The mid-range segment of the smartphone industry is the most competitive. Several companies are competing in this segment, with each of them launching multiple phones to capture different consumer demographics. This is both good and bad for buyers. It’s good because more competition results in better products and lower prices. The problem is that it leads to choice overload that makes it difficult to make the final decision. Well, that is where we come in. To save you from wasting time in hours of research, we have compiled the list of the 10 best smartphones between Rs 20,000 and Rs 35,000 that you can buy in 2021.
Best smartphones between Rs 20,000 and Rs 35,000 you can buy
For this list, we have covered all the bases. No matter where your preferences reside, you will find a phone that meets your needs. From phones powered by the latest MediaTek Dimensity processors with integrated 5G capabilities to phones with stunning cameras, we have got everything here. Obviously, some phones seem to rise above the crop and bring the entire package. With all that said, let’s not waste any more time and get to our list, shall we?
Realme X7 Pro
Realme X7 Pro is one of the best mid-range smartphones that you can buy in 2021. Priced at Rs 29,999, the smartphone is powered by MediaTek Dimensity 1000+, built on the new 7nm architecture. The architecture results in higher performance at lower power consumption. What it means is that the chipset not only performs like a champ, but it also draws less power resulting in better battery life. The chipset also comes with MediaTek 5G UltraSave technology that manages the modem’s operating mode in real-time for power efficiency. Thanks to this, you get good battery life even when using 5G on your phone. The performance and battery management are further improved by the MediaTek HyperEngine 2.0 technology. It brings several upgrades resulting in lower loading time for games, lower latency, better game performance, and more. The Dimensity 1000+ chipset also supports dual-SIM 5G, which means you will be ready for the future of mobile connectivity when it becomes available in India.
Talking about other features, the Realme X7 Pro comes with a 120Hz Super AMOLED display with a 240Hz touch sample rate. It also supports 100 percent of DCI-P3 colour space. All these specs make this the perfect phone for gaming and media consumption. One outstanding feature of the phone is the 65W SuperDart charging technology that gets you from 0 to 100 percent in under 40 minutes. Add to this an excellent quad-camera system, an eye-catching design, dual-stereo speakers, and a vapor chamber cooling system, and you have a winner.
Realme X7
For a buyer who is a little stringent with the money, the regular version of the Realme X7 makes perfect sense. Starting at Rs 19,999, the phone is perfect for users who are not willing to cross the Rs 20,000 to Rs 25,000 mark. Under the hood, the phone packs a powerful and efficient MediaTek Dimensity 800U 5G processor. This processor also uses the 7nm technology bringing good performance and longer battery life. Available in two beautiful colours, the phone is also an eye-candy.
The best part of the phone is that Realme has not cut any major corners to bring down the price. You are still getting an ultra-fast charing experience thanks to the 50W SuperDart technology (50 percent in 18 minutes), a triple camera system at the back, dual-SIM 5G, 6.4-inch Super AMOLED display with 180Hz touch sampling rate, and more. If you can spring the extra money, then Realme X7 Pro, of course, is a better option, but at Rs 10,000 less on the sticker price, the regular X7 makes sense for most users.
Realme Narzo 30 Pro
Coming at number three is a phone that barely makes it to our price bracket. But the phone is so good that it was hard to leave it off the list. Quite frankly, it is one of the best value-for-money smartphones on this list. First, it’s powered by the same MediaTek Dimensity 800U 5G processor, which you will see on other costlier phones on the list. It also has a 120Hz high refresh-rate screen with a 180Hz touch sampling rate. And there’s a massive 5,000mAh battery inside that can easily last you for a day and a half. Once you run through the battery, you can also juice it up quickly, thanks to the 30W Dart Charge technology that can get your phone from 0 to 100 percent in around 65 minutes. It also brings Dolby Atmos and Hi-Res Audio support, thus improving your gaming and movie-watching experience. Costing Rs 19,999 (for the higher-end version), this phone is a no-brainer for anyone who wants to save some money.
OPPO Reno5 Pro 5G
Priced at Rs 35,990, the OPPO Reno5 Pro 5G stretches the boundary of our price bracket. But if a sense of luxury is what you are after, this is the phone to get. It brings a flagship-level construction with its beautiful design and ultra-slim body (7.6mm). On the front, there’s a 6.55-inch 90Hz Super AMOLED display, which can hit a peak brightness of 1100 nits. The quad-camera set-up helmed by a 64MP primary sensor at the back takes incredible pictures and videos. Thanks to the AI Highlight Video feature, you can take clear videos even in dim or backlit surroundings. There’s a big 4,350mAh battery backed by the 65W SuperVOOC 2.0 charging technology. You also get power-packed performance and 5G connectivity with the 5G-enabled MediaTek Dimensity 1000+ processor. For people who want premium design, great cameras, and a beastly processor under the hood, the OPPO Reno5 Pro 5G is one of the best options.
