Top budget smartphones for students

Smartphones: Yes, you will be ashamed to go to college without one of these. But which ones are ideal for students without burning a hole in their parents' pockets? Gadgets and Gizmos' Nidhi Singal gives you a lowdown.

SAMSUNG GALAXY CORE (Rs 15,000): It has got a 4.3-inch display along with a 1.2GHz dual-core processor and 1GB RAM. Running Android Jelly Bean, it comes with 5MP camera and 8GB of internal storage. While this will let you handle all tasks with ease, you can also consider the Samsung Galaxy Quattro with a quad-core processor for Rs 16,500.

MICROMAX CANVAS HD (Rs 14,999): Undoubtedly, the best Canvas smartphone from Micromax, the Canvas HD has got 5-inch IPS panel display with 720p resolution. This smartphone is powered by 1.2GHz quad core MediaTek chipset. It has also got 1GB RAM, an 8MP rear camera, 4GB internal storage and a 2000 mAh battery. Running Android Jelly Bean (v4.1), it has got connectivity features such as Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and micro USB 2.0.

NOKIA LUMIA 620 (Rs 14,999): It has a 3.8-inch screen with Nokia's ClearBlack display technology. The Lumia 620 has got a 1GHz dual-core processor coupled with 512MB of RAM. A 5MP camera sits at the back while offering 8GB of internal storage and support for memory cards. With a 1300 mAh battery, apps like Cinemagraph, Smart Shoot, City Lens, Microsoft Office, Nokia Music, OneNote, Lync, Skype and Nokia Maps come pre-loaded.

GIONEE E3 (Rs 14,999): The E3 has got a 4.7inch display in a sleek 7.9mm chassis. Even this has got a 1.2Ghz quad-core processor with 1GB RAM. Gionee has loaded a custom skin over the stock Android, which feels good and doesn't spoil the performance. The 8MP camera captures decent images.

KARBONN TITANIUM S1 (Rs 10,990): This is a decent budget phone with a 4.5-inch display and a quad-core processor. Running Android v4.1, quad-core is clocked at 1.2GHz and paired with 1GB RAM. There is 4GB of internal storage, which is expandable up to 32GB via a microSD card. The 5MP camera is just average. The only downside of the Titanium S1 is its plastic back and lack of FM Radio.

SAMSUNG GALAXY STAR (Rs 5,420): It has a 1GHz processor with 512 MB RAM, but the 3-inch capacitive display makes it look small. This is a dual-SIM smartphone running Android v4.1 and comes with 4GB internal storage. This device can only handle basic tasks such as email, browsing, calling, etc.

NOKIA ASHA 501 (Rs 5,199): While we keep talking about smartphones, the fact remains that most of India can't afford one. With people aspiring for smartphones, feature phones now give you a lot of smart features. The Asha 501 is one such smart and trendy phone for the Aam Aadmi.