Best Android Smartphones in India - Reviews and Comparison 2021

Modern-day smartphones are much more than a device to call and message. They are a gateway that connects the virtual and the real worlds. We want to take photos and videos of unforgettable moments and store them away forever! There are thousands of apps like Uber, WhatsApp and Zomato, which makes our day-to-day life easy. To keep all this on a single device, there should be enough space available, and this is nothing but the storage of your phone.

While understanding storage, you should pay attention to how much storage is available and can be utilized. The reason for this is that whatever is there on the phone requires space; like your operating system. The phone runs on the Android operating system, the necessary files to make this system work are already stored on your phone in the same storage space. Let us say for example, that your phone has 64 GB storage space, but you can use only 60 GB. The inbuilt systems take-up the storage space in advance even before you buy the phone!

The recent trends in phones are that all this is the internal storage, which means you don’t have to buy a separate memory card to store anything. However, some phones do provide for an external micro-sd card slot along with the sim cards.

Choose a phone with a minimum of 32 GB storage; this means that you will still get around 28 GB of storage space to store your stuff. Anything above 32 GB is always significant!

This does not consist only of how the phone’s screen look but also how effective is the touch detection or the resolution and screen brightness. We may feel like it is necessary to have a super HD or Full HD display, but experts believe that regular human won’t be able to tell the difference between either of these. This is why we recommend that you look at brightness and colour quality. See to it that you buy a phone whose screen can be easily viewed outdoors, and the display is sharp enough and does not make the text took blur.

Screen size also matters when you consider the display. If you spend a lot of time staring down at the screen, you want a screen size that lets you easily view things. The most preferred screen sizes are 5.8 inches to 6.4 inches with a Full HD resolution (1920 x 1080). If you identify yourself as an average user, you can select a phone that has 720 resolution, which is simply HD.

The OLED screens are much better than LCDs and offer better contrast colours, but these are also expensive!

AMOLED Screens: All modern smartphones come enhanced with this new OLED technology which is nothing but tiny Organic LEDs that light up as a response to an electric current. These are used to create digital displays just like the one you see on your phone screen. The OLEDs are much brighter and require no backlighting like LEDs. OLEDs light up themselves rather than blocking the backlight to create images like LEDs.

The random access memory of your phone is the deciding criteria for the speed. To understand how much RAM you need, we first need to see how RAM works on a phone. This is super-fast temporary storage which is faster than the actual storage of your phone. The OS or apps that you have opened since you switched on your phone are stored and retrieved from the RAM for faster use. To put it in simpler words, RAM is like your brain’s fresh memory that stores all the information you are currently using. Now because it is stored in the fresh memory, you can retrieve and use it at a faster speed. Similarly, the more the RAM, the better you can function. If your phone features a low RAM, you may notice that the phone starts to lag after you have opened a lot of tabs or apps. Just like our brain, even RAM can face sensory overload, which eventually slows it down. Thus, the higher the RAM, the better will be your phone’s performance.

However, there is a small catch, higher the RAM; the higher is battery consumption.

The powerhouse of your phone is the battery! The modern batteries are made of lithium-ion and are designed to last for 2 to 3 years. This will cover roughly 300 - 500 charging cycles after which the battery’s efficiency will be down by approximately 20%.

The older phones had changeable batteries that could be easily replaced by us. But as phones started making progress and became advanced, the manufacturers began making built-in batteries. Now we cannot only remove the old battery and place a new one.

The strength of the battery is defined by “mAh” which stands for milliamp-hour. The amper is always denoted with a capital. For example, a 3000 mAh battery can power a device requiring 100 mA to operate for 30 hours. More the mAh, more the power, but hey! It will take more time to charge too!

Mostly all the phones have dual sim slots available and have also reduced the traditionally large sim cards with nano sim cards. Long gone are those days when we would place big sim cards inside our phones, now all we have in one tiny tray that slips in the smallest slots of the phone.

A dual sim-card phone has become the standard now!

