Best Phones Under Rs. 40,000 to buy in India
The lower end of the premium smartphone segment is always packed with a lot of variety. Design and build quality gets priority here and most phones offer an IP rating as well. While some smartphone manufacturers focus on raw performance, others go more for charging speed, and others like the Google Pixel 6a offer unique software features.
Yes, the newcomer in the sub Rs. 40,000 smartphone buying guide is the Google Pixel 6a which recently received a huge price cut and is now Rs. 34,999. Also new in this segment is the Motorola Edge 30 Pro, which already offers the best value for a smartphone with a Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 processor, but is now priced at Rs 39,999 making it even more competitive. The Vivo V25 Pro is also added to our list as it has managed to deliver enough improvements over its color changing predecessor, the Vivo V23 Pro.
Here are the best smartphones priced under Rs. 40,000 in India, reviewed and rated by Gadgets 360 in an unstructured manner.
| Phones under Rs. 40,000 | 360 Gadgets Ratings (out of 10) | Price in India (as recommended) |
|---|---|---|
| Motorola Edge 30 Pro | 9 | Rs. 39,999 |
| Vivo V25 Pro 5G | 8 | Rs. 35,999 |
| Motorola Edge 30 Fusion | 9 | Rs. 39,999 |
| Google Pixel 6a | 8 | Rs. 34,999 |
| No Phone 1 | 8 | Rs. 32,999 |
| OnePlus 10R 5G Endurance Edition | 8 | Rs. 39,999 |
| Xiaomi 11T Pro 5G | 9 | Rs. 34,999 |
| Qoo 9 SE | 8 | Rs. 33,990 |
| Oppo Reno 7 Pro 5G | 8 | Rs. 34,999 |
| Realme GT Neo 2 | 8 | Rs. 31,999 |
Motorola Edge 30 Pro
The Motorola Edge 30 Pro is fantastic value for money and offered great performance at launch, and continues to do so after the recent price cut. The phone is available in one 8GB RAM and 128GB storage configuration but at a very competitive price. It’s no longer Motorola’s flagship, but the phone has an AMOLED display with a 144Hz refresh rate, a Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 SoC, two 50-megapixel cameras on the back, and a 60-megapixel selfie camera.
There is a large 4,800mAh battery to ease your battery worries. The IP52 rating for basic dust and water resistance is a minimum, but it’s something. The cherry on top is Motorola’s near-stock MyUX software, loaded with several Moto customizations.
Vivo V25 Pro
The Vivo V25 Pro follows the fashion-forward Vivo V23 Pro 5G. The Vivo V25 Pro gets a slightly chubbier design (and a bigger battery) that’s better for gaming, and it keeps the back panel that changes color in a subtle way. In terms of specifications, there are many improvements and Vivo has managed to keep the curved design of the pOLED display while increasing its refresh rate to 120Hz.
Its MediaTek Dimensity 1300 SoC is mid-range, but it gets the job done when it comes to software performance and gaming. The large battery also provides all-day backup despite heavy usage which is an improvement over before. The camera performance is not the best in this segment as it produces image quality comparable to mid-range devices. This one is for those looking for a stylish smartphone with a curved display at a very low price.
Motorola Edge 30 Fusion
The Motorola Edge 30 Fusion is a really nice offering that looks stylish and has great features. The phone packs premium hardware that includes a curved polyLED display and offers a great user experience. The camera offers good performance but needs a bit of software tweaking to do proper justice to the hardware. Also, while the phone can record videos up to 8K, internal storage is limited to just 128GB. While there are other phones in this list that offer similar hardware for the price, the Motorola Edge 30 Fusion combines them with rich and clean MyUX software, and a stylish design.
Google Pixel 6a
Given its current price, Google’s Pixel 6a is sure to find work for casual users and mobile photography enthusiasts. The phone basically offers a Pixel experience that comes with several smart software features such as a recording app that can record speech for accurate recording on the go, and an eraser camera feature that can hide or erase objects from photos. Google’s gamble of going with its high-end Tensor processor but cutting corners in other areas such as design, display, and system memory seems to be paying off. The Pixel 6a is by no means a rounder, but it’s still a unique offering that should appeal to buyers willing to put good camera performance and timely software updates above all else.
