Ameya DalviJul 27, 2021 12:13:40 IST
Competition in the sub-Rs 20,000 smartphone segment has heated up since last quarter – and heated up so much, we had a tough time finalising our list of top five phones to buy under Rs 20,000. Thus, we have included a sixth entrant this time around. As always, you can expect respectable processing power, good cameras, sharp displays, high refresh rate screens and more. And, of course, we have a couple of options with 108 MP cameras, too. Time to meet these half a dozen phones that offer the best bang for the buck in the segment this July.
Best phones to buy under Rs 20,000 in India (July 2021)
Redmi Note 10 Pro/Pro Max
Redmi Note 10 Pro Max
The Redmi Note 10 Pro and Note 10 Pro Max are arguably the best all-round phones in this budget. They are almost identical, except for one notable difference. The Pro has a 64 MP primary camera, while the Max bumps it up to 108 MP. The rest of the features are pretty much the same. Their respective primary cameras are accompanied by an 8 MP ultra-wide camera, 5 MP macro camera and a 2 MP depth sensor. Camera performance is quite impressive (by segment standards) on both phones, with the Note 10 Pro Max faring slightly better. Both phones have a 16 MP front camera to handle selfies and video calls.
Both phones have a large 6.67-inch Full HD+ Super AMOLED display that can get up to 1,200 nits bright (theoretically) and features Corning Gorilla Glass 5 protection against scratches. The screens are HDR10-compliant and have a 120 Hz refresh rate. These are the only phones on this list to have both an AMOLED screen as well as a high refresh rate. The Redmi Note 10 Pro series is powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 732G SoC, and you get 6 GB RAM and 128 GB internal storage, that can be expanded further with a microSD card. Both phones have 5,020 mAh batteries that last over a day and a half of moderate use, and a 33 W fast charger is included in the bundle. The phones run Android 11 with MIUI 12.
Redmi Note 10 Pro price in India: Rs 17,999 for 6 GB RAM/128 GB storage
Redmi Note 10 Pro Max price in India: Rs 19,999 for 6 GB RAM/128 GB storage (additional Rs 1,000 off in the Amazon Prime Day sale)
Poco X3 Pro
Poco X3 Pro
The Poco X3 Pro is the phone with the most powerful processor on this list. It is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 860 SoC that’s pretty much a rebranded Snapdragon 855+, which was Qualcomm’s flagship chip not too long ago. Giving it company are 6 GB RAM and 128 GB of internal storage. Thus, you have ample processing power for any task you may perform on this phone, including gaming. The phone has a 6.67-inch Full HD+ LCD display with a 120 Hz refresh rate for smooth scrolling in compatible apps. The screen is protected against scratches by a layer of Gorilla Glass 6.
The Poco X3 Pro has quad cameras at the back, with a combination of a 48 MP primary camera, an 8 MP ultra-wide shooter, 2 MP macro camera and a 2 MP depth sensor. A small punch-hole at the top of the screen hosts a 20 MP camera for selfies and video calls. Camera quality is quite good for the segment. Its 5,160 mAh battery easily lasts over a day and a half of moderate use. The company bundles a 33 W fast charger with this phone to juice it up quickly. The phone runs Android 11 with MIUI 12 on top.
Poco X3 Pro price in India: Rs 18,999 for 6 GB RAM/128 GB storage
iQOO Z3 5G
iQoo Z3
The Vivo sub-brand breached the Rs 20,000 barrier with the launch of its iQOO Z3 5G model. It has an impressive set of specifications and features for its asking price. At its core is Qualcomm’s new midrange Snapdragon 768 SoC, along with 6 GB RAM and 128 GB of internal storage. The Z3 has a 6.58-inch Full HD+ LCD screen with a 120 Hz refresh rate and HDR10 compliance. You get a 16 MP selfie camera located in the drop-notch at the top of the screen.
