Ameya DalviAug 12, 2022 16:45:41 IST
There has been a major overhaul in our sub-30K list this month as compared to last quarter. While a lot of handsets from our previous list could have retained their place, some of the new releases have managed to knock them out. As always, you can expect a handful of flagship-grade features and performance courtesy of powerful processors, high quality displays, impressive cameras with optical image stabilisation (OIS) and more. 5G compliance is a given. Time to look at your best options under Rs 30,000 this month.
Best phones to buy under Rs 30,000 in India
Poco F4 5G
The recent launch from the Xiaomi sub-brand has stormed into our list courtesy of its excellent all-round capabilities. The Poco F4 5G is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 870 SoC with 8 GB RAM and 128 GB internal storage. You get an impressive 6.67-inch AMOLED Full HD+ screen with 120 Hz refresh rate, HDR10+ and Dolby Vision compliance and 1300 nits peak brightness. The display is protected against scratches by a layer of Corning Gorilla Glass 5.
It has a classy design with a glass back, and is quite slim measuring just 7.7 mm in thickness. Photography department is handled by a 64MP primary camera with OIS, an 8MP ultra-wide shooter and a 2MP macro camera. The 20MP front camera is pretty good for selfies and video calls. Its 4500 mAh battery lasts over a day of moderate use, and the bundled 67W fast charger promises to juice it up fully in under 40 minutes. The Poco F4 5G runs Android 12 with MIUI 13. It is one of the rare phones to offer a 2-year warranty.
Poco F4 5G price in India: Rs 29,999 for 8 GB RAM/ 128 GB storage
Motorola Edge 30
The Motorola Edge 30 is another impressive option in this budget. This phone is powered by a Snapdragon 778G chip and comes with 8 GB RAM and 128 GB internal storage. While it may not be the most powerful phone in this list, it more than makes up with some of its unique features. Its 6.5-inch Full HD+ OLED display flaunts a 144 Hz refresh rate along with HDR10+ compliance and capability to display over a billion colour shades. There is Corning Gorilla Glass 3 protection against scratches.
The photography department on the Motorola Edge 30 is manned by two 50MP cameras, with the primary offering OIS and the secondary camera letting you capture some high quality ultra-wide shots. For what it’s worth, you also get a 2MP depth sensor. The 32MP front camera is bound to impress the selfie enthusiasts. Its 4020 mAh battery lasts for a day of moderate use and supports 33W fast charging. This phone runs Android 12, and like most Motorola phones, you get a clean and near-stock user interface.
Motorola Edge 30 price in India: Rs 29,999 for 8 GB RAM/ 128 GB storage
OnePlus Nord 2T
The OnePlus Nord 2 has been conspicuous by its absence over the past couple of months. But worry not, the company has replaced it with the Nord 2T that’s pretty much the same phone with a slightly faster processor and is a tad cheaper too. The phone is powered by a Mediatek Dimensity 1300 chip that’s quite good in terms of processing power and value. You get the 8 GB RAM and 128 GB internal storage variant in this budget.
This 5G-ready phone has a sharp 6.43-inch Full HD+ AMOLED display with a 90 Hz refresh rate and HDR10+ compliance. It is protected by Corning Gorilla Glass 5, and the protection extends to the phone’s glass back too. This phone runs OxygenOS 12.1 based on Android 12, and OnePlus has promised two more major Android updates for this device.
The rear camera department consists of a 50MP primary camera with OIS that does a good job in different conditions. Support cast includes an 8MP ultra-wide shooter and a 2MP monochrome camera. The 32MP front camera is good enough to keep the selfie enthusiasts hooked. The OnePlus Nord 2T has a 4500 mAh battery that lasts close to a day and a half of moderate use, and the bundled 80W Super VOOC charger charges it fully in just 33 minutes.
OnePlus Nord 2T price in India: Rs 28,999 for 8 GB RAM/ 128 GB storage
iQOO Neo 6 5G
The iQOO Neo 6 5G is another handset that is powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 870 chip, and again, you can buy its 8 GB RAM and 128 GB internal storage variant in this budget. It is quite similar to the iQOO 7 in many ways with minor changes. It has a 6.62-inch HDR10+ compliant Full HD+ AMOLED display with a 120 Hz refresh rate for smooth scrolling in compatible apps. Just like the Poco M4, its peak brightness can go as high as 1300 nits.
The rear camera department is now helmed by a 64MP primary camera with OIS. Giving it company are an 8MP ultra-wide camera and a 2MP macro camera. Its 4700 mAh battery lasts over a day of moderate use comfortably, and the company bundles an 80W fast charger that promises to take it from 0 to 50% in just 12 minutes and to 100% in a shade over half an hour. The iQOO Neo 6 5G runs Android 12 with FunTouch UI 12, and one can expect two more major Android updates in the future for this device.
iQOO Neo 6 5G price in India: Rs 29,999 for 8 GB RAM/ 128 GB storage
Samsung Galaxy A52s 5G
The Samsung Galaxy A52s 5G is the only handset in this lineup to offer IP67 ingress protection making it dust and water-resistant. It is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 778G SoC, and you get 8 GB RAM and 128 GB internal (expandable) storage to go with it. It has a 6.5-inch Super AMOLED display with 120 Hz refresh rate, 800 nits of peak brightness and Corning Gorilla Glass 5 protection. Its 4500 mAh battery lasts over a day of moderate use and supports 25W fast charging.
The camera department is quite versatile here with a combination of 64MP primary camera with OIS, 12MP ultrawide snapper, 5MP macro camera and a 5MP depth sensor to capture some quality photos in various modes. The 32MP selfie camera embedded in a tiny punch hole at the top of the screen will appeal to the selfie crowd. The Samsung Galaxy A52s 5G launched with Android 11 and One UI 3.x and is upgradeable to Android 12 with One UI 4.1.
Samsung Galaxy A52s 5G price in India: Rs 29,290 for 8 GB RAM/ 128 GB storage