No Phone 1
If you’re longing for a phone that breaks the mold or looks radically different from everything else currently available, the Nothing Phone 1 should be at the top of your list. Its transparent design, complete with a set of well-placed LED light strips, will ensure that your phone stands out no matter where you go. The lights don’t change color, but will dance in sync with the ringtone, show the current charging status when plugged in, and blink for notifications. This mid-ranger definitely packs a punch, especially since its unique design is IP53 rated for dust and water resistance. It also offers wireless charging at an unbelievable price to boot. Charging speeds aren’t the fastest in its class and Nothing packs a charger out of the box.
OnePlus 10R 5G (150W)
The design of the OnePlus 10R 5G with its sharp edges and straight lines is very appealing. Some may find it attractive, while others may find it odd looking and very different from the usual round and curved designs of OnePlus. No matter which side you are on, its new discounted price makes the OnePlus 10R 5G Endurance Edition very attractive because it is one of the few phones in this segment to offer 150W wired charging and a 160W charger is included in the box. Camera performance is good both in daylight and in low light but it doesn’t fare well in the classroom. Battery life is quite good and the MediaTek Dimensity 8100-Max SoC combined with a 120Hz refresh rate display works well in games. If you are a fan of OnePlus, we must warn you that it does not have an Alert icon slider.
Xiaomi 11T Pro
The Xiaomi 11T Pro doesn’t stand out in terms of design, with a polycarbonate frame between two sheets of glass. However, it delivers raw performance thanks to its Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 SoC and is a good all-rounder. The price and its attractive features make it a good deal. Its AMOLED display displays accurate colors and is Dolby Vision certified. You get stereo sound with Dolby Atmos support, making for immersive video streaming. Battery life is excellent and this phone offers two days of normal use on a single charge. You also get a 120W fast charger in the box. The camera performance is quite good, except for the quality of low-light selfies.
Qoo 9 SE
The iQoo 9 SE looks premium. There’s no official IP rating, but you get high-quality stereo speakers that sound great when streaming videos and playing games. The 6.62-inch 120Hz Super AMOLED display produces vivid colors and is HDR10+ certified. The software experience is smooth and fluid, but this phone comes with many pre-installed third-party applications. Gaming performance with the Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 SoC is top notch, and the 4,500mAh battery lasts a day and a half on a single charge. Daytime camera performance is impressive, but we expected better from an ultra-wide-angle camera. The iQoo 9 SE also captures great macros and selfies.
Oppo Reno 7 Pro 5G
Design has always been a major talking point of the Oppo Reno series, and the Reno 7 Pro 5G has a glass back with a laser micro-etched finish. The notification LED strip around the camera module of the Oppo Reno 7 Pro is also a nice touch. The 6.5-inch full HD+ 90Hz AMOLED panel delivers excellent colors and contrast, and there’s Corning Gorilla 5 for scratch protection. The Dimensity 1200-Max SoC from MediaTek has custom settings for a smooth gaming experience. You get ColorOS 12 now based on Android 12. Battery life is strong, and charging is very fast.
Realme GT Neo 2
This is a solid mid-range gaming smartphone. The Qualcomm Snapdragon 870 processor offers plenty of raw performance and the cooling system does a decent job of supporting that performance. Realme GT Neo 2 is available in bright Neo Green and two other subtle colors. The 5,000mAh battery easily lasts a day and a half even with some gaming sessions. The dual speakers are loud and create an immersive experience while playing games and watching movies. The camera performance is a very mixed bag. While daylight performance is good, low-light shots and video are less impressive, meaning the GT Neo 2 isn’t for everyone.
Realme also has the GT Neo 3 under Rs. 40,000, which we haven’t reviewed, but it’s almost identical to the Realme GT Neo 3 (150W), which itself is very similar to the OnePlus 10R 5G (150W).
