Best phones under Rs 60,000 (March 2023): OnePlus 11 5G, Google Pixel 7 to Apple iPhone 13

Our list of phones under Rs 60,000 this month is full of aspirational handsets. It includes a couple of last-generation stars that are now available in this budget and a couple of new releases that just waltzed into this list on the merit of their performance. Rest assured, you will get flagship-grade processors, displays and cameras among other things. So without further ado, let’s meet the hot half-dozen that made it to this list.

Best phones to buy under Rs 60,000 in India

Apple iPhone 13
The Apple iPhone 13 is currently available in this budget. Its 128 GB variant can be purchased for a Rupee under 60K. The phone feels great in hand due to its compact size, and is rugged with an IP68 rating for dust and fluid resistance. It launched with iOS 15, and is upgradable to iOS 16, with more OS updates to follow over the years. If you are not into numerology, this phone is almost identical to the iPhone 14, just more affordable.

The Apple iPhone 13 has a  6.1-inch Super Retina XDR OLED display with a resolution of 2532 x 1170 pixels, and is compliant with HDR10 and Dolby Vision. At its core is Apple’s previous flagship A15 Bionic chip that also powers the iPhone 14. There are two 12MP cameras at the back with the primary lens offering optical image stabilisation (OIS), and the secondary capable of capturing ultra-wide shots. The performance in photography and videography is excellent, as one expects from an iPhone. 

Apple iPhone 13 price in India: Rs 59,999 for 128GB storage

Google Pixel 7
The Google Pixel 7 was launched for 60K in India and is currently going for 5% cheaper on Flipkart. The Pixel 7 is powered by Google’s next-gen Tensor G2 processor and offers 8 GB RAM and 128 GB internal storage. It sports a 6.3-inch Full HD+ OLED display with 90 Hz refresh rate and 1400 nits peak brightness. The HDR10+ compliant screen is protected by Corning Gorilla Glass Victus, and the phone has an IP68 rating for ingress protection.

As you expect from a Pixel phone, you get the purest version of the latest Android 13 with the Material You design language. Other than speedy OS updates, the 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 that do a great job in different lighting and modes. Some software tricks like the Magic Eraser is a great addition.

Google Pixel 7 price in India: Rs 56,999 for 8GB RAM/128GB storage

Samsung Galaxy S22 5G
The Samsung Galaxy S22 5G retains its place in our sub-60K list this month. This phone too has an IP68 rating for dust and fluid resistance along with a compact design. The phone sports an aluminium frame and has Corning Gorilla Glass Victus+ at the front and back. It has a 6.1-inch Full HD+ Dynamic AMOLED 2X display with a peak brightness of 1300 nits, HDR10+ compliance and 120 Hz refresh rate. The Galaxy S22 5G is powered by Qualcomm’s previous flagship Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 chip, and you get its 8 GB RAM and 128 GB storage variant in this budget comfortably.

Photography department is packed with a 50MP primary camera with dual pixel PDAF and OIS, a 12MP ultra-wide camera with Super Steady video support and a 10MP telephoto camera with OIS for 3X optical zoom. The camera performance is flagship grade as expected, and can record videos in 8K resolution too. A 3700 mAh battery keeps the phone powered for a day of moderate use and supports 25W fast charging as well as 15W wireless charging. It launched with Android 12 and Samsung’s One UI 4.1, and the Android 13 update has started rolling out.

Samsung Galaxy S22 5G price in India: Rs 52,990 for 8GB RAM/128GB storage

OnePlus 11 5G
After a lacklustre 2022, OnePlus is looking to turn things around in 2023, and at the forefront of the revival is the OnePlus 11 5G. It is loaded with a lot of features that are generally reserved for the Pro variant. This stylish phone has a 6.7-inch curved LTPO3 AMOLED display with a resolution of 3216 x 1440 pixels. This HDR10+ and Dolby Vision-compliant screen supports 10-bit colour depth, up to 120 Hz variable refresh rate and can get up to 1300 nits bright. The phone runs OxygenOS 13 based on Android 13 and one can expect several OS and security updates going forward. 

The OnePlus 11 5G is powered by Qualcomm’s latest flagship Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chip, and you get the 8 GB RAM and 128 GB UFS 3.1 storage variant in this budget. The rear camera department is loaded to the brim. It is helmed by 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 macro camera and a 32MP telephoto camera with 2X optical zoom. Its 5000 mAh battery can last for a day and a half of moderate use, and the bundled 100W charger promises to juice it up in just 25 minutes.

OnePlus 11 5G price in India: Rs 56,999 for 8 GB RAM/ 128 GB storage

iQOO 11 5G
We have another fully loaded device based on the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chip. The iQOO 11 5G comes with 8 GB RAM and 256 GB storage to go with it. It has a sharp 10-bit 6.78-inch HDR10+ compliant E6 AMOLED display with a resolution of 3200 x 1440 pixels and 144 Hz refresh rate. It is protected by Corning Gorilla Glass Victus. The phone’s 5000 mAh battery lasts for a day and a half of moderate use, and the bundled 120W fast charger claims to charge 50% of it in just 8 minutes, and fully in well under half an hour. 

The rear camera department here comprises a 50MP primary camera with a Samsung GN5 sensor and OIS, accompanied by an 8MP ultra-wide camera. Giving them company is a 13MP telephoto camera that provides 2X optical zoom, and also doubles up as a portrait camera. The 16MP front camera takes care of selfies and video calls. The iQOO 11 5G runs Android 13 with FunTouch OS 13.

iQOO 11 5G price in India: Rs 59,990 for 8GB RAM/256GB storage

Motorola Edge 30 Ultra
The top variant of the Motorola Edge 30 Ultra is another great option here. This Moto flagship is powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 chip and is accompanied by 12 GB RAM and 256 GB of internal storage. You get a 6.67-inch Full HD+ 10-bit P-OLED display with a 144 Hz refresh rate and 1250 nits peak brightness. The HDR10+ compliant display is protected against scratches by a layer of Corning Gorilla Glass 5. The phone runs Android 12, and like all Motorola phones, you get a near-stock user interface.

The camera department is quite impressive here too. You get a 200MP primary camera (that’s right!) with OIS, a 50MP ultra-wide shooter and a 12MP telephoto camera for 2X optical zoom. Thus, you have all the key bases covered. The selfie enthusiasts aren’t ignored either; you also get a 60MP front camera to cater to that audience. The Motorola Edge 30 Ultra’s 4610 mAh battery keeps it powered for well over a day of moderate use, and supports 125 Watts wired and 50 Watts wireless fast charging. 

Motorola Edge 30 Ultra price in India: Rs 59,999 for 12GB RAM/256GB storage