 FPS (frames per second) for long durations of time. This has resulted in smartphone brands boosting the specs of their phones in order to meet the demands.
As a result, you can see a lot of phones launching these days! Surprisingly, even at the aggressive price, smartphones are now getting available with at least 3GB of RAM. However, RAM alone is not responsible for a smooth gaming experience. That is where CPU, GPU, display refresh rate, and overall software optimization come into play. The smartphones come from well-known brands such as ASUS, Realme, Redmi, Vivo, and Samsung, and can handle games
Keeping all such factors in our mind, we have compiled a list of the best performing gaming phones under 15000 Rupees. Each phone has been hand-picked in order to give you the best gaming experience possible.
So, go through the list below to find your next budget gaming phone.
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Best Gaming Phones Under ₹15000 in India (2021)
1. Best Overall: POCO M2 Pro
| RAM & Storage | 6GB + 64GB |
| Processor | Snapdragon 720G |
| GPU | Adreno 618 |
| Display | 6.67-inch FHD+ LCD |
| Front Camera | 16MP |
| Rear Camera | 48MP + 8MP + 5MP + 2MP |
| Battery | 5000 mAh with 33W Fast Charger |
The POCO M2 Pro is probably the best phone for gaming under 15K INR as of now. It is loaded with the latest technology and specifications. It has 6GB of RAM and a Qualcomm Snapdragon 720G Processor, which makes it perfect for gamers. This CPU is one of the popular at this price bracket, so you can count on it to handle the latest games with ease.
The display is a 6.67-inch Full HD+ one which is extremely bright and generates vivid colours. Apart from gaming, you will enjoy watching movies and TV-shows on it. The only issue is that it has noticeable bezels and chin, which might ruin the fun for some people.
The battery size of the phone is 5000 mAH, which is excellent and lasts one and a half days easily. Not just that, this phone comes with a 33W fast charger (included in the box) that will save you a lot of charging time. If you are a heavy user, still it should last around a day. Casual gamers can go beyond this time period with ease, as the optimization is pretty good.
The main camera of the Poco M2 is a 48 MP F/1.8 one. It is accompanied by 3 more cameras which are an 8 MP F/2.2 Ultrawide, a 5 MP F/2.4 Macro, and 2 MP F/2.4 Depth sensor. Together they will allow you to do all kinds of photography from Wide Angle to Portraits to Low Light.
You can buy the Poco M2 for a price of 15000 Rupees for the 6GB + 64GB variant and you also get a dedicated micro SD card slot to expand your storage up to 500GB.
- Supports shooting in 4K
- 33W fast charging
- Comes with 6GB of RAM and SD card slot
- Reasonable selling price
- Perfect for hard core gamers
- Feels big in hand
- Significant bezels and chin
2. Best Runner Up: Realme 7
| RAM & Storage | 6GB + 64GB |
| Processor | MediaTek Helio G95 |
| GPU | ARM Mali G76 |
| Display | 6.5-inch FHD+ with 90H |
| Front Camera | 16MP |
| Rear Camera | 64MP + 8MP + 2MP + 2MP |
| Battery | 5000 mAh with 30W Dart Charger |
Realme is an Indian startup cum brand, so investing in this smartphone (that is not made in China) will boost our economy as well. The smartphone that we are discussing here is the Realme 7, and it is the company’s latest phone under the 15000 Rs segment.
Its top-end variant will come with 8GB of RAM and 128GB of internal storage space. This much amount of RAM is generally found on laptops, so the power you will be getting out of this phone would be unmatched. You will be able to run the heaviest of games and do multitasking without any freezing whatsoever.
The Mali-G76 MC4 GPU and Mediatek Helio G95 CPU are a work of art. Together they will allow you to run the most graphic-intense games at above 60 FPS, and thanks to its 90Hz refresh rate display panel, you will benefit from this added performance.
The battery size of the Realme 7 is 5000 mAH, but it drains fast due to its higher refresh rate screen. However, you can recharge the phone very quickly, as it comes with a 30W Dart charger. Moreover, you can also bring the refresh rate down to 60Hz from the settings to improve the backup in case of an emergency.
