Buying the best phone under Rs. 20,000 doesn’t mean compromising on what you want. The segment offers some feature-packed phones that you would love to own. Thanks to the likes of Qualcomm and MediaTek developing smarter chipsets, smartphone makers are bringing out affordable mid-range devices.
These chipsets are smarter and capable of saving on energy, which means users can now experience several features that were once considered the exclusive domain of flagship phones. The Snapdragon 7-series and Dimensity chipsets in the mid-range phones integrate components that fulfill a large chunk of your expectations.
Best phones under Rs 20,000
However, we find that this mid-price segment has become pretty crowded with so many options. So, prioritize the features that matter most to you, like camera performance, gaming, user experience, high-resolution display, fast-charging, and so on. Once you decide on your key requirements, you may be able to narrow down your research.
And, to assist you with this very requirement, we have compiled a list of some best mid-range Android phones. Every device listed here is an overall good performer and could satiate your basic needs without burning a hole in your pocket.
We also believe you might be looking around for a gift for someone this holiday season. So, pick the best smartphone from the lot and become the apple of their eye!
The list of phones below Rs. 20,000 budget includes phones from Redmi, Motorola, Poco, Realme, Samsung, Infinix, and more.
It’d be a surprise not to see a Redmi Note series in the best budget phone category. The series has played an instrumental role in building the segment in India over the past few years and the Redmi Note 10 Pro Max is the latest addition to the list with impressive specs and equally impressive performance.
It brings competitive features such as an AMOLED display with a high refresh rate, a 108MP quad-camera stack, great battery life and fast charging. While the phone lacks 5G capabilities, the chipset performs reasonably well for most day to day tasks.
For those who don’t want a 108MP camera, the Redmi Note 10 Pro with a 64MP camera is available for Rs 3,000 less. Apart from the primary camera, everything else remains the same on both phones.
For those who prefer performance and a gaming-centric phone, the Poco X3 Pro is hands-down the best performer in the segment with its flagship-grade Snapdragon 860 processor. The Poco X3 Pro sports a 6.67-inch Full HD+ display with a 120Hz display – though it isn’t an AMOLED panel, the LCD panel on the device is of good quality with adequate performance.
Though the camera looks like a downgrade from the Poco X3, the primary camera on the Poco X3 Pro impressed us. The phone is packed with a big battery which can last one full day easily even with heavy usage. MIUI 12 isn’t still perfect software, but the powerful processor and optimization allow it to run smoothly.
The cheapest phone with 108MP camera in India right now, the Realme 8 Pro is the company’s attempt to satisfy every consumer’s needs for different camera modes, and it does that successfully while making a smartphone that turns out to be better than most others in the below 20k segment.
The Qualcomm Snapdragon 720G processor ensures that the smartphone has fluid performance when handling all kinds of tasks, be that gaming, photography, or the use of multiple heavy apps. The handset features a 4,500mAh which is backed by a 50W charger that can last a day. To sum it up, the Realme 8 Pro is a solid device that would give most smartphones in the category a run for its money, but not all of them.
The Moto G60 is the company’s offering with 108MP camera setup at a budget. The phone can take good images with great colors and details in the daylight. The 8MP ultra-wide-angle camera also doubles up as a macro shooter and produces excellent images. Powering the device is a Snapdragon 732G, a capable gaming chipset that performs smoothly.
Adding to the smoothness, the Moto G60 also comes with a big 6.8-inch 120Hz LCD screen with HDR10 certification. There is also a massive 6,000mAh battery which should last at least one full day with heavy usage, backed by a 20W fast charging. Lastly, the Moto G60 is also a perfect phone for those who don’t want to deal with any bloatware, ads – you get near-stock Android 11 experience with a dedicated Google Assistant button.
The iQoo Z3 is powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 768G chipset that offers good performance without any hitch including gaming sessions.
On the front, you are looking at a 6.58-inch Full HD+ LCD panel with a 120Hz screen refresh rate. The device features a 180Hz touch sampling rate and HDR10 certification. The iQoo Z3 comes with a Samsung GW3 64MP f/1.79 camera, an 8MP ultra-wide lens and a 2MP macro lens. On the front is a 16MP selfie camera inside the dew-drop notch. The camera performance during daylight offers good output and accurate color grading.
Lastly, the iQoo Z3 has a 4,400mAh battery unit backed by a 55W fast charger that can charge the device up to 50% in just 19 minutes. You also get 3.5mm headphone.
The Narzo 30 Pro comes with some downgrades from the predecessor, but it does offer competitive specs and performance to stay on the list. It is now the cheapest 5G phone in India as it is powered by a MediaTek Dimensity 800U processor.
You get a 120Hz screen on a 6.5-inch Full HD+ LCD screen and a 48MP primary camera while there is a 16MP selfie shooter. The battery is rated at 5,000mAh and is backed by a 30W charger. The device is powered by a MediaTek Dimensity 800U chipset.
The Galaxy M51 is one of Samsung’s few devices that offer the best value for money. Though when introduced, the Galaxy M51 was slightly pricier, however, after various discounts, the phone is now available for below Rs. 20,000.
With Samsung Galaxy M51, Samsung has kept the same two core pillars – massive battery and Super AMOLED panel. However, one of the major additions comes in terms of performance, Samsung has finally added a powerful Snapdragon processor to the M series. Similarly, it also brings a capable array of cameras with a ton of shooting modes that aren’t common in this segment.
You also get flagship features such as a 64MP quad-camera setup, fast charging and reverse charging and a very polished software experience with One UI 2.1.
The Infinix Note 10 Pro is the brand’s most premium product in India currently but it comes under your preferred budget. It is powered by a gaming-centric MediaTek Helio G95 processor paired with 8GB of RAM and 256GB of internal storage. In terms of visuals, the company is providing a 6.95-inch Full HD+ LCD screen with a 90Hz refresh rate. The screen is also TÜV Rheinland certified for low-light consumption.
The device draws power from a big 5,000mAh battery unit which supports 33W fast charging. In the options department, you get a 64 MP primary shooter, an 8MP ultra-wide-angle lens and two 2MP shooters. The selfies are handled by a 16MP shooter on the front.
With the smartphone market back in full swing, the under Rs 20,000 segment continues to be one of the most exciting ones. On the horizon, we are expecting devices from Samsung, Oppo, Realme, and Motorola to join the segment by July.
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