New smartphones get released every month, and if you don’t follow the news like we do, it will be very hard to keep up with all the new releases. What this means is that you might lose out on the best smartphone you can buy and settle for a mediocre one. Well, we wouldn’t want that to happen to our readers. That’s why we always publish lists of the best smartphones you can buy in different price categories and keep them updated. By far the toughest and most interesting category to keep track of is the budget segment, as more smartphones are released in this price zone than any other. Just in the last month, 3 new phones have been released. So, to make things easier for you and help you find your perfect budget smartphone, here are the 12 best phones under 20000 INR that you can buy today:
The Best Phones Under 20000 INR (December 2018)
1. Poco F1
Xiaomi’s Poco F1 is by far the best value for money smartphone out there, however, the phone was priced starting at Rs. 20,999, thus keeping it off this list. Now, the company has given the Poco F1 a permanent price cut of Rs. 1,000, thereby bringing its entry-point down to Rs. 19,999, and at that price, the Poco F1 is unbeatable. For starters, the phone comes with a modern, bezel-less design, with a notch that might be big, but has an IR powered face unlock so it even works at night. Moreover, the LCD display on the Poco F1 is a pretty good display, and at Full HD+ resolution, it doesn’t leave a lot to desire.
However, what makes the Poco F1 the absolutely best, stand out phone in this price range, is the fact that the phone brings a Snapdragon 845 processor, 6GB of RAM (there’s an 8GB variant too, for a higher price), and 64GB of storage (there are 128GB and 256GB variants too, for a higher price). This means, you get flagship grade performance from a smartphone that’s priced under Rs. 20,000.
In terms of cameras too, the Poco F1 does not disappoint. The phone has a 12MP + 5MP dual rear camera that is capable of taking pretty good pictures, especially in good lighting. On the front, the Poco F1 comes with a 20MP selfie camera, and that too is surprisingly good, which means you shouldn’t have any complaints with the phone’s camera, especially considering the price you’re getting it at. The Poco F1 also features a big 4,000 mAh battery, so you can play your favorite games, and watch your favorite movies all day long without having to worry about the battery.
Buy the Poco F1 from Flipkart: starts at Rs. 19,999
2. Redmi Note 6 Pro
Xiaomi’s recently launched budget smartphone, the Redmi Note 6 Pro is undoubtedly one of the best smartphones you can buy under Rs. 20,000. The Redmi Note 6 Pro features a 6.26-inch FullHD+ display, which is only slightly bigger than the Redmi Note 5 Pro, but this time around the phone comes with a notch as well as chin; the side bezels are very thin though, so that’s definitely great and a lot better than the Redmi Note 5 Pro as far as design is concerned.
In everything else, the Redmi Note 6 Pro is almost the same phone as the Redmi Note 5 Pro. It has the same Snapdragon 636 Mobile Platform with an Adreno 509 GPU humming along for graphical performance. There’s 4GB/6GB of RAM, and 64GB of internal storage. As far as performance is concerned, the Redmi Note 6 Pro will not disappoint you whether it’s for everyday usage, or for gaming.
On the rear, the phone features a 12MP + 5MP dual rear camera (same as the Redmi Note 5 Pro) and it takes images that are pretty much the same as the Redmi Note 5 Pro except for some improvements here and there, and slightly better low light performance thanks to the wider f/1.9 aperture. On the front, the Redmi Note 6 Pro features a 20MP + 2MP dual camera and here the differences are far more pronounced. It’s definitely much better than the Redmi Note 5 Pro.
Other than that, the Redmi Note 5 Pro comes with the same, huge, 4,000 mAh battery that will easily last you through the day, and probably even longer if your usage is not very intensive. Also, the Redmi Note 6 Pro comes with MIUI 10, which is the latest iteration of Xiaomi’s in-house Android skin and is built on top of Android 8.1 Oreo.
Buy the Redmi Note 6 Pro from Flipkart (starts at Rs. 13,999)
3. Xiaomi Mi A2
It’s no secret that Xiaomi makes some of the best smartphones on the market. The company is able to keep its prices down and undercuts most of the smartphones out there which is nothing sort of sorcery. Probably the only problem people have with Xiaomi is its MIUI interface which it ships with its phone. However, for people who want to enjoy Xiaomi’s phones but don’t want to deal with MIUI, the company does release one phone every year which comes with stock Android. Xiaomi does this under the Android One program where it partners with Google to bring the sweet stock Android to its devices. Xiaomi Mi A1 was the first device in the line-up and the company has just released its successor, the Mi A2.
