This month’s guide to the best smartphones under Rs 40,000 features surprising new additions alongside established performers. Discover five phones, including the Realme GT 7 and Samsung Galaxy S24 FE, that offer flagship-grade power.
If your smartphone budget is capped at Rs 40,000, this month brings plenty of good news. Besides the usual top performers, a few surprise additions have entered the segment, offering flagship-grade power and features. Here’s a look at five of the best smartphones you can buy under Rs 40,000 in India right now.
1. Realme GT 7
Realme’s GT 7 continues to be one of the strongest all-rounders in this range-now at an even better price. Powered by MediaTek’s flagship Dimensity 9400e chipset, it packs serious performance. The 12 GB LPDDR5X RAM and 256 GB UFS 4.0 storage variant is priced conveniently below Rs 40,000, with an extra Rs 3,000 off for most credit cards on Amazon India.
Its 6.78-inch 1.5K LTPO AMOLED display offers 10-bit colour, 120 Hz refresh rate, HDR10+, Dolby Vision support, and 6000 nits of peak brightness, all protected by ArmorShell glass. The camera setup features two 50 MP rear cameras-one with Sony’s IMX906 sensor and OIS, and another telephoto with 2X optical zoom-alongside an 8 MP ultra-wide and 32 MP selfie camera.
A 7000 mAh battery keeps it running for over two days, supported by 120W fast charging that delivers 50 percent in under 15 minutes. Running Android 15 with Realme UI 6.0, the GT 7 is promised four major OS upgrades and boasts IP69 water- and dust-resistance.
2. Samsung Galaxy S24 FE 5G
Samsung’s Galaxy S24 FE 5G, currently available for about Rs 35,999 on Flipkart (8 GB RAM, 256 GB storage), delivers a flagship experience at a midrange price. The phone features a premium 6.7-inch Full HD+ Dynamic AMOLED 2X display with HDR10+, 1900 nits peak brightness, and a 120 Hz refresh rate.
Built with an aluminium frame and protected by Gorilla Glass Victus+ on both sides, the S24 FE is IP68-rated. Under the hood lies Samsung’s ten-core Exynos 2400e processor. A 4700 mAh battery powers the phone, which supports wireless charging. It runs on Android 14 with One UI 6.1, and Samsung has promised an impressive seven years of updates.
The rear setup includes a 50 MP OIS main shooter, a 12 MP ultra-wide, and an 8 MP telephoto lens with 3X zoom. There’s also a 10 MP front camera, with support for video recording up to 8K resolution.
3. Poco F7 5G
For those prioritizing performance and value, the Poco F7 5G is a major contender. It features Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8s Gen 4 processor, paired with 12 GB RAM and a generous 512 GB UFS 4.1 storage.
Photography includes a 50 MP OIS main lens, 8 MP ultra-wide, and a 20 MP selfie camera. The handset sports a 6.83-inch 1.5K AMOLED display supporting 12-bit colour, HDR10+, Dolby Vision, 120 Hz refresh rate, and up to 3200 nits of peak brightness, all under Corning Gorilla Glass 7i.
Equipped with a massive 7550 mAh battery, the F7 5G promises over two days of backup and supports 90W turbo charging plus reverse charging to power small accessories. Running Android 15 with HyperOS 2, it also earns IP68 certification.
4. iQOO Neo 10
Another powerful gaming-friendly device in this price range, the iQOO Neo 10, also runs on the Snapdragon 8s Gen 4 platform. It comes with 12 GB LPDDR5X RAM, 256 GB UFS 4.1 storage, and is designed for smooth 144 FPS gaming, supported by a large vapour chamber cooling system.
The 6.78-inch OLED HDR display offers 1.5K resolution, 144 Hz refresh rate, 10-bit colour depth, and 5500 nits brightness. A dual-camera setup consists of a 50 MP OIS primary lens and an 8 MP ultra-wide, backed by a 32 MP selfie camera.
A huge 7000 mAh battery ensures long runtime, with 120W charging that delivers 50 percent in under 20 minutes. Running Android 15, iQOO promises three years of OS updates and four years of security patches. The device comes with IP65 dust and water resistance.
5. OnePlus 13R
The OnePlus 13R joins this segment for perhaps the first time. It’s powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 processor and comes with 12 GB RAM and 256 GB UFS 4.0 storage. OxygenOS 15 based on Android 15 handles software, with four promised OS updates.
You get a sharp 6.78-inch 1.5K LTPO4 AMOLED panel protected by Gorilla Glass 7i. The display supports HDR10+, Dolby Vision, 10-bit colour, a 120 Hz refresh rate, and 4500 nits brightness. The 6000 mAh battery offers nearly two days of use, replenished quickly via a 100W fast charger.
On the camera front, OnePlus added a 50 MP telephoto lens with 2X optical zoom-replacing the old macro sensor-alongside a 50 MP primary camera with OIS, 8 MP ultra-wide, and 16 MP selfie shooter.