Our collection of the best phones within a budget of Rs 25,000 this month caters to different types of users. Be it the brand-conscious, the gamer or the photography enthusiast or simply someone looking for a slim and stylish phone, we have you all covered. Here, we have phones with powerful processors, impressive cameras, AMOLED screens with high refresh rates, 5G compliance and more in this budget. Take a pick basis what’s most important to you.
Best phones to buy under Rs 25,000 in India
iQOO Z5 5G/Z3 5G
Let’s start with the two best all-round phones in this price segment from Vivo’s sub-brand. We have included the iQOO Z3 5G as well as the Z5 5G in this line-up as they aren’t too different from each other (though not identical) and offer impressive features and performance. The top variant of the iQOO Z3 5G with 8 GB RAM and 256 GB of internal storage can be comfortably purchased in this budget. It is powered by Qualcomm’s recent midrange Snapdragon 768 SoC.
It has a vibrant 6.58-inch HDR10 compliant Full HD+ LCD screen with a 120 Hz refresh rate for smooth scrolling in compatible apps. Photography is taken care of by three cameras at the back comprising a 64 MP primary camera, an 8 MP ultrawide shooter and a 2 MP macro camera. A 16 MP selfie camera resides in a drop-notch at the top of the screen. A 4,400 mAh battery keeps the phone running for well over a day of moderate use. The company bundles a 55 W fast charger to juice it up in super-quick time.
The iQOO Z5 5G offers small but important upgrades over the Z3. For starters, it has a faster and more recent Snapdragon 778 SoC. Internal storage is upgraded to UFS 3.1 from 2.2, however, you get half the capacity in this budget. It has a larger 6.67-inch Full HD+ LCD screen with a 120 Hz refresh rate. Battery capacity has been bumped up to 5,000 mAh, and while the fast charger is relatively slower at 44 W, it does promise to charge half the battery in 23 minutes.
Both phones run Android 11 with FunTouch UI on top, and the company promises two major Android updates on both devices. While the Z3 ships with FunTouch UI 11.1, the Z5 offers the newer version 12 out of the box. The camera department is identical on both phones.
iQOO Z3 5G price in India: Rs 22,990 for 8 GB RAM/256 GB storage
iQOO Z5 5G price in India: Rs 22,490 for 8 GB RAM/128 GB storage (on Amazon India)
Mi 10i 5G
The Xiaomi Mi 10i 5G is a phone photography enthusiasts will be interested in, courtesy of its 108 MP camera that clicks some crisp shots in various conditions. The support cast consists of an 8 MP ultrawide camera, 2 MP macro camera and a 2 MP depth sensor. The 16 MP front camera does a good job with selfies and video calls. This 5G phone is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 750 SoC, and you get either 6 GB or 8 GB RAM and 128 GB of internal storage that can be expanded further using a micro-SD card.
The Mi 10i 5G has a 6.67-inch Full HD+ HDR10 compliant LCD display that can get up to 450 nits bright. This too supports a 120 Hz refresh rate for a flicker-free experience in compatible apps, and is protected against scratches by a layer of Corning Gorilla Glass 5. A 4,820 mAh battery keeps it running for close to a day and a half of moderate use, and the bundled 33 W fast charger claims to take it from 0 to 100 percent in under an hour. The smartphone runs Android 10 with MIUI 12. An Android 11 update has started rolling out for this phone.
Mi 10i 5G price in India: Rs 21,999 for 6 GB RAM/128 GB storage; Rs 23,999 for 8 GB RAM/128 GB storage
Poco X3 Pro
The Poco X3 Pro has the most powerful processor of all phones on this list. It is powered by a near-flagship grade Qualcomm Snapdragon 860 SoC and accompanied by 8 GB RAM and 128 GB of internal storage. This phone is ideal for gaming on a budget and that too at reasonably high settings. This phone too has a 6.67-inch Full HD+ display with a 120 Hz refresh rate. The screen has a layer of Gorilla Glass 6 for protection against scratches.
The X3 Pro has quad cameras at the back starting with a 48 MP primary camera, an 8 MP ultra-wide shooter, 2 MP macro camera and a 2 MP depth sensor. A small punch-hole at the top of the screen hosts a 20 MP camera for selfies and video calls. Its 5,160 mAh battery easily lasts over a day and a half of moderate use, unless there’s heavy gaming involved. The bundled 33 W fast charger juices it up quickly. The phone runs Android 11 with MIUI 12 on top.
Poco X3 Pro price in India: Rs 20,999 for 8 GB RAM/128 GB storage
Samsung Galaxy F62
The Samsung Galaxy F62 is quite a handful (literally) courtesy of its large 6.7-inch Super AMOLED Plus display and weight in excess of 200 grams. One key contributor to its weight is its mammoth 7,000 mAh battery that can keep the phone powered for close to two-and-a-half days of moderate use. The bundled 25 W fast charger promises to recharge the high-capacity battery in a couple of hours. If you like big-screen phones with extremely long battery life, this is a great option for you.
The F62 is powered by Samsung’s Exynos 9825 chip, and you get 6 GB RAM along with 128 GB of internal (expandable) storage. The camera department is quite versatile with a combination of 64 MP primary camera, 12 MP ultrawide shooter, 5 MP macro camera and a 5 MP depth sensor to capture some quality photos in various modes. The 32 MP front-facing camera embedded in a tiny punch-hole at the top of the screen should impress selfie enthusiasts. The Samsung Galaxy F62 runs Android 11 with One UI 3.1.
Samsung Galaxy F62 price in India: Rs 23,590 for 6 GB RAM/128 GB storage
Vivo V20 (2021 edition)
The Vivo V20 (2021 edition) is for those looking for a stylish and slim phone. It is less than 7.5 mm thick; a refreshing change from the bulky phones we get these days. Despite the slim profile, it has a respectable 4,000 mAh battery that lasts over a day of moderate use and supports 33 W fast charging. It is powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 730 SoC, along with 8 GB RAM and 128 GB internal storage that can be expanded further to 1 TB with a micro-SD card.
The phone has a 6.44-inch Full HD+ AMOLED display and a glass back. The rear camera department is handled mainly by the 64 MP primary camera and supported by an 8 MP ultrawide snapper and a 2 MP depth sensor. This phone will also enthuse selfie enthusiasts with its 44 MP front camera with autofocus that can also record 4K videos. This phone runs Android 11 out of the box with FunTouch UI 11 on top.
Vivo V20 (2021 edition) price in India: Rs 22,990 for 8 GB RAM/128 GB storage