From Redmi K20 to Realme X: The best under Rs 20K smartphones you can buy in India

Redmi K20 | Rs 21,999 | Snapdragon 730 | 6GB/128GB | Rear – 48MP + 13MP + 8MP | Front – 20MP | 6.39-inch FHD+ AMOLED | 4,000 mAh | The Redmi K20 is the most expensive smartphone on this list but undoubtedly offers the best value for money. While other handsets tend to compromise on one feature or the other, the K20 delivers on all fronts – design, battery, camera, display and performance. The K20 even gets the best processor of the lot, in the form of the 8nm Snapdragon 730 SoC.

Samsung Galaxy A50 | Rs 21,490 | Exynos 9610 | 6GB/64GB | Rear – 25MP + 5MP + 8MP | Front – 25-megapixel | 6.4-inch FHD+ AMOLED | 4,000 mAh | A year ago, Samsung would have never made a list like this, but the Galaxy A and M series have become absolute game-changers. While the A50 may fall short in the performance division, the design and display are simply amazing. And it only gets better with the triple camera setup, which DxOMark rates as one of the best in this price range.

Vivo Z1 Pro | Rs 16,990 | Snapdragon 712 | 6GB/128GB | Rear –16MP + 8MP + 2MP | Front – 32-megapixel | 6.53-inch FHD+ LCD | 5,000 mAh | The Vivo Z1 Pro brings the punch-hole display to the 15K price range. You can also get a 4GB/64GB Z1 Pro variant for Rs 14,990, making it the cheapest of the lot. And if you can make do with an LCD panel, the Z1 Pro won’t disappoint with a great camera, modern design, excellent performance, and a massive battery. The Snapdragon 712 SoC on the Z1 Pro should put it right behind the K20 in terms of performance.

Nokia 8.1 | Rs 18,999 | Snapdragon 710 | 4GB/64GB | Rear – 12MP + 13MP | Front – 20-megapixel | 6.18-inch FHD+ LCD | 3,500 mAh | The phrase “old is gold” perfectly sums up the Nokia 8.1. If you can look past the wide notch and LCD screen, the Nokia 8.1 is an excellent handset. In terms of software, the Stock Android experience on the Nokia 8.1 will be second to none on this list. Apart from excellent software, the 8.1 will also deliver in terms of both camera and performance. At under 20K, the Nokia 8.1 is the best device you can get on the software front.

Realme X | Rs 19,999 | Snapdragon 710 | 8GB/128GB | Rear – 48MP + 5MP | Front – 16-megapixel | 6.53-inch FHD+ AMOLED | 3,765 mAh | The Realme X opts for a Snapdragon 710 SoC, similar to the one found on the Realme 3 Pro, but that’s where the similarities stop. The 48-megapixel primary sensor, AMOLED display with an impressive screen-to-body ratio and premium design make the Realme X worth its price tag. There’s a 4GB variant of the device available 3K less.

Oppo K3 | Expect Price Rs 16,000 | Snapdragon 710 | 6GB/64GB | Rear – 16MP + 2MP | Front – 16-megapixel | 6.5-inch FHD+ AMOLED | 3,765 mAh | The Oppo K1 was the first handset to bring an AMOLED panel in the 20K price range, but was far from perfect. The K3 attempts to right that wrong with an improved processor, a slightly bigger battery and a 2019-worthy design. The K3 is easily the best value-for-money OPPO handset on the market and will debut in India on the 19th of July.

Motorola One Vision | Rs 19,999 | Exynos 9609 | 4GB/128GB | Rear – 48MP + 5MP | Front – 25-megapixel | 6.3-inch FHD+ LCD | 3,500 mAh | If you lean more towards UI than hardware, the Motorola One Vision is definitely worth considering. The adoption of the punch-hole display brings a more modern touch to the Moto One Vision. Additionally, Motorola has also made a few software tweaks in the camera department, aimed at improving image quality. However, the noticeable differences you’ll find in this handset are the LCD screen and sub-par performance courtesy of the Exynos 9609.

Samsung Galaxy M40 | Rs 19,990 | Snapdragon 675 | 6GB/128GB | Rear – 32MP + 8MP + 5MP | Front – 16-megapixel | 6.3-inch FHD+ LCD | 3,500 mAh | Samsung has yet another addition to this list, in the form of the recently launched Galaxy M40. Unlike most smartphones on the list the M40 sports a Snapdragon 600 series chipset. And, while the M40’s Snapdragon 675 SoC is an upgrade from the Exynos 9610 on the A50, its LCD panel and battery aren’t as impressive. The M40 is easily one of Samsung’s best value-for-money handset.

Huawei P30 Lite | Rs 17,990 | Kirin 710 | 4GB/128GB | Rear – 24MP+ 8MP+ 2MP | Front – 32-megapixel | 6.15-inch FHD+ LCD | 3,340 mAH | The Huawei P30 Lite seemed like a decent smartphone with an excellent camera setup when it launched back in February. However, several months and smartphones later, the P30 Lite doesn’t seem all that impressive. The Kirin 710 SoC is pretty old and isn’t on par with any of the Snapdragon chipsets on this list. The smaller battery and teardrop LCD screen are also a bit of a letdown. One area where the P30 Lite shines is in camera performance.