Best phones under Rs 40,000 (Aug 2022): iQOO 9 5G, Poco F4 5G to OnePlus 10R

While a lot of new phones made it to our list of phones under Rs 30,000 this month, the picture is a little different in the sub-40K price bracket. The phones from our previous list put up a much stronger fight to hold on to their place. Of course, we have a couple of new options this time and the price of some of the older ones has changed this month. All factors considered, we have selected eight phones for you to choose from this month under Rs 40,000. We know the choice is not that simple, but we have tried to simplify it for you.

Best phones to buy under Rs 40,000 in India

iQOO 9 SE 5G/ iQOO 9 5G
The iQOO 9 SE 5G from the Vivo sub-brand retains its place in the list and remains a great option. It is powered by Qualcomm’s previous flagship Snapdragon 888 chip, which is still extremely powerful for any task you throw at it. You can get its top variant with 12 GB RAM and 256 GB storage easily in this budget. It has a 6.62-inch HDR10+ compliant Full HD+ AMOLED display with a peak brightness of 1300 nits and 120 Hz refresh rate.

The rear camera department consists of a 48MP primary camera with OIS, along with a 13MP ultra-wide camera and a 2MP depth sensor. The 16MP front camera does a good job with selfies and video calls. The iQOO 9 SE 5G has a 4500 mAh battery that lasts over a day of moderate use, and the bundled 66W fast charger claims to charge it fully in under 40 minutes. The phone runs Android 12 with FunTouch OS 12.

But that’s not the only iQOO phone you can get your hands on this month under 40K. At the time of writing, the generally more expensive iQOO 9 5G was also spotted at just under Rs 40,000, but its 8 GB RAM and 128 GB storage variant. It offers several enhancements over the SE in various departments, but those in camera and charging being the most prominent. This phone too has three cameras at the back but the primary camera offers Gimbal stabilisation and the 2MP depth sensor is replaced by a more useful 13MP 50 mm professional portrait camera. The bundled 120W fast charger claims to charge it fully in just 18 minutes!

iQOO 9 5G price in India: Rs 39,990 for 8 GB RAM/ 128 GB storage

iQOO 9 SE 5G price in India: Rs 37,990 for 12 GB RAM/ 256 GB storage

Realme GT 2/ Realme GT Neo 3/ OnePlus 10R
Just like iQOO, we have two Realme phones too with a lot of similarities and just two key differences. The Realme GT 2 is powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 888 SoC, while the newer Realme GT Neo 3 is powered by Mediatek’s flagship Dimensity 8100 chip, which is comparable in performance. While the former has a 6.62-inch AMOLED display, the latter has a slightly larger 6.7-inch AMOLED screen that supports 10-bit colour depth. Both screens are HDR10+ compliant, have 120 Hz refresh rate and Gorilla Glass 5 protection.

You get 256 GB internal storage variants of both phones in this budget, the GT 2 flaunts 12 GB RAM as opposed to 8 GB on the Neo 3. The camera department is identical for both with a 50MP primary camera with OIS that captures some impressive shots in different modes and lighting. It is accompanied by an 8MP ultra-wide snapper and a 2MP macro camera. The 16MP front camera handles selfies and video calls quite well. 

Both phones have 5000 mAh batteries that keep them going for over a day and a half of moderate use, and the bundled fast chargers can juice them up fully in a little over half an hour. Realme GT 2 as well as Realme GT Neo 3 run Android 12 with Realme UI 3.0. If you prefer the Realme GT Neo 3, then there is another phone with exact specifications that you should strongly consider before putting your money down. We are talking about the OnePlus 10R that is now available for a similar price and offers more RAM. 

Realme GT 2 price in India: Rs 38,999 for 12 GB RAM/ 256 GB storage

Realme GT Neo 3 price in India: Rs 38,999 for 8 GB RAM/ 256 GB storage

OnePlus 10R price in India: Rs 38,999 for 12 GB RAM/ 256 GB storage

Poco F4 5G
The top variant of the recently launched Poco F4 5G is also a solid option in this budget given its sub-35K price tag. It is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 870 SoC, and you get 12 GB RAM and 256 GB internal storage. You get an impressive 6.67-inch AMOLED Full HD+ screen with 120 Hz refresh rate, HDR10+ and Dolby Vision compliance and 1300 nits peak brightness. The display is protected against scratches by a layer of Corning Gorilla Glass 5. 

In addition to an impressive display, it has a stylish design with a glass back, and measures just 7.7 mm in thickness. Photography department is handled by a 64MP primary camera with OIS, an 8MP ultra-wide shooter and a 2MP macro camera. The 20MP front camera is good enough for selfies and video calls. Its 4500 mAh battery lasts over a day of moderate use, and the bundled 67W fast charger promises to juice it up fully in under 40 minutes. The Poco F4 5G runs Android 12 with MIUI 13. It is one of the rare phones that offers a 2-year warranty.

Poco F4 5G price in India: Rs 34,999 for 12 GB RAM/ 256 GB storage

Motorola Edge 20 Pro
The Motorola Edge 20 Pro comfortably holds on to its spot in this list courtesy of some solid features. This phone is powered by a Snapdragon 870 chip and comes with 8 GB RAM and 128 GB internal storage. Its large 6.7-inch Full HD+ OLED display is quite impressive and flaunts a 144 Hz refresh rate along with HDR10+ compliance and capability to display over a billion colour shades. There is Corning Gorilla Glass 5 protection against scratches at the front and back.

The photography department on the Motorola Edge 20 Pro is quite versatile. It is helmed by a 108MP primary camera and with an impressive support cast. You get a 16MP ultra-wide camera and an 8MP telephoto camera with OIS that facilitates 5X optical zoom. The 32MP front camera is bound to impress the selfie crowd. Its 4500 mAh battery lasts over a day of moderate use and supports 30W fast charging. This phone launched with Android 11, and like most Motorola phones, you get a clean and near-stock user interface. The Android 12 update has started rolling out.

Motorola Edge 20 Pro price in India: Rs 34,999 for 8 GB RAM/ 128 GB storage

Samsung Galaxy S20 FE 5G
Samsung Galaxy S20 FE 5G remains a good option in this budget for brand conscious buyers, and is now even more affordable. It has a 6.5-inch Super AMOLED HDR10+ compliant display with a 120 Hz refresh rate. It also has an IP68 rated ingress protection. It is powered by Qualcomm’s previous generation flagship chip, Snapdragon 865. You get 8 GB RAM and 128 GB internal storage that can be expanded further with a microSD card; a rare feature in premium phones. Android 12 update with Samsung’s One UI 4.0 is available for this device. 

Photography department consists of a 12MP primary camera with dual-pixel PDAF and OIS, a 12MP ultra-wide camera and an 8MP telephoto camera with OIS for up to 3X optical zoom. The camera quality is excellent across different modes as one expects from a Samsung S series phone. You also have a 32MP camera up front to cater to the selfie enthusiasts. Its 4500 mAh battery lasts for well over a day of moderate use. It supports regular fast charging as well as fast wireless charging.

Samsung Galaxy S20 FE price in India: Rs 33,090 for 8 GB RAM/ 128 GB storage