Top Smartphones in India: Best Options Under Rs 50,000 and Latest August Launches

Best Phones to Buy Under Rs 50,000 in India

If you are looking for a premium phone that won't break the bank, you're in luck! Our core Testing Team (CTT) has tested several smartphones for under Rs 50,000, and we have picked out the absolute best ones. We're talking about lightning-fast performance, amazing cameras, and a smooth user experience. Let's get started! Before diving into the nitty-gritty of all the devices, let's take a look at some of the key specifications of these devices: The OnePlus R series devices are known for delivering an almost flagship-like experience without the flagship price tag. It's packed by the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset, which is a bit old. But it's still quite potent, even by 2024 standards. We ran some benchmarking tests like the AnTuTu and Geekbench on the device, and here's how it performed: The benchmarking scores seem impressive but you may wonder about the real-life performance. We are happy to say this device can fly through almost any task you throw at it. Whether it's intensive gaming or some light video editing, the OnePlus 12R can handle everything effortlessly. Apart from that, all the daily chores, like scrolling through social media, watching YouTube videos, sending emails, making calls, etc, are a piece of cake for this device. When it comes to the software experience, here, you will get a plain and simple and, most importantly, bloatware-free interface. Yes, it lacks some fancy bells and whistles, which some competitors offer. But this won't be bothersome as the device focuses on delivering a clean yet customisable user experience -- and it does that impressively. Besides, OnePlus promises four years of major Android updates for this device, so there is nothing to complain about there as well. In terms of optics, the R variant falls short of the Hasselblad-level cameras found in the flagship OnePlus 12. However, it still delivers strong performance for most users. In daylight, the main camera captures clear, vibrant images with good detail. The ultra-wide sensor offers expansive shots, though sharpness diminishes towards the edges. The limitations of the camera become more apparent in low-light conditions. While noise reduction helps maintain clean images, the detail suffers, and the low-light performance doesn't quite match up to top-tier cameras. Battery life and fast charging have always been strengths of OnePlus, and the OnePlus 12R is no exception. During our testing, the device managed to deliver 7.5 hours of screen-on time on a single charge, which is quite impressive. Plus, it could go from 0 to 100% in about half an hour! To sum up, if you're looking for a flagship-grade device with excellent performance, capable cameras, outstanding battery life, and fast charging speeds, the OnePlus 12R is worth considering. This is Xiaomi's first Civi smartphone to launch in India, where "Civi" stands for Cinematic Vision. This latest model comes with Leica tuning, a feature previously reserved for only their top-tier devices. The primary sensor on this device performs well in daylight, capturing photos with rich detail and a balanced dynamic range. The images appear vivid and vibrant, thanks to the Leica tuning set to 'Authentic'. It also handles low-light photography well, especially in dimly lit areas, where it captures photos with good detail and minimal grain. The telephoto and ultra-wide angle cameras are also dependable, allowing you to experiment with various perspectives. The camera truly excels in portrait photography. It allows you to take portrait shots at two focal lengths, 25mm and 50mm. Like other phones in this series, you can explore the master-lens system, which includes 'Documentary', 'Swirly Bokeh', and 'Soft Focus' modes. What impressed us the most was the phone's consistent ability to produce photos with immaculate edge detection, which is not often the case with most devices, especially in this price segment. Thankfully, Xiaomi has not compromised with the chipset of the device. The 14 Civi comes with the flagship Snapdragon 8s Gen 3 SoC. The device gets a little warm while running the benchmarking tests or heavy games, but there's nothing to be concerned about. Here's how the device performed in the AnTuTu and Geekbench tests: The device handles everyday tasks with ease. But in today's market, nearly all smartphones can manage these tasks effortlessly. To push the device further, we tested its gaming performance by playing BGMI, where it delivered a smooth 90 fps. The 14 Civi runs Android 14-based HyperOS, which ensures smooth animations. But it does come with some pre-installed apps, which might be annoying for some users. Xiaomi offers three years of software support, which is slightly on the lower side but not a deal-breaker. As for the battery, the 14 Civi packs a slightly smaller 4,700mAh battery. However, during our testing, it easily lasted a full day on a single charge. Plus, the device supports 67W fast charging, taking about 40 minutes to