The Vivo T1 5G joins our list of the best phones under Rs. 20,000. There’s also the recently launched Moto G71 5G and the Redmi Note 11T 5G that make it here. The Moto G60 still remains on our list as a good option for all those looking for a 108-megapixel camera and a massive 6,000mAh battery, but aren’t too worried about 5G just yet. There are still a few older models that continue to deserve your attention. These include the iQoo Z3 which focuses on all-round performance and 5G, but still offers great value.
Here are Gadgets 360’s picks of the top phones under Rs. 20,000 in India, in no particular order. We have reviewed all the phones on this list and have tested them in depth, including their raw performance, camera capabilities, software, ease of use, physical design, battery life, and charging speed.
Best Phones under Rs. 20,000
| Phones under Rs. 20,000 | Gadgets 360 rating (out of 10) | Price in India (as recommended) |
|---|---|---|
| Vivo T1 5G | 8 | Rs. 15,990 |
| Moto G71 5G | 8 | Rs. 18,999 |
| Redmi Note 11T 5G | 8 | Rs. 16,999 |
| Realme 8s 5G | 8 | Rs. 17,999 |
| Moto G60 | 8 | Rs. 17,999 |
| Realme 8 Pro | 8 | Rs. 17,999 |
| iQoo Z3 | 8 | Rs. 19,990 |
Vivo T1 5G
The first smartphone in Vivo’s T series, the T1 5G (Review), is a solid contender at an impressive price of Rs. 15,990 for the base variant. You get a 120Hz display and a 5G-ready Qualcomm Snapdragon 695 SoC, all packaged in a body that’s just 8.25mm slim. The dewdrop notch at the top of the display may feel a bit outdated, but this display packs a 240Hz touch sampling rate, which should be good for gamers. The Vivo T1 5G lacks an ultra-wide-angle camera and comes with a relatively slow 18W charger, but for those focussed purely on performance, it should be a good purchase.
Moto G71 5G
Priced at Rs. 18,999 with 6GB of RAM and 128GB of storage, the Moto G71 (Review) offers a near-stock Android 11 software experience, with an Android 12 update expected soon. Those who prefer stock Android will find this phone to be a better choice over the rest of the devices in this list. With a Qualcomm Snapdragon 695 SoC, it also features 5G, making it more future-proof than the older Moto G60. With a decent camera and good battery life, the Moto G71 is one of our top picks for the 5G-conscious buyer who simply cannot do without stock Android.
Redmi Note 11T 5G
Powered by MediaTek’s Dimensity 810 SoC, this 5G-enabled budget smartphone from Xiaomi packs in good performance for gamers along with good battery life. Shutterbugs may not be too happy with the Redmi Note 11T 5G‘s (Review) two rear cameras and their average performance. At the same time its 90Hz LCD panel with 240Hz touch sampling rate makes it a capable budget smartphone for gaming. There’s also a large 5,000mAh battery which can be charged quickly using the 33W charger provided in the box. The device is IP53 rated for dust and water resistance, so it can survive light splashes of water.
Realme 8s 5G
The Realme 8s 5G (Review) looks nearly identical to the Realme 8 5G, except for a slightly thicker display chin. It’s powered by the MediaTek Dimensity 810 5G SoC and comes with either 6GB or 8GB of RAM, depending on the variant you choose. Battery life is one of this phone’s strong suits, and the 5,000mAh battery easily lasts for more than a day of typical use.
The 64-megapixel main camera managed good photos in daylight in our tests but the lack of an ultra-wide-angle camera makes the 8s 5G less versatile than some of the competition. Low-light camera performance was average, though Night mode helped improve the output. Overall, the Realme 8s 5G is only a mild improvement over the 8 5G, but an improvement nonetheless.
Moto G60
The Moto G60‘s (Review) highlights include a 108-megapixel main camera, 120Hz display, 6,000mAh battery, and Qualcomm Snapdragon 732G SoC. It’s also one of the few phones that has a dedicated Google Assistant button. One of the things we really liked about the Motorola Moto G60 was its clean software, with no bloatware or ads.
General performance in our tests was very good, and the HDR10-certified display meant media consumption was very enjoyable too. The main camera turned out to be a bit average though, despite having such a high resolution. The G60 is also a bit on the heavier side, and charging such a large battery takes a while. The Moto G71 might seem like a worthy replacement for it, but the G60 is still an attractive option thanks to its larger battery.
Realme 8 Pro
The Realme 8 Pro‘s (Review) attractive starting price of Rs. 17,999 definitely works in its favour along with other positives such as very good battery life, fast charging, a sharp and vivid AMOLED display, and a pretty decent selfie camera.
Realme has gone in a sightly different direction with this one as compared to its predecessor, the 7 Pro, the 8 Pro misses a few features such as stereo speakers as well as a high refresh rate display. Despite having a 108-megapixel camera, we found its performance to be a bit underwhelming, not to mention the spammy nature of some of the pre-installed apps. It’s still a good offering overall, just not what we expected.
iQoo Z3
The iQoo Z3 (Review) has been replaced by the pricier iQoo Z5 and more recently, the iQoo Z6 5G, but this older phone still offers a lot of CPU power thanks to its Qualcomm Snapdragon 768G SoC. Its starting price is just under our budget cutoff. The 6.58-inch full-HD+ screen has a 120Hz refresh rate, and the 4,499mAh battery can be charged quickly using the included 55W adapter. The plastic back may not appeal to everyone and camera performance could use some improvement, but the features and specifications are hard to pass up at this price level.
