OnePlus 3T, Samsung A7, Moto Z Play: The best smartphones for under Rs 35k

OnePlus 3T

Price: Rs 34,999 for 128GB and Rs 29,999 for 64GB
Display: 5.5-inch Full HD AMOLED display
Processor: Qualcomm Snapdragon 821 (2.35 GHz)
Storage & RAM: 128GB, 6GB
Cameras: 16-MP rear, 16-MP front
Battery: 3,400 mAh

OnePlus 3T is arguably among the best value-for-money phones not only because of its looks, but also because of the battery and performance. Without adding to the phone’s weight, OnePlus 3T sports a bigger battery than the OnePlus 3, and can sustain heavy usage for over a day.

OnePlus 3T is arguably among the best value-for-money phones not only because of its looks and performance.

The processing power of the Qualcomm Snapdragon 82, aided by 6GB of RAM, does justice to multi-tasking and heavy duty gaming. The display may take a while to get used to, but there’s ample storage available for your media and pictures.

The phone also packs a USB 2.0 Type-C port, has a separate a notification slider button, a fingerprint scanner in home button and a 16-MP front camera coupled with the 16MP rear camera. Also OnePlus just launched a slick black edition of the 3T. Read our review here.

Samsung Galaxy A7 (2017)

Price: Rs 33,490
Display: 5.7-inch Full HD Super AMOLED
Processor: 1.9GHz octa-core
Storage & RAM: 32GB, 3GB
Cameras: 16-MP rear, 16-MP front
Battery: 3,600 mAh

This year’s Samsung Galaxy A7 comes with add-ons over its predecessor like a sleek metal and glass body with a curvier back, IP68 dust and waterproof rating. Also on the list is USB Type-C port for faster charging and data transfers, along with an Always-On display.

Samsung Galaxy A7 comes with new add-ons over its predecessor like a sleek metal and glass body.

The battery is 3600 mAh, which should easily last a day, and this one is bigger compared to last year’s Galaxy A7. Samsung has not only doubled the storage on this phone, but has also revved up the front camera from 5MP to 16MP, bringing the phone in the league of OnePlus 3T and Oppo F1 Plus.

Oppo F3 Plus

Price: Rs 30,990
Display: 6-inch Full HD
Processor: Qualcomm Snapdragon 652
Storage & RAM: 64GB, 4GB
Cameras: 16-MP rear, 16-MP + 8-MP front
Battery: 4,000 mAh

Oppo has not only introduced a fresh 6-inch phone for larger-screen fanatics, but has also improved on its main USP- the selfie camera. The new dual-front wide angle camera setup helps users turn selfies into groupies. It can also capture selfie videos in HD resolution, and of course there’s a Beauty Mode as well. In our review, the 16-MP rear camera also performed well in low-light conditions.

Oppo has not only introduced a fresh 6-inch phone for larger-screen fanatics, but has also improved on its main USP- the selfie camera.

The phone packs 64GB storage aided by 4GB RAM to support multi-tasking and heavy app usage. The battery is 4,000 mAh in capacity, but also comes with Oppo’s VOOC technology that the company claims will let it charge from zero to 91% in just an hour.

Vivo V5 Plus

Price: Rs 27,980
Display: 5.5-inch IPS LCD
Processor: Qualcomm Snapdragon 625
Storage & RAM: 64GB, 4GB
Cameras: 16-MP rear, 20-MP + 8-MP front
Battery: 3,160 mAh

Priced a little less than its competitors, Vivo V5 Plus is a handy phone to use thanks to a phablet-sized display, great selfie and rear cameras. It has 64 storage and a battery which, despite clocking less in capacity, can sustain up to one and a half days of regular usage.

Vivo V5 Plus is a handy phone to use thanks to a phablet-sized display, great selfie and rear cameras.

The phone’s performance isn’t up there when compared with the OnePlus 3T because of the Snapdragon 625 processor, but it can handle your daily tasks easily. The phone is a good value for money not only because of the pricing, but also because of the build quality, cameras and ease of usage. Read our review here.

Moto Z Play
Price: Rs 24,999
Display: 5.5-inch Full HD Super AMOLED
Processor: Qualcomm Snapdragon 625
Storage & RAM: 32GB, 3GB
Cameras: 16-MP, 5-MP
Battery: 3,510 mAh

Though comparatively cheaper than its premium cousin- the Moto Z, Moto Z Play shares a lot of commonality with it. Both phones sport full metal unibody design though the Play is not as sleek as the Moto Z.. Also the phones support Mods, which are add-ons to the regular device.

Moto Mods, which you can purchase separately, add a lot of utility to the device.

Moto Z Play has a long-lasting performance with an impressive 3,510 mAh battery. Moto Z Play comes with only 32GB of internal storage, but makes up for it with a microSD slot which can hold up to 200GB of additional data.

The rear camera features PDAF, zero shutter lag and 4X digital zoom, making it easier for the user to zoom in and capture quick images. Moto Mods, which you can purchase separately, add a lot of utility to the device. These modular accessories can be seamlessly attached to the phone and include a true zoom camera in collaboration with HasselBlad, a power pack, a SoundBoost speaker and a projector.