In today"s installment of budget smartphone exploration, we shall continue our hunt for champagne tastes on a beer budget. Previously, we took a dip in the shallow side of the pool and curated a list of smartphones with slick designs. This time, we shall be looking at phones boasting superb cameras which drive a hard bargain.
For the purposes of this article, we will be considering phones that released in India this year. Our recommendations consider anything priced between ₹13,000 to ₹18,000 or a little above as a budget phone. Let"s begin!
Samsung Galaxy M31s
One of the best phone cameras in the Indian market is sported by the Samsung Galaxy M31s. The tagline for the M series model speaks volumes, touting the device to be a "mega monster". Big brother to the Galaxy M31, the Galaxy M31s features a combination of four cameras on the back. This includes a primary 64MP camera which uses the Sony IMX682 sensor with an f/1.8 aperture, a 12MP ultra-wide lens, a 5MP macro camera, a 5MP depth sensor and on the front, a 32MP selfie shooter.
Additionally, the Galaxy M31s can record videos in 4k at 30fps. In our experience, the Samsung M-series device takes pretty great pictures. You can read our review here and purchase it for about ₹19,888 here.
Poco X3
Xiaomi-owned Poco launched the Poco X3 a few months ago and it has been a massive hit. The smartphone is an all-rounder with excellent photographing capabilities. On the back, it features a main 64MP camera with an f/1.9 aperture, a 13MP 119-degree ultra-wide camera with an f/2.2 aperture, a 2MP depth sensor and a 2MP macro sensor. The front sports a 20MP lens with an f/2.2 aperture.
The Poco X3 can capture videos in 4K at 30fps and in 1080p at 60fps with the main camera setup and in 1080p at 30fps with the front camera. If you"re intrigued by this smartphone, you can read our review here and buy the smartphone here. The phone costs around ₹16,999.
Redmi Note 9 Pro
Say what you will about Chinese phones but they sure do know how to give customers a bang for their buck. The Redmi Note 9 Pro is a testament of that statement. For upwards of ₹12,999, users get a quad-cam setup on the rear consisting of a primary 48MP Samsung GW2 lens, 8MP ultra-wide lens, 5MP macro camera and a 2MP depth sensor.
The Xiaomi device can record 4K videos at 30fps and super slow-mo videos at 960fps. Additionally, the Redmi Note 9 Pro has a super-detailed Pro mode in the camera app which works even in video mode. It also works with the ultra-wide angle sensor and the macro camera. As for the front camera, the phone sports a 16MP selfie snapper.
You can read our review here and purchase it for roughly ₹12,999 here.
Realme Narzo 20 Pro
Our next pick is the top-of-the-line variant in realme"s more recent Narzo line of phones. The realme Narzo 20 Pro is an attractive and rather jazzy looking smartphone. Trendy designs aside, the device also has great camera specifications. It boasts a 48MP AI camera with an f/1.8 aperture, an 8MP ultra-wide angle camera and 2MP macro and depth sensors.
Meanwhile, the 16MP selfie camera uses the Sony IMX 471 sensor. It can capture videos in 1080P at 30fps, 720P at 30fps, and also supports 120fps slow-motion video recording. The realme Narzo 20 Pro has a very reasonable price tag. If you"re looking to procure a unit, you can buy it for ₹13,999 and above from here.
Motorola G9
And finally, the last budget device in our list of recommendations is the Moto G9 which made its debut in the Indian market a few months ago. Although most people do not find Motorala phone to be very becoming, the general populace agrees that they make some brilliant budget devices.
The Moto G9 comes equipped with a triple camera setup at the back. This setup includes a 48MP f/1.8 lens with Quad Pixel technology, a 2MP f/2.4 depth sensor and a 2MP f/2.4 macro lens. For selfies and video calling, there’s an 8MP f/2.2 camera on the front.
You can acquire a unit of the affordable Moto G9 for upwards of ₹11,499 here.
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