The best smartphones under 15,000 rubles in 2023
A smartphone costing up to 15,000 rubles is a budget segment, but sometimes the quality of the product can easily compete even with “advanced” and “cool” models.
Often, the purchasing decision is not dictated by personal opinion and performance requirements, but is based on the preferences of friends, talented persuasion of sellers, or bright advertising.
Such a choice will not lead to any good: during the process of use, a person begins to understand that he does not need half of the built-in “goodies”, and there was no need to overpay for the brand either. In 2023, you can find a smartphone costing up to 15,000 rubles, which will have everything the user really needs.
What you need to consider when choosing a smartphone in this price segment:
- Understanding which features you use most often.
- Battery – its capacity will determine how long you can use the phone. Also, pay attention to the charging method.
- The processor determines what your smartphone can do.
- Operating system – if you need a specific application, then you definitely look at what platform it is available on. For example, many professional applications are only available on the iOS platform, while many government applications are available on Android.
- Cameras – how sharp and contrasting the photo will be depends on their capabilities.
- Personal preferences: game lovers will want a large screen, music lovers will want a dedicated headphone jack or support for special music codecs, and so on.
The editors of Komsomolskaya Pravda have compiled a rating of the best smartphones under 15,000 rubles in 2023. When compiling the selection, we took into account the tasks that the device can cope with, the price-quality ratio and the opinion of an expert.
Editor’s Choice
vivo Y31
Without a case, the back cover looks very beautiful: a compact camera unit, color shifts on the body… You want to hold this in your hand, but the manufacturer missed a bit with the form factor. I made hard ribs on the sides that cut into the palm. The plastic, although matte, collects fingerprints. So immediately put on the included transparent case.
Top 14 best smartphones under 15,000 rubles in 2023 according to KP
OPPO A55
The smartphone is available in two colors: black anthracite (this is a slightly less deep black) and blue with a rainbow gradient in the corner – a play of colors. The first one is strict, the second one looks more youthful. True, you won’t be able to enjoy the design without a case for a long time: the manufacturer saved on the oleophobic coating of the case. It is necessary so that fewer greasy prints remain. Therefore, by the way, you will need a complete silicone case.
The mobile phone has a decent camera for its price. Don’t look at the 50 MP figure – yes, formally the sensor supports this resolution, but the photo will be incredibly heavy and shooting in this mode must be set separately in the settings. By default, the quality will be around 12 megapixels, but this is enough for social networks. The phone shoots video in Full HD, but there is no video stabilization. Although in 2023 you really need to try hard to find a stabilizer among smartphones under 15,000 rubles. The processor here is Helio G35 – it’s a solid mid-ranger.
Main characteristics
| Screen | 6.51 inches |
| operating system | Android 11 with ColorOS 11.1 shell |
| Memory | RAM 4 GB, internal storage 64 or 128 GB |
| Main (rear) cameras | triple 50 + 2 + 2 MP |
| Front-camera | 16 MP |
| Battery capacity | 5000 mA |
| Dimensions and weight | 163.6×75.7×8.4 mm, 193 grams |
realme C21Y
The company produced a successful budget smartphone with the same name, but without the Y, prefix. In 2023, it will no longer be found new in a communication store. This is a slightly modified version of a successful model, which was included in our rating of the best under 15,000 rubles. The case is rough – for those who like to carry their phone without a case. This coating minimizes the risk of accidental slipping.
The camera is very mediocre in terms of shooting landscapes and interiors. With all this, a good portrait mode when you need to photograph one or two people. It can recognize not only a fingerprint, but also the owner’s face. But you shouldn’t delude yourself too much with the technology: it simply compares your face with your photo in memory, and does not scan it like in Apple devices.
Under the hood there is a Unisoc T610 processor – one of the most budget eight-core solutions on the market, but at the same time extremely successful. You can play demanding games and handle everyday applications with ease.
