The mid-to-mid-premium segment can be considered as the bridge between the flagship or premium series and budget segment. This is the segment where the users get the best of both worlds. One gets a premium design along with impressive specifications, which is comparable to flagship range, but at a more affordable price tag.
So, if you have a budget of not more than Rs 30,000 and want to buy a premium-looking smartphone with some impressive specs sheet, don’t worry we got your back. We have handpicked some top-notch performers in this segment and we present you the top 5 smartphones available under Rs 30,000 in India.
Honor 8 Pro
Honor 8 Pro is already considered as a serious contender of the OnePlus 5 and has proved its mettle in terms of both performance and premium design language. At a time when the world was going haywire about the OnePlus 5, it was Honor 8 Pro gave a head to head competition to it and in some departments surpassed the flagship from OnePlus.
The major highlight of the device is the dual-camera 12-megapixel rear camera of which one is an RGB sensor to capture accurate colours while the other one is a Monochrome sensor to capture a good amount of detail. Flipping the device to the front, we get an 8-megapixel camera at the front. Interestingly, Huawei is one of the first few companies that started the trend of dual cameras and this one is no different. The smartphone took some impressive shots during the broad daylight conditions and the low light performance is acceptable as well.
In terms of performance, the Kirin 960 processor does a good job when it comes to handling all the task you throw it including intensive gaming session, watching movies or anything else for that matter. Overall, with some impressive specs sheet and good performance, the smartphone is worth every penny.
Key Specs:
Display: 5.7-inch Quad HD IPS LCD (2560 x 1440 pixels)
Processor: Octa-Core Kirin 960 Chipset
RAM/Storage: 6GB RAM/64GB storage | Expandable 256GB (hybrid slot)
Camera:
Rear: Dual 12MP (Mono + RGB), Aperture f/2.2, PDAF, laser autofocus
Front: 8MP, aperture f/2.0
Battery: 4000 mAh Non-Removable
Operating System: EMUI 5.1 based on Android Nougat
Price: 29,999
Motorola Moto Z2 Play
Motorola Moto Z series has been known for its sleek design and modular concept, which is a rarity these days. The same is reflected on this year’s Moto Z2 Play smartphone, which can be considered as one of the slimmest smartphone available in the market right now with just 5.99mm thickness. At the back, you 16 magnetic pins through, which one can easily connect different Moto Mods.
Another area where the Moto Z2 Play does a pretty decent job is the battery department. In spite of packing a 3000mAh battery, the phone delivers impressive battery backup. Coupled this with Stock Android experience, which ensures timely updates, the Moto Z2 Play has more ticks than crosses.
On the inside, we get the latest Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 626 chipset which is clocked at 2.2 GHz along with Adreno 506 GPU. The phone comes with 4GB RAM and 64GB Internal storage which is further expandable up to 256GB via a dedicated microSD card slot. The performance of the device is good in most of the departments. Overall, with a price tag of Rs 27,999, the smartphone can be considered as a pretty good choice.
Key Specs:
Display: 5.5-inch Full HD Super AMOLED (1920 x 1080 pixels)
Processor: 2.2GHz Octa-Core Qualcomm Snapdragon 626 | Adreno 506 GPU
RAM/Storage: 4GB RAM/64GB storage | Expandable 256GB (hybrid slot)
Camera:
Rear: 12MP, 1.4-micron pixels, f/1.7 aperture, dual LED flash and laser and dual autofocus lens
Front: 5MP, f/2.2 aperture, Wide-Angle lens and a front flash
Battery: 3000 mAh Non-Removable
Operating System: Android 7.1.1 Nougat
Price: 27,999
Samsung Galaxy C7 Pro
Samsung Galaxy C7 Pro is yet another device that comes loaded with pretty interesting specs sheet, though you can find the same specs for half of its price. But still, it is a pretty decent device.