Phone cameras have evolved more than the human race itself! From 3mp cameras to almost a 64mp in-built camera, phones are now at-par with basic DSLRs. High-tech in-built lenses and phone features that allow functions like image stitching, Slo-Mos, 360° degree photos, etc. make phone cams our best friends. Many of us still look at camera MPs while looking at a new phone.

There are also varied zoom functions that guarantee a better picture quality even when zoomed. But it may not always be accurate. It can very well be a marketing strategy so beware while making a purchase just by looking at the MPs! You can get an idea of the clarity by actually clicking photos without the zoom function. If the images appear crisp and clear, you have got a good camera!

Primary Camera

This refers to the primary rear camera of the phone that will be used for clicking and shooting the majority of the videos and photos. This will be the most potent cam as this will be the most used to capture pictures. Usually, the central cam with more than 24 MPs should give you reasonably sharp images. If you are a photography fan and don’t want to try your hand directly on DSLR, you can choose a phone that offers a good 40 MP+ primary camera.

Front Camera: This is your selfie camera. The power of this is slightly less than the main cam.

Depth Camera: This is a unique feature and may not be present in all phones. Samsung phones have an in-built depth cam that senses the depth of a particular photo as it is being clicked and adjusts the focus accordingly.

Special Functions: Many cameras also offer “gesture” or “sound” capture, which means that it will click a photo the moment you say “click” or “capture”. HDR captures, night-mode, steady videos, face-detection, and auto-focus are also some of the features that enhance the photo capacity of the phone cams!

Android is basically your phones operating system or the software that runs your phone. It has its features and designs that give the phone its identity, just like all other software, this also has various upgrades. The latest android version is 10 and comes embedded with its own set of upgraded and enhances features. While making a purchase, see to it that you buy the one with the latest and upgraded version of the OS

Your phone’s processor is its brain. All phones have a processor which can be in-built or integrated as a separate computer chip. The speed is measured in MHz or GHz. Having a fast processor thus has become the need of the hour. With so many brands struggling to build the best processor, the market is full of so many technologies.

Snapdragon 865 and 865 Plus: Launched by Qualcomm in December 2019, they claim that it will give 25% better graphics experience and improved AI performance. The processor is currently used in 140 devices and is said to be the best choice for gamers. The speed is from 2.84 GHz to 3.1 GHz, which is said to be the fastest speed ever!

Exynos 990: Launched by Samsung, this is the company’s first-ever 5G processor. The company has stated that phones equipped with this processor will be able to support Full HD display plus and will also sustain long battery life.

Media Tek Dimensity 1000: This processor is claimed to be the world’s fastest which has two-carrier aggregation and is extremely helpful in 5G streaming and gaming.

Choosing an apt phone size entirely depends upon your comfort. Some people are comfortable with larger phones due to the perfect screen size, while some want a small pocket phone. Select a phone that works fine with you and fits well in your palm. When you buy a gigantic phone, you may find it hard to operate with a single hand, and a small phone will make operating difficult in every sense.

Charging and music jacks are the life of your phones. There are 10 types of charging jacks and 2 types of headphone connectors.

The most common type of phone charger is C-type USB connectors. These can be connected with an adapter and can be used even with previous version connectors. These are great at providing fast and safe charge as they play a part in preventing your phone from overheating while charging.

The most common music jacks are 3.5 mm and 2.5 mm. However, 3.5 mm jacks are most commonly used in modern phones.

Phones aren’t just phones; they are our identities which is why we choose the one that is the most stylish in the market. But along with looks, make sure to look for how comfortable you would be using it. Extreme sleek phones tend to slip out of hand without a protective cover. Therefore, buying a design that has utility is what we would suggest to you. You should also pay attention to the material that makes up the phone. 3 primary materials are used while designing the phone.

Metal: Phones made of metal sure scream “Style” all over and are generally made from some type of light aluminium alloy pressed over a plastic trim. The reason for this mix and match is the weight. No one wants to carry around a 1.3 kg phone forged out of pure steel! But metal dents and bends easily and the body can obstruct Wi-Fi signals or radio frequencies. It may also not support wireless charging and can feel really heated after a charge as metals are great conductors of heat and electricity.

