5 Best Under Budget Smartphones of 2021

A clutch of budget smartphones now boasts of stylish designs, powerful processors, and big capacity batteries.

I have listed the five best budget smartphones under Rs 20,000 launched in 2021.

1. Poco M3

This phone from Xiaomi’s spin-off brand tops the chart simply because it ticked all the right boxes. The Poco M3 has a unique design topped with interesting colour schemes, especially the Poco yellow. From design that stands out to smooth performance, capable display, and big capacity battery, the Poco M3 delivered an all-round package.

• Screen: 6.53-inch fullHD+
• Processor: Qualcomm Snapdragon 662
• RAM: 4GB and 6GB
• Storage: 64GB and 128GB
• Camera: 48MP triple camera array
• Battery: 6,000 mAh
• Price: Starts at Rs 10,999

2. Xiaomi Redmi Note 10

Part of Xiaomi’s popular Redmi Note-series, the Redmi Note 10 impressed with its all-round package. For a budget smartphone, the Redmi Note 10 covered all the basics right. However, it was the little extras it offered that helped it make it to this best budget smartphone list. These extras included the AMOLED display, stereo speakers, 33W fast charging and IP53 rating.

• Screen: 6.43-inch AMOLED fullHD+
• Processor: Qualcomm Snapdragon 678
• RAM: 4GB and 6GB
• Storage: 64GB and 128GB
• Camera: 48MP triple camera array
• Battery: 5,000 mAh
• Price: Starts at Rs 13,999

3. Realme Narzo 30 5G

From 5G to screen of 90Hz refresh rate and fast charging support, the Narzo 30 from the stable of Realme is as much about frills as it was about fundamentals. Importantly, it delivers on both. Complementing the package is an inspiring build with lightweight frame, thin chassis and rounded corners for easy handling.

• Screen: 6.5-inch fullHD+ 90Hz
• Processor: MediaTek Dimensity 700 5G
• RAM: 6GB
• Storage: 128GB
• Camera: 48MP triple camera array
• Battery: 5,000 mAh
• Price: Starts at Rs 14,999

4. Samsung Galaxy M32

A value-for-money proposition in Samsung’s budget smartphone line-up, the Galaxy M32 has a rich sAMOLED display of a 90Hz refresh rate, 3.5mm audio out port for wired earphones, a decent camera system, and modest performance. The smartphone might not be as good a package as the above listed Realme smartphone, but still makes one of the best in the budget segment.

• Screen: 6.5-inch fullHD+ sAMOLED 90Hz
• Processor: MediaTek Helio G80
• RAM: 4GB and 6GB
• Storage: 64GB and 128GB
• Camera: 64MP + 8MP + 2MP + 2MP
• Battery: 6,000 mAh
• Price: Starts at Rs 14,999

5. Lava Agni 5G

The Agni 5G is India’s first 5G smartphone by a home-grown electronics maker Lava. Traditionally, Indian smartphones are seen as less lucrative compared to their Chinese counterparts. However, Lava aims to change this notion by offering as much value, if not more, through the Agni 5G. The smartphone boasts a near-stock Android 11 operating system, which is free from ads and bloatware — something common in other budget smartphones running on custom versions of Android OS. That said, the Lava Agni 5G is a worthy budget smartphone that ticks all the right boxes.

• Screen: 6.78-inch fullHD+ IPS 90Hz
• Processor: MediaTek Dimensity 810 5G
• RAM: 8GB
• Storage: 128GB
• Camera: 64MP + 5MP + 2MP + 2MP
• Battery: 5,000 mAh
• Price: Starts at Rs 19,999