 "Best phones under Rs 40,000 (Aug 2024): Samsung Galaxy S23 FE 5G, OnePlus 11 5G to Realme GT 6"){kind=tracking}
A budget of Rs 40,000 can help you score some great smartphones in India at the moment. Welcome to the world of flagship killers… which also includes some former flagship phones. They check a lot of boxes - be it high processing power or flagship-grade cameras or elegant design. Time to take a closer look at the best smartphones one can buy under Rs 40,000 in India this month.
Best phones to buy under Rs 40,000 in India
Samsung Galaxy S23 FE 5G
The last time we created this list, we weren’t expecting to see the Samsung Galaxy S23 FE 5G in this budget. But we managed to squeeze in its 8GB RAM and 128GB storage variant. This time you can get one with twice the storage, which is great news for those aspiring to buy a flagship-grade Samsung phone at a reasonable price. It is powered by a fairly powerful Exynos 2200 chip. This compact phone sports an aluminium frame and glass back with Corning Gorilla Glass 5 protection at the front and back and an IP68-rated ingress protection.
The photography department on the Samsung Galaxy S23 FE 5G is quite versatile. You get a 50MP primary camera with PDAF and OIS (optical image stabilisation), a 12MP ultra-wide camera with 123-degrees FOV and an 8MP telephoto camera with OIS that provides 3X optical zoom. The camera performance is highly impressive as one expects from a Samsung S series phone. It can record videos in up to 8K resolution. A 10MP front camera takes care of selfies and video calls.
You get a 6.4-inch Full HD+ Dynamic AMOLED 2X display with a peak brightness of 1450 nits, HDR10+ compliance and a 120hz refresh rate. A 4500 mAh battery keeps the phone powered for over a day of moderate use and supports 25W fast charging as well as 15W wireless charging. The S23 FE launched with Android 13 and is upgradeable to Android 14 with Samsung’s One UI 6.
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View AllSamsung Galaxy S23 FE 5G price in India: Rs 38,999 for 8GB RAM/256GB storage
OnePlus 11 5G
The arrival of the OnePlus 12 has caused a significant drop in price of the OnePlus 11 5G. Yet, we didn’t expect to see its top variant with 16GB RAM and 256GB faster UFS 4.0 storage selling under 40K. So just make hay while the sun shines. The former OnePlus flagship is a highly impressive phone in this budget that is packed with features and power. At its core is Qualcomm’s previous flagship Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chip, which is still powerful enough for any task.
The phone has an attractive design and feels sturdy courtesy of its aluminium frame and curved edges. It has a 6.7-inch curved LTPO3 AMOLED display with a resolution of 3216 x 1440 pixels and 1300 nits peak brightness. This HDR10+ and Dolby Vision-compliant screen supports 10-bit colour depth and up to 120hz variable refresh rate. The phone’s 5000 mAh battery easily lasts for a day and a half of moderate use, and the bundled 100W charger juices it up in under half an hour.
The camera department is quite versatile too, starting with a 50MP primary camera with OIS and Hasselblad’s colour tuning. The support cast is equally impressive with a 48MP ultrawide camera with auto-focus that also doubles up as a quality macro camera, and a 32MP telephoto camera with 2X optical zoom that’s great with portrait photography too. The OnePlus 11 5G debuted with OxygenOS 13 based on Android 13 and is upgradeable to Android 14 with OxygenOS 14, with more updates to follow over the next couple of years.
OnePlus 11 5G price in India: Rs 38,999 for 16GB RAM/256GB storage
Realme GT 6
The Realme GT 6 offers some great features and performance and does it in style. This good-looking smartphone is powered by Qualcomm’s recent Snapdragon 8s Gen 3 SoC and is accompanied by 8GB RAM and 256GB internal storage. It has a 6.78-inch QHD+ 10-bit LTPO AMOLED display with a 120hz refresh rate and a whopping 6000 nits peak brightness. The HDR10+ and Dolby Vision-compliant display is protected against scratches by a layer of Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2.
The camera department here is quite impressive too, comprising two 50MP cameras at the back with the primary module sporting Sony’s LYT-808 sensor and OIS, while the other is a telephoto unit that offers 2X optical zoom. You also have an 8MP ultra-wide camera to give them company. The 50MP cameras do an excellent job in different modes and lighting. The 32MP front camera will impress the selfie enthusiasts.
A 5500 mAh battery keeps the phone running for over a day and a half of moderate use, and the bundled 120W fast charger juices it fully in just half an hour. The Realme GT 6 runs Android 14 with Realme UI 5.0, and the company has promised three major OS updates going ahead. The price of this variant is a shade over 40K but you can get a flat Rs 3,000 to Rs 4000 off on multiple payment options on Flipkart and on the company’s web store.
Realme GT 6 price in India: Rs 36,999 to Rs 37,999 (effectively) for 8GB RAM/256GB storage
iQOO Neo9 Pro 5G
The iQOO Neo9 Pro 5G is another excellent option in this budget. Just like the OnePlus 11, this phone too is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chip, and you get a choice between 8GB and 12GB RAM with 256GB UFS 4.0 internal storage. It has a 6.78-inch HDR10+ compliant LTPO AMOLED display with a higher than Full HD resolution of 2800 x 1260 pixels. It flaunts a high 144hz refresh rate and can get up to 3000 nits bright. Another striking feature of this device is its leather-like back that lends it some style.
The rear camera department on this phone consists of a 50MP primary camera with OIS and Sony’s IMX920 sensor, accompanied by an 8MP ultra-wide shooter. The 16MP front camera is more than decent for selfies and video calls. The iQOO Neo9 Pro 5G has a 5160 mAh battery that can last over a day and a half of moderate use, and the bundled 120W fast charger claims to charge half of it in just 11 minutes. The phone runs Android 14 with FunTouch OS 14.
iQOO Neo9 Pro 5G price in India: Rs 36,999 for 8GB RAM/256GB storage; Rs 38,999 for 12GB RAM/256GB storage
Google Pixel 7
The Pixel 9 series has just arrived, but flaunts a seriously high price tag. If you are fine with a 2-year old phone with high-quality cameras along with the latest version of Android with stock UI free of bloatware, the Google Pixel 7 is your device. It is powered by Google’s previous flagship Tensor G2 processor and offers 8GB RAM and 128GB internal storage. It sports a 6.3-inch Full HD+ OLED display with 90hz refresh rate and Corning Gorilla Glass Victus protection.
It has an IP68 rating for dust and water resistance. The phone launched with Android 13 and can be updated to Android 14, with more updates to follow over the next few years. Other than speedy OS updates, Pixel phones are known for their camera capabilities, and the Google Pixel 7 delivers strongly in that department courtesy of two cameras at the back. You get a 50MP primary camera with OIS and a 12MP ultra-wide camera with 114-degree FOV that does a great job in different lighting, including low light.
Google Pixel 7 price in India: Rs 34,999 for 8GB RAM/128GB storage
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