Plastic: Probably, one of the cheapest and durable material is plastic. However, all the top brands have started shifting to metal-body phones. Plastic does not bend easily and can sustain a super tough use as compared to metal or glass. The only setback plastic has, according to us, is that it looks dull after a specific period. If you find a plastic phone, go ahead!

Glass: Glass phones are a real treat to the eyes, but are equally fragile. Plus they also add to the price of the phone and are the least durable. The reason we say this is that glass breaks easily, so be ready for a mini-heart attack when you drop your phone. The scratches are going to be permanent and very evident.

All the brands have at least 1 USP for the phones. Check out these USPs when you decide to buy the phone. For example, Samsung’s phones have great features, plus the price is neither too high nor too low. In contrast, Nokia’s USP has always been famous for its simplicity and reliability.

All the brands have a few such USPs that pitches the phones against each other in the market. You can get confused with so much information pouring in and seeming fancier than the rest. Your best choice in this will be to focus on the USP that is the closest to your needs.

The mobile market is so high in the competition that it has become almost impossible for any brand to survive without offering something special and unique in their products. For example, if you can recall a phone by Sony called ‘Xperia’ was waterproof to such an extent that people have washed it in the sink.

All the phones have some unique features to make it more appealable to the buyer. As a buyer, we would recommend that you go for the phone whose unique feature satisfies your usage requirements.

Purchasing a new phone is quite a big deal in India even today as the majority of the middle working class spent almost half the salaries on buying one. That's why having a phone with a company’s warranty matters in India. The warranty usually covers any defects in the software or the functioning but may not always cover physical damage which is caused after delivering the phone.

If you are someone that uses a mobile just for communication, you will do well with a basic smartphone model since you may or may not use it for other purposes such as photos or videos. You can choose a phone that has a moderate camera but has a good processor to run the communication functions at a faster rate.

If you belong to the “mobile generation” and make extensive use of the phone for communication, music, photography, etc., you need a substantially good phone. Pay attention to the storage capacity and the processor. These two components are the main to give you excellent performance. Then you should consider good battery life and fast charge feature since you do not want your phone to die in the middle of the work! The camera should be your next consideration, followed by design. If you carry your phone with you every second, go for a comfortable design.

Being a gamer, you should look at the display and the processor. The processor is mainly responsible for graphics support and AI. The faster the processor, the better your game will load. After this, you should aim at sound effects and design. Sound effects make the gaming experience more real and fun. A comfortable design would make it effortless for you to hold the phone in your hand. You can also check if your phone is compatible with your TV or a virtual reality gear so that you can enhance your gaming styles!

If you use your phone for making huge presentations or edit documents and send 100 emails, you need a phone that supports office applications like WP office or PDF reader. Plus it is great to have features like “Cast Screen” and “Bluetooth Connectivity” as that will facilitate sharing presentations in the blink of an eye.

Anything used excessively is harmful. Smartphones are relatively safe to use and are not directly as dangerous as such. However, they do tend to be carriers for bacteria or viruses on their body. So clean your smartphones as frequently as you can with an alcohol-based wipe.

Brands like HCL, Lava, Micromax, Onida, Intex, iBall, etc. are some brands that manufacture smartphones in India.

Our product reviews will help you get an idea of which smartphones have topped our list.

All modern smartphones are somewhat water resistance and can sustain a few water splashes. However, you need to check if they are waterproof.

A study at the University of Arizona did reveal that the younger generation who is majorly hooked to their phones are at more significant risk of experiencing depression or loneliness. The main reason for this is their cut-off nature from the real world. So teach your kids to balance their life between virtuality and reality!

Take a look at our features to guide yourself in making the right choice for you.

There is a rising trend of phones and tablets being preferred over laptops and PCs. But if they will entirely replace laptops, only time will tell.

