Samsung Galaxy M05 4/64 GB with 25W fast charging and strong battery

Listed at ₹11,999, but it goes on sale fairly often — some buyers have picked it up for under ₹7,000. Worth watching for deals before you buy.

The 5000mAh cell gets you through a full day of moderate use without stress. Stream, browse, scroll — you're covered. Don't count on a second day though.

Low light is rough — grainy, dark, not pretty. Daylight is a different story; the 50MP rear camera pulls decent detail when the lighting cooperates. Stick to daytime shots and you'll be fine.

The 6.7-inch LCD is bright enough and colors are acceptable. Resolution caps at 720p though, so text looks a little soft up close. Casual streaming is fine — just don't expect crisp.

Not really. The processor is basic and 4GB RAM doesn't leave much headroom — heavy games will lag and drop frames. Casual titles are manageable, but serious gamers should look elsewhere.

microSD support goes up to 1TB, so running out of space isn't really a concern. The 64GB built-in handles the basics fine — the card slot is just there when you need more.

After about an hour of video it does warm up — nothing alarming, but noticeable. If you're planning long movie sessions, that's worth keeping in mind.

It supports 25W fast charging and goes from zero to full in roughly 1.5 hours. The catch — no charger in the box. You'll need to buy a 25W adapter separately, which stings a little.

Two years of OS updates and four years of security patches. For a budget phone, that's a reasonable commitment — you're not left exposed after year one.

Side-mounted fingerprint sensor, works reliably. Face unlock is there too, though it's the less secure option. Standard stuff, but it does the job at this price.

Honestly, yes — calls, chats, browsing, social media, it handles all of that without fuss. Battery life is a genuine plus, and the expandable storage helps. Gaming and heavy apps are off the table, but for studying and day-to-day use it's a natural fit.

Heats up during long video sessions, no charger in the box, weak low-light camera, and a 720p screen that shows its limits up close. Real trade-offs — whether they matter depends on what you're buying it for.