As we approach the end of the year, which was replete with smartphone launches across all categories, we’re taking you through the most popular phones in different segments. We already went through the most popular phones under Rs 20,000 and Rs 30,000 in India in 2023, and now it’s time to look at the more premium category.
The sub-Rs 50,000 category is one of the most hardly contested, with OEMs striving to provide flagship-grade features at a competitive price point. Lightning-fast charging speeds, detailed camera lenses, brighter displays – who did it the best this year? Take a look at the most popular phones under Rs 50,000 in India in 2023, based on user searches on 91mobiles.com.
Top phones under Rs 50,000 in India this year
OnePlus 11R
As our review stated, the OnePlus 11R is a complete package even in its sub-flagship form. It gives you powerful performance, good battery life and a premium design without taking a heavy toll on your pocket. This is probably why our readers searched for this phone more than others in the sub-Rs 50,000 segment.
Key specs
- Display: 6.7-inch AMOLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate, a punch-hole cutout for the selfie snapper, and HDR10+.
- Processor: Qualcomm Snapdragon 8+ Gen1 SoC paired with Adreno GPU.
- RAM and Storage: Up to 16GB LPDDR5 of RAM and 256GB UFS 4.0 storage that is not further expandable.
- OS: Android 13-based OxygenOS custom skin out of the box.
- Cameras: 50MP primary camera, an 8MP ultra-wide-angle lens, and a 2MP macro lens.
- Front camera: 16MP snapper on the front.
- Battery: 5,000mAh battery with 100W fast charging support.
Price: Rs 39,999 for the 8GB + 128GB; Rs 44,999 for 16GB + 256GB; Rs 45,999 for 18GB + 512GB
Nothing Phone (2)
Nothing created quite a stir when they entered the smartphone scene with the Phone (1) in 2022. While their Glyph-laced design did manage to raise quite a few eyeballs, the naysayers still felt the phone lacked on the spec sheet when matched with its price. Cut to the Phone (2) (review) and the brand seems to have undone that sentiment to some extent. Featuring the signature LED lighting system along with the near-flagship Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1, the Phone (2) has been quite the hit with our readers as it is the second most popular phone in its segment.
Key specs
- Display: 6.7-inch FHD+ LTPO AMOLED, 120Hz refresh rate
- Processor: Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 SoC
- Rear cameras: 50MP Sony IMX890 main sensor with OIS + 50MP Samsung JN1 ultra-wide
- Front camera: 32MP
- OS: Android 13, Nothing OS
- Battery: 4,700mAh. 45W fast wired, 15W wireless charging support
Price: Rs 39,999 for the 8GB + 128GB; Rs 42,999 for 12GB + 256GB; Rs 45,999 for 12GB + 512GB
Vivo V27
The Vivo V27 is the first non-Pro model from the company’s mid-range V series to feature a curved display. The phone comes with a 60-degree screen curvature that allows for an immersive viewing experience. Vivo’s V series models come with features such as a colour-changing glass panel, Optical Image Stabilisation (OIS), and more. The company has concentrated primarily on the camera, bringing an India-exclusive Wedding mode feature. The V27 was also the first phone in India to feature the MediaTek Dimensity 7200 chipset.
Key specs
- Display: 6.78-inch AMOLED panel, 120Hz refresh rate
- Processor: Mediatek Dimensity 7200
- Rear cameras: 50MP primary, 8MP ultrawide, 2MP micro camera
- Front camera: 50MP
- OS: Android 13-based Funtouch 13 OS
- Battery: 4,600mAh battery, 66W fast charging
Price: Rs 32,999 for the 8GB + 128GB; Rs 36,999 for 12GB + 256GB
Vivo V27 Pro
The Vivo V27’s older sibling, the Vivo V27 Pro, has also made it to the list of the most-searched smartphones in India under Rs 50,000 this year. Launched in March with a slightly updated design and notable performance improvements from its predecessor, the V27 Pro is a worthy purchase for most enthusiasts, as per our review. The Vivo V27 Pro sports a large 6.78-inch AMOLED display and packs the MediaTek Dimensity 8200 SoC.
Key specs
- Display: 6.78-inch FHD+ AMOLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate
- Processor: MediaTek Dimensity 8200
- Rear cameras: 50MP Sony IMX766V primary sensor with OIS and LED flash, an 8MP wide-angle lens and a 2MP macro shooter
- Front camera: 50MP
- OS: Android 13-based Funtouch 13 OS
- Battery: 4,600mAh battery, 66W fast charging
Price: Rs 37,999 for the 8GB + 128GB; Rs 36,999 for 8GB + 256GB; Rs 37,999 for 12GB + 256GB (automatic Flipkart discounts)
Samsung Galaxy A54 5G
Samsung launched the Galaxy A54 5G in late March this year just below Rs 40,000 in the near-flagship segment. Coming with a Galaxy S23-like design, the Galaxy A54 5G has a premium feel to it, comes with good camera capabilities, and a capable display, as per our review. It comes with a segment-leading display in the form of a 6.4-inch Super AMOLED panel with FHD+ resolution and 120Hz refresh rate.
