Best Smartphones Under Rs.20,000 (December 2021)

Are you the one looking to step up your geek game a bit?

With a bunch of smartphone choices lying around, you’re sure to sweat it out to pick one but don’t worry we will walk you through the toughest part.

This smartphone buying list has been curated to provide you with an insight into the best smartphones under Rs.20,000 available for purchase in India as of now.

Whether you are an amateur photographer, an avid gamer or a selfie lover, we’ve shortlisted the best eleven smartphones in India in this price range so that you can choose your pick quite easily.

Without any further ado, let’s get to know the choices we have shortlisted for you.

Best Smartphones Under Rs.20,000

1. Poco X3 ProOverall Best Pick
2. IQOO Z3 5GRunner-up Pick
3. Redmi Note 10 Pro MaxFeature-rich Smartphone
4. Lava AgniMade in India Smartphone
5. Realme 8s 5GValue for Money Smartphone
6. Redmi Note 10TBest Mid-range Smartphone
7. Samsung Galaxy F42 5GBest Smartphone for Regular User
8. Motorola G60Smartphone with Stock Android UI
9. Samsung Galaxy M32Entry-level 5G Smartphone
10. Infinix Note 10 ProBest Smartphone for Media Enthusiasts
11. Oppo F19sHonourable Mention

Note: The price shown are the once when we reviewed the products. However, as the promotional offers changes on the given E-commerce sites, the price may vary. Bettershark is supported by it’s readers and when you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.

1. Poco X3 Pro

Poco X3 Pro

Overall Best Pick

  • Extremely powerful Snapdragon 860 CPU
  • Fabulous 120Hz FHD+ panel
  • Liquid cooling technology
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Pros

IR blaster

MIUI 12 based on Android 11

33W fast charging

Cons

Heavy

Poco is an independent sub-brand of Xiaomi that rocked the budget smartphone industry with the launch of the Poco F1.

Finally, after a wait of 3 years, Poco has released a mid-range affordable smartphone with a flagship-level chipset and is priced at just Rs.18,999 which is even two thousand bucks less than the Poco F1.

Design and Build Quality

The exterior of the Poco X3 Pro is the same as Poco X3 – it has a plastic back that has a giant POCO branding on top with hatch lines above.

The camera design is not even a bit different from its predecessor model and to be honest, it has become less appealing since its inception. 

This smartphone has a thickness of 9.4mm and it weighs 213 grams. It feels hefty in hand and you can not use it for long with a single hand.

The fingerprint sensor is embedded in the power button and it works fast and flawless as expected.

The Poco X3 Pro has a hybrid sim slot, meaning you can either use two SIM cards at a time or a SIM card and an SD card. 

The IR blaster is placed on top and with the help of that, you can control your AC, TV, and other electronic devices.

This smartphone has IP53 splash-proof protection so exposure to drizzles and water splashes won’t be a problem. 

Display

The Poco X3 Pro comes with a big 6.67-inch 120Hz Full HD+ LCD with a resolution of 1080 x 2400 pixels.

The 120Hz refresh rate of this panel will give you the best ultra-smooth visuals experience when it comes to the UI as well as games.

What’s more, is that it has a 240Hz touch sampling rate so whenever you click on the display to open the app or just scroll through a web page it will respond much faster compared to the other standard smartphones.

The display also has a TÜV Rheinland low blue light certification making sure your eyes won’t get too stressed while reading a digital book on Kindle or any other app.

The colour reproduction is amazing as well although it’s not as good as the AMOLED panel the overall media and user experience are good.

Processor and Performance

This device is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 860 octa-core processor designed on 7-nm architecture and has a clock speed of 2.96GHz.

This SoC is paired with the 6GB RAM which helps it to deliver smooth and lag-free performance no matter what you throw at it. 

You can play modern AAA games at 60fps minimum and notice no lag and while gaming, the device has liquid cooling technology that works well to control the internal temperature from shooting up.

The 128GB UFS 3.1 storage enhances the overall smartphone performance with quicker read/write speeds.

The OS you get to see on this device is Android 11 but layered on top with MIUI 12 which surprisingly has no ads so the user experience is clean.

Camera

This is where Poco did the cost-cutting. This device has a quad-camera setup at the back consisting of a 48MP primary lens, 8MP ultrawide, 2MP macro, and 2MP depth sensor.

The 48MP main camera takes decent images in natural sunlight. The primary sensor captures photos with good colours but it lacks details and sharpness.

Ultrawide sensor is useful for taking group photos and delivers above-average quality photos.

What is interesting about the camera is Pro Mode – it has a lot of functions to play with so that you can manually control different variables such as ISO, focus, white balance etc.

You can record videos in 4K 30 fps or if you need a smooth video recording you can switch to 1080p/60fps.

The 20MP selfie camera captures good photos in daylight condition with good enough details, the colours are vivid and the contrast is great.

Battery Life

The Poco X3 Pro is powered by a 5120mAh battery and lasts for a day if you just use it for casual use but since it is a performance-oriented phone you are most likely to game or use it heavily therefore expect the screen on time to be around 7-8 hours. This is good in our opinion as you are also using the panel at 120Hz.

Don’t worry about the charging, the bundled 33W fast charger will juice up the battery in just 1 hour 10 minutes.

Verdict

Yes, this smartphone is a true successor of Poco F1. The performance is on par when compared with any other smartphone that is available for under Rs.20,000.

