It's official. Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the rollout of 5G services in India on October 1. The rollout is planned in phases and will cover some cities first, before slowly rolling out to more over the course of the next few years.
While any flagship smartphone released within the last couple of years has you covered for 5G, you don't necessarily need to spend an arm and a leg to get started with your journey. Here is a look at some phones that give you the best of 5G without burning a hole in your pocket.
For those who want to experience Apple's ecosystem but within a reasonable budget. You could argue that Rs 64,999 is still too high of a price but iPhone 13 mini makes a solid case for itself with great specifications and of course, support for 5G.
For Rs 32,999, the Nothing Phone (1) is something special and is one of the best overall smartphones in the segment. Nothing’s strategy doesn’t seem to be aimed at high performance but rather balance. The Phone (1) does a lot of things very well by offering excellent software, a vibrant display, and a sizeable battery.
Hampered by a delayed launch and a somewhat higher price, the S21 FE is now back in contention with a new price of Rs 34,999. It isn't the top of the line anymore, but that also means it commands a much lower price and makes for a great introduction to 5G.
At a starting price of Rs 28,999, you can't go wrong with the OnePlus Nord 2T. It has pretty much everything you would want in a mid-range smartphone, and has a good display, great battery life, and clean software.
Realme's GT Neo 3T gives you a lot for Rs 29,999. It has Qualcomm's Snapdragon 870 SoC, a vibrant screen, and a fast charging 5000mAh battery. The 5G support is the cherry on top.
With Snapdragon 888, an intelligent display chip and some software tricks, the iQOO 9 SE will not disappoint the gamer in you. It is priced just right to get you interested at Rs 29,990.
With a current sale price of Rs 23,999, Xiaomi's Redmi Note 11 Pro+ 5G shoots up our list of contenders despite a slow start earlier this year. This is a solid package, from a good SoC, to a great screen and a large 5000mAh battery.
At a starting price of Rs 17,999, the Moto G52 is a budget phone that is built to last, has great sound quality and big enough battery to get you through most of the work day. It serves as a great introduction phone to 5G.
At a starting price of Rs 22,999, the Poco X4 Pro 5G sacrifices balance to excel in a few key areas instead. The AMOLED display is the best in the segment and then there’s the unique design and what appears to be a pretty solid construction. Performance is not game charging but still superb, while battery life and charging speed are as good as it gets in this segment.
While the Oppo F19 Pro struggles to distinguish itself from the F17 Pro, it's still a good phone with a decent chipset, a versatile set of cameras, a vibrant display, an all-day battery, fast charging, and good software. During the ongoing sales, you can grab one for yourself for Rs. 19,999, which isn't a bad deal at all.
