India has always had great budget smartphone options around the Rs 20,000 mark. However, until recently, the segment above it didn’t have a lot of exciting options. It primarily included mid-rangers and affordable flagships and not products dedicated to this segment.
However, the Indian smartphone market showed its agility and went on to produce multiple offerings which now make this an extremely exciting segment. The OnePlus Nord was the first phone after the Redmi K20 series that created the buzz in Rs 25,000 segment. Later on, it was Samsung Galaxy M51, and then in 2021, Xiaomi started off with the Mi 10i, and fast forward May 2021, we have quite a few exciting offerings from other brands such as Realme, Redmi, Motowell. iQoo and Vivo also make it into the current list thanks to the price drop.
Best phones under Rs 25,000
1. Redmi Note 10 Pro Max
2. Xiaomi MI 10i
3. Samsung Galaxy M51
4. Poco X3 Pro
5. Realme 8 Pro
6. iQoo 3
7. Moto G 5G
8. Vivo V20
They offer the best bits from flagships without breaking the bank. Phones in this segment typically offer reliable performance and gaming, multiple cameras for versatile implementation, fast charging, AMOLED panels, etc. We’re also starting to see high refresh rate displays finally make an appearance in this segment. With so many improvements in the segment, it will only get hard to differentiate these with flagship phones going further.
The current list of best smartphones under Rs 25,000 consists of eight smartphones and the list is topped by Redmi Note 10 Pro Max, followed closely by the Mi 10i purely because of the value for money proposition it brings to the table. This is followed by the battery monster which also turned out to be an excellent all-rounder, the Galaxy M51. The rest of the list includes smartphones Poco’s new X3 Pro with a flagship chipset, Realme 8 Pro, and iQoo 3. The list ends with Moto’s cheapest 5G phone and the Vivo V20.
In case you can’t wait any longer, here are the best phones under Rs 25,000 in India worth splurging on.
Xiaomi India came out with all guns blazing with the new Redmi Note 10 series 一 the Redmi Note 10 Pro Max is the most premium one of the trio in the series. Calling the Redmi Note 10 Pro Max an upgrade would be an understatement. It brings competitive features such as an AMOLED display with a high 120Hz refresh rate, a 108MP quad-camera stack, great battery life and more, in a package that is literally and figuratively easy on the pocket, making it our new best phone under Rs 20,000 as well as under Rs 25,000 in India.
Our personal favourite feature of the phone is the 5MP macro camera which actually works and delivers incredible pictures. While the phone lacks 5G capabilities, the chipset performs reasonably well for most day to day tasks. It’s also well-tuned to be efficient, giving the phone excellent battery life that will easily last you through the day.
In a nutshell, we have very little to complain about with the Redmi Note 10 Pro Max. And looking at the asking price for the said features, it is currently our top recommendation right now.
Read our Redmi Note 10 Pro Max review
Xiaomi kickstarted the year with a bang in India with the launch of Mi 10i. he Xiaomi Mi 10i completes the Xiaomi Mi 10 family in India and joins the Mi 10, Mi 10T and Mi 10T Pro. The Mi 10i inherits flagship features like 108MP primary camera, 120Hz refresh rate display, and a powerful new chipset. The Xiaomi Mi 10i is powered by Snapdragon 750G chipset which is placed just under the Snapdragon 765G SoC. It is a very capable chipset and performs really well even with heavy tasks and usages.
The Mi 10i is also the cheapest phone with 108MP camera in India. The Samsung HM2 sensor debuted in India with the launch. It is followed by an 8MP ultra-wide shooter with a 120-degree field-of-view, a 2MP macro shooter and a 2MP depth sensor. It can also shoot 4K and macro videos. Selfies are handled by a 16MP shooter. The Mi 10i sports a 6.67-inch Full HD+ LCD screen with 120Hz refresh rate. The AdaptiveSync feature switches between 30Hz, 48Hz, 50Hz, 60Hz, 90Hz and 120Hz to match with the content.
Read our Xiaomi Mi 10i review
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 and the pricing is also pretty sweet this time around. 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.
Read our Samsung Galaxy M51 review
Poco X3 Pro is a performance-centric device with impressive specs and an even more impressive price. The Poco X3 Pro is powered by Snapdragon 860 chipset, which is the only Snapdragon 8 series phone under Rs 25,00 at the launch. As you’d expect, the device can handle everything you throw at it without any hassle. This is also the best performing phone in the segment we’ve seen in a long time.
