If you’re looking for better value than your typical budget smartphone, the sub-Rs. 20,000 segments is a good place to start. Smartphones in this segment offer a lot of power and features. Display refresh rates are generally around 90Hz to 120Hz, which also makes these smartphones good for some mid-level gaming. Some brands also offer AMOLED displays that benefit from deeper blacks and richer colors compared to IPS displays and are useful when streaming video. Camera capabilities are certainly better than your typical budget smartphone, although low-light camera performance is often disappointing.
A new addition to our Rs. 20,000 smartphone buying guide includes the Motorola Edge 20 Fusion, which recently got a price cut. Some of our top recommendations are Vivo T1 5G, Moto G71 5G and Redmi Note 11T 5G. There are still some older models that deserve your attention.
Here Gadgets 360 worth Rs. Inside is a selection of top phones. 20,000 in India, in no particular order. We’ve reviewed all the phones on this list and tested them thoroughly, including raw performance, camera capabilities, software, ease of use, physical design, battery life, and charging speed.
Rs. Best phone under 20,000
| Rs. 20,000 for internal phones | Gadgets 360 Rating (out of 10) | Price in India (Recommended) |
|---|---|---|
| OnePlus Nord CE 2 Lite 5G | 8 | Rs. 19,999 |
| Realme 9 5G Speed Edition | 8 | Rs. 19,999 |
| Vivo T1 5G | 8 | Rs. 15,990 |
| Moto G71 5G | 8 | Rs. 15,999 |
| Redmi Note 11T 5G | 8 | Rs. 15,999 |
| Realme 8s 5G | 8 | Rs. 17,999 |
| Motorola Edge 20 Fusion | 8 | Rs. 17,999 |
OnePlus Nord CE 2 Lite 5G
Many fans are waiting for the sub-Rs. 20,000 OnePlus phones, and in 2022, we finally have it. The OnePlus Nord CE 2 Lite 5G is a more affordable version of the Nord CE 2 5G for the most part, but it offers slightly better specs in some areas. The phone has a crisp 120Hz display, and runs the latest Android version without any bloatware. It offers excellent battery life as well as decently fast charging and good all-round performance for the price. If you’ve been wanting to own a OnePlus smartphone, or if long-term software updates are high on your ‘must have’ list, you should consider the Nord CE 2 Lite 5G.
Realme 9 5G Speed Edition
The Realme 9 5G Speed Edition is a more powerful and definitely more attractive model than the Realme 9 5G. Prices start as low as Rs. 20,000, the phone features a powerful SoC, a 144Hz refresh rate display and a large 5,000mAh battery. It also supports 30W fast charging, which is convenient. The base variant, which is worth getting in our opinion, doesn’t have many direct rivals and offers the most bang for your buck if you’re looking for good performance in this segment. One thing to note is that this phone does not have an ultra-wide camera and the video stabilization is not the best.
Vivo T1 5G
Vivo’s first smartphone in the T series, the T1 5G (Review), is a strong contender at an impressive price of Rs. 15,990 for the base variant. You get a 120Hz display and a 5G-ready Qualcomm Snapdragon 695 SoC, packaged in a body that’s just 8.25mm slim. The dewdrop notch at the top of the display may seem a bit dated, but this display packs a 240Hz touch sampling rate, which should be good for gamers. The Vivo T1 5G lacks an ultra-wide-angle camera and comes with a relatively slow 18W charger, but it should be a good buy for those focused solely on performance.
Moto G71 5G
Price Rs. 18,999 with 6GB RAM and 128GB storage, the Moto G71 (Review) offers Android 11 software experience, with an Android 12 update expected soon. Those who prefer stock Android will find this phone a better choice than the rest of the devices on this list. With a Qualcomm Snapdragon 695 SoC, it also has 5G, making it more future-proof than the older Moto G60. With a good camera and good battery life, the Moto G71 is one of our top picks for 5G-conscious buyers who can’t do without stock Android.
Redmi Note 11T 5G
Powered by MediaTek’s Dimensity 810 SoC, this 5G-enabled budget smartphone from Xiaomi performs well for gamers with good battery life. Shutterbugs might not be too happy with the Redmi Note 11T 5G (Review)’s two rear cameras and their average performance. At the same time its 90Hz LCD panel with 240Hz touch sampling rate makes it a capable budget smartphone for gaming. There is also a large 5,000mAh battery that can be quickly charged using the 33W charger provided in the box. The device is rated IP53 for dust and water resistance, so it can survive a light splash of water.
Realme 8s 5G
Realme 8s 5G (Review) Looks identical to the Realme 8 5G, except for a slightly thicker display chin. It is powered by the MediaTek Dimensity 810 5G SoC and comes with either 6GB or 8GB of RAM, depending on the variant you choose. Battery life is one of this phone’s strong suits, and the 5,000mAh battery easily lasts more than a day of normal use.
The 64-megapixel main camera managed good photos in daylight in our tests, but the lack of an ultra-wide-angle camera makes the 8s 5G less versatile than some of the competition. Low-light camera performance was average, though Night Mode helped improve output. Overall, the Realme 8s 5G is only a mild improvement over the 8 5G, but an improvement nonetheless.
Motorola Edge 20 Fusion
The new Motorola Edge 30 Fusion (Review) costs more than the Edge 20 Fusion, with the latest model fitting into a completely different price segment rather than being a successor. The Edge 20 Fusion was launched in India priced at Rs. 21,499, but recently got a price cut. Despite being a little older, the Edge 20 Fusion strikes a good balance between performance and software. It has a 6.7-inch OLED display with a 90Hz refresh rate. It also has a side-mounted fingerprint scanner, a dedicated Google Assistant button and an official IP52 rating. This smartphone packs in powerful hardware, along with a clean near-stock Android UI that will appeal to Android purists. Aside from its relatively average low-light camera performance, there’s little to complain about here.
