Best smartphones under Rs 20,000 to buy in India: September 2018

The mid-range segment in the smartphone market is ever improving with OEMs now packaging a plenty of premium features at a great price. While some smartphones now offer brilliant cameras, there are a few handsets that can take on premium-end smartphones, courtesy of the reliable CPU and GPU processing. While there is a wide range of options available in the smartphone market, choosing the right one from the bulk might be a bit confusing and difficult. To make it easier, we have put together a list of the best smartphones that you can buy under Rs 20,000 in India. These smartphones offer good overall performance, better imaging quality, and reliable battery backup at a mid-price range. Some of these handsets even pack premium SoC (system-on-chip), clean and uncluttered UI and a good amount of storage to allow smooth rendering of heavy duty tasks. Here is a list of some of the best smartphones available to buy in India under a price of Rs 20,000 for this month.

Best smartphones under Rs 20,000

Honor Play

Honor Play is one of the most packed mid-range handsets from the Chinese brand’s smartphone shelf. The phone offers Huawei’s proprietary high-end Kirin 970 SoC that comes with AI capabilities. The smartphone aimed at gaming aficionados, Honor Play accommodates the in-house GPU Turbo technology which is designed to leverage hardware-software integration and render smooth graphics. The phone has a 4D haptic engine as well which increases vibration intensity while throttling games. Besides the performance, Honor Play comes with good build quality as well. The phone encased in metal body offers better grip and a neat look to the rear panel. Up front, Honor Play flaunts a tall 6.3-inch FHD+ (2340 x 1080) display in a compact body. It comes in two RAM configuration 4GB/6GB RAM paired with 64GB onboard storage. As for the camera, it has 16MP+2MP dual camera setup at the back that offers decent output in good lighting condition. Up front, it gets a 16MP shooter for selfies. The phone runs EMUI 8.2 based Android Oreo and packs a 3,750mAh battery.

Honor Play features AI-enabled dual rear cameras

Honor Play price in India: Rs 19,999 for 4GB RAM/64GB storage model

Nokia 6.1 Plus

HMD Global made a major design overhaul in the Nokia 6.1 plus edition. While the previous iteration came with thick bezels and a slightly broad body, the new Nokia 6.1 Plus now boasts a glass body in a compact form factor. The company has significantly truncated the bezels on the front fascia as well and you now get a 19:9 display with a small notch at the top that increases the screen real estate. The Finish company upgraded the internal hardware with the Nokia 6.1 Plus now baked with Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 636, the same mobile platform found on the Redmi Note 5 Pro. The phone features a 5.8-inch notched display and has a glass surface area of 93 per cent. The display produces rich colour and viewing angles on the phone are pretty good. It has a layer of Corning Gorilla Glass 3 for added protection against scratches and smudges.

Another benefit of the Nokia 6.1 Plus is that it runs Android One which means you will get two years of software updates and three years of security updates. The Android One also leverages the UI experience by providing a clean and intuitive interface with no bloatware. Nokia 6.1 Plus carries 16MP+5MP dual camera sensors at the back aligned vertically. The camera sensors on the phone offer average output unlike the Nokia 6.1’s Carl Zeiss-branded single camera lens that provides better detail and colour accuracy in good lighting. However, we believe the company might roll out a software update to fix the glitch.

Up front, it has a 16MP camera sensor that comes with f/2.0 aperture. Nokia 6.1 Plus carries a decent 3,060mAh battery that manages to deliver a day’s worth of usage. The Snapdragon 636 chipset underneath the glass body with 4GB of RAM and 64GB storage provides a lag-free performance. Nokia 6.1 Plus runs Android Oreo out-of-the-box and HMD Global has promised that it will deliver Android 9.0 Pie update before the end of the year.

Nokia 6.1 Plus features a 19:9 display and has 93 per cent glass surface area

Nokia 6.1 Plus price in India: Rs 15,999 for 4GB RAM/64GB onboard storage model

Also Read: From Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 to Realme 2, best phones under Rs 10,000 to buy in India in September 2018

Xiaomi Mi A2

In case you are looking for an Android One smartphone with a slightly bigger display and better performance, Xiaomi’s Mi A2 can be an ideal option in the sub Rs 20,000 category. Similar to its predecessor, the Mi A2 is a part of the Android One initiative and promises regular software updates for two years. The phone features an elongated 5.99-inch full HD+ 18:9 display with a resolution of 2160 x 1080 pixels. The display offers decent viewing angles and has Corning Gorilla Glass 5 layered on top for better scratch resistance. The design of the Mi A2 is not a novelty but unlike glass body that is often prone to smudges, the handset doesn’t attract greasy fingerprints, courtesy of the brushed aluminium body.

