If you have a budget of under 40k, you can still expect premium design, best-in-class performance, a decent camera, and a flagship-grade experience. We have curated the list of best smartphones under Rs. 40,000 which you can consider in 2020.

Best Phones under Rs 40,000 to buy in India

In 2021, 40K can get you premium design, decent (but not flagship-grade) cameras, fast charging, and even Snapdragon 800 series chipsets. Here are the best options that you can choose from. 

1. iQOO 7 and iQOO 7 Legend 

iQOO is back with very disruptive 7 series phones that start at INR 31,990 and INR 39,990. The 7 Legend is powered by Snapdragon 888 octa-core chipset and the iQOO 7 (review) employs the second-in-line Snapdragon 870 octa-core chipset. Other than that, the two phones are more similar than different. 

Hardware includes LPDDR5 RAM, UFS 3.1 storage, in-display fingerprint sensor, 66W fast charging and Android 11-based software. If you are into gaming or are looking for an allrounder, the iQOO 7 and iQOO 7 Legend are definitely worth considering.  iQOO 7 Legend Specs Display: 6.62 inches AMOLED FHD+, 120Hz| Processor: Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 octa-core CPU  | RAM: up to 12GB| Storage: 256GB | Software: Android 11  Rear camera: 48MP + 13MP + 2MP | Front camera: 16MP | Weight: 209.5g | Dimensions: 162.2 x 75.8 x 8.7 mm  |Battery: 4000mAh, 66W fast charging iQOO 7 Specs Display: 6.62 inches AMOLED FHD+, 120Hz| Processor: Qualcomm Snapdragon 870 octa-core CPU  | RAM: up to 12GB| Storage: 256GB | Software: Android 11  Rear camera: 48MP + 13MP + 2MP | Front camera: 16MP | Weight: 196g | Dimensions: 163.3 x 76.4 x 8.4 mm |Battery: 4400mAh, 66W fast charging

2. OnePlus 9R

OnePlus 9R is a rehashed OnePlus 8T and should be relevant a little longer. It looks premium and is powered by Snapdragon 870 octa-core chipset with LPDDR4x RAM and UFS 3.1 storage.

What you are getting here is fast and smooth performance, coupled with Android 11 based OxygenOS 11 that looks clean and closer-to-stock Android. The cameras and battery mileage are quite decent too.  Display: 6.55-inch FHD+ AMOLED, 120Hz | Processor: Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 octa-core CPU  | RAM: up to 12GB| Storage: up to 256GB | Software: Android 11 | Rear camera: 48MP + 16MP + 5MP + 2MP | Front camera: 16MP | Weight: 189g | Dimensions: 160.7 x 74.1 x 8.4 mm |Battery: 4500mAh, 65W fast charging 

3. Xiaomi Mi 11x Pro

Xiaomi Mi 11x Pro is again a disruptive phone that’s powered by Snapdragon 888 octa-core chipset paired with 8GB RAM and 128GB storage. 

The phone has a 120Hz AMOLED display, is reasonably slim, and weighs just 196 grams.  Display: 6.67-inch FHD+ AMOLED, 120Hz | Processor: Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 octa-core CPU  | RAM: up to 8GB| Storage: 128GB | Software: Android 11 | Rear camera: 108MP + 8MP + 5MP| Front camera: 20MP | Weight: 196 grams | Dimensions: 163.7x 76.4 x 7.8mm|Battery: 4520mAh

4. OPPO Reno5 Pro 

Oppo Reno 5 Pro (review) is perhaps the most ergonomic phone you can buy in the mid-range segment. This one has got a fluid AMOLED display with curved side edges, has a gorgeous texture on its back glass, and is powered by MediaTek Dimensity 1000+ 5G chipset. 

Oppo focuses on young content creators. There are four cameras on the rear and a 64MP sensor leads the pack. On the front, the Reno5 pro has a 32MP selfie camera. Other features include 65W fast charging, Android 11 software, and Wi-Fi 6 connectivity.

5. Vivo X60

Vivo X60 is a very interesting Snapdragon 870 powered phone priced under 40K. 