The Xiaomi Mi A2 is one of the best smartphones you can buy under the 20000 INR price range. The smartphone is being powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 660 processor while the Adreno 512 is handling all the GPU related needs. The phone also comes with 4 GB of RAM and 64 GB of internal storage for the base model. The phone also doesn’t disappoint in the camera department as it is bringing a dual 12 MP + 20 MP camera module at the back along with a 20 MP camera sensor at the front. Both of these cameras take really good photos and you will not be disappointed with them. The smartphone also brings a 5.99-inch IPS LCD panel with a resolution of 1080 x 2160 pixels. The display is plenty sharp and quite color accurate. This is one of the best phones you can get under INR 20000. Plus, with Xiaomi reducing prices of the Mi A2, you can now get it for Rs. 1000 less than its usual price, which makes this an even sweeter deal.
Buy From Amazon: ₹15,999
4. Honor Play
If you want the fastest and the most powerful smartphone that money can buy you in your price range, Huawei Honor Play is the smartphone for you. I don’t know how Huawei has done it but somehow the company was able to include its top of the line HiSilicon Kirin 970 processor in a phone which costs less than 20000 INR. If somehow you have not heard of the HiSilicon Kirin 970 processor, it’s basically in the same league with the Snapdragon 845. Yes, let that news sink in a bit. Huawei is giving you a phone with the processing power of the best Android flagships, in under 20000 INR. Once you get over the shock, you will find that the phone is also bringing Mali-G72 MP12 GPU along with 4 GB of RAM and 64 GB of internal storage.
Talking about the display, the Honor Play is packing a 6.3-inch IPS LCD panel with a resolution of 1080 x 2340 pixels, giving it a respectable pixel density of about 409 PPI. When it comes to cameras, the smartphone brings a 16 MP + 2 MP dual-camera sensor at the back along with a 16 MP camera at the front. While the camera specs are not the best we have seen in this price range, I can whole-heartedly forgive Huawei for this as I understand that they had to cut the cost somewhere. Also, the cameras themselves are not that bad when it comes to real life performance and thanks to Kirin 970, they can record video in 4K, a feature not many phones can claim. The phone also packs a huge 3750 mAh battery which should easily last you the whole day. If you want the best processing power a phone has to offer, this is the one you should get.
Buy From Amazon: ₹19,999
5. Realme 2 Pro
Another great smartphone under Rs. 20000 that you can buy is the Realme 2 Pro. First of all, it has a beautiful design. There’s 6.3-inch FHD+ display with a teardrop notch, which by the way, makes the Realme 2 Pro the only phone with a teardrop notch in this price range. Along with the great design, the Realme 2 Pro is powered by the Snapdragon 660 with up to 8 gigs of RAM. Yes, that sounds insane. While you won’t be able to get the 8GB version of the phone under 15000, but the 4GB version of the phone performs admirably well.
Then, there’s the cameras. The Realme 2 Pro comes with a 16MP+2MP dual camera setup on the back and a 16MP front facing camera. In our camera review of the Realme 2 Pro, we found out that although the Realme 2 Pro does not do videos too well, the pictures taken from the phone are pretty good. So, if you are looking for stylish yet powerful budget phone under 15000 rupees, you should definitely check out the Realme 2 Pro.
Buy on Flipkart: (starts at ₹13,990)
6. Oppo F9
The Oppo F9 is a smartphone that tries to strike a balance between all the important things you look for in a smartphone, and that’s what makes it a great contender for this list. The phone comes with a Helio P60 processor, and yes, it’s a MediaTek processor, but the Helio P60 does not hold back any punches, and in fact, it performs as good as (and slightly better than) the Snapdragon 660. The phone also comes with 4GB of RAM, and 64GB of onboard storage, so you’ll be able to do everything from watching videos, to playing games on this phone with ease. There’s a 6.3-inch Full HD display here, that looks stunning not only because it’s a pretty great display, but also thanks to the teardrop notch on the phone.
