Top smartphones on a budget

It’s a super balanced phone! Relatively the new kid on the block, Xiaomi’s Redmi Note 8 Pro brings to the table great balance between economical pricing, all-round great performance and a curvier design. Under the hood is the Mediatek Helio G90T chipset coupled with 6/8 GB RAM and 64/128GB storage. The combination stacks up nicely compared to some of the other phones we’ve tested from the same segment. Other upgrades include the larger display which is a cool 6.53-inches with slimmer bezels. The new quad-camera setup is definitely stunning topped by the 64MP F/1.8 Samsung Isocell GW1 main shooter. Also, it, is an 8MP F/2.2 ultrawide lens with two 2MP sensors that are perfect for all your macro photography enthusiasts. The 4,500 mAh battery is now kitted out with 18W fast charging support and can even be topped up from the Type-C port. If you want your phone to have all the fancy stuff but also be pocket-friendly, this one is a sure-shot winner!

For all the power you need! We’d say the Vivo Z1 Pro is one of the best in its category with its sufficiently powerful Snapdragon 712 processor, 4GB ram and 64GB storage. Perfect for high-performance needs, this phone can handle most tasks and online gaming effortlessly. Even the 6.53-inch, 2340x1080 resolution IPS LCD panel display is vibrant and boasts saturated colors, great contrast, and enough brightness for most tasks. The gorgeous triple camera setup on the back employs a promising 16MP f1.8 primary camera and an 8MP f2.2 ultra-wide camera. The third one is just a 2MP depth sensor used for portrait mode effects. Also not usually found with this category of phones, is the ultra-wide-angle rear camera and massive 5000mAh battery with an 18W fast charger. Great news for those of us who can’t put down our online multiplayer battle royale games or take our photography seriously, because this one does both effortlessly!

The display feels like heaven! Samsung’s mid-range Samsung Galaxy M30 is made for the youth of today. The 4Gb RAM and 64GB storage come together with a Vibrant AMOLED display and 5,000mAh battery for a mind-blowing media experience. We binge-watched our favorites tv-series and movies on the go with ease without running out of juice halfway which was just awesome. The USB-C port for charging and file transfer, and a 3.5mm headphone jack for audio output sweeten the deal as does the single loudspeaker and the primary mic tucked behind a grille. Don’t worry there’s also an extra mic on top. Spicing up the overall look, Samsung built this phone with a high-grade polycarbonate material. The back has a glossy finish and houses the three-camera setup that gives photography buffs plenty of options to play with. Creating memorable pictures is especially easy given its fantastic camera trio which also includes a wide-angle sensor - a rarity in this mid-range segment. Love it!

Click professional looking pictures with ease! There’s no dispute, the OPPO F11 Pro is a stunner! The USP of this phone is the 48MP main camera, which comes with the Sony IMX586 sensor giving you premium quality images with every click. A 5MP depth sensor allows you to get a great bokeh effect shot using the main sensor while the auxiliary sensor creates natural-looking background blur in portrait mode. Make getting that perfect puppy pic or snapping your toddler covered in sand easier than ever. When it comes to building and design, the gradient color hues mix a deep blue-black-purple to give you a phone that truly stands out. Comfortable to hold even for those with smaller hands, the rounded sides and matte finish make it grippier and slip-resistant. While this model has 128GB of storage and a 4GB RAM, you will be happy to know this phone even has a microSD card slot to expand its memory. Looking to take amazing pictures with your phone? You’ve found the phone you need!