The sub-Rs. 20,000 price segment today features a range of powerful smartphones that offer anything from pop-up selfie cameras, in-display fingerprint sensors, and 64-megapixel cameras to powerful processors that can even rival some mid-tier phones. We have recently reviewed some pretty neat additions to the segment.

Best phones under 20,000:

• Samsung Galaxy M31s
• Realme 7 Pro
• Motorola One Fusion+
• Redmi Note 9 Pro Max
• Poco X2
• Realme 6 Pro
• Samsung Galaxy M31
• Realme X2

Samsung Galaxy M31s

Samsung launched the Galaxy M31s at Rs. 19,499, but at the time of updating this guide, its price has increased to Rs. 20,499 on its online store. Samsung has a habit of constantly tweaking its prices, so by the time you read this article, we wouldn’t be surprised if the price has increased or decreased by a small margin yet again.

We think the Galaxy M31s a decent update to the Galaxy M31. It has a higher starting price, but for this extra money you get an Infinity-O AMOLED display, a higher capacity bundled charger, and a slightly tweaked design. It retains many of the things that made the Galaxy M31 great, such as the large 6,000mAh battery, but also carries forward some negatives such as the dated SoC. That’s not to say that the phone can’t handle Android well, but compared to what the competition offers at around this price, the processor definitely feels weak.

The cameras are decent but video stabilization is not great and low-light photos don’t have the best details. However, if having the best battery life is a top priority for you, then the Galaxy M31s is still among the best in its class.

Realme 7 Pro

The more premium model in Realme’s 7-series, the Realme 7 Pro features some big upgrades over the Realme 6 Pro such as the use of an AMOLED display, 65W fast charging, and stereo speakers. With a higher starting price of Rs. 19,999, the new model does have a unique mix of features that few others match in this segment. 65W charging helps charge the battery very quickly and the stereo speakers make watching any content sound more immersive. The new phone is also slimmer and lighter compared to the 6 Pro, which is a nice bonus.

However, you don’t get a 90Hz display which is a little disappointing. The 7 Pro also has the same Qualcomm Snapdragon 720G SoC as the 6 Pro, so there’s no real performance gain either. The primary rear camera has improved a bit, but once again, you lose out on the ultra-wide-angle selfie camera and the rear telephoto camera of the 6 Pro.

While there’s no doubt that the Realme 7 Pro is a good phone, it does take a step backward in some areas, which is why the Realme 6 Pro is also still a viable option in this segment.

Motorola One Fusion+

The Motorola One Fusion+ is a welcome addition to the sub Rs. 20,000 price segment. While the price is very competitive, Motorola has not skimped in terms of hardware. The Motorola One Fusion+ sports a big 6.5-inch display without a notch. This panel is HDR10 certified and has very good viewing angles. It also has a loud bottom-firing speaker that compliments the crisp display. Powering the Motorola One Fusion+ is the very capable Qualcomm Snapdragon 730G SoC.

It scored very well in our benchmarks. The One Fusion+ is available in one configuration only, with 6GB of RAM and 128GB of storage. You do have the option to expand storage further using the hybrid dual-SIM tray. Motorola has also packed in a 5,000mAh battery, and this phone comes with an 18W TurboCharger.

It runs clean stock Android and we did not encounter any preinstalled bloatware. Thankfully, it still retains Moto Actions which are useful gesture-based features. The Motorola One Fusion+ sports a four cameras at the back and a pop-up selfie camera. It has a 64-megapixel primary sensor, an 8-megapixel ultra-wide-angle camera, a 5-megapixel macro camera, and a 2-megapixel depth sensor. The camera performance was good in daylight, and the phone was quick to lock focus and meter light correctly. Low-light shots were average but using Night mode made a huge difference. Video recording maxes out at 4K and the phone does a good job at stabilizing footage in the daytime.

Redmi Note 9 Pro Max

The Redmi Note 9 Pro Max is the latest smartphone to join this list of the best phones under Rs. 20,000. When Xiaomi launched this smartphone, it was priced starting under Rs. 15,000, but the GST hike has caused prices to go up. The Redmi Note 9 Pro Max shares a lot of hardware with the Redmi Note 9 Pro – both phones sport 6.67-inch displays which are good for video watching but not for single-handed use.