Phones with bigger fonts and easy to navigate displays are the best for senior citizens. You can search for these on any online platforms or actual stores.

A smartphone with a fast processor, comfortable design and incredible display would be best for gaming.

There is no danger in using your phone while it is charging. However, if you have any recurring electrical issues at home, then we would advise against it.

Any phone will explode if it's exposed to too much of anything. Excess heat, damage or even cheap chargers expose your phone to the risk of exploding.

IBM is the creator of smartphones as it launched the first one in 1992. However, the term “Smartphone” was coined in 1995.

Most modern phones have a sim card tray that slides in and out from the side of the phone. The sim cards can be of two sizes; either a micro and nano slots if your phone is a dual sim one. Or both can be nano sim cards. Nano-sim cards are those that are so finely cut just to have the chips without the outer body. Micro sim cards have some extra margins on the sides.

1. The sim card tray will be located on the side or top panel of your phone.

2. You will be given a small pin which will help you unlock the tray. Slide the pointed end of the pin in the hole and press it down with a moderate pressure till the slot does not pop out.

3. Once the slot is popped out, pull it using your hands.

4. You will see two empty spaces for sim cards. The shapes are cut according to the size of the sim cards. Now using the shapes as a guide, put the sims inside with the sims facing upwards or downwards.

5. Once you have fit both the cards, slide the tray back with delicate hands.

1. Once you set the sims in place, locate the power button which is usually placed on the side or top panels. Hold this button down till the phone doesn’t vibrate lightly.

2. Once the phone vibrates, leave the button. Now your phone is powered on.

3. After powering on, if you are using it for the first time, there will be a pre-structured process that the phone will automatically let you set up.

4. Follow the process to complete the set-up. Once the phone is ready, you will see the home screen from where you can navigate to other features.

You will be given a USB charging cable along with your phone which you can attach to an adapter. The smaller slot on the USB slides inside the charging port of your phone while the bigger one gets into the adapter slot.

Pro Tip: Remember not to overcharge your phone. Switch off the charger as soon as your phone is 95% and up or fully charged. Leaving the phone plugged in the charger can damage the battery.

There are two ways in which you have to take care of your phone; hardware and the software.

1. Hardware:

   1. Buy a good phone cover that will protect your phone from any accidental falls and bumps.

   2. Attach a screen guard on the screen to prevent the main screen from damages.

   3. Make sure to keep your phone away from moisture and dust.

   4. Clean the phone twice a week with alcohol-based wipes to get rid of any bacterias.

   5. Please do not keep the phone facing down; it will hamper your screen.

2. Software:

   1. Install and upgrade the android versions.

   2. Install an anti-virus application to safeguard your phone from any malware or viruses.

   3. Be sure not to overcharge your phone.

1. Display: The crisp AMOLED display is the best high-end display according to the recent trend in the market. The 6.7-inch super AMOLED display comes with a Full-HD+ resolution and HDR support. However, it does not sport the fast fingerprint scanner and has maintained a standard CMOS fingerprint scanner.

2. Body and Design: The frame feels like metal and tends to get cold to the touch in an AC room. Volume and power buttons are located on the right and are quite easily reachable while holding the device. The tray for the SIM card is located on the left-hand side which is equipped to carry 2 Nano SIMs which support 2G; GSM;3G; WCDMA;4G; LTE FDD; TDD. The charging port is designed for sporting a USB Type-C pin; the music jack is a standard 3.5mm. It has a loudspeaker grille and the S Pen silo on the bottom. The back of the phone seem plasticky to the touch and does not offer the premium feel like the glass panel. The rear of the phone is also prone to smudges, and you'll have to wipe it repeatedly to keep it looking clean. There is a rectangular camera module which is similar to Galaxy A-series smartphones. This camera module fits perfectly in the back panel. The phone is considerably thick at 8.7mm.

3. Battery: The Note 10 Lite supports a 4,500mAh battery and you get a 25W charger in the box. At optimum use, you will able to use your device for 24 hours without much struggle to keep the battery going.

