Sleek design, stunning portraits and dependable all-day battery life.

The Honor 200 stands out with a premium, eye-catching design and a crisp 6.7-inch display that is great for consuming content. While the performance is decent and adequate for day-to-day use, the real strength of this phone is its camera system. It captures excellent photos in both daylight and low-light scenarios.

Portraits from the rear camera look natural with pleasing background blur, while selfies are bright and detailed, though slightly beautified by default. Backed by a battery that comfortably lasts a full day with moderate usage, this is a solid pick if you want a stylish phone with reliable cameras.

Clean software, IP68 rating and a reliable primary camera.

The Moto G96 5G uses a mix of glass, silicon and polycarbonate yet manages to achieve an IP68 rating, which is rare in this budget. The phone looks classy with curved front and rear panels that offer a comfortable in-hand feel.

Its processor handles everyday multitasking and mid-level gaming smoothly, without heating issues. The primary camera performs well in both daylight and low light, producing sharp and balanced images. The ultrawide camera (which doubles as a macro shooter) is more of a spec-sheet filler than a true star, but it is still useful when needed.

Customisable design with swappable rear panels and clean UI.

The CMF Phone 1 brings a very distinctive look to this segment thanks to its swappable rear panels. It also offers an IP65 rating, which protects against dust and light splashes. Performance is solid for day-to-day tasks, and gaming is handled reasonably well for a budget device.

The cameras perform reliably across different lighting conditions, offering good detail and colour for photos and videos. However, this model skips an ultrawide or telephoto lens, which means you mostly rely on the primary sensor. The battery life is strong and charging speeds are adequate for daily use.

Curved display, OIS on the main camera and dependable performance.

The Moto G85 5G combines a modern curved display with reliable day-to-day performance. Its high-refresh-rate panel offers smooth visuals with vibrant colours, making it ideal for watching content across streaming apps.

Powered by a new mid-range Snapdragon 6s Gen 3 chipset, the phone handles multitasking and casual gaming well. The dual-camera system comes with OIS on the primary sensor, improving low-light and handheld shots. A high-resolution selfie camera caters to social-media-friendly selfies and video calls.

108MP main camera, 120Hz display and fast charging in the Nord ecosystem.

The Nord CE 3 Lite 5G is OnePlus’s most affordable Nord in India, starting at around ₹19,999. It offers a large 6.72-inch 120Hz IPS LCD with a hole-punch 16MP selfie camera.

On the back, it features a 108MP main camera supported by two 2MP sensors for macro and depth. The 5000mAh battery paired with 67W fast charging ensures you can quickly top up and get through a heavy day. The Snapdragon 695 SoC with 8GB RAM provides smooth performance for everyday use.

Performance-oriented 5G phone with AMOLED display and fast charging.

The iQOO Z7 5G is the successor to the Z6 5G and targets users who want strong performance and capable cameras in the sub-₹20k segment. It features a 6.38-inch FHD+ AMOLED display with 90Hz refresh rate and HDR10+ support, delivering rich colours and deep blacks.

Powered by the MediaTek Dimensity 920, the phone offers solid performance and 44W fast charging for its 4500mAh battery. The rear camera setup includes a 64MP primary sensor and 2MP portrait lens, paired with a 16MP selfie camera. It ships with Android 13 and Funtouch OS 13, with two major OS updates promised.

108MP triple camera with Snapdragon 778G for power users.

The Poco X5 Pro is a performance-centric mid-range 5G smartphone that often dips close to the ₹20,000 mark during sales. It comes with a 6.67-inch 10-bit AMOLED display with 120Hz refresh rate and Gorilla Glass 5 protection.

On the rear, it features a 108MP main camera, 8MP ultrawide and 2MP macro lens, along with a 16MP selfie camera up front. The Snapdragon 778G chipset with up to 8GB RAM delivers strong gaming and multitasking performance. A 5000mAh battery with 67W fast charging ensures quick top-ups.

Curved AMOLED display and 108MP triple camera at an aggressive price.

The Realme 10 Pro+ is one of the most affordable phones with a curved FHD+ AMOLED display and 120Hz refresh rate. While its official price is above ₹20,000, aggressive sale pricing often brings it closer to this segment, making it worth considering for camera enthusiasts.

It is powered by the MediaTek Dimensity 1080 and packs a 5000mAh battery with 67W fast charging. The triple rear camera setup includes a 108MP main sensor, 8MP ultrawide and 2MP macro shooter, with a 16MP selfie camera on the front. It runs Android 13-based Realme UI 4.0.

Massive 7000mAh battery with a capable primary camera and premium feel.

The Moto G67 Power offers excellent value with strong performance and a premium feel thanks to its vegan-leather rear panel. It also includes an IP64 rating, giving extra peace of mind against dust and splashes.

The display produces natural colours but can feel a bit dim outdoors. The 120Hz refresh rate mainly benefits UI smoothness, while most games still run at 60fps. The primary camera delivers good image quality, whereas the ultrawide lens is more basic. The huge 7000mAh battery easily lasts up to two days of light usage, and charging speeds are decent given the capacity.

Triple-camera setup, clean UI and a sleek design in the CMF lineup.

The CMF Phone 2 Pro builds on CMF’s design-first philosophy with a sleeker body and better in-hand feel. It delivers solid performance for its segment and offers strong value, especially if you prefer a clean and visually pleasing user interface.

The triple rear camera setup is capable of capturing detailed shots in a variety of lighting conditions. The phone also offers a battery that comfortably lasts more than a day under moderate to heavy usage. If you are after an all-round package with a focus on design and software experience, this is a very compelling option.