The premium segment might get all the attention, but the sub-Rs 20,000 price segment in the Indian phone is where the volumes really are. This is the segment where users step up from basic smartphones are start getting into 'real smartphone' territory. Designs get sleeker, processors improve, AMOLED displays with high refresh rates come into the picture (pun intended), RAM quantities go up, batteries get charged way faster and cameras suddenly start daring to stare across the gap that separates them from budget flagships.
Given the numbers it generates in terms of sales, it is hardly surprising that the segment is packed with devices from just about every brand out there. As a result, if you are looking for a phone for under Rs 20,000, you will have plenty of options to choose from. So many that you might feel overwhelmed.
This is why we have cherry-picked five of the best phones that a sum of Rs 20,000 can get for you.
OnePlus Nord CE 3 Lite 5G: Steady All-Rounder
Price: Rs 19,999 onwards
If you are looking for a phone that ticks all the boxes, then the OnePlus Nord CE 3 Lite 5G is perhaps the phone you are looking for. It comes with a clean, elegant design so typical of OnePlus (the lime green shade is particularly eye-catching) and a very bright 6.72-inch FHD+ display with 120Hz refresh rate.
One of the stars of the show is a superb 108-megapixel main sensor on the back and a 5,000mAh battery not only keeps the phone running for more than a day but also comes with 67W fast charging support (and an 80W charger in the box).
The phone comes with 8GB RAM and 128GB and 256GB storage variants, with support for microSD cards, and also sports dual speakers as well as a 3.5mm audio jack. So what's the catch?
Well, some might not like the LCD display, given how popular AMOLED displays are, and others might feel that the Qualcomm Snapdragon 695 chip driving it is not super new or super fast. It is no gaming beast, but the OnePlus Nord CE 3 Lite is a wonderfully consistent performer, with OnePlus' clean OxygenOS UI being just the topping it needs to deliver a smooth experience.
The OG Moto G played a key role in smartphones going mainstream by serving up a very good experience at a surprisingly affordable price. Motorola itself might not be the sort of force it once was in the mid-segment, but devices like the Moto G84 prove that Moto still has the G-Force Mojo with it.
The Moto G84 is one of the smartest-looking devices on this list with its vegan leather back and magenta and blue shades. And while the Qualcomm Snapdragon 695 chip running it is not exactly a powerhouse, it is more than capable of handling day-to-day tasks, and is ably supported by a massive 12GB of RAM, and 256GB of storage, and also comes with support for expandable storage.
The phone also comes with a very good 6.5 inch FHD+ pOLED display with 120Hz refresh rate. Its main camera is a 50-megapixel one and comes with OIS, which is still a rarity in this segment, and you also get a large 5,000mAh battery that easily lasts a-day-and-a-half on a single charge and also has support for 33W charging as well as a 33W charger in the box.
You get a 3.5mm audio jack as well as stereo speakers too. All this with Motorola's clean, close-to-stock Android UI on top.
This is perhaps the phone for those who want something that looks different and yet packs in very good specs.
Poco X5 Pro: Beast In The Sub-Rs 20,000 House
Price: Rs 18,499
If what you covet is power and loads of it, then it is hard to look beyond the Poco X5 Pro in this price segment. It runs on the Snapdragon 778G, a chip that is generally seen in devices that are priced above Rs 25,000. RAM and storage variants of 6GB+128GB and 8GB+256GB, a stunning 6.67-inch FHD+ AMOLED display with 120Hz refresh rate and stereo speakers, make the Poco X5 Pro a complete gaming and multimedia monster in this category.
It also comes with a very good 108-megapixel main camera and perhaps the best selfie camera in this list, a very capable 16-megapixel snapper. A 5000 mAh battery keeps it going comfortably beyond a day and a 67W charger (which is in the box) gets it from zero to 100 in about 45 minutes.
However, there are some compromises. The design is plain and there is no expandable memory. Still, we would say that this remains hands down the most powerful phone under Rs 20,000 at the time of writing.
Samsung Galaxy M34 5G: The Solid Value-For-Money Galaxy
Price: Rs 16,499 onwards
It is the most plain-looking device in this list, with a very basic design and display with a "so-2020" waterdrop notch, but the Samsung M34 5G is one of the most powerful and feature-packed devices in the sub-Rs 20,000 segment.
It runs on the Exynos 1280 processor which is a step ahead of the Snapdragon 695 chips seen in the segment and comes with RAM and storage variants of 6GB+128GB, 8GB+128GB, and 8GB+256GB, with support to expand memory.
This makes it one of the best gaming options in the segment, aided by a bright and colourful 6.5 inch FHD+ Super AMOLED display (hey, this is Samsung) with 120Hz refresh rate, good stereo speakers and a 3.5mm audio jack.
The phone also shines in photography, thanks to a superb 50-megapixel main sensor with OIS, while a massive 6000 mAh battery keeps it going on a single charge for two days, easily the best in this list. Charging speed is limited to 25W and there is no charger in the box, though.
Round that off with Samsung's feature-rich OneUI and excellent update record, and the Galaxy M34 5G does more than enough to compensate for its rather plain appearance.
Redmi Note 12 5G: The Budget Note In The zone
Price: Rs 15,999 onwards
When it comes to phones in the mid-segment, Xiaomi's Redmi Note series has near-legendary status. While Note's higher-specced devices have now moved into what many call the 'premium mid-segment' (Rs 25,000 - Rs 35,000) zone, it still has a contender in the sub-Rs 20,000 zone.
This is the 'plain' Redmi Note 12 5G, which might not have the bells and whistles of some of the other phones in this list, but delivers a lot for its price.
At its starting price of Rs 15,999, the Note 12 is the most affordable device in this list but still features a brilliant 6.67-inch FHD+ Super AMOLED display with 120Hz refresh rate.
The Qualcomm Snapdragon 4 Gen 1 processor powering it is capable of handling routine tasks and casual gaming, and the 48-megapixel main camera on the back takes decent snaps with the 8-megapixel ultrawide offering good support. The phone runs on Xiaomi's feature-rich MIUI, and has a 5,000mAh battery which lasts comfortably more than a day and comes with 33W charging support (and a 33W charger).
The phone has RAM and storage variants of 4GB+128GB, 6GB+128GB and 8GB+256GB, and comes with support for expandable memory, as well as an audio jack. It would have been great to have stereo speakers and a more eye-catching design, but this is a typical Redmi Note - lots of good features for not too much money.
Which makes it one of the best options in the segment for those who are on a tight budget.