Specifications

Operating SystemAndroid 11
ROM/RAM128GB/6GB
Display6.67-inch 120Hz FHD+ LCD
Camera48MP + 8MP + 2MP + 2MP rear, 20MP front
ChipsetQualcomm Snapdragon 860
Battery5160mAh

2. IQOO Z3 5G

IQOO Z3 5G

Runner-up Pick

  • IPS LCD 120Hz
  • Snapdragon 768G processor
  • Android 11 OS
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Pros

Side fingerprint sensor

55W fast charging

Features headphone jack

Cons

No AMOLED panel

iQOO is a Chinese smartphone company that was formed as a subsidiary of Vivo but now it has become independent from Vivo and markets smartphones under its brand. 

The iQOO Z3 5G is the latest mid-range smartphone by the company and it retails for Rs.20,990 in the Indian market.

Build and Design 

The iQOO Z3 5G is another addition to the mid-range smartphone market in India. We had previously reviewed their iQOO 3 smartphone as well which was a banger. 

When it comes to the build and design of the iQOO Z3 5G, this smartphone has a polycarbonate construction to keep the cost low. The frame and back of the smartphone are made from polycarbonate plastic. 

Also present in the rear is the triple camera setup which is pretty decent, it looks similar to the setup of most smartphones that are currently in the market. 

The side of the iQOO Z3 5G features the volume rocker and the power button which doubles as the fingerprint sensor. 

The beloved 3.5mm headphone jack also makes a return on the smartphone.

Performance 

Under the hood of the iQOO Z3 5G is the Qualcomm Snapdragon 768G. The iQOO Z3 5G is the first phone in India to feature this chipset. 

For gaming, this smartphone is equipped with the Adreno 620 GPU which should provide you with a smooth gaming experience. You won’t have any trouble running games on the smartphone. 

Furthermore, this smartphone runs on the Android 11 operating system with the Funtouch 11.1 UI skin by iQOO. 

When it comes to RAM and storage, this smartphone has 6GB of RAM along with 128GB of internal storage. Overall the experience of the iQOO Z3 5G is smooth and enjoyable. 

Display 

The iQOO Z3 5G does not feature an AMOLED display and instead, the smartphone features an IPS LCD which has a fluid refresh rate of 120Hz. 

Thanks to the 120Hz fluid refresh rate you can enjoy games the way they are meant to be played. 

One of the drawbacks of the IPS LCD panel is that the colour accuracy is not as vibrant and accurate as an AMOLED panel.

The panel of the IQOO Z3 5G supports HDR10. Since it is an LCD panel, there is no always-on support for this smartphone as well. 

Camera 

The iQOO Z3 5G sports a triple camera setup in its rear and a waterdrop notch in the front for the selfie camera. 

The sensors on the rear include a 64 MP wide, 8MP ultra-wide, and a 2 MP macro. In its front is the 16MP selfie shooter. 

When it comes to image quality, the iQOO Z3 5G is quite impressive for the price. Images taken by the camera appear good. But there is also some softening present when taking pictures in portrait mode.

This smartphone is also capable of recording videos at 4K 60 fps which is quite nice. There is no OIS on the smartphone but we do get EIS. 

Battery Life 

The iQOO Z3 5G smartphone is equipped with a 4400mAh Li-polymer battery that should give you a day’s charge during normal usage.

The smartphone also has support for 55W fast charging and you get the charger for the smartphone in the box unlike some other smartphones these days.

Verdict 

The iQOO Z3 5G is a gaming smartphone that is well worth the price you pay. The new Snapdragon chipset is impressive and should provide you with excellent performance.

Specifications

Operating SystemAndroid 11
ROM/RAM128GB/6GB
Display6.58-inch FHD+ 120Hz
Camera64MP + 8MP + 2MP rear, 16MP front
ChipsetQualcomm Snapdragon 768G
Battery4400mAh

3. Redmi Note 10 Pro Max

Redmi Note 10 Pro Max

Feature-rich Smartphone

  • 120Hz sAMOLED FHD+ display
  • Power-efficient Snapdragon 732G processor
  • Good battery life and fast charging
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Pros

Side-mounted fingerprint scanner

IP53 dust and water-resistant

Dual stereo speakers

Cons

Average ultrawide camera

Redmi Note series has been a major success for the Chinese company Xiaomi in the Indian market. 

The Note 10 Pro Max is the latest flagship Note series smartphone from Redmi that is currently on sale in the Indian market for a budget under Rs.20,000.

Design and Build Quality

The Redmi Note 10 Pro Max comes with a glass sandwich design with a plastic frame in the middle. 

Certified IP53 rated, this smartphone can withstand dust and water splashes without any issues whatsoever.

Weighing at 192g, this smartphone feels comfortable to hold in hands, at least better than that of its predecessor Redmi Note 9 Pro Max. 

The Z-axis vibration motor inside this device gives impressive haptic feedback on typing, gaming, and while consuming media content.

Xiaomi has cut no corner when it comes to the device’s physical appearance. The fingerprint is doubled with the power button which works snappy.

At the top, there is an IR blaster, noise cancellation mic, and audio output. This device has dual speakers one at the top and another one at the bottom.

Display

The Redmi Note 10 Pro Max features a 6.67-inch 120Hz Full HD+ Super AMOLED punch-hole display with a resolution of 1080 x 2400 pixels.

This is for the first time that Redmi has included an AMOLED panel on its Redmi Note series smartphones. 

With a peak brightness of 1200 nits, this panel is convenient to use indoors as well as outdoors.

This is an OLED panel and has a higher 120Hz refresh rate, which was not available in the previous Redmi Note 9 series so yes it is a big improvement from its predecessor model.