OPPO F19 Pro+ 5G
The OPPO F19 Pro+ 5G is an excellent mid-range offering from OPPO and falls right in the middle of our price bracket. Priced at just Rs 25,990, the phone is a treat for buyers who love OPPO’s camera technology. The phone features a triple camera module spearheaded by a 48MP primary camera. You get all the OPPO camera goodies such as AI Highlight Portrait Video, Ultra Night Video, HDR Video, Dual-View Video, and more. All these camera features are made possible by the MediaTek Dimensity 800U 5G processor that easily handles the computational workload required to make them work. There’s a 4,310mAh battery that can get you through all your recording sessions. And even if the phone runs out of juice, the included 50W Flash Charge tech ensures that you can top off your smartphone in minutes. For its asking price, this smartphone is a great deal.
Samsung Galaxy A32
If you are tired of the same camera hump on the back of every other smartphone, you will like the unique approach of the Samsung Galaxy A32. It features individual protruding lenses, that combined with the pastel colour of the body, give the phone an interesting look. The quad-cameras on the back are not just for the show. With a primary 64MP sensor, backed by an 8MP ultra-wide, 5MP macro, and 5MP depth camera, the smartphone can capture excellent photos and videos. On the front, there’s an FHD+ Super AMOLED display with a 90Hz refresh rate. The display can hit a peak brightness of 800 nits and remains visible in bright daylight. It features an unobtrusive water-drop notch that houses a capable 20MP selfie shooter. The phone is powered by the popular MediaTek Helio G80 processor, which delivers good performance. Powering it all is a substantial 5000mAh battery that can easily last you a day and a half. If you prefer a unique design and Samsung OneUI interface, Samsung Galaxy A32 is a fine option in the Rs 20,000-35,000 price bracket.
Xiaomi Mi 10i
Starting at Rs 20,999, the Mi 10i is a good option for price-conscious buyers. The phone has all the bells and whistles you expect from a good mid-range device. It has a quad-camera set up at the back and a beautiful 6.67-inch FHD+ AdaptiveSync display with a 120Hz refresh rate and 240Hz touch sampling rate at the front. It’s powered by the Snapdragon 750G processor that brings good performance and 5G connectivity. The included 4820mAh battery is backed by 33W fast charging, so battery life and charging it quickly should not be a concern.
It’s available in three gorgeous colours; Pacific Sunrise, Midnight Black, and Atlantic Blue. All these colours have a gradient shading effect which looks cool. You also get all the software goodies that come with MIUI. If you are a fan of Xiaomi phones, this is a great mid-range phone in the Rs 20,000 to Rs 35,000 price bracket.
Vivo V20 Pro
Vivo V20 Pro might be a 6-month-old phone, but it remains one of the best mid-range devices in our price bracket. Starting at Rs 29,990, the phone features a good design and brings powerful internals. At the front, you get a 6.44-inch AMOLED FHD+ display with a notch that houses a dual-selfie camera module. At the back, you will find a smooth matte finish along with a triple camera module that can take good pictures. Powered by the Snapdragon 765G processor, the smartphone brings 8GB of RAM and 128GB of built-in storage. At 4,000mAh, the battery is a bit smaller than the competition, but you do get 33W fast charging support. What differentiates this phone from completion is the included Vapor Chamber with liquid cooling. This should result in sustained peak performance but doesn’t matter much in real-life usage.
OnePlus Nord
OnePlus Nord is the perfect mid-range smartphone for people who like the stock Android experience. Starting at Rs 24,999, the OnePlus Nord is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 765G processor. There are quad-cameras at the back and dual-cameras at the front. The phone takes good pictures, but don’t expect fancy features that you can find on some of the other phones on this list. The 6.44-inch Fluid AMOLED display delivers good picture quality and has a 90Hz refresh rate resulting in a smooth scrolling experience. The included 4,115mAh might seem small to some users, but the Warp Charge 30T charging tech more than makes up for it (0 to 70 percent in 30 minutes). The OnePlus Nord might not bring any jaw-dropping feature, but it’s a well-rounded smartphone. And if you love the stock Android experience, this might just be the phone for you.
Samsung Galaxy F62
The last phone on our list is the Samsung Galaxy F62. The defining feature of this phone is the massive 7,000mAh battery which can comfortably last for two days. If you play a ton of games or stream TV series for hours, you might want to consider this one. Costing Rs 23,999, the Samsung Galaxy F62 also gets many other things right. The phone uses a 6.7-inch Super AMOLED Plus display panel with a resolution of 1080 x 2400 pixels. The display looks good, but the peak brightness of 420 nits lets the phone down a little. There are quad-cameras at the back consisting of a 64MP primary sensor, a 12MP ultra-wide sensor, a 5MP macro sensor, and a 5MP depth sensor. The phone lets you capture slow-motion videos at 480 FPS. It’s powered by the octa-core Samsung Exynos 9825 that offers good performance but doesn’t support 5G connectivity. If you want the absolute best battery life and are willing to forgo some features, go check it out.
Well, that concludes our list of best phones in the Rs 20,000-35,000 price bracket. You can find some incredible phones on our list. The mid-range segment has become quite good thanks to the MediaTek Dimensity chipsets like the Dimensity 1000+ and Dimensity 800U that offer excellent performance and 5G connectivity at an affordable price. Their higher compute power also allows smartphone manufacturers to include AI-powered camera features that let you capture incredible photos and videos even in low-light conditions. The mid-range smartphone segment has never been more flourishing, so check out these phones and let us know which one you decided to buy.
