Best phones under Rs 30,000 (Feb 2024): OnePlus Nord 3 5G, Poco X6 Pro 5G to Motorola Edge 40

While choosing our final list of smartphones under 30K this month, we were caught up in more of an internal competition than external with certain brands. As one can expect in this segment, we have phones with excellent displays, powerful processors, impressive cameras with optical image stabilisation (OIS) and of course, 5G compliance. But we had to evaluate each option a lot more minutely before shortlisting the ones we did. Let’s find out who made the cut under Rs 30,000 in India this month.
Best phones to buy under Rs 30,000 in India

OnePlus Nord 3 5G
The OnePlus Nord 3 5G is now available in this budget. The phone is powered by a MediaTek Dimensity 9000 SoC, and you get its 8GB RAM and 128GB UFS 3.1 internal storage variant under 30K currently. It has a 6.74-inch Fluid AMOLED screen with a higher than Full HD resolution of 2772X1240 pixels, 120Hz refresh rate and HDR10+ compliance. It is protected against scratches by Dragontrail Glass and the phone’s glass back has Corning Gorilla Glass 5 protection.

The camera department on the OnePlus Nord 3 5G consists of a 50MP primary camera with OIS that does a good job in different lighting, along with an 8MP ultra-wide shooter and a 2MP macro camera. You get a 16MP selfie camera located in a punch-hole up front. The Nord 3 has a 5000 mAh battery that lasts over a day and a half of moderate use, and the bundled 80W fast charger juices it up fully in just 37 minutes. This phone runs Android 13 with OxygenOS 13.1, and one can expect more OS updates for a couple more years at least.

OnePlus Nord 3 5G price in India: Rs 28,999 for 8GB RAM/128GB storage

Poco X6 Pro 5G
The price of Poco F5 5G has shot up this time but worry not, there’s something better and more affordable from the same brand in this budget. The new Poco X6 Pro 5G takes its place in the lineup courtesy of a great mix of features and power. It is powered by a MediaTek Dimensity 8300 Ultra SoC, which has some serious processing muscle, and you get a choice between 8GB RAM and 256GB internal storage or 12GB RAM and 512GB storage, both available in this budget. Even better, the company has used the faster UFS 4.0 storage.

Other than processing power and ample storage, this device has a vibrant 6.67-inch AMOLED screen with a higher than Full HD resolution and support for 12-bit colour, 120Hz refresh rate, 1800 nits peak brightness and HDR10+ and Dolby Vision compliance. The display is protected against scratches by a layer of Corning Gorilla Glass 5.

Photography is handled by a 64MP primary camera with OIS, an 8MP ultra-wide shooter and a 2MP macro camera. You get a 16MP front camera for selfies and video calls. Its 5000 mAh battery can last over a day and a half of moderate use, and the bundled 67W fast charger can recharge it fully in a little over 45 minutes. The Poco X6 Pro 5G runs Android 14 with Xiaomi’s new HyperOS.

Poco X6 Pro 5G price in India: Rs 26,999 for 8GB RAM/256GB storage; Rs 28,999 for 12GB RAM/512GB storage

Motorola Edge 40
If you are looking for some style and sleekness, the Motorola Edge 40 is the one for you. The phone measures just 7.6 mm in thickness and weighs close to 170 grams despite its aluminium frame. You can choose between a plastic and eco-leather back panel. This phone has a curved 10-bit 6.55-inch P-OLED display, with a higher 144 Hz refresh rate, 1200 nits peak brightness and HDR10+ compliance.

This phone is powered by a MediaTek Dimensity 8020 SoC, and you get 8GB RAM and 256GB UFS 3.1 internal storage here. The camera department on this phone rightly believes in quality over quantity with just two cameras at the back. It has a 50MP primary camera with OIS and a 13MP ultra-wide camera with auto-focus, which doubles up as a quality macro camera too. The 32MP front camera is bound to impress the selfie enthusiasts.

Its 4400 mAh battery can go on for over a day of moderate use and the bundled 68W fast charger can recharge it fully in under 45 minutes. The Motorola Edge 40 runs Android 13, and like most Motorola phones, you get a clean and near-stock user interface. It is also a good option for those who prefer stock Android UI but cannot afford Google Pixel phones.

Motorola Edge 40 price in India: Rs 26,999 for 8GB RAM/256GB storage

Realme 11 Pro+ 5G
The newly launched Realme 12 Pro+ 5G or its predecessor, Realme 11 Pro+ 5G, was a question we pondered over for a while and eventually gave a nod to the latter this time, courtesy of more storage and a better primary camera. The Realme 11 Pro+ 5G is packed with some impressive features starting with the aforementioned 200MP primary camera with OIS that captures some great images across varied lighting. It is accompanied by an 8MP ultra-wide camera and a 2MP macro camera. The 32MP front camera will please the selfie crowd.

The phone is powered by a MediaTek Dimensity 7050 SoC, which is decent enough for the segment though nowhere as powerful as the Dimensity 9000 or 8300 Ultra. You get 8GB RAM and 256GB internal storage to go with it. This phone has a 6.7-inch curved Full HD+ Super AMOLED display with 120Hz refresh rate. It is HDR10+ compliant and can display over a billion colour shades.

The curved display adds to the style quotient of this device in addition to its vegan leather back. Thanks to some neat power management, its 5000 mAh battery lasts close to two days of moderate use. The company bundles a 100W SuperVOOC charger that manages to take it from empty to full in under half an hour. The Realme 11 Pro+ 5G runs Android 13 with Realme UI 4.0 and one can expect a few more OS and security updates in the future.

Realme 11 Pro+ 5G price in India: Rs 27,999 for 8GB RAM/256GB storage

Tecno Camon 20 Premier 5G
The Tecno Camon 20 Premier 5G just about managed to retain its place in this list. It is packed with some interesting features. The camera department is loaded too, starting with a 50MP primary camera with sensor-shift OIS. Then you have a unique 108MP ultra-wide camera with auto-focus. It can capture some excellent macro shots too. And there’s a 2MP depth sensor to assist in portrait shots and make up the numbers. You also have a 32MP front camera for selfies and video calls.

This phone is powered by a MediaTek Dimensity 8050 chip and is accompanied by 8 GB RAM and a generous 512 GB storage. The Tecno Camon 20 Premier 5G has a 6.67-inch Full HD+ AMOLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate for a flicker-free experience. A 5000 mAh battery keeps it powered for a day and a half of moderate use, and the bundled 45W fast charger promises to charge two-thirds of the battery in 30 minutes. The phone runs Android 13 with HIOS 13 UI.

Tecno Camon 20 Premier 5G price in India: Rs 28,999 for 8GB RAM/512GB storage