If you’re thinking about buying a new smartphone in the sub-Rs 40,000 price bracket, there are a few tradeoffs you need to make. For starters, most smartphones in this segment lack a good telephoto lens. Wireless charging is another feature that is missing from the devices in this price range. However, if your biggest priorities include a bright display, a good main camera, and a decent processor, there are several options at your disposal. Here are our top 10 picks for the best smartphones priced under Rs 40,000 right now.
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In This Article
iQOO 12
iQOO 12 was the brand’s flagship smartphone until December 2024, when it passed the mantle to the iQOO 13. It remains one of the best smartphones you can buy under Rs 40,000. The device packs the powerful Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chipset. Its 6.78-inch LTPO AMOLED display has a 144Hz refresh rate and can reach a peak brightness of 3,000 nits. The smartphone runs Android 14 out of the box, but it has been promised 4 major OS upgrades. Its rear camera panel comprises a 50MP primary shooter, a 64MP periscope telephoto lens with 3x optical zoom, and a 50MP ultrawide lens. Up front, it gets a 16MP selfie camera. The smartphone has a 5,000mAh battery pack and supports 120W fast charging. Read our iQOO 12 review to learn more about the device.
Pros
- Powerful processor
- Fast charging
- Great hardware
Cons
- Lacks IP67 protection
Google Pixel 8a
Google’s affordable A series brings all the interesting features like Magic Eraser, Circle to Search, Best Take, Photo Unblur, and more to the Pixel at a very affordable price. Based on the Pixel 8 series, the Pixel 8a still rocks the full camera visor that spans the width of the back panel. This visor houses a 64MP primary shooter and a 13MP ultrawide lens. Powering the Pixel 8a is the same Google Tensor G3 processor as the rest of the Pixel 8 series. The smartphone runs Android 14 out of the box and is promised to receive 7 major OS upgrades.
Pros
- Clean design
- Exclusive Pixel features
- Affordable
Cons
- Slow charging
Samsung Galaxy A36
The Galaxy A36 sits right below the A56 (our review here) in Samsung’s Galaxy A Series. The two smartphones are indistinguishable on the surface, featuring the new camera panel design and nearly identical dimensions. Instead of Samsung’s in-house processor, the Galaxy A36 is powered by the Snapdragon 6 Gen 3 SoC. The 6.7-inch Super AMOLED display has a 120Hz refresh rate and can reach a peak brightness of 1,900 nits. The triple camera array at the back comprises a 50MP primary shooter, an 8MP ultrawide lens, and a 5MP macro sensor. To top things off, Samsung has promised 6 major OS upgrades for the Galaxy A36, which is unheard of in this price category.
Pros
- Smooth display
- Good cameras
- Amazing OS support
Cons
- Needs a better cooling system
Vivo V50
Vivo’s newest midrange camera specialist is very impressive on paper. It rocks 3 50MP sensors – one each for the primary shooter, ultrawide lens, and selfie camera. All three sensors are tuned by Zeiss. We reviewed the Vivo V50 soon after it came out and were pleased with its camera performance in different lighting conditions. The smartphone draws power from the Snapdragon 7 Gen 3 chipset. It has a 6,000mAh Si/C battery pack and supports 90W charging.
Pros
- Exciting design
- Good cameras
- Aura light
Cons
- No telephoto lens
Redmi Note 14 Pro+
The top-spec model in the Redmi Note 14 series has got a lot going on for it. Its camera panel features a powerful 200MP primary shooter alongside an 8MP ultrawide lens and a 2MP macro sensor. The smartphone is powered by the Snapdragon 7s Gen 3 chipset. Its 6.67-inch AMOLED display has a 120Hz refresh rate and can reach 3,000 nits of peak brightness. The Note 14 Pro+ is available in glass and silicone polymer back panel variants. Its 5,110mAh battery pack supports 120W wired charging.
Pros
- IP68 rating
- 120W fast charging
- Bright display
Cons
- Lots of bloatware
Nothing Phone (3a) Pro
The 128GB storage variant of the Nothing Phone (3a) Pro is priced just under Rs 30,000, but the 256GB model fetches Rs 31,999. At a time when smartphone design has hit a long plateau, Nothing continues to amaze us with its unique offerings. The Phone (3a) Pro retains its see-through back panel but gets a new circular camera cutout with an eye-grabbing lens setup. This camera panel houses a 50MP primary shooter, a 50MP periscope telephoto lens with 3x optical zoom, and an 8MP ultrawide sensor. The smartphone is powered by the Snapdragon 7s Gen 3 chipset. It has a 5,000mAh battery pack and supports 50W wired charging.
