Best phones under Rs 20,000 (April 2023): iQOO Z7 5G, OnePlus Nord CE 3 Lite 5G to Poco X5 5G

Our list of smartphones under Rs 20,000 this month has undergone a complete overhaul as compared to our previous list from last quarter. Most phones are now equipped with 8 GB RAM and at least 128 GB internal storage. You get decent processing power with quite a few handsets going beyond the uber popular Snapdragon 695 chip. We have a phone with 108MP camera, one even with optical image stabilisation (OIS), high refresh rate displays, fast charging, 5G compliance and more. Here are your top 5 phones under 20K this month.

Best phones to buy under Rs 20,000 in India

iQOO Z7 5GLet’s start with our top pick this month, the iQOO Z7 5G which is packed with impressive features. It is a rugged phone with IP54 dust and water resistance and yet measures just 7.8 mm in thickness. It is powered by a capable Mediatek Dimensity 920 SoC and is accompanied by 8 GB RAM and 128 GB internal storage that can be expanded further up to 1 TB with a microSD card. This phone has a 6.38-inch Full HD+ HDR10+ compliant AMOLED display with 90 Hz refresh rate and 1300 nits peak brightness.

Another specialty of this device is its 64MP primary camera with OIS; a rare feature in this segment. Support cast is limited to a 2MP depth sensor. You get a more than decent 16MP selfie camera though. Battery capacity stands at 4500 mAh and lasts for a day and a half of moderate use. The bundled 44W fast charger promises to charge half of it in 25 minutes. The iQOO Z7 5G runs Android 13 with FunTouch OS 13.

iQOO Z7 5G price in India: Rs 19,999 for 8GB RAM/128GB storage

Motorola G73 5GThe Motorola G73 5G is another new addition this month. It is probably the first phone with Mediatek Dimensity 930 SoC in India. Here too you get 8 GB RAM and 128 GB internal storage with an option to expand it further up to 1 TB with a microSD card. This phone has a 6.5-inch Full HD+ IPS LCD display with a 120 Hz refresh rate. This phone claims to have a water resistant design but there is no IP rating. You also get stereo speakers with Dolby Atmos compliance.

Its 50MP primary camera boasts of 2um larger pixels to capture more detail even in low light. You do get an 8MP ultrawide camera here, along with a 16MP selfie camera at the front. The Motorola G73 5G has a 5000 mAh battery that keeps it powered for close to a day and a half of moderate use, and is accompanied by a 30W fast charger. The phone runs Android 13, and like most Motorola phones, you get a near-stock user interface.

Motorola G73 5G price in India: Rs 17,999 for 8GB RAM/128GB storage

Poco X5 5GIf you are looking for loads of storage space in this budget, the Poco X5 5G is the phone for you. This is the only phone in this list to offer 256 GB internal storage, and there is scope for further expansion too. This phone is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 695 chip and comes with 8 GB RAM. And that’s not it, this phone flaunts a 6.67-inch Full HD+ Super AMOLED display with a peak brightness of 1200 nits and 120 Hz refresh rate. The screen is protected against scratches by a layer of Corning Gorilla Glass 3.

The Poco X5 5G has three cameras at the back with the combination of a 48MP primary camera, an 8MP ultra-wide snapper and a 2MP macro camera. A 16MP camera is located in a punch-hole at the top of the screen. This phone too has a 5000 mAh battery that lasts over a day and a half of moderate use. And the company bundles a 33W fast charger with this phone that promises to take it from 0 to 100% in an hour. The phone runs Android 12 with a layer of MIUI 13.

Poco X5 5G price in India: Rs 18,999 for 8GB RAM/256GB storage

OnePlus Nord CE 3 Lite 5G Time to bring up the phone with a 108MP camera. Say hello to the new OnePlus Nord CE 3 Lite 5G. Generally, I am not fond of OnePlus phones with too many suffixes, but this one is a decent option in this budget. Megapixel count aside, the primary camera is surprisingly good and does most of the heavy lifting. It has a 2MP macro camera and a 2MP depth sensor to keep company. You get a 16MP front camera for selfies and video calls. This phone too is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 695 chip, and you get its 8 GB RAM and 128 GB storage variant in this budget.

This entry-level Nord 3 series phone has a 6.72-inch Full HD+ IPS LCD display with a 120 Hz refresh rate and is noticeably bright even outdoors. The battery backup is similar to most phones in this list with a 5000 mAh battery keeping it powered for over a day and a half of moderate use. The company bundles a 67W fast charger that can charge over 75% of the battery in less than half an hour. The OnePlus Nord CE 3 Lite 5G runs Android 13 with OxygenOS 13.

OnePlus Nord CE 3 Lite 5G price in India: Rs 19,999 for 8GB RAM/128GB storage

Realme Narzo 50 Pro 5GThe Realme Narzo 50 Pro 5G is pretty much the Realme 9 Pro+ 5G in many ways barring the presence of OIS on its main camera, and of course a lower price tag. The main camera here has 48 megapixels instead of 50 as on the 9 Pro+. The support cast remains the same with an 8MP ultra-wide camera and a 2MP macro camera. The 16MP front camera is more than decent for selfies and video calls. The phone launched with Android 12 and Realme UI 3.0, and is upgradeable to Android 13 with Realme UI 4.0.

The Realme Narzo 50 Pro 5G is powered by a Mediatek Dimensity 920 SoC, and you get its 8 GB RAM and 128 GB internal storage variant in this budget. It has a vibrant 6.4-inch Full HD+ Super AMOLED display with 90 Hz refresh rate. It is protected against scratches by a layer of Corning Gorilla Glass 5. Battery capacity has been bumped up to 5000 mAh, and it can keep the phone powered for a day and a half of moderate use. The company bundles a 33W fast charger that promises to charge 50% of it in a shade over half an hour.

Realme Narzo 50 Pro 5G price in India: Rs 18,999 for 8GB RAM/128GB storage