The Mi A2 is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 660 chip that manages to handles heavy duty tasks without any hiccup. Further, 4GB of RAM makes it sufficient to run day-to-day tasks smoothly. The Mi A2 has vertically stacked dual 12MP+20MP camera sensors on the rear side. The secondary sensor adds depth of field to the captured image. At the front, the phone has a 20MP camera sensor that comes with Portrait mode. The only disadvantage of the Mi A2 is that it lacks microSD support and 3.5mm audio jack. The smartphone runs Android 8.1 Oreo and bundles an industry standard 3,000mAh battery.

Xiaomi Mi A2 runs a stock version of Android Oreo

Xiaomi Mi A2 price in India: Rs 16,999 for 4GB RAM and 64GB storage model

Moto G6/Moto X4

Motorola, a brand known for bringing good mid-range smartphones changed its game on 6th gen Moto G-series. While previous G-series handsets had a flattened design and bulky look, the company altered the appearance on the Moto G6 series giving a compact form factor. The base model, Moto G6 encased in 3D contoured glass design, offers a premium feel and the dial-shaped rear camera module adds a classic touch to it. Notably, Moto G6 is the first device from Motorola’s smartphone shelf to carry an 18:9 display. The display offers decent viewing angles and vibrant colour reproduction. Another impressive feature is the software experience, courtesy of the near-stock version of Android. The Moto G6 offers neat UI, good imaging sensors and durable battery life for a good value proposition. The phone features a 5.7-inch (2160 x 1080 resolution) IPS LCD display, Qualcomm Snapdragon 450 chipset, 3/4GB RAM paired with 32/64GB of onboard storage. Moto G6 bears dual 12MP + 5MP rear cameras and an 8MP front camera. It runs Android 8.1 Oreo and carries 3,000mAh battery.

Moto G6 flaunts a 3D contoured glass design

Moto G6 price in India: Rs 15,999 for 4GB RAM and 64GB storage model

Although Moto X4 is nearly a year-old now, it still remains one of the best smartphones in the mid-range segment. The foremost reason being the IP68 rated water and dust resistance which is not easy to get in this budget. The phone offers solid build, and similar to the Moto G6, it has 3D contoured glass design and dial-shaped camera modules which give a classy look. The phone is powered by a 2.2GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 630 processor that manages to run regular tasks smoothly. It sports a fairly compact 5.2-inch full HD display. The phone runs Android Oreo OS with a near-stock interface. Moto X4 bears impressive dual camera setup comprising 12MP+8MP sensors with PDAF that provides good output with sharp details in bright conditions. At the front, it has a 16MP selfie camera. The phone carries a 3000mAh battery and bundle 15W Turbo charger. By paying an extra Rs 2000 than the Moto G6, you get a beautifully designed smartphone with water and dust resistance, good camera sensors and faster processor for a price under Rs 18,000.

Moto X4 has IP68 rated water and dust resistance

Moto X4 price in India: Rs 17,999 for 4GB RAM and 64GB storage model

If you are slightly tight on budget and looking for a more affordable option, smartphone brands Xiaomi and Asus have a few handsets under its shelves that can save you from burning a hole in your pocket. These devices promise good value for money, thanks to the powerful innards, a decent pair of cameras, and nifty add-ons, all for a budget price.

Read More: From Realme 2 to Redmi Note 5 Pro, best dual camera smartphones in India under Rs 15,000

Best smartphones under Rs 15,000

Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 Pro

Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 Pro is one of the best smartphones when it comes to reliable performance for a budget price. The phone is based on Qualcomm’s mid-range SoC, Snapdragon 636 which is powerful enough to handle demanding tasks. Redmi Note 5 Pro has a 5.99-inch full HD+ 18:9 display. It packs a decent of camera setup having 12MP+5MP units on the rear side. At the front, it has a 20MP Sony IMX376 sensor accompanied by LED selfie-light. It runs MIUI 9 based Android Nougat and pegs a big 4,000mAh battery. The Redmi Note 5 Pro is a good package for an affordable cost.

Xiaomi Redmi Note Pro features a 20MP+5MP dual rear camera setup

Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 Pro price in India: Rs 14,999 for 4GB RAM and 64GB storage model

Asus Zenfone Max Pro M1

Asus Zenfone Max Pro M1 is another decent pick in the budget mobile range. Similar to the Redmi Note 5 Pro, it carries a Qualcomm Snapdragon 636 mobile platform and an elongated 5.99-inch full HD+ 18:9 display. The octa-core processor is paired with Adreno 509 GPU for smooth graphics rendition. It sports vertically aligned dual rear cameras with 13MP+5MP sensors with LED flash module. Up front, it has an 8MP camera sensor. Asus budget smartphone, Zenfone Max Pro M1 takes an edge over Redmi Note 5 Pro in terms of battery and software experience. The Asus smartphone comes with pure Android build offering Android Oreo right out of the box and packs a mammoth 5000mAh battery that last well over a day easily on moderate usage. Further, you get extra RAM and storage capacity for the same price as the Redmi Note 5 Pro.