Best mobiles under ₹30,000 in India: OnePlus 11R, Motorola Edge 50 Neo and more

The under ₹30,000 smartphone segment is heating up in India, and with more competition than ever before, it’s bound to get confusing for buyers. This is especially true if you're on the lookout for a smartphone with a solid camera as well as a good balance of other features. Let’s take a look at the top five phones you can get under ₹30,000. These phones offer a good balance, come from reputable brands, and, most importantly, provide a well-rounded experience.

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Motorola Edge 50 Neo

We’ve already reviewed the Motorola Edge 50 Neo, and based on our testing, it offers a refreshing experience, especially thanks to its real triple-camera setup, which includes a wide, ultra-wide, and 3x telephoto lens. This makes for a versatile camera experience. With the telephoto lens, you can expect excellent portraits for the price. The overall image quality is great, thanks to the Sony main sensor. Yes, the images are slightly on the saturated side, but they’re certainly social media-ready. So, if you’re fine with colours that aren’t perfectly accurate, the Motorola Edge 50 Neo could be an excellent choice.

The build quality is also impressive, featuring a vegan leather back that’s rubbery and grippy, reminiscent of older phones like the Nexus 5. Performance is decent, thanks to the MediaTek Dimensity 7300 chipset, but don’t expect it to be top-tier for gaming. It’s more suited for mid-range gaming.

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Nothing Phone 2a

The Nothing Phone 2a is another great option if you’re after a phone with a solid camera setup and an interesting design. As expected from Nothing, it features a transparent back with the Glyph lighting interface. While not as extravagant as the Nothing Phone 2, the design still stands out in the market. Specs include the Dimensity 7200 Pro chipset, a dual 50MP camera setup, and up to 256GB of storage. It’s available in several colours, including white, blue, and black.

Infinix Zero 40 5G

The Infinix Zero 40 5G is a premium-feeling device that comes with camera-centric features, such as 4K 60fps video recording and a dedicated vlog mode. It also sports a 3D curved display with a 144Hz refresh rate and integrates with GoPro, allowing you to preview your GoPro footage directly on the phone. The camera setup includes a triple camera array with a 108MP primary sensor, a 50MP ultra-wide, and a 2MP depth sensor. You can crop in on the main sensor for telephoto shots, and it produces good results. It’s available in three colours: Violet Garden, Rock Black, and Moving Titanium. We recommend the 256GB variant, which offers the best value for money at ₹27,999.

OnePlus Nord 4

The OnePlus Nord line has increasingly become one of the go-to smartphones under ₹30,000, and the OnePlus Nord 4 5G is no exception. In fact, we’d say it’s one of the most balanced phones on this list. It features a Snapdragon 7+ Gen 3 chipset, which makes it a great option for gaming and AI capabilities. It also has a 5,500mAh battery with 100W fast charging, so you can get back to full charge in no time. You’ll receive four Android updates and six years of security updates. The build quality is premium, thanks to its metal unibody, which harks back to past OnePlus devices like the OnePlus 3.

The camera setup consists of a 50MP main camera and an 8MP ultra-wide camera. The phone currently runs on OxygenOS 14 based on Android 14, and it’s set to receive OxygenOS 15 soon, which promises a major overhaul of the platform.

OnePlus 11R

Despite being over a year old, the OnePlus 11R 5G remains an excellent option, particularly at its current price of under ₹30,000. Not only does it offer stellar performance with the Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 chipset, but it also features a premium build with a glass construction. The 6.7-inch curved AMOLED display supports a 120Hz refresh rate, delivering smooth visuals.

The camera setup is reliable, featuring a 50MP Sony IMX890 main sensor, alongside an ultrawide and macro shooter. While it may not match the OnePlus 12 or the OnePlus 11 with Hasselblad tuning, the OnePlus 11R can still hold its own in terms of photography.

As with other OnePlus devices, it runs OxygenOS, currently based on OxygenOS 14, with the upcoming OxygenOS 15 update on the horizon. For the price, the OnePlus 11R offers a flagship experience, making it a solid choice.

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