You can stream OTT content in Full HD resolution as the panel has widevine L1 certification, and also the panel is HDR10 certified.

The colour reproduction is remarkable, every visual on the panel will look vivid and punchy.

The higher refresh rate will provide an ultra-smooth experience and with that 240Hz touch sampling rate, the user experience will be even smoother.

Processor and Performance

The showrunner of the Redmi Note 10 Pro Max is the powerful Qualcomm Snapdragon 732G octa-core SoC designed on 8-nm architecture.

The 6GB RAM inside this smartphone ensures a lag-free intense multitasking experience and even with gaming, the performance is buttery smooth.

This power-efficient chipset will provide a decent gaming experience and with heavy games like COD Mobile, you can get 40-45 fps.

The 128GB UFS 2.2 storage on board is fast and improves the overall performance significantly.

The device comes pre-installed with MIUI 12 based on Android 11. 

Camera

The Redmi Note 10 Pro Max has a quad-camera setup on the back.

It has a large 108MP Samsung HM2 main camera unit along with an 8MP ultrawide lens, 5MP macro sensor, and 2MP depth sensor.

The main camera of this smartphone works fine. The photos taken in daylight conditions are detailed and sharp. The colour reproduction is okay and the quality of photos from the macro camera has also improved.

However, the colour looks muted when you take photos from the ultrawide lens which can be a letdown for many.

The portrait from this smartphone comes out decent, the edge detection is good but improvement required in skin tones.

The camera app is full of features – you can record slow-motion videos, shoot vlogs, apply filters right from the main camera app, and more.

The photos taken at night using night mode are quite usable when compared with that of its predecessor. 

The 16MP front shooter captures decent selfie images. The images have a slightly greenish tint and the scenario in the portrait selfies is not much different.

Battery Life

The Redmi Note 10 Pro Max is powered by the 5020mAh lithium-ion battery that will give backup for a day on normal to heavy use.

The bundled fast 33W charger will recharge the battery levels from zero to a full in 1 hour 15 minutes.

Verdict

The Redmi Note 10 Pro Max can give you the best budget smartphone experience, thanks to the gorgeous OLED display and the powerful processor inside.

Specifications

Operating SystemAndroid 11
ROM/RAM128GB/6GB
Display6.67-inch 120Hz FHD+ Super AMOLED
Camera108MP + 8MP + 5MP + 2MP Rear, 16MP Front
ChipsetQualcomm Snapdragon 732G
Battery5020mAh

4. Lava Agni

Lava Agni

Made in India Smartphone

  • Powerful MediaTek Dimensity processor
  • Pixel-rich FHD+ 90Hz display
  • Decent battery life
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Pros

Side-mounted fingerprint sensor

Stock Android 11 OS

Decent camera performance

Cons

Average sounding speakers

Lava is an Indian manufacturer known for its affordable smartphones. The Agni from Lava is its first smartphone launch in the mid-range budget segment.

The Lava Agni is the Lava’s first 5G smartphone powered by the MediaTek chipset, retailing for just Rs.19,999.

Design and Build Quality

Lava Agni has a polycarbonate back and thanks to the premium machining process, it looks like glass.

In terms of design, this device is on par when compared to similarly priced smartphones from Realme and Redmi.

Weighing at 204 grams, we’d say Lava Agni has reasonable weight considering its form factor and battery size.

Coming to its physical overview, this device has a side-mounted fingerprint scanner. The bottom frame includes a USB-C port, audio jack, primary microphone and the speaker grille.

The volume rockers are located at the left side of the frame and the top frame is where the noise-cancelling microphone is positioned.

Display

The Lava Agni sports a 6.78-inch Full HD+ 90Hz IPS display with a resolution of 1080 x 2460 pixels.

Thanks to the high refresh rate, the visuals and on-screen animations look smooth and pleasant. 

The colour reproduction of this display is also good and side viewing angles are great, thanks to the IPS technology.

The display is protected with the Corning Gorilla glass 3, so you don’t have to worry about the display getting scratches from everyday objects such as keys.

With a decent pixel density of 396ppi, this display looks detailed and vibrant enough for an immersive media consumption experience. 

Processor and Performance

The Lava Agni is powered by the MediaTek Dimensity 810 5G SoC designed on 6-nm architecture and is extremely power-efficient.

You will get excellent performance on everyday use and multitasking, thanks to the 8GB RAM.

Regarding storage, the Lava Agni smartphone comes with 128GB onboard with the provision to expand the memory further, thanks to the dedicated SD card slot. 

Gaming is possible on this smartphone but keep in mind that you might have to lower the graphics to have a smooth experience. 

This device comes pre-installed with the Android 11 OS and there is no custom UI on top, so the performance is always fluid and lag free. 

Camera

The Lava Agni features a quad-camera setup that consists of 64 MP main, 5MP ultrawide, 2MP macro and 2MP depth sensors.

The main camera takes good quality photos with enough details and decent colours. The ultrawide lens takes decent photos in broad daylight.

The depth sensor works fine most of the time and we suggest that while taking bokeh photos, use the manual focus to get the best portraits.

The 16MP front shooter deserves the praise. It captures good quality selfies that one would love to post on their social media profiles.

Battery Life

The Lava Agni is powered by a 5000mAh lithium battery and is rated to last up to an entire day and a half with normal use.

The bundled 30W fast charger will juice up the battery completely in under 1:30 hours.

Verdict

The Lava Agni is a made in India smartphone and Lava is the first Indian company to release a 5G ready smartphone.

