Best Smartphones Under Rs.25,000 (December 2021)

Smartphone space in India is generally less competitive in this price bracket when compared to mid-range and budget segments.

But don’t get us wrong, there are enough great phones under Rs.25,000 that you can choose from.

At this price, you can expect some of the latest features seen in flagship phones trickling down to the premium budget smartphones. 

In this article, we bring you the curated list of the twelve best smartphones in India priced under Rs.25,000 that offers you the best bang for buck deal at present. 

Without any further ado, let’s find out in detail about these devices!

Best Smartphones Under Rs.25,000

1. Realme X7 Max Overall Best Pick
2. Mi 11XRunner-up pick
3. Poco X3 ProPerformance-oriented smartphone
4. iQOO Z5 Budget All-rounder
5. Realme GT Master EditionEconomical Smartphone
6. OnePlus Nord CEValue for Money Smartphone
7. Mi 11 Lite NELightweight Powerful Smartphone
8. Motorola Edge 20 FusionStock Android Smartphone
9. Redmi Note 10 Pro MaxAffordable Smartphone
10. Oppo F19 Pro+Best All-rounder Performer
11. Vivo V21e Best Camera-centric Smartphone
12. Samsung Galaxy A22Honourable 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. Realme X7 Max

Realme X7 Max 5G

Overall Best Pick

  • Powerful MediaTek Dimesity 12000 processor
  • AMOLED display with 120Hz refresh rate
  • Ergonomic design
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Pros

Under display fingerprint scanner

Wi-Fi 6 support

SuperDart fast charger support

Cons

No glass back

Realme is on a roll releasing new devices every month to compete with Redmi neck and neck.

The X series smartphone lineup from Realme is an answer to the budget and upper mid-range smartphones from Xiaomi. 

The Realme X7 Max is one of the newest releases from the X series stable powered by the 5G capable MediaTek Dimensity processor available to purchase for just Rs.27,680.

Design and Build Quality

Hands down for the design, after almost 6-month of teasing, Realme has shown up with a new design, and to be honest, it’s impressive.

However, the back is still made out of polycarbonate material which does not feel cheap but a glass back would have made the phone felt premium. 

The rear side has a mix of matte and glossy finish. The reflective finish houses the camera module and the branding of Realme with its logo now settled in a small box instead covering the entire back panel area.

The curved sides provide a nice grip to the hands and talking about its usability, the device weighs just 179 grams and it feels comfortable in hands.

Realme has tried its best to provide a flagship-level experience. This device has an in-display fingerprint scanner that is very responsive.

Display

The Realme X7 Max 5G features a 6.43-inch 120Hz Full HD+ Super AMOLED display with a resolution of 1080 x 2400 pixels.

This display is protected by Dragontrail Glass so the display remains safe from scratches and can survive the accidental falls.

The colour reproduction of this display is vivid and punchy. Being an OLED panel, the blacks are inky deep with an excellent contrast ratio. 

Thanks to the impressive 90.1% screen to body ratio, the media consumption experience is delightful, to say the least.

The 120Hz refresh rate makes everything looks buttery smooth including the visuals and the UI animations. Not just that, the Realme X7 Max 5G comes with an enhanced 360Hz touch sampling rate for instantaneous touch response. This will prove highly beneficial for those who game a lot on their smartphones. 

Everything on this display will work buttery smooth as it has a high refresh rate not only that but it has a massive 360Hz touch sampling rate so the display will respond much faster to touch and it will be beneficial in gaming as well.

This panel has a peak brightness of 1000 nits which makes it usable both indoors and outdoors effortlessly. 

Processor and Performance

The Realme X7 Max 5G is powered by the MediaTek Dimensity 1200 SoC which is the latest iteration in the Dimensity series.

Dimensity 1200 is capable of giving head to head competition to the Qualcomm Snapdragon 870 chipset.

This device offers a flagship-level performance under Rs.30,000, and with the 8GB RAM onboard you can perform everyday tasks or do multitasking without facing any lag.

If you want to know anything regarding gaming, we would like you to know that you can run any Android game on this device at 60fps.

The 128GB UFS 3.1 storage adds more to the performance – it helps loading apps and games faster and it will reduce the boot-up time significantly.

The Realme X7 Max 5G comes pre-installed with the Realme UI 2.0 based on Android 11 OS.

Camera

The Realme X7 Max 5G has a triple rear camera consisting of a 64MP primary camera, 8MP ultrawide, and a 2MP macro sensor.

From the previous model Realme X7 Pro, this one is short of one lens which is fine but the disappointing part is that they have downgraded the camera.

Instead of providing a Sony IMX686 sensor or above, the brand has provided an IMX682 sensor that takes decent photos.

In daylight conditions, the photos come out clear from the primary camera and the image has enough sharpness, dynamic range, and details but the colours are a bit on the softer side.

In low-lit conditions, the camera takes decent photos and the details in the photo can be identified easily. We don’t say it’s pathetic but compared to Realme X7 Pro, the camera performance is a little weak.

The ultrawide performs well in broad daylight and with the use of a macro sensor, you can take pictures of an object from a 4cm distance.

The 16MP selfie camera takes bright and sharp photos, in high artificial light the dynamic range is not good but it will be improved within software updates.