4. Processor: Powered by the Exynos 9810, it will give you good speed. But this is the same processor that Samsung used for the Galaxy S9, that said, the processor is 2 years old. This is a big set back when you compare the phone and the price.

5. Software: You get One UI 2.0 running alongside the Android 10. You won’t face any issues navigating through the menus, and there is also an option to enable swipe-based navigation. The S Pen stylus makes this phone super quick to use, say you can just pull it out when the phone is on standby to make a few notes on the device. You can utilize the S Pen as a remote shutter to take photos or to switch between the cameras. There are a few preinstalled apps on the phone such as Facebook, Netflix, the complete suite of Google Apps along a few Microsoft apps too. The smartphone also has the ‘Link to Windows' feature. You also get the Galaxy Store as an alternative to the Google Play. Dolby Atmos is available but it only works with earphones plugged in. The phone is well equipped to deliver a smooth user experience without any lags or glitches. Multitasking on this one is super easy, and you won’t even have to shut the apps running in the background.

6. Camera: The camera set is equipped with three 12-megapixel cameras. The main cam has an f/1.7 aperture, the wide-angle camera offers you f/2.2 aperture, and the telephoto camera gives an f/2.4 gap. The 32-megapixel shooter is equipped with f/2.2 aperture. Focusing is a little slower in comparison to the other flagship products by Samsung. The app is similar to Samsung standard design, and it offers multiple shooting modes like Night, Super Slow-Mo, Food and a Pro mode. It is well laid out, and shuffling between the cameras is effortless. The camera meters light correctly while capturing photos in daylight. The picture offers good detailing and does not get pixelated.

7. Buying options: There are two available options: 6GB of RAM and 128GB of storage and 8GB of RAM and the same 128GB.

8. Our Verdict: The phone supports a profitable Samsung flagship segment. The software takes the edge off here in comparison to other products. However, if we look at the price, the hardware could have also done better!

1. Display: Keeping up with AMOLED display, the M31 sports an Infinity-U cut display. The display is 6.4 inches with Full HD+ resolution. The colours will appear crisp and clear, making it easier for you to operate the screen irrespective of the surrounding lights.

2. Body and Design: After you pick the phone, it feels comfortable and complacent while holding. It has slightly curved sides which makes it easier to catch. The power button is on the right of the device and is easy to reach. However, although the volume buttons are also located on the right, they could have been placed better. SIM tray is on the left holding 2 Nano-SIM slots and an SD card. However, this tray does not blend in with the design. Rest of the features are standardised with a 3.5 mm audio jack and a secondary microphone on the top. The loudspeaker grille is at the bottom. The back of the M31 has some innovations. The camera slot is similar to that of the M30s, but it now supports the fourth camera. The fingertip sensor is located beside the camera and is easy to reach. The black colour picks up smudges quickly.

3. Battery:  It has a 6000 mAh battery along with a 15W charger. At an optimum usage level, you will be able to run this beast for 48 hours without worrying about charging it up frequently.

4. Processor: Samsung has retained Exynos 9611 in this model. It is an octa-core processor with an ARM Cortex clocked at 2.3GHz, and 4 efficiency Cortex clocked at 1.7GHz. This means that you will be able to launch your apps faster and also manage intensive tasks with this one.

5. Software: You get the OneUI 2.0 along with Android 10. The software is very close to that of Galaxy Note 10 Lite, but there is a fair amount of bloatware on this one. Apart from the Google apps, Netflix, Candy Crush Saga, and Samsung Max, which are preloaded on the phone, it also has its My Galaxy and Samsung Shop. My Galaxy can sometimes be super annoying as it keeps on pushing notifications throughout the day! You have to be extremely cautious while you run the set-up on the device because if you allow permissions, Samsung will keep hammering you with all sorts of marketing notifications. Do not download apps that you don’t need or use. Apart from this, the Android 10 comes with its goodies like Dark Mode, Focus Mode, which can be enabled through the notification panel. Digital Wellbeing and Parental Controls are also added to the functionality of the device.

