With new smartphones launching each week and prices falling due to competition, the market landscape has shifted yet again. It's time to take a fresh look at all the smartphones available in India today and pick the best ones at each budget level. Whether you're picking up your first entry-level device or upgrading to a top-specced flagship, we're here to take the confusion out of sorting through the hundreds of models available. We have the latest pricing information and have come up with a definitive guide to help you get the best possible value for money today.

Methodology
We've divided the market into a number of price bands, based on current trends and the amount a buyer can usually stretch his or her budget by after having identified a reasonable model. Generally, the phones in each price band will be comparable in terms of features and capabilities. We've also considered current street prices, as opposed to MRPs, since these prices do drop over the course of a device's life, and what really matters is the price right now.

The cheapest smartphones that are still usable sell for between Rs. 5,000 and Rs. 10,000. From Rs. 10,000 up to Rs. 15,000 you can buy a modern smartphone with all the important features in place, that offers a pretty good user experience.

Between Rs. 15,000 and Rs. 30,000, we are firmly in mid-range territory. However, due to the massive difference between devices at either end of this band, we've subdivided it even further. Budget-friendly options now include models with quad-core processors and reasonably good cameras, and Indian and Chinese brands muscling in on the territory formerly dominated by brands like Samsung and Sony. You also have a wider range of platform options. A number of smartphones that were top end just a year ago - and are still perfectly serviceable - make up the higher end of this band.

Above Rs. 30,000, we have a variety of models including flagship-level phones that are due to be replaced in a few months' time. These still represent tremendous value for money, since they have been on the market for less than a year. Flagship devices and those with extraordinary high-end features sell for between Rs. 40,000 and Rs. 65,000. In this range, you'll find more recently launched models. The upper reaches of this category are made up of variants with more storage capacity. Of course, if money is no object, there are phones even more luxurious that you can splurge on. Some of these have designer touches, or are built out of exotic materials, driving prices higher and higher.

Here are our top picks in each category:

Under Rs. 10,000
This has probably been the most hotly contested market segment over the past year. Till recently, Chinese upstart Xiaomi had a solid grip on this territory thanks to itsRedmi 1S (Review | Pictures) and Redmi Note (Review | Pictures), two well-built products with excellent features compared to everyone else. Recently though, Micromax's Yu Yureka (Review | Pictures) has managed to steal the spotlight.

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