Best smartphones of 2019 (Rs 20,000-40,000)
OnePlus 7T
- The OnePlus 7T is undoubtedly the most competent Android smartphone of 2019. It combines a super-fast software, powerful hardware, smooth 90 Hz AMOLED display and decently-capable triple rear cameras at a price much lower than similarly spec’d phones from Samsung and Apple.
- At a starting price of around Rs 38,000 for the base 8GB/ 128GB variant, the 7T is an easy recommendation for anyone looking for a premium Android experience at a realistic price.
- You can read our review of the OnePus 7T here, and watch the Youtube review here.
Redmi K20 Pro
- The Xiaomi Redmi K20 Pro might be a bit old at this point, but it still makes for a fantastic buy. The phone has a wonderful design (with pop-up front camera), good battery life and very capable camera performance.
- Also worth noting is that this phone was one of the first phones in India to get the latest Android 10 update. Plus, MIUI on the K20 Pro is ad-free. It starts at Rs 24,999.
- You can read our review of the Redmi K20 Pro here, and watch the Youtube review here.
Realme X2 Pro
- The Realme X2 Pro has successfully trumped the Redmi K20 Pro as the new value for money flagship killer champion. For a starting price of Rs 29,999, you get industry-leading 50W fast charging, 90 Hz AMOLED display and a powerful Snapdragon 855+ chip.
- The reason why the X2 Pro sits on #3 in this list is because ColorOS feels unpolished when compared to OxygenOS and MIUI. Also, Realme isn’t particularly fast with Android updates.
Asus ROG Phone II
- The ROG Phone II is undoubtedly the most over-spec’d phone of 2019, but since it’s targeted towards gamers, it’s a good thing!
- You get a Snapdragon 855+ chipset, monstrous 6,000mAh battery, gamer-focused funky design and loads of gaming controls. The 8GB/ 128GB variant is priced at Rs 37,999, but the higher 12GB/ 512GB variant is quite pricey at Rs 60,000 (and you should avoid it).
- But keep in mind that if you’re not a gamer, you might find the ROG Phone II a bit polarising. And Asus’ track record with Android updates remains poor.
Oppo Reno 10x Zoom
- Like sister brand Realme, Oppo has launched way too many phones in 2019. Even though the Reno 3 series has just launched in China, the original Reno 10x Zoom from earlier this year still be best Reno.
- Starting at Rs 36,900 it brings a 5x optical zoom camera (with 10x hybrid zoom) which makes it quite ideal for photographers. Then, it also has truly bezel-less design with a unique shark-fin pop-up camera. However, on the software front, ColorOS remains underwhelming.
Others
- You’d be surprised to see no Samsung phone on this list, and this is because the company’s offerings in this price range aren’t very competitive. The Galaxy A80 – with its motorised rotating camera – makes for an interesting choice at Rs 39,990, but it easily gets dethroned by the above-mentioned phone when it comes to performance.
Also read:
Best smartphones of 2019 (up to Rs 20,000)
Best flagship smartphones of 2019