The lower end of the mid-range segment has always been focused on good value and balanced performance. We’ve typically seen more focus on design in the next group, which is the sub-Rs. 30,000, but there have been a few design-focused entries lately at the lower end of the midrange. From optically stabilized primary cameras to OLED screens, it’s easy to justify their price tags compared to some high-end budget smartphones.
Our latest addition is the Poco X5 Pro 5G, which gets a thin and light design, along with a healthy dose of mid-range performance thanks to its Qualcomm Snapdragon 778G SoC, which also makes it an attractive option for gamers. The recent Realme 10 Pro+ 5G has now been replaced by the Realme 11 Pro+ 5G, but it still offers excellent value and is one of the few devices to sport a curved-edge AMOLED panel.
Here are Gadgets 360’s picks of the best phones under Rs. 25,000 in India, in no particular order.
| Telephones under Rs. 25,000 | Gadgets 360 Rating (out of 10) | Price in India (as recommended) |
|---|---|---|
| Little X5 Pro 5G | 8 | Rs. 23,999 |
| Realme 10 Pro+ 5G | 8 | Rs. 24,999 |
| Samsung Galaxy M53 5G | 8 | Rs. 24,900 |
| motorola edge 30 | 8 | Rs. 24,999 |
| iQoo Z5 | 8 | Rs. 23,990 |
| Xiaomi 11i Hypercharge 5G | 8 | Rs. 25,999 |
Little X5 Pro 5G
The Poco X5 Pro 5G offers a great multimedia experience, solid performance, and good battery life. Design is subjective, and if you ask us, we’re not big fans of the way it looks. However, the slim and lightweight design could attract many buyers.
The main rear camera and front camera offer good daylight performance and decent low-light pictures, but the other two have room for improvement. Meanwhile, its Qualcomm Snapdragon 778G also makes it a great smartphone for gamers. Battery life from its large 5,000mAh battery is pretty good, and it supports 67W fast charging. All in all, if you want a phone that offers good performance and is a decent overall package, the Poco is certainly one to consider. X5 Pro 5G.
Realme 10 Pro+ 5G
The Realme 10 Pro+ 5G has now been succeeded by the recently launched Realme 11 Pro+ 5G, but it will still find some takers due to its slightly lower price. The new Realme 10 Pro+ 5G has a lot of style and performance. Realme’s ‘Hyperspace’ design language makes the phone light and slim, while looking much better than its predecessor and some of its successors too.
Inside, there is a MediaTek Dimensity 1080 SoC, which offers enough performance for everyday tasks and is also good for gaming. It’s one of the few smartphones in this price range to offer a 120Hz curved-edge AMOLED display. You get a 108-megapixel main camera which sadly doesn’t offer OIS, but offers good overall performance. The 5000mAh battery combined with 67W charging also offers a good battery backup. While the software experience is smooth and you get Android 13, the phone is loaded with bloatware that we hope will be fixed with updates.
Samsung Galaxy M53 5G
The Samsung Galaxy M53 5G recently received a price cut for the 6GB RAM variant, which is now available at around Rs. 24,900 in India. At this price, you get Samsung’s punchy Super AMOLED panel with a 120Hz refresh rate and a MediaTek Dimensity 900 SoC, which should be good for some mid-level gaming and entertainment. The phone is made of polycarbonate, but it looks premium with its matte finish back panel. Samsung is also promising two years of Android OS updates and four years of security updates, which should come in handy for those who don’t update their smartphones often.
The Galaxy M53 5G also has a 108-megapixel main camera that performs well in daylight, but its low-light performance isn’t the best we’ve seen in this segment. There’s a 5000mAh battery that offers good battery life, but it’s limited to just 25W fast charging and takes a while to fully charge. As if that were not enough, Samsung does not include a charger in the box either.
motorola edge 30
The Motorola Edge 30 has now been succeeded by its recently launched Edge 40 smartphone, but it still offers an interesting balance between design and performance. It has a super slim design that uses a frame made of polycarbonate and a back panel made of acrylic instead of glass. This makes the phone quite light at just 155g and also quite slim at 6.79mm. Performance is taken care of by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 778G+ SoC, which is good enough for routine tasks and gaming.
In terms of software, users get two years of Android OS updates and three years of security updates with no bloatware or third-party apps. The triple rear camera setup includes a 50-megapixel main camera with OIS, a 50-megapixel ultra-wide camera, and even a 3X telephoto camera, so it’s well-equipped in terms of photography. Battery life isn’t the best, but the 4020 mAh battery should give most users a full day of charge.
iQoo Z5
Despite being superseded by the newer Z7 series, the iQoo Z5 still stands out in terms of value. It’s not as flashy as the other smartphones in this segment and takes a more practical approach to design with a matte-finish polycarbonate rear panel. The iQoo Z5 has a Qualcomm Snapdragon 778G SoC which is good for daily tasks and gaming.
The base storage variant is offered with 8 GB of RAM and there is a 5000 mAh battery that can be quickly charged with the included 44 W charger. It is the only smartphone on this list that has an LCD screen, but it offers a frequency 120Hz refresh rate which is good for regular use and gaming. While the rest of its specs are on point, its 64-megapixel camera isn’t the best and it struggles in low light.
Xiaomi 11i Hypercharge 5G
The Xiaomi 11i HyperCharge 5G is now available at a reduced price of Rs 25,999 for the 8 GB RAM variant. The highlight of the phone is clearly its 120W wired charging, but the rest of the package is pretty good too.
There is a MediaTek Dimensity 920 SoC which is not only good for casual use but also for some mid-level games. There’s a 108-megapixel main camera that offers good daylight performance, but decent low-light pictures. Also present is a 120Hz AMOLED screen, two symmetrical stereo speakers, and it even has a 3.5mm headphone port. It also looks and feels premium with its smooth, anti-glare glass back.