If you are in the market for a 5G smartphone with stock Android UI, the Lava Agni is a good choice.

Specifications

Operating SystemAndroid 11
ROM/RAM128GB/8GB
Display6.78-inch 90Hz FHD+ IPS
Camera64MP + 5MP + 2MP + 2MP Rear, 16MP front
ChipsetMediaTek Dimensity 810
Battery5000mAh

5. Realme 8s 5G

realme 8s 5G

Value for Money Smartphone

  • Power-efficient MediaTek Dimensity processor
  • Smooth 90Hz FHD+ display
  • Side-mounted fingerprint scanner
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Pros

Latest Android 11 OS out of the box

Infinity star design

Fast charging support

Cons

Average camera performance

Realme is a Chinese smartphone manufacturer that gives tough competition to Xiaomi by providing customers with affordable feature-rich Android smartphones. 

The Realme 8s 5G is a mid-range Android smartphone packed with a lot of cutting edge features, retailing in the Indian market for just Rs.17,999.

Design and Build Quality

Realme is never afraid of trying new designs with their smartphones and Realme 8s is no exception. The company advertises the design of this smartphone as Infinity Star.

The shimmering back of this smartphone has a matte finish that eliminates the problem with fingerprint marks and smudges. 

Designwise, we give thumbs up to this device. It has a slightly thick side profile yet still it only weighs 191 grams.It does not feel much heavy in the hands and rests easily inside pockets.

Talking about I/O and buttons, the Realme 8s has a USB-C and audio output jack at the bottom frame. The fingerprint sensor is embedded in the power button positioned on the right frame as usual and on the left, you will find volume rockers.

This device has support for dual 5G SIM and a dedicated microSD card slot for memory expansion.

Display

The Realme 8s sports a 6.5-inch 90Hz Full HD+ display with a resolution of 1080 x 2400 pixels and a pixel density of 405-PPI.

This panel has a maximum brightness of 600 nits which is more than sufficient for effortless indoor and outdoor legibility.

The quality of visuals is sharp thanks to the rich pixel density and the colour reproduction is also good.You will love consuming media on this wide viewing display.

The 90Hz refresh rate will deliver a smooth user experience when you scroll through the app drawer, playing games, or while browsing through the web.

Processor and Performance

The Realme 8s is powered by the MediaTek Dimensity 810 octa-core SoC designed on 6-nm architecture and its very power-efficient chipset.

We are quite surprised with this offering of MediaTek – the Dimensity 810 stands up to its Snapdragon counterparts and offers excellent performance for the asking price.

This CPU when paired with 6GB LPDDR4x RAM offers flawless performance on everyday use and it does not break a sweat when it comes to multitasking.

The 128GB UFS 2.1 storage will help you load your installed applications swiftly and from the storage perspective, we think it’s adequate.

The Realme 8s comes pre-installed with the Realme UI 2.0 based on Android 11 OS. The ads are there but compared to Xiaomi it’s minimal.

Camera

The Realme 8s houses triple lenses at the back along with an LED flashlight.

The 64MP primary sensor provides good quality images in broad daylight but the photos are not shot in low light and have considerable noise.

Night mode can be helpful but for that, you need some help from artificial light to get pictures with less noise.

We don’t know why Realme chose to go for a 2MP depth and 2MP macro shooter. They work fine for sure but an ultrawide sensor was preferable.

If we compare it to the Realme 8 Pro camera, this is definitely a downgrade.

The 16MP front-facing camera takes good selfies in well-lit environments – the skin tones are getting a bit white but are nothing sort of a deal-breaker.

Battery Life

Thanks to the power-efficient CPU, the 5000mAh battery of Realme 8s will last up to an entire day with heavy use.

The bundled 33W fast charger will juice up the battery levels from 0 – 100% in less than 2 hours.

Verdict

The Realme 8s is all about the performance and not the camera that’s for sure and if you are looking for a smartphone with good performance, display, design and battery life then go for it.

Specifications

Operating SystemAndroid 11
ROM/RAM128GB/6GB
Display6.5-inch 90Hz FHD+
Camera64MP + 8MP + 2MP rear, 16MP front
ChipsetMediaTek Dimensity 810
Battery5000mAh

6. Redmi Note 10T

Redmi Note 10T 5G

Best Mid-range Smartphone

  • 5G ready MediaTek Dimensity processor
  • Bright and colourful display
  • Android 11 OS
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Pros

Side-mounted fingerprint sensor

Aesthetic design

Adaptive screen refresh rate

Cons

Average selfie camera

Redmi frequently releases new smartphone variants without much change in the design or the hardware inside. 

The Redmi Note 10T is a 5G smartphone equipped with the MediaTek Dimensity processor and priced at just Rs.16,480.

Design and Build Quality

Redmi has a fantasy name for the design language that they have used for this smartphone – Evol. This budget Android smartphone is available in four different colours namely metallic blue, mint green, chromium white and graphite black. 

The smartphone has a physical dimension of 161.8 x 75.4 x 8.9 mm and it weighs 190 grams.

The Note 10T is not so big but not so small either – it fits perfectly in the palm without any issues. 

Similar to most other budget smartphones from Redmi, this one too has the IR blaster, Type-C port and the 3.5mm audio jack. 

Display

The Redmi Note 10T features a 6.5-inch 90Hz Full HD+ IPS display with a resolution of 1080 x 2400 pixels.

The visuals appear clean and detailed, thanks to the 405ppi pixel density. The slim bezels around the display makes it look bigger than its actual size, thereby delivering more screen real estate. 

