The lower-end premium smartphone segment has always had a wide variety of products. Design and build quality take precedence here, and most phones also offer IP ratings. While some smartphone manufacturers focus on raw performance, others focus on charging speed and some like Google Pixel 6a offers a number of unique software features.
Yes, the newest candidate in our sub Rs. The 40,000 smartphone buying guide is the Google Pixel 6a, which recently received a massive sale and is now Rs. 34,999. Also new to this segment is Motorola Edge 30 Pro, which already offers excellent value for a smartphone with the 1st generation Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 processor, but now priced at Rs 39,999 making it even more competitive. The Vivo V25 Pro also added to our list as it manages to offer enough improvement over its color changing predecessor, Vivo V23 Pro.
Here are the best smartphones under Rs. 40,000 in India, reviewed and ranked by Gadgets 360 in no particular order.
| Phones under Rs. 40,000 won | Gadgets 360 Rating (out of 10) | Prices in India (according to recommendations) |
|---|---|---|
| Motorola Edge 30 Pro | 9 | Rs. 39,999 won |
| Vivo V25 Pro 5G | 8 | Rs. 35,999 |
| Motorola Edge 30 Fusion | 9 | Rs. 39,999 won |
| Google Pixel 6a | 8 | Rs. 34,999 |
| Nothing Phone 1 | 8 | Rs. 32,999 |
| OnePlus 10R 5G endurance version | 8 | Rs. 39,999 won |
| Xiaomi 11T Pro 5G | 9 | Rs. 34,999 |
| iQoo 9 SE | 8 | Rs. 33,990 won |
| Oppo Reno 7 Pro 5G | 8 | Rs. 34,999 |
| Realme GT Neo 2 | 8 | Rs. 31,999 won |
Motorola Edge 30 Pro
The Motorola Edge 30 Pro was amazing value for money and delivered good performance at launch and it continues to do so after the recent drop. The phone is available in a configuration of 8GB RAM and 128GB internal storage 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 the bare minimum, but it’s something. The cherry above is actually Motorola’s MyUX software that’s running out of stock, with only a few Moto customizations added.
Vivo V25 Pro
The Vivo V25 Pro is the successor to more fashion trends Vivo V23 Pro 5G. The Vivo V25 Pro has a slightly chubbier design (along with a larger battery) that’s more practical for gaming, and it retains the color-changing back in a more subtle form. In terms of specifications, there are a lot of upgrades and Vivo has managed to retain the curved edge design of the pOLED display while increasing the refresh rate to 120Hz.
Its MediaTek Dimensity 1300 SoC is quite mid-range, but gets the job done when it comes to software and gaming performance. The larger battery also provides all-day backup value despite heavy use, which is an improvement over its predecessor. The camera performance is not the best in this segment as it produces image quality comparable to mid-range devices. This is mainly for people who are looking for a stylish smartphone with an edge-to-edge curved display at the lowest possible price.
Motorola Edge 30 Fusion
The Motorola Edge 30 Fusion is a pretty good product that looks stylish and has good features. The phone features premium hardware including a curved edge pOLED display and offers a great user experience. The camera offers good performance but it needs a bit of software tweaking to do its fair share of hardware. Also, while the phone can record video at up to 8K resolution, the internal storage is limited to just 128GB. While there are other phones on this list that offer similar hardware for the price, the Motorola Edge 30 Fusion has upgraded them with clean and feature-rich MyUX software and a stylish design.
Google Pixel 6a
At its current price, Google’s Pixel 6a will definitely get the job done for casual users and mobile photography enthusiasts. Basically, the phone offers a Pixel experience that comes with some smart software features like a voice recorder app that can accurately convert speech to text on the go and a eraser camera feature that can Disguise or remove objects in the image. Google’s gamble on using a high-end Tensor processor, but cutting corners in some areas like design, screen and system memory seems to have paid off. The Pixel 6a isn’t perfect, but it’s still a very unique product that will appeal to buyers willing to put good camera performance and timely software updates above everything else.
Nothing Phone 1
If you yearn for a phone that breaks mold or looks very different from everything out there, Nothing Phone 1 will be ranked high on your list. The transparent design, complete with an intricately arranged set of LED strips, will ensure that your phone stands out no matter where you go. The light doesn’t change color but will dance in sync with the ringtone, show the current charging status when plugged in, and even blink for notifications. This mid-range phone definitely packs a punch, mainly because its unique design is also IP53 rated for dust and water resistance. It also offers wireless charging at an unbelievable starting price. Charging speeds aren’t the fastest in its class, and Nothing doesn’t come with a charger in the box.
OnePlus 10R 5G (150W)
The design of the OnePlus 10R 5G with sharp edges and straight lines is quite subjective. Some may find it appealing, while others may find it odd and very different from OnePlus’ usual rounded and curved designs. No matter which side you take, its new discounted price makes OnePlus 10R 5G endurance version very attractive as it is one of the few phones in this segment to offer 150W wired charging and a 160W charger included in the box. Camera performance is good in both daylight and low light but it’s not the best in its class. Battery life is decent, and the MediaTek Dimensity 8100-Max SoC combined with the 120Hz refresh rate display works well for games. If you’re a OnePlus fan, we must warn you that it lacks the iconic Alerts slider.
Xiaomi 11T Pro
The Xiaomi 11T Pro Not striking in terms of design, with a polycarbonate midframe sandwiched between two glass panels. However, it delivers raw performance thanks to the Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 SoC and is an all-round good device. Its attractive price and features make it a good deal. Its AMOLED screen displays accurate colors and is also Dolby Vision certified. You get stereo sound with Dolby Atmos support for immersive video streaming. Battery life is top notch and this phone provides up to two days of normal use on a single charge. You also get a 120W fast charger in the box. Camera performance is quite good, except for the quality of selfies in low light.
iQoo 9 SE
The iQoo 9 SE Looks pretty upscale. There’s no official IP rating, but you get high-quality stereo speakers that sound great when streaming video and playing games. The 6.62-inch 120Hz Super AMOLED display produces vibrant colors and is HDR10+ certified. The software experience is smooth and fluid, but this phone comes with many pre-installed third-party apps. 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. Camera performance in daylight is very impressive, but we expected better from the ultra-wide-angle camera. IQoo 9 SE also takes good macro and selfie.
Oppo Reno 7 Pro 5G
Design has always been an important highlight for the Oppo Reno series, and Reno 7 Pro 5G features a glass back with a laser engraved finish. The notification LED strip around the Oppo Reno 7 Pro’s camera module is also an interesting highlight. The 6.5-inch full-HD+ 90Hz AMOLED panel delivers very good colors and contrast, and features Corning Gorilla 5 for scratch resistance. MediaTek’s Dimensity 1200-Max SoC features optimized customizations for a smoother gaming experience. You get ColorOS 12 which is now based on Android 12. Solid battery life and super fast charging.
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 good job of maintaining that performance. The Realme GT Neo 2 available in a bright Neo Blue color as well as two other subtle colors. The 5,000mAh battery easily lasted a day and a half even with several gaming sessions. The dual speakers are quite loud and provide an immersive experience when playing games and watching movies. The best camera performance is a mixed bag. While daylight performance is good, low-light photos and videos aren’t as impressive, which means the GT Neo 2 isn’t a perfect product.
Realme also has GT Neo 3 below Rs. 40,000, we haven’t looked at, but it’s close to Realme GT Neo 3 (150W)itself is very similar to the OnePlus 10R 5G (150W).