Battery Life

The Realme X7 Max 5G is powered by a 4500mah lithium battery that provides a screen on time up to 10-12 hours with normal to heavy use.

The bundled 65W charger will juice up the smartphone battery from 0 – 100% in less than an hour.

Verdict

The Realme X7 Max 5G is the first smartphone to be released in the Indian market with the MediaTek Dimensity 1200 processor and to be honest, currently, in the market, this is the only phone that can give tough competition to flagship smartphones in terms of performance.

Specifications

Operating System/UIAndroid 11
Internal Memory128 GB
RAM8 GB
ProcessorMediaTek Dimensity 1200
Camera64MP + 8MP + 2MP rear, 16MP front
Battery4500mAh
Display6.43-inch 120Hz FHD+ Super AMOLED

2. Mi 11X

Mi 11X 5G

Runner-up Pick

  • Flagship chipset – Snapdragon 870 5G
  • Decent camera performance
  • 120Hz high-resolution AMOLED panel
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Pros

33W fast charging support

Side-mounted fingerprint sensor

X-axis linear vibration motor

Cons

No dedicated 3.5mm audio jack

This phone from Xiaomi is rebranded for the third time after its initial launch – in other regions this smartphone is named as Redmi K40 and POCO F3.

In India, it is known as Mi 11X. This smartphone is a performance beast for the asking price of Rs.29,999. Let’s find out what this has to offer at this price!

Design and Build Quality

The Mi 11X has a premium build quality with a familiar glass sandwich design. This device comes in three different colours to choose from.

Being a glass back smartphone, the backside is highly reflective. It is easy to smudge this device with your fingerprints, so using it with a case is advised. 

The device is 7.8mm thin and it weighs somewhere around 196 grams but does not feel much heavy in the hand or inside pant pockets.

The X-axis linear motor inside this phone provides excellent haptic feedback to the touches and taps. 

Even though this device comes with an OLED display, it doesn’t have the in-display fingerprint scanner but instead, has the sensor located on the side-mounted power button. 

As usual, the IR blaster is given at the top and alongside it, there is a noise cancellation mic as well as the speaker grille.

Yes, this device has dual stereo speakers that produce a loud clear sound with audible vocals and punchy bass.

Speaking of ports, there is no audio jack but a converter (USB-C to audio jack) is available inside the box.

Display

The Mi 11X features a 6.67-inch 120Hz Full HD+ AMOLED display with a resolution of 1080 x 2400 pixels.

The panel has a 360Hz touch sampling rate which means whenever you perform a touch gesture on the panel it will respond quickly compared to the standard 60Hz panel.

Thanks to the peak brightness level of 1300 nits, the display is convenient to use indoors as well as under direct sunlight.

The punch-hole size cutout on the front is very small and the bezels from all sides are also minimal which gives you an immersive wide viewing experience on content consumption.

The colours look punchier with inky deep blacks and with a theoretically infinite contrast ratio.

Processor and Performance

The Mi 11X is powered by the powerful Qualcomm Snapdragon 870 octa-core SoC designed on 7-nm architecture.

The 6GB LPDDR5 RAM inside this smartphone will provide a buttery smooth performance when it comes to everyday usage and multitasking.

You can play all the modern games on this device at high graphics settings without any issues whatsoever.

The 128GB UFS 3.1 storage will help enhance the device overall performance such as the minimal application loading time and faster data transfer speeds. 

The MIUI 12 developed on top of Android 11 OS is what you get to use out of the box.

Camera

The Mi 11X houses a triple-lens in the rear consisting of a 48MP main lens, 8MP ultrawide and 5MP macro lens.

The photos from the main sensor come out balanced, we’d say. A little more colour accuracy is desirable with the greens but that can be easily fixed via a future software update.

Surprisingly, macro photography is great on this device but this lens is rarely used by normal users.

The ultrawide lens can click photos with a 120-degree wide field of view and the final results are satisfactory.

In the camera module at the back, there is a dedicated microphone and it activates when you record videos so if you’re into starting a content creation then it will be helpful.

The 20MP front shooter clicks sharp and clear images. The portrait selfies photos look nice and detailed enough for social media usage.

Battery Life

The Mi 11X has a 4520mAh battery inside that will last up to a day with medium to heavy use.

The bundled 33W fast charger will take less than one and a half hours to recharge the battery fully.

Verdict

The Mi 11X comes with a premium build quality and offers commendable performance for the asking price of Rs.29,999.

If you are looking for a performance smartphone with a great display then MI 11X is where your search ends.

Specifications

Operating System/UIAndroid 11
Internal Memory128 GB
RAM6GB
ProcessorQualcomm Snapdragon 870
Camera48MP + 8MP + 5MP rear, 20MP front
Battery4520mAh
Display6.67-inch 120Hz FHD+ Super AMOLED

3. Poco X3 Pro

Poco X3 Pro

Performance-oriented Smartphone

  • 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.20,999 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 8GB 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 under Rs.25,000.

Specifications

Operating System/UIAndroid 11
Internal Memory128 GB
RAM8 GB
ProcessorQualcomm Snapdragon 860
Camera48MP + 8MP + 2MP + 2MP Rear, 20MP Front
Battery5160mAh
Display6.67-inch 120Hz Full HD+

4. iQOO Z5

iQOO Z5 5G

Budget All-rounder

  • 5G-enable power-efficient processor
  • Good camera performance
  • Thin-bezel FHD+ display
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Pros

Side-mounted fingerprint scanner

Fast 44W charger

EIS for video recording

Cons

No glass back

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 own brand. 

