Redmi Note 10 Pro Max remains to be the best smartphone under Rs 20,000 even six months after its launch. Surprising, maybe. It’s largely because, for some weird reason, most smartphone makers have focused on the mid-premium category and have completely forgotten about the affordable phones. The positive side of this is that a lot of smartphones that were launched around Rs 25,000 were selling for less than Rs 20,000 during the festive season sales. The sub-Rs 20,000 segment saw a lot of innovation in the first half of this year though.

Apart from the Redmi Note 10 Pro Max, we also had a Poco X3 Pro, Realme 8 Pro and a few others that gave some impressive features for the price. Most of these smartphones have a decent mid-range processor, a capable camera setup, and an excellent display panel. In addition, the current offerings on the market include features like an in-display fingerprint sensor and 5G support as well. In case you are planning to buy a new smartphone, here are the best smartphones under Rs 20,000 in November 2021.

Redmi Note 10 Pro Max

As mentioned before, the Redmi Note 10 Pro Max remains to be your best bet, under Rs 20,000. The smartphone comes with a lot of exciting features and a glass back is one of them. It has a premium feel to it, packs a Qualcomm Snapdragon 732G processor and runs on MIUI 12 based on Android 11. The phone comes with a 6.67-inch Full-HD+ Super AMOLED display with 120Hz refresh rate and can be grabbed for 19,999 for the 6GB RAM and 128GB storage model. The smartphone features a 108-megapixel quad camera setup and packs a 5020mAh battery. It supports 33W fast charging.

Our verdict: The Redmi Note 10 Pro Max is an excellent overall package at this price. It offers decent performance, display and battery prowess. So, if you’re looking for the perfect smartphone under Rs 20,000, then your search should end with the Redmi Note 10 Pro Max.

Realme 8 Pro

The Realme 8 Pro failed to make a big impact, only because there was already a Redmi Note 10 Pro Max at the same price and with better features. If you keep the Note 10 Pro Max aside, then even the Realme 8 Pro is a very capable device. It features a 6.4-inch Super AMOLED display, is powered by the same Snapdragon 720G processor and packs a 4500mAh battery with 50W SuperDart charger support. Realme also equipped the device with a 108-megapixel main camera to compete with the Xiaomi phone.

Our verdict: The Realme 8 Pro is an excellent package only if you are considering it for the camera it offers. Otherwise, there are other phones that offer similar performance or even better. The biggest thing that goes in favour of the Realme 8 Pro is it comes at a lower starting price of Rs 17,999 when compared to the Xiaomi Redmi Note 10 Pro Max.

iQOO Z3

The iQOO Z3 is one of those smartphones that has seen multiple price drops and discounts during the festive sales. It is a good option, under Rs 20,000 if performance is your priority. The smartphone comes with a Qualcomm Snapdragon 768G processor, 55W Flash charge support, and a 64-megapixel primary rear camera. The handset also comes with a 120Hz refresh rate for smooth animation. It features a 6.58-inch Full-HD+ display and packs a 4400mAh battery.

Our verdict: The iQOO Z3 fared well in our tests, and we liked it for its attractive design. The handset offers optimum performance and excellent battery life. However, a few things don’t go in its favour, and those are average camera performance and a display that’s not among the best in the price segment. The UI is also filled with bloatware.

Infinix Note 10 Pro

Infinix has grown a lot in India lately. The smartphone maker has introduced some great devices over the last few years and the Infinix Note 10 Pro is one of them. The basic Rs 16,999 model comes with 8GB of RAM and 256GB storage. Clearly, this offers the best storage as compared to other phones on the list. The smartphone comes with a 6.95-inch Full-HD+ punch-hole display with a 90Hz refresh rate. The Infinix Note 10 Pro is powered by a Helio G95 octa-core processor and packs a 64-megapixel quad camera setup. The handset packs a massive 5000mAh battery.

Our verdict: The Infinix Note 10 Pro packs a solid design and a display that almost matches a tablet. However, a few things do not go in favour of the Infinix Note 10 Pro, and that includes camera performance and the massive screen size that makes it bulky for everyday use.