The year 2023 has been quite busy with many significant smartphone launches. We have seen a range of flagships from across brands, several mid-range options, and budget models. Smartphone habits have changed, thanks to the rise of mobile gaming, media consumption via OTT apps and more. Now, as we approach the fag end of the year 2023, we bring you the top 10 smartphones in India under Rs 30,000 which were the most searched-for by users on 91mobiles.
The list includes multiple models, including the Vivo V27, Vivo V29e, iQOO Neo 7, POCO F5, Motorola Edge 40, Realme 11 Pro Plus, Infinix GT 10 Pro, Samsung Galaxy A34, and iQOO Z7 Pro. These phones are aimed at customers who prefer mid-range offerings, which is a sweet spot for a price-sensitive market like India. Here’s a quick look at the affordable phones launched in India this year.
Top smartphones launched under Rs 30,000
#1 Vivo V27
Vivo V27 has been the most-searched-for phone under Rs 30,000 on 91mobiles. The handset features a curved display, a colour-changing back panel when exposed to bright light and an in-display fingerprint sensor for security. Vivo V-series is usually known for impressive cameras and rightfully so, the Vivo V27 50MP Sony IMX766V primary sensor.
Key specifications
- Display: 6.78-inch FHD+ AMOLED display, 120Hz refresh rate
- Processor: MediaTek Dimensity 7200 processor with Mali-G610 MC4 GPU
- RAM/Storage: Up to 12GB LPDDR5 RAM and 256GB UFS 3.1 storage
- OS: Android 13 with Funtouch OS 13
- Cameras: 50MP camera with IMX766V sensor and OIS, an 8MP ultra-wide sensor with f/2.2 aperture, 2MP macro camera. There is a 50MP front camera.
- Connectivity: 5G, Dual 4G VoLTE, Wi-Fi 6 802.11, Bluetooth 5.3, GPS, and USB Type-C.
- Battery: 4600mAh (typ) / 4500mAh (min) battery with 66W fast charging
Price: Rs 32,999 for the 8GB + 128GB model and Rs 36,999 for the 12GB + 256GB version.
#2 Vivo V29e
After the Vivo V27, we have another Vivo name in the top-searched phone under Rs 30,000 and this is the Vivo V29e. The handset excels in the display and camera department, thanks to an AMOLED panel and a large 64MP camera sensor. Despite the dated processor, the performance is still very commendable for day-to-day tasks.
The phone gets a large 5000mAh battery and this should last an entire day without any issues. The Vivo V29e has a polycarbonate body, which feels a bit cheap considering the price tag. Despite the dated processor and plastic build, the Vivo V29e is a great offering.
Key specifications
- Display: 6.78-inch FHD+ AMOLED display, 120Hz refresh rate
- Processor: Snapdragon 695 processor with Adreno 619L GPU
- RAM/Storage: 8GB LPDDR4x RAM and Up to 256GB UFS 2.2 storage
- OS: Android 13 with Funtouch OS 13
- Cameras: 64MP primary + 8MP ultra-wide-angle lens. There is a 50MP front camera.
- Connectivity: 5G, Dual 4G VoLTE, Wi-Fi 6 802.11, Bluetooth 5.1, GPS/GLONASS, and a USB Type-C port.
- Battery: 5000mAh battery with 44W fast charging.
Price: Rs 26,999 for the 8GB + 128GB model and Rs 28,999 for the 8GB + 256GB version.
#3 Samsung Galaxy A34
The Samsung Galaxy A34 is the latest A-series offering from the brand but still has a rather dated waterdrop notch design to house the selfie camera. The bezels around the screen too aren’t too thin, which makes the phone look quite dated. However, this doesn’t mean the Galaxy A34 is a bad offering under Rs 30,000.
The Super AMOLED display paired with a 120Hz refresh rate means the visual experience is quite good. The Dimensity 1080 means the performance should also be decent for day-to-day tasks and users might be able to do some casual gaming as well. There is a large 5000mAh battery and this should offer a good battery life. Overall, the Samsung Galaxy A34 is quite a good offering.
Key specifications
- Display: 6.6-inch Full HD+ sAMOLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate
- Processor: MediaTek Dimensity 1080 SoC paired with Mali-G68 MC4 GPU.
- RAM/Storage: 6GB/8GB RAM and 128GB/256GB storage.
- OS: Android 13-based One UI 5.1
- Camera: 48MP primary sensor with f/1.8 aperture, LED flash and OIS, an 8MP ultra-wide angle lens, and a 5MP macro lens. There is a 13MP front camera
- Battery: 5,000mAh battery, 25W fast charging.