Apart from a powerful SoC in the heart, the device also comes with a 6.67-inch Full HD+ 120Hz LCD display. The dynamic switch features will switch between 50Hz, 60Hz, 90Hz, and 120Hz automatically depending on the content playing on the screen. It comes with up to 8GB RAM and 128GB of internal storage. It packs in a 5,160mAh battery with 33W fast charge support.
In the optics department, the Poco X3 Pro comes with a 48MP Sony IMX582 sensor(f/1.79) main camera, an 8MP ultra-wide, a 2MP depth sensor, and a 2MP macro lens – both with f/2.4. Selfies are handled by a 20MP camera. The device is bulky at 220 grams, but that’s the only thing we’ve to complain about. If you’re a gamer, this is the one for you.
Read our Poco X3 Pro review
India’s cheapest phone with a 108MP primary camera right now, the Realme 8 Pro, bets big on the user experience more than the latest internals. The camera app comes with so many features that last a lifetime. It comes with a crisp AMOLED display, solid battery life and 50W fast charging. But, it does miss out on a high refresh rate display and the latest chipset.
While this might not be our first recommendation in the sub Rs 25,000 segment, this phone is for the ones who need a phone with more polished software, super-fast charging with excellent battery life and overall better experience since the company has used the same chipset for the last two generations.
Read our Realme 8 Pro review
Launched at Rs 39,990, the iQoo 3 is now available for just Rs 24,990 on Flipkart. The iQoo 3 is also the cheapest phone with Snapdragon 865 in India right now. The iQoo 3 sports a 6.44 inch AMOLED display, but it is a 60Hz panel. Performance, cameras, charging, and an enjoyable interface are all spot on with the device.
The phone is an ideal choice for gamers and a nice alternate for the Poco X3 Pro. While the Poco X3 Pro comes with an LCD screen, the iQoo 3 comes with an AMOLED panel, but you’d be trading a high refresh rate panel. The 4,440mAh battery unit is backed by a 55W fast charging.
Read our iQoo 3 review
India’s cheapest phone with 5G support, the Moto G 5G is priced at Rs 20,999. During the sale on Flipkart, the phones go as low as Rs 18,999. The Moto G 5G is powered by the new Qualcomm Snapdragon 750G SoC. It features Snapdragon X52 modem for global 5G connectivity on both mmWave and sub-6GHz spectrums. Powering the device is a 5000mAh battery with 20W fast charging support. Other features include 3.5 mm headphone jack, Bluetooth 5.1, IP52 rating, and dual-band Wi-Fi.
The Moto G 5G sports a 6.7- Full HD+ Max Vision display. It comes in sole 6GB + 128GB combo. You also get a microSD card slot to further expand the storage. The fingerprint scanner is located on the rear. Moto G 5G sports a triple rear camera stack with a primary 48MP(f/1.7) shooter with PDAF which is followed by an 8MP (f/2.2) 118° ultra-wide-angle lens and a 2MP(f/2.4) macro vision camera. To the front, there is a16MP (f/2.2) selfie shooter.
Vivo V20 2021 is a refreshed model of the Vivo V20 which was launched back in October 2020. The new Vivo V20 (2021) comes with Snapdragon 730G chipset instead of the Snapdragon 720 SoC. The Vivo V20 comes with a 44MP f/2.0 selfie camera which is the key highlight of the device. It is a Samsung ISOCELL GH1 sensor with Eye autofocus.
To the back, you are looking at a triple camera setup which looks quite similar to the Vivo X50 Pro. There is a 64MP f/1.89 primary camera (Samsung ISOCELL GW1), an 8MP ultra-wide shooter that doubles as a macro shooter, and a 2MP mono camera. The battery is rated at 4,000mAh with support for 33W FlashCharge which can charge the device to 65% in just 30 minutes. You get a 6.44-inch E3 AMOLED display with a Full HD+ resolution and HDR10 capabilities.
Best phones under Rs 25000 in India
| Product | Price |
|---|---|
| Redmi Note 10 Pro Max | Rs 18,999 onwards |
| Xiaomi Mi 10i | Rs 21,999 onwards |
| Samsung Galaxy M51 | Rs 22,999 onwards |
| Poco X3 Pro | Rs 18,999 onwards |
| Realme 8 Pro | Rs 17,999 onwards |
| iQoo 3 | Rs 24,990 |
| Moto G 5G | Rs 20,999 |
| Vivo V20 | Rs 22,990 |
These are the best phones that are currently available in India under Rs 25,000. The segment is also now getting crowded with better offerings and top variants of budget devices, thus offering the best bang for your buck. In the coming days, the Realme 8 5G series, Realme GT, iQoo Neo 5 and Mi 11 Lite are expected to come under this segment.