In terms of cameras, the Oppo F9 comes with a solid 16MP + 2MP dual rear camera that takes detailed photos in most conditions and is definitely a pretty great camera. Plus, the 16MP front facing camera is awesome too and can take good looking selfies. There’s a slo-mo video feature in the Oppo F9 as well, so you can take some impressive videos too. Plus, the phone has a 3,500 mAh battery which, while not huge, will definitely last you through a regular day of use.
Buy the Oppo F9 from Flipkart (Rs. 18,990)
7. Vivo V9 Pro
The Vivo V9 Pro is one of the best phones Vivo has put out under the 20000 INR price bracket. The phone packs in some decent specs; there’s the Snapdragon 660 SoC paired with 4GB RAM and 64GB of on board storage, so the phone can easily handle all the tasks you might need it to do, including gaming. It also looks pretty good, with a beautiful bezel-less display, and a back that’s not too overdone in terms of design.
The phone comes with a 6.3-inch FullHD+ display and it looks stunning. The brightness is nice, and the color reproduction is on point here. You’ll definitely enjoy using the display on this phone. Plus, thanks to the decently sized 3,260mAh battery, the phone will last you through a regular day with some lightweight gaming as well. For photography, the Vivo V9 Pro comes with a 13MP + 2MP dual rear camera set up that is capable of taking good looking shots in a variety of lighting situations. Obviously, since this is a dual camera smartphone, it can take portrait mode shots as well, and these too look decently good enough. The phone also comes with a 16MP front facing camera which is a pretty solid performer too. Other than that, the V9 Pro comes with an AI based HDR mode as well for getting even more detail in your shots.
Buy the Vivo V9 Pro from Flipkart (Rs. 15,990)
8. Nokia 6.1 Plus
The Nokia 6.1 Plus is one of the best-looking devices in this price range and is certainly worth considering if you are looking for a new device. The smartphone sports a big 5.8-inch fullHD+ display which has a resolution of 2280×1080 pixels. That gives it a Pixel density of 432 PPI. The display is quite good with great color reproduction and good viewing angles. When it comes to the chipset, the phone is being powered by the Snapdragon 636 processor which is being paired with Adreno 509 GPU. Together they eke out quite respectable performance and I didn’t observe any stuttering or lag whatsoever.
It also comes with 4 GB of RAM and 64 GB of storage which is more than enough for most users. I am especially impressed by the smartphone’s cameras as they perform pretty well. Both the dual 16 MP f/2.0 + 5 MP f/2.4 camera at the back and the 16MP f/2.0 at the front take great photos with ample details and great color accuracy. One of the best things about buying a Nokia phone including the 6.1 Plus is that it is running stock Android under the Android One program. While the smartphone comes with Android 8.0 Oreo onboard, you can be sure that Android Pie is just around the corner. If you want a well-designed, powerful smartphone which is running on stock Android, you should definitely check this phone out.
Buy From Flipkart: ₹15,999
9. Asus Zenfone Max Pro M1 6GB
As I said earlier, it is very hard to beat Xiaomi in the smartphone market as the company has developed a knack for bringing amazing value for money smartphones. Imagine my surprise when the company that finally did it was Asus. Asus might be a big name in the laptop industry but smartphones had never been its forte. However, somehow, the company has changed that by releasing the Asus Zenfone Max Pro M1 which is a very capable device and one of the best that you can buy in this price range. Do note that the Asus Zenfone Max Pro M1 comes in two variants and we are talking about the higher end 6 GB version here. The smartphone is being powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 636 chipset which is paired with Adreno 509 GPU.
In our testing, we found the phones to be plenty fast as it gave one of the best performance we have seen in its price range. The front of the smartphone features a 5.99-inch FHD+ IPS LCD display with a screen resolution of 1080 x 2160 pixels. The display has great color reproduction, good contrast, and it looks pretty decent in direct sunlight. On paper, the smartphone brings a 16MP + 5MP dual camera setup on the back along with a 16MP selfie camera. The cameras performed really good and the phone was able to capture some really good photos, especially in good lighting conditions. I am also a fan of its huge 5000 mAh battery which can easily last for two days. If you want a robust and powerful smartphone which can last you for days, definitely check this out.
