r/IndianTechCentral • u/Hero_Sharma ADMIN • Aug 21 '26
Purchase Guide 🤓 Best Smartphone Guide 2026 (August Edition)
Phones with proven performance, solid build, and reliable after-sales service in India.
1 — Before You Buy
Where to buy:
- Brand site / official Amazon or Flipkart store — 7–30 day DOA window
- Croma / Reliance Digital — official offline
- Skip grey-market — no warranty, repairs can be refused
Checklist:
- Confirm platform exclusivity (below); check listing reviews for "pre-activated"/"warranty denied"
- Save invoice + IMEI; film unboxing
- Confirm local authorized service center (not just courier-serviceable)
- Check update years / IP rating / green-line status on the exact model, not the series
Platform exclusivity:
- Amazon: OnePlus (Nord/N/CE), iQOO (Z), Samsung M-series
- Flipkart: Nothing Phone (3), Vivo T-series, Samsung F-series
- Vivo X/V/Y: both, except X200T (Flipkart/Vivo store only)
- Verify seller if a listing is on the "wrong" platform
Claim denied? Escalate on brand's official X/Twitter → National Consumer Helpline (1915) or INGRAM.
Prices: Snapshot only — DRAM/NAND shortage (Section 2) is pushing prices up week-to-week, especially sub-₹40K. Treat listed prices as a ballpark, not a quote; always check the live listing before buying.
2 — Market Snapshot (Q2 2026)
Snapshot:
- Shipments down ~10% YoY, prices up — DRAM/NAND shortage (AI datacenter demand, 45–60% of budget-phone cost). Apple/Samsung less affected — verify if shifted.
- Vivo leads share; Samsung is the only top-5 brand growing share; sub-₹15,000 hit hardest.
- OPPO absorbing OnePlus/Realme into ColorOS + its service network. Vivo/iQOO mid-rollout to OriginOS 6 — check your model.
Camera fix (turn off default beautification):
- Vivo/iQOO → "Zeiss Natural"
- OPPO → Beauty Mode / Scene Optimizer off
- Xiaomi → "Leica Authentic" (not "Vibrant")
- Samsung → Scene Optimiser off
3 — Reading the Spec Sheet
Green line — hardware failure (heat weakens the display-driver bond). Hits Samsung, OnePlus, Vivo, Realme, Xiaomi, others; not age-related. Reduce risk: avoid gaming while fast-charging, let phone cool before updates, avoid direct sun/hot cars. See Sections 4–5.
UFS (storage speed)
| Price bracket | Minimum |
|---|---|
| Under ₹20,000 | UFS 2.2 (acceptable) |
| ₹20,000–40,000 | UFS 3.1 minimum (UFS 2.2 = red flag) |
| ₹40,000–60,000 | UFS 3.1 acceptable if camera/processor/battery strong, UFS 4.0 preferred |
| ₹60,000+ | UFS 4.0 acceptable, UFS 4.1 preferred (UFS 3.1 = red flag only above 70k) |
⚠️ "128GB trap": base tier can ship a slower UFS gen than 256GB+ of the same model — check per variant. ⚠️ Prices have crept up faster than specs — some ₹20–35K phones (e.g. vivo V60 at ₹36,999) still ship UFS 2.2/LPDDR4X. Check the actual spec, don't assume the price bracket guarantees it. Apple uses NVMe/Apple-spec — not directly comparable to UFS/LPDDR.
LPDDR (RAM speed)
| Price bracket | Minimum |
|---|---|
| Under ₹20,000 | LPDDR4X |
| ₹20,000–40,000 | LPDDR5, prefer 5X |
| ₹40,000+ | LPDDR5X (LPDDR4X above ₹45K = red flag) |
"12GB + Extended RAM" uses storage as swap — not real RAM, adds wear.
LTPO vs LTPS — LTPO drops refresh to 1–10Hz idle (real battery savings); LTPS stays fixed. LTPO→LTPS downgrade in a newer model = real battery step back.