- Others: An in-display fingerprint sensor for security, an IP67 rating for water and dust resistance, stereo speakers, and Dolby Atmos.
Price: Rs 30,999 for the 8GB+128GB variant and Rs 32,999 for the 8GB+256GB model.
#4 iQOO Neo 7
iQOO Neo 7 (review) is among the most searched-for mid-range offering in India on 91mobiles. The handset has a lot going on for itself, thanks to the premium specifications that do more justice for the price tag. We have a modern-looking phone with slim bezels, a tiny punch-hole cutout to house the front camera and a premium in-hand grip.
There is a large 6.78-inch display which offers a rich content consumption experience, the chipset is quite powerful to handle gaming and intense tasks like video editing and much more. The 120W fast charging juices up the 5000mAh battery in a jiffy.
Key specifications
- Display: 6.78-inch FHD+ AMOLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate
- Processor: MediaTek Dimensity 8200 coupled with ARM Mali-G610 GPU
- RAM/Storage: Up to 12GB LPDDR5 RAM and 256GB UFS 3.1 storage.
- OS: The handset boots Android 13-based OriginOS custom skin out of the box.
- Battery: 5,000mAh battery with 120W fast charging support.
- Cameras: 64MP camera with OIS, LED flash, a 2MP depth camera with f/2.2 aperture, and a 2MP macro camera with f/2.4 aperture. A 16MP snapper on the front.
Price: Rs 24,999 for the 8GB/128GB model and Rs 27,999 for the 12GB + 256GB variant on Amazon.
#5 POCO F5
The POCO F5 (review) offers excellent performance, thanks to the Snapdragon 7+ Gen2 chipset. Experts opine that the chipset is on par with Qualcomm Snapdragon 8-series SoC. We get a gorgeous AMOLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate for a better visual experience for content consumption and gaming.
Our review notes the battery life of the phone has been very good and the bundled 67W fast charging will quickly juice up the phone when you need it. The stereo speakers are fine-tuned and offer clear vocals. However, on the flip side, the POCO F5 come with a lot of bloatware, which ruins the user experience. There is no microSD card for memory expansion as well. Despite these, the POCO F5 is a compelling offer.
Key specifications
- Display: 6.67-inch FHD+ 12-bit AMOLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate
- Processor: Qualcomm Snapdragon 7+ Gen2 SoC paired with Adreno GPU for graphics.
- RAM and Storage: Up to 12GB RAM and 256GB UFS 3.1 storage
- OS: Android 13-based MIUI 14 custom skin out of the box.
- Battery: 5,000mAh battery with 67W fast charging support.
- Camera: 64MP primary camera sensor with OIS and EIS, an 8MP ultra-wide-angle lens and a 2MP macro sensor. 16MP selfie shooter
- Others: A 3.5mm audio jack, Dolby Atmos, dual stereo speakers, an X-axis Linear motor, and an IR blaster.
Price: Rs 29,999 for the 8GB/256GB model and Rs 33,999 for the 12GB/256GB model (launch price).
#6 Motorola Edge 40
The Motorola Edge 40 (review) is among the popular choices under Rs 30,000 in India. The handset features a premium design, thanks to the faux-leather back panel, a square module to house dual-camera sensors, and curved edges on the front. The phone is well-built. The display is also quite impressive, thanks to a pOLED panel with a 144Hz refresh rate. We get narrow bezels to fit in more content.
The Motorola Edge 40 has an IP68 rating for water and dust resistance and there is no bloatware in the UI. On the downside, the battery life is not very great and the phone can overheat at times, especially during intensive tasks.
Key specifications
- Display: 6.55-inch FHD+ pOLED display with a 144Hz refresh rate
- Processor: MediaTek Dimensity 8020 SoC paired with Mali-G77 MC9 GPU.
- RAM and Storage: 8GB LPDDR4X RAM and 256GB UFS 3.1 storage.
- Battery: 4,400mAh battery with 68W fast charging support and 15W wireless charging support.
- Cameras: 50MP f/1.4 aperture, Quad Pixel Technology, OIS, and a 13MP ultra-wide lens with a 120-degree field of view. There is a 32MP selfie camera.
- OS: Android 13 OS out of the box.
- Connectivity: Connectivity options include 5G SA/NSA, 4G VoLTE, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 5.2, GPS, USB Type-C, and NFC.
Price: Rs 26,499 for the 8GB/256GB model on Flipkart.
