Best phones under Rs 40,000 (Nov 2024): Samsung Galaxy S23 FE 5G, Realme GT 6 to Google Pixel 8a

If you thought our previous list of smartphones under Rs 40,000 was awesome, the one here goes a step or two further. In fact, some of these phones were in our sub-50K list last time. At their current selling price, they offer excellent performance and value. They check most of the boxes like high processing power, ample storage, flagship-grade cameras and even eye-catching designs. Let’s look at the best phones one can buy under Rs 40,000 in India currently.

Best phones to buy under Rs 40,000 in India

Samsung Galaxy S23 FE 5G

The Samsung Galaxy S23 FE 5G retains its spot, and rather comfortably this time, courtesy of a price drop. And that too its 8GB RAM and 256GB storage variant. This compact phone is powered by a powerful Exynos 2200 chip. It sports an aluminium frame and glass back with Corning Gorilla Glass 5 protection at the front and back and an IP68-rated ingress protection.  

The photography department here is quite versatile. You get a 50MP primary camera with PDAF and OIS (optical image stabilisation), a 12MP ultra-wide camera with 123-degrees FOV and an 8MP telephoto camera with OIS that provides 3X optical zoom. The camera performance is highly impressive as one expects from a Samsung S series phone. It can record videos in up to 8K resolution. A 10MP front camera takes care of selfies and video calls.

The phone has a 6.4-inch Full HD+ Dynamic AMOLED 2X display with a peak brightness of 1450 nits, HDR10+ compliance and 120Hz refresh rate. A 4500 mAh battery keeps the device powered for over a day of moderate use and supports 25W fast charging as well as 15W wireless charging. The Samsung Galaxy S23 FE 5G launched with Android 13 and is upgradeable to Android 14 with Samsung’s One UI 6. Expect more updates in the future.

Samsung Galaxy S23 FE 5G price in India: Rs 33,999 for 8GB RAM/256GB storage

Realme GT 6

This good looking smartphone offers some great features and performance. The Realme GT 6 is powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8s Gen 3 SoC and you can choose a variant with 8GB RAM and 256GB internal storage or double the RAM and storage. It has a 6.78-inch QHD+ 10-bit LTPO AMOLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate and up to 6000 nits of peak brightness. The HDR10+ and Dolby Vision compliant display is protected against scratches by a layer of Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2.  

The camera department here is equally impressive and comprises two 50MP cameras at the back with the primary module sporting Sony’s LYT-808 sensor and OIS, while the other is a telephoto unit that offers 2X optical zoom. You also have an 8MP ultra-wide camera to complete the pack. The 50MP cameras do an excellent job in different modes and lighting. The 32MP front camera will impress the selfie crowd.  

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A 5500 mAh battery keeps the phone running for over a day and a half of moderate use, and the bundled 120W fast charger juices it fully in just half an hour. The Realme GT 6 runs Android 14 with Realme UI 5.0, and the company has promised three major OS updates going ahead. The price of both variants is a little above budget but you can get an instant Rs 4,000 to Rs 5,000 off using any credit or debit card on Flipkart and buy either of them under 40K.

Realme GT 6 price in India: Rs 36,999 (effectively) for 8GB RAM/256GB storage; Rs 39,999 (effectively) for 16GB RAM/512GB storage

Xiaomi 14 CIVI

The Xiaomi 14 CIVI is another powerful phone that packs impressive features. You get a 6.55-inch AMOLED display with 120Hz refresh rate and a resolution of 2750 x 1236 pixels. It is HDR10+ and Dolby Vision compliant, with a peak brightness of 3000 nits and support for up to 68 billion colour shades. It is protected against scratches by a layer of Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2.  

The Xiaomi 14 CIVI too is powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8s Gen 3 SoC, and you get 8GB RAM along with 256GB UFS 4.0 storage. The cameras on this phone have been designed in collaboration with Leica. You get three modules at the back consisting of a 50MP primary camera with OIS, a 12MP ultra-wide shooter with 120-degrees FOV and a 50MP telephoto camera that provides a modest 2X optical zoom.  

This phone targets the selfie enthusiasts with two 32MP front cameras that are quite good at solo as well as group selfies. The phone’s 4700 mAh battery lasts well over a day of moderate use, and the bundled 67W fast charger promises to juice it up fully in less than 45 minutes. The Xiaomi 14 CIVI runs Android 14 with the company’s HyperOS UI.

Xiaomi 14 CIVI price in India: Rs 39,999 for 8GB RAM/256GB storage

Google Pixel 8a

The Google Pixel 8a can now be purchased comfortably in this budget. The phone is powered by Google’s previous flagship Tensor G3 chip that also powers the Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro, and you get 8GB RAM and 128GB internal storage. With the right credit card, you can even score its 256GB variant under 40K. It sports a compact but sharp 6.1-inch Full HD+ OLED HDR display with 120Hz refresh rate and 2000 nits peak brightness. The screen is protected by Corning Gorilla Glass 3 and the phone has IP67-rated ingress protection.

As with all Pixel phones, you get the purest version of the latest Android 15 (and many more updates to follow) with the Material You design language. Other than speedy OS updates, the Pixel phones are known for their camera capabilities, and the Pixel 8a is no different. It delivers admirably in that department courtesy of two cameras at the back. You get a 64MP primary camera with OIS and a 13MP ultra-wide camera with 120-degrees FOV. They do a great job in different lighting and modes. The 13MP front camera clicks some neat selfies.

Google Pixel 8a price in India: Rs 34,999 for 8GB RAM/128GB storage

OnePlus 12R

The OnePlus 12R is another great option in this budget. It is powered by Qualcomm’s last generation flagship Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chip, and you now get its 8GB RAM and 256GB storage variant in this budget. It has an impressive 6.78-inch curved LTPO4 AMOLED display with a resolution of 2780 x 1264 pixels and Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2 protection. The HDR10+ and Dolby Vision-compliant screen supports 10-bit colour depth, 120Hz refresh rate and 4500 nits peak brightness. The phone runs OxygenOS 14 based on Android 14 and OnePlus promises multiple OS and security updates going ahead.

The camera department on the OnePlus 12R is not as equipped as that of the OnePlus 12 and lacks Hasselblad tricks too, but it’s more than decent for the segment. Its 50MP primary camera with OIS does a very good job in varied lighting including low light. The support cast is modest with an 8MP ultrawide camera and a 2MP macro camera. There’s a 16MP front camera for selfies and video calls. It is fitted with a 5500 mAh that lasts over a day and a half of moderate use, with the bundled 100W charger juicing it up fully in under half an hour.  

OnePlus 12R price in India: Rs 38,999 for 8GB RAM/256GB storage