CMF Phone 1

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Nothing’s budget phone is the latest player in the sub-R20,000 category, and it not only has exciting tech under the hood but also makes some interesting and wild design choices. The phone runs on a 4nm Midiatek Dimensity 7300 chip and has an AMOLED 120Hz 6.67-inch screen with a resolution of 1080x2400 and a peak brightness of 2,000 nits. The phone is available in two RAM variants, 6GB and 8GB, with 128GB of space, expandable via microSD by up to 2TB. For cameras, it has a 50MP and a 2MP on the rear and a 16MP on the front. While this camera can take regular photos and videos well, it has serious limitations with zoomed-in shots. The battery is a modest 5,000 mAh, with no charger in the box, though. The design choices here, as mentioned, are also interesting. The back panel is screwed in, and you can actually take it apart and change the cover entirely for a new look. An accessory port in the corner attaches to things like a lanyard, phone stand and even a wallet. The phone will retail for Rs 15,999, though the official starting price is Rs 19,999.

Realme 12 Plus

The Realme 12 Plus debuted at Rs 20,999, but it is now available for less than Rs 19,000. The phone features a 6.67-inch OLED display that stands out with a 120Hz refresh rate and a peak brightness of 2,000 nits, similar to the CMF Phone 1. The Realme 12 Plus is powered by the MediaTek Dimensity 7050 SoC and 8GB of RAM. A vapour cooling chamber also manages heat during heavy loads like gaming. Camera-wise, the phone has a 50 MP primary camera paired with an 8 MP ultra-wide lens and a 2 MP macro sensor. The 16 MP front camera delivers decent selfies. Like most on this list, this phone is powered by a 5,000 mAh battery and comes with a 67W fast charger in the box. They claim charging times of 45 minutes for a full charge. The phone runs on Realme UI 5.0, based on Android 14; the software experience is clean, with a few removable pre-installed apps. The vegan leather in this phone is also a nice touch.

iQOO Z9 5G

Powered by the MediaTek Dimensity 7200 chipset and paired with 8GB of RAM and 128GB of storage, the iQOO Z9 5G is here to compete. The phone’s 6.67-inch AMOLED display offers a 120Hz refresh rate and 1,800 nits peak brightness. Design-wise, the brushed green variant is eye-catching with its unique paintbrush-like strokes on the back, making it stand out from the crowd. At the rear, it has a dual camera setup featuring a 50 MP primary sensor and a 2 MP depth sensor. The front camera is a respectable 16 MP. Like the CMF phone, this one is lacking in the camera array department, translating into a less-than-optimal camera. If you are looking for a phone with a superb camera, this one isn’t it. Battery life is good thanks to a 5,000 mAh battery that supports 44W fast charging. Connectivity options are also robust, including 5G, Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.3, and an in-display fingerprint scanner. This one starts at Rs 19,999 for the 8GB/128GB combo.

POCO X6 5G

When it comes to mid-range smartphones, the POCO is a name that’s hard to ignore. The POCO X6 5G is retailing for around R18,999 and features a 6.67-inch AMOLED panel with a 120Hz refresh rate and a peak brightness of 1,800 nits. Further, the screen is protected by Gorilla Glass Victus. As for cameras, the X6 has a 64 MP main camera, an 8 MP ultra-wide, and a 2 MP macro shooter. For selfies, the phone has a 16 MP front camera. Interestingly, the phone is powered by the Snapdragon 7s Gen 2 chipset and comes with a choice of 8GB or 12GB of RAM. The phone runs on MIUI 14.0.2, which is based on Android 13. The battery life on the POCO X6 5G is a solid 5,100mAh and is paired with a 67W fast charger. The colours available for the phone are pretty good; the Snowstorm White is a keeper.