Budget smartphones are arguably the most popular in the Indian market. While the iPhones and Android flagships create a different level of hype, the numbers in which sub-₹20,000 smartphones sell is astronomical. Which is why, the number of options in these range are also way too many for anyone to single out one device according to their needs and buy that. So to make things simpler, we are here and we will tell you the best smartphones under ₹20,000 that you can buy in September 2024, according to each needs.
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DESIGN
Moto G85 (Price – ₹19,999)
The Motorola G85 is a solid budget smartphone that stands out with its premium design, vibrant display, and decent camera setup. If you frequently consume content on your smartphone, the Motorola G85 is one of my top recommendations under ₹20,000 thanks to its superb display and stereo speakers. However, it does lag behind in raw performance compared to some competitors.
Nothing CMF Phone 1 (Price – ₹15,999)
Undoubtedly the best designed phone under ₹20,000 currently. The Nothing CMF Phone 1 is the first smartphone from Nothing’s sub-brand and it comes with one of the coolest design elements. We get a customisable and replaceable back panel, along with several attachments that can also be attached or detached to the back panel. Now, buying accessories and a charger for the CMF Phone 1 will bring the price up. But even at a sub-₹20,000 price tag, the CMF Phone 1 still offers pretty decent value. So if you want clean software with decent performance and a differentiating element in your smartphone, the CMF Phone 1 is very easy to recommend.
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DISPLAY
Samsung Galaxy M35 (Price – ₹19,999)
When we talk displays, we can’t not mention Samsung, especially in the display department. The Samsung Galaxy M35 comes with a beautiful 6.6-inch super AMOLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate and a rated peak brightness of 1000 nits. The smartphone is powered by Samsung’s Exynos 1380 chipset paired with up to 8GB of RAM. We also get a humongous 6,000mAh battery with support for 25W fast charging, along with a 50MP + 8MP + 5MP triple rear camera setup.
Redmi Note 13 (Price – ₹17,999)
The Redmi Note 13 5G also has a very good display. With this we get an immersive 6.67-inch AMOLED display with super slim and even bezels on all four sides. With this, we are getting an FHD+ resolution and 120Hz refresh rate. Apart from having a superb display, the Redmi Note 13 5G also comes with a nice triple rear camera setup with a 108MP primary shooter. It is powered by a MediaTek Dimensity 6080 chipset paired with up to 12GB of RAM. For battery, the Redmi Note 13 5G has a 5,000mAh unit with support for 33W fast charging.
PERFORMANCE
iQOO Z9 (Price – ₹19,999)
iQOO has turned up the throttle this year. A company once only focused on performance has now come out with one of the best all-rounders in the sub-₹20,000 smartphone segment. The iQOO Z9 is a jack of all trades – it has the BEST performance under ₹20K, a fantastic primary camera that does extremely well in most conditions, and a gorgeous AMOLED display. The battery life is also pretty decent; it should easily last most users a full day. The only two areas where iQOO could step up more are design and UI.
iQOO Z9s (Price – ₹19,999)
The iQOO Z9s is also a proper iQOO smartphone. With a design that is identical to the Vivo V40 or the Vivo T3 Ultra, the iQOO Z9s is powered by a MediaTek Dimensity 7300 chipset paired with up to 12GB of RAM. The smartphone also has a dual rear camera setup that includes a primary 50-megapixel shooter and a 2-megapixel depth sensor. The iQOO Z9s also has a nice curved AMOLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate and FHD+ resolution. For battery, we are getting a 5,500mAh battery with support for 44W fast charging.
BATTERY
OnePlus Nord CE4 5G – (Price – ₹19,999)
OnePlus Nord CE4 Lite has a brilliant display, decent battery and performance, a not-so-great design, and an adequate camera. This phone is perfect for people who watch a lot of content, thanks to its bright and detailed display and long-lasting battery. Gaming isn’t bad either but could be better. The photography is okay in daylight, but it’s not a camera phone.
Realme P1 Pro – (Price – ₹19,999)
The Realme P1 Pro is the elder brother to the Realme P1, which stood out as one of the best performing smartphones in the ₹15,000 range. The Realme P1 Pro is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 6 Gen 1 chipset, paired with up to 8GB of RAM and 256GB of internal storage. With this, we also get a nice curved AMOLED display which offers a 120Hz refresh rate and an FHD+ resolution. The cameras on the Realme P1 Pro are also pretty good with the 50MP + 8MP dual rear camera setup.