Main characteristics
| Screen | 6.5 inches |
| operating system | Android 11 with R Edition shell |
| Memory | RAM 3 or 4 GB, internal storage 32 or 64 GB |
| Main (rear) cameras | triple 13 + 2 + 2 MP |
| Front-camera | 5 MP |
| Battery capacity | 5000 mA |
| Dimensions and weight | 163.6×75.7×8.4 mm, 200 grams |
ZTE Blade V2020 Smart
A smartphone with a boring design but good performance. Visually, the only difference here is the bright power button, but this solution is not for everyone. It has a good screen with protection against greasy fingerprints. Maximum and minimum brightness are also good. In daylight on the street and in pitch darkness, working with a mobile phone is comfortable.
The cameras work well. And in night mode, the result surpasses other participants in the ranking of the best smartphones under 15,000 rubles. There is a wide-angle lens. What can disappoint here is the “front-facing camera”, or rather its mode of blurring the background and beautification (i.e. decorating the appearance: smooth skin, big eyes, etc.) – it is too artificial.
TECNO Pova 2
This is a high-quality smartphone from the Hong Kong company, with characteristics that make it noticeable and worthy of attention. What are its advantages: an incredibly large screen and a powerful battery, the charge of which will last for several days of continuous talk time.
The smartphone body is made of good plastic that will not be scratched. The plastic is ribbed, which means the device will not slip in your hand at all. In addition, a protective case is also included as standard.
The device is equipped with a triple card slot, which makes it convenient for those who use the services of several operators. SIM hot swap function supported.
Main characteristics
| Screen | 6.95″ (2460×1080) |
| Built-in memory | 64 GB |
| RAM | 4 GB |
| Cameras | 48 MP, 2 MP, 2 MP, 0.80 MP |
| Battery | 7000 mAh |
| SIM cards | 2 (nano SIM) |
| Internet | 4G LTE |
Redmi Note 7
This is not a new product for 2023, but it still deserves attention today. Truly a people’s phone for the money. The back cover of the case is not made of plastic, but glass. There are polycarbonate frames on the sides so that it does not slip in your hand. The fingerprint scanner is built into the back panel, which is an outdated solution today, but this is not without convenience.
HUAWEI Y6p
The Chinese company has a sub-brand Honor, which focuses on the “youth” of its devices. First of all, from a design point of view. But the Huawei people overstepped their principles and made a rather striking model themselves. Please note that this model was released after the US sanctions imposed on the brand. Therefore, there is no usual Play Market application store. You need to download everything from the proprietary AppGallery. But it has a wide range of basic programs that Russian users use, so it’s not that scary.
BQ 6430L Aurora
Russian smartphone assembled from Chinese components. For 2023 it has very good characteristics. Let’s start with the camera – four modules at once, which is rare for a price category up to 15,000 rubles. “Front camera” is generally a record 20 megapixels. Everyone shoots well.
It’s a pity that the brand didn’t push the technical stuff. I would like a 5000 mAh battery, and at least 6 GB of RAM. Then we would without a doubt put it at the top of the rating. The Helio P60 processor allows you to play games at medium graphics quality settings.
Main characteristics
| Screen | 6.4 inches |
| operating system | Android 10 |
| Memory | RAM 4 GB, internal storage 64 GB |
| Main (rear) cameras | four modules 16 + 2 + 0.3 + 0.3 MP |
| Front-camera | 20 MP |
| Battery capacity | 4000 mA |
| Dimensions and weight | 157.5x76x8.9 mm, 179 grams |
Alcatel 3L 5029Y
This smartphone model has already gone through several reincarnations. We would put it in the conventional category: “cheap, cheerful, but works well.” It copes well with everyday tasks. The design does not stand out, the fingerprint sensor is on the back side.
The triple camera works with varying success. It’s hard to find fault with the main module (considering the price of the mobile phone). But the wide-angle camera did not work out. The smartphone is not bulky. On board is the Helio P22 chip – “the most budget-friendly budget device.” But it saves battery; it’s enough for surfing the web and posting photos on social networks.
Main characteristics
| Screen | 6.22 inches |
| operating system | Android 10 |
| Memory | RAM 4 GB, internal storage 64 GB |
| Main (rear) cameras | triple 48 + 5 + 2 MP |
| Front-camera | 8 MP |
| Battery capacity | 4000 mA |
| Dimensions and weight | 158.7×74.6×8.45 mm, 165 grams |
OPPO A54
A stylish and easy-to-use smartphone with a large screen, good battery and camera.