Other key features of this phone are 64 MP F/1.8 main camera, 4K recording @ 30fps, Type C charging port, Headphone Jack, Dual Sim with Dual Stand By, and UFS 2.1 fast storage.
You can buy this phone from the link mentioned above, and it comes with a warranty of 1 year from the date of purchase.
- 6GB of RAM
- Fast internal storage
- High refresh rate screen
- Lightweight @ 196 grams only
- Small bezels and chin
- No major cons
3. Best value for Money: Redmi Note 9 Pro
| RAM & Storage | 4GB + 64GB |
| Processor | Snapdragon 720G |
| GPU | Adreno 618 |
| Display | 6.67-inch FHD+ |
| Front Camera | 16MP |
| Rear Camera | 48MP + 8MP + 5MP + 2MP |
| Battery | 5000 mAh with 18W Fast Charger |
Xiaomi’s Redmi Note 9 Pro is a smartphone that is loaded with specifications. Xiaomi has maxed out its numbers in each regard, let it be a camera, GPU, battery backup, or RAM. So, there are not many that are better than it when it comes to mobile gaming.
The phone comes with 4GB of RAM and 2.3GHz of Qualcomm Snapdragon 720G processor. This is an octa-core CPU that performs very well in multi-core tasks such as gaming. The processor will easily run heavy games like PubG Mobile, COD, Fortnite, and more at 50-60 frames per second.
The display of the Note 9 Pro is quite large at 6.67-inches. Its resolution is of Full HD+ and has just a little on the top for the front-facing camera. It will give you an immersive experience, as you will be utilizing all of your screen without any bezels for gaming.
Xiaomi has provided a mammoth 5020 mAH battery inside this smartphone. It will easily last you over a day, even with heavy gaming. So, low battery life will not be an issue for you.
Other key features of this phone are 64GB Internal Storage, 18W Type C Fast Charging, 48MP Quad Camera Setup, 16 MP AI Selfie Camera, Android v10.0 OS, and Splash Proof build.
The starting price of this Redmi Note 9 Pro is 14k Rupees, and it comes with a warranty of 1 year from the date of purchase.
- Fingerprint is fast and accurate
- Night Mode works like a charm
- Expandable storage
- All day battery life
- Available in a unique Aurora Blue shade
- Size is a bit too large
4. Best for Affordability: Realme 6i
| RAM & Storage | 4GB + 64GB |
| Processor | MediaTek Helio G90T |
| GPU | Mali-G76 MC4 |
| Display | 6.5-inch Full HD+ |
| Front Camera | 16MP |
| Rear Camera | 48MP + 8MP + 2MP + 2MP |
| Battery | 4300 mAh with 30W Fast Charger |
The Realme 6i is a new smartphone, so it has one of the latest CPU and GPU combos. The Mediatek Helio G90T chipset delivers amazing power for its low price, allowing its users to play all kinds of games.
The RAM of the phone is 4GB, which is standard for a device of this price. It will allow you to run heavy apps and games like Photoshop, Asphalt, and Lightroom, but do not run them at once. Multitasking takes a hit when you run too many heavy applications at once.
Realme has provided just 64GB of internal storage space within the 6i. I do not think it will be sufficient for the modern users, so I recommend you to either order the 128GB variant of this mobile or order an external SD card. Its storage can be expanded to 256GB, so take advantage of it if you feel 64 is not enough.
On the back of the phone, you will find its 4 camera setup. The main sensor is the 48 MP F/1.8 which you will use for most of the pictures. It works very well and brings out the details in almost every scenario. Let it be low light, ultra-wide, or macro.
Battery backup is the only place where Realme has compromised with this smartphone. With a size of just 4300 mAH, it will be hard for heavy users to make it through a day without recharging it.
The selling price of this phone is 14k Rupees, and it has a warranty of 1 year. Click on the link mentioned in the title to place your order.
