There are a few handsets in the premium segment that take the upper hand by virtue of their top-notch build quality, brilliant display, updated software, and striking camera lens
Over the past few years, mid-range smartphones with premium features have become a rage in the smartphone market. Courtesy of a few smartphone manufacturers like OnePlus and Huawei, users can now afford to buy a premium spec’d smartphones for a price well under Rs 35,000. But there are a few handsets that take the upper hand by virtue of their top-notch build quality, brilliant display, updated software, and striking camera lens. These smartphones demand a significantly higher premium. However, considering the goodies that they offer, it justifies the higher cost and still makes them worth buying.
OnePlus 6 [8GB RAM/128GB Storage ] (Rs 39,999)
OnePlus 6 is the latest flagship from the popular Chinese OEM, OnePlus that debuted last week. The smartphone manufacturer made a major overhaul on the new flagship in terms of design. The OnePlus 6 is encased in an elegant glass design with five layer coating on top along with Corning Gorilla Glass 5 protection. Similar to the previous iteration, the new OnePlus flagship phone carries powerful innards that promise fast and smooth performance.
The OnePlus 6 is encased in an elegant glass design with five layer coating on top along with Corning Gorilla Glass 5 protection
The front facia of the phone is inspired by Apple iPhone X and it hosts a notch style display. The OnePlus 6 carries Qualcomm’s premium SoC, Snapdragon 845 paired with Adreno 630 GPU for graphics rendition. The phone features a tall 6.28-inch Optic AMOLED 19:9 display with 2280 x 1080 pixels stretched across the front panel. OnePlus 6 sports dual rear cameras having a combination of 16MP+20MP sensors. The lenses on the new OnePlus smartphone now accommodate OIS (optical image stabilisation). It runs Oxygen OS 5.1 based Android 8.1 Oreo and packs a 3300mAh Li-Po battery. The premium smartphone from OnePlus will cost you Rs 39,999 for the 8GB RAM/128GB model.
Google Pixel 2 [4GB RAM/128GB] (Rs 61,000)
The Pixel series from Google are known best for their brilliant imaging sensors, pure and updated Android experience and premium build quality. The base version of the Pixel 2 series, the Google Pixel 2 features a 5-inch full HD AMOLED display in compact form factor and added Corning Gorilla Glass 5 protection. It is powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 835 SoC and Adreno 540 GPU for graphics. The phone features a 12.2MP camera with f/1.8 aperture and support for Optical Image Stabilisation (OIS), Dual Focus Phase Detection Autofocus (PDAF), Laser Autofocus and dual LED flash on the rear end.
The Google Pixel 2 comes with Auto HDR+ feature that offers a stunning photography experience
The Pixel 2 comes with Auto HDR+ feature that offers a stunning photography experience. Up front, it has an 8-megapixel camera with f/2.4 aperture and on-screen flash. Both the front and the rear camera offer Portrait mode. It has a decent battery backup of 2700mAh and supports fast charging. The Google Pixel is available online for a price of Rs 61,000 for the 4GB RAM/128GB storage. However, you can get the Pixel flagship smartphone on Flipkart for a price as low as Rs 41,999 (after discount, exchange offer and cashback offer on Citi Bank credit and debit card).
Samsung Galaxy S9 (Rs 57,900)
Samsung’s premium flagship model, the Galaxy S9 offers exquisite design sheathed in glass and metal surrounding the frame. The phone shares similar design language like its previous iteration but the fingerprint sensor now sits at a comfortable position below the rear camera. Further, the bezels up front are slightly trimmed to 1.2mm. It features a crisp 5.8-inch Super AMOLED display that has pixel resolution 2960 x 1440 pixels and pixel density of 570ppi. The curved edge-to-edge display has Corning Gorilla Glass 5 layered on top for added protection.
The Samsung Galaxy S9 features a crisp 5.8-inch Super AMOLED display that has pixel resolution 2960 x 1440 pixels and pixel density of 570ppi
The Samsung Galaxy S9 houses the proprietary Exynos 9810 processor (Snapdragon 845 in the China and US market) capable enough to handle heavy-duty tasks easily. Another perk and one of the highlights of the smartphone is its Variable aperture (industry-first) that allows switching the camera’s aperture depending on the lighting conditions. The 12MP camera on the Galaxy S9 is capable of recording slow-mo videos at 960fps. The smartphone runs Android Oreo and packs a standard 3000mAh battery. The Samsung Galaxy S9 has IP68 rated water and dust resistance. The Samsung Galaxy S9 is available for a price of Rs 57,900 for the 4GB RAM/64GB storage variant. However, you can avail a cashback offer of Rs 9,000 if you make the purchase via Paytm Mall or using ICICI credit card.
LG V30+ [4GB RAM/128GB](Rs 44,990)
The premium LG V30+ flagship model boasts a luxurious glass design with polished metal rim. A subtle texture beneath the rear glass panel shimmers when reflected to light and adds a premium touch to the phone. The sleek LG V30+ features a tall 6-inch Quad HD+ 18:9 OLED Full Vision display that offers bright and vivid colours. The phone offers dual camera setup at the back, packing a 16MP primary sensor and a 13MP secondary sensor. If you are more into shooting videos, the LG V30+ offers a Cine Video mode that adds cinematic effect to the videos with good dynamic range and punchy colours.
The LG V30+ offers a Cine Video mode that adds cinematic effect to the videos with good dynamic range and punchy colours
Under its glass body sits Qualcomm’s previous flagship chipset, Snapdragon 835 that delivers smooth and promising performance. The phone comes with 4GB RAM and 128GB internal storage. The LG V30+ gives the option of storage expansion up to 2TB using a microSD card. The smartphone carries a 3300mAh battery and supports wireless charging and Quick Charge 3.0. The LG V30+ is available online for a price of Rs 44,990.
Apple iPhone 7 (128GB) [Rs 55,999]
The Apple iPhone 7 is now more than a year old, and some might think it is outdated. However, it is still a good purchase. The Apple iPhone 7 is a workhorse and can handle most of the tasks a user throws at it. Although the phone shares similar design language like its predecessor, it packs impressive features underneath. The iPhone 7 accommodates brilliant 12MP primary camera sensor, 4.7-inch Retina display, and revamped home button.
The iPhone 7 accommodates brilliant 12MP primary camera sensor, 4.7-inch Retina display, and revamped home button
The smartphone is the first from the company to have done away with the 3.5mm headphone jack. Its efficient A10 Fusion processor promises faster performance and less power consumption. It packs a 1960mAh battery. The phone runs on iOS 11.3 and comes in three storage variant- 32GB/128GB/256GB. The 128GB model is available online for a price of Rs 55,999.