The iQOO Z5 5G is the latest mid-range smartphone by the company and it retails for Rs.23,990 in the Indian market.

Design and Build Quality

The design of the iQOO Z5 5G resembles the look and feel of Vivo X60 Pro. The major difference is material quality – Vivo X60 Pro uses leather while iQOO Z5 5G has a plastic back.

The back panel has a matte textured finish that prevents smudges and fingerprints.The dashing camera module and shimmering design make this device look premium.

This device weighs around 193 grams but does not feel much heavy whether you use it with a single hand or put it inside the pants pocket.

IQOO has not compromised on ports, buttons, and sensors. You will get a side-mounted fingerprint sensor, volume rockers, USB-C port, a dedicated audio jack, and dual stereo speakers on this device.

Display

The iQOO Z5 5G features a 6.67-inch 120Hz Full HD+ IPS display with a resolution of 1080 x 2400 pixels.

The 120Hz refresh rate delivers a smooth experience when you scroll through web pages, app drawer, or anything else that’s on the display.

With the fast 240Hz of touch sampling rate, this display responds much faster to input gestures and it will be effective in gaming.

It’s not an AMOLED panel yet colour reproduction is vivid and you will get a delightful media consumption experience, thanks to the thin bezels.

This panel has Panda Glass protection so even if you drop accidentally from your hands the display will be safe in most cases.

Processor and Performance

The iQOO Z5 5G is powered by the new Qualcomm Snapdragon 778G octa-core SoC designed on 6-nm architecture.

It’s a 5G capable power-efficient processor that offers excellent everyday performance when paired with the 8GB LPDDR5 RAM.

You read that right, this device belongs to those few phones who have LPDDR5 RAM just like Mi 11X.

Even though 5G is not ready, in the future when it launches you will get to experience it without switching to a new device.

The gaming performance is good and there’s no lag or stutter experienced in everyday use.

The 128GB UFS 3.1 storage offers ample space for storing multimedia files and documents offline.

The iQOO Z5 5G comes pre-installed with FunTouch OS 12 based on Android 11 OS.

Camera

The iQOO Z5 5G houses a triple camera at the back consisting of 64MP main, 8MP ultrawide, and 2MP macro sensor.

The primary camera of this smartphone takes good quality photos in daylight. The colours are vivid and the sharpness is good.

The ultrawide is not bad either – it clicks a wide field of view without compromising much on colours.

There are several modes in the camera app which you can use to enhance the quality of your photos.

In video recording, you will get electronic stabilization which helps you shoot better videos.

The 16MP selfie camera of this mobile phone takes excellent selfie photos. The skin tone remains natural and the background colours are vivid.

Battery Life

The iQOO Z5 5G is powered by a 5000mAh lithium battery and it will last you an entire day easily with normal to intense use.

IQOO has bundled a 44W fast charger for this device and it juices up the battery life quickly.

Verdict

The iQOO Z5 5G is a stylish and performance-focused smartphone also, the camera results are good.

It’s like a well-balanced smartphone that offers everything best for an asking price of Rs.23,990.

Specifications

Operating System/UIAndroid 11
Internal Memory128 GB
RAM8 GB
ProcessorQualcomm Snapdragon 778G
Camera64MP + 8MP + 2MP rear, 16MP front
Battery5000mAh
Display6.6-inch FHD+ 120Hz IPS

5. Realme GT Master Edition

Realme GT Master Edition

Economical Smartphone

  • Qualcomm Snapdragon 778G processor
  • Gorgeous sAMOLED 120Hz display
  • Premium design
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Pros

Under-display fingerprint scanner

NFC support

Latest Android 11 OS

Cons

Average sounding speakers

After introducing the C and Narzo series, Realme has released its new GT series which includes mid-range premium smartphones.

The Realme GT Master Edition is a stunning-looking smartphone for a budget under Rs.25,000 with robust hardware features.

Design and Build Quality

The Realme GT Master Edition and newly launched Oppo Reno series smartphones look very identical.

The backside of this smartphone is made using plastic and Realme has done a great job with the machining process to make this device look aesthetically pleasing.

Weighing around 175 grams, the Realme GT Master Edition does not feel bulky at all and is convenient for one-hand use.

This device does not have a dedicated SD card slot which means that you will be limited to internal storage.

For easy unlocking, Realme has positioned the fingerprint sensor beneath the display and speaking of ports and buttons, this smartphone features a USB-C port, audio jack, noise-cancelling microphone and the regular volume rockers and the power button. 

Display

The Realme GT Master Edition sports a 6.43-inch 120Hz Super AMOLED display with a resolution of 1080 x 2400 pixels.

The panel produces vivid and punchy colours. Also, the visual looks sharp and clean, thanks to the rich pixel-density of 409ppiI.

The 120Hz refresh rate makes the visuals and the animations look smoother than ever before. 

Not to mention, this panel has a 360Hz touch sampling rate which means response on input will be much quicker and if you are a gamer then your reflex will improve greatly.

The display is significantly bright with the 1000 nits and you can use this device in any environment.

Processor and Performance

The Realme GT Master Edition is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 778G SoC designed on 6-nm architecture.