- Indian parent company
- Amazingly fast CPU & GPU
- Colourful and bright display panel
- Expandable storage space
- No major cons
5. Best Storage Capacity: Redmi Note 9
| RAM & Storage | 4GB + 128GB |
| Processor | Mediatek Helio G85 |
| GPU | ARM Mali-G52 2EEMC2 |
| Display | 6.53-inch FHD+ |
| Front Camera | 13MP |
| Rear Camera | 48MP + 8MP + 2MP + 2MP |
| Battery | 5020 mAh with 22.5W Fast Charger |
Redmi Note 9 is a slightly affordable gaming smartphone, as compared to the devices that we have discussed until now. Its price tag of 14k Rupees makes it perfect for people who are looking for a gaming phone under the budget of 15k Rupees.
The phone comes with 4GB of RAM and 2GHz Mediatek Helio G85 chipset. This is not the fastest CPU available on the market by any means, but it is one of the best in this price bracket. It will get the job done by allowing you to play massive games like COD, Asphalt, Fortnite, PES on mobile.
The Adreno 618 GPU that is shipped with the Redmi Note 9 is perfect for playing games in medium graphics resolution. It will give you around 40-50 fps in these settings.
The display of the Note 9 is Full HD+, and its size is 6.53 inches. It has extremely thin bezels and chin which make it look more significant than it actually is.
Note 9 is perfect for casual photographers too, as it comes loaded with sensors. Its main sensor is of 48 MP, and it captures the light in its natural state. Everything looks crisp and the way it is meant to be, thanks to this amazing sensor.
You can buy this phone from the link mentioned above and it comes with a warranty of 1 year. This warranty is reduced to just 6 months on its accessories such as charging brick, earphones, and cable.
- Expandable storage of up to 512GB
- Reasonable pricing
- Available in unique colours
- High customer satisfaction rate
- Perfect phone for casual gamers and photographers
- No major cons
6. Best Battery Life: Samsung Galaxy M21
| RAM & Storage | 6GB + 64GB |
| Processor | Exynos 9611 |
| GPU | Mali G72MP3 |
| Display | 6.4-inch FHD+ |
| Front Camera | 20MP |
| Rear Camera | 48MP + 8MP + 5MP |
| Battery | 6000 mAh with 15W Fast Charger |
The Samsung Galaxy M21 is the budget smartphone from Samsung. It has two variants priced around 15k Rupees, which makes it perfect for all kinds of users. The specs in all of them are more or less the same, the main difference being in their storage space. So, pick the one that fulfills your needs the most.
For gamers, I would recommend the 4GB + 128GB variant as it has plenty of storage space. The processor on the M21 is Samsung’s own Exynos 9611. It is an octa-core processor, which has been designed to handle computational tasks with ease. It works average in terms of heavy usage, however, for day to day life usage, it performs really well.
The battery size of this phone is the highest on this list at 6000 mAH. Even with moderate usage, it will last more than a day, so you do not have to worry about charging it. You can play games, watch movies, workout, go on runs, and you will still end the day with 30% battery left.
Samsung has also provided a triple camera setup on this phone, so it is good in the photography spectrum too. You can take macro, wide-angle, portraits, and do all other kinds of photography with it.
The phone comes with a warranty of 1 year from the date of purchase and you can get it from the button given below.
- Massive 6000 mAh battery
- Decent camera
- Excellent for day to day usage
- Display quality is fantastic
- Highly rated by customers
- Exynos processor sucks in multi-tasking
7. Best with Stock Android: Asus ZenFone Max Pro M2
| RAM & Storage | 4GB + 64GB |
| Processor | Snapdragon 660 |
| GPU | Adreno 512 |
| Display | 6.26-inch FHD+ |
| Front Camera | 13MP |
| Rear Camera | 12MP + 5MP |
| Battery | 5000 mAh |
The Asus ZenFone Max Pro M2 comes with 4GB of RAM and Qualcomm Snapdragon 660 processor. This chipset has a base speed of 2GHz, which is just enough for playing modern games. Do not expect any over the top performance out of this CPU, but it will get the job done.