The Redmi Note 9 Pro Max has a side-mounted fingerprint scanner that lets you unlock it quickly. Sticking to current trends, the Redmi Note 9 Pro Max has four rear cameras but the module protrudes quite a bit. The Redmi Note 9 Pro Max is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 720G SoC. Xiaomi offers it in three variants: the base variant has 6GB of RAM and 64GB of storage and is priced at Rs. 16,999; the middle one offers 6GB of RAM and 128GB of storage and is priced at Rs. 18,499. The top variant is priced at Rs 19,999 which is barely under the upper limit for this list.

The Redmi Note 9 Pro Max packs in a 5,020mAh battery and delivers very good battery life. It also fared very well in our HD video loop test. Xiaomi bundles a 33W charger in the box and this phone charges more quickly than the Redmi Note 9 Pro. The camera performance of the Redmi Note 9 Pro Max is quite good, but photos tend to be oversharpened at times. Low-light camera performance is average but Night mode helps capture better output.

Poco X2

The first smartphone to come out of Poco after it became an independent entity is the Poco X2. The is not the successor of the Poco F1, but does a lot of things right in its own way. It is tall and has a big 6.67-inch display with a 20:9 aspect ratio. The panel also boasts of a 120Hz refresh rate which isn’t very common at this price. The Poco X2 has a dual-camera punch-hole on the front, and a side-mounted fingerprint scanner, both of which are slowly becoming more common. The Poco X2 feels large and bulky. It is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 730G which is a powerful chip that can handle gaming quite well.

The Poco X2 has multiple variants: 6GB of RAM with 64GB of storage, 6GB of RAM with 128GB of storage, and 8GB of RAM with 256GB of storage. The prices of the Poco X2 have climbed since its launch and the base variant now starts at Rs. 17,499 while the middle one is priced at Rs 18,499 and the top variant is still at Rs. 20,999.

Poco has packed in a 4,500mAh battery and you get a 27W charger in the box. This phone sports a quad-camera setup at the back and we noticed that the photo quality in daylight is quite good. Low-light photo quality was also relatively impressive but not as detailed as during the day. Low-light video quality wasn’t as good.

Realme 6 Pro

The Realme 6 Pro was launched alongside the Realme 6, and both smartphones have made it to our lists at their respective prices. The Realme 6 Pro has a 6.6-inch display with a dual-camera hole-punch for the selfie cameras. It is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 720G SoC just like the Redmi Note 9 Pro Max. The device is well designed but is a little slippery as it has a glass back. This phone is also a little heavy at 202g. One unique feature of the Realme 6 Pro is its 90Hz screen refresh rate. It also has a side-mounted fingerprint scanner that is easy to reach and quick to unlock the phone.

The Realme 6 Pro is offered in three variants: 6GB of RAM with 64GB of storage, 6GB of RAM with 128GB of storage, and 8GB of RAM with 128GB of storage. The base variant starts at Rs. 17,999 while the other variants are priced at Rs. 18,999 and Rs 19,999 respectively.

There’s a quad-camera setup at the back. Camera performance was decent in daylight and for close-ups, but low-light camera performance needs some improvement. The Realme 6 Pro has a 4300mAh battery which isn’t as big as some of the other phones in the list but it delivered excellent battery life when we reviewed it.

Samsung Galaxy M31

Samsung has been focusing on the sub Rs. 20,000 market with its Galaxy M-series, and the Galaxy M31 is currently the best in the lineup. This model has a 6.4-inch full-HD+ AMOLED display that delivers vivid colours and very good viewing angles. There is a quad-camera setup at the back with a 64-megapixel primary camera. It also packs a big 6,000mAh battery and a capable Exynos 9611 SoC.

Samsung offers the Galaxy M31 with 6GB of RAM and two storage options, 64GB and 128GB. Prices start at Rs. 16,499 for the base model while the higher model is priced at Rs. 18,999. The big battery offers fantastic battery life and this phone could easily go on for two days. The cameras are good in daylight, the wide-angle one offers a wider field of view but loses out on details compared to the primary camera. We did notice that the camera AI can go overboard in terms of saturating colors. The primary camera is a little slow while focusing and you can see minor grain in the output. With Night mode enabled, the Galaxy M31 delivers better low-light shots. We found video stabilization to be average as well.