It’s a 5G-enabled and power-efficient processor offering great performance on everyday use and multitasking.

The 6GB RAM inside will take care of your ongoing applications and ensure that you will not encounter delays or lags in your routine use.

The 128GB UFS internal storage should be enough for most users and it also helps load applications faster.

You can play high-end games at 45fps without noticing any major frame drops.The device comes pre-installed with the Realme UI 2.0 based on Android 11 OS.

Camera

The Realme GT Master Edition houses a triple rear camera setup consisting of a 64MP main sensor, 8MP ultrawide and 2MP depth sensor.

In daylight, the primary sensor takes sharp photos and the dynamic range in the images is excellent.

Not to forget, the colour reproduction is also excellent in the images captured in well-lit conditions.

The ultrawide sensor clicks more information in one picture and is great for clicking group photos.

Choose portrait mode to capture photos with a blurred background. Furthermore, the camera app has tons of effects to choose from and you will also get options like Pro, slow-motion, and super nightscape.

You can record HD and FHD videos in 60fps but 4K is limited to 30fps.

The 32MP front-facing camera captures a decent image. The person’s face has a slight yellowish tint on the final results which we guess will be fixed within OTA updates.

Battery Life

The Realme GT Master Edition is powered by the 4300mAh lithium battery that provides battery backup for a day with normal use and if we include gaming sessions then you can expect the battery to last up to 6 hours.

The 65W SuperDart charger will juice up the smartphone battery in less than 45 minutes.

Verdict

If you are looking for a smartphone with mixed values then Realme GT Master Edition is the right choice.

For a budget under Rs.25,000, this smartphone provides great performance and user experience.

Specifications

Operating System/UIAndroid 11
Internal Memory128 GB
RAM6GB
ProcessorQualcomm Snapdragon 778G
Camera64MP + 8MP + 2MP rear, 32MP front
Battery4300mAh
Display6.43-inch 120Hz Super AMOLED

6. OnePlus Nord CE

OnePlus Nord CE 5G

Value for Money Smartphone

  • Lightweight Oxygen OS
  • 4500mAh Li-ion battery
  • 6.4-inch AMOLED display
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Pros

90Hz smooth refresh rate

In-screen fingerprint sensor

Affordable

Cons

Downgrade of chip

No OIS

The Oneplus Nord CE is the latest update to the Nord lineup by Oneplus. The CE in the new Nord stands for Core Edition and brings with it some changes that might divide the fanboys.

The brand new Oneplus Nord CE retails for Rs.27,999 in the Indian market. 

Build and Design 

Initially, at first glance, the Oneplus Nord CE looks similar to the original Oneplus Nord in terms of its design. But Oneplus has brought in many changes to this smartphone which we will go through.

When it comes to the build quality, the Oneplus Nord CE has the same sandwich design as its predecessor however there are some changes in the materials used. The Nord CE features a plastic back and frame unlike the glass back found in the original Nord.

This was done to cut cost, this reduces the premium feel of the device. 

Another loved feature found on all Oneplus smartphones is missing on the Nord CE, which is the alert slider. The alert slider is one of the most sought-after features on a Oneplus device and it is sad to see that Oneplus has removed it from the Nord CE.

At the rear, the smartphone hosts a triple camera setup and in the front is the hole punch selfie camera.

However, Oneplus has still retained the 3.5mm jack on the Nord CE which is appreciated. 

Performance 

When it comes to performance the Oneplus Nord CE features a slightly downgraded processor which is the Snapdragon 750G. Although downgraded, it should still be capable of running all the games which previously ran on the 765G on its predecessor without a problem.

The Oneplus Nord CE runs on the latest version of Oxygen OS running on Android 11. This is one of the skins on smartphones that is closest to the stock android experience. 

Equipped inside the Oneplus Nord CE is a whopping 12GB of RAM and 25GB of UFS 2.1 storage. There is no support for a memory card on the Oneplus Nord CE. 

Display 

The display of the Oneplus Nord CE is identical to its predecessor. It sports the same 6.4-inch AMOLED display minus the dual hole-punch camera and the Corning Gorilla Glass 5 protection. 

What does remain is the smooth 90Hz refresh rate that makes gaming on the smartphone a smooth experience. 

The Oneplus Nord CE still boasts the in-screen fingerprint sensor which is nice to have. The sensor is the same and there is no change when it comes to the speed. 

Camera

The cameras on the Oneplus Nord CE have changed, in the rear, the camera features a 64MP, 2MP, and 8MP sensor. 

The main sensor of the camera is now an Omnivison sensor while the previous one on its predecessor was the 48MP Sony IMX586 sensor. 

Oneplus has also removed optical stabilization from the cameras which is another disappointment. 

At the front is the 16MP selfie shooter which takes decent pictures. As mentioned before there is no dual-camera on the front. 

When it comes to recording capabilities, this smartphone can record videos at 4K 30 fps which is pretty decent for a budget smartphone. 

Battery Life 

The Oneplus Nord CE has a small bump in battery life compared to its predecessor. This smartphone has a 4500mAh Li-ion battery which should easily provide a day’s charge on normal usage.

However, the charging speed of the phones remains the same. The Oneplus Nord CE also supports 30W fast charging. 