  To start with, it’s remarkably handy. The handset is just 7.4mm thick and weighs only 176 grams. There is Gorilla Glass 6 on the front, up to 256GB UFS 3.1 storage, 48MP primary camera, and 120Hz AMOLED display. The 4300mAh battery supports 33W fast charging.  Display: 6.56-inch FHD+ AMOLED (120Hz) | Processor: Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 octa-core | RAM: up to 12GB| Storage: up to 256GB | Software: Android 11 | Rear camera: 48MP + 13MP + 13MP| Front camera: 32MP | Weight: 176g | Dimensions: 159.5 x 75 x 7.6 mm |Battery: 4300mAh, 33W fast charging

6. Samsung Galaxy S20 FE (Exynos 990)

  Samsung Galaxy S20 FE is now available in 5G variant with a better Snapdragon 865 chipset, and the last year’s 4G LTE model powered by Exynos 990 is available at a mid-range price. 

This one has the same design and display, offers Android 11 based OneUI software, and is one of the best mid-range Samsung phones available for moderate users.  Display: 6.5-inch, AMOLED, 120Hz | Processor: Samsung Exynos 990  | RAM: up to 8GB| Storage: 128GB | Software: Android 11 | Rear camera: 12MP + 8MP + 12MP | Front camera: 32MP | Weight: 190g | Dimensions: 159.8 x 74.5 x 8.4 mm |Battery: 4500mAh, 25W fast charging

7. iPhone SE

Apple iPhone SE is a repackaged iPhone 8 stuffed with modern guts. It has a capable chipset and a capable rear camera. You may buy it if you’d rather prefer the iOS ecosystem over Android. 

It’s a slim and light phone with a 4.7-inch retina display and a 1821mAh battery. Other highlights include stereo speakers, fingerprint sensors, and 18W fast charging. 

Display: 4.7-inch 750 x 1334 | Processor: Apple A13 Bionic | RAM: 3GB| Storage: upto 128GB | Software: iOS| Rear camera: 12MP | Front camera: 7MP | Weight: 240g | Dimensions: 171 x 77.6 x 9.5  mm | Battery: 1821mAh

8. Google Pixel 4a

Google Pixel 4a is the bonafide camera champ under INR 40,000. And you may consider buying it for vanilla Android goodness. 

The Pixel 4a is a phone that shall grant priority access to everything Google, including Android and security updates, and it also retains an Audio jack. The hardware might not be as alluring for the price in India, but the experience trumps the specs on paper. 

Display: 5.81-inch Full HD+ OLED | Processor: Snapdragon 730G SoC | RAM: 6GB | Storage: 128GB | Software: Android 11 | Rear camera: 12.2MP | Front camera: 8MP | Battery: 3140mAh | Weight: 143g | Dimensions: 144 x 69.4 x 8.2 mm ALSO READ: 10 Best Phones Under Rs 30,000 You Can Buy In 2020

9. Realme X50 Pro 5G

The Realme X50 Pro 5G (review) offers Snapdragon 865 at a disruptive price point. The SoC is further paired with fast UFS 3.0 storage and LPDDR5 RAM, making it an excellent gaming device.   We also noticed notable improvements in display quality and camera performance. The Realme X50 Pro 5G has a frost-finish Gorilla Glass 5 back and feels quite premium in spite of its big and bulky profile. If the idea of buying the latest Qualcomm flagship chip for a bargain price is what excites you, the Realme X50 Pro is definitely worth considering. Display: 6.44-inch FHD+ AMOLED (90Hz) | Processor: Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 octa-core | RAM: up to 12GB| Storage: up to 256GB | Software: Android 10 | Rear camera: 64MP + 12MP + 8MP + 2MP | Front camera: 32MP | Weight: 205g | Dimensions: 159 x 74.2 x 8.9 mm |Battery: 4200mAh You may also check out Realme X3 Superzoom (review). ALSO READ: 8 Best Phones Under Rs 50,000 To Buy In 2021

Top 10 Phones Under Rs 40,000 in 2021

That concludes our list of best smartphones under Rs 40,000 in India. More and more consumers are willing to stretch their smartphone budgets these days, and that’s because our phones are no longer just frivolities. A number of necessary daily tasks are carried out on phones and young consumers value the premium experience more than ever before. Here’s is the list of top Phones Under Rs 40,000 in India in 2021

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