6. Camera: The M31 has a quad-camera setup at the back and a single 32-megapixel selfie camera. The primary camera is 64-megapixel and f/1.8 aperture. It takes 16-megapixel shots by default to get full resolution. There is an 8-megapixel ultra-wide-angle camera with a 123-degree field of view and an f/2.2 aperture. The other cams are a 5-megapixel depth sensor and a 5-megapixel macro camera. In addition to the regular app features, the scene optimiser detects the scenes and quickly adjusts the camera. The focus works excellent, and the phone can distinguish fast between background colours and object colours.

7. Buying options: You can buy this one at 6 GB RAM and 64 GB Storage at 16,499/- or 8 GB RAM and 128 GB Storage priced at 19,499/-

8. Our Verdict: Samsung has upgraded the RAM and put the fourth Cam in place along with a preloaded Android 10. If you have used the M30s, you will find that this feels like just a few improvements to it. Battery life is the highlight for us, and if you want a decent phone with excellent battery life, this is one great purchase.

1. Display: The Galaxy A51 has a Super AMOLED panel which offers a Full-HD+ resolution, and is very capable of producing poppy colours and good sharpness.

2. Body and Design: The design is very similar to Galaxy A50s. With an all-polycarbonate body, the phone is very light and slim, measuring just 7.9mm in thickness. You can notice a few smudges on it, but they aren’t very prominently visible. You may get a little slippery to feel after you hold the device, but Samsung provides a cover. Buttons are placed ergonomically, and we have the SIM card tray on the right side, which supports 2 Nano SIMs and an SD card slot. At the bottom, there is the usual headphone jack, USB Type-C port for the charger, and speaker grille. The backside of A51 is familiar, but now there is the fourth camera. The prism-crush back makes the phone look super stylish.

3. Battery: It has a 4,000 mAh battery, and the phone sported a decent runtime of 14 hours and 55 minutes. You can easily manage to get an entire day's worth for regular use, and you will still have enough power left for another half day. It facilitates fast charging. The battery can reach 67 per cent from 0 in an hour. Complete charging takes around 2 hours.

4. Processor: Exynos 9611 SoC is reasonably competent at graphics and would give you great speed without experiencing any severe lags. Multifunctionality is at its best with this device.

5. Software: Samsung's One UI 2.0 runs in Galaxy A51, which is based on Android 10. The company tweaked up some changes to improve the user experience. It has made it effortless to change wallpapers with a dedicated menu for this. The positioning of permission access notifications from apps are switched to the middle. You can track the battery usage for the past seven days, and you can even change the lock screen app icons. The bloatware pre-installed is still on the higher end, including third-party apps and some of Samsung's apps. But luckily you can uninstall the majority of them. You can now organise your SMS in the form of graphic cards and Smart Crop.

6. Camera: There is a new addition with the 5-megapixel macro camera to the three cameras that were already there in the A50s. It has 48-megapixel primary cam, along with a 12-megapixel wide-angle and a 5-megapixel depth sensor. The app has a few changes and different looking icons. Most features have been clubbed under the “MORE” menu. The primary camera captures 12-megapixel photos by default, but you can switch to full resolution any time you like. In the perfect lighting conditions, the phone can capture great transparent shorts.

7. Buying Options: No other buying options are available for this!

8. Our Verdict: There is something quite attractive about the A51. Although the pricing is not going great, it will surely get the attention of those looking for a catered experience. You get an Android 10, a slim and light body, preloaded Samsung Pay, a sufficiently reliable battery life, excellent display and of course the Samsung Brand. If you are someone looking for a futuristic phone, you should not miss out on this one!

1. Display: The display on this one is LCD and does not have a reasonable refresh rate! This could have been a strategy to keep the price low, but this is not a good bargain. However, it isn’t entirely dull. The display has the right viewing angles and is bright to see even when outdoors.

