Mi 10i 5G, Moto G 5G to iQOO 3 and more: Best phones under Rs 25,000 (May 2021)- Technology News, Firstpost

Ameya DalviMay 07, 2021 16:42:19 IST

A Rs 25,000 budget lets you choose from a set of phones with flagship-grade processors, high-quality cameras, AMOLED screens, high refresh rate displays and more. But thanks to online sales and price drops, the bar has been set even higher this time in terms of processing power and camera quality. And it is not hard to find 5G-ready phones in this segment, and we do have a couple of options for you here. So, let’s look at the best smartphones that you can buy in India under Rs 25,000 this month.

Best phones to buy under Rs 25,000 in India

iQOO 3

The iQOO 3 (review) has seen substantial price cuts since the announcement of its successors. The phone from Vivo’s sub-brand flaunts impressive specifications and features, starting with Qualcomm’s previous flagship, the Snapdragon 865 SoC. You now get the 8 GB RAM variant of this phone with 128 GB of internal storage for under Rs 25,000, and that’s one hell of a deal. The iQOO 3 has a 6.44-inch Full HD+ Super AMOLED screen with Corning Gorilla Glass 6 on top and HDR10+ support. You get a 16MP selfie camera located in a tiny punch-hole at the top of the screen.

iQOO 3. Image: Nimish Sawant

Speaking of photography, there’s a versatile quad-camera combination at the back with a 48 MP primary camera, a 13 MP ultrawide shooter, 13 MP telephoto camera for 2X optical zoom and a 2 MP depth sensor. The iQOO 3 runs Android 10 with the company’s custom UI on top (the Android 11 update is expected shortly). Its 4,400 mAh battery keeps it powered for over a day of moderate use. The company also bundles a 55 W fast charger to recharge it in double quick time.

iQOO 3 price in India: Rs 24,990 for 8 GB RAM / 128 GB storage

Mi 10i 5G

This midrange Xiaomi smartphone borrows a key feature from the flagship phone in the portfolio, the Mi 10. The Mi 10i 5G (review) flaunts a 108 MP camera that captures some crisp shots in various conditions. Giving it company are an 8 MP ultrawide camera, a 2 MP macro camera and a 2 MP depth sensor. The 16 MP front camera also has some cool tricks up its sleeve. And yes, as you may have guessed, this phone is 5G-compliant. It is powered by the new Qualcomm Snapdragon 750 SoC, and you get to choose between 6 GB 8 GB RAM options, with 128 GB of internal storage that can be further expanded with a micro-SD card.

Xiaomi Mi 10i. Image: Tech2/Nimish Sawant

The Mi 10i 5G has a 6.67-inch Full HD+ display that can get up to 450 nits bright and is HDR10-compliant. More importantly, it has a 120 Hz refresh rate for a flicker-free experience in compatible apps. The screen is protected by a layer of Corning Gorilla Glass 5. A 4,820 mAh battery keeps it running for well over a day of moderate use, and the company bundles a 33 W fast charger that claims to juice it up fully in under an hour. The smartphone runs Android 10 with MIUI 12. An Android 11 update is expected in the near future.

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

Moto G 5G

The Moto G 5G (review) is another 5G-compliant phone on this list, and just like the Mi 10i 5G, this one, too, is powered by the Snapdragon 750 SoC. You get 6 GB RAM and 128 GB of internal storage, which can be further expanded. The big advantage here – as with most Motorola phones – is the Android 10 OS with near-stock UI. If you cannot stand ads or unwanted bloatware on your phone, this is a great option for you. This phone is expected to get Android 11 soon as well.

Moto G 5G. Image: Tech2/Sheldon Pinto

The Moto G 5G’s camera chops may seem modest on paper, but it is quite capable. The 48 MP primary camera, along with an 8 MP ultra-wide shooter and a 2 MP macro camera with autofocus get the job done in various conditions and modes. A 16 MP front camera takes care of selfies and video calls. Its 6.7-inch HDR10 compliant Full HD+ display is quite sharp, but lacks the high refresh rate feature. You get a 5,000 mAh battery that lasts for close to a day-and-a-half of moderate use. All said and done, this is a good all-round option for just a shade over Rs 20,000.

Moto G 5G price in India: Rs 20,990 for 6 GB RAM / 128 GB storage

Realme X3 SuperZoom

The price of the Realme X3 SuperZoom (review) has dropped significantly, possibly due to the ongoing Flipkart sale. This feature-packed phone boasts of 5X optical zoom, courtesy its 8 MP periscope telephoto camera with optical image stabilisation (OIS). The rest of the camera department on this phone is quite impressive, too, and includes a 64 MP primary camera, an 8 MP ultrawide shooter and a 2 MP macro camera. You get two cameras at the front – a 32 MP + 8MP pairing – to take care of selfies and video calls; something that will please selfie enthusiasts.

Realme X3 SuperZoom. Image: Tech2//Nimish Sawant

The design is similar to the OnePlus Nord’s in many ways, but the textured glass back looks a lot cooler. The processing power here is quite good, with Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 855+ chip powering this phone. You even get the 8 GB RAM and 256 GB internal storage variant in this budget at present. The Realme X3 SuperZoom has a 6.6-inch Full HD+ screen with a 120 Hz refresh rate. The LCD screen is protected against scratches by a layer of Corning Gorilla Glass 5. A 4,200 mAh battery powers the phone for over a day of standard use, and the bundled 30 W fast charger juices it up in just about an hour. The phone runs Android 10 with Realme UI on top.

Realme X3 SuperZoom price in India: Rs 21,999 for 6 GB RAM / 128 GB storage; Rs 23,999 for 8 GB RAM / 256 GB storage

Samsung Galaxy M51

There were a couple more Samsung phones in the running for this final slot, such as the Galaxy F62 and Galaxy M42 5G, but we settled for the Galaxy M51 (review) given its feature set and price-to-performance ratio. Mind you, it is quite a sizeable device courtesy of a large 6.7-inch Super AMOLED Plus display and weighs over 200 grams. Another component responsible for its size and weight is a mammoth 7,000 mAh battery that can suffice for close to two-and-a-half days of moderate use. The bundled 25 W fast charger promises to recharge the battery fully in under two hours. If you like large-screen phones with a long battery life, this is a great option.

Samsung Galaxy M51. Image: Tech2/Priya Singh

The M51 is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 730G chip, which is reasonably powerful. You get a choice of either 6 GB or 8 GB of RAM, along with 128 GB of internal (expandable) storage. The camera department has a nice spread, with a combination of a 64 MP primary camera, a 12 MP ultrawide shooter, a 5 MP macro camera and a 5 MP depth sensor to capture some quality photos in various modes. A more-than-capable 32 MP selfie camera is embedded in a tiny punch hole at the top of the screen. The Samsung Galaxy M51 runs Android 10 with One UI.

Samsung Galaxy M51 price in India: Rs 20,999 for 6 GB RAM / 128 GB storage; Rs 22,999 for 8 GB RAM / 128 GB storage