Even though this is an LCD panel, the colours appear vivid and punchy and the contrast ratio is decent as well. Being an IPS panel, the viewing angles are good.

This device comes with a 360-degree ambient light sensor that adjusts the brightness according to your surrounding environment.

In display settings, you can change the refresh rate to adaptive, meaning the device will adjust the refresh rate based on your use, hence, you will get better battery life.

Processor and Performance

The showrunner of the Redmi Note 10T is MediaTek Dimensity 700 octa-core SoC. It is a 5G chipset manufactured on a 7-nm fabrication process.

Dimensity has almost taken over the market and Snapdragon 700 series powered smartphones are now struggling because Dimensity makes the devices more affordable while catching up with the performance.

This CPU coupled with the 4GB RAM provides a smooth multitasking experience. The Mali-G57 GPU is also improved and it provides up to 45 fps in battle royale games such as COD: Mobile and BGMI.

The Note 10T has a 64GB modern UFS2.2 internal storage with improved speed and performance. 

Speaking of UI, this device comes pre-installed with the MIUI 12 based on Android 11 OS.

Camera

The Redmi Note 10T has a triple camera setup at the back. The 48MP main sensor provides decent results in broad daylight. The details in the photos are noticeable but the colours look a bit soft and the dynamic range has room for improvement.

The other two sensors are 2MP depth and macro sensor. The edge detection and background blur in bokeh photos are good.

The camera app is feature-rich and there are a wide range of different modes to experiment with. 

The 8MP front-facing camera feels a bit odd on a 5G smartphone. This camera delivers average results – the skin tone looks brighter and the selfie looks unnatural.

Battery Life

The Redmi Note 10T is powered by a 5000mAh lithium battery that will last for a day and a half with regular use. 

Inside the box, you will get a 22.5W fast charger which takes almost 2 hours to charge the battery completely. 

Verdict

The Redmi Note 10T 5G is an excellent choice for people who are looking for a mix of value and performance.

For a budget under Rs.20,000, the Redmi Note 10T is undoubtedly one of the best 5G smartphones and is excellent for almost everyone excluding people who are looking for a camera-centric smartphone.

Specifications

Operating SystemAndroid 11
ROM/RAM64GB/4GB
Display6.5-inch 90Hz FHD+ IPS
Camera48MP + 8MP + 2MP Rear, 8MP front
ChipsetMediaTek Dimensity 700
Battery5000mAh

7. Samsung Galaxy F42 5G

Samsung Galaxy F42 5G

Best Smartphone for Regular User

  • MediaTek Dimensity 700 processor
  • Decent FHD+ 90Hz display
  • Simple and catchy design
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Pros

Side-mounted fingerprint scanner

Good battery life

Brand reliability

Cons

Average camera performance

Samsung needs no introduction when it comes to consumer electronics. It is one of the most trustable brands by Indian people.

The Samsung Galaxy F42 5G is a new addition to the F-series lineup and is more like an improved version of the Galaxy M42 5G.

Design and Build Quality

The Samsung Galaxy F42 has a polycarbonate back with a hatch line design. It’s nothing surprising as Samsung is playing with line design concepts a lot lately.

One minor change we found is in the camera department though it does affect the design. However, it helps you differentiate between the latest Samsung M and F series models.

Even though it’s not a new design, we like it as it fits with anybody’s personality.

Coming to the usability of this smartphone, it’s heavy at 203 grams and is not good for one-hand use.

The smartphone comes with a USB-C port and an audio jack. The fingerprint sensor is embedded in the power button.

Display

In the M-series, there’s a model named Samsung Galaxy M42 5G which gives a Super AMOLED display but with HD+ resolution.

Now, in Samsung Galaxy F42 you will get a 6.6-inch 90Hz Full HD+ TFT display with a resolution of 1080 x 2408 pixels.

Do note that this smartphone has a TFT display and not a super AMOLED panel as you would expect from Samsung.

Well, the quality of the display is good, the only difference you notice is that colours are not as warm as a super AMOLED panel.

The visual and text appear sharp on this display. Also, the brightness is enough for both indoor and outdoor environments.

Processor and Performance

Finally, Samsung Galaxy F42 comes equipped with the MediaTek Dimeisnty 700 octa-core processor designed on 7-nm architecture.

We’ve been waiting for so long to see this as Samsung mostly uses MediaTek processors in their budget and mid-range smartphones.

This CPU when coupled with the 6GB RAM offers lag-free performance on everyday use and multitasking.

Gaming can be done on this phone but not at a competitive level. Samsung smartphones are not good at providing a reliable gaming experience at least in.

As we expected, the 128GB of storage is not the UFS type. Anyway, you do get enough space to keep multimedia files and documents offline.

Camera

The Samsung Galaxy F42 has a triple rear camera setup consisting of a 64MP main camera, 5MP ultrawide, and a 2MP macro sensor.

The main lens of this smartphone takes good quality photos in a well-lit environment – the images have decent colours and sharpness is on par.

The ultrawide takes decent photos but it struggles to maintain the dynamic range and we find that it darkens the photos a bit.

The macro sensor is hardly used by anyone though it takes good quality close-range photos.

There is an 8MP selfie camera that provides average selfies. To be honest, only the sharpness is fine, the skin tones and background colours are soft.

Battery Life

This smartphone is powered by a 5000mAh lithium battery inside that will last for a day and half with normal to heavy use. 

Inside the box, you will get a 15W fast charger which helps recharge the battery quicker.

