Buying a mobile handset is not rocket science. A little adjustment in the budget and preferences will help you get the best deal, not just this Diwali, but at every shopping opportunity

So you have finally decided to gift yourself a brand new mobile this Diwali. However, with so many offers and thousands of handset models to choose from, you are finding it difficult to zero in on something within your budget that still gives you all the latest features possible. Well, you are at the right place to make your decision.

Buying mobile, especially a smart phone, requires a focus on two important things: your budget and the features you consider a 'must-have' in your new mobile. I have used and tested numerous mobiles from all major handset makers, as well as the Chinese manufacturers and I can say with some confidence that if you are willing to make little compromise on price or features you can often get the best deal. For example, if you do not use the camera feature of your mobile very often, then what is the point in wanting to buy a phone with a 13-megapixel camera with full HD recording features? Moreover, pictures taken with a 5MP or 8MP camera are also pretty good, especially for causal photography and keepsakes. 

Now, let me tell you something about free offers. These are mostly misleading. A very big player in electronics market offers freebies worth Rs1,000, Rs2,000 and Rs3,000 on the purchase of mobile handsets costing less than Rs10,000, costing between Rs10,001 to Rs20,000 and those above Rs20,000 onwards, respectively. However, you will invariably find that these offers are only on specific handsets, not the one you wish to buy. There are no offers on a Micromax, Karbonn or other domestic mobile handsets in this big shop.

Also, don't get lured by the flip cover offer. Two things to remember: the price shown in ads is always on the higher side and the same flip cover can be bought 60-70% cheaper from a small shop or even from roadside stalls. One of my friends was so happy to have bought flip cover at Rs1,100 against the standard quoted price of Rs2,500. However, the same cover is available for as cheap as Rs300 in smaller shops. So, instead, ask the shopkeeper to give you discount of the same amount (most will refuse, though, but someone might be ready).

Here are some guidelines that would help you to make a decision.
 

Price range: Rs1,000 to Rs5,000

Features available (depending on brand): Single/double SIM, FM, Camera, Torch

Tip: Buy a budget phone not for its 'touch screen' feature but for its simplicity and ease of use. Don’t fall prey for 'budget' smart phone in this price range, as these handsets are mostly very slow and often comes with old operating system without any hope for future updates.

Model                                                Estd Price*                  Unique Selling Point (USP)

Basic phone

Feature phone

Smartphone

Price Range: Rs5,001 to Rs10,000

Features available: Touch screen, Single/Dual SIM (dual standby), email, better camera, wide screens

Tip: There are some very good and feature-rich phones available in this range. However, buy only if you are a first time user. Don't be under the illusion that bigger screen is better, although. Check the colours, resolution and readability in day-light of all these big screen handsets. Also keep an eye on RAM for Android mobiles. Here bigger is better.

Feature phone

Smartphone

Price Range: Rs10,001 to Rs15,000

Features available: Touch screen, Single/Dual SIM (dual standby), email, better camera, good quality screens, Decent RAM

Tip: This range is also suitable for first time users and those who want to go in for second device. Some of the biggies like Samsung, Nokia, Blackberry, HTC and Micromax offer good choice of handsets in this range. Again look for processor power and RAM. A Quad-core processor is better than dual or single core. Also do check internal memory. Although many handset in this range offer 4GB of internal memory, less than or equal to 2GB out of it is available for user.

Price Range: Rs15,001 to Rs20,000

Features available: Touch screen, Single/Dual SIM (dual standby), email, better camera, good quality screens, Decent RAM, Dual and Quad core processor

Tip: Mobile in this range are advised for experienced users, as there are many features that first time users would not be comfortable to use with. Some of the biggies like Samsung, Nokia, Blackberry, HTC and Micromax offer good choice of handsets in this range. Again look for processor power and RAM. A Quad-core processor is better than dual or single core. Also do check internal memory. Although many handset in this range offer 4GB of internal memory, the user gets only less than or equal to 2GB memory for use. Do check out some of the latest offering from Micromax in this range.

Price Range: Rs20,001 to Rs30,000

Features available: Touch screen, Super AMOLED or HD display, Single/Dual SIM (dual standby), email, very good camera, both main and front, 1GB plus RAM, Quad core processor

Tip: This range offers plenty of choices for buyers. There are some of the best, display as well as main cameras available in this range. Also the overall quality of build (aluminium case body for some) is good. All the big names have few bestselling devices in this range. But before buying, look for display quality. Anything below HD and without gorilla glass display is not worth the price. Also, do check the RAM and processor power. Some handsets in this range have non-standard RAM. Samsung Galaxy Mega 5.8 and S4 Zoom has 1.5GB RAM while Blackberry Torch 9860 has 768MB RAM.  Also do check internal memory. While many handsets in this price range offer 8GB or more internal memory, some like Blackberry offers only 4GB. Also you can lay hands on Google Nexus and Apple iPhone4 (8GB) in this price range. Give it a try. Many youngsters have shown interest in Google Nexus4 but are awaiting release of its next version.

Price Range: Above Rs30,001

Features available: Touch screen, Super AMOLED or Full HD display, Single/Dual SIM (dual standby), email, very good camera, both main and front, 1GB plus RAM, Quad core processor

Tip: This range offers the best mobile handsets money can buy. Actually you would feel pampered in this range. All the big handset makers offer their best devices above Rs30,000. There are the best displays as well as main cameras available in this range. Overall build quality (aluminium case body for some) is best in this class. All the big names have their bestselling devices in this range. But before buying, look for display quality. Anything below Full HD (all Apple handsets come with Retina display, so no worries) and without gorilla glass display is not worth the price. Some devices offer Full HD recording as well. Also, do check the RAM and processor power. As far as camera is concerned, 8MP is more than enough for mobile handsets, but then it’s your preference.

Note: Most smart phones come with touch screens, hence not specifically mentioned it in features, only screen size is written.

DC- Dual Core/ QC-Quad core processor

“2.2Ghz QC, 2GB, 16GB”= 2.2Ghz quad core processor, 2GB RAM, 16GB internal memory

MP- megapixel or one million pixels. The resolution of camera phones is often measured in megapixels or MP

Full HD R= Full HD Recording

Gorilla glass- high scratch resistance glass made by Corning Inc.

Disclaimer:

*All amounts mentioned above are estimated street prices and subject to change as per market conditions and location.

So happy shopping!