Pros
- Eye-grabbing design
- Clean OS
- Good cameras
Cons
- IP64 rating can only protect it against water splashes
OnePlus 12R
Last year’s flagship-killing OnePlus 12R is still a great deal in 2025. It rocks the same design as its flagship counterpart, OnePlus 12. The 6.78-inch LTPO4 AMOLED display has a 120Hz refresh rate and can reach 4,500 nits of peak brightness. At the heart of the smartphone lies the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset. Its circular camera panel houses a 50MP primary shooter, an 8MP ultrawide lens, and a 2MP macro sensor. The 5,500mAh battery pack supports 100W wired charging. Read our OnePlus 12R review to learn more about the device.
Pros
- Powerful processor
- Bright display
- Clean software experience
Cons
- Lacks an IP67 rating
Realme 14 Pro+
The Realme 14 Pro+ is one of the best smartphones that you can buy under Rs 40,000 right now. It is powered by the Snapdragon 7s Gen 3 chipset. The smartphone has a 6.83-inch OLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate and 1,500 nits of peak brightness. Its IP69 rating protects it against high-pressure water jets. The smartphone is immersible in water up to 1.5m for 30 minutes. It is also compliant with MIL-STD-810H standards. The circular camera panel at the back houses 3 LED flash segments along with 3 camera sensors – a 50MP primary shooter, a 50MP periscope telephoto lens with 3x optical zoom, and an 8MP ultrawide lens. Read our review of the Realme 14 Pro+ to learn more about its camera performance.
Pros
- Great camera panel
- Attractive design
- IP69 rating
Cons
- Contains bloatware
iQOO Neo9 Pro
The iQOO Neo9 Pro is one of the best midrange gaming smartphones priced under Rs 40,000 right now. It is powered by 2023’s flagship Qualcomm chipset – Snapdragon 8 Gen 2. The smartphone is available in glass and eco-leather back panel variants. Its 6.78-inch LTPO AMOLED display has a 144Hz refresh rate and a peak brightness of 3,000 nits. The dual rear camera setup comprises a 50MP primary shooter and an 8MP ultrawide lens. The 5,160mAh battery pack supports 120W charging. Read our iQOO Neo9 Pro review to learn about the device’s gaming performance.
Pros
- Powerful processor
- Smooth display
- Great for gaming
Cons
- Not the greatest ultrawide camera in the segment
Samsung Galaxy A55
Last year’s Samsung Galaxy A55 remains one of the best smartphones priced under Rs 40,000 in 2025. It is powered by Samsung’s in-house Exynos 1480 SoC. Its 6.6-inch Super AMOLED display has a 120Hz refresh rate, HDR10+ support, and can reach 1,000 nits in High Brightness Mode. The triple rear camera array houses a 50MP primary shooter, a 12MP ultrawide lens, and a 5MP macro sensor. The 5,000mAh battery pack supports 25W wired charging. Read our Samsung Galaxy A55 review to learn more about the device.
Pros
- Smooth display
- Good cameras
- Versatile battery life
Cons
- Average processor
Honourable Mention: Oppo Reno13
Last on this list is the vanilla variant in the Oppo Reno13 series. This smartphone is powered by the respectable MediaTek Dimensity 8350 chipset. Its 6.59-inch AMOLED display has a 120Hz refresh rate and can reach a peak brightness of 1,200 nits. With IP69 support on board, the smartphone can survive exposure to high-pressure water jets. It is also immersible up to 2m for 30 minutes. The triple rear camera array of the Reno13 features a 50MP primary shooter, an 8MP ultrawide lens, and a 2MP macro sensor. Its 5,600mAh battery pack supports 80W wired charging.
Pros
- Clean design
- Good primary camera
- Fast charging
Cons
- Needs a better ultrawide camera
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Final Thoughts
These are the top 10 smartphones that you can buy under Rs 40,000 right now. Looking for something more premium? Check out our favourite smartphones priced under Rs 50,000. Think there’s a smartphone that deserves to be on this list? Let us know in the comments!
