Xiaomi Mi 11X 5G, Realme X7 Pro to Vivo V21 5G: Best phones under Rs 30,000 (May 2021)

While our list of phones under Rs 30,000 this month is dominated by 5G phones, we have an interesting mix that offers something for everyone. Be it camera enthusiasts, power-hungry users or simply those looking for a slim and stylish phone, we have all of you covered. And, of course, you can expect sharp displays with high refresh rates and fast charging in this budget. So, let’s see what your best options are this month on a budget of Rs 30,000.

Best phones to buy under Rs 30,000 in India

Realme X7 Pro

[caption id="attachment_9288611" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Realme X7 Pro. Image: Tech2/Sheldon Pinto[/caption]Realme has a good all-round package in the X7 Pro (Review), and you get Rs 2,000 off on Realme's site on prepaid transactions. The first of the 5G phones on this list is powered by the new Mediatek Dimensity 1000+ chip, which happens to be more powerful than Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 765, even for gaming. You get 8 GB RAM and 128 GB internal storage to go with it. Its 6.55-inch Full HD+ Super AMOLED display with a 120 Hz refresh rate and 240 Hz sampling rate is quite vibrant and fluid, adding to the overall feel-good factor.The Realme X7 Pro has an elegant design and isn’t too bulky either, despite not being the slimmest phone on this list. The 64 MP primary camera does a good job in various lighting conditions, and is accompanied by an 8 MP ultra-wide camera, 2 MP macro camera and 2 MP depth sensor. The support cast is average at best. The 32 MP front camera is sure to please the selfie crowd. The 4,500 mAh battery lasts over a day of heavy use, and the bundled 65 W fast charger takes it from zero to 100 percent in well under 40 minutes, which is excellent. The phone runs Android 10 with Realme UI, and the rollout of the Android 11 update has commenced.Realme X7 Pro price in India: Rs 29,999 for 8 GB RAM / 128 GB storage

Xiaomi Mi 11X 5G

[caption id="attachment_9558301" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Xiaomi Mi 11X Pro[/caption]The Xiaomi Mi 11X 5G is the phone with the maximum processing power in this budget. It packs the top-of-the-line Snapdragon 870 SoC, and you get 6 GB RAM and 128 GB internal storage with it. The display here is equally impressive. You get a 6.67-inch Super AMOLED Full HD+ display with a 120 Hz refresh rate, HDR10+ compliance and can get as high as 1,300 nits bright. It is protected against scratches by a layer of Corning Gorilla Glass 5, and the protection extends to its glass back, too. High processing power and an impressive display come together to make for a great gaming experience.The camera department isn’t as fancy as in the case of some of its cousins that flaunt a 108 MP camera, but it is more than decent. You get a 48 MP primary camera at the back along with an 8 MP ultra-wide shooter and a 5 MP macro camera; not to forget the 20 MP front camera for selfies and video calls. Its 4,520 mAh battery can comfortably last over a day of moderate use. The bundled 33 W fast charger promises to charge the phone from zero to 100 percent in well under an hour. Mi 11X 5G runs Android 11 with MIUI 12 on top. Did I mention the phone is less than 8 mm thick?Xiaomi Mi 11X 5G price in India: Rs 29,999 for 6 GB RAM / 128 GB storage

OnePlus Nord

[caption id="attachment_8624581" align="alignnone" width="1280"] OnePlus Nord[/caption]The OnePlus Nord (Review) isn’t the first choice anymore in this budget, but offers enough to retain its place on the list, with OxygenOS being a standout. This 5G-ready phone has a vibrant 6.44-inch Full HD+ Fluid AMOLED display with a 90 Hz refresh rate, and is protected by a layer of Corning Gorilla Glass 5. Again, the protection extends to the phone’s glass back as well. The OnePlus Nord is powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 765 chip, and you get either 8 GB RAM and 128 GB storage or 12 GB RAM and 256 GB storage in this budget.It has a 48 MP main camera with optical image stabilisation (OIS) that does most of the heavy lifting. The rest of the camera suite includes an 8 MP ultra-wide camera, 5 MP depth sensor and 2 MP macro camera. Selfie enthusiasts have 32 MP + 8 MP dual front cameras to look forward to, which capture some crisp shots and videos including ultra-wide selfies and 4K videos at 60 fps. The OnePlus Nord has a 4,115 mAh battery that lasts close to a day and a half of moderate use, and the bundled 30 W fast charger takes it from almost empty to 60 percent in under half an hour. The phone launched with OxygenOS 10.5 based on Android 10, and the OxygenOS 11 update based on Android 11 is now being rolled out.OnePlus Nord price in India: Rs 29,999 for 12 GB RAM / 256 GB storage

Vivo V21 5G 

[caption id="attachment_9575871" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Vivo V21 5G[/caption]Here’s yet another 5G phone on this list – the Vivo V21 5G. It comes with the latest Android 11 OS out of the box, with FunTouch OS 11 UI on top. This phone flaunts something that’s getting increasingly rare these days, and that’s slimness. The V21 claims to be just 7.3 mm thick; a refreshing change from the bulky phones we’ve seen in the last year or two. Despite the slim profile, it has a respectable 4,000 mAh battery that keeps the phone powered for over a day of moderate use. The company also bundles a 33 W fast charger in the package.The Vivo V21 5G has a 6.44-inch Full HD+ AMOLED display that’s HDR10+ compliant, and supports 90 Hz refresh rate for smooth scrolling. This phone is powered by MediaTek’s Dimensity 800U SoC and comes with 8 GB RAM and 128 GB internal storage. The camera department is more than decent, with an OIS-equipped 64 MP primary camera at the back, supported by an 8 MP ultrawide shooter and a 2 MP macro camera. Selfie enthusiasts are in for a double treat, courtesy of a 44 MP front camera that also comes with OIS. Vivo V21 5G price in India: Rs 29,990 for 8 GB RAM / 128 GB storage 

Samsung Galaxy Note 10 Lite

[caption id="attachment_8070951" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Samsung Galaxy Note 10 Lite. Image: Tech2/Nimish Sawant[/caption]The year-old Galaxy Note 10 Lite (Review) is now available in this budget, and is still a competent handset. It has a large 6.7-inch Full HD+ Super AMOLED Plus display that's HDR compliant. It is powered by an Exynos 9810 chip and is accompanied by 6 GB RAM and 128 GB of internal (expandable) storage. Its 4,500 mAh battery lasts well over a day of moderate usage, and the bundled fast charger does a good job of juicing it up quickly. Another key aspect of this phone is the popular S-pen that accompanies it, which is a signature accessory in Samsung Galaxy Note series handsets.Camera department is quite interesting here. While other companies and handsets have bumped up the megapixel count, Samsung has opted for versatility with three 12 MP cameras that accomplish three key tasks on the Note 10 Lite. The primary camera supports dual pixel PDAF and OIS, while the second 12 MP telephoto camera provides you with 2X optical zoom, and has OIS too. The third 12 MP camera lets you shoot in ultrawide mode. You also get a 32 MP camera at the front to keep the selfie enthusiasts hooked. The Samsung Galaxy Note 10 Lite launched with Android 10 with One UI on top. Android 11 update with One UI 3.0 started rolling out earlier this year.Samsung Galaxy Note 10 Lite price in India: Rs 27,999 for 6 GB RAM/ 128 GB storage