Are you looking for a new smartphone to upgrade your old one? Or do you want to gift someone a smartphone that they will love? If yes, then you are in luck because this Festive season, Flipkart and Amazon are set to offer some incredible deals on smartphones ranging from premium flagships to budget phones. There will be multiple deals and discounts on smartphones this season.
You can get huge discounts on some of the most popular and powerful smartphones, from brands such as Apple, Samsung, Motorola, and more. We have selected the best phones for each price bracket and will share our suggestions with you in this post. So, without wasting much of your time, let’s begin!
Best smartphones under Rs 10,000 price segment
The under 10K segment has been a battleground this year. While some brands are trying to offer great designs, other brands are focusing more on the camera aspects of the smartphone. You have to compromise on one aspect or the other. However, there have been 3 smartphones that are different and special:
- Redmi 12C
The Redmi 12C is a budget smartphone from Xiaomi that was launched in India earlier this year. The phone offers a stylish design, a large 6.71-inch HD+ display with a waterdrop notch, a MediaTek Helio G85 chip, and a capable camera setup for its price. The phone offers up to 11GB of extended RAM and up to 128GB of internal storage. It also has a dedicated microSD card slot for storage expansion.
The Redmi 12C has a dual rear camera setup, consisting of a 50MP primary sensor and a depth sensor. The phone has a 5MP selfie camera that can shoot decent videos.
- POCO C55
Next up, we have the POCO C55. This phone features a 50MP primary camera that can capture detailed photos. These photos look stunning on the large 6.71-inch HD+ display.
The phone is powered by the MediaTek Helio G85 chipset, which is a decent performer for everyday tasks and casual gaming. The phone comes with up to 11GB of Turbo RAM and up to 128GB of internal storage, which can be expanded via a microSD card slot. The phone has a leather stitch design and runs on Android 12 with MIUI 13 for POCO skin on top. The phone has a 5000mAh battery that supports 10W wired charging via a micro-USB port.
3. Realme C53
The Realme C53 is a unique smartphone that was launched in July. The phone offers some unique features for its price segment: a 108MP primary camera that can capture detailed and sharp pictures. In addition, The phone also comes 6.74-inch HD+ display with a 90Hz refresh rate, making it much more responsive than normal 60Hz phones. The phone also has a mini capsule feature, that makes the waterdrop notch more useful with built-in software actions.
The phone is powered by the Unisoc Tiger T612 chipset, which is a decent performer for everyday tasks and casual gaming. The phone comes with up to 12GB of Dynamic RAM and up to 128GB of internal storage, which can be expanded via a microSD card slot up to 2TB. The phone is juiced up with a 5000 mAh battery which can be topped up with 18W charging via its USB Type-C port.
Selfie camera duties are accompanied by an 8MP sensor, and the phone supports Dual Band WiFi, along with a dedicated MicroSD card slot which supports up to 2TB.
Best option under Rs 10,000?
When selecting between these phones, the Realme C53 is undoubtedly the winner here. Not only does it have the most capable camera setup with a 108MP sensor, but it also has the best display with a 90Hz refresh rate, providing a smoother experience. It also has 18W charging support with a USB Type-C, which compared to the competition, is of course preferred. As a simple rule, if USB Type-C is available as an option, never go with micro-USB!
Best smartphones in Rs 10,000 – Rs 20,000 price segment
The Rs 10,000 to RS 20,000 segment has also heated up quite a bit in the last two months. With entries like the Moto Edge 40 Neo and Vivo T2 pro, it is becoming difficult to recommend other variants in this price range.
Motorola g54 5G
The Motorola G54 is a mid-range smartphone from Motorola that was launched recently. This phone offers smooth performance, a long-lasting battery, a good camera, and stereo speakers for its price.