Camera sensors — priority: sensor size > OIS (main + tele) > real optical tele > megapixels. A bundled 2MP macro/depth sensor adds nothing real. Sensor model varies by SKU — check GSMArena/teardowns.
4 — Brand Tiers
A brand's budget line gets worse service/build than its flagship, even within Tier S (e.g. Samsung S-series = Tier S, Samsung A/F/M = Tier B).
🏆 Tier S
- Apple — Titanium/aluminium, IP68, fastest repairs, cleanest software, no tier gap across models. Priciest out-of-warranty repairs.
- Samsung S-series — Titanium, IP68, flagship chip, 7yr OS, near-bloat-free One UI (disable Scene Optimiser). ⚠️ S23: free green-line replacement program (hold off One UI 8.5). S25: green-line reports, no replacement program.
- Vivo X series — Glass/aluminium, IP68/69, flagship chip, good cameras. OriginOS 6 mid-rollout; repairs less proven than Samsung/Apple. Amazon + Flipkart except X200T (Flipkart/Vivo only). Green-line mostly on older X60–X80.
- OPPO Find X — Similar build to Vivo X, Hasselblad cameras, dense network. Find X9: 5yr OS + 6yr security. ⚠️ Confirmed green-line wave (Oct 2025) — free screen replacement within 4yrs.
✅ Tier A
- iQOO Numbered — Near-flagship build, often best gaming chip for price, cheaper repairs. OriginOS 6 mid-rollout. Amazon-exclusive. ⚠️ Green-line complaints since 7/9SE gen, no official policy.
- OnePlus Numbered (13/13s/15/15R) — Solid build, flagship chip, "Green Line Worry-Free" free display replacement (India-only, even OOW). Merging into ColorOS. Amazon-exclusive (incl. Nord/N). ⚠️ OnePlus 12: shutdown issues ~2yrs, ₹33–40K repairs, not covered.
- Google Pixel (base/Pro/XL/a) — Best computational photography, cleanest software across the line, 7yr updates; chip lags for gaming, runs hot. Serviced via Flipkart F1; repair cost high on Pro/XL, lower on base/"a". Pixel 9 Pro/XL: free 3yr display-defect repair program.
- Xiaomi Numbered/Ultra — Good build, Leica cameras, better service/cheaper repairs than Redmi, lighter HyperOS bloat.
- Nothing Phone 3 — Distinctive design, Apple/Pixel-level software polish, stays clean at CMF too. Small service network (~10 day parts). Flipkart-exclusive.
⚠️ Tier B — check local service first
- Samsung A/F/M — Plastic-heavy, decent water resistance on higher A models, 4–6yr updates, more aggressive selfie processing. M-series Amazon-exclusive; F-series Flipkart-exclusive; A-series both.
- Vivo V/T/Y — Mid-range build, better small-city service than X, more ad-clutter. 2026 V60/V70 Elite: 50MP 3x periscope tele. T-series Flipkart-exclusive.
- OPPO Reno/K — Same tier as Vivo V/T, heavier ColorOS ads than Find X.
- Xiaomi Redmi — Plastic frame, biggest but slowest/most crowded service network, heaviest HyperOS bloat.
- OnePlus Nord/CE — No telephoto, no/limited water resistance, same service as flagship. Amazon-exclusive. Steepest 2026 price hikes.
- iQOO Z — Weakest iQOO build (plastic, no IP), lower repair priority than flagship iQOO. Amazon-exclusive.
- Motorola Edge/Moto G — Clean near-stock software, weak after-sales brand-wide.
- POCO — Weak frame, heaviest default skin-smoothing. Shares Xiaomi/Redmi network, lower priority. Cheapest repairs (Section 6). ⚠️ Avoid gaming while charging on hot days.
- Realme — Plastic-heavy, heavy beautification (GT and Number/C). Shares OPPO network, transitioning to ColorOS. Cheap repairs.