Verdict 

The Oneplus Nord CE is no doubt a good smartphone, however, Oneplus has cut corners on almost all aspects of the smartphone which might be disappointing for some. But when it comes to gaming there shouldn’t be much problem and you also get the additional RAM.

Specifications

Operating System/UIAndroid 11
Internal Memory128 GB
RAM8 GB
ProcessorQualcomm Snapdragon 750G 5G
Camera64MP + 8MP + 2MP rear, 16MP front
Battery4500mAh
Display6.43-inch FHD+ 90Hz fluid AMOLED

7. Mi 11 Lite NE

Mi 11 Lite NE

Lightweight Powerful Smartphone

  • Power-efficient Snapdragon 778G processor
  • Vivid FHD+ 90Hz display
  • Thin and lightweight
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Pros

Side-mounted fingerprint scanner

MIUI 12.5 based on Android 11 OS

Good battery life

Cons

No dedicated audio jack

Xiaomi has released a Lite variant to its latest 11 series lineup and to be honest, it is one of the best devices from 11-series smartphones from Xiaomi.

In Mi 11 Lite NE, NE stands for New Edition and this Lite smartphone delivers powerful performance for its asking price.

Design and Build Quality

The Mi 11 Lite NE is actually so lightweight than even the Oppo F-series smartphones that holds the current record for the same. 

It’s 6.8mm thin and weighs only 158 grams. This featherlight smartphone does not even feel like it’s there in the pocket and one hand usability is not an issue with this mobile phone.

The back panel does not catch fingerprint marks or smudges and we must say, the design of this smartphone is premium and will turn heads in public.

This smartphone comes in four different colour options namely diamond dazzle, jazz blue, tuscany coral and vinyl black.

Unfortunately, this smartphone does not have a dedicated audio jack but don’t worry, inside the box, you will find a USB-C to audio jack converter.

The Mi 1 Lite NE features a hybrid SIM tray. You can either use two SIM cards at once or a SIM card and a SD card. 

Display

The Mi 11 Lite NE sports a 6.55-inch 90Hz Full HD+ AMOLED display with a resolution of 1080 x 2400 pixels.

This display is protected by Corning’s Gorilla glass 5.

Speaking of colour accuracy, this display supports 10-bit colour depth which simply means that the visuals will look vivid and vibrant. 

That being said, your binge-watching experience is going to be so amazing, especially for Netflix users. The company has optimized the display for Netflix content and thanks to the Widevine L1 support you will be able to stream OTT content in high definition.

The thin bezels also makes this panel look bigger which is another reason why multimedia experience will be great on this smartphone.

The 90Hz refresh rate delivers fluid user experience and the 240Hz touch sampling rate will drastically increase the touchscreen performance. 

Processor and Performance

The showrunner of the Mi 11 Lite NE is Qualcomm Snapdragon 778G 5G SoC manufactured on a 6-nm fabrication process.

The listed variant has 6GB of RAM and 128GB of UFS 2.2 storage.Be it gaming or multitasking, this smartphone hardware is capable of handling all the tasks you throw at it.

The Mi 11 Lite NE comes pre-installed with the MIUI 12.5 based on Android 11 OS.The MIUI based on Android 11 allows the user to remove some of the pre-installed applications.

Camera

The Mi 11 Lite NE comes with the triple rear camera which includes a 64MP primary lens, 8MP ultrawide lens and 5MP tele macro lens.

Photos clicked from the main camera have good results, the images have vibrant colours and details are accurate however, in outdoor photography, the sky looks a bit faded but is nothing major deal-breaker.

The overall quality of the photos look great.

The ultrawide sensor captures a 119-degree field of view in a single image and speaking of quality, the photos have good colours and details.A slight improvement in dynamic range will make the ultrawide photos more appealing.

The tele macro sensor is for taking photos of objects from a 3-9 meter distance and the results are truly incredible.

The camera app of Mi 11 Lite NE is feature-rich and you will get overwhelmed with the options so try using them one by one.

The 20MP selfie camera captures vivid selfies with natural skin tones.

Battery Life

The Mi 11 Lite NE has a 4250mAh lithium battery inside which provides up to 15 hours of power backup with normal to intense use.

The bundled 33W charger will take around 1 hour 15 minutes to fully recharge the battery levels from 0 – 100%.

Verdict

The Mi 11 Lite NE is a lightweight smartphone that provides snappy performance.

Priced at Rs.25,000, this device from Xiaomi is undoubtedly the best device to purchase. It has everything you need in a mid-range smartphone.

Specifications

Operating System/UIAndroid 11
Internal Memory128 GB
RAM6 GB
ProcessorQualcomm Snapdragon 778G
Camera64MP + 8MP + 5MP rear, 20MP front
Battery4250mAh
Display6.55-inch 90Hz FHD+ AMOLED

8. Motorola Edge 20 Fusion

Motorola Edge 20 Fusion

Stock Android Smartphone

  • Balanced camera performance
  • Power-efficient MediaTek Dimensity processor
  • Wide viewing 90Hz OLED panel
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Pros

Stock Android

Side mounted fingerprint scanner

Good battery life

Cons

No glass back

Motorola is popular mostly because of its stock Android experience and bloatware-free UI.

The Motorola Edge 20 Fusion is a mid-range 5G smartphone that comes with good specifications priced at Rs.22,999.

