With 5G smartphones the newest craze in the market, many buyers are looking for the best models money can buy. If you have a budget of Rs. 20,000 and want to invest in a 5G smartphone, this list is for you. Each smartphone on this list has received an overall rating of 8 or above from Gadgets 360, which means each device here will deliver on all fronts, from battery life, camera, design, display, performance, and software to value for money.
1. OnePlus Nord CE 3 Lite 5G
OnePlus Nord CE 3 Lite 5G is official with a starting price of Rs. 19,999 in India. The most affordable Nord series phone in India gets a bigger 6.72-inch IPS LCD display with a 120Hz refresh rate. The screen is flat and houses a 16-megapixel front camera inside the hole-punch cutout at the top.
At the back, the Nord CE 3 Lite 5G has a 108-megapixel main camera. Its triple rear camera setup also features two 2-megapixel sensors for macro photography and depth mapping. The phone features a 5,000mAh battery with support for 67W fast charging out of the box.
There is a Qualcomm Snapdragon 695 SoC. The phone has 8GB of RAM as standard and offers 128GB/ 256GB of storage. There is a side-mounted fingerprint scanner along with AI face recognition.
The Nord CE 3 Lite 5G gets Android 13-based OxygenOS 13.1 out-of-the-box. It will get two major Android updates and three years of security support.
2. iQOO Z7 5G
The iQoo Z7 5G is a successor to the Z6 5G, which was launched last year in India. The new 5G smartphone under Rs. 20,000 aims at offering segment-leading performance and a good fast charging experience.
The handset sports a 6.38-inch full-HD+ AMOLED display with 90Hz refresh rate support. A waterdrop notch at the top gives the phone a slightly dated look. The Z7 5G’s display has 1,300 nits of peak brightness and HDR10+ certification.
There is a MediaTek Dimensity 920 SoC and a 4,500mAh battery. The phone supports 44W fast charging out of the box. For biometrics, there is an in-display fingerprint scanner.
The dual rear camera setup features a 64-megapixel main camera and a 2-megapixel portrait lens. For selfies, there is a 16-megapixel front camera.
The phone boots Android 13 and has Funtouch OS 13 on top. It is promised to get two major Android updates and three years of security support.
3. Redmi Note 11 Pro+ 5G
The Redmi Note series has always been about great features and specifications for less than Rs. 20,000, but the new Redmi Note 11 Pro+ 5G’s price starts above that level. It has a 108-megapixel primary rear camera, 67W fast charging, Snapdragon 695 SoC, 5G, and 120Hz Super AMOLED panel. However, competition is tough and this balance at this price isn’t really for everyone. The design is somewhat basic but there’s a Mirage Blue option with a unique rear pattern that looks like waves of water. The display is sharp and punchy, but doesn’t have HDR. General performance is great, and the Redmi Note 11 Pro+ 5G ships with Android 11 at launch time. MIUI features lots of customisations. Gamers might find that other options at this price are more powerful. Photography was also just about average, with decent performance in the daytime but weak low-light results and no 4K video recording. Charging is super quick too.
