If you’re looking for a flagship smartphone, then you need to shell out over Rs. 50,000 or more. However, phones in and around Rs. 30,000 are the ones that offer flagship features but at an affordable price point.
This range can fulfil most of your needs, from offering an exceptional camera to a great overall performance.
The list of smartphones priced under Rs 30,000 was getting exhaustively long. However, we’re mid-way through the year and there have been a few good releases so far. Many of these are updates to their previous lineup or new products entirely.
You just have to look at what suits you the best. For some, a good camera could be vital, for some others, user experience, and mobile gaming could be their primary focus. A major trend among manufacturers is bringing older flagship chipsets to this price segment. And we could expect more additions and updates to this list in the next coming months as well.
The list includes the phones from some of the big players in this segment. These are Xiaomi, Poco, OnePlus, Realme, Samsung, Motorola, and even iQoo.
So, let’s just dive straight into the list of phones.
The OnePlus Nord 2T is a minor upgrade from the previous model, so it's not recommended for someone who owns a Nord 2. However, the smartphone is still one of the best choices to enter the OnePlus ecosystem.
The smartphone is the first device to launch in India with the Dimensity 1300 chipset but also gets an improved camera sensor. The new primary camera retains the 50MP lens however it has a larger sensor. This has improved the low-light performance of the Nord 2T.
The rest of the hardware like the display and the battery remain the same. You do get a higher 80W charger in comparison to the 65W one from the previous model. Also, if you're a fan of the iconic Sandstone finish the Grey Shadow model would be an apt choice.
Read our OnePlus Nord 2T review
The Xiaomi Mi 11X is one of the best affordable flagship phones. However, the camera setup is not the best for the price, the same also applies to the charging speeds. Also, the phones tend to heat up quite a bit while gaming. If you are okay with these things, the Mi 11X won’t disappoint you.
The Xiaomi Mi 11X comes with the best display in the segment with a 6.67-inch E4 Super AMOLED panel and 120Hz screen refresh rate. The device is powered by Snapdragon 870 and paired with LPDDR5 RAM, and UFS 3.1 storage which also makes it one of the better gaming phones in the segment.
In terms of cameras, the device comes with a 48MP main camera which is just above average. The design of the phone, especially the Cosmic Black is extremely prone to fingerprints and smudges, so it's better to go for Celestial Silver or the Lunar White colourways.
The Poco F4 5G launched almost 2 weeks ago in the Indian market. The smartphone features the Snapdragon 870 chipset and comes with a high refresh rate AMOLED display with support for Dolby Vision. The display also has a max brightness of 1300 nits, so outdoor visibility is good. The Poco F4 5G is a good choice for those who are more interested in binge-watching shows on their smartphones.
The smartphone also comes with a 4,500 mAh battery and is capable of lasting a day. And the 67W fast charger will help you get back on the road quickly. The cameras on the Poco F4 5G perform well in daylight conditions. The images are vibrant and tend to be a bit oversaturated. This will come down to a personal choice.
The other negative aspects of a Poco smartphone exist here as well. MIUI continues to feature bloatware but these can be uninstalled. The smartphone also struggles to handle low-light photography as well. You also miss out on a 3.5mm headphone jack.
The Realme GT Neo 2 brings in a lot of features that make it a good alternative to flagship devices. While many of the devices on this list do come with the Snapdragon 870 chipset, the GT Neo 2 will win your hearts over the colour options of the smartphone. The GT-inspired racing stripes are sure to catch a lot of people's attention. So, if you've been eager to have a stylish smartphone the GT Neo 2 would be one of the best-looking devices out there.
There is no doubt that the device is capable of breezing through tasks, handling multitasking and playing graphic-intensive titles like Apex Legends Mobile and Genshin Impact. The display is a good choice for those who watch their favourite shows on their smartphone. The Realme GT Neo 2 also comes with a 5,000 mAh battery and supports 65W charging. Of the products listed here, this would be the only smartphone which offers a higher capacity battery pack.
The only downside of the smartphone is its camera performance. And if you're looking for a good device in this category, there are other options in this list. On the other hand, the smartphone is a good choice for anyone who consumes content and cares more about the fanfare around the GT lineup.
While the device is available for a price of Rs 31,999 on Flipkart and