5 smartphones under Rs 20,000 in the market that are an absolute steal
Over the past year, the smartphone market in India has seen tremendous growth. Much of this growth has been fuelled by the strong showing of the budget segment of the market which over the last few months has seen some stellar devices being added to it.
The sub-20k smartphone segment has emerged as an extremely competitive space, with most devices bringing with them a good balance between features and price. However, such competition also creates headaches for the consumers. So if you find yourself struggling to nail down on the phone of your choice, then read on to know our recommendation of the five best smartphones you can get for Rs 20,000 or less right now.
Redmi Note 5 Pro
Since its entry in the market in 2014, Xiaomi has become a fan favourite because of its heavy on specs but light on the pocket phones. If any, the Redmi Note series embodies this particular idea the most. Over the years, Xiaomi has introduced a number of interesting devices under this line-up, however, its flagship Redmi Note device of 2018, the Note 5 Pro, stands head and shoulders above all that it has created yet.
The Redmi Note 5 Pro boasts of a new 5.99-inch display that is tall and bezel-less. In terms of the specs, the Redmi Note 5 Pro's display is FHD+ panel with a 2160x1080p resolution and 403ppi pixel density. Interestingly though, Xiaomi has managed to put in this bigger display on the phone without increasing the size of the device from the previous year. However, because of this, the bezels on the top and the bottom of the phone have been shaved to a near minimum to give this phone an edge to edge look.
In terms of the specs, the Note 5 Pro comes with a powerful Snapdragon 636 which makes it by far the most powerful and energy-efficient phone from the Redmi Note line-up. Paired with the SoC is up to 6GB of RAM and a maximum of 64GB internal storage which can be expanded by up to 128GB via a hybrid micro-SD card slot.
In terms of the battery, the Note 5 Pro brings with it a 4,000mAh battery but doesn't support fast charging.
In terms of the cameras, the Redmi Note 5 Pro offers a 12-megapixel primary sensor with f/2.2 aperture paired with a 5-megapixel sensor with f/2.0 aperture at the back. The camera module supports electronic image stabilisation, phase detection autofocus. Xiaomi also claims that this depth-sensing dual camera set-up also makes use of machine learning for greatly improving picture quality.
On the front, Xiaomi has equipped the device with a 20-megapixel selfie camera with a Sony IMX376 sensor, LED selfie light and Beautify 4.0 tuned for the Indian market.
Nokia 6 (2018)
The new budget warrior by Nokia, at Rs 16,999, is a phone that will give a good fight to the competition in the segment.
The phone is adorned by a 5.5 inch Full HD LCD display with 16:9 aspect ratio on the front, while the rest of the phone has been crafted out of a block of aluminium and has thin chamfered edges. The two-tone colour schemes add a touch of class to the device.
Beneath this sheen, the Indian variant of the device packs a Snapdragon 630 SoC paired with 3GB of RAM and 3GB of internal storage, expandable via a microSD card. In terms of the optics, the Nokia 6 comes with a 16-megapixel rear shooter and an 8-megapixel selfie shooter in the front. Powering the package is a 3000mAh battery.
Though the hardware may not win the device many laurels, it is the promise of pure Android married to the company's build and design scheme that could see this phone becoming a real hit.
Xioami Mi A1
The Mi A1 is a device that has been crafted by Xiaomi in partnership with Google to tap into the strong Android enthusiast community existing in the country. The phone provides a close to stock Android experience and above par specs but without spending a bomb.
This Android One device boasts of impressive specs that fits nicely in the budget segment with a price tag of Rs 14,999. The phone borrows from Xiaomi's DNA when it comes to the design. Crafted using a metal unibody design with chamfered edges in three colour variants – Rose Gold, Black and Gold – the phone is thus easy on the eyes.
The Mi A1 comes sporting Xiaomi's trusted 5.5-inch 1080p display protected by a 2.5D Corning Gorilla Glass sheet that has previously been seen on phones like the Redmi Note 4.
Under the hood, the phone comes packing Xiaomi's trusted octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 625 SoC paired with 4GB of RAM. The SoC which has been used on a number of phones is not going to set benchmarks alight in 2018, but does come with the promise of good mix between performance and power usage.
There is 64GB of storage provided onboard which can be expanded using a MicroSD card. The battery that's keeping the system running here is a 3080mAh non-removable pack.
Xiaomi's phone brings with it a 12-Megapixel + 12-Megapixel dual camera set-up at the back. The camera module has a telephoto and a wide-angle lens set-up, which looks to have been implemented well by Xiaomi. There's also a 5-Megapixel camera at the front.
Moto G5s Plus
Launched earlier in August, the Moto G5s Plus to date remains one of the very best devices that you can buy if you're on a budget. Available for Rs 15,999 the Moto G5 Plus is a great deal for the price as it brings with it a 5.2inch Full-HD display, Qualcomm Snapdragon 625 octa-core processor SoC paired with 4GB RAM and 16/32GB internal memory expandable up to 128GB.
The camera module on board is also above par - a 13MP+13MP rear camera with an aperture of f/1.7 and dual-pixel autofocus - which can click good pictures even under low light. There's also an 8MP front camera to complete the package.
Xiaomi Mi Max 2
Last but not the least, is the giant from Xiaomi, the Mi Max 2. Though it does not entirely deserve to be in the list on the basis of core specs, the fact that it comes with a massive 6.44-inch display and an even bigger battery gives it a unique advantage over the competition in the segment.
The device is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 625 SoC paired with 4GB of RAM hidden neatly under the hood. The package gets its juice from a massive 5300mAh battery that Xiaomi promises is good enough for watching videos for up to 18 hours, 10 days of music playback, nine hours of gaming, and up to 57 hours of talk time.
Priced at Rs 15,999, this is a phone that should definitely be considered in the price range.