Design and Build Quality

The Motorola Edge 20 Fusion has a polycarbonate back that is prone to fingerprint marks so make sure to use a back case to maintain the device aesthetics look pristine all the time.

This device has a slim profile of just 8.25mm and weighs around 188 grams but it does not feel much heavy in hands and is ideal for one-handed use.

This smartphone features a side-mounted fingerprint scanner and the sensor is responsive and accurate.

The camera bump is slightly higher so if you place this smartphone on a flat surface it will not sit uniformly and a simple solution to this is to use a case cover.

At the bottom frame, there is a USB-C port, audio jack, speaker grille, and microphone for calling.

If you have a lot of calls to attend then you will love the earpiece quality as it is loud and clear furthermore, the noise-canceling mic at the top will reduce the background noise while you are in a crowded space.

Display

The Motorola Edge 20 Fusion sports a 6.7-inch 90Hz Full HD+ AMOLED punch-hole display with a resolution of 1080 x 2400 pixels.

The panel is smooth as butter, thanks to the higher refresh rate.

This OLED panel with 10-bit colour depth offers a vivid visual experience with more 1B colours.

The display has HDR10+ support, so the multimedia experience will be amazing and the small bezels of this device offer an immersive wide viewing experience.

Processor and Performance

The Motorola Edge 20 Fusion comes equipped with the MediaTek Dimensity 800U 5G SoC designed on 7-nm architecture.

It’s a power-efficient chipset and when paired with the 8GB RAM, you will be able to run multiple applications at once without facing any lag or stutter.

The 128GB storage should be sufficient for storing all your multimedia files and documents.

The Motorola Edge 20 Fusion runs Android 11 right out of the box and it’s a stock Android with zero bloatware and ads which is the USP of Motorola smartphones.

You can do gaming without noticing major frame drops and battle royale games can be played at 45fps.

Camera

The Motorola Edge 20 Fusion includes three lenses at the rear side consisting of a 108MP main sensor, 8MP ultrawide, 2MP macro sensor.

The 108MP works fine in broad daylight with good results. It’s nothing astonishing but for the price, you will get eye-pleasing photos.

The ultrawide sensor works fine in well-lit conditions and it’s great for group photos.

You can record stable video as there is EIS stabilization option. The camera application has so many features like AR stickers, Pro Mode, Burst Shot, Slow Motion, and many more to explore.

The 32MP selfies camera takes nice photos with natural skin tones and vivid colours.

Battery Life

The Motorola Edge 20 Fusion is powered by a 5000mAh lithium polymer battery that will easily last up to an entire day with normal usage.

The bundled 30W bundled power adapter will juice up the battery from 0 – 100% in 1 hour 20 minutes.

Verdict

The Motorola Edge 20 Fusion is the best mid-range smartphone that offers a good blend of performance and camera.

Priced at Rs.22,999, the Motorola Edge 20 Fusion is a steal deal product.

Specifications

Operating System/UIAndroid 11
Internal Memory128 GB
RAM8 GB
ProcessorMediaTek Dimensity 800U
Camera108MP + 8MP + 2MP rear, 32MP front
Battery5000mAh
Display6.7-inch 90Hz FHD+ OLED

9. Redmi Note 10 Pro Max

Redmi Note 10 Pro Max

Affordable 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.25,000.

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 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 8GB 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 onboard 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 System/UIAndroid 11
Internal Memory128 GB
RAM8 GB
ProcessorQualcomm Snapdragon 732G
Camera108MP + 8MP + 5MP + 2MP Rear, 16MP Front
Battery5020mAh
Display6.67-inch 120Hz Full HD+ Super AMOLED

10. Oppo F19 Pro+

Oppo F19 Pro+ 5G

Best All-rounder Performer

  • Up to 180Hz touch sampling rate
  • MediaTek Dimensity 800U 5G chipset
  • Gorgeous Super AMOLED display
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Pros

Under display fingerprint scanner

50W fast charger

Thin and lightweight design

Cons

No high refresh rate

 

Oppo F19 Pro+ 5G is the recently released premium mid-range Android smartphone that stacks up against the similarly priced smartphones from Redmi, Realme, and Vivo. 

Priced just around Rs.25,000 in the Indian market, the Oppo F19 Pro+ offers a reasonable mix of features, powerful performance, and build quality.

Design and Build Quality

The design of this smartphone is very minimalistic. It has a mirror back with a trendy camera module design and the minimal branding of OPPO at the bottom right.

The F19 Pro+ is one of the best looking smartphones in its segment, period. Weighing at just 173g, this slim and lightweight smartphone is a delight to use with a single hand. 

Unlike other smartphones, the volume rockers on this device are located on the left frame and the right frame houses the power button.

We almost forgot to tell you that the camera bump is a little high so make sure to put a case cover on the device otherwise the device will not rest properly on the flat surfaces.

Since this is a device with an AMOLED display, the fingerprint scanner is tucked underneath the panel, similar to that of many other smartphones in this segment.

Display

The Oppo F19 Pro+ features a 6.42-inch Full HD+ Super AMOLED punch-hole display with a resolution of 1080 x 2400 pixels.

This display has a pixel density of 409ppi, making the visuals and text look sharp and detailed.

This AMOLED panel has excellent colour reproduction and the peak brightness level of 800 nits makes it comfortable for you to use it outdoors.