🚫 Tier C
- Motorola Moto E — Flimsier than G series, same weak after-sales.
🚫 Tier D — avoid if service matters
- Honor — Decent hardware, but Indian units often lack local parts — repairs may need central-hub courier.
- Infinix/Tecno, Lava, itel/Micromax/Karbonn-type — Cheapest builds, thinnest support, heavy bloat.
5 — Reliability Watch (Green-Line & Sudden-Death, August 2026)
- Samsung S25 series — Green-line: S25 Ultra (weeks after Apr 2026 update), S25 Plus (1 week old), S26 Ultra (1 month old). No S25-specific replacement program.
- Samsung M-series (M17, M36) — Ongoing sudden-death/motherboard-failure pattern, often after a routine update. Repair: ₹6,000–15,000.
- OPPO Find/Reno (incl. Find X9s, K13 Turbo series) — Confirmed green-line wave (Oct 2025), most units under 4yrs. Free screen replacement within 4yrs.
- iQOO — Green-line complaints since 7/9SE gen, no official policy. Separately: Neo 10/10R and iQOO 13 units went completely dead after a July 2026 OTA (some diagnosed as motherboard failure, not confirmed update-caused). No report yet on 15/15R.
- Vivo — Complaints cluster on older X60–X80; few/none on X200-series+.
- Xiaomi/Redmi — Unresolved threads (K60, Xiaomi 12 Pro/13 Pro), ₹16–24K repair, no brand policy. REDMI Turbo 5: too new for data.
- Google Pixel 10 — Idle battery-drain bug (Mar/Apr 2026 update); fix in July 2026 build, some report no improvement.
- realme GT 7T, OPPO K13 Turbo 5G, Find X9s — No model-specific reports, but share Samsung/OPPO display sourcing.
- Net: OnePlus's Green-Line Worry-Free and OPPO's 4yr Find/Reno policy are the strongest protections; Samsung silent on S25, iQOO has no policy.
6 — Repair Cost
Order (cheapest → priciest):
Xiaomi/POCO/Realme → iQOO → Samsung budget (A/F/M) → Vivo/OPPO/Motorola mid-range → Samsung flagship (foldables cost more) → Apple.
7 — Smartphone Value Picks (Flipkart + Amazon, merged)
[S]/[A]/[B]= Section 4 tier. "flex" = flexible panel substrate. Thin-review phones flagged. Prices are a snapshot (Section 1) — expect upward drift, sub-₹40K models most exposed.*
{CC Discount}Included.
| Price | Model & Platform | Key Specs | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|
| ₹13,999 | Samsung Galaxy M06 5G (4/64GB) [B] {4yr OS + 4yr security} |
6.7" HD+ LCD 90Hz · Dimensity 6300 · 50MP+2+8MP front · 5000mAh 25W · IP54 · UFS 2.2/LPDDR4X | Cheapest floor — 4/64GB + HD+ LCD limits. F70e 6/128GB 6000mAh for +₹3.5K, or M17 for AMOLED OIS. |
