Budget 25-30k 5G Phone with 3.5mm jack and expandable storage

arkob145

Recruit
1. Budget?
A: INR 30k

2. Preferred display size, type and resolution?
A: AMOLED, FHD+, Size : Smaller is preferred.

3. Preferred operating system? (Android (with version), iOS, etc).
A: Android

4. Preferred connectivity options? (4G, 3G, 2G etc).
A: I travel a lot, so more 4g/5g band coverage is better.

5. Do you have any brand preference or dislike? Please name them.
A: No Samsungs. Should have good service network

6. What is your intended use for this phone (internet, camera, multimedia, mails etc.)?
A: Camera, media and light gaming.

7. Single SIM/ Dual SIM?
A: Dual Sim. No e-sim.

8. New or Used? Online or Offline?
A: New. Don’t mind buying online

9. Any other requirements?
A: 3.5mm jack and/or expandable storage. Needs to have at least one of these features. IP68 would be a plus. Mediatek SoCs preferred.

10. If you have already considered a phone, then please mention the model
A: Tecno Camon 20 Pro, Lava Agni 2

Hello,

I was really looking forward to phones which were launched in the last few months such as the Moto Edge 40, OnePlus Nord 3 and the OnePlus 11R, but seems like
none of them really tick all my boxed. Ideally, I want a phone that has a 3.5mm jack, and expandable stoarge. I'll settle for any one of the two, but even that doesn't seem like an option. I don't want to spend 30k+ on a phone with neither, and Sony Experia series isn't available in India afaik.

So my only option seems to be the Tecno Camon 20 Pro 5G, which has a 3.5mm jack, and expandable storage. Only thing is I can't find anything about which 4g/5g bands it covers. GSM arena only mentions the type of 5g it supports and not the specific bands. Some other websites only list 2 bands, which is a no go for me. So sort of stuck in choosing a phone. I can wait till Diwali, or even New Year to get a phone, but I'm not sure if there are any upcoming launches that are worth waiting for.

Also looking at the LAVA Agni 2 as a backup phone because at less than 20k, i think it's worth a shot. Early reviews seem to be positive, and it seems to have good 5g and 4g band coverage.

Cheers
 
Pixel 6a is a compact phone under 30k but lacks 3.5mm jack & expandable storage. Battery life is average but lasts a day for my friends. 60Hz is an issue if upgrading from a phone with high refresh rate panel, else no issues. Has 1 eSIM.

Moto Edge 40 is slightly taller than 6a, so still relatively compact & light. Again no 3.5mm jack & expandable storage but has 256GB storage.

Poco F5 is another good option. Has 3.5 jack with 256GB base storage (no SD card slot). Just double check on eSIM on these two. Software wise I will give advantage to Pixel, then Moto, with Poco at the end. Performance wise its the opposite. Camera wise Pixel is at the top.

I won't recommend Techno or Lava because of potential OS issues & after-sales issues. Also, if you are buying during Diwali, asking now is pointless. No one knows about deals & new launches that might happen by then. Maybe OP 11R will fall to 30k, who knows.
 
Poco F5 and Asus Zenfone 10 (IDK about India launch) both have 3.5mm jack but lacks SD card slot (I think SD card slot extinct for mid range above I had setup a reverse proxy using Zerotier to my OMV NAS for more storage)
 
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