This model is a representative of the brand’s mid-budget line. Made in a beautiful steel case, equipped with splash protection – you don’t have to worry about the phone getting wet during rain or from accidental splashes of water and stopping working.
The battery of this device is designed for almost three days of “standard” use (calls and mobile Internet) or almost 20 hours of online video viewing. At the same time, the time required to fully charge the battery is not so long: in 2.5 hours it will be fully charged.
An additional bonus is the beautiful appearance. The smartphone is available in two variations: gloss black and twilight blue gradient. Moreover, in the latter version, the color will change depending on the lighting, and at times the phone really “plays” with shades.
Main characteristics
| Screen | 6.51″ (1600×720) 60 Hz |
| Built-in memory | 64 GB |
| RAM | 4 GB |
| Cameras | 13 MP, 2 MP, 2 MP |
| Battery | 5000 mAh |
| SIM cards | 2 (nano SIM) |
| Internet | 4G LTE |
Nokia C30
The company is now focused on releasing pure Android phones. It’s fast, stable, and fans of variety and customization can download different launchers from the Google Play store. The mobile phone will fit a large man’s hand. A child or a fragile lady will not be very comfortable with this. But fans of watching videos on their phones will appreciate it because of the capacious battery and impressive display diagonal.
The camera here is simple, from the category of “there it is and that’s okay.” Fans of selfies and photography with mobile phones, better take a look at other models from our rating of the best smartphones under 15,000 rubles. The processor and RAM reserves for 2023 are not serious here. But let us repeat once again: the operating system is clean, so what we have is enough for ordinary tasks. Games are only the most banal.
Main characteristics
| Screen | 6.82 inches |
| operating system | Android 11 |
| Memory | RAM 2 or 3 GB, internal storage 32 or 64 GB |
| Main (rear) cameras | dual 13 + 2 MP |
| Front-camera | 5 MP |
| Battery capacity | 6000 mA |
| Dimensions and weight | 178x79x9.9 mm, 237 grams |
Itel A48
The Itel company has been producing real rarities of our time for a long time – push-button telephones. And then she quickly expanded her smartphone lines. It turned out well, so we safely include one of the models in the ranking of the best for 2023. This is an ideal mobile phone for a child or a person who only needs instant messengers.
Its technical characteristics are quite weak. Just 2 gigs of RAM won’t handle productive toys and video editing. But some of the shortcomings are compensated by the clean and light Android 10. By modern standards, it does not have a bulky display. The tube fits well into a jeans pocket. The camera quality is acceptable.
Main characteristics
| Screen | 6.11 inches |
| operating system | Android 10 (upgrade to version 11) |
| Memory | RAM 2 GB, internal storage 32 GB |
| Main (rear) cameras | dual 5 + 5 MP |
| Front-camera | 5 MP |
| Battery capacity | 3000 mA |
| Dimensions and weight | 157x75x10 mm, 185 grams |
Realme C21
A budget smartphone equipped with 5G support and enhanced security features: you can set up recognition not only by fingerprints, but also by face.
The device is equipped with a good large screen with high-quality color reproduction. The camera built into the smartphone allows you to take high-quality pictures, and the quality will not suffer from insufficient lighting.
The phone’s powerful processor allows you to install any games and applications that will work without failures or lags. The body of the device is made of plastic, which does not leave hand marks – there is no need to wipe the phone.
Main characteristics
| Screen | 6.5″ (1600×720) 60 Hz |
| Cameras | 13 MP, 2 MP, 2 MP |
| Battery | 5000 mAh |
| SIM cards | 2 (nano SIM) |
| Internet | 4G LTE |
Samsung Galaxy M12
You look at this bright model from the Koreans, and the eye is pleased. But you pick it up and your optimism melts away: the mobile phone is thicker than its competitors and noticeably heavier. And also these black frames along the edges of the display… This is the very case when we do not recommend buying without looking on the Internet. Be sure to first twirl it in your palms and try it on your pocket or bag. And only then, if everything suits you, then you can order it online at a good price.