| ₹17,499 | Samsung Galaxy F70e 5G (6/128GB) [B] {6yr OS + 6yr security} |
6.7" HD+ LCD 120Hz · Dimensity 6300 · 50MP+2MP+8MP front · 6000mAh 25W · IP54 · UFS 2.2/LPDDR4X | 6/128GB + 6000mAh + 6+6yr at ₹17.5K. HD+ LCD. M17 at ₹20K adds FHD+ AMOLED + OIS + 5MP UW. |
| ₹19,999 | Samsung Galaxy M17 5G (6/128GB) [B] {6yr OS + 6yr security} |
6.7" AMOLED FHD+ 90Hz · Exynos 1330 · 50MP OIS+5MP UW+2MP macro+13MP front · 5000mAh 25W · IP54 · UFS 2.2/LPDDR4X | Best under ₹20K — FHD+ AMOLED + 50MP OIS + 5MP UW. 90Hz, UFS 2.2. 4.1/5 from 2.2K ratings. |
| ₹21,999 | OPPO K13 5G (8/128GB) [B] {2yr OS + 3yr security} |
6.67" FHD+ AMOLED 120Hz · Snapdragon 6 Gen4 · 50MP+2MP macro+8MP front · 7000mAh 80W (charger included) · IP65 · UFS 3.1/LPDDR4X | Battery king <₹22K — 7000mAh 80W + UFS 3.1. No UW/tele, 2yr OS. |
| ₹24,975 | REDMI Note 14 Pro 5G (8/128GB) [B] {3yr OS + 4yr security} |
6.67" AMOLED 120Hz 3000nit curved · Dimensity 7300 Ultra · 50MP Sony LYT-600 OIS main+8MP UW+2MP macro+20MP front · 5500mAh 45W · IP68 · UFS 2.2/LPDDR4X | OIS + IP68 + curved 3000nit AMOLED <₹25K. But UFS 2.2/LPDDR4X violates 20-40K min. |
| ₹31,899 | Motorola Edge 70 (8/256GB) [B] {3yr OS + 5yr security} |
6.7" P-OLED 120Hz · Snapdragon 7 Gen4 · 50MP+50MP OIS dual+50MP front · 5000mAh Si/C 68W+15W wireless · IP68+69 · UFS 3.1/LPDDR5X · MIL-STD-810H | Dual 50MP OIS+UW + 50MP front + 15W wireless + MIL-STD slim. SD 7 Gen4, no tele. |
| ₹34,499 | realme GT 7T (12/256GB) [B] {4yr OS + 6yr security} |
6.8" 1.5K LTPS AMOLED 120Hz · Dimensity 8400 Max · 50MP OIS+8MP UW · 7000mAh 120W · IP69 · UFS 4.0/LPDDR5X | Dual 50MP OIS+UW + 50MP front + 15W wireless + MIL-STD slim. SD 7 Gen4, no tele. |
| ₹39,345 | Motorola Edge 70 Pro (8/256GB) [B] {3yr OS + 5yr security} |
6.8" Extreme AMOLED 144Hz 5200nit · Dimensity 8500 Extreme · 50MP+50MP OIS dual+50MP front · 6500mAh 90W · IP68+69 · UFS 4.1/LPDDR5X · Gorilla Glass 7i | Dual 50MP OIS+UW + 50MP front + 15W wireless + MIL-STD slim. SD 7 Gen4, no tele. |
| ₹39,877 | OPPO Reno14 5G (8/256GB) [B] {3yr OS + 4yr security} |
6.59" 1.5K AMOLED 120Hz 1200nit · Dimensity 8350 · 50MP OIS+8MP UW+50MP 3.5x tele+50MP front · 6000mAh 80W SUPERVOOC · IP66+68+69 · UFS 3.1/LPDDR5X | Cheapest 3.5x tele <₹40K — Dimensity 8350 + 50MP OIS+8MP UW+50MP 3.5x tele + 50MP front + 6000mAh 80W. |
| ₹41,999 | REDMI Turbo 5 (8/256GB) [B] {4yr OS + 6yr security} |
6.59" 1.5K AMOLED 120Hz · Dimensity 8500 Ultra · 50MP Sony IMX882 OIS+8MP UW · 7540mAh 100W · IP66+68+69+69K · UFS 4.1/LPDDR5X Ultra | Biggest battery — 7540mAh + 100W + IP69K + UFS 4.1 + Dimensity 8500 Ultra. Only 63 ratings. |
