The lower end of the mid-range segment has always been about good value and balanced performance. In general, we see a greater focus on design in the next group, which is sub-R. 30,000 segment, but recently there have been a few design-oriented projects at the lower end of the mid-range as well. From the main cameras with optical stabilization to the OLED displays, it’s easy to justify their price compared to some high-end budget smartphones.

One of our recent additions is the Poco X5 Pro 5G, which comes with a thin and light design and a good dose of mid-range performance thanks to the Qualcomm Snapdragon 778G SoC, making it an attractive choice 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 The recent Realme 10 Pro+ 5G has now been replaced by the Realme 11 Pro+ 5G, but it still offers excellent value and is one of the few devices to feature an AMOLED panel with curved edges.

Here’s Gadgets 360’s pick of the best phones under Rs. 25,000 in India, in no particular order.

Poco X5 Pro 5G

Poco X5 Pro 5G offers a great multimedia experience, reliable performance and long battery life. Design is subjective, and if you ask us, we’re not big fans of how it looks. However, the light and thin design may attract many buyers.

The primary rear camera and the front-facing camera deliver good daylight performance and decent low-light images, but the other two have room for improvement. Meanwhile, its Qualcomm Snapdragon 778G also makes it a great smartphone for gamers. Battery life from the large 5,000mAh battery is pretty good, as is the 67W fast charge. All in all, if you want a phone that offers good performance and a decent overall package, the Poco X5 Pro 5G is definitely something to consider.

Realme 10 Pro+ 5G

The Realme 10 Pro+ 5G has now replaced the recently launched Realme 11 Pro+ 5G, but it will still find a few buyers given its slightly lower price. The new Realme 10 Pro+ 5G is distinguished by style and performance. Realme’s “Hyperspace” design language makes the phone light and thin, but looks much better than its predecessor, and to some its successor.

Inside is the MediaTek Dimensity 1080 SoC, which provides enough performance for everyday tasks and is also decent for gaming. It is one of the few smartphones in this price range that offers a 120Hz curved AMOLED display. It’s got a 108-megapixel primary camera, which unfortunately doesn’t offer OIS, but offers good overall performance. A 5,000mAh battery coupled with 67W charging also provides good power backup. Although the software runs smoothly and you get Android 13, the phone is loaded with viruses.

Samsung Galaxy M53 5G

The Samsung Galaxy M53 5G recently received a price cut for the 6GB RAM variant, which is now available for around Rs. 24,900 in India. For that price, you’re getting Samsung’s powerful Super AMOLED panel with a 120Hz refresh rate and a MediaTek Dimensity 900 SoC, which should be fine for mid-range gaming and entertainment. The phone is made of polycarbonate, but thanks to the matte back panel, it looks premium. Samsung also promises two years of Android OS updates and four years of security updates, which is useful for those who don’t update their smartphones often.

The Galaxy M53 5G also has a 108-megapixel primary camera that delivers good daylight performance, but its low-light performance isn’t the best we’ve seen in this segment. There’s a 5,000mAh battery that offers long battery life, but it’s limited to just 25W fast charging and takes a while to fully charge. Samsung also doesn’t include a charger in the box.

Motorola Edge 30

The Motorola Edge 30 was replaced by the recently released Edge 40 smartphone, but it still offers an interesting balance of design and performance. It has an ultra-slim design that uses a polycarbonate frame and an acrylic back panel instead of glass. This makes the phone quite light at only 155g and also thin at 6.79mm. The Qualcomm Snapdragon 778G+ processor is responsible for performance, which is enough for routine tasks and games.

In terms of software, users get two years of Android OS updates and three years of security updates without any viruses or third-party software. The triple primary camera setup includes a 50MP main camera with optical image stabilization, a 50MP ultra-wide-angle camera and even a 3x telephoto camera, making it well equipped in terms of photography. Battery life isn’t the best, but the 4,020mAh battery should get most users through the day.

iQoo Z5

Even though the iQoo Z5 has been replaced by the newer Z7 series, the iQoo Z5 still holds the top spot in terms of price. It’s not as flashy as other smartphones in this segment and has a more practical approach to design with a matte polycarbonate back. The iQoo Z5 has a Qualcomm Snapdragon 778G SoC processor that is well suited for daily tasks and gaming.

The base version of the drive comes with 8GB of RAM and a 5,000mAh battery that can be quickly charged using a 44W charger. It’s the only smartphone on this list that has an LCD display, but it offers a 120Hz refresh rate, which is good for regular use and gaming. While the rest of its specs are up to par, its 64-megapixel camera isn’t the best of the bunch, and it doesn’t perform well in low-light.

Xiaomi 11i HyperCharge 5G

Xiaomi 11i HyperCharge 5G is now available at a lower price of Rs. 25,999 for the 8GB RAM variant. The main feature of the phone is its 120W wired charging, but the rest of the equipment is also good. There is a MediaTek Dimensity 920 SoC processor, which is suitable not only for normal use, but also for medium-level games. There’s a 108-megapixel primary camera that delivers good daylight performance, but decent low-light images. There’s also a 120Hz AMOLED display, dual symmetrical stereo speakers and even a 3.5mm headphone port. With a smooth anti-glare glass back, it looks and feels premium.