Now that Nokia 6 (2018) is priced under Rs 20,000, we take a look at some of the top smartphones available under that price segment.
Most of today’s budget smartphones are launching under the Rs 15,000 price bracket, while flagship ones cost over Rs 25,000. But there is a mid-range segment that has become equally competitive over the past few months. The growth of Chinese smartphone makers like Xiaomi, Oppo and Vivo and a flood of options from these players has left customers confused when it comes to picking the right phone. In this article, we have a list of top 5 smartphones that you can purchase under Rs 20,000:
Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 Pro
Launched in February this year, Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 Pro with 6GB RAM and 64GB internal storage is one of the best options available under sub-Rs 20,000 price segment. The dual rear camera on Redmi Note 5 Pro lets users take portrait shots, which is something many mid-range smartphones tend to offer these days. It sports a 5.99-inch Full HD display with an 18:9 aspect ratio with 403 PPI pixel density. Inside is a Qualcomm Snapdragon 636 coupled with Adreno 509 GPU for graphics. Native storage is further expandable up to 128GB with the help of a memory card.
Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 Pro sports a 5.99-inch Full HD display with an 18:9 aspect ratio, resulting in 403 PPI pixel density
Also Read: Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 Pro Review
Redmi Note 5 Pro houses a 12MP + 5MP main camera with PDAF and LED flash, whereas on the front, there is a 20MP selfie camera. During our full review, it performed well in terms of day-to-day use, photography, casual gaming etc. It packs a 4,000mAh battery that could easily last over a day with moderate to heavy usage. Redmi Note 5 Pro comes at a starting price of Rs 14,999 for 4GB RAM and 64GB storage and goes all the way up to Rs 16,999 for the higher-end variant.
Nokia 6 (2018)
It is time for a yet another mid-range Nokia smartphone that runs the latest, stock Android Oreo software out of the box. The successor to last year’s Nokia 6 is the all-new Nokia 6 (2018). And it just got some improvements, courtesy of a better processor and Carl Zeiss optics, which made a comeback with last year’s Nokia 8. But apart from what we have discussed, all other elements have remained more or less the same. It still has a 5.5-inch Full HD screen with Corning Gorilla Glass 3 protection.
Nokia 6 (2018) runs the latest, stock Android Oreo operating system out of the box.
Also Read: Nokia 6 First Impressions
Nokia 6 (2018) runs Android 8.0 Oreo out of the box and given that it’s a part of the Android One program, Google promises OS updates for another couple of years. Powering the handset is a Qualcomm Snapdragon 630 processor, and we expect more mid-range smartphones to employ it in the future. It has a 16MP main camera and 8MP selfie camera. Nokia 6 (2018) features USB Type-C and Nokia OZO audio with 2 mics, instead of Dolby Atmos sound enhancement from last year. Nokia 6 (2018) costs Rs 16,999 for 3GB RAM and 64GB expandable storage variant.
Oppo F3 Plus
Yes, this was announced in 2017 and at an original price of Rs 30,000, but the Oppo F3 Plus still has enough of what one requires to stand out in terms selfie and overall performance. Given its new and better pricing of Rs 19,990, we added it to our list of top 5 phones under Rs 20,000. It sports a big 6-inch Full HD screen, and Corning Gorilla Glass 5 protection at the front. Initially, it was announced with Android Marshmallow but it has received Android Nougat update. It is not clear if the phone will get Android Oreo anytime soon.
Oppo F3 Plus sports a big 6-inch display with Corning Gorilla Glass 5 protection on the front.
Oppo F3 Plus did not disappoint us during our review. It runs on a Qualcomm Snapdragon 653 SoC, accompanied by 4GB RAM and 64GB internal storage, which can be expanded up to 256GB. It houses a 16MP rear camera with PDAF and dual-tone LED flash. Up front is a dual 16MP + 8MP camera for selfies and video calls. It packs a 4,000mAh battery under the hood. We have also noticed the selfies coming out with great details and impressive colour reproduction. Oppo F3 Plus costs Rs 19,990 in India at the moment.
Apple iPhone SE
The smallest and cheapest iPhone currently available for purchase in India, the Apple iPhone SE is retailing at the price of Rs 19,000. Up front, there is a small 4-inch screen with 1136 x 640 pixels resolution, resulting in 326 ppi pixel density. It runs the latest iOS 11 software and is powered by an Apple A9 chip with M9 motion co-processor. It offers 2GB RAM and 32GB non-expandable storage. Furthermore, there is NFC support and Lightning port for charging, in addition to a front-mounted fingerprint sensor.
Currently, Apple iPhone SE is retailing at the price of Rs 19,000 in India.
It has a highly competent 12MP camera at the back, the same one that you find on an iPhone 6S. As we also said during our full review, if you want a phone that easily fits in your palms, you can go buy the iPhone SE. Also, it is decent enough for someone who is looking to start their journey with Apple’s ecosystem.
Samsung Galaxy J7 Pro
We feel Samsung Galaxy J7 Pro has a few things to offer that deserve an honourable mention. The price of the phone is Rs 18,900. Starting with the design, it is made up of an aluminium body that will be durable enough to survive somewhat rough usage. Then comes a 5.5-inch Super AMOLED screen with a feature like always-on display.
Samsung Galaxy J7 Pro is made up of an aluminium body that might be durable enough to survive somewhat rough usage.
Samsung Galaxy J7 Pro runs Android Nougat and features an Exynos 7870 octa-core chip. It packs 3GB RAM, 64GB internal storage (expandable up to 256GB) and a 3,600mAh battery. For photography, it houses a 13MP main camera and 13MP selfie camera. On paper, it seems a like decent option for those looking for a premium brand with a good design.