The Exynos 9611 SoC is not as powerful as the Snapdragon 720G powering the Redmi Note 9 Pro Max and the Realme 6 Pro but it is capable of handling day-to-day tasks with ease. The battery is the highlight of the Galaxy M31 as it can outrun most devices on this list.

Realme X2

Realme X2 is one of the older phones on this list but has managed to stand its ground all this while. It has a 6.4-inch AMOLED display with an in-display fingerprint scanner, something that the others miss out on. It also packs in a Qualcomm Snapdragon 730G processor similar to the Poco X2. The phone is manageable for day-to-day use and isn’t as big as the Poco X2 or the Redmi Note 9 Pro Max. The Realme X2 has a quad-camera setup at the back and comes in a variety of colours.

Realme has packed in a 4000mAh battery and ships a 30W fast charger in the box which makes charging quick. The Realme X2 could handle it.

OnePlus Nord Lite has 6.55 inches (16.63 cm) display, 48 MP + 16 MP + 2 MP camera, 4300 mAh battery. It has a Super AMOLED screen with a resolution of 1080 x 2400 Pixels.

OnePlus Nord Lite in Indian Price

OnePlus Nord Lite phone price in India is likely to be Rs 19,999. OnePlus Nord Lite is speculated to be launched in the country in October 2020 (Expected). As for the color options, the OnePlus Nord Lite phone may come in Black colors.

OnePlus Nord 2 (Nord Lite): Price and release date

The OnePlus Nord currently sells in two versions, which cost £379 and £469. That’s around $500 and $600 respectively, but direct currency conversions don’t reflect regional pricing differences. We expect the OnePlus Nord 2 to cost less than this, perhaps hitting the $400 mark or even lower. As for the OnePlus Nord 2 release date, we have a pretty good idea. Shortly after the launch of the Nord, OnePlus CEO Carl Pei said that a Nord-branded phone would be coming to the U.S. market by the end of the year. This won’t be an identical device to the one we’ve seen already, but will presumably share some features and design characteristics if it’s going to share the Nord branding.

OnePlus Nord 2 (Nord Lite): Specifications

Code found within OnePlus’ OxygenOS operating system refers to a phone with the codename “billie”, which uses a Snapdragon 690 chipset. OnePlus has always used Qualcomm-made silicon, including the Snapdragon 765 in the Nord.

An OnePlus device using a Snapdragon 690 with 6GB RAM was discovered in a Geekbench listing, which supports the OxygenOS finding, and also gives a clear picture of the potential specs. 6GB is less than the 8GB/12GB options in the original Nord, and would therefore make a lot of sense for a phone that’s intended to be cheaper.

Another unidentified OnePlus phone spotted on Geekbench is named “Clover”. This phone has a Snapdragon 665, which is less powerful chip than the 690, and 4GB of RAM.This could signify a huge expansion of the Nord range, with multiple budget to mid-range phones being offered when it finally hits the US. Equally, OnePlus may be still experimenting with different specs to figure out which works best for its plans.

OnePlus Nord 2 (OnePlus Nord Lite): Design

We assume that if it shares the same name, the Nord 2 will resemble the regular Nord. From the front, the original Nord looks a lot like the OnePlus 8, with a full-screen display and a punch-hole notch, except it has flat edges instead of curved ones. The back is also very similar, except on the Nord, the vertical line of cameras is on the phone’s left side, rather than down the center. Since the left-aligned cameras are the Nord’s most distinctive physical feature, we’d expect the Nord 2 to have this as well.

OnePlus Nord 2 (OnePlus Nord Lite): Display

We have not heard any definitive rumors about the Nord 2’s screen, but we can make an educated guess based on the regular Nord.OnePlus equipped the Nord with a 6.44-inch FHD+ AMOLED panel with a 90Hz refresh rate, a seriously good display for the price. It’s likely that OnePlus would shrink the display and/or drop the refresh rate down to 60Hz for an OnePlus Nord 2/OnePlus Lite. That said, the OnePlus Clover’s rumored display is 6.52 inches, with an FHD resolution. It likely won’t have a refresh rate above 60Hz given its rumored price is even lower than that of the Nord 2.