Verdict

The Samsung Galaxy F42 provides good performance and it is for those people who just need a reliable device with a simple user experience.

Brand reliability is also another reason for buying this smartphone but we advise that gamers should skip this smartphone.

Specifications

Operating SystemAndroid 11
ROM/RAM128GB/6GB
Display6.6-inch 90Hz FHD+
Camera64MP + 5MP + 2MP rear, 8MP front
ChipsetMediaTek Dimensity 700
Battery5000mAh

8. Motorola G60

Motorola G60

Smartphone with Stock Android UI

  • Qualcomm Snapdragon 732G processor
  • Gorgeous FHD+ HDR10 display
  • Dedicated Google Assistant button
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Pros

Long Lasting battery life

Robust build quality

108MP primary camera

Cons

Bulky

Motorola is a subsidiary of Lenovo – a popular Chinese laptop manufacturer. Motorola smartphones are known for their stock Android UI and smooth performance.

The Motorola G60 is packed with solid hardware and an equally impressive near-stock Android UI.

Design and Build Quality

The Motorola G60 has a flashy design. The back panel is prone to fingerprints and smudges so we recommend using a protective case, which not just helps keep the back clear but also protects if the smartphone falls from your hands accidentally.

The G60 has the regular Moto logo imprinted rear fingerprint scanner that works flawlessly as expected. 

This device weighs 225 grams and is currently one of the heaviest smartphones in its price segment. To be honest, this is not a single hand usage friendly device. 

Apart from the regular power button and the volume rockers, Motorola has provided a dedicated Google Assistant button on the right side of the frame.

Display

The Motorola G60 has a 6.8-inch 120Hz Full HD+ IPS display with a resolution of 1080 x 2460 pixels.

This display comes with HDR10 support which results in superior colour reproduction and vibrancy.

With the high refresh rate, you will not face any kind of jitters while scrolling and swiping through social media.

Thanks to the IPS technology, the viewing angles of the display are excellent as well.

The peak brightness of this panel is on par with other smartphones in this price range and you won’t find any difficulty with legibility both indoors and outdoors. 

Processor and Performance

The processor inside Motorola G60 is the Qualcomm Snapdragon 732G SoC that is developed on 8-nm architecture.

The variant we listed here comes with 6GB of RAM and 128GB of UFS 2.1 storage.

In your everyday use, you will rarely encounter any lag and speaking of the gaming performance, games such as Mortal Kombat and BGMI will run fine at 40-45 fps without breaking a sweat.

One major advantage of this smartphone is that it runs with near stock Android UI. Out of the box, you’ll get Android 11 OS and there are plans to upgrade this to Android 12 when it is available.

Camera

Motorola has highlighted the camera setup as one of the important aspects of this smartphone. It comes with a triple rear camera setup which includes a 108MP primary sensor, 8MP ultrawide and a 2MP depth sensor.

The camera app is pretty straightforward and has multiple options to unleash your creativity potential.

The primary camera and the ultra wide sensor delivers decent quality images while the performance from the macro sensor can be termed as average to say the least. 

Moving to the 32MP selfie camera, it takes natural looking selfies in a well-lit environment. On the front side, there is a LED flashlight which will help you to click good quality selfies in low light conditions. 

Battery Life

Powered by a 6000mAh battery, the Motorola G60 will easily last for a day and a half with normal usage.

With intense gaming sessions, you can expect up to six hours of battery life.

Motorola has provided a 20W fast charger in the box. It will take almost two hours to completely charge the battery inside. 

Verdict

The Motorola G60 is surely a bulky smartphone but it provides decent camera as well as excellent multitasking and gaming performance.

Specifications

Operating SystemAndroid 11
ROM/RAM128GB/6GB
Display6.8-inch 120Hz FHD+ IPS Max Vision
Camera108MP + 8MP + 2MP Rear, 32MP front
ChipsetQualcomm Snapdragon 732G
Battery6000mAh

9. Samsung Galaxy M32

Samsung Galaxy M32

Entry-level 5G Smartphone

  • MediaTek Dimensity 5G processor
  • Remarkable camera performance
  • Latest Android 11 OS
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Pros

Excellent battery life

Clean design

Brand reliability

Cons

No FHD display

Samsung M-series smartphones have been a big hit since the day it was released, thanks to the make in India campaign.

The Samsung Galaxy M32 is a mid-range 5G smartphone with great battery life and everyday performance priced under Rs.20,000.

Design and Build Quality

The Galaxy M32 has a polycarbonate back and middle frame. This smartphone comes in two colour variants – namely sky blue and slate black.

The sky blue variant looks just outstanding and it’s not only the colour, but compared to any other smartphone the Samsung Galaxy M32 has the cleanest design.

Samsung has not compromised on ports, buttons and sensors. The M32 smartphone comes with the USB-C port, 3.5mmaudio jack and a noise-cancelling microphone.

The power button on the side doubles up as a fingerprint scanner and it works well as advertised. 

Display

The Samsung Galaxy M32 sports a 6.5-inch HD+ TFT display with a resolution of 720 x 1600 pixels.

It is quite unfortunate that Samsung decided to go with a HD+ display instead of a FHD panel even at this price point. 

It has a decent screen to body ratio and if you are an average smartphone user then this panel will not be a deal-breaker for you.

The display is bright enough for indoor and outdoor usage.Also, it’s not even an IPS panel so when you tilt a device and look at the screen you will notice colour shifting.

Processor and Performance

The Samsung Galaxy M32 comes equipped with the MediaTek Dimensity 720 5G SoC that is fabricated on a 7-nm process.

