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This article was first published 11 years ago

Top 5 smartphones under Rs 20,000

Last updated on: January 14, 2013 18:44 IST


Nilabh Jha

It is surprisingly hard to find the right device in the mid range. Here's where you can discover the one that's right for you.

Not all of us are bestowed with a lot of wealth, though we all desire to possess the best. While that is not possible in a limited budget, the mid range is the balance most of us look at to fulfill our desires within the constraints.

Surprisingly, the range between Rs 14,000 to Rs 20,000 has fewer devices than the high and budget ranges do, and it is dominated by old launches that have shed price. In the fast changing market this most often means an outdated phone. Here are some mid range devices you can safely pick up in this range and remain on top of the tech curve.

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Top 5 smartphones under Rs 20,000

Image: HTC 8S

1. HTC 8S

HTC Windows Phone 8S is the latest that you can get right now if you are a Windows Phone OS fan. This mid-range smartphone comes with a 4-inch LCD display supporting 800 x 480 pixel resolution natively. The device weighs about 113 grams and is 10.28 mm thick. It houses a dual core 1 GHz Qualcomm S4 MSM8227 mobile processor and packs 512 MB RAM.

This smartphone offers only 4 GB on board storage, some part of which is reserved for the system. Thankfully, there is a memory card slot that supports up to a 32 GB micro SD card.

At the back of the HTC 8S rests a 5 megapixel autofocus camera with LED flash, which is capable of recording 720p HD videos. There is no front facing camera. HTC has integrated Beats Audio sound enhancement for better quality audio and has packed a 1700 mAh battery, altogether for Rs 19,260, which makes it a great deal over-all.

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Tags: HTC , Beats Audio , LCD , LED

Top 5 smartphones under Rs 20,000

Image: Xolo X900

2. Xolo X900

Lava had introduced the Intel-powered Xolo X900 smartphone with a bang last year. Xolo X900 comes with Android 2.3 Gingerbread but has recently been promoted to the Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich update. The phone still has the performance to match the best and at a selling price of Rs 16,500, and equipped with the latest version of Android OS it is one of the best options.

Under the chassis, Xolo has a single core 1.6 GHz Intel Atom mobile processor and 1 GB RAM. It features a 4-inch display, which makes it big enough for reading as well as multimedia. The display uses Corning's Gorilla Glass for strength and resistance from scratches.

At the back, it sports an 8 megapixel camera with LED flash to capture high quality images and also to record full 1080p HD videos. Its front facing 1.3 megapixel camera can be used for video chats. The only pitfall is that it packs a 1460 mAh battery that provides much less run time.

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Top 5 smartphones under Rs 20,000

Image: HTC Desire X

3. HTC Desire X

The new Desire X has a 4-inch Super LCD touchscreen display and arrives to put strength to the higher mid-range segment for HTC's products. HTC has packed a dual core 1 GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon mobile processor and its Beats Audio technology for better sound output.

The new HTC Desire X arrives with a 4-inch Super LCD display with 480 x 800 pixel resolution and 223 ppi pixel density. It also supports multi-touch interaction. Under the 9.3 mm thick profile, the Desire X packs a dual core 1 GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 Play MSM8225 mobile processor with Adreno 203 graphics chip.

HTC has packed 768 MB RAM to run the HTC Sense 4.0 user interface and Android 4.0.4 Ice Cream Sandwich.

Desire X supports 3G and offers up to 7.2 Mbps HSDPA speeds while its HSUPA transfer speeds go up to 5.76 Mbps. At the rear, it has a 5 megapixel camera with autofocus and LED flash. This camera is not capable of recording 720p HD video, which might be a bit disappointing for imaging enthusiasts.

Desire X has Beats Audio technology for better sound output. By default, the phone has only 4 GB on board storage but it offers support for up to 32 GB via microSD.

HTC Desire X has a 1650 mAh battery, which promises about 10 hours of talk time even over 3G networks. Available for Rs 18,500 it is one of the best in the segment.

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Top 5 smartphones under Rs 20,000

Image: Samsung Galaxy S Duos

4. Samsung Galaxy S Duos

Galaxy S Duos is a dual SIM Android smartphone that comes with a 1 GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon MSM 7227A processor running Android Ice Cream Sandwich on its big 4-inch display. Inspired by the design of the Samsung Galaxy SIII, Galaxy S Duos looks good and is quite an object of desire.

The 4-inch LCD display comes with 480 x 800 pixel resolution, while the 1 GHz processor coupled with 768 MB RAM takes care of applications well. The device utilises a slightly older but functional Adreno 200 graphics engine, which will be good enough for most tasks. HD gaming will likely be one task where the device will lag.

Galaxy S Duos comes with 4 GB onboard storage, which can be expanded by 32 GB using a standard micro SDHC card. Imaging is handled by a 5 megapixel auto focus camera that is capable of recording VGA resolution videos, but there is an LED flash for illumination in low light conditions. On the front there is another VGA camera for video calling.

The biggest advantage of the phone is its dual SIM functionality, Galaxy S III-like looks and an attractive price point of Rs 14,500.

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Top 5 smartphones under Rs 20,000

Image: Sony Xperia Go

5. Sony Xperia Go

Featuring a rugged design, durability and water resistance, Xperia Go comes with a scratch resistant mineral glass display and meets industry standard IP (Ingress Protection) rating 67 to fight off dust and the effects of water immersion as well.

The device can also stay submerged under water for up to 10 minutes. Xperia Go comes with a wet finger tracking system that allows it to be used in extreme weather conditions.

The Sony Xperia Go features a 3.5-inch 320 x 480 pixel reality display, and up to four point touch input system. Xperia Go is based on the older Android Gingerbread operating system but the company promises Android Ice Cream Sandwich soon.

Sony Xperia Go comes with a 5 megapixel main camera but misses out on a front camera, so no video calling. It is powered by a 1 GHz dual core processor along with 512 MB of RAM and 8 GB onboard memory for smooth operation.

The phone is a good option only for those looking for a sturdy phone. Priced at Rs 16,000 it's not very expensive either.

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