2. Body and Design: The phones have undoubtedly grown in size to the point that this one feels bulky and wide. With 8.8mm in thickness and weighing 209 g, using it with one-hand is hard. You won’t be able to reach the top of the tall, 6.67-inch display in an effortless manner. The Corning Gorilla Glass 5 on display helps in preventing any screen damage in daily usage. There is also a white light display notification placed inside the earpiece on the top of the show. The unique feature is that Note 9 Pro Max has a side-mounted fingerprint scanner which is embedded in the power button placed on the right side.

3. Battery: The battery is a monstrous 5020 mAh, which is excellent when it comes to usage but hampers the overall design adding to the bulkiness. However, the device does heat up in the rapid charging process, and the charging speed slows down after it reaches 75%.

4. Processor: Qualcomm Snapdragon 720G is considered best for gaming, and you will find that the games load quickly without any lags. However, the device will start to heat up after 20 minutes of continuous gaming.

5. Software: Along with Android 10, it runs the MIUI 11 and has a lot of customisation options available. If you are familiar with the Xiaomi device, you won't have any problem navigating around. The bloatware issue is quite eminent here too since there are apps like Helo which are known to be spammy when launched. You may be bombarded with notifications by the app store called Get Apps which can be annoying. Wallpaper also may keep pushing messages which can get frustrating. Pay close attention while setting up this device and unmark apps that you feel are unnecessary.

6. Camera: The Redmi Note 9 Pro Max has a 64-megapixel primary camera with an f/1.89 aperture. The other ones are an 8-megapixel ultra-wide and 5-megapixel macro camera along with a 2-megapixel depth sensor. There are a lot of shooting modes that you can choose from, and the primary cam captures photos up to 16mp by default. You can choose to shoot at 64mp by changing the resolution. The AI enhances the colour of the pictures, but this can sometimes go super amiss, and your photos may look different in colours than actual.

7. Buying Options: You can choose to buy a variant with 6 GB RAM and 128 GB Storage.

8. Our Verdict: This is a good buying option since it packs good cams, latest Android versions and excellent battery life. However, the design can be indeed a prick. But if you are ready to explore your deep pockets, this is a better pick!

1. Display: The has a 6.4-inch collection is AMOLED with full-HD+ resolution. The panel is vivid and offers excellent viewing angles. This panel is striking and has perfect viewing angles. It has good brightness and is comfortable enough to see in daylight. 

2. Body and Design: The body is made out of plastic that keeps the cost down. The back panel has a glossy finish despite being made out of plastic. But you can see the streaks. There is no case provided so you will have to keep cleaning it till you don’t buy a new cover. The power button and the fingerprint scanner get full marks for positioning as they are easy to reach. The thickness is 8.9 mm. The Galaxy M21 measures 8.9mm in thickness which is mainly due to its battery. Surprisingly the device still feels sleek and has curved sides.

3. Battery: It has a fantastic battery life since it packs a massive 6,000 mAh battery that can last you up to 48 hours at regular usage. The Samsung phones are programmed to automatically reduce brightness once the battery comes below a certain charge level. It takes 2 hours until full charge.

4. Processor: The Exynos 9611 processor is great when it comes to running essential apps, but some significant apps may take their time to load. Multitasking is smooth, and you won't face any issues switching between multiples apps without any delays.

5. Software: The phone has a One UI 2.0 on top of Android 10, but the issue with bloatware and marketing notification is something that Samsung hasn’t resolved even in this one. The other Android 10 goodies are intact even in this version.

6. Camera: This phone also has a triple cam setup which is very identical to the M30s. The 48mp primary cam is excellent at capturing photos that are crips in daylight. Features like night mode make shooting in low light very easy. But the captures do tend to get blurry with the super zoom function and will lose clarity once you see the picture by zooming in.

7. Buying options: You can buy the other variant at 6 GB RAM and 128 GB Storage.

8. Our Verdict: There is not much difference in the M30s and M20s after the upgrade of OneUI 2.0. This one just has a better selfie shooter. The main difference for you here, in this instance, is the cost. This is priced much lower, so you still get all specifications at a lower cost.

