Best Flagship Killer Under 30,000 INR – Summer 2020 Edition!

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    Redmi K20 Pro
    The Redmi K20 Pro is a marvel to behold.

    I know, I know. We’re in a lockdown amidst the pandemic. How are you supposed to buy a smartphone, much less take a buying guide like this one for a flagship killer seriously? Well, it looks like offline retailers will start setting up shop over the next few days (at least in India) thanks to the relaxations that have been put in place. We can only hope that e-commerce sites follow suit and start shipping non-essential goods. In the meantime, we’re here to help you narrow down your search for the perfect smartphone under 30000 INR, so that when shops do open up – you can seize the best deals!

    Redmi K20 Pro

    Redmi K20 Pro
    The Redmi K20 Pro is a marvel to behold.

    Probably one of the unsung heroes of 2019, this phone got off to a rocky start thanks to its rather uninspiring price tag. Over the course of time with price drops and value additions in the form of speedy Android updates, the Redmi K20 Pro carved quite a niche for itself in the hearts of value hungry consumers. 30000 INR gets you the top-spec 8 GB RAM variant (256 GB ROM + Hybrid expansion) that gives last year’s flagships a run for their money. A gorgeous AMOLED display that supports HDR playback on Netflix, speedy guts in the form of the Snapdragon 865, and a decent camera performance to boot (check out our in-depth camera review here) – the Redmi K20 Pro doesn’t get much wrong as last year’s flagship killer!

    Major Selling Points –

    • Gorgeous notch-less AMOLED display (HDR 10 Support)
    • Good Camera Performance
    • Extensive MIUI based software support
    • Snapdragon 855

    Realme X2 Pro

    The rather nondescript Realme X2 Pro

    Aimed at decimating the Redmi K20 Pro last year, the Realme X2 Pro was swiftly overshadowed thanks to the almost annoying slew of launches by the same company (X50 Pro within a span of 3 months a.k.a very questionable behavior). Despite having very less market presence, the X2 Pro is a solid flagship killer for its starting price of 30000 INR. Granted, it won’t get you specced out memory and RAM constraints akin to the K20 Pro, but it does get you a high refresh rate AMOLED display (90Hz) and super-VOOC 50W charging that can get you topped off in a flash. If having a high refresh rate display and blazing fast charging speeds are a priority for you, look no further.

    Major Selling Points –

    • High refresh rate display (AMOLED)
    • Super-VOOC 50W charging (0-100 in 35 minutes)
    • Snapdragon 855+

    Asus Zenfone 6Z

    Asus Zenfone 6Z
    Asus Zenfone 6Z – Quirky feature set!

    Starting at just under 28,000 INR, the Asus Zenfone 6Z is probably the most versatile flagship killer among this bunch despite having unwaveringly similar internal specs. With a motorized rear camera module that can double up to give you the same ultra-sharp selfies and stabilized panning shots during video, the 6Z offers a plethora of knick-knacks on the camera front. Despite not having an OLED display like its counterparts or a fancy in-display fingerprint scanner, the 6Z offers a close to stock Android experience – something the K20 Pro and X2 Pro lack rather sorely. Asus also offers fast updates with even budget phones like the Max Pro M1 being supported with Android 10 almost 2 years later.

    Major Selling Points –

    • Lowest price amongst other competitors
    • Versatile motorized camera and great camera performance
    • Stock Android UI and regular updates
    • Snapdragon 855

    Which one would we pick?

    I’d personally gravitate towards the Redmi K20 Pro in this scenario. Sure, the Realme X2 Pro is more feature-packed in terms of display and charging solution. But, I know for a fact that it’s only a matter of time before Realme kills software support for this phone considering the current frenzy they’re in (a new phone launching every month). Let’s face it, Realme just doesn’t have a large enough software team that can theoretically support the buttload of devices they’ve launched date. Sure, they’ll prioritize, but something tells me they won’t exactly favor a phone that hasn’t enjoyed much success in the market. Especially since it’s overshadowed by the X50 Pro.

    redmi-k20-3
    My overall choice and my current daily driver!

    So why not the Asus 6Z? Well, I am a sucker for stock Android user experiences but not at the cost of losing out on an AMOLED display. I personally feel the joy of media consumption takes priority over how you interact with your phone. After all, you’re interacting with your phone with the end-goal of consuming some sort of App-based media! The K20 Pro offers the best of both worlds with a gorgeous notch-less AMOLED display, speedy internals, and maxed out memory – all under the magic price of 30,000 INR.

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