The Adreno 512 GPU will allow you to run most games in low to medium settings. You will get around 40-50 fps in them. However, heavy games such as COD and Fortnite should be run only in the lowest graphics settings, as they are extremely heavy.
The user interface of the M2 is based on stock android. You will not have to deal with any annoying pre-installed apps as in Xiaomi and Samsung phones. This will keep your OS extra smooth and you will be able to glide through apps.
Battery backup of the phone is good, as it will easily last more than a day, thanks to its 5000 mAH battery. The issue is that it takes a lot of time to charge from 0 to 100 percent. Its 10W charger is extremely slow, as compared to other devices on this list.
Other cool features that you will like in the Max Pro M2 are 4k video recording, 13 MP front camera, Triple Card Slots, 64 GB of internal storage (expandable up to 2 TB), Full HD+ display, and 1 year of warranty. You can get it from the link mentioned above for a price of around 12k Rupees.
- Lightweight @175 grams
- Audio quality is fantastic
- Long lasting battery life
- Facial recognition technology
- Hybrid storage option
- No support of fast charging
- Average GPU for gaming
8. Best Budget-Friendly: Realme Narzo 10
| RAM & Storage | 4GB + 64GB |
| Processor | Mediatek Helio G80 |
| GPU | Mali-G52 MC2 |
| Display | 6.5-inch HD+ |
| Front Camera | 16MP |
| Rear Camera | 48MP + 8MP + 2MP + 2MP |
| Battery | 5000 mAh with 18W Quick Charger |
Realme Narzo is a unique looking phone, thanks to its turquoise colour and geometrical design. I do not think there is any other smartphone that looks like it in the market currently. So, if you want a stand out phone, take a look at the Realme Narzo.
The phone is equipped with 4GB of RAM and Mediatek Helio G80 processor. The RAM is the same as its sibling models, but the processor sees a major update on this phone. It is now 35 % faster than its previous generations, and this also impacts its GPU speed which sees a boost of 25 percent. So, gaming of any kind will not be an issue for you on the Narzo.
With 128 GB of fast UFC storage, keep whatever you want on your phone without having to worry about anything. It is enough for all your movies, TV-shows, and games.
The 48 MP AI camera of the Narzo combines the power of 4 different lenses. You will be able to take ultra-clear shots in all kinds of lights and situations. It has a 120 degrees Ultra Wide lens, a Super Macro Lens, and it has a Super-Nightscape mode for night photography.
You can get all these amazing features for a price of just 12k Rupees. No other company will offer them to you for such a low price, so order as soon as possible. I do not think its stocks will last for too long.
- 128GB of storage space
- Quad camera setup
- Splash proof design
- Expandable storage space of up to 256GB
- Incredibly fast fingerprint sensor
- Affordabe price
- Not a full HD display
- Back panel looks cheap
9. Best Selfie Shooter: Vivo VZ1 Pro
| RAM & Storage | 4GB + 64GB |
| Processor | Snapdragon M712 |
| GPU | Adreno 616 |
| Display | 6.53-inch HD+ |
| Front Camera | 32MP |
| Rear Camera | 16MP + 8MP + 2MP |
| Battery | 5000 mAh |
Vivo Z1 Pro is the perfect phone for someone who is looking to buy a smartphone for gaming and a good selfie camera around 15000 Rupees. It was released in 2019, but its CPU and GPU were way ahead of its time which still makes it an excellent investment in today’s market.
The phone is powered by 4GB of RAM and Qualcomm Snapdragon M712 processor. It is an octa-core CPU that has a base speed of 2.3GHz, so it is quite powerful. Playing heavy games will not be a big deal for you.
In terms of space, Vivo has provided 64 GB of UFC 2.1 storage. It is enough for all kinds of users, as you can store movies, entire TV-shows, games, and pictures on it without any problems, whatsoever.
The main camera of the Vivo Z1 Pro is just 16 MP, but do not let the numbers fool you. It is an amazing sensor, which brings out the details in every shot that you take. It is accompanied by 2 more lenses in the form of Ultra Wide and Depth sensors.
