Ameya DalviMay 08, 2023 17:59:39 IST
Generally, the segment of Flagship Killers starts at a slightly higher price point. But this month we have quite a few handsets that can be termed as that within the budget of Rs 30,000 itself. We have phones with high-quality AMOLED displays with high refresh rates, flagship-grade processors, impressive cameras with features like optical image stabilisation (OIS) and more. 5G is a staple now, and all handsets are ready for that network. Time to look at the best half a dozen phones you can get your hands on under Rs 30,000 this month.
Best phones to buy under Rs 30,000 in India
Realme GT 2/ Realme GT Neo 3/ OnePlus 10R 5G
Let’s start with the two Realme phones that have a lot in common and just two key differences. The Realme GT 2 is powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 888 SoC, while the relatively newer Realme GT Neo 3 is powered by Mediatek’s Dimensity 8100 chip, which is comparable in performance. While the former has a 6.62-inch AMOLED display, the latter has a slightly larger 6.7-inch AMOLED screen that supports 10-bit colour depth. Both screens are HDR10+ compliant, have a 120Hz refresh rate and Gorilla Glass 5 protection.
You get the 256 GB internal storage variant of the GT 2 in this budget, but the stocks seem to be dwindling. However, you can get the 128 GB version of both phones comfortably with 8 GB RAM. Needless to say, the GT 2 offers better value given that its price is 3K lower. The camera department is identical for both with a 50MP primary camera with OIS that captures some impressive shots in different modes and lighting. It is accompanied by an 8MP ultra-wide snapper and a 2MP macro camera. The 16MP front camera handles selfies and video calls quite well.
Both phones have 5000 mAh batteries that keep them going for over a day and a half of moderate use, and the bundled fast chargers can juice them up fully in a little over half an hour. Realme GT 2 as well as Realme GT Neo 3 run Android 12 with Realme UI 3.0, and you can expect Android 13 updates on both phones. What is a OnePlus phone doing here, you ask? Well, the OnePlus 10R has the exact specs and design as the Neo 3, and is currently selling under 30K. So if you prefer OnePlus over Realme, that’s the one for you.
Realme GT 2 price in India: Rs 24,999 for 8GB RAM/128GB storage
Realme GT Neo 3 price in India: Rs 28,999 for 8GB RAM/128GB storage
OnePlus 10R 5G price in India: Rs 29,999 for 8GB RAM/ 128GB storage
iQOO Neo 6 5G
Now, let’s move on to two phones with slightly slower processors but double the internal storage, starting with the iQOO Neo 6 5G. It is powered by a former flagship-grade Snapdragon 870 chip, and you can get its top variant with 12 GB RAM and 256 GB internal storage under 30K. It has a 6.62-inch HDR10+ compliant Full HD+ AMOLED display with a peak brightness of 1300 nits and a 120 Hz refresh rate for flicker-free performance.
The rear camera department on the iQOO Neo 6 5G is helmed by a 64MP primary camera with OIS, and accompanied by an 8MP ultra-wide shooter and a 2MP macro camera. Its 4700 mAh battery lasts close to a day and a half of moderate use, and the company bundles an 80W fast charger that promises to charge half of it in just 12 minutes, and fully in a little over half an hour. The phone runs Android 12 with FunTouch UI 12, and the company has promised two more major Android updates in the future for this device.
iQOO Neo 6 5G price in India: Rs 28,999 for 12GB RAM/256GB storage
Poco F4 5G
Just like the Neo 6, the Poco F4 5G is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 870 SoC, and you can purchase its top variant with 12 GB RAM and 256 GB internal storage in this budget. It has an impressive 6.67-inch Full HD+ AMOLED screen with a 120Hz refresh rate and HDR10+ plus Dolby Vision compliance. The display has 1300 nits peak brightness and is protected against scratches by a layer of Corning Gorilla Glass 5. It has an attractive design and is quite slim measuring just 7.7 mm in thickness.
Photography on the Poco F4 5G is handled by a 64MP primary camera with OIS, an 8MP ultra-wide shooter and a 2MP macro camera. The 20MP front camera is quite good for selfies and video calls. Its 4500 mAh battery lasts over a day of moderate use, and the bundled 67W fast charger can juice it up fully in less than 40 minutes. This phone runs Android 12 with MIUI 13, and is one of the rare phones to offer a 2-year warranty in India.
Poco F4 5G price in India: Rs 28,999 for 12GB RAM/256 GB storage
Samsung Galaxy A34 5G
Here’s one for the brand-conscious buyers, which may not have the same processing muscle as the phones above but does offer some interesting features. The Samsung Galaxy A34 5G is powered by a midrange MediaTek Dimensity 1080 chip, and you get 8 GB RAM and 128 GB internal (expandable) storage to go with it. It is one of the rare phones in this budget to offer IP67 ingress protection making it dust and water-resistant. It has a 6.6-inch Super AMOLED display with 120 Hz refresh rate, 1000 nits of peak brightness and Corning Gorilla Glass 5 protection.
The camera department offers a combination of a 48MP primary camera with OIS, an 8MP ultrawide snapper and a 5MP macro camera to capture quality photos in various modes. The 13MP selfie camera at the top of the screen gets the job done reasonably well. Its 5000 mAh battery lasts over a day and a half of moderate use and supports 25W fast charging. The Samsung Galaxy A34 5G runs the latest Android 13 with the company’s One UI 5.1.
Samsung Galaxy A34 5G price in India: Rs 27,999 for 8GB RAM/128GB storage