The major highlight of the device is the 5.7-inch Full HD Super AMOLED display, which makes it an ideal device to ease all your streaming obsession. The phone also flaunts a 16-megapixel shooter on the back and a 16-megapixel camera at the front with f/1.9 aperture. Both the cameras can record full-HD videos at 30 frames per second. The company has a good past record in the imaging department and same can be said for this one.
Overall, with a sleek form factor coupled with some interesting specifications, the device can be considered as a good option.
Key Specs:
Display: 5.7-inch Full HD Super AMOLED (1920 x 1080 pixels)
Processor: 2.2 GHz Octa-Core Qualcomm Snapdragon 625 | Adreno 506 GPU
RAM/Storage: 4GB RAM/64GB storage | Expandable 256GB (hybrid slot)
Camera:
Rear: 16MP, 1.4-micron pixels, f/1.9 aperture, dual LED flash
Front: 16MP, f/1.9 aperture
Battery: 3300 mAh Non-Removable
Operating System: Android 6.0.1 Marshmallow (upgradable to Android Nougat)
Price: 24,900
OnePlus 3T
Though OnePlus has launched its latest flagship device, the OnePlus 5, in the Indian market, it is OnePlus 3T that took the company to new heights. The OnePlus 3T can be considered as one of the best smartphone available in this price range and this is particularly because of the phone has proven its worth in every department and has been people’s favourite for a long time.
The smartphone features a Qualcomm Snapdragon 821 processor, which is mostly present in the flagship series along with an impressive 6GB of RAM and 64GB of internal storage, which makes it quite fast and a pretty useful phone for a power user. Couple this with the Dash charge technology, which allows you to charge your device in just an hour of charge is a pretty useful thing. Recently, the smartphone also received a price cut and it is now available at price of Rs 25,999, which makes probably the best option to consider if you are looking for a smartphone under Rs 30,000.
Key Specs:
Display: 5.5-inch Full HD Super AMOLED (1920 x 1080 pixels)
Processor: 2.35 GHz Octa-Core Qualcomm Snapdragon 821 | Adreno 530 GPU
RAM/Storage: 6GB RAM/64GB storage
Camera:
Rear: 16MP, 1.12-micron pixels, f/2.0 aperture, dual LED flash, 4K video recording
Front: 16MP, f/2.0 aperture
Battery: 3400 mAh Non-Removable
Operating System: Android 6.0.1 Marshmallow (upgradable to Android 7.1.1 Nougat)
Price: 25,999
Apple iPhone SE
Alright, this might be a shocker for some, but hey, consider this. The Apple iPhone SE is probably one of the best iPhones you consider right now without stretching your budget to double. Apple has already promised that the iPhone SE will receive the latest iOS 11 update, which makes it a perfect option for those who want to use Apple’s operating system.
Plus, the smartphone packs some pretty interesting internals, which almost matches to the iPhone 6s. The device is powered by Apple’s A9 Chip which is built in 64-bit architecture and has the M9 motion co-processor. The same processor can be found in the iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus. It has a 12-megapixel iSight rear camera with pixel size of 1.22µ, autofocus, panorama mode (can create images in up to 63 MP), f/2.2 aperture, five-element lens, Hybrid IR filter, auto image stabilization, geotagging, noise reduction and face detection features. Again, you get the same rear camera as present in the iPhone 6s. Overall, if you want a secure smartphone and you are eager to taste Apple then this is the option you should go for.
Key Specs:
Display: 4-inch Retina Display (1136 x 640 pixels, 326ppi)
Processor: A9 chip with M9 motion coprocessor
RAM/Storage: 2GB RAM/32GB storage
Camera:
Rear: 12MP, f/2.2 aperture, 4K video recording at 30fps, time-lapse video
Front: 1.2MP, f/2.4 aperture, Retina Flash, 720p HD video recording
Battery: 1624 mAh Non-Removable
Operating System: iOS 10 (upgradable to iOS 11)
Price: Rs 22,999