It might have taken its time, but it is safe to say that 5G connectivity is now reasonably mainstream in India. After being restricted mainly to premium devices in its initial days, the super-fast network is now available at far more affordable price points. So much so that today you can go out and get a smartphone that offers not just 5G connectivity but also comes with a decent feature and spec set for as little as Rs 15,000.
Sounds difficult to believe? Well, if you are looking to surf 5G waves but are on a tight budget, and still do not want to compromise on performance, here are five phones that could be the perfect high-speed 5G surfboard for you:
Redmi 12 5G: Staggering Value For Money
Price: Rs 11,999 onwards
The Redmi 12 5G is hands down the best option out there if you are looking for a 5G phone with a great design and a new and powerful processor. It runs on the Qualcomm Snapdragon 4 Gen 2 chip (the first phone in the country to use it), which is generally seen in more expensive devices, and while the base model starts with 4GB RAM and 128GB storage at Rs 11,999, the 8GB RAM and 256GB storage is under Rs 15,000 as well, at Rs 14,999.
A brilliant 6.79-inch FHD+ display with 90Hz refresh rate lets you enjoy streaming videos and games, and a 50-megapixel rear camera takes decent enough snaps, while the 8-megapixel front-facing camera is good for those video calls that are a key part of the 5G experience.
A large 5,000mAh battery with support for 18W charging and a charger in the box, keeps the phone running for more than a day. And all of this comes in a very elegant glass front and back design, a rarity at this price point.
It might not have the sort of classy, glassy design that the Redmi 12 5G has and its 6.5-inch FHD+ is smaller (although it comes with a higher refresh rate of 120 Hz), but the Moto G54 5G brings easily the best camera set-up in the budget 5G segment — a 50-megapixel main camera with OIS (a rarity in this segment), as well as a handy 8 megapixel ultrawide (rather than those token 2-megapixel spec companions), and a very good 16-megapixel selfie camera (a must for a great 5G video call experience).
It is also one of the few phones in this price zone to sport stereo speakers as well as a 3.5mm audio jack. It easily lasts two days on a single charge, thanks to a massive 6,000mAh battery and also comes with support for 33W charging as well as a 33W charger in the box. A powerful MediaTek Dimensity 7020 chip with 8GB RAM and 128GB storage, and a clean Android interface round off what is a very good offering at this price.
You can even get the 12GB+256GB variant for just a touch above Rs 15,000, at Rs 15,999. Camera bugs on a tight budget but with 5G aspirations need to say Hello to this Moto.
The iQoo Z6 started out as being a great option for those looking for a good 5G phone for under Rs 20,000, but price cuts have brought it to a much more affordable zone, and it remains a very good proposition even today.
Some might find its design a little plain (unless you take the colour-changing variant) and its FunTouch OS a little crowded, but it runs very smoothly thanks to the still-powerful Qualcomm Snapdragon 695 processor.
It comes with a good 6.58-inch FHD+ display with 120Hz refresh rate and a commendable 50-megapixel main camera (although accompanied by largely decorative two 2-megapixel macro and depth cameras) and a super 16-megapixel selfie camera (perhaps the best in the segment).
Also on board is a large 5,000mAh battery with support for 18W charging, and a 18W charger in the box. The chip and the selfie cameras are the major stars of what is still a very good performer for its price.
Like the iQoo 6, the Poco X5 was launched at a price that was closer to Rs 20,000, and like its iQoo counterpart, it too has got a price cut that brings it into this list. It is perhaps the best phone in this list if you intend to use your 5G connection to view lots of content and stream shows, thanks to its brilliant 6.67-inch FHD+ AMOLED display with 120Hz refresh rate.
It can also handle a reasonable amount of gaming, thanks to the old-but-still-gold Qualcomm Snapdragon 695 processor. Photography is handled by a triple camera setup, featuring a good 48-megapixel main sensor, a useful 8-megapixel ultrawide, and a very ordinary 2-megapixel macro.
Video calls and selfies are great, thanks to a 13-megapixel front-facing camera, and battery life goes well past a day, courtesy a 5,000mAh battery with support for 33W charging and a charger in the box.
This is the phone for those who want a great AMOLED display.
The Redmi Note 12 5G was not a part of this list but has sneaked in, thanks to a surprise price cut. Yes, it is still priced just a tad over the Rs 15,000 mark but the extra Rs 499 is well worth it. It is one of the few devices in the segment to come with a 6.67-inch FHD+ AMOLED display with 120Hz refresh rate, making viewing content on it an absolute joy.
It also has a superb 48-megapixel main camera and a good 8-megapixel ultra-wide sensor, while a 13-megapixel selfie camera delivers good selfies and great video calls. Battery life is excellent thanks to a large 5,000mAh battery, which comes with support for 33W charging, and a 33W charger is present in the package as well.
Some might wish it had a slightly more eye-catching design and a faster processor (the Qualcomm Snapdragon 4 Gen 1 chip is perhaps the least powerful in this list), but the very fact that it is a Note, and part of the legendary Redmi Note series will be enough for many.