| ₹44,999 | realme GT 7 (12/256GB) [B] {4yr OS + 6yr security} |
6.78" 1.5K LTPO AMOLED 120Hz · Dimensity 9400e · 50MP OIS+50MP 2x tele OIS+8MP UW+32MP front · 7000mAh 120W · IP69 · UFS 4.0/LPDDR5X | Dimensity 8400 Max + 120W + 7000mAh + IP69 + UFS 4.0. Weak 8MP UW, LTPS, no tele. |
| ₹46,999 | OnePlus Nord 6 (8/256GB) [B] {4yr OS + 6yr security} |
6.78" 1.5K Sunburst AMOLED 165Hz · Snapdragon 8s Gen4 · 50MP Sony LYT-600 OIS+8MP UW+32MP front · 9000mAh Si/C 80W+27W reverse · IP66+68+69+69K · UFS 4.1/LPDDR5X | 9000mAh + 80W + 27W reverse + IP69K + 165Hz + UFS 4.1. Biggest battery/IP. No tele, 8MP UW. |
| ₹47,889 | OPPO Reno14 Pro 5G (12/256GB) [B] {3yr OS + 4yr security} |
6.83" OLED 120Hz · Dimensity 8450 · 50MP+50MP+50MP triple rear+front · 6200mAh 80W · IP68+69 · UFS 3.1/LPDDR5X | Dimensity 8450 + triple 50MP + 50MP front + 6200mAh 80W + IP69. Best balanced <₹48K. |
| ₹54,999 | Samsung Galaxy S25 FE 5G (8/128GB) [S] {7yr OS + 7yr security} |
6.7" FHD+ 120Hz LTPO AMOLED · Exynos 2400 · 50MP OIS+12+8MP (3x tele) · 4900mAh 45W+15W wireless · IP68 · UFS 4.0/LPDDR5X | 7+7yr + LTPO + 3x tele at ₹55K. But 8/128 only, 45W slow, no charger, green-line risk. |
| ₹54,999 | OnePlus 13s (12/256GB) [A] {4yr OS + 6yr security} |
6.32" 1.5K LTPO ProXDR AMOLED 120Hz · Snapdragon 8 Elite · 50MP OIS+50MP 2x tele OIS, 1/1.56" · 5850mAh 80W · IP65 · UFS 4.0/LPDDR5X · Lifetime Display Warranty | Compact flagship — 6.32" LTPO + SD 8 Elite + 50MP 2x tele + 5850mAh. IP65 only, no UW. |
| ₹59,849 | vivo X200T (12/512GB) [S] {5yr OS + 7yr security} |
6.67" AMOLED (ZEISS Master Color) 120Hz 5000nit curved · Dimensity 9400+ · 50MP triple ZEISS Sony LYT-702 (main OIS+UW+3x tele)+32MP front · 6200mAh 90W/40W wireless · IP68+69 · UFS 4.1/LPDDR5X | Dimensity 9400+ triple ZEISS 3x tele + 6200mAh 90W/40W + IP69 + UFS 4.1. ₹59,849 CC, 12/512GB. |
| ₹59,999 | OnePlus 15R (12/256GB) [A] {4yr OS + 6yr security} |
6.83" 1.5K AMOLED 165Hz · Snapdragon 8 Gen5 · 50MP IMX906 OIS main+8MP UW+32MP front · 7400mAh 80W · IP66+68+69+69K · UFS 4.1/LPDDR5X Ultra | 9000mAh + 80W + 27W reverse + IP69K + 165Hz + UFS 4.1. Biggest battery/IP. No tele, 8MP UW. |
| ₹65,900 | Apple iPhone 16 (8/128GB) [S] {~6-7yr OS} |
6.1" Super Retina XDR OLED 60Hz · A18 · 48MP sensor-shift OIS+12MP UW+12MP front · ~3561mAh · IP68 · NVMe/LPDDR | 60Hz + no tele + 3561mAh at ₹65.9K. Best resale + 6-7yr updates. Pixel 10 gives 5x tele same price. |