go from 0 to 100%. If you're looking for a powerful smartphone that shines in portrait photography, the Xiaomi 14 Civi is an obvious choice. This is the latest iteration in the Vivo's V lineup. Along with the great optics, which is Vivo's identity to some extent. The company has also incorporated MediaTek's flagship-grade Dimensity 9200+ SoC. We ran some synthetic benchmarking tests on this device, and the phone performed impressively. Here are the results: The gaming experience on this device was truly impressive. Call of Duty: Mobile ran exceptionally smoothly, even at the highest settings. With Ultra fps and Medium Quality, we consistently achieved frame rates between 114 and 119fps. This made for an incredibly fluid and responsive gameplay experience. While the game was still enjoyable at Very High Quality and Very High Fps, the noticeable drop to 57-59fps made it clear that the device truly shines at higher frame rates. The V40 Pro comes with FunTouch OS 14 based on Android 14. Being born in the AI era, it's packed with various AI features like AI Group Portrait, AI Eraser, and AI Photo Enhancer. Vivo also promises three years of software updates -- not the best, but not the worst either. As for the cameras, the V40 Pro's primary sensor captures sharp images with precise details. Shadows, highlights, and white balance are all handled excellently. However, daylight shots taken with the ultra-wide camera show some edge distortion. Like the Xiaomi 14 Civi, the V40 Pro shines in portrait photography. Whether it's edge detection, background blur, or skin tones, the V40 Pro nails it. Additionally, it offers seven ZEISS-style Bokeh effects: Cine-Flare, Cinematic, Planar, Biotar, Distagon, Sonnar, and B-Speed, each designed for different photography scenarios. So if you want an allrounder device with good performance, battery life and camera capabilities the V40 Pro is worth checking out. Finally, we have Samsung's flagship from 2023, the Galaxy S23. Despite being a year old, it remains powerful by 2024 standards, thanks to the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset. While it doesn't top benchmarking charts, it still performs solidly. Here's how it scored in the AnTuTu and Geekbench tests: We also tested its gaming capabilities by playing Apex Legends Mobile on Ultra HD graphics and High frame rates. The device maintained a consistent 40 fps, with a slight dip to 32 fps during airdrops. Call of Duty: Mobile ran smoothly at a steady 60 fps, even with graphics set to Very High. While playing these intensive games, the Galaxy S23 got a little warm but didn't impact the device's performance. The Galaxy S23 launched with OneUI 5.1 based on Android 13 and offers four years of OS and five years of security updates. However, it doesn't matter anymore since it will only get three years of updates now. That said, the Galaxy S23 will receive the latest Galaxy AI features, like Circle-to-Search, generative edit, Live Translation, and more. The Galaxy S23's camera system is more conservative than its top-tier sibling. While it doesn't offer the headline-grabbing 8K no-crop shooting, it does feature night hyper-lapse for capturing starry night trails. Photography enthusiasts will appreciate the ability to shoot 50MP raw photos and use the Expert RAW app for astrophotography. Overall, if you're looking for a Samsung flagship with a Snapdragon chipset at its core without spending too much, the Galaxy S23 is an excellent choice. That's a wrap on our roundup of the best smartphones under Rs 50,000! We hope you've found your ideal match. But remember, smartphone makers are constantly launching new phones, so keep an eye out for updates. We'll be regularly updating this list with the latest options, so you can always stay ahead of the curve.

Best Phones Launched in August 2024: Pixel 9 Series, Honor Magic 6 Pro, Vivo V40 Pro, and more

August was a fantastic month for smartphone enthusiasts as we witnessed the launch of several flagship and premium range devices. Google finally released its first foldable in India, the Pixel 9 Pro Fold. HONOR also set foot in the flagship segment in India with the HONOR Magic 6 Pro. Let's have a look at the best smartphones that were launched in India in August 2024. Google Pixel 9 Series/Pixel 9 Pro Fold Google launched four new devices in India, the Pixel 9, Pixel 9 Pro, Pixel 9 Pro XL, and the Pixel 9 Pro Fold. All devices are powered by the new Tensor G4 processor, which brings a plethora of on-device AI features. Google will also provide 7 years of software updates for the Pixel 9 Series, which is among the longest software support in the industry. The Pixel 9 has a 6.3-inch OLED screen with a 120Hz refresh rate. It has a dual rear camera setup, which includes a 50MP f/1.68 primary and 48MP f/1.7 ultrawide lens. The selfie camera is a 10.5MP f/2.2 sensor. It is powered by a 4,700mAh battery and supports 45 wired fast charging. The Pixel 9 Pro has a 6.3-inch OLED screen, and the Pixel 9 Pro XL has a 6.8-inch OLED screen. Both have a refresh rate of 120Hz. The rear camera setup is the same, which