Ameya DalviMar 29, 2021 10:09:51 IST
Expect the latest (or a generation-old) flagship devices in the sub-Rs 50,000 segment with powerful processing hardware, ample RAM and storage, excellent cameras, sharp displays and other features one looks forward to from phones in this price bracket. Let’s jump straight into the action and get acquainted with the top five smartphones you can purchase with a budget of Rs 50,000, this month.
Best phones to buy under Rs 50,000 in India
Asus ROG Phone 5
Technically, the Asus ROG Phone 5 will not be available for purchase till 15 April, but since we already know more than a thing or two about it, we thought of giving you a heads up in case you are looking to buy a gaming phone soon. Asus’ ROG series of phones have become synonymous with high-end mobile gaming over the last couple of years, and the latest iteration is no different. As always, it puts together the fastest processing hardware around with tonnes of optimisations and enhancements to give you a smooth gaming experience. The phone runs Android 11 with ROG UI.
Asus ROG Phone 5
The Asus ROG Phone 5 is powered by Qualcomm’s latest Snapdragon 888 SoC. You get the 8 GB RAM and 128 GB storage variant in this budget. The screen has become even larger, with a 6.78-inch Full HD+ 10-bit AMOLED display on offer for gaming in full glory. It retains the 144 Hz refresh rate and HDR10+ compliance and can now get up to 1,200 nits bright. The camera department at the back is similar, with a 64 MP primary camera, a 13 MP ultra-wide shooter and a 5 MP macro camera. Just like the ROG Phone 3, this, too, has a 6,000 mAh battery. However, the 30 W fast charging has now been bumped up to 65 W, which means its gigantic battery can be charged in under an hour.
Asus ROG Phone 5 price in India: Rs 49,999 for 8 GB RAM / 128 GB storage
Asus ROG Phone 3
Asus ROG Phone 3. Image: Anirudh Regidi
The ROG Phone 5 may be a fortnight away, but that has resulted in a big price drop for its predecessor. The Asus ROG Phone 3 (Review) is still a great phone for gamers and power users alike. It is powered by Qualcomm’s previous flagship SoC, the Snapdragon 865+, which is a force to be reckoned with. Both, 8 GB and 12 GB RAM variants with 128 GB of UFS 3.1 internal storage are now comfortably within the Rs 50,000 budget. The ROG Phone 3 has a 6.6-inch Full HD+ AMOLED screen with a 144 Hz refresh rate and 270 Hz touch sampling rate. It also supports 10-bit colour gamut with HDR10+ compliance and a rated maximum brightness of 650 nits. The phone runs Android 10 with ROG UI.
The 5G-compliant ROG Phone 3 has a mammoth 6,000 mAh battery for long, uninterrupted gaming sessions. The bundled 30 W fast charger with QuickCharge 4.0 support doesn’t take too long to recharge the battery. The phone has a pair of stereo speakers with dedicated amplifiers along with an array of gaming features and optimisations. The camera department is more than decent, with a 64 MP primary camera, a 13 MP ultra-wide camera and a 5 MP macro camera. Though this is more of a gaming phone than one for photography enthusiasts, it can capture some impressive shots and record videos in up to 8K resolution.
Asus ROG Phone 3 price in India: Rs 41,999 for 8 GB RAM / 128 GB storage; Rs 45,999 for 12 GB RAM / 128 GB storage
OnePlus 8T
Yes, the OnePlus 9 is here and available in this budget, too, but that is not a phone we would advise you to blow up 50,000 bucks on. We strongly feel the OnePlus 8T (Review) offers much better value for money overall, even without a price drop or a discount. The 8T’s pricing is a lot more sensible in comparison to the OnePlus 8 or 9. The top variant of the OnePlus 8T (with 12 GB RAM and 256 GB storage) fits comfortably into this budget, and that’s a good Rs 9,000 cheaper than the OnePlus 9 with similar RAM and storage. Enough of money talk – let’s take a look at the key specs.
OnePlus 8T. Image: Tech2/ Ameya Dalvi
Just like the OnePlus 9, you get a 6.55-inch Full HD+ Fluid AMOLED display with a 120 Hz refresh rate and HDR10+ support. There’s a 16 MP selfie camera located in a tiny punch-hole at the top. The phone has an elegant design with a metal frame (its successor has a plastic frame) and a glass body protected by Corning Gorilla Glass 5 at the front and back. You get a quad-camera setup at the back with a combination of a 48MP primary camera with OIS (no OIS on OnePlus 9), a 16 MP ultrawide camera, 5 MP macro camera and a 2MP depth sensor. The cameras manage to shoot some impressive images in different lighting, and the main camera is smartly used to capture zoomed shots, too.
The 5G-enabled OnePlus 8T is powered by Qualcomm’s previous flagship Snapdragon 865 chip, which is potent enough for any task. Its 4,500 mAh battery lasts comfortably well over a day of moderate use, and the bundled 65 W Warp charger recharges it in a mere 39 minutes. It runs OxygenOS 11 based on Android 11 out of the box. You often get Rs 2,500 to Rs 3,000 off on Amazon India, making it an even better deal. Keep an eye out for that if you’re interested in the 8T.
OnePlus 8T price in India: Rs 42,999 for 8 GB RAM / 128 GB storage; Rs 45,999 for 12 GB RAM / 256 GB storage
Samsung Galaxy S20 FE
Samsung Galaxy S20 FE. Image: Tech2/ Sheldon Pinto
Samsung’s budget flagship, the Galaxy S20 FE (Review), remains another good option in this budget. This phone has a 6.5-inch Super AMOLED display with a 120 Hz refresh rate and is HDR10+ compliant, too. The stylish phone is IP68 dust- and water-resistant and is powered by Samsung’s high-end Exynos 990 chip that also powers other phones in the Galaxy S20 series. The 8 GB RAM and 256 GB internal storage variant is currently selling for close to Rs 40,000, which makes it a great buy. Internal storage can be expanded further up to 1 TB using a microSD card.
In the photography department, the S20 FE is quite versatile and packs a 12 MP primary camera with dual-pixel PDAF and OIS, a 12 MP ultra-wide camera and an 8 MP telephoto camera with autofocus and OIS for up to 3X optical zoom. As is the case with most Samsung S series phones, camera quality is excellent. There’s a 32 MP camera at the front for selfie enthusiasts. The battery life is good, too, thanks to a 4,500 mAh battery that can sail through a day and a half of moderate use. The phone launched with Android 10 with Samsung’s One UI on top, and one can expect an Android 11 update soon.
Samsung Galaxy S20 FE price in India: Rs 40,999 Rs 43,850 for 8 GB RAM / 256 GB storage
Apple iPhone 11
iPhone 11
Yes, you read that right. The price of the Apple iPhone 11 (Review) has dropped under Rs 50,000 at present. You can pick up the 64 GB storage variant of the iPhone 11 in this budget. It is powered by Apple’s previous-generation A13 Bionic chip that’s still powerful enough. You get a 6.1-inch Liquid Retina IPS LCD display with the typical 326 PPI pixel density that you get on most iPhones, along with scratch-resistant glass and oleophobic coating.
You get dual 12 MP cameras at the back; the main camera supports OIS while the second lets you capture ultra-wide shots. Do I really need to elaborate on the performance of iPhone cameras? You also get a 12 MP camera up front for selfies. The 3,110 mAh battery lasts a day of moderate use, and supports 18 W fast charging and Qi wireless charging. The IP68 rated dust-and water-resistant phone launched with iOS 13, and is upgradable to the new iOS 14.
Apple iPhone 11 price in India: Rs 44,999 – Rs 48,999 for 64 GB storage