Photography on this 5G-ready phone is handled by three cameras at the back, starting with a 64 MP primary camera, 8 MP ultrawide shooter and a 2 MP macro camera. The iQOO Z3 5G runs Android 11 with FunTouch 11 UI on top. Battery capacity stands at 4,400 mAh, and it keeps the phone running for well over a day of moderate use. The company bundles a 55 W fast charger with the phone.
iQOO Z3 5G price in India: Rs 19,990 for 6 GB RAM/128 GB storage (additional Rs 1,500 off in the Amazon Prime Day sale)
Realme Narzo 30 Pro 5G
Realme Narzo 30 Pro Image: Tech2/Sheldon Pinto
The Realme Narzo 30 Pro 5G (Review) retains its place on this list and remains one of the most affordable 5G phones in India. It is powered by a Mediatek Dimensity 800U SoC, and you now get the 8 GB RAM variant with 128 GB internal storage in this budget. Like most Narzo series phones, the design of the 30 Pro 5G is quite elegant. Battery capacity has been bumped up to 5,000 mAh, but the company does not bundle a 65 W SuperDart charger as it did with its predecessor, the Narzo 20 Pro. You do get a respectable 30 W Dart charger here that charges the phone fully in just over an hour.
You get three cameras at the back consisting of a 48 MP primary camera, 8 MP ultra-wide snapper and a 2 MP macro camera. You also get a 16 MP selfie camera located in a tiny punch-hole at the top of the screen. The Realme Narzo 30 Pro has a 6.5-inch Full HD+ display that claims to get as high as 600 nits bright. You also get the 120 Hz refresh rate feature here for smooth scrolling. The phone runs Android 10 with Realme UI on top, and an Android 11 update is expected shortly.
Realme Narzo 30 Pro 5G price in India: Rs 17,999 for 8 GB RAM/128 GB storage
Samsung Galaxy F62
Galaxy F62
The Samsung Galaxy F62 is quite a sizeable device courtesy its large, 6.7-inch Super AMOLED Plus display, and it weighs in excess of 200 grams, thanks mainly to its mammoth 7,000 mAh battery that can keep the phone running for close to two and a half days of moderate use. The bundled 25 W fast charger promises to recharge the high-capacity battery fully in a couple of hours. If you like large-screen phones with a long battery life, this is a great option along with the next phone on this list.
The F62 is powered by Samsung’s Exynos 9825 chip, which is a powerful option in this budget. You get a choice of either 6 or 8 GB of RAM, along with 128 GB of internal (expandable) storage. The camera department packs good variety, with a combination of a 64 MP primary camera, 12 MP ultrawide shooter, 5 MP macro camera and a 5 MP depth sensor to capture some quality photos in various modes. The 32 MP selfie camera embedded in a tiny punch hole at the top of the screen is bound to impress selfie enthusiasts. The Samsung Galaxy F62 runs Android 11 with One UI 3.x.
Samsung Galaxy F62 price in India: Rs 17,999 for 6 GB RAM/128 GB storage; Rs 19,999 for 8 GB RAM/128 GB storage
Motorola G60
Moto G60
The Motorola G60 is another great option on this list for those who like large-screen phones. And that’s not all – this phone, too, has a 108 MP camera at the back. You also get an 8 MP ultrawide camera and a 2 MP depth sensor. It has a huge 6.8-inch Full HD+ LCD display with HDR10 compliance and a 120 Hz refresh rate. A tiny punch-hole at the top of the screen hosts a 32 MP front camera, that will again appeal to the selfie crowd.
The Moto G60 is powered by the Snapdragon 732G SoC, and is accompanied by 6 GB RAM and 128 GB internal (expandable) storage. Battery backup is robust, too, with a 6,000 mAh battery keeping the phone powered for over two days of moderate use. It also supports 20 W fast charging with QuickCharge 4. Last but not the least, if you love phones with a stock Android user interface, you should strongly consider this phone. Like most Motorola phones, the G60 has stock UI and runs Android 11 out of the box.
Motorola G60 price in India: Rs 16,999 for 6 GB RAM/128 GB storage
