As 2024 draws to a close and we step into 2025, it’s the perfect time to reflect on how the flagship smartphone market has evolved over the past year. This year has seen the launch of several flagship phones, offering excellent value in the ₹80,000 price range. If you’re planning to invest in a new smartphone, we’ve compiled a list of the top five options under ₹80,000 that deliver a stellar experience. The list is presented in no particular order, so you can choose the one that best suits your preferences and needs.
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Google Pixel 9 – ₹79,999
The Pixel 9 retails for ₹79,999 in India. While it’s not the fastest on this list—in fact, it is the least powerful smartphone on this list—it packs several AI features which make it an AI-first experience. Features like the ‘Reimagine’ feature in the Photos app and native Gemini integration system-wide make the experience feel premium.
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The cameras are also quite premium with pleasing imagery from the dual camera system. Google has also worked on improving video this year, and this year the video is fantastic, while still not as good as the iPhone, it’s getting there. The software is also second to none in the Android space, with its build of Android. The device has already received Android 15 and will continue to be supported for years to come, as it is promised to get seven years of Android OS upgrades.
Also, the phone has some of the best haptics in the Android space. The screen is also plenty bright, with 2700 nits of peak brightness. The Indian variant gets 256 GB as the base model, unlike the 128 GB model you get in the US.
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iPhone 16 – ₹79,900
If you want to try the latest iPhone 16 series, under ₹80,000, the iPhone 16 is the only option. It comes with a 6.1 inch OLED panel, which unfortunately still runs at 60Hz, but the majority of people buying this model won’t care about the 60Hz refresh rate. They are in it for the camera experience, Apple intelligence, the excellent software support you get with Apple, and, of course, if you already own other Apple devices, this will be a great addition.
That being said, the iPhone 16 is no slouch when it comes to performance. The A18 chip is a three nanometer chip and it can run AAA games just like the iPhone 16 Pro. So, for things like gaming and other performance-intensive tasks, the iPhone 16 will prove to be a great choice. It also helps that it gets the camera control button, which is present on the iPhone 16 Pro, as well as Apple intelligence features like visual intelligence, image playground and ChatGPT integration.
Vivo X200 – ₹64,999
If you’re in the market for a phone that takes photos exceptionally well, especially portraits, the Vivo X200, which was released earlier this month, is an excellent choice. It features a triple camera setup powered by Zeiss optics. The camera setup is quite diverse and allows you to capture various portrait styles. Vivo has made sure that the phone is powerful, thanks to the MediaTek Dimensity 9400 chipset, which is the latest MediaTek flagship and goes toe-to-toe with other flagship processors, including the Snapdragon 8 Elite. The Vivo X200 retails for ₹65,000 for the base model, starting with 12 GB RAM and 256 GB of storage.
iQOO 13 – ₹54,999
The iQOO 13 is the cheapest one on this list ̧but despite this, it packs the latest Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset, coming in at just ₹54,999. The iQOO 13 offers a great performance-first experience that any gamer would love to have. It also features a large vapour chamber, which allows the phone to stay cool even during long workloads. This maintains performance and avoids any frame drops in games. Also, the screen also stands out with its 144hz refresh rate and QHD+ resolution.
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Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra – ₹75,000 to ₹80,000
Yes, despite being almost two years old now, the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra continues to be among the best flagships you can buy. The phone can now be bought for around ₹75,000 and comes with an excellent set of specifications, making it an overall well-rounded product. This includes a great-looking 6.8-inch AMOLED display, which is one of the best in the market. It is powered by the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2, which is a flagship chipset, and it has 12 GB of RAM and 256 GB of storage. Plus, of course, you get support for the Samsung S Pen.
The cameras are also quite reliable, with a 200MP main camera, a 10x optical zoom camera, and a 12-megapixel ultra-wide angle lens. There’s also a second telephoto camera, which is 10MP at 3x optical zoom. All in all, this makes for a very diverse camera system, and the phone at ₹75,000 is great value for money, even two years after launch. You won’t lose out on much compared to the S24 Ultra, especially in terms of design, because both phones look mostly identical, except for the flat display you get with the S24 Ultra and the titanium sides.
