OnePlus 12R to Google Pixel 8a: 5 flagship smartphones under Rs 40,000 you can buy

If you thought our previous list of smartphones under Rs 40,000 was awesome, the one here goes a step or two further. They provide outstanding value and performance at their current selling price. They have flagship-quality cameras, plenty of storage, powerful computing, and even visually appealing designs. Let's examine the top phones available in India right now for less than Rs 40,000.

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1. Samsung Galaxy S23 FE

A price reduction helps the Samsung Galaxy S23 FE 5G hold onto its position, and very comfortably. It's the 256GB storage and 8GB RAM version, too. This little phone's powerful Exynos 2200 processor powers it. It features a glass back and an aluminum frame with IP68-rated ingress protection and Corning Gorilla Glass 5 protection on both the front and back.

A 50MP primary camera with PDAF and optical image stabilization (OIS) is included, along with a 12MP ultra-wide camera with a field of view of 123 degrees and an 8MP telephoto camera with OIS that offers 3X optical zoom. The camera performs quite well, as one could anticipate from a Samsung S series phone. Videos up to 8K resolution may be recorded using it. Video calls and selfies are handled by a 10MP front camera.

The phone's 6.4-inch Full HD+ Dynamic AMOLED 2X screen offers a refresh rate of 120 Hz, a maximum brightness of 1450 nits, and HDR10+ compatibility. The device's 4500 mAh battery, which supports both 15W wireless charging and 25W fast charging, powers it for more than a day of moderate use. With Samsung's One UI 6, the Samsung Galaxy S23 FE 5G may be upgraded from Android 13 to Android 14. More developments should be forthcoming.

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2. Realme GT 6

Qualcomm's Snapdragon 8s Gen 3 SoC powers the Realme GT 6, and you can select a model with 8GB of RAM and 256GB of internal storage or one with twice as much RAM and storage. It has a 6.78-inch QHD+ 10-bit LTPO AMOLED screen with a refresh rate of 120 Hz and a maximum brightness of 6000 nits. A layer of Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2 protects the HDR10+ and Dolby Vision-compliant display from scratches.

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With two 50MP cameras at the rear, the photography department is similarly excellent. The primary module features Sony's LYT-808 sensor and OIS, while the secondary unit is a telephoto lens with a 2X optical zoom. To round off the set, you also get an 8MP ultra-wide camera. The 50MP cameras perform exceptionally well in a variety of lighting conditions and settings. The selfie crowd will be impressed by the 32MP front camera.

The phone's 5500 mAh battery lasts for more than a day and a half of regular use, and the included 120W fast charger charges it completely in just 30 minutes. The business has promised three significant OS updates in the future, and the Realme GT 6 runs Android 14 with Realme UI 5.0.

3. Xiaomi 14 CIVI

Another powerful phone with amazing characteristics is the Xiaomi 14 CIVI. You receive a 6.55-inch AMOLED screen with a resolution of 2750 x 1236 pixels and a refresh rate of 120 Hz. It supports up to 68 billion color hues, has a maximum brightness of 3000 nits, and is HDR10+ and Dolby Vision compatible. A layer of Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2 protects it from scratches.

The Snapdragon 8s Gen 3 SoC from Qualcomm powers the Xiaomi 14 CIVI as well. It comes with 256GB of UFS 4.0 storage and 8GB of RAM. This phone's cameras were created in partnership with Leica. A 50MP telephoto camera with a modest 2X optical zoom, a 12MP ultra-wide shooter with a 120-degree field of view, and a 50MP main camera with OIS make up the three modules at the rear.

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With two 32MP front cameras that are excellent for both solo and group photos, this phone caters to selfie fanatics. With moderate use, the phone's 4700 mAh battery lasts for a whole day.

4. Google Pixel 8a

This budget now allows for the comfortable purchase of the Google Pixel 8a. The phone is powered by Google’s previous flagship Tensor G3 CPU that also powers the Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro, and you get 8GB RAM and 128GB internal storage. You may even get its 256GB version for less than 40K if you have the correct credit card.

It has a 6.1-inch Full HD+ OLED HDR display that is small yet crisp, with a refresh rate of 120 Hz and a maximum brightness of 2000 nits. The phone offers IP67-rated ingress protection, and Corning Gorilla Glass 3 protects the screen.

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.

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5. OnePlus 12R

Another excellent choice in this price range is the OnePlus 12R. It is powered by Qualcomm's flagship Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 CPU, which is now available in this price range with 8GB of RAM and 256GB of storage. It boasts a remarkable 6.78-inch curved LTPO4 AMOLED screen with Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2 protection and a resolution of 2780 x 1264 pixels. The HDR10+ and Dolby Vision-compatible screen has a maximum brightness of 4500 nits, a refresh rate of 120 Hz, and a 10-bit color depth. Based on Android 14, the phone runs OxygenOS 14, and OnePlus promises further OS and security upgrades in the future.

Its 50MP OIS primary camera performs admirably in a variety of lighting conditions, even dim ones. With a 2MP macro and an 8MP ultrawide camera, the support cast is small. A 16MP front camera is available for video calls and selfies. With its 5500 mAh battery, it may be used moderately for more than a day and a half.