1. Display: The screen is 6.3 inches and has a Full-HD+ resolution which is good at the given price. This also has an LCD panel and is certified by TUV Rheinland for blue light reduction. You can sense this when you switch off the reading mode.

2. Body and Design: This one is a reasonably ordinary-looking budget phone. There is a small white notification LED above the screen. The only addition to the design is a type of Halo effect that runs around the edges of the screen. The rear appears to be neat but does not have an appeal. Camera strip is oddly placed at the centre which sticks out in looks. The phone also won’t stay flay and will rock if you put it on the table. The power button and fingerprint sensor effortless to reach, but the volume buttons are placed high.

3. Battery: 4000 mAh battery is sufficient enough to last you an entire day at regular use.

4. Processor: Qualcomm Snapdragon 665 will run the essential apps well, but you may face lags while using this one for extensive gaming.

5. Software: It has an MIUI 10.3.1 running along with Android 9. There is not much difference in customizations offered by the MIUI. The bloatware issue persists here as well, and you will have to pay adequate attention while setting up the device.

6. Camera: The quad-cam set up has been MI’s USP ever since it got into the market. The camera set up is very identical to 48 MP primary camera and other zooming cams. The app is also relatively easy to use and packs a lot of varied shooting options. But the same issue stays with the AI changing colours while auto-adjusting the camera. There also seems to be an issue with focus locking as it tends to shift if you change position. But the overall photo quality is impressive, and you can click some good photos with this one!

7. Buying options: No other variant buying options are available for this one!

8. Our Verdict: There is enough power to take you through the day, a crisp display and impressive cameras! The combination of RAM and Storage can be a formidable one to get in other competitors. This is a good value addition!

1. Display: The phone has an AMOLED display with full-HD+ resolution and Gorilla Glass 5. The display is vibrant enough to be used even in bright daylight. The colours appear lively and are sharp enough to spot icons and texts.

2. Body and Design: The back panel is designed with a gradient finish at the back. It is a laminated panel. This is still a laminated back panel and not made of glass. But the colour should help in concealing any fingerprint smudges. This phone is exceptionally sleek and very comfortable to carry around. A silicone case is provided in the box so that you don’t have to go out and buy one immediately. It is a tall phone, and the power and volume buttons are easy to reach and well placed on the sides. However, the glossy finish can make the phone feel slippery, but luckily the back panel is slightly curved to offer better grip.

3. Battery: This one takes the edge off with an excellent battery life that can last you up to 14 hours even on extensive use. If you use this with regular usage, the battery can last you up to an entire day without having to charge it. It charges 88% in about an hour which is excellent if you ask us!

4. Processor: MediaTek Helio P70 octa-core processor is a little turn-off here. The phone would have felt much well powered with a faster processor. The games tend to lag, and multifunctionality is limited to smaller, more basic apps. If you need to run some significant apps, you will have to shut all apps that are running in the background despite the great RAM.

5. Software: It still runs the Android 9 version offering an old interface feel overall. Although features like Google wellbeing and gestures are included, the real feel that is provided by Android 10 is absent. Several third-party apps are pre-installed, but you can very well uninstall them if you please.

6. Camera: The camera set up sports a 48 MP primary camera that can capture photos in 12 MP by default. However, some significant features are missing from this one, like super steady videos and night mode for selfies. You will be able to capture reasonably decent photos in daylight, and they will give you useful details. The image quality tips to the lower end when you try to shoot pictures in low light even though night mode does brighten up the screen. The camera app is effortless to use, and you will be able to navigate reasonably well even if you are a first time user.

7. Buying options: Another buying variant is the 4 GB RAM and 128 GB Storage.

8. Our Verdict: It is undoubtedly a good looking smartphone; however, the feel isn’t powering if you compare it against the other competitors. The processor leaves this one underpowered. The good part of this is the sleek design and good display! Checkout reviews and comparison of best iphone 12 cases, best budget tablets, best smartwatches in India.