Budget 15-20K "Best" Android phone for under 20k?

iPwnz

Brutally Honest
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Can you guys give me some personal recommendations for the best phone under 20k? Regardless of the specs or brand or even what I want.
Please state your reasons for it if possible. I'm thinking of getting one during this Republic Day sale if possible.

I've also read the template and looked into my requirements and couldn't find a phone which I really like so I'll choose only the relevant info from the template (just for formality's sake).

1. Budget?
A: INR 20k max.

2. Preferred display size, type and resolution?
A: FHD. Super AMOLED would be great (M51)

3. Preferred connectivity options? (4G, 3G, 2G etc).
A: 4G. Don't need 5G.

4. Do you have any brand preference or dislike? Please name them.
A: I like Moto for its stock Android. I used to hate Xiaomi phones for its MIUI interface and bloatwares. And Oppo, Vivo phones etc. I should mention that I don't know how to root phones.

5. What is your intended use for this phone (internet, camera, multimedia, mails etc.)?
A: Camera, video recording and light gaming. I need 60fps for 1080p. Don't need 4k.

6. Single SIM/ Dual SIM?
A: Dual SIM with dedicated MicroSD card slot

7. New or Used?
A: New is preferred. Old is fine if I get a good deal on phones less than 2 years old with good battery life. 2+ years is a big NO. Especially those users who play games a lot and charge a hundred times a day.

8. Any other requirements?
A: Need good battery backup. Nothing less than 5000mah battery if possible. Fewer options I know. Need SD730G chipset minimum.

9. If you have already considered a phone, then please mention the model
A: Samsung M51 has almost everything which I need. What it doesn't have are: 60fps video recording and stabilized video recording. Just these two
Moto Fusion Plus. But it doesn't have a dedicated MicroSD card slot. I want to add 128GB card. Also 5000mah battery. If it had 6000mah battery it would have been an instant pick.
Moto G9 Power. This was my first choice. But the the HD+ screen and lack of dedicated card slot hurt it.
I currently own a Moto G5+.

What do you guys think?
 
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I have no such issue with my G5+ I've never noticed it.
Anyway this 120Hz seems to be Moto's way of trying to not look "outdated" in today's market though I really believe that it will only end up increasing the price by a significant amount. Even 90Hz would've been fine imo since this is not branded as a "gaming" phone.
Even the G40 has similar SoC display. Hopefully the Xiaomi Note 10 will make Moto's pricing of these new phones more "reasonable" than the predecessors.
I hope G40 Fusion won't cost more than 14-15k and the G60 will cost below 18k and not more than 20k.
And oh, PLEASE FOR THE LOVE OF ALL THE GOOD THINGS IN THE WORLD NO HYBRID SIM SLOT!! :shifty:
 
I have no such issue with my G5+ I've never noticed it.
Anyway this 120Hz seems to be Moto's way of trying to not look "outdated" in today's market though I really believe that it will only end up increasing the price by a significant amount. Even 90Hz would've been fine imo since this is not branded as a "gaming" phone.
Even the G40 has similar SoC display. Hopefully the Xiaomi Note 10 will make Moto's pricing of these new phones more "reasonable" than the predecessors.
I hope G40 Fusion won't cost more than 14-15k and the G60 will cost below 18k and not more than 20k.
And oh, PLEASE FOR THE LOVE OF ALL THE GOOD THINGS IN THE WORLD NO HYBRID SIM SLOT!! :shifty:
Its actually very difficult to get a phone with no compromises, I'm always in the same boat as you whenever going for a new phone. Hopefully these moto phones would be competitve in price and have all the feats you need.
 
That is true. But Xiaomi offers it. Xiaomi Note 10 has exceptional specs (on paper). I just don't like Xiaomi both as a brand as well as a product. If Xiaomi can do it why can't others?
Moto has made a lot of decent phones but no phone which I think can be called "great." That's all.
Hopefully the G40/60/100 will be.
 
Sale postponed. Is it because of the lockdown in some states?
I also hate the fact that they still went for hybrid SIM slots. I have two active SIMs. Looks like I need to let one go. :(
 
I might have got this, but no magnetometer ...