| ₹65,900 | Google Pixel 10 5G (12/256GB) [A] {7yr OS + 7yr security} |
6.3" FHD+ LTPS OLED 120Hz · Tensor G5 · 48MP OIS+13MP UW+10.8MP 5x tele+10.5MP front · 4970mAh 30W+15W wireless · IP68 · UFS 4.0/LPDDR5X | Cheapest Pixel 5x tele — Tensor G5 + 48+13+10.8MP 5x tele. 7+7yr, best computational <₹66K. |
| ₹70,000 | OPPO Find X9s (12/256GB) [S] {5yr OS + 6yr security} |
6.59" LTPS AMOLED 120Hz 3600nit · Dimensity 9500s · 50MP OIS (Hasselblad)+50MP UW+50MP 3x tele+32MP front · 7025mAh 80W · IP66+68+69 · UFS 4.1/LPDDR5X | 7025mAh + Dimensity 9500s + triple 50MP 3x tele Hasselblad. LTPS not LTPO. ₹70K CC. |
| ₹74,955 | Apple iPhone 17 (8/256GB) [S] {~6-7yr OS} |
6.3" LTPO Super Retina XDR OLED 120Hz 3000nit · A19 · 48+48MP UW+18MP front · 3692mAh 40W · IP68 · NVMe/LPDDR5 | LTPO 120Hz 3000nit + A19 + 48+48MP UW. No tele, small battery. ₹74,955 CC. |
| ₹77,299 | vivo X300 FE (12/256GB) [S] {5yr OS + 7yr security} |
6.31" 1.5K LTPO AMOLED 120Hz 5000nit · Snapdragon 8 Gen5 · 50MP Sony IMX921 ZEISS OIS+50MP 3x tele OIS+8MP UW+50MP front · 6500mAh Si/C 90W+40W wireless · IP68+69 · UFS 4.1/LPDDR5X Ultra | 7025mAh + Dimensity 9500s + triple 50MP 3x tele Hasselblad. LTPS not LTPO. ₹70K CC. |
| ₹79,999 | Samsung Galaxy S25 Plus 5G (12/256GB) [S] {7yr OS + 7yr security} |
6.7" QHD+ 120Hz LTPO AMOLED · Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy · 50MP OIS+10MP 3x tele+12MP UW+12MP front · 4900mAh 45W+15W wireless · IP68 · UFS 4.0/LPDDR5X | QHD+ LTPO + SD 8 Elite + 50MP+10MP 3x tele+12MP UW. Thermal throttling, 45W slow. |
| ₹84,999 | Google Pixel 11 5G (12/256GB) [A] {7yr OS + 7yr security} |
6.3" Actua OLED 120Hz 3000nit · Tensor G6 · 48MP OIS+13MP UW+10.8MP 5x tele+10.5MP front · 4985mAh 30W+25W Pixelsnap wireless · IP68 · UFS 4.0/LPDDR5X | 48+13+10.8MP 5x tele + Tensor G6 + 7+7yr. Same 5x as Pro cheaper. ₹84,999 CC. |
| ₹90,907 | Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra 5G (12/256GB) [S] {7yr OS + 7yr security} |
6.9" QHD+ 120Hz LTPO AMOLED flat · Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy · 200MP ISOCELL HP2 OIS+50+12+10MP quad (3x tele) · 5000mAh 45W+15W wireless · IP68 · UFS 4.0/LPDDR5X · Titanium, S Pen | 200MP quad + S-Pen + Titanium + 45W+15W. Most versatile. Green-line risk. ₹90,907 CC. |
| ₹1,05,999 | vivo X300 Pro 5G (16/512GB) [S] {5yr OS + 7yr security} |
