The Smartphone Awards 2014, Part 2 - The Best Budget Phones

Having covered the best Phablets of 2014, its time to move on to the very opposite side of the spectrum, the little ones. Not so little perhaps not in size or performance (as we shall see) but in terms of price. Now, as with the phablets, a little bit of arbitrariness is required to define what exactly is a budget smartphone. For the purposes of this list, I have decided to consider all phones below Rs.15,000. Again, before the awards themselves, a look back at how important 2014 was in the budget smartphone space.

2014 - The year Motorola dragged Android back in to contention

Towards the middle of 2013, a similar list of top budget smartphones would have been filled with Windows phones. Android manufacturers had pretty much filled this space with so-so phones crammed with middling to poor hardware, ham handed software and a definite lack of respect to the consumer who didn't want to shell out extra bucks for a premium phone. Windows Phones on the other hand were perfectly optimized for low-spec devices, had a somewhat intuitive user interface, some great hardware (because...Nokia) and seemed poised to make the entry-level space completely their own. The consumer could either choose from a rich mature app ecosystem (Android) or a capable, well-performing phone which they could use on a daily basis, but not both. A tough choice.

Windows Phone OS just could not keep pace as Google revamped it's software for cheaper offerings

 And then, in steps, the then Google owned Motorola with the fantastic, amazingly priced, well-designed, very efficient Moto G. Released towards the end of 2013, this device probably single-handedly changed the perception of how a phone maker can pair decent hardware and specs with good performance and yet, price it well. Come 2014, could they repeat that trick with the 2nd gen Moto G?

The Winner: Moto G 2014 (Rs.12,999)

Turns out, they can. The 2014 Moto G is not a massive improvement over its predecessor, but it does make subtle tweaks. A slight increase in display size (up to 5 inches from the earlier 4.5), a better camera (up to 8MP from 5 earlier) and the addition of an SD card slot, all help make this phone more desirable, without compromising on performance. My wife's 2013 version has stood up well to some rough treatment (including an inadvertent dip in the water) and there is no doubt that the new version is also game for some rough treatment. Definitely the phone to go for if you want no frills, good hardware, intelligent software (with double quick updates) at a pretty low price.

Moto G 2014 - The King of the Budget Smartphone

The Cheaper Alternative: Moto E (Rs. 6,999)

Just in case you were thinking the Moto G was a fluke, bang came the even cheaper Moto E. Designed specifically keeping the developing markets in mind, this one definitely makes compromises on the hardware and design front, but none whatsoever on the performance front. Even with a lesser processor and only 4GB of internal memory (compared to the 8 and 16 GB versions on the Moto G), the E still manages to get through its paces without a hitch. This phone might not be for the serious gamer (you'll have to plonk down some more dough for that), but it manages to handle multiple apps, video playback, multi-tasking and even the odd games without any issues. Motorola has displayed some serious software design skills to ensure this phone runs so smoothly on such bare minimum internals (skills the likes of Samsung and HTC could definitely learn from). 

The Moto E

Notable Mentions: The Android One phones

Google's master plan to get the next billion on to Android

As you would probably have gleamed from the first two choices, I do have a preference for minimalist software which is closer to the Nexus experience. For me, Google understands software, it understands UI design and it definitely understands Android, which is why Android manufacturers will be better served learning a lesson from Motorola in leaving the software simple and Nexus-like. 

The Android One is Google's initiative to take smartphones to the next billion (this itself probably deserves another blog post). Suffice to say, Google designs the software, decides the specs and are manufactured and marketed by the likes of Micromax, Spice and Karbonn. Not stellar names to be honest. These phones have almost exactly the same hardware and thanks to the largesse of Google, the exact same software as well. 

There is almost nothing to choose between the three phones currently available, but I went for the Micromax Canvas A1 (Rs.6,499) when the time came to choose a phone for my dad (Micromax hardware had impressed me earlier and this time, I knew the software would be decent as well). Design-wise, its as plain looking as the Moto E, hardware-wise, just as middle of the road and performance wise, just as value-for-money. Whether you want to spend an extra Rs.500 for some additional nifty Motorola software and a better brand name (not to mention, Gorilla Glass 3 protection for the clumsy sort), is up to you. 

The Micromax Canvas A1. Not a great looker, but a decent performer.

So there you have it. The best smartphones cheap money can get you. The field is quite crowded, so I might have missed something, but you really cannot go wrong with this list. Do let me know what you think in the comments.