includes a 50MP f/1.68 primary sensor, a 48MP f/1.7 ultrawide lens, and a 48MP f/2.8 quad telephoto lens. The selfie shooter is a 42MP f/2.0 sensor. The Pixel 9 Pro Fold is the first foldable smartphone by Google in India. It comes with an 8-inch foldable OLED screen with a 120Hz refresh rate and a 6.3-inch external OLED display. Both panels have a 120Hz refresh rate. The triple rear camera setup has a 48MP f/1.7 primary sensor, a 10.5MP f/2.2 ultrawide lens, and a 10.8MP f/3.1 telephoto lens. There is a 10MP selfie camera and an additional inner 10MP camera. The device is powered by a 4,650mAh battery, which supports 45W fast charging. The derivate of the Pixel 9 Series goes way beyond its specifications. The exclusive AI features, Pxel updates, and true-Google software experience differentiate the latest Pixel smartphones massively from other Android flagships. HONOR Magic 6 Pro After making a comeback in the Indian market as HTech under the new leadership of Madhav Sheth, Honor has launched its first flagship, the Honor Magic 6 Pro. It features the latest Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 processor and a quad-curved AMOLED display. The HONOR Magic 6 Pro has a triple rear camera setup. It comes with a 50MP primary camera with variable aperture, a 50MP ultrawide lens, and a 180MP periscope telephoto lens. The selfie camera is a 50MP sensor. The device is powered by a 5,600mAh battery which supports 80W wired fast charging and 66W wireless charging. Motorola Edge 50 The Motorola Edge 50 is the base model of the Edge 50 Series. The device is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 7 Gen 1 Accelerated Edition processor. which also brings on-device AI features. The phone supports smart water touch technology, which allows users to use the phone even when the screen is wet. It also has military-grade MIL-STD-810H certification for durability. The Edge 50 has a triple rear camera setup with a 50MP primary, 13MP ultrawide lens, and a 10MP telephoto lens which supports 30x digital zoom. The selfie camera is a 32MP shooter. The device is powered by a 5,000mAh battery which supports 68W charging. Vivo V40 Series The Vivo V40 series is among the most affordable lineups with flagship-grade ZEISS optics. It has two devices, the Vivo V40 and the Vivo 40 Pro. Both smartphones feature 678-inch curved AMOLED screens with a 1.5K resolution and a premium design. The Vivo V40 is powered by the Snapdragon 7 Gen 3 processor. It has dual rear cameras, which include a 50MP primary and a 50MP ultrawide lens, backed by ZEISS optics. The Vivo V40 Pro is equipped with the MediaTek Dimensity 9200+ processor. It has an upgraded triple rear camera setup, which includes a 50MP primary, 50MP telephoto lens with 2x optical zoom, and a 50MP ultrawide lens, all packed with ZEISS optics. Both phones have a 5,000mAh battery with support for 80W wired fast charging. iQOO Z9s Series The iQOO Z9s series is the latest midrange offering from the company. It features two devices, the iQOO Z9s and the iQOO Z9s Pro. Both smartphones feature 6.77-inch 3D curved AMOLED screens with a premium design and superior in-hand feel. The iQOO Z9s has the MediaTek Dimensity 7300 processor. It comes with a 50MP primary camera and a 2MP depth sensor. The iQOO Z9s Pro is equipped with the more powerful Snapdragon 7 Gen 3 processor. It has a 50MP primary camera and an 8MP ultrawide lens. Both devices are powered by a 5,500mAh battery, which supports 44W and 80W fast charging respectively. Realme 13 Series Shortly after the launch of the Realme 13 Pro Series, the company launched the affordable Realme 13 Series. This lineup has two smartphones, the Realme 13 and the Realme 13+. The devices feature an attractive finish on the back panel with flat edges for a modern look. The Realme 13 has a 6.72-inch LCD screen with a Full HD+ resolution and 120Hz refresh rate. It is powered by the MediaTek Dimensity 6300 processor. The phone has a 50MP primary camera and a 2MP portrait camera. It is powered by a 5,000mAh battery and supports 45W fast charging. The Realme 13+ has an upgraded 6.67-inch AMOLED screen with a Full HD+ resolution and 120Hz refresh rate. It is equipped with the MediaTek Dimebnsity 7300 Energy processor. The dual rear camera setup includes a 50MP primary camera backed by the Sony LYT-600 sensor and a 2MP portrait camera. The device is powered by a 5,000mAh battery and supports 80W fast charging. Vivo T3 Pro The Vivo T3 Pro is the latest midrange device from the company under the Rs 25,000 segment. It features a 6.77-inch curved AMOLED screen with a Full HD+ resolution and a 120Hz refresh rate. The device is equipped with the Qualcomm Snapdragon 7 Gen 3 processor, which also powers on-device AI features for cameras and system optimization. The dual rear camera setup includes a 50MP primary sensor with OIS support and an 8MP ultrawide lens. The selfie camera is a 16MP sensor. The device is powered by a 5,500mAh battery, which supports 80W wired fast charging. OPPO F27 5G The OPPO F27 5G was recently launched in the premium mid-range segment in