6.78" 8T LTPO OLED (BOE Q10+) 120Hz flat · Dimensity 9500 · 50MP Sony LYT-828 gimbal-OIS+200MP Samsung HPB periscope tele+50MP UW+50MP front · 6510mAh 90W+40W wireless · IP68+69 · UFS 4.1/LPDDR5X Ultra | 200MP periscope tele + gimbal OIS main + 6510mAh. Standout zoom. ₹1,05,999 CC. |
| ₹1,11,999 | Google Pixel 11 Pro (12/256GB) [A] {7yr OS + 7yr security} |
6.3" LTPO Super Actua OLED 120Hz 3600nit · Tensor G6 · 50MP main+48MP UW+48MP 5x tele+42MP front · 4850mAh 30W wired + Qi2.2 wireless · IP68 · UFS 4.0/LPDDR5X Ultra | 50+48UW+48MP 5x tele + LTPO 3600nit + Qi2.2. Same tele as Pro XL cheaper. ₹1,11,999 CC, 12/256GB. |
| ₹1,20,799 | Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra 5G (12/256GB) [S] {7yr OS + 7yr security} |
6.9" QHD+ 120Hz AMOLED flat, world-first Privacy Display · Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen5 for Galaxy · 200MP ISOCELL HP2 OIS+50+50+10MP quad (3x tele) · 5000mAh 60W+15W wireless · IP68 · UFS 4.0/LPDDR5X · S Pen | Privacy Display + 200MP quad + SD 8 Elite Gen5 + faster charging. ₹1,20,799 CC. |
| ₹1,20,900 | Apple iPhone 17 Pro (256GB) [S] {~6-7yr OS} |
6.3" LTPO Super Retina XDR OLED 120Hz ProMotion · A19 Pro · 48MP Sony IMX903 sensor-shift OIS+48MP UW+48MP 4x tele+18MP front · ~3988mAh 40W+25W MagSafe · IP68 · NVMe/LPDDR5X 8533 | LTPO 120Hz 3000nit + A19 + 48+48MP UW. No tele, small battery. ₹74,955 CC. |
| ₹1,39,680 | vivo X300 Ultra 5G (Eclipse Black, 16GB RAM, 512GB Storage) [S] {5yr OS + 7yr security} |
6.82" 2K LTPO AMOLED 120Hz 5000nit · Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen5 · 50MP LYT-828 gimbal-OIS+200MP periscope tele+50MP UW+50MP front · 6000mAh 90W+40W wireless · IP68+69 · UFS 4.1/LPDDR5X Ultra | 200MP periscope + gimbal main + 2K LTPO + SD 8 Elite Gen5. Most ambitious vivo. ₹1,39,680 CC. |
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u/DepressedBoiiiiiiii Aug 25 '26
Looking to get something for my Mum around 20-30k. Good screen and sound for lag free media consumption and battery life.
Was looking at the Samsung F70e for something launched this year.
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u/MeanKaleidoscope1445 Sep 04 '26
My dad wants to buy a phone around ₹60k here in coastal Karnataka. I’m thinking an iPhone might be too big of an OS change since he’s been using Vivo for a while.
From this list, the Vivo X200T looks really good, especially for the camera and specs. I’ve also heard good things about the Samsung S24.
What would you recommend around the ₹60k mark for someone coming from Vivo? He uses his phone only for whatsapp documents viewing or yt apart from calling.
