In today’s AI-powered digital age, the demand for 5G smartphones is growing rapidly, especially among the college and school students. As everything is online, a good 5G phone has become a must for online classes, research, entertainment, and social media. But finding a quality 5G phone with latest features and within the budget can be difficult. To make the search process easy, we have come up with a list of the best and affordable 5G smartphones that parents can buy for their children who are currently studying in college or school.
The good news is that multiple local and global mobile brands have now launched decent 5G smartphones for less than ₹ 10,000. If you are a student and want the best 5G phone in the budget, then below we have compiled a list based on recent web data from Smartprix, MySmartPrice, Indian Express and X!
1. Redmi A4 5G – Best option for Jio users
The Redmi A4 5G is currently the cheapest 5G smartphone in India, price starts at around ₹ 7,999. It has a 6.8-inch HD + display, 120Hz refresh rate and Snapdragon 4s Gen 2 processor. With 4GB of RAM and 64GB/128GB of storage, this phone is enough for everyday tasks. The camera section has a 50MP dual rear camera and an 8MP selfie camera. The battery of this phone is also massive 5160mAh, which supports 18W fast charging. To charge this device, a 33W fast charger is provided within the box with type-c cable.
However, Redmi A4 5G phone has a limitation – it only supports Stand Alone network, means it only works with Jio’s 5G network (SA), does not support Airtel and Vi’s 5G (NSA) network. If you are a Jio user and in your area Jio connectivity is fine, then this can be the best option for you.
In Indian market, Poco C75 5G is a close alternate to Redmi A4 5G and the best thing is its warranty is offered by Xiaomi in india. You can get this phone in around ₹7,699 from flipkart, but we advice don’t go for this as it comes with only 10W charger which is not so fast to charge a massive 5160mAh battery!
2. Infinix Hot 50 5G – Stylish and Feature-Packed
The Infinix Hot 50 5G is priced at ₹9,999 and is a good option in the budget segment. It has a 6.7-inch HD+ display, 120Hz refresh rate and MediaTek Dimensity 6300 processor. It is available in variants of 4GB / 8GB RAM and 128GB storage. Talking about the camera, it has a 48MP Sony IMX582 sensor and an 8MP front camera. There is 18W fast charging support with 5000mAh battery.
The specialty of this phone is its slim design (7.8mm), wet touch display, and AI camera features. If you want a stylish and feature-packed 5G phone, then this can be a good option. Based on the service center in your area, you can pick this phone and use it without any issue.
3. Moto G34 5G and G45 5G – (Recommended)
Motorola is a big name in smartphones industry and they launch new phones based on the current trends or as per the users expectations time to time and here are 2 new affordable 5G phones named G35 5G and G45 5G. These 2 phones are fully 5G phones, means support both SA and NSA 5G network and works with Airtel, VI, and Jio. We have compared both phones in the below given table, so have a look at and select any one based on your choice.
| Feature | Moto G35 5G | Moto G45 5G |
| Display | 6.72-inch FHD+ (1080×2400), 120Hz IPS LCD, 1000 nits, Gorilla Glass 3 | 6.5-inch HD+ (720×1600), 120Hz IPS LCD, 500 nits, Gorilla Glass 3 |
| Processor | Unisoc T760 (6nm, 2.2GHz octa-core) | Qualcomm Snapdragon 6s Gen 3 (6nm, 2.3GHz, rebranded Snapdragon 695) |
| RAM/Storage | 4GB + 128GB (LPDDR4x, UFS 2.2) | 4GB/8GB + 128GB (LPDDR4x, UFS 2.2) |
| Rear Camera | 50MP (wide, f/1.8) + 8MP (ultrawide), 4K video | 50MP (wide, f/1.8) + 2MP (depth), 4K video |
| Front Camera | 16MP | 16MP |
| Battery | 5,000mAh, 18W fast charging | 5,000mAh, 20W fast charging |
| OS | Android 14 (My UX), 1 OS update (Android 15) + 3 years security | Android 14 (My UX), 1 OS update (Android 15) + 3 years security |
| Design | Vegan leather, IP54, 186g, 8mm thick | Vegan leather, IP52, 183g, 8mm thick |
| Connectivity | 12 5G bands, Wi-Fi 5, Bluetooth 5.0, no NFC | 12 5G bands, Wi-Fi 5, Bluetooth 5.1, NFC |
| Colors | Leaf Green, Guava Red, Midnight Black | Brilliant Blue, Brilliant Green, Viva Magenta |
| Extras | Stereo speakers, Dolby Atmos | Stereo speakers, Dolby Atmos, Moto Connect (PC integration) |
Unisoc T760 is a desi processor that’s why company offered the better display (Full HD) in G35 5G, while the G45 5G comes with a globally popular Snapdragon 6s Gen 3 processor and to keep the price of G45 under Rs 9999, company offered an HD display and this is the major difference in both G35 and G45 5G smartphones. However, for everyday tasks like messaging, WhatsApp video calls, streaming YouTube/Instagram/OTT content, and using educational apps, both devices perform smoothly, and prices starting at just ₹9,999.
4. Itel P55 5G – Decent performance in budget
Itel P55 5G is available at a price of ₹ 9,999 and comes with MediaTek Dimensity 6080 processor. It has a 6.6-inch HD+ IPS display, 90Hz refresh rate, 4GB/6GB RAM and 64GB/128GB storage. The camera section has a 50MP AI dual rear camera and an 8MP front camera. The capacity of battery is around 5000mAh, which supports 18W fast charging.
Although its camera performance is average, this phone is good enough for everyday use and if you love to play games, then you can also play some lite mobile games on this device in your free time!
5. Samsung Galaxy A14 5G – With Brand Trust
Samsung is a popular mobile brand in India. It offers a premium look and feel, and when you hold its smartphone in your hand you don’t feel cheap. Samsung targets every segment users and hence in Indian mobile market you can also find its entry level 5G phone named Galaxy A14 5G, starts from ₹9,999.
The based variant of Samsung Galaxy A14 5G (4 GB RAM | 64 GB ROM) is available for ₹9,999 after discounts. It has a 6.6-inch FHD+ display, 90Hz refresh rate and Exynos 1330 processor. The camera section has a 50MP triple rear camera and a 13MP front camera. The battery capacity is around 5000mAh, which supports 15W fast charging and it supports both SA and NSA network!
If you want a branded phone and prefer Samsung’s software experience, then this is a good option. As Galaxy A14 5G is a Samsung product, you will get its sale after service in your city or town. The care center of Samsung is available nearly in every city in India and that’s why people love this brand!
Conclusion
Finding a 5G phone in a budget of less than ₹10,000 is a bit difficult, but these options are best for students. If you are a Jio user, then the Redmi A4 5G and Poco C75 5G are the cheapest option. At the same time, Infinix Hot 50 5G and Itel P55 5G are also good options with Mediatek processor where you can play some lite games too. However, If you want brand value, then you can consider Samsung Galaxy A14 5G or Moto G35 or G45 5G smartphones.
As we have tried all these entry level 5G smartphones, we recommend you can either go for Moto G35 5G or Moto G45 5G. Both these Motorola phones offer decent performance and stock Android experience + support SA and NSA network. Additionally, Motorola is a well-known brand in India and Global, means the sale after service will not disappoint you!
Keep in mind that do not expect gaming and high-end camera performance in these phones, but these phones are perfect for everyday use – video streaming, online classes and social media. Keep checking Flipkart, Amazon, and mobile brand stores for sales and discounts and last don’t forget to share the affordable 5G phones list with others on social media platforms!