Buy From Flipkart: ₹14,999
10. Honor 8X
Yet another great smartphone under Rs. 20000 is the Honor 8X. The Honor 8X comes with a 19.5:9 display with a notch, a Kirin 710 processor, up to 6GB RAM, and up to 128GB storage. The Honor 8X packs in a dual 20MP + 2MP rear camera, along with a 16MP front camera and it takes some pretty decent pictures for the price. While it’s not really as good as the Mi A2 in terms of camera performance, it’s definitely still a good choice to go with. You can also read our detailed Honor 8X review, or our Honor 8X camera review to learn more.
The Honor 8X is overall a pretty great smartphone that you should definitely check out if you’re looking for a phone under 20000 INR which not only packs a great processor for the price, but also has ample RAM and storage for all your needs. If you’re looking for a budget smartphone that brings almost everything to the table, and you’re okay with using EMUI, you should take a look at the Honor 8X.
Buy the Honor 8X from Amazon (starts at Rs. 14,999)
11. Huawei P20 Lite
Huawei P20 Lite is one of the best-looking smartphones on this list. It features a sleek glass on glass design which is mainly seen on premium smartphones. The back of the smartphone has received a special finish which makes it change color when held at different angles. The front is entirely display with almost no bezels on the sides and a small notch at the top, along with a small chin at the bottom. Needless to say, the smartphone looks like a 2018 flagship and is a beauty to behold. Once you get past its looks, you will also find the phone to be fairly capable.
The smartphone is being powered by the HiSilicon Kirin 659 processor which is one of the fastest mid-range processors out there. The Mali-T830 MP2 is handling all the GPU needs so gaming shouldn’t be a problem on this one. That beautiful bezel-less display at the front is a 5.84-inch IPS LCD panel which has a resolution of 1080 x 2280 pixels, giving this smartphone a pixel density of about 432 pixels. The display is absolutely gorgeous and has great color accuracy. One of the USP of this device are its cameras. The Huawei P20 Lite packs a 16 MP + 2MP dual-camera sensor at the back along with a whopping 24 MP camera at the front which makes this a great selfie taker. Overall, the Huawei P20 Lite is a fairly capable smartphone and you should definitely consider this.
Buy From Amazon: ₹16,999
12. LG Q7
Another great phone you can consider while looking for smartphones under 20000 is the LG Q7 which is a really good phone. The smartphone is bringing a 5.5-inch IPS LCD panel which has a resolution of 2160 x 1080 pixels. The display is absolutely gorgeous and brings the more modern 18:9 aspect ratio. The Q7 is being powered by an octa-core MediaTek 6750S processor clocked at 1.5 GHz, which is coupled with 3GB of RAM and 32GB of internal storage that is expanded up to 2TB via microSD card. There’s also a 13 MP camera at the back while an 8 MP camera is taking care of all your selfie needs. It is juiced by a 3,000 mAh battery that supports Qualcomm’s Fast Charge technology, which can charge the battery to 50 percent in just around 30 minutes.
All that said, the unique selling point of this device has to be its construction. Not only the phone looks beautiful, but it’s also the only phone in this price range which carries an IP rating. The IP68 rating of LG Q7 ensures that it is both water and dust resistant. Not only that, the smartphone has also passed 14 of the MIL-STD 810G tests which are designed to test a device’s durability in harsh environments. What all this means is that this is a sturdy phone and going to last you for years. The LG Q7 is also bringing a number of flagship features to the midrange segment such as a lens, Hi-Fi Quad DAC for superior audio playback, and DTS:X 3D Surround Sound among others. If you value these features, the Lg Q7 is the right device for you.
Buy the LG Q7 from Flipkart (Rs. 16,777)
SEE ALSO: 10 Best Phones Under 10000 INR You Can Buy
Get the Best Phone Under 20000 INR
That ends our list of the best smartphones that you can buy under the 20000 INR. Depending on what you hold most dear in a phone, you will prefer one smartphone over the other. I am fairly confident that all of you will find one smartphone that is for you in this list. Do check this out and let us know which is your favorite smartphone by writing in the comments section below. Also, let us know why you chose the specific smartphone that you did.
Abubakar Mohammed