OnePlus Nord 2 (OnePlus Nord Lite): Cameras

The Nord had the most cameras ever seen on an OnePlus phone, with four on the back (main, ultrawide, depth, and macro) and two on the front (main and ultrawide). It would be surprising to see as many cameras again on the Nord 2, assuming it’s significantly cheaper. OnePlus would likely ditch the ultrawide selfie camera to save production costs, or one of the cameras on the back (possibly the depth sensor) if OnePlus wanted to keep dual selfie cameras as a signature feature for its Nord range.

OnePlus Nord 2 (OnePlus Nord Lite): 5G

Based on the 5G-ready chipsets that we’ve seen rumored for the Nord 2, it seems very likely that the Nord 2 will have at least sub-6Ghz 5G, the more common standard found around the world. That does leave the question of whether a Nord 2 would support Verizon’s mmWave network. OnePlus has previously made specific models of its OnePlus 8 for Verizon that have mmWave compatibility, but there’s no guarantee it would do the same for the Nord 2.

OnePlus Nord 2 (OnePlus Nord Lite): battery

OnePlus phones tend to have fairly big batteries for their size. The Nord, for example, has a 4,115 mAh cell, which is far larger than the ones found in the Google Pixel 4a (3,140 mAh)or the iPhone SE (1,821 mAh). Hopefully, the expected cheaper specs of the Nord 2 won’t mean a big drop in total battery life.

A listing on safety regulator TÜV Rheinland shows that OnePlus has had an 18W charger certified. Since the OnePlus Nord uses a 30W charger, this looks like OnePlus’ attempt to make a less powerful charger to go with a more affordable phone.

OnePlus Nord 2 (OnePlus Nord Lite): Software

The OnePlus Nord runs on OxygenOS, as do the OnePlus 8 and OnePlus 8 Pro. This is a particularly slick-looking version of Android, and the current version, OxygenOS 10.5, is what we’d expect a Nord 2 handset to run.

This is assuming that the phone comes out before the end of the year, or in early 2021. Any later than that and it will likely use OnePlus’ flavor of Android 11, which we’re expecting around September. OnePlus is usually quick on the uptake of the newest version of Android, so expect whatever the latest version is to appear on the Nord 2.

OnePlus Nord 2 (OnePlus Nord Lite): Outlook

We’re eager to see OnePlus introduce a cheaper handset into the U.S. after the Nord launched in Europe and India. While some users may want the hardware jam-packed into the Nord, a cheaper model could do very well.

5G looks like a given, but lots of other parts may be getting downgraded in return for a price drop. That includes the 18W charger and the 6-series Snapdragon CPU, but OnePlus may also make trade-offs regarding the cameras and display, too. The trick for an OnePlus Nord 2 will be to not cut too many corners so that it can stand out versus the Pixel 4a and iPhone SE. Stay tuned for more leaks and rumors as we get closer to launch.

When OnePlus launched its first television in 2019, there were mixed reactions from reviewers and enthusiasts alike. The OnePlus TV U1 series is impressive for a number of reasons. The company’s new televisions for 2020 aren’t replacements for the OnePlus TV U1 series at all; these are more affordable TVs that will appeal to more value-conscious buyers.

In India however, the smart TV segment has been dominated by the likes of Xiaomi with its affordable Mi TVs. 10 months later, OnePlus has now introduced two new series of smart TVs that come with affordable price tags as the company looks to grab a bigger piece of the Indian market. The OnePlus TV Y series 32-inch and 43-inch models and the U series 55-inch model were launched last week with prices starting at Rs. 12,999. Today we are reviewing the high-end OnePlus TV U series 55U1 model.

OnePlus is looking to go back to its roots as a brand that was known for making premium products at affordable prices. The OnePlus TV U1 has been launched at Rs 49,999, which is a much more accessible price point compared to the Q1 series that is available upwards of Rs 69,990. At a sub-Rs 50,000 price point, the OnePlus TV U1 offers a 55-inch panel with 4K UHD resolution, a slim and premium design, 30W speakers, Dolby Vision, and much more.

Apart from that, this television promises everything else that you’d get with the OnePlus TV Q1 series, along with various software tweaks and improvements that have been released since that model was first launched.