Coming to the specifications, The Motorola G54 has a 6.5-inch FHD+ display and a 30-120Hz dynamic refresh rate. The display has a punch-hole cutout for the 16MP selfie camera and thin bezels around it. The phone is powered by the MediaTek Dimensity 7020 chipset, which is a rebranded MediaTek Dimensity 930 with 5G support. The phone comes with up to 12GB of RAM and up to 256GB of internal storage, and this is physical RAM, not an extended version like on budget phones.
In terms of optics, the smartphone has a 50MP primary camera with optical image stabilization, and an 8MP ultrawide angle camera. The battery is a massive 6000 mAh unit with support for 33W TurboPower charging. The phone comes with stock Android 13 with features such as ThinkShield for security, and a promise for security updates for up to 3 years.
Motorola Edge 40 Neo
In the same price segment, the Moto Edge 40 Neo is also another offering by the company. This smartphone comes with a beautiful Pantone color finish with a vegan leather back and is available in Caneel Bay, Beauty Black, and Soothing Sea finishes. The phone comes with 6.55-inch curved pOLED display with a 144Hz refresh rate. This smartphone is powered by the Dimensity 7030 (again a rebranded version of the Dimensity 1050).
The phone features a 13MP ultrawide angle camera and the front camera is a 32MP selfie unit. The primary is the same 50MP setup with OIS and Night Vision support to ensure improved low-light images. The phone comes with a 5000 mAh battery and 68W wired charging. Notably, the phone comes with an IP68 dust and water resistance rating, which means that you can take it to a beach or swimming pool without a hint of worry. It won’t just survive occasional splashes of water but even withstand being submerged in water for a considerable amount of time. Now that’s the kind of resistance that makes for a perfect travel phone.
Vivo T2 5G
With the Vivo T2 5G you get a 6.38-inch AMOLED display with a 90Hz refresh rate. The smartphone has a Snapdragon 695 at the helm, with support for up to 16GB of Extended RAM and 128 GB of storage. The camera is a dual-camera setup with a 64MP primary sensor with OIS and a 2MP depth sensor. The front camera has a 16MP unit.
The battery is a 4500 mAh unit with support for 44W fast charging. The phone comes with FunTouch OS 13 out-of-the-box with support for up to 2 years of OS updates.
Samsung Galaxy M34
The last option in this list is the Samsung Galaxy M34. If you like the Samsung ecosystem, you can have a look at this one. It comes with a 6.5-inch 120Hz AMOLED display with 1000 nits of peak brightness. Powering the phone is an Exynos 1280 SoC, and juicing it up is a 6,000 mAh battery with 25W fast charging. The phone comes with One UI based on Android 13, and the company promises software support for up to 5 years. In terms of camera performance, you get a triple camera setup with a 50MP main sensor with OIS, an 8MP ultrawide angle camera, and a 2MP macro unit. The phone comes with One UI based on Android 13, and the company promises software support for up to 5 years.
Best option between Rs 10,000 – Rs 20,000?
In this category, the Moto G54 will be our recommended product. The massive 6000mAh battery capacity, along with massive 12GB of RAM and 256GB storage will last you for many years. The handset even offers a camera setup with OIS support for stable shots and videos. On top of all this, you also get a charger in box, which is becoming rare these days. If you are comfortable with spending a bit more, the Moto Edge 40 Neo is also a great option as the handset offers well-rounded specs in all departments.
Best smartphones in Rs 20,000 – Rs 30,000 price segment
Moving further up, we now have a plethora of options, and among these, some of the smartphones do stand out.
Motorola Edge 40
The Moto Edge 40 comes with the Dimensity 8020, which is a particularly powerful chip. The storage type here is UFS 3.1, which ensures faster load times. The phone’s build quality is noteworthy as it comes with an aluminum frame, which gives it a rigid feel.
The battery capacity offered by the phone is 4400mAh and it supports up to a whopping 68W fast-charging. If you prefer wireless charging, you will be glad to know that the phone supports up to 15W wireless charging and is IP68 certified.
Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G with Snapdragon 888
The Samsung Galaxy S21 FE is a proper flagship smartphone, and now the phone is new and improved with the inclusion of the Snapdragon 888 chipset, which makes it better than ever. Apart from the capable chipset, the phone comes with up to 8GB of LPDDR5 RAM and 256 GB UFS 3.1 storage.
As you might expect from this series, the cameras here on offer are flagship-grade. The phone has a 12MP primary sensor with OIS, an 8MP 3X Telephoto with OIS, and a 12MP ultrawide camera. The front camera is a 32MP unit. In terms of display, you get a 6.4-inch Dynamic 2X AMOLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate. The phone comes with an aluminium frame, a 4500mAh battery with wireless charging, 25W wired charging, and an IP68 rating.
OnePlus Nord CE 3
The OnePlus Nord CE 3 also comes under the Rs 30K price point. The handset has a 6.7-inch AMOLED display with FHD+ resolution, 120Hz refresh rate, HDR10+, and an in-display fingerprint scanner.
The display has a punch-hole cutout for the 16MP selfie camera and thin bezels around it. The phone is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 782G chipset. In terms of optics, the phone has a triple camera setup with a 50MP primary camera with an IMX890 sensor, an 8MP ultrawide camera, and a 2MP macro sensor. The selfie duties are handled by a 16MP sensor.
OnePlus Nord 3
The OnePlus Nord 3 has a 6.74-inch AMOLED screen with 1.5K resolution, 120Hz refresh rate, HDR10+, and an in-display fingerprint scanner. The display has a punch-hole cutout for the 16MP selfie camera and thin bezels around it. It is powered by the Dimensity 9000 SoC. The phone comes with up to 12GB of RAM and up to 256GB of internal storage. The phone runs on Android 13 with OxygenOS 13.1 skin on top. The phone has the same triple rear camera setup, consisting of a 50MP main camera with OIS, an 8MP ultrawide camera, and a 2MP macro camera as the Nord CE 3. The phone has a 5000mAh battery that supports 80W wired charging.
Best phone between Rs 20,000 and Rs 30,000?
Looking purely from a value standpoint, the Moto Edge 40 comes out as the overall winner. It has almost all the flagship features, a brilliant curved display, IP68 water resistance that makes it perfect for travel, and a beautiful back vegan leather design, minus the flagship pricing. The phone also offers wireless charging, which makes it an appealing buy. If you are willing around a little more, make sure to have a look at the S21 FE 2023 too as the Samsung phone also offers some of the flagship-grade features such as a capable processor, great cameras, and an immersive display, at a pocket-friendly price.
Best smartphones above Rs 30,000
Nothing Phone (2)
The Nothing Phone (2) was launched as the spiritual successor to the Nothing Phone (1), and it brought many of the features that were requested by the fans after the launch of the Nothing Phone (1).
For starters, the Nothing Phone (2) has a 6.7-inch LTPO AMOLED display (which you usually get in 50k+ mobiles) with a resolution of 1,080 x 2,412 pixels, a refresh rate of 120Hz, and HDR10+ support. The display is now much brighter with up to 1600 nits of brightness. The display is protected by Corning Gorilla Glass 5 and has an in-display fingerprint scanner.
The phone also has an improved Glyph interface with segmental white LED lights on the back that can be used for notifications, charging progress, camera fill light, and video recording indicator. There is now Uber and Zomato integration, where now the Glyph lights indicate where your Uber is, or where your food order is. The lights also now have a Pomodoro Timer. The phone has an improved IP54 rating for splash, water, and dust resistance. The Nothing Phone (2) is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 chipset, which is a big step up from the 778G+ used in the Phone (1).
The phone comes with up to 12GB of RAM and up to 512GB of internal storage. The phone runs on Android 13 with Nothing OS 2.0, defining the character of the entire phone. It is more of an experience now, with minimalistic monochrome icons, and a fast and smooth experience. The camera setup is a dual 50MP setup like last year, the primary sensor is now upgraded to an IMX890, and the front camera is a 32MP unit. The battery is a 4700 mAh cell with 45W of PD charging.
