The sub-Rs 30,000 smartphone market looks completely different after June and the launch of a new OnePlus Nord. We already had some excellent options in this segment like last year’s Google Pixel 4a, Xiaomi’s Mi 11X and RealmeX7 Max 5G. Even the original OnePlus Nord is less than a year old and still in demand. However, the new Nord heats up the competition by bringing a practical 5G smartphone in the mid-premium segment.

Both the OnePlus Nord CE 5G and Mi 11X pack powerful specifications despite keeping the price in control. Both the smartphones are 5G ready, have good processor, decent camera systems and fast charging support. So if you are in the market for a mid-premium smartphone, here are our best picks for best smartphones under Rs 30,000 in July 2021.

OnePlus Nord CE 5G

One of the latest entrants to our list of the best smartphones under Rs 30,000 is the OnePlus Nord CE 5G which costs Rs 22,999 for the base variant. The smartphone is not a direct successor to the OnePlus Nord but, packs all the goodness with a few upgrades. It continues to focus on user experience, has a smooth 90Hz AMOLED display, capable Snapdragon 750G processor and a bigger 4500mAh battery pack. It is also one of the rare OnePlus smartphones in the recent times to have a 3.5mm headphone jack. Then, there is of course the OxygenOS experience that you won’t get anywhere else.

Mi 11X

The Mi 11X is probably the best smartphone under Rs 30,000 right now if you look at the all-round aspect. The smartphone offers an AMOLED display with 120Hz refresh rate, Qualcomm Snapdragon 870 processor and a triple rear camera setup. In terms of numbers, you get a 6.67-inch AMOLED display and Qualcomm Snapdragon 870 processor. It features a triple camera array at the back, including a 48-megapixel primary sensor, 8-megapixel ultra-wide sensor, and a 5-megapixel tele macro sensor.

At the front, there’s a 20-megapixel selfie camera. The handset packs a 4520mAh battery with 33W fast charging.

Realme X7 Max 5G

It is turning out to be a weird year for Realme. The smartphone maker has come up with some really good devices but they just don’t seem enough. The Realme X7 Max 5G makes a good case for itself though. It has a good display, a new but exciting processor and is priced at Rs 26,999 for the base model. Realme X7 Max 5G features a 6.43-inch 120Hz Super AMOLED display.

The phone packs MediaTek Dimensity 1200 processor making it the first with this chipset in India. It has a 64-megapixel main camera, an 8-megapixel ultra-wide-angle camera and the 2-megapixel macro camera. On the front, there is a 16-megapixel selfie shooter. The Realme X7 Max 5G comes with a 4500mAh battery inside.

Google Pixel 4a

It’s not often you seem Google Pixel smartphones selling around the Rs 30,000 mark. Grab them if you do. The Google Pixel 4a is a rare compact smartphone in the market which should be considered by anyone looking for a good camera performance. It features a 5.8-inch screen which is ideal for one hand use. The phone is powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 730G with 6GB of RAM and 128GB of storage.

The biggest highlight of the Pixel 4a is its 12.2-megapixel dual pixel sensor with f/1.7 aperture and support for optical and electronic image stabilisation. The handset supports 18W fast charging.