Best phones under Rs 50,000 (Dec 2021): Apple iPhone 12 Mini and OnePlus 9 to Asus ROG Phone 5- Technology News, Firstpost

Ameya DalviDec 09, 2021 13:40:35 IST

Our list of the best phones for under Rs 50,000 in December 2021 is stacked with popular handsets, some of which are usually found in a higher price bracket. While a couple of phones from our previous list managed to retain their spots, the new entrants need no introduction. So, let’s quickly look at the five best phones you can currently buy for under 50K.

Best phones to buy under Rs 50,000 in India

Apple iPhone 12 Mini

The smallest of Apple’s iPhone 12 series phones can now be purchased under Rs 50,000 on Flipkart. And it’s not just the 64 GB variant, but also the one with 128 GB storage that’s currently available in this budget. The Apple iPhone 12 Mini is refreshingly compact, and it’s not just about a smaller size, but the availability of a proper flagship device in that form factor without lacking any key features present on its larger sibling is what makes it special.

iPhone 12 Mini. Image: Apple

The Apple iPhone 12 Mini is pretty much the iPhone 12 in a smaller shell. Technically, it has an even sharper display in comparison in terms of pixel density, thanks to its compact Full HD+ 5.4-inch Super Retina XDR OLED screen. It is powered by the A14 Bionic chip that is at the heart of the entire iPhone 12 series. Two 12 MP cameras (primary with OIS and ultrawide) at the back offer top notch performance in different lighting conditions, and can shoot some excellent videos, too. It launched with iOS 14, and is easily upgradeable to the latest iOS 15.

Apple iPhone 12 Mini price in India: Rs 44,999 for 64 GB storage; Rs 49,999 for 128 GB storage on Flipkart

Vivo X60 Pro

The Vivo X60 Pro retains its place on this list, and still happens to be one of the best-looking phones in this budget. We did consider the Vivo X70 Pro long and hard, but the X60 Pro still offers better value for money, faster processor and most of its features. It is powered by Qualcomm’s top of the line Snapdragon 870 SoC and is accompanied by a generous 12 GB RAM and 256 GB internal storage. It has a vibrant 6.56-inch Full HD+ HDR10+ compliant AMOLED screen with a 120 Hz refresh rate for a flicker-free experience. It is protected by a layer of Corning Gorilla Glass 6.

Vivo X60 Pro. Image: Tech2/Jaison Lewis

The rear camera department with gimbal stabilisation is known to capture some excellent shots and equally impressive videos. The 48 MP primary camera, 13 MP ultra-wide camera and 13 MP telephoto camera that facilitates 2X optical zoom do a great job across various modes. The 32 MP front camera is bound to keep selfie enthusiasts interested. Despite being 7.6 mm slim, the Vivo X60 Pro has a 4,200 mAh battery that lasts over a day of moderate use. It runs Android 11 with FunTouch 11 UI.

Vivo X60 Pro price in India: Rs 49,990 for 12 GB RAM/ 256 GB storage

Asus ROG Phone 5

The gamers’ delight, the Asus ROG Phone 5 remains a part of this list, too. The company has put together the fastest processing hardware, along with several optimisations and enhancements to give the gamers a premium gaming experience. The phone is powered by Qualcomm’s flagship Snapdragon 888 SoC, and you get the 8 GB RAM and 128 GB storage variant in this budget. Its 6.78-inch Full HD+ 10-bit AMOLED display has a higher than usual 144 Hz refresh rate, HDR10+ compliance and can get up to 1200 nits bright for a great contrast.

Asus ROG Phone 5. Image: Tech2/Anirudh Regidi

Though this phone is targeted primarily at mobile gamers, the rear camera department is quite decent. It consists of a 64 MP primary camera, 13 MP ultra-wide shooter and a 5 MP macro camera. The Asus ROG Phone 5 has a large 6,000 mAh battery for long, uninterrupted gaming sessions, and even better, the bundled 65 W fast charger can charge it fully in under an hour. This phone runs Android 11 with ROG UI.

Asus ROG Phone 5 price in India: Rs 49,999 for 8 GB RAM/ 128 GB storage

OnePlus 9

Amazon is offering a flat Rs 5,000 discount (at the time of writing) on the top variant of the OnePlus 9 with 12 GB RAM and 256 GB of UFS 3.1 storage, putting it just within our budget. This phone is powered by Qualcomm’s flagship Snapdragon 888 chip. It has a 6.55-inch Full HD+ Fluid AMOLED display with a 120 Hz refresh rate and HDR10+ compliance. The phone has an elegant design with a glass body protected by Corning Gorilla Glass 5 at the front and back.

OnePlus 9. Image: OnePlus

The rear camera department isn’t as stacked as with the Pro variant, but you do get Hasselblad colour calibration here too. Photography is handled by a 48 MP primary camera, a 50 MP ultrawide camera with auto-focus – one of the best ultrawide cameras around, and a 2 MP mono camera. The cameras manage to shoot some impressive images in different lighting conditions with natural colours.

A 16 MP front camera located in a tiny punch-hole at the top of the screen takes care of selfies and video calls. Its 4,500 mAh battery lasts over a day of moderate use comfortably, and even better, the bundled 65 W Warp charger juices it up super quick in about half an hour. The phone runs OxygenOS 11 based on Android 11. If the price of the OnePlus 9 jumps to above 50K, the top variant of the OnePlus 9R would be a much better buy for several thousand rupees less.

OnePlus 9 price in India: Rs 49,999 for 12 GB RAM/ 256 GB storage

Samsung Galaxy S20 FE 5G

Samsung’s budget flagship, Galaxy S20 FE 5G is another good option in this budget. This phone has a 6.5-inch Super AMOLED display with a 120 Hz refresh rate and is HDR10+ compliant. This stylish handset has an IP68 rating for dust and water resistance. It is powered by Qualcomm’s previous generation flagship chip, Snapdragon 865. You can get the 8 GB RAM and 128 GB internal storage variant comfortably in this budget. The internal storage can be expanded further with a microSD card – a rare feature in this price bracket these days.

Galaxy S20 FE. Image: Tech2/Sheldon Pinto

The photography department is quite versatile and consists of a 12 MP primary camera with dual-pixel PDAF and OIS, a 12 MP ultra-wide camera and an 8 MP telephoto camera with OIS for up to 3X optical zoom. As you have come to expect from Samsung S series phones, the camera quality is excellent. There’s also a 32 MP camera at the front to please the selfie crowd. It has a 4,500 mAh battery that can go on for a day and a half of moderate use. It not just supports regular fast charging but also fast wireless charging. The phone runs Android 11 with Samsung’s One UI 3.1.

Samsung Galaxy S20 FE price in India: Rs 42,490 for 8 GB RAM/ 128 GB storage