Samsung Galaxy S22 5G
The Samsung Galaxy S22 was launched as a flagship offering by the company and comes with great specs for the current price. The phone offers a compact design, a smooth performance, and an excellent camera system for its price range.
The Samsung Galaxy S22 has a 6.1-inch flat FHD+ Dynamic AMOLED 2X display with a resolution of 2,340 x 1,080 pixels, a refresh rate of 120Hz, and HDR10+ support. The display is protected by Corning Gorilla Glass Victus+, and the punch-hole has a 10MP selfie camera.
The phone is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 SoC, coupled with LPDDR5 RAM and UFS 3.1 storage. The phone comes with up to 12GB of RAM and up to 256GB of internal storage. The phone runs on Android 13 with One UI skin on top, which is a clean and customizable software experience. The rear camera is an upgraded one, with a 50MP primary rear camera with OIS, 10MP 3X telephoto, and 12MP ultrawide lens. The Nightography features make the camera of the Samsung Galaxy S22 much better than the previous generation.
The phone has an IP68 rating and supports wireless charging. The battery capacity is around 3700 mAh, with support for 25W fast wired charging.
OnePlus 11R
The last phone in this list is the OnePlus 11R. The handset is powered by the Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 SoC and packs a 6.74-inch AMOLED display with a resolution of 2,772×1,240 pixels and a refresh rate of up to 120Hz.
The OnePlus 11R 5G has a triple camera system on the back, consisting of a 50MP primary camera with a Sony IMX890 sensor, an 8 MP ultra-wide-angle camera, and a 2 MP macro camera. The primary camera supports OIS and EIS. The front-facing camera is a 16MP shooter with a Sony IMX471 sensor and EIS.
The handset has a 5000mAh battery that supports 100W charging. In terms of software, the phone runs on OxygenOS based on Android 13.
Which is the best phone to buy over Rs 30,000?
This is a bit of a tough one but we do have a winner. Nothing Phone (2) offers superior specs over the other phones at its price point and as we said in our review, it is a well-rounded phone too. You get a beautiful OS experience with some unique features such as the Glyph lighting, and a higher resolution ultrawide angle camera on the Nothing Phone (2). Due to all these features, we would lean on the Nothing Phone (2), just because it feels like a more well-rounded smartphone.
If you can spend a bit more though, the Galaxy S22 can also be a very good pick, as it offers far more better camera performance than the Nothing Phone(2) or the OnePlus 11R. Just be wary of that small battery capacity.
Special Mention: The iPhone 14
The iPhone 14 needs no introduction. It is pretty much the culmination of what the best has to offer. The iPhone 15 series is already out, but the models in the new series are slightly on the more unaffordable side for many folks. Fortunately, there might be many changes that you might be fine with skipping this year, especially at the price point at which you can get the iPhone 14.
The rear primary camera on the iPhone 14 has been upgraded with an f/1.5 aperture, a marked improvement over its predecessors, helping it click better photos in low light. The action mode takes super stable footage when you are recording during sports activities. Additional upgrades include Crash Detection, a feature that is useful in emergencies, and a bigger battery capacity.
In terms of features and specifications, the iPhone 14 comes with the A15 Bionic, the same as the iPhone 13 Pro with 5 GPU cores. The iPhone 14 comes with the same Super Retina XDR display with up to 1200 nits of peak brightness. The phone is not only IP68 rated but is tested for up to 6 meters underwater for 30 minutes. The phone is protected by Ceramic Shield, which is even tougher than Gorilla Glass. The front camera comes with a Photonic Engine, rendering better photos than the iPhone 13.
As the iPhone 14 is expected to be offered with some great discounts and deals this Diwali in the upcoming sales, this could be the perfect buy for you.