India. The device has a 6.67-inch AMOLED screen with a Full HD+ resolution and a 120Hz refresh rate. It is powered by the MediaTek Dimensity 6300 processor. The OPPO F27 5G comes with a dual rear camera setup. It has a 50MP primary sensor and a 2MP portrait camera. The selfie camera has a 32MP sensor. The device is backed by a 5,000mAh battery which supports 45W fast charging. POCO M6 Plus The POCO M6 Plus is the latest affordable smartphone from the company. The device has a dual-tone finish on the back panel with flat edges. It is equipped with the Qualcomm Snapdragon 4 Gen 2 Accelerated Edition processor. It features a 6.79-inch IPS LCD screen with a Full HD+ resolution and a 120Hz refresh rate. The dual rear camera setup contains 108MP primary and 2MP depth sensors. The selfie camera is a 13MP shooter. The device is powered by a 5,030mAh battery, which supports 33W fast charging. Samsung Galaxy F14 The Galaxy F14 is among the most affordable smartphones by Samsung in India. The device features a neat design with a textured back panel and flat edges. It has a 6.79-inch Full HD+ IPS LCD screen with a 90Hz refresh rate. It is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 680 processor. The dual rear camera setup includes 50MP primary and 2MP depth sensors. The selfie shooter is a 13MP camera. The device is equipped with a 5,000mAh battery which supports 25W fast charging. Infinix Note 40X 5G The Infinix Note 40X 5G is an affordable 5G smartphone. It features an LED flash for the selfie camera. The phone has a 6.78-inch IPS LCD screen with a Full HD+ resolution and a 120Hz refresh rate. It has the MediaTek Dimensity 6300 processor. The phone has a triple rear camera setup, which includes a 108MP primary sensor, an 8MP ultrawide lens, and a 2MP depth sensor. The selfie shooter is an 8MP sensor with a dedicated LED flash. The device is powered by a 5,000mAh battery with 18W charging support. Realme C63 5G The Realme C63 5G is among the most affordable 5G smartphones in India. It has a 6.67-inch IPS LCD screen with a Full HD+ resolution and 120Hz refresh rate. The display supports Rainwater Smart Touch technology, which allows to use the phone even when the screen is wet. The phone is powered by the MediaTek Dimensity 6300 processor. It has a 32MP primary rear camera and an 8MP selfie camera. The C63 5G has a 5,000mAh battery with 10W charging support. itel A50 Series The itel A50 Series is a budget-friendly lineup, which includes two devices, the itel A50 and the itel A50C. Both devices feature a 6-inch IPS LCD screen with an HD+ resolution. They are powered by the Unisoc T603 processor and run Android 14 Go Edition. The phones feature a single 8MP rear camera and a 5MP selfie camera. The itel A50 has a 5,000mAh battery with support for 10W charging, while the itel A50C has a 4,000mAh battery with 5W charging. Redmi A3x The Redmi A3x is a new initiative from Xiaomi which brings premium features at an affordable price. The device has a glass back panel with an attractive pattern-like finish and a circular-shaped rear camera module. It equips a 6.71-inch IPS LCD screen with an HD+ resolution and 90Hz refresh rate. The phone is powered by the Unisoc T603 processor. The Redmi A3x comes with an 8MP primary rear camera and a 5MP selfie camera. It runs on a 5,000mAh battery, which supports 10W charging. The device runs MIUI based on Android 14 and will receive 2 major Android updates. OPPO A3 5G and OPPO A3x 5G The OPPO A3 and the OPPO A3x are affordable 5G smartphones from the company in the sub-Rs 15,000 segment. Both devices feature a 6.67-inch IPS LCD screen with an HD+ resolution and 120Hz refresh rate. They also share the same MediaTek Dimensity 6300 processor. The OPPO A3 has a 50MP primary and a 2MP portrait camera, while the OPPO A3x has an 8MP primary and a 0.08MP auxiliary lens. The selfie camera is similar on both phones with a 5MP sensor. The devices are backed by a 5100mAh battery with 45W fast charging support. Moto G45 5G The Moto G45 is an affordable 5G smartphone. It features a 6.5-inch IPS LCD screen with an HD+ resolution and a 120Hz refresh rate. The device is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 6s Gen 3 processor. The phone has a 50MP primary sensor and a 2MP depth sensor. The selfie camera is a 16MP shooter. It is backed by a 5,000mAh battery with 18W fast charging support. The Moto G45 5G also has dual stereo speakers with Dolby Atmos support. Lava Yuva Star The Lava Yuva Star is a budget-friendly device from the Indian-origin brand. It features a 6.75-inch IPS LCD screen with an HD+ resolution and 60Hz refresh rate. The phone is backed by a Unsioc 9863A processor, paired with the Android 14 Go Edition operating system. The dual rear camera setup has a 13MP primary sensor and a secondary AI camera for portrait shots. The selfie shooter is a 5MP sensor. The Lava Yuva Star runs on a 5,000mAh battery, which supports 10W charging. This sums up all the phone launches we witnessed this month and to see what's coming next month, wait up for our piece on the upcoming smartphone launches in September!