Best phones under Rs 40,000 (May 2026): OnePlus 13R, Google Pixel 9a to Realme GT 7

Unlike our other smartphone lists in this cycle, where we struggled to find five good options, there’s an abundance of riches if you have a budget of Rs 40,000. Whether you are looking for a gaming phone or one that’s great for photography or one that will provide years of software updates, every use case is covered. Here are our top 5 smartphone picks under 40K in India this month, and some.

Best phones to buy under Rs 40,000 in India

OnePlus 13R

Since the launch of the OnePlus 15R, the 13R has been available in this budget. There’s also the Nord 6 snapping at its heels, but the 13R still remains the best OnePlus phone under 40K. The OnePlus 13R is powered by Qualcomm’s former flagship Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chip, which is still amply powerful, and you can get its 12 GB RAM and 256 GB UFS 4.0 storage variant in this budget. The phone now runs OxygenOS 16 based on Android 16, with three more major OS updates promised for this phone in due course.

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The 13R has a sharp 6.78-inch 1.5K LTPO4 AMOLED display with Corning Gorilla Glass 7i protection. The HDR10+ and Dolby Vision compliant screen supports 10-bit colour depth, 120 Hz refresh rate and 4500 nits peak brightness. A 6000 mAh battery keeps the phone powered for two days of moderate use and the bundled 100W charger juices it up fully in under an hour.

The photography department on the OnePlus 13R is better than that of the 15R and also the Nord 6, largely due to the presence of a 50MP telephoto camera. Though modest, the 2X optical zoom is more than handy and helps in portrait photography too. Other than that, you get a quality 50MP primary camera with optical image stabilisation (OIS) that does a good job in varied lighting. An 8MP ultrawide camera and a 16MP selfie camera are quite useful.

OnePlus 13R price in India: Rs 39,999 for 12 GB RAM/ 256 GB storage

Realme GT 7

The Realme GT 7 is also a solid all-round option in this budget. Powered by a flagship grade Mediatek Dimensity 9400e SoC, you get 12 GB LPDDR5X RAM with 256 GB UFS 4.0 internal storage with it. With the right payment methods, you can also score its 512 GB variant under 40K. The phone has IP69-rated ingress protection for extra durability. A large 7000 mAh battery keeps it powered for well over two days of moderate use, and the bundled 120W fast charger promises to juice up half of it in just 15 minutes. The Realme GT 7 launched with Android 15 with Realme UI 6.0, with four major OS updates promised.

The phone features a 6.78-inch 1.5K 10-bit LTPO AMOLED display with 120 Hz refresh rate and 6000 nits peak brightness. The HDR10+ and Dolby Vision compliant screen is protected against scratches by a layer of ArmorShell glass. The rear camera department features two 50MP cameras - the primary module with Sony’s IMX906 sensor and OIS, with the telephoto unit offering 2X optical zoom. An 8MP ultra-wide camera completes the back pack and the 32MP front camera is bound to please the selfie enthusiasts.

Realme GT 7 price in India: Rs 38,999 for 12 GB RAM/ 256 GB storage

Vivo T4 Ultra

The Vivo T4 Ultra is another phone with a powerful processor and capable cameras. It has arguably the most versatile cameras among this lot, starting with a 50MP primary camera with Sony’s IMX921 sensor and OIS. It is accompanied by another 50MP periscope telephoto camera with OIS that provides 3X optical zoom and an 8MP ultra-wide shooter. Add to that an impressive 32MP front camera that does a great job with selfies and video calls. The phone has a 6.67-inch 10-bit curved AMOLED display with 1.5K resolution, 120 Hz refresh rate, 5000 nits peak brightness that is protected by Diamond Shield glass.

Vivo T4 Ultra

The Vivo T4 Ultra is powered by Mediatek Dimensity 9300+ SoC, and you can get its top variant with 12 GB RAM and 512 GB internal storage in this budget. The phone hosts a 5500 mAh battery that keeps it powered for over a day and a half of moderate use. The bundled 90W fast charger promises to top it up fully in a little over 45 minutes. This Vivo phone launched with Android 15 with the company committing to three major Android updates and four years of security updates going ahead. The phone has IP64-rated ingress protection.

Vivo T4 Ultra price in India: Rs 39,999 for 12 GB RAM/ 512 GB storage

Google Pixel 9a

If you are looking for the cleanest Android experience in this segment and over half a decade of Android updates, the Google Pixel 9a is the phone for you. It is powered by Google’s previous flagship Tensor G4 chip that also powers the entire Pixel 9 series, as well as the Pixel 10a. The chip has matured well over time and you get 8 GB RAM and 256 GB storage to go with it. The phone has a sharp 6.3-inch Full HD+ P-OLED HDR display with 120 Hz refresh rate and 2700 nits peak brightness. The screen is protected by Corning Gorilla Glass 3 and the phone has IP68-rated ingress protection.

It now runs Android 16 with the Material 3 Expressive design language and AI tricks, and Google has promised 6 more major OS updates for this device, which will keep the phone relevant and secure for long. Pixel phones are also known for their camera chops and the Pixel 9a is no different. It captures some impressive shots, courtesy of a 48MP primary camera with OIS and a 13MP ultra-wide camera with 120-degrees FOV. They do a great job in different lighting and modes. The 13MP front camera clicks some neat selfies too.

Google Pixel 9a price in India: Rs 39,999 for 8 GB RAM/ 256 GB storage

Poco F7 5G

If gaming is more important to you than photography, you should strongly consider the Poco F7 5G. It is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 8s Gen 4 SoC with 12 GB RAM and 512 GB UFS 4.1 storage. It has a vibrant 6.83-inch AMOLED screen with 1.5K resolution and support for 12-bit colour, 120 Hz refresh rate, 3200 nits peak brightness and HDR10+ and Dolby Vision compliance. The display is protected against scratches by a layer of Corning Gorilla Glass 7i.

The Poco F7 5G has a massive 7550 mAh battery for longer gaming sessions, and the bundled 90W turbo charger promises a brisk topup. The phone also supports reverse wired charging to charge smaller devices like wireless earphones. The photography department consists of a 50MP primary camera with OIS and an 8MP ultra-wide shooter at the back, with a 20MP front camera taking care of selfies and video calls. This Poco phone launched with Android 15 with Xiaomi’s HyperOS 2 and features an IP68-rated ingress protection.

Poco F7 5G price in India: Rs 37,999 for 12 GB RAM/ 512 GB storage

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