#7 Realme 11 Pro Plus
Realme 11 Pro Plus (review) brings a huge design improvement over the Realme 10 lineup. The leatherette-back finish of the phone is a class apart in the Rs 30,000 price segment. This not only is aesthetically pleasing but also acts as a protection against accidental drops and smudges. The Sunrise Baige colour has golden trims and off-white skin. There is a large camera module on the back.
The camera performance is quite impressive, especially for a phone priced under Rs 30,000. The images turned out great regardless of the lighting condition. The display and battery life are yet another impressive feature of the phone. However, the performance is not the best in the segment.
Key specifications
- Display: 6.7-inch OLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate.
- Processor: MediaTek Dimensity 7050 5G chipset.
- RAM and storage: 8GB RAM + 256GB and 12GB RAM + 256GB.
- Cameras: 200MP primary camera with OIS, 4X lossless zoom, an 8MP wide-angle camera, and a 2MP macro sensor. 32MP front camera.
- Battery: 5,000mAh battery with 100W SuperVOOC fast charging technology.
- Software: Android 13-based Realme UI 4.0 out-of-the-box.
Price: Rs 26,799 for the 8GB + 256GB and Rs 29,799 for the 12GB + 256GB model.
#8 Infinix GT 10 Pro
The one thing that caught our attention on the first look at the GT 10 Pro (review) is how striking the design is. The phone features a transparent design similar to the Nothing Phone and this design appears to gamers, thanks to the orange accents. The whole cyberpunk design is eye-catching and turns heads. There are mini-LED light strips as well and this lights up during calls, notifications and more.
The MediaTek Dimensity 8050 is quite powerful with day-to-day tasks and can even handle top-end gaming as well. The display is also quite vivid for content consumption and gaming. The software and UI are also very responsive with no bloatware. The camera performance could have been better so is the battery life.
Key specifications
- Display: 6.67-inch FHD+ AMOLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate
- Cameras: 108MP + 2MP + 2MP triple camera sensors. There is a 32MP front camera.
- Software: Android 13-based XOS 13
- Processor: MediaTek Dimensity 8050 processor paired with Mali-G77 MC9 GPU.
- RAM and storage: 8GB RAM and 256GB of onboard storage.
- Battery, fast charging: 5,000mAh battery with 45W fast charging support.
Price: Rs 21,999 for the single 8GB + 256GB model on Flipkart.
#9 iQOO Z7 Pro
iQOO is taking things up a notch in terms of design with the iQOO Z7 Pro (review). The phone features curved edges on both and this gives it a premium look in the under Rs 30,000 price segment. The phone has dual-camera sensors placed in a square module. The performance of the iQOO Z7 Pro is also top-notch, thanks to the Dimensity 7200 SoC. We can even game on the phone.
The battery life is quite good and can even last an entire day without any issues. However, the downside of the phone is that it comes with a lot of bloatware and the cameras could have been a lot better. The cameras are decent for casual clicks but not so much if you want pro-level images.
Key specifications
- Display: 6.78-inch FHD+ AMOLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate
- Processor: MediaTek Dimensity 7200 5G chipset paired with ARM Mali-G610 GPU.
- RAM and storage: 8GB + 128GB, and 8GB + 256GB storage.
- Cameras: 64MP primary sensor and a 2MP bokeh lens. There is a 16MP front camera.
- Battery, charging: 4,600mAh battery with 66W fast charging support.
- Software: Android 13-based Funtouch OS custom skin.
Price: Rs 23,999 for the 8GB + 128GB and Rs 24,999 for the 8GB + 256GB model.
#10 iQOO Neo 7 256GB
The iQOO Neo 7 makes a surprising entry yet again in the top 10 phones under Rs 30,000 and this time the 256GB version. This suggests that users are looking into purchasing not just the base model but the high-storage versions. This is quite obvious considering the growing habits of clicking pics, recording videos installing large-size games and more.
Key specifications
- Display: 6.78-inch FHD+ AMOLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate
- Processor: MediaTek Dimensity 8200 coupled with ARM Mali-G610 GPU
- Battery: 5,000mAh battery with 120W fast charging support.
- RAM/Storage: Up to 12GB LPDDR5 RAM and 256GB UFS 3.1 storage.
- OS: Android 13-based OriginOS custom skin out of the box.
- Cameras: 64MP camera with OIS, LED flash, a 2MP depth camera with f/2.2 aperture, and a 2MP macro camera with f/2.4 aperture.
- Front camera: 16MP snapper on the front.
Price: Rs 24,999 for the 8GB/128GB model and Rs 27,999 for the 12GB + 256GB variant on Amazon.