Verdict

The OnePlus TV U1 delivers a bright and vibrant 4K display and an extremely attractive design that looks even better than the Q1 series. At this price point, the OnePlus TV U1 is easily one of the best 4K TVs in the market and will deliver a rich visual experience. Invest in a good soundbar and you’re good to go.

Design

The OnePlus TV U1 model comes with a 55-inch screen, which is pretty big and definitely meant for a spacious hall rather than your bedroom. The first thing that strikes you about the TV is its slim profile. With a thickness of just 6.9mm, this is is one of the slimmest TVs that I have ever seen. It looks sleek and the ultra-thin aluminum chassis gives it a very premium finish. You’ll be hard-pressed to find a better-looking TV in this segment.

A majority of the back of the OnePlus TV U1 is flat and clean. The company wanted to offer a minimalistic and attractive look for the back as well, even though you won’t be looking at this part of the TV much. You can tell the company has put in a lot of thought in the presentation. There is no visible screws on the back. The bottom one-third of the rear has a curved mound with a carbon fiber finish, which is where the hardware, speakers and ports are present. The left side of this bump has a removable cover that hides the ports. You will, of course, have to remove the cover and place it somewhere if you want to use the ports. You get three HDMI ports, one AV input, two USB ports, and an ethernet port.

Now, you don’t get a wall mounting kit with the OnePlus TV U1, but you do get a stand with the box. OnePlus says that customers can request for a free wall mount kit at the time of purchase and installation will also be done for free. These are metal stands with the same gunmetal colour and slim profile as the TV’s chassis. While the legs are sharp and slim, they are extremely solid and can balance the 55-inch TV well.

Display

OnePlus TV U1 comes with a 55-inch 4K UHD LED display and tons of technologies that add up to deliver a great picture experience. The display is backed by HDR10+ and Dolby Vision support. It also touts features like 93 percent DCI-P3 color gamut, Gamma Engine, and MEMC technology. Additionally. OnePlus has included noise reduction, super-resolution, color space mapping, and dynamic contrast.

Under Picture settings, you have the option to change the modes from Standard to Vivid, Custom, Film, Cinema Home, Photo and Graphic. There’s an Eye Protection mode as well which tints the display to a warmer shade to soothe the eyes. You can also manually adjust the backlight, contrast, brightness, gamma, sharpness, color, and tint. Moreover, you can also head to Advanced Settings to set options like Global Dimming, Noise Reduction, Ultra Smooth Motion, and so on.

As long as you have a good amount of 4K content to watch, you can get the best experience from the OnePlus TV U1. Netflix, for example, has the biggest library of 4K content provided you subscribe to the Rs 799 monthly subscription plan. You’ll see titles that support 4K UHD or Dolby Vision, both of which look absolutely stunning on the OnePlus TV U1.

As a must, I checked out Our Planet on Netflix which supports Dolby Vision. The experience was fantastic with excellent sharpness and vibrant colors. Brightness levels are great and so are the viewing angles. For an LED TV, the OnePlus TV U1 also delivers deep blacks, making night scenes look visually stunning in 4K. Note that Dolby Vision content has its own preset, but you can still tweak the brightness, sharpness, and so on if you really want to.

Now, a majority of the content that you’re going to watch will be in full HD resolution and it will look good for the most part as the Gamma Engine does a pretty good job at upscaling. However, due to the size of the screen, you will occasionally spot a lack in sharpness and pixelation. I checked out Jurassic World on Netflix, which was unfortunately not in 4K or Dolby Vision, and Ford v Ferrari on Hotstar in 1080p resolution. Both movies delivered good colour reproduction and brightness levels. Brightly lit scenes were clear enough, but I did notice some pixelation in darker scenes. The picture quality will naturally take a further hit if you’re watching content in 720p or lower resolution and it would be wise to opt for a smaller screen if you don’t have access to 4K content.

By default, motion estimation, motion compensation, or MEMC is set on Medium. The feature bumps up the fps to make motion appear smoother. In the Medium setting, the smoothness is noticeable and can make movies and shows feel unnatural. I mostly used MEMC on Low setting, which offered just the right amount of motion smoothness. Higher MEMC usually works better while watching sports.