Key specs
- Display: 6.6-inch FHD+ sAMOLED panel with a 120Hz refresh rate.
- Processor: MediaTek Dimensity 1080 processor
- Rear cameras: 50MP main camera, a 12MP ultra-wide angle camera, and a 5MP macro camera
- Front camera: 32MP
- OS: Android 13-based OneUI 5.1 skin out of the box
- Battery: 5,000mAh battery with support for 25W fast charging
Price: Rs 36,999 for the 8GB + 128GB; Rs 38,999 for 8GB + 256GB
OnePlus Nord 3 5G
OnePlus’ Nord series has always been highly anticipated since they share some commonalities with the company’s flagships but at a competitive price point. The Nord 3 essentially did the same, having the same battery and fast charging specs as the then-flagship OnePlus 11, but with a different chipset. As per our review, the Nord 3 offered a pleasant user experience and finds a place on our list of most-searched phones.
Key specs
- Display: 6.74-inch 1.5K AMOLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate.
- Processor: MediaTek Dimensity 9000 SoC
- Rear cameras: 50MP primary Sony IMX890 sensor with OIS, an 8MP ultra-wide Sony IMX355 sensor, and a 2MP macro camera
- Front camera: 16MP
- OS: Android 13-based OxygenOS 13.1 custom skin out of the box
- Battery: 5,000mAh battery with 80W SUPERVOOC fast charging support.
Price: Rs 29,999 for the 8GB + 128GB; Rs 33,999 for 16GB + 256GB
iQOO 11 5G
iQOO was the first to bring the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 SoC in India with its last year flagship, the iQOO 11. Even though launched at a hefty Rs 59,999, the iQOO 11 was available at a steal deal of under Rs 50,000 in a couple of sales during the year. The iQOO 11 impresses in our review, with its lightning-fast performance, quality viewing experience and impressive design.
Key specs
- Display: 6.78-inch 2K AMOLED LTPO 4.0 display with 1-144Hz variable refresh rate.
- Processor: Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 SoC.
- Rear cameras: 50MP primary Samsung GN5 sensor, OIS, LED flash, an 8MP ultra-wide camera, and a 13MP 2x telephoto camera.
- Front camera: 16MP
- OS: Android 13-based Funtouch OS custom skin
- Battery: 5,000mAh battery with 120W fast charging support
Price: Rs 51,999 for the 8GB + 256GB; Rs 54,999 for 16GB + 256GB (current pricing, subject to change)
Google Pixel 7a
Pixel phones typically stand out for their camera prowess, and with the Pixel 7a, we got a flagship-killing camera champ without the hefty price tag. The differences between the Pixel 7a and Pixel 7 were minor on the spec sheet, but considerable when it came to pricing. Our review also recommended the Pixel 7a for those interested in Google’s premium smartphone experience, but not at the flagship price. The smartphone is powered by the same custom Tensor G2 that Google used on its then-flagship – the Pixel 7 lineup.
Key specs
- Display: 6.1-inch Full HD+ OLED display with a 90Hz refresh rate
- Processor: Tensor G2 SoC and is accompanied by the Titan M2 chip
- Rear cameras: 64MP primary Sony sensor with Optical Image Stabilisation (OIS), along with a 13MP ultra-wide-angle sensor
- Front camera: 13MP
- OS: Stock Android 13
- Battery: 4,385mAh with 18W charging
Price: Rs 38,999 for the 8GB + 128GB
iQOO Neo 7 Pro
The iQOO Neo 7 Pro, when launched in India in July, was the first Pro version in the brand’s sub-flagship Neo series. Like most iQOO phones, the Neo 7 Pro also excels in terms of its performance and speed and is especially recommended for gaming enthusiasts. It also offers an impressive display, decent camera capabilities, and super fast charging, as described in our review.
Key specs
- Display: 6.78-inch FHD+ AMOLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate
- Processor: Qualcomm Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 SoC
- Rear cameras: 50MP primary camera with Optical image stabilisation (OIS), an 8MP ultra-wide lens, and a 2MP macro sensor
- Front camera: 16MP
- OS: Android 13 with Funtouch OS 13
- Battery: 5,000mAh battery with 120W fast charging support
Price: Rs 32,999 for the 8GB + 128GB; Rs 35,999 for the 12GB + 256GB
Vivo V29e
The Vivo V29e was an early arrival in the Vivo V29 series, launching in late August in India this year. The vivo V29e is the slimmest smartphone in its segment with a 3D curved display and also comes with the company’s colour-changing back panel, which the V series is known for. The smartphone also houses a segment-leading 50MP selfie camera on the front.
Key specs
- Display: 6.78-inch FHD+ AMOLED display with 120Hz refresh rate
- Processor: Qualcomm Snapdragon 695
- Rear cameras: 64MP OIS main camera and an 8MP ultra wide-angle sensor
- Front camera: 50MP
- OS: Android 13 with Funtouch OS 13
- Battery: 5,000mAh with 44W fast charging
Price: Rs 26,999 for the 8GB + 128GB; Rs 28,999 for the 8GB + 256GB