One thing to note here is that this is a standard 60Hz panel. However, the touch sampling rate is 180Hz which ensures good click response during normal use as well as gaming. 

Processor and Performance 

What runs the show on Oppo F19 Pro+ is MediaTek Dimensity 800U 5G octa-core CPU clocked at 2.4GHz.

This is a 5G ready smartphone however, the Indian infrastructure is about to adapt to the 5G network which will probably take a year or two so having 5G will be considered as an add-on facility.

Back to the performance, the device has an 8GB LPDDR4x RAM that will provide fluent performance on everyday use and is capable of handling multitasking without any problem.

The built-in 128GB UFS 2.1 storage will be sufficient for storing documents, photos, and videos.

Out of the box, the Oppo F19 Pro+ comes pre-installed with the ColorOS 11.1 based on Android 11.

The ColorOS is getting well-optimized day by day and the UI works flawlessly.

Camera

The Oppo F19 Pro+ has a quad-camera setup consisting of a 48MP primary sensor, an 8MP ultrawide lens, a 2MP macro, and a 2MP depth sensor.

The photos captured from the primary camera look well balanced with good colour saturation, and ample details.

The macro lens is above average and the depth sensor performs well while clicking portrait photos.

There is an AI night mode in video and to be honest, it takes very good videos at night.

The AI on this device is probably the best and you can also see views taken from the rear camera and front camera at once, it’s the same feature introduced in Samsung flagship S21 series as a director’s view.

The 16MP front shooter takes remarkable selfie photos. The colour reproduction is on par with enough details and sharpness.

Battery Life

The Oppo F19 Pro+ is powered by the 4310mAh lithium polymer battery that will last about a day if used normally for calling, multimedia applications, and social media.

The 50W fast charger will level up the battery percentage from 0-100 in less than an hour.

Verdict

The Oppo F19 Pro+ is one of the best all-rounder performers in its price segment.

This smartphone delivers a good performance on gaming, daily use as well as on-camera and videography.

Specifications

Operating System/UIAndroid 11
Internal Memory128 GB
RAM8 GB
ProcessorMediaTek Dimensity 800U
Camera48MP + 8MP + 2MP + 2MP Rear, 16MP Front
Battery4310mAh
Display6.42-inch Full HD+ Super AMOLED

11. Vivo V21e 5G

Vivo V21e 5G

Best Camera-centric Smartphone

  • Excellent camera performance
  • MediaTek Dimensity SoC
  • AMOLED FHD+ display
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Pros

Indisplay fingerprint scanner

Funtouch OS 11 based on Android 11

Fast charging support

Cons

No dedicated SD card slot

The Vivo V21e is the latest addition to the much acclaimed V series smartphones from the company. 

The Vivo V21e is a 5G supported camera-centric smartphone priced at Rs.24,990 with an attractive design and good everyday performance.

Design and Build Quality

The design of the Vivo V21e 5G looks similar to that of the IQOO Z3 5G but the colour scheme used is dark which gives this device a premium look.

We were expecting a glass back considering the price but it’s high-quality polycarbonate material. The back that catches dust particles and fingerprint smudges, so using this device with a case is desirable.

Vivo even beats the Oppo at weight optimization, the Vivo V21e 5G weighs 167 grams and you can use it with one hand comfortably.

The right side of the frame houses the power and volume rocker buttons which are easily accessible. The bottom frame consists of an audio jack and USB-C port.

There is also a secondary noise canceling microphone at the top frame that offers you a decent voice calling experience.

Display

The Vivo V21e 5G features a 6.44-inch Full HD+ AMOLED display with a resolution of 2400 x 1080 pixels.

This panel has a peak brightness of 600 nits so you can use the smartphone indoors as well as outdoors effortlessly. 

This display produces vivid and punchy colours and minimal bezels on sides offers an amazing wide viewing experience.

What Vivo misses here is that high refresh rate. This panel has the standard 60Hz which is a bit of a letdown considering most other smartphones in this price segment have high refresh rate panels.

The visual quality is sharp and clear, thanks to its higher resolution and rich pixel density.

Processor and Performance

The Vivo V21e 5G is powered by the MediaTek Dimensity 700 5G octa-core processor designed on 7-nm architecture.

The 8GB RAM onboard paired with this CPU offers excellent performance in everyday use, and while gaming/multitasking you will not find any jitters or lags.

To make sure performance remains ultra-smooth Vivo has also implemented the virtual RAM increment technology which allows you to increase the RAM up to 3GB.

The 128GB UFS 2.1 internal storage should be adequate for most of the users and this UFS storage is much faster than eMMC, it’s like having an SSD inside a smartphone. However, there is no dedicated SD card slot for memory expansion but a hybrid SIM slot.

With its incredible read and write speed, applications will load faster and the phone boot-up time will be minimal.

As for the OS, the device comes pre-installed with the FunTouch OS 11 based on Android 11 OS.

Camera

The Vivo V21e 5G has only a dual camera at the back which is quite rare these days in the smartphone.

The device has a 64MP main sensor and 8MP ultrawide shooter.The main camera takes outstanding photos in broad daylight with excellent details and colour accuracy.

The 8MP ultrawide lens also takes good photos however, minor improvement in sharpness is required otherwise dynamic range and details are on point.

