Best phones under Rs 20,000 (Jan 2023): Motorola G82 5G, Realme 10 Pro 5G to iQOO Z6 5G

Smartphones powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 695 chip took up 60% slots in our previous sub-20K phone list. This month, that figure has gone up to 100%, which goes to show the popularity of that 5G-ready SoC among phone manufacturers in this segment. Also, every phone in this list is equipped with 6 GB RAM and 128 GB internal storage. Though the processing power is similar, you get a variety of features on different handsets in this list.

We have phones with 108MP cameras, one even with optical image stabilisation (OIS); a feature that is extremely hard to find in this budget. In addition, you also get high refresh rate LCD or AMOLED screens, fast charging, 5G compliance and more. Time to look at what one can get their hands on under Rs 20,000 this month.

Best phones to buy under Rs 20,000 in India

Motorola G82 5GThe Motorola G82 5G is our top pick in this segment this month. It flaunts certain features that are near impossible to find collectively in a single smartphone under Rs 20,000 at the moment. To begin with, it has a 6.6-inch 10-bit Full HD+ pOLED display with a 120 Hz refresh rate that is capable of displaying over a billion colour shades. Another rarity in this segment is the availability of optical image stabilisation (OIS) on its 50MP primary camera.

Support cast consists of an 8MP ultrawide shooter and a 2MP macro camera at the back, along with a 16MP selfie camera at the front. The phone design is quite sleek, and an IP52 rating for dust and moisture resistance adds a degree of sturdiness. The Motorola G82 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 33W fast charger. The phone runs Android 12, and like most Motorola phones, you get a near-stock user interface.

Motorola G82 5G price in India: Rs 18,999 for 6GB RAM/128GB storage

Poco X4 Pro 5GPoco X4 Pro 5G comfortably retains its place in our list thanks to a nice mix of features and performance, and now at an even better price. The second of the Qualcomm Snapdragon 695 based phones has 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 5. A 16MP camera is located in a punch-hole at the top of the screen.

Speaking of cameras, the Poco X4 Pro 5G has three at the back with the combination of a 64MP primary camera, an 8MP ultra-wide snapper and a 2MP macro camera. This phone too has a 5000 mAh battery that lasts over a day and a half of moderate use. But you get a faster 67W charger here that promises to take it from 0 to 100% in less than 45 minutes. The phone runs Android 11 with a layer of MIUI 13. Android 12 update is expected soon.

Poco X4 Pro 5G price in India: Rs 16,499 for 6GB RAM/128GB storage

Redmi Note 11 Pro+ 5GThe Redmi Note 11 Pro + 5G is similar to the Poco X4 Pro 5G in many ways but with a more appealing camera. Its 108MP primary camera will have the photography enthusiasts interested. It is accompanied by an 8MP ultrawide camera and a 2MP macro camera. The 16MP front camera is good enough for selfies and video calls. This Xiaomi phone too launched with Android 11 with MIUI 13, and the Android 12 update started rolling out late last year.

The rest of the specs are similar to the Poco above. You get a 6.67-inch Full HD+ Super AMOLED display that can get up to 1200 nits bright and supports 120 Hz refresh rate for smooth scrolling in compatible apps. It is protected against scratches by a layer of Corning Gorilla Glass 5. A 5000 mAh battery keeps it running for close to a day and a half of moderate use, and the bundled 67W turbo charger claims to charge it fully in under 45 minutes.

Redmi Note 11 Pro+ 5G price in India: Rs 19,999 for 6GB RAM/128GB storage

Realme 10 Pro 5G The fairly recent Realme 10 Pro 5G is another phone in this list with a 108MP camera. The primary camera has to do all the heavy lifting as it only has a 2MP depth sensor for company. You do get a 16MP camera up front for selfies and video calls. You already know about the chipset that powers it and the amount and RAM and storage, as it remains the same for all the phones in this list. But what makes it stand out from the rest is that it is the only phone in this bunch that runs Android 13 out of the box. You get Realme UI 4.0 on top.

The Realme 10 Pro 5G has a 6.72-inch Full HD+ IPS LCD display with a 120 Hz refresh rate and slim bezels. The phone design is quite attractive too, drawing a bit of inspiration from Apple. The battery backup is similar to other phones in this list with a 5000 mAh battery keeping it powered for a day and a half of moderate use. The company bundles a 33W SuperVOOC charger that can charge 50% of the battery in less than half an hour.

Realme 10 Pro 5G price in India: Rs 18,999 for 6GB RAM/128GB storage

iQOO Z6 5GThe iQOO Z5 5G used to be our top pick in this segment for a considerable amount of time. But sadly, it is no longer available. While its supposed successor, the iQOO Z6 isn’t as powerful as the Z5, it is not a bad option either in this budget. The Qualcomm Snapdragon 778G SoC has been replaced by a Snapdragon 695, but the price is also significantly lower. This phone has a 6.58-inch Full HD+ IPS LCD screen with 120 Hz refresh rate.

Battery capacity stands at 5000 mAh and lasts for a day and a half of moderate use. Photography is mainly handled by a 50MP primary camera. A 2MP macro camera and a 2MP depth sensor make up the numbers. You get a neat 16MP selfie camera though. The iQOO Z6 5G runs Android 12 with FunTouch UI 12. If you can find a Z5 5G in this budget, we would recommend that over the Z6 5G without a second thought.

Pro tip: At the time of writing, the iQOO Z6 Pro 5G with a faster Snapdragon 778G SoC, AMOLED display and better cameras can be purchased for Rs 19,999 effectively on Amazon India if you have access to a HDFC or ICICI bank credit card. That is pretty much the Z5 5G with a better display, which makes it the best of the three iQOO phones mentioned here, and a great buy for this budget.

iQOO Z6 5G price in India: Rs 16,999 for 6GB RAM/128GB storage