The 6GB RAM onboard paired with this processor offers a buttery smooth performance on everyday use and multitasking.

You will be able to play games without any lag or stutters.

In the storage front, this device has 128GB internal eMMC 5.1 storage that provides enough space to store files offline.

The custom UI you are getting is One UI 3.1 that is developed on top of Android 11 OS.

Camera

The display might not be the best, however, when it comes to the camera, the Samsung Galaxy M32 can be a tough competitor.

At the back, you will find the 48MP primary lens, 8MP ultrawide, 5MP macro and 2MP depth sensor.

The photos captured from the main camera look vivid and details in the pictures are on par when compared with its competitors.

The ultrawide sensor captures a wide field of view and it is perfect for landscape and group photos.

For close-range photography, the macro sensor comes into play and not joking, the macro sensor is good on this one.

The 13MP selfie camera does not disappoint at all, in good lighting conditions you will get crisp quality photos with natural skin tones.

Battery Life

The Samsung Galaxy M32 is packed with a 5000mAh lithium battery and it easily provides full-day battery life.

Samsung has bundled a 15W charger inside the retail box and it takes almost 2:15 hours to recharge the battery completely. 

Verdict

The Samsung Galaxy M32 is a decent smartphone for older people who want a budget Android smartphone from a reliable brand for everyday use.

Specifications

Operating SystemAndroid 11
ROM/RAM128GB/6GB
Display6.5-inch HD+ TFT
Camera48MP + 8MP + 5MP Rear, 13MP front
ChipsetMediaTek Dimensity 720
Battery5000mAh

10. Infinix Note 10 Pro

Infinix Note 10 Pro

Best Smartphone for Media Enthusiasts

  • Good everyday performance
  • Responsive and colourful FHD+ display
  • Eye-catching design
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Pros

Fast performing UFS storage

Latest Android 11 OS

Side-mounted fingerprint scanner

Cons

Heavy and big

Infinix is slowly and steadily making its way to the Indian market. Previously, we’ve only seen their low-budget phones but now they have smartphones above the Rs.15,000 price bracket.

The Infinix Note 10 Pro packed a lot of good features for the price of Rs.16,999 and if you love the big screens then you’ll love it.

Design and Build Quality

The back and middle frame of this smartphone are crafted from plastic and it is of good quality.

This smartphone design has won the IF Design award 2021 which is no surprise – it has a matte texture finish on the body which feels great.

There are three colour variants and what we don’t understand is the name of colours, for real, what does it mean 95-degree black colour?

We at least have an idea that it is a black colour but the concept of mathematics is out of the syllabus here.

Moving ahead, this smartphone is heavy which is no wonder because it is almost the size of an entry-level tablet.

You get all the modern facilities such as a side-mounted fingerprint scanner, USB-C port, and primary microphone.

Display

The Infinix Note 10 Pro sports a big 6.95-inch 90Hz Full HD+ IPS display with a resolution of 1080 x 2460 pixels.

As noted earlier, if you like a big display this device is for you and as a cherry on top, this panel has Widevine L1 certification meaning you can stream your favorite OTT platform contents in FHD resolution.

The user experience with the display is buttery smooth and the 180Hz touch sampling rate makes it even more responsive.

With the peak brightness of 480 nits, you will rarely struggle to notice the display visuals.

Thanks to the IPS technology, the screen has good colour reproduction and the visuals look the same from all viewing angles.

Processor and Performance

The showrunner of the Infinix Note 10 Pro is the capable MediaTek Helio G95 processor that provides a good everyday and gaming performance.

The 8GB RAM onboard runs any application with ease – be it a normal social media app or graphics-intensive 3D game.

The 256GB storage is a surprise because every other smartphone on this list here has a maximum capacity of 128GB.

Being a UFS 2.2 storage, the read and write speeds are amazing. This results in better overall performance.  

The Infinix Note 10 Pro comes pre-installed with the XOS 7.6 based on Android 11 OS. At first, you might find it a bit difficult to understand the UI but you will get used to it in no time.

Camera

The Infinix Note 10 Pro has a quad-camera at the back consisting of 64MP main, 8MP ultrawide, 2MP depth, and 2MP mono sensor.

The primary sensor captures good photos in daylight, but there’s still room for improvement with respect to the dynamic range.

The ultrawide also works as a macro sensor and photos in macro are not that good as it lacks autofocus.

Both the front and the rear camera can capture 4K videos at 30fps. 

There’s a 16MP selfie sensor in the front assisted with a flashlight LED.The advantage is that you can click clear selfies at night or in a place where lighting is not sufficient.

Battery Life

The Infinix Note 10 Pro is packed with a 5000mAh battery that will easily provide power backup for up to 10 hours with a single charge.

The 33W fast charger will juice up the battery levels from zero to full in 1:30 hours.

Verdict

See, the Infinix Note 10 Pro is full of features and it’s an irresistible deal at the price of Rs.16,999.

There’s only one thing we wish that the company should have opted for a Dimensity series processor but for its price and considering other features it’s a good deal.

Specifications

Operating SystemAndroid 11
ROM/RAM256GB/8GB
Display6.95-inch 90Hz FHD+
Camera64MP + 8MP + 2MP + 2MP Rear, 16MP front
ChipsetMediatek Helio G95
Battery5000mAh

11. Oppo F19s

Oppo F19s

Honourable Mention

  • Lag free everyday performance
  • Gorgeous AMOLED display
  • Eye-catching aesthetics
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Pros

Under-display fingerprint scanner

Good battery backup

Thin and lightweight

Cons

Entry-level processor

Oppo has a strong presence in both the online and offline market in the country and often releases new models much faster in India than it does in other regions outside China.