The 32MP selfie camera takes sharp photos as expected from Vivo, if you are a selfie geek then you won’t be disappointed by this smartphone front camera.

Battery Life

The Vivo V21e 5G is powered by a 4000mAh lithium-polymer battery that will provide power backup for up to 12 hours with normal use.

The bundled 44W charger juice up the battery levels up to 72% in just 30 minutes and within hours it will charge up to 100%.

Verdict

The Vivo V2e 5G is a classy mid-range Android smartphone with an attractive design and decent performance.

If you are looking for a slim and lightweight Android phone with excellent one-hand usability this should be it.

Specifications

Operating System/UIAndroid 11
Internal Memory128 GB
RAM8 GB
ProcessorMediaTek Dimensity 700
Camera64MP + 8MP rear, 32MP front
Battery4000mAh
Display6.44-inch FHD+ Super AMOLED

12. Samsung Galaxy A22

Samsung Galaxy A22 5G

Honourable Mention

  • Large FHD+ 90Hz display
  • Power-efficient MediaTek processor
  • Reliable build quality
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Pros

Side-mounted fingerprint scanner

Good battery life

Plain design at the rear side

Cons

Average selfie camera

Samsung has been active in the Indian subcontinent for god knows how many years and is a company known for delivering high-quality consumer electronic products.

The Samsung Galaxy A22 5G is a mid-range 5G smartphone from Samsung that is priced at Rs.20,999.

Design and Build Quality

The Samsung Galaxy A22 5G has a premium looking back and when looking at it for the first time we think it’s a glass back but it’s actually a plastic back that looks like glass.

This is a tall smartphone and it weighs 203 grams which is heavy and is not ideal for one-hand use.

The camera module in the rear of this smartphone is the same as we see on Samsung Galaxy F62.

Moving to its ports and buttons, the audio jack and USB Type-C port is found at the bottom frame along with the speaker grille and primary microphone.

The SIM tray is on the left and you can insert dual SIM cards and a dedicated memory card on this smartphone.

The volume adjustment keys and power buttons are on the right frame and the power button also function as a fingerprint scanner.

Display

The Samsung Galaxy A22 5G features a 6.6-inch 90Hz Full HD+ TFT display with a resolution of 1080 x 2400 pixels.

It’s quite disappointing to see that it’s not an AMOLED panel. The colours look good but not as punchy as in an OLED panel. 

The bezels are relatively thin and it’s ideal for media consumption.The brightness level of this panel is sufficient for indoor use. The display is touch responsive and thanks to the 90Hz refresh rate, you will have a smooth scrolling experience.

Processor and Performance

The Samsung Galaxy A22 5G is powered by the MediaTek Dimensity 700 SoC designed on 7-nm architecture and is a power-efficient chipset.

This device has 6GB RAM inside offering a good performance on day to day life use without causing much lag and stutter.

You can play games in a medium setting and easily get 40-50 fps in battle royale games.

The 128GB built-in storage offers you ample space to store multimedia files and documents offline.

This smartphone comes pre-installed with One UI 3.1 core based on Android 11 OS.

You do get to see some pre-installed applications which you can disable which is always a headache to do in Samsung smartphones but it’s only one time so make sure to do it for a smooth performance.

Camera

The Samsung Galaxy A22 5G houses three lenses at the back which are a 48MP primary, 8MP ultrawide, and 2MP depth sensor.

The 48MP performs well in daylight, the only issue we find is that blues are soft apart from that, everything in photos is right on point.

The ultrawide photos have soft colours and it needs improvement. The sharpness is okay and we think it’s better for group photos rather than clicking landscape photos.

The portrait photos come out quite nice though and you can later share that photo on your social profiles or set it as a display picture.

The 8MP front selfie camera is the worst thing we have on this smartphone, there are phones offering even up to 32 MP sensors and photos clicked from this 8MP sensor look decent.

Battery Life

The Samsung Galaxy A22 5G is powered by a 5000mAh lithium battery inside that will easily last for an entire day with normal use.

The bundled 15W charger that takes almost 2 hours to recharge this smartphone from 0 to 100%.

Verdict

The Samsung Galaxy A22 5G is for those people who are not after anything in particular and just need a good smartphone from a trusted brand like Samsung.

This smartphone can be a perfect gift for your parents who are mostly obsessed with the brand Samsung.

Specifications

Operating System/UIAndroid 11
Internal Memory128 GB
RAM6 GB
ProcessorMediaTek Dimensity 700
Camera48MP + 5MP + 2MP rear, 8MP front
Battery5000mAh
Display6.6-inch 90Hz FHD+

And this concludes our list of the twelve best smartphones under Rs.25,000 available in India.

In case you are on a tight budget but can’t afford to skimp on features, there are some great smartphones priced under Rs.20,000 that offer neck to neck competition with the models listed above.

We will make sure to update this list when new phones that can dethrone our top picks enter the market.

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!

2 thoughts on “Best Smartphones Under Rs.25,000 (December 2021)”

  1. Very Good Reviews and I bought the Realme X50 Pro 5G on the basis of your list provided, and it is indeed a superior choice. Thanks a lot for your time and work in putting up excellent reviews.

    Reply
    • Hi Yedu!

      Glad to know that our content was useful to you. Keep coming back for more such awesome best buying lists and product reviews.

      Reply

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