Diffs I could find (ya, I really was waiting for this phone :) ), see pic. ignore the single sim.

EDIT 02 May 2021 : NFC has been removed from the G 40 specs at the Moto IN site.
 

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Is it for astronomy?
Which one are you planning to buy? I wanted to go for the G40 but the basic model comes only in 4/64. I thought it would 6/128. And the difference only in cameras. The G40 6/128 has worse vfm than Note 10 6/128.
If I can get an icici account I might go for the G60. Instant 1500rs discount it says.
Btw Xiaomi Note 10 doesn't seem like a bad option at all. In fact I feel that if people don't mind not using stock Android they should go for Note 10 with better specs here and there and at lower cost too. The basic Note 10 with 6/128 costs only 14k. Moto's G40 Fusion with 6/128 costs.
As usual Moto India thinks they can get away just because of stock Android.
 
Only "Accelerometer, Gyroscope, Proximity, Ambient Light, Sensor Hub, Fingerprint reader". Maaan I couldn't believe what I was seeing.
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Is it for astronomy?
If you are asking about the magnetometer, no, I use Google Maps a lot - when I travel. Magnetometer lets me know which direction I'm facing. If you are not in a city it's really needed.
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The G60 has a hidden front flash it seems.
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No mention of screen protection ( if you can forget the magnetometer you can also forget to include 'gorilla glass', right ? LOL )
 
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Stock android ones tends to be priced a bit higher than competiton as they think it's stock. But skipping out on essentials like magnetometer, puff!!
Reminds me what Samsung used to do with their crappy J-series phones, skipping down on the most essential connectivity features. They learnt their lesson the hard way.
 
Get a phone with good community support and install custom roms to get stock android. People seem to be ready to overpay moto for their underpowered phones just for the name and stock software.
 
Get a phone with good community support and install custom roms to get stock android. People seem to be ready to overpay moto for their underpowered phones just for the name and stock software.
Guilty lol...
Does the Note 10 have a good community support? I'm not really into xda and things like customization.
Will installing custom ROM remove the ads and bloatwares miui comes with?
Will it be possible to revert back to default from custom ROM? For warranty issue?
I've had a few non-stock Android phones but my whole life I've been using mostly Moto phones and you know what they say about old habits dying hard... I love the bloatware-free experience :D
 
Guilty lol...
Does the Note 10 have a good community support? I'm not really into xda and things like customization.
Will installing custom ROM remove the ads and bloatwares miui comes with?
Will it be possible to revert back to default from custom ROM? For warranty issue?
I've had a few non-stock Android phones but my whole life I've been using mostly Moto phones and you know what they say about old habits dying hard... I love the bloatware-free experience :D
Xiaomi phones by far the easiest to install custom roms on. They provide a nice tool to unlock bootloader and also to install stock software if you want to go back or lock boot loader.

The custom rom scene is mostly now on telegram as it is much faster to communicate there. There is only one step where you would be required to enter a command from your pc to install a recovery.... after this it is the same steps to install any rom.

Download the zip file -> clear some partitions -> install the zip
 
I agree with everyone here all xiaomi note series and and even poco x3 have amazing community support , roms and even gcam ports.


I'll learn how to. What other choice do I have.

you dont necessarily need to root even. Easiest way is on a xiaomi switch to eu region rom it disables add ( or disable them manuelly via options ), use xiomi debloater tool to remove all bloatware and install a good launcher which will make your phone look and work like stock android basically and you are done. Its super easy and all of this should take `15 minutes total. I was skeptical of the muiu devices to until recently i got one ( poco ) recently and saw how easy it is to remove al bloatware , adds and root if you want to.

But ofcourse you can root as well and install new custom rom if thats what you wish to do.
 
Fcuk... How did I forget to mention this as suggested by @nick.knack91011 where I had precisely done the same..
If you are fine with miui but don't want ads, do as mentioned by nick.knack91011. If you want stock Android experience then custom roms are the only options in Xiaomi phones.
 
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