The screen supports a screen refresh rate of 90 Hz, while in the segment up to 15,000 rubles 60 Hz often prevails. Its animation will be more detailed. But the 90 Hz function can be disabled, as it “eats” the charge.
Koreans often excel at cameras in their best smartphones, and this model is no exception. Good wide-angle, acceptable night mode, adequate indoor shooting. For 15,000 rubles, such a camera is almost a gift. The gadget runs on an Exynos 850 processor – this is a Samsung development. You can forget about good games and video editing. Well, or be patient.
Main characteristics
| Screen | 6.5 inches |
| operating system | Android 10 (updated to 11) with One UI shell |
| Memory | RAM 3 or 4 GB, internal storage 32 or 64 GB |
| Main (rear) cameras | four modules 48 + 5 + 2 + 2 MP |
| Front-camera | 8 MP |
| Battery capacity | 5000 mA |
| Dimensions and weight | 164×75.9×9.7 mm, 214 grams |
Zoji Z33
A smartphone in the mid-price segment, impervious to dust and moisture – the phone can “dive” to a depth of 1 meter and this will not affect its performance in any way. Equipped with a large screen and fingerprint recognition function. The kit includes a protective case and film. The smartphone has slots for two cards
The device has a good processor, thanks to which all services, applications and games will work without freezing or crashing. And the camera this smartphone is equipped with allows you to take decent quality pictures in any lighting.
An additional bonus is the non-standard design. The phone belongs to the category of protected devices, so it does not require the use of cases. This is compensated by its unusual appearance: the beautiful texture of the rear panel and bright orange or green inserts.
Main characteristics
| Screen | 5.85″ (1512×720) |
| Built-in memory | 32 GB |
| RAM | 3 GB |
| Cameras | 13 MP, 2 MP |
| Battery | 4600 mAh |
| SIM cards | 2 (nano SIM) |
| Internet | 4G LTE |
Leaders of past years
Xiaomi Mi Max 3
This is a smartphone with a large screen, which is convenient for working, watching videos, and surfing the Internet. Supports all European and Russian mobile networks. The device body is made of solid metal (aluminum) and has grooves for connectors.
The front of the phone is covered with glass for better protection. This smartphone does not have hardware control buttons (home, forward, back). The wake-up system responds to double taps. An additional convenience is adaptive backlighting: the device is equally visible both in the sun and in the dark.
The device is thin and light, it fits comfortably in the hand. The appearance of the device is simple and elegant.
Main characteristics
| Screen | 6.9″ (2160×1080) |
| Built-in memory | 64 GB |
| RAM | 4 GB |
| Cameras | 12 MP, 5 MP |
| Battery | 5500 mAh |
| SIM cards | 2 (nano SIM) |
| Internet | 4G LTE |
DOOGEE S59
Stylish phone with a futuristic design. Combines a large amount of memory and a powerful processor. A full battery charge lasts for two days of full use, and the recharging process itself is incredibly fast: in just a couple of hours you can again enjoy communicating, watching your favorite videos or listening to your favorite music tracks.
The smartphone is equipped with an audio output signal amplifier – even people with hearing impairments can use this device. In addition, thanks to this bonus, the phone can even replace a record player – you can listen to your favorite music.
The device is equipped with a powerful processor, which will be appreciated by fans of games and entertainment. There will be no slowdowns during use.
Main characteristics
| Screen | 5.71″ (1520×720) |
| Built-in memory | 64 GB |
| RAM | 4 GB |
| Cameras | 16 MP, 8 MP, 8 MP |
| Battery | 10050 mAh |
| SIM cards | 2 (nano SIM) |
| Internet | 4G LTE |
Alcatel 3L 2018
A compact phone with a good screen that transmits high-quality images, and at the same time the device is convenient to operate with one hand. There is a face unlock feature.
The device is equipped with a good battery that will allow you to always stay connected – it can last up to 25 hours in talk mode.