The Oppo F19s is a budget smartphone with premium design that has a brilliant display and offers good performance for the price of Rs.19,990.

Design and Build Quality

The Oppo F19s outperforms every other smartphone when it comes to design and looks.

We are not fans of flashy colours however, consider Oppo F19s as an exception. This device has a glowing gold colour which makes this smartphone look premium and eye-catching.

The rear panel has textured finishing and this smartphone feels premium in hand. Not only the back panel, but the frames are also shiny and this device has a thin profile.

Like previous times, Oppo is still the champion at reducing weight. The Oppo F19s weighs just 175 grams and single hand usage isn’t a problem at all.

Unlike other devices, the F19s has an under-display fingerprint scanner that allows safe and swift login.

Display

The Oppo F19s features a beautiful 6.43-inch Full HD+ AMOLED display with a resolution of 1080 x 2400 pixels.

You do get an AMOLED panel but the trade-off is the standard 60Hz refresh rate.

The colour and contrast of the panel are extremely good. You will be delighted by the multimedia experience with the excellent contrast ratio and the crispy details. 

The thin bezels make the panel look bigger and this wide viewing panel has a pixel density of 409ppi.

Talking about the display brightness, it has a peak brightness of 800 nits and you can use the smartphone in any environment – be it indoors or outdoors without any issues. 

Performance

Performance is not the strong forte of this smartphone. The Oppo F19s is equipped with the slightly outdated Qualcomm Snapdragon 662 SoC.

With day to day use, you will get a smooth performance and multitasking experience will be also lag-free, thanks to the 6GB RAM.

In this smartphone you will also get an option for expanding virtual RAM up to 5GB which makes it a total of 11GB, which is nothing but largely a marketing gimmick. 

This device offers 128GB internal storage where all your download documents and files can be stored. Do note that Oppo F19s doesn’t come with a memory expansion slot, so the inbuilt internal storage is all that you have. 

As for the UI, this smartphone runs ColorOS 11.1 that is developed on top of Android 11 OS.

Camera

The Oppo F19s houses a triple lens consisting of a 48MP main, 2MP macro and 2MP depth sensor at the back. 

The primary camera clicks sharp and colourful images. The results are astonishing in daylight however, the low-lit performance is just average.

The 2MP macro sensor provides decent close-up shots and speaking of depth sensor, the edge detection is good and the final result of the image is decent.

The camera application has other features like slow-motion, time-lapse photography, professional, panorama and night vision.

The 16MP selfie camera of this device takes vivid selfies without any over sharpening and boosted skin tones.

Battery Life

The Oppo F19s is powered by a 5000mAh lithium battery that is rated to last up to an entire day with intense use.

Oppo has bundled a 33W fast charger inside the box that will juice up the smartphone battery quickly from 0 – 100%.

Verdict

The Oppo F19s is a budget Android smartphone with stunning design and is perfect for selfie lovers and media enthusiasts.

Specifications

Operating SystemAndroid 11
ROM/RAM128GB/6GB
Display6.43-inch FHD+ AMOLED
Camera48MP + 2MP + 2MP Rear, 16MP front
ChipsetQualcomm Snapdragon 662
Battery5000mAh

This concludes our list of the eleven best premium mid-range smartphones under Rs.20,000 available in India.

By no means, this is a completely exhaustive guide, but we believe this would help you to start making up your mind by providing some cues.

Don’t worry, the pain is real and we all know it. Take your time and make up your mind.

Meanwhile, don’t hesitate to check out our best smartphones list under every possible budget category on our website.

If you have any suggestions or queries regarding this article, let us know in the comments section below. Thanks for your time and have a great day!

7 thoughts on “Best Smartphones Under Rs.20,000 (December 2021)”

  1. motorola g60 or narzo 30 pro.which phone will you suggest.
    .which is best for gaming and allround performance in under 20k

    Reply
    • Hi Nisam!

      Both the Motorola G60 (Link – http://fkrt.it/OBz8HvNNNN) and the Realme Narzo 30 Pro (Link – http://fkrt.it/ON3_ylNNNN) are capable mid-range gaming devices for a budget under Rs.20,000. The Dimensity 800U on the Narzo 30 Pro has a slight edge in performance over the Snapdragon 732G on the Motorola G60, but in real world conditions, the difference is negligible. Both these smartphones will run modern gaming titles at medium/high graphics settings without any issues. Since the Motorola G60 comes with stock Android UI and a developer friendly Snapdragon SoC, we believe that the updates will be much quicker with the same when compared with the Narzo 30 Pro. To summarize, if you want a gaming smartphone with 5G capability, go for the Realme Narzo 30 Pro, but if you want a all-rounder smartphone capable of gaming and with quick OS/security updates and a long lasting battery life, pick the Motorola G60.

      Reply
  2. Poco X3 vs Moto one fusion plus which smart phone will you suggest? I am a daily commuter so it should be handy and software experience should be great for day to day use.

    Reply
    • Hi Dilip!

      The Poco X3 offers the best bang for buck deal under Rs.20,000 with a high refresh rate display, a slightly more powerful processor and beefier 6000mAh battery. If you love stock Android without any bloatware, the Moto One Fusion plus is the best choice. In short, since software experience is a primary concern, we’d suggest you pick the Moto One Fusion plus over the Poco X3.

      Reply

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