Redmi Note 12 to Realme 9 SE: Best smartphones under Rs 20,000 you can buy

The Redmi Note 12 is powered by the Snapdragon 4 Gen 1 chipset. (Express Photo)

The Redmi Note 12 performs great in everyday tasks and features a 120Hz AMOLED display protected by Corning’s Gorilla Glass 3. On the back, you get a 48MP camera along with an 8MP ultrawide lens and a 2MP macro sensor. The Redmi Note 12 comes with 128GB of internal storage and is available in 4GB RAM and 6GB RAM variants, which can be purchased for Rs 17,999 and Rs 19,999 respectively.

Motorola G82

If you want a near-stock Android experience, the Motorola G82 is one of the best phones under Rs 20,000. Sporting the popular Snapdragon 695 chipset and backed by a 120Hz FHD+ 10-bit AMOLED display, the phone comes with Android 12 out of the box, with Motorola promising an upgrade to Android 13.

The Motorola G82 with its 50MP OIS primary camera is one of the best camera phones in the price segment. It has 128GB of internal storage and comes with 6GB RAM and 8 GB RAM. While the 6GB version sells on Flipkart for Rs 18,999, if you need more RAM, the 8GB variant of the phone costs Rs 20,499.

Also, it supports 13 5G bands and requires no software update from the company to enable 5G support, unlike other phone manufacturers. At the price point, the Motorola G82 is one of the best bloatware-free phones available for under Rs 20,000.

Realme 9 SE

The Realme 9 SE (Speed Edition) is a phone geared towards mobile gamers. It also happens to be one of the few phones in the market under Rs 20,000 powered by the Snapdragon 778G, which is usually found on mid-range devices like the Nothing Phone (1) (review) and the recently launched Poco X5 Pro (review).

The 144Hz LCD panel is no AMOLED, but it’s a good LCD display. (Image Source: The Indian Express/ Chetan Nayak)

However, the Realme 9 SE comes with a 144Hz FullHD+ IPS LCD display, which might not appeal to some. The phone has a 48MP primary rear camera backed by a 2MP macro and depth sensor and misses out on an ultrawide sensor.

Unlike the other phones in the list, the Realme 9 SE runs on Android 11 out of the box, which means the Android 13 update will probably be the last major Android update for the phone. If you want a gaming phone that offers great value for money, the Realme 9 SE is an excellent choice.

Poco X4 Pro

The Poco X4 Pro is one of the few phones that delivers on all fronts in the sub-Rs 20,000 bracket. It has a 6.67-inch 120Hz FullHD+ AMOLED display and is backed by the Snapdragon 695 SoC, which can easily handle everyday tasks without hiccups.

Poco X4 Pro has a glass sandwich design, something usually found on higher end phones. (Express Photo)

It has a 64MP primary rear camera backed by an 8MP ultrawide lens and 2MP macro sensor. While the Poco X4 Pro is definitely not the best camera phone, it takes decent shots in daylight. Compared to other phones in the list, the Poco X4 Pro offers a premium build quality with its glass sandwich design, which is usually found on more expensive smartphones.

Infinix Note 12i

If you are tight on budget and are looking for a smartphone that features an AMOLED screen under Rs 10,000, then the Infinix Note 12i might be your only choice. Powered by the MediaTek Helio G85 chipset, the phone runs on Android 12 out of the box with Infinix’s custom UI (XOS) on top. On the back, you get a triple camera setup which consists of a 50MP sensor, a 2MP macro sensor and a QVGA depth camera. The 50MP primary sensor takes great photos in daylight and is one of the best camera phones in the sub-Rs 10,000 price segment.

It has a 5,000mAh battery which the phone can easily last a full day on a single charge. The Infinix Note 12i has only one variant, which comes with 64GB storage and 4GB RAM. But despite having only 4GB RAM, the phone is smooth when it comes to everyday tasks with a slight hiccup here and there. It can be purchased from Flipkart for Rs 9,999.