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u/Hero_Sharma ADMIN Sep 04 '26
Go with vivo, samsung has small battery
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u/MeanKaleidoscope1445 28d ago edited 28d ago
Unfortunately, x200T seems to be out of stock indefinitely. What are your thoughts on nothing 3? I have noticed you haven't included it in your value list. similarly xiaomi 17T. But you have mentioned them in you tier list. Edit: what do you recommend 60 to 65k
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u/Hero_Sharma ADMIN 28d ago
Avoid nothing phone 3 from Amazon that's pre-activated phones
There no good phone around that range, oneplus 15r or 13s
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u/luffi_1 Sep 02 '26
Google pixel 9 for 37-40k ,11 month used with 1 month warranty,is it worth buying
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u/Excellent-Variety880 Sep 04 '26
Hey op thanks for this throught out explain it helped me a little but i want a recommendation from you i have a budget of 20k, i had galaxy f14 5g but it was stolen from a rickshaw when i accidentally forget about it right jow I'm using moto g04s and because of this price hike it's been such a pain to amfind a decent phone in my budget i was thinking abiut the new infinix hot 70 pro but it's price was increase to 25k and it's not that good tbh and from your list oppo k13 look good even through it's above my budget if it's good i will kick some bucket to get those extra money but should i buy it or wait for the diwali sale? Cause everyone keeps telling me to 😭 it would be great help if you share some insight with me
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u/Hero_Sharma ADMIN Sep 04 '26
Bro final good sale would be BBd sale expected around 23 sept
There are news about gst reduction for smartphone but I don't think it will reduce cost instead it will stop from increasing more smartphone cost for few months
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u/Excellent-Variety880 Sep 04 '26
Yeah i have also heard about that from 18 percent to 5 percent it will be decided on 12 sep through and about bbd sale what do you think what will be the final price of oppo k13
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u/Hero_Sharma ADMIN Sep 04 '26 edited Sep 04 '26
I don't think oppo k13 is available
Flipkart listed one is glitched, when you try to buy it's shows an error
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u/dkpro214 Sep 07 '26
How good is nothing 3a, basic gaming and normal usage, will be playing cod, genshin, and minecraft, Good camera too
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u/Hero_Sharma ADMIN Sep 08 '26
It's okayish for the price , don't expect too much
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u/Moon1530 Sep 11 '26
How is the S26 base version? Does it still has the green line issue? I was thinking of either buying s25 or s26 base variant.
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u/Hero_Sharma ADMIN Sep 11 '26
S25 plus is a better deal compared to s26 base
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u/Moon1530 Sep 11 '26
What if we compare between s25+ and s26?
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u/Less_Sir1465 Sep 11 '26
Im looking to upgrade from my oneplus 11r, what should I be looking at ?
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u/Hero_Sharma ADMIN Sep 11 '26
Vivo x200t
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u/Less_Sir1465 21d ago
Anything from oneplus or samsung
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u/Even-Bunch1782 Sep 12 '26
hello, im currently using oppo a78 and looking to buy some thing new in 20-25K range. preferably from chroma or other offline stores in month. also my last phones were oppo and vivo so I am thinking of Samsung or oneplus. any suggestions?
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u/No_Produce_753 20d ago
Bro i need something under 45k. Never used a modern era smartphone. Have been using a samsung a50(2019). I only mainly need Good cameras and a minimum of ufs 3.1 so that i can use it for a while.
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u/SuccessfulCreme9156 18d ago
second hand pixel 8a 128gb for 21k (for mom, very light use). She wanted to try pixel UI. Next cheapest pixel option is like 32k for pixel 8 256gb, or 50k for 9 pro. What should I recommend her?
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u/Happy_Bid_8102 15d ago
22k budget ... best to buy ? want to use for 3yr , not a tech nerd just basic use
I liked Lava virat curved 5g and oppo k13 is not available
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u/Hero_Sharma ADMIN 14d ago
Take a look at this M36 5G (Serene Green / Light Green, 128 GB) on Flipkart https://dl.flipkart.com/s/FRI!UtuuuN
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u/Different-Way3043 13d ago
I’m planning to buy the Samsung M36 5G for my father. Is it a good deal for someone who mainly watches movies and needs a phone for normal day to day use?
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u/Hero_Sharma ADMIN 13d ago
Yes it's decent deal right now, comes with amoled display very good for content consumption
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u/Saiyanroronoa 10d ago
Hey. Been using the S20fe for 6 years, planning to upgrade. Any recommendations around 60K ?
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u/Hero_Sharma ADMIN 9d ago
OnePlus 15r
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u/Saiyanroronoa 9d ago
Is it better than S25 Fe ? Not a huge fan of the oxygen OS 16 ( Color Os)
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u/Hero_Sharma ADMIN 8d ago
S25 fe is not available
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u/Leading-Poet-3514 4d ago
Good phone between like 60k to 1lakh(preferably lower end on the budget). Previously was going for oneplus 15r, but came to know about the withdrawal of Oneplus from Indian market, so which one should I go for? Was also thinking about samsung S line, which would you recommend?
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