Samsung Galaxy A12 (SM-A125)
A stylish smartphone that can be purchased in three colors: black, red, blue. The body is made of high-quality plastic of two types: matte at the bottom, ribbed at the top – so that the device fits comfortably in the hand and does not slip.
The phone is equipped with a large display, which makes it convenient for watching videos, movies, using the Internet, and turning pages. An additional bonus is that the screen of this smartphone does not glare in the sun, but is easy to read.
HUAWEI P smart 2021
This is a smartphone for which you don’t have to pay a lot, but at the same time it offers all the basic functions that a modern person requires. This is an elegant device made of high quality plastic. Available in two colors – black and green. The body of the device is shiny and pleasant to the touch.
The device has a triple card slot – convenient for those who use cards from different operators. The smartphone is equipped with cameras that provide clear images thanks to fast focusing and color reproduction.
The phone has a large screen, and the display transmits high-quality images with good brightness and contrast – the user’s eyes will not get tired even after several hours of working with the device.
Main characteristics
| Screen | 6.67″ (2400×1080) |
| Built-in memory | 128 GB |
| RAM | 4 GB |
| Cameras | 48 MP, 8 MP, 2 MP, 2 MP |
| Battery | 5000 mAh |
| SIM cards | 2 (nano SIM) |
| Internet | 4G LTE |
Xiaomi Redmi 9T NFC
The smartphone is made of high quality plastic. The back cover of the device has a textured “pattern”, which makes using the device safe and convenient even without a case – the owner does not have to worry about the phone slipping out of his hands. An additional bonus is a neatly designed block of cameras that practically do not protrude from the body. This is convenient because you don’t have to worry about the cameras getting damaged.
This is a device with a good screen – the picture it transmits is clear and rich in color. In this case, the user can choose one of three color rendering profiles – the one that will be better perceived by the eyes.
The smartphone is equipped with high-quality stereo speakers, which makes it possible to listen to your favorite tracks not only with headphones, but also without them.
Main characteristics
| Screen | 6.53″ (2340×1080) |
| CPU | Qualcomm Snapdragon 662 |
| operating system | Android 10 |
| Cameras | 48 MP, 8 MP, 2 MP, 2 MP |
| Battery | 6000 mAh |
| SIM cards | 2 (nano SIM) |
| Wireless interfaces | NFC, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 5.0 |
| Internet | 4G LTE |
| Weight | 198 g |
Vivo Y20
A balanced, economical version of a smartphone. Made of high quality plastic with a gradient color. There is a small cutout on the front panel of the phone for the front camera.
The device display has a good brightness reserve. The kit includes a protective film that is immediately pasted onto the smartphone screen. The device’s screen itself is large – it’s convenient to watch videos and surf the Internet.
How to choose a smartphone under 15,000 rubles
For help in choosing a smartphone under 15,000 rubles, we turned to an expert – Alexander Romanyuk, head of Lenovo’s mobile division in Russia.
Thanks to the constant development of technology, even smartphones under 15,000 rubles can get a very solid set of characteristics.
There are standard parameters that can make the device universal for 90% of the buyer’s tasks. These include:
- large screen, suitable for watching videos and TV series;
- the presence of an NFC module for contactless payments;
- good set of cameras.
In order to more accurately say what other characteristics are important for budget devices, you need to start from the final needs of the buyer, says Alexander Romanyuk.
For example, for many users it is extremely important that their smartphone lasts as long as possible. To do this, first of all, you need a large battery capacity, for example 6000 mAh. There is a clear trend in the smartphone industry towards increasing battery capacity.
Most manufacturers try to offer large (5000 mAh) and very large (from 6000 mAh) battery capacity so that consumers do not have to worry about recharging their smartphone.
Popular questions and answers
In addition, according to Alexander Romanyuk , you can approach the choice of system architecture wisely. If you don’t plan to frequently play mobile games that require a powerful processor and advanced GPU (for example, online shooters), then you can choose less advanced specifications and thus save money. At the same time, a regular processor may be sufficient for all everyday tasks and for games at medium graphics settings.
Also, MTK and Unisoc processors, which offer optimal solutions in terms of price and quality ratio, are becoming increasingly popular on the market.