With 5000 mAH of battery, your phone will last more than a day on a full charge. And, if you are a light user like me, you can even touch the two-day mark with it.
Click on the link above to buy the Vivo Z1 Pro. It comes in a single Sonic Blue colour and comes with a warranty of 12 months.
- Looks very unique and elegant
- Powerful GPU and CPU
- Vast display with almost no chin and bezels
- Battery life is amazing
- Supports fast 18 W changing
- It’s old model to consider now
10. Cheapest Option: Redmi 9 Prime
| RAM & Storage | 4GB+ 128GB |
| Processor | Mediatek Helio G80 |
| GPU | Mali-G52 |
| Display | 6.53-inch FHD+ |
| Front Camera | 8MP |
| Rear Camera | 13MP + 8MP + 5MP + 2MP |
| Battery | 5020 mAh with 18W Fast Charge Support |
Redmi 9 Prime is the most inexpensive gaming phone that you can get if you are a casual gamer. It is priced at just 12k Rupees, and for this value, you will be getting the 2GHz Mediatek Helio G80 CPU and 4GB of RAM. I would not recommend this chipset for hardcore gamers, but it will work just fine for the rest of the audience.
When playing games, make sure that you do not use the device continuously for more than 2 hours, as it will get heated up. Otherwise, there will be performance fluctuations, which will lead you to drop frames within the game.
The display of the phone features a 6.53-inch Full HD+ panel. It is extremely bright, and colour accurate in all lighting conditions. It has a slight tear drop notch at the top, but I do not think you will have any issue with it. The rest of the bezels and chin are extremely thin, giving you an immersive playing/viewing experience.
The storage space on the 9 Prime is 128GB, which is hard to come by at this price point. You can store the heaviest of games and apps on it, and still be left with plenty of space for your movies and TV shows.
The camera setup of this phone is mediocre. With a sensor of just 13 MP, it takes average pictures. So, photo enthusiasts should stay away from it.
Redmi 9 Prime comes with a warranty of 1 year, and you can get it from the link mentioned above.
- Excellent display panel for the price
- Has 18W fast charging support
- Dedicated SD card slot for expansion
- 5000 mAh huge battery
- Decent looks
- Medicore camera setup
- Comes with 10W charger only
- Medicore gaming performance
Frequently Asked Questions
The minimum RAM that you would need to run your games at a decent FPS would be 3GB. However, we would recommend you to get at least 4GB. This is due to the fact that games are ever-evolving and they become larger with every update. In order to be future proof, you should order a phone with at least more than 4GB of RAM.
Most of the phones in today’s market come with a gaming mode optimizer app (i.e. Game Space on OnePlus), which optimizes the phone in order to improve its performance while gameplay. We advise you to turn it on before you start gaming on your phone. You can also tweak things such as taking off the case/cover to improve the temperature of the phone for better frame rates.
The higher the refresh rate of a display panel, the smoother will be your gaming experience. For example, most of the screens have 60Hz panels, and this means they can not go above 60 FPS while gaming. If your phone has a 90Hz or 120Hz display panel, then you will be able to touch 90 or 120 frame rates respectively. Your movement will become much smoother and you will be able to control your avatar more precisely.
Yes, if that allows your budget and you want a futureproof device. If you don’t want to spend more than 15000 rupees on a phone for gaming alone, that’s completely as well. As merely having more RAM will not run your game any better. Our advice would be to invest the additional money in a better processor and GPU, as they will directly impact the performance and optimization of your phone. Then automatically your frames will improve during the game.
Verdict
Gaming smartphones from all the popular brands have been covered on this page, so take your pick from them. My advice for hardcore gamers would be the POCO M2 Pro and Realme 7 which comes with a 90Hz 6.5-inch LCD panel and 6GB of RAM. It will run all your games buttery smoothly.
If you are a casual gamer, I would recommend the Redmi Note 9 Pro which has been discussed at the 3rd position on this list. It has an amazing camera and a decent battery life, making it the best overall gaming phone.
If you simply want an inexpensive or a cheap device that is capable of light gaming, go with the Redmi 9 Prime. It has been discussed at last.