Sound

The 55-inch OnePlus TV U series model comes with four speakers to deliver a 30W output, which is great to see in this price range. The system includes two full-range speakers and two tweeters. These are bottom-firing speakers, although OnePlus says they are rotated 90 degrees to the rear and an added reflective film is able to direct the sound downward in order to provide rich audio. The speakers are also backed by Dolby Audio support and there’s a Bluetooth Stereo mode that lets you use the TV as a speaker for your smartphone.

The speakers are supposed to deliver higher levels of bass compared to other speakers in this segment, and that can be felt. Out of the box, the Standard sound preset emphasizes lower sound signatures to give a bassy response. It’s great for action movies like Jurassic Park and Ford v Ferrari. While watching the latter, I could feel the deep roar of the car engines during the races, which really made the experience immersive. However, dialogues tend to lack clarity and can sound a little muffled. You can change the preset to Surround or Clarity depending on the kind of movie or show that you’re streaming. You can also manually adjust the audio settings for even better results. I had no complaints about the loudness of the speakers, but if you’re looking for a rich and balanced surround sound experience, you may want to invest in a good soundbar.

Software and performance

The OnePlus TV U1 runs Android TV 9.0 with a very light OnePlus skin on top. The TV is powered by a quad-core MediaTek chipset paired with 3GB RAM and 16GB internal storage. Apps like Netflix, Prime Video, Hotstar, YouTube, Zee5, Google Play Movies, Eros Now, and Hungama Play come preloaded. You can sign in using your Google account to access the Play Store from where you can download more OTT services and other third-party apps.

The general user interface looks clean and is easy enough to use. I didn’t see any lags or stutters while browsing through the UI. However, my in-app experience was quite uneven. Netflix worked smoothly for me, but I did find the Prime Video app to be quite laggy at times. For example, while watching a show on Prime Video, I tried to check the names of the actors only to find the whole process slow.

The TV comes with Oxygen Play, which curates content from various streaming services, allowing you to easily browse through them. OnePlus Connect is another feature offered by the brand. It’s an app that can be downloaded on your phone from the Google Play Store or Apple App Store. The app lets you use the phone as a remote to control the TV. It works quite seamlessly, allowing you to control playback and switch between apps via your phone.

Connectivity options also include Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 5.0, and Chromecast built-in. During the review period, the TV never showed issues with Wi-Fi connectivity, and was consistent and reliable. You can connect wireless headphones to the TV and the built-in Chromecast lets you cast content from your phone to the big screen.

OnePlus TV U1 remote

The OnePlus TV U1 remote comes with a new design compared to the remote that shipped with the Q1 series. Simply put, it is much better and actually usable. It’s longer and doesn’t look like a ripoff of the Apple TV remote, which is good. There’s a D-pad on the top for navigation and dedicated buttons for Netflix, Prime Video, and Google Assistant. The volume buttons have been moved to the front of the remote instead of the side as seen on OnePlus TV Q1 series remote. Tapping the OnePlus button lets you switch on the TV and long pressing it will let you choose between standby, switching it off completely or resetting it. Unlike the previous remote that could be recharged over a Type-C port, the new remote requires AAA batteries.

Final verdict

The OnePlus TV U1 has all the makings of a great 4K TV under Rs 50,000. The company has managed to deliver on all fronts, from a sleek and minimalistic design to an attractive display. The OnePlus TV U1 offers one of the best LED displays in its segment with plenty of features such as Dolby Vision support, HDR10+ and Gamma Engine to give it an edge over rival 4K TVs from Xiaomi, VU, and some others, if you’re willing to spend a little extra.

You also get a clean software experience with most popular OTT platforms out of the box, which means you won’t need an additional streaming player. The speakers are fine, but if you’re spending Rs 50,000 on a 4K TV, you should stretch your budget a little more and get a better sounding soundbar.

The OnePlus TV U1 holds up really well against the likes of the Mi TV 4X 55 and the VU Premium Android TV. These TVs are available at lower prices compared to the OnePlus TV U1 and are good 4K options if you’re on a tight budget. You also get some good options from TCL under 50K that are worth checking out as well such as the TCL 55C715 and 55P8E models. Overall though, I feel the OnePlus TV delivers better picture quality and a decent set of speakers, making it an option you can’t ignore if you’re looking to add a capable, big-screen TV to your home.