With all the festive season sales in full swing across all major e-commerce platforms, now is the perfect time to get your hands on a new smartphone. Lots of flagship offerings from previous years are now available at very attractive prices. On top of that, newer midrange phones have gotten a lot more affordable. Let’s take a look at the top 10 smartphones you can buy under Rs 40,000 in October 2025.
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In This Article
OnePlus 13R
OnePlus’ flagship killer for 2025 is available at its lowest price this month. This smartphone is powered by the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 SoC. It flaunts a 6.78-inch LTPO 4.1 AMOLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate and a peak brightness of 4,500 nits. The OS duties are handled by the Android 15-based OxygenOS 15. The triple rear camera array comprises a 50MP primary shooter, an 8MP ultrawide lens, and a 50MP telephoto lens with 2x optical zoom. The 6,000mAh battery pack supports 80W charging. Read our OnePlus 13R review to learn more about the smartphone.
Pros
- Powerful chipset
- Smooth display
- Fast charging
Cons
- Lacks an IP67 rating
Samsung Galaxy A56
The top-spec model in Samsung’s midrange A series is one of the best smartphones in the sub-Rs 40,000 price bracket. It is powered by Samsung’s in-house Exynos 1580 SoC and runs the Android 15-based One UI 7 OS out of the box. It is packed with a wide range of AI features in its ‘Awesome Intelligence’ suite. Its 6.7-inch Super AMOLED display has a 120Hz refresh rate and can reach a peak brightness of 1,900 nits. The vertical camera arrangement on the back panel consists of a 50MP primary shooter, a 12MP ultrawide lens, and a 5MP macro lens. The 5,000mAh battery pack supports 45W wired charging. To learn more about its everyday performance, read our review of the Samsung Galaxy A56.
Pros
- Nice design
- Smooth display
- AI features
Cons
- Does not have a telephoto lens
Google Pixel 8
The vanilla model in the Pixel 8 series is currently priced under Rs 40,000. It is powered by Google’s in-house Tensor G3 chipset and runs Android 14 out of the box. It is eligible for 7 major OS upgrades. The 6.2-inch OLED display on this phone has a 120Hz refresh rate and can reach a peak brightness of 2,000 nits. The rear camera visor houses a 50MP primary shooter and a 12MP ultrawide lens. The 4,575mAh battery pack supports 27W wired and 18W wireless charging. Read our review of the Google Pixel 8 for a more in-depth analysis.
Pros
- Nice design
- 7 major OS upgrades
- Wireless charging
Cons
- Mediocre processor
iQOO Neo 10
If you need a mean gaming phone under Rs 40,000, the iQOO Neo 10 would be a great pick. This smartphone is powered by the Snapdragon 8s Gen 4 SoC. iQOO’s in-house Supercomputing Chip Q1 works in tandem with this chipset to provide some extra power. There’s a 7000mm² Vapour Chamber on this phone to keep its temperature in check during intense gaming sessions. The 6.78-inch AMOLED display has a 144Hz refresh rate and can reach a peak brightness of 4,400 nits. The rear camera setup comprises a 50MP primary shooter and an 8MP ultrawide lens. The 7,000mAh Si/C battery pack supports 120W wired charging. For a deeper dive into its gaming performance, read our review of the iQOO Neo 10.
Pros
- Powerful processor
- 144Hz display
- Big battery
Cons
- Lacks an IP67 rating
Poco F7
Poco F7 is another gaming smartphone in this segment that you simply cannot look past. It is powered by the Snapdragon 8s Gen 4 processor. OS duties are handled by the Android 15-based HyperOS 2. The 6.83-inch AMOLED display has a 120Hz refresh rate and 3,200 nits of peak brightness. The pill-shaped cutout for the rear cameras is split into two parts by a tasteful chrome trim. It houses a 50MP primary shooter and an 8MP ultrawide lens. The massive 7,550mAh battery pack on this phone supports 90W wired charging. Read our Poco F7 review to learn more about its gaming performance.
Pros
- Cool design
- Powerful processor
- Big battery
Cons
- Portrait shots could be better
Vivo V60
The Vivo V60 is one of the best midrange phones for photography enthusiasts. Its rear camera array comprises a 50MP primary shooter, a 50MP periscope telephoto lens with 3x optical zoom, and an 8MP ultrawide lens. Powering the smartphone is the Snapdragon 7 Gen 4 chipset. OS duties are handled by the Android 15-based Funtouch 15 OS. The 6.77-inch AMOLED display has a 120Hz refresh rate and can reach a peak brightness of 5,000 nits. The device is completely waterproof, with IP68/IP69 protection on board. The 6,500mAh Si/C battery pack supports 90W wired charging. Read our review of the Vivo V60 for a deep dive into its camera performance.
Pros
- Good cameras
- Bright display
- IP68/69 rating
Cons
- UFS 2.2 storage
Realme GT 7
The vanilla variant in Realme’s GT 7 series is powered by the MediaTek Dimensity 9400e processor. OS duties are handled by the Android 15-based Realme UI 6 out of the box. The 6.78-inch LTPO AMOLED display has a 120Hz refresh rate and can reach a peak brightness of 6,000 nits. The rear camera array comprises a 50MP primary shooter, an 8MP ultrawide lens, and a 50MP telephoto lens with 2x optical zoom. The 7,000mAh battery pack supports 120W fast charging.
Pros
- Bright display
- Big battery
- Fast charging
Cons
- Mediocre ultrawide lens
OnePlus Nord 5
The newest iteration in OnePlus’ Nord series strikes a nice balance between aesthetics and performance. It is powered by the Snapdragon 8s Gen 3 chipset and runs the Android 15-based OxygenOS 15 out of the box. The 6.83-inch Swift AMOLED display has a 144Hz refresh rate and can reach a peak brightness of 1,800 nits. The Alert Slider has been replaced by a Plus Key on this phone. The rear camera array comprises a 50MP primary shooter and an 8MP ultrawide lens. The 6,800mAh battery pack supports 80W wired charging. Check out our OnePlus Nord 5 review for a deeper dive into its performance.
Pros
- Cool design
- Plus key
- Big battery
Cons
- Does not have an IP67 rating
Oppo Reno14
The base model in the Oppo Reno14 series is powered by the MediaTek Dimensity 8350 SoC. It is rated IP68/IP69 for dust and water protection. Its 6.59-inch AMOLED display has a 120Hz refresh rate. The rear camera panel houses a 50MP primary shooter, a 50MP telephoto lens with 3.5x optical zoom, and an 8MP ultrawide lens. The 6,000mAh battery pack supports 80W wired charging.
Pros
- Good cameras
- Smooth display
- Big battery
Cons
- Contains bloatware
Samsung Galaxy S24 FE
The Fan Edition model in the Samsung Galaxy S24 series has a very impressive spec sheet. It is powered by Samsung’s in-house Exynos 2400e chipset and runs the Android 14-based One UI 6 out of the box. Samsung has promised 7 major OS upgrades for this phone. Its triple rear camera array comprises a 50MP primary shooter, a 12MP ultrawide lens, and an 8MP telephoto lens with 3x optical zoom. The 4,700mAh battery pack supports 25W wired and 15W wireless charging.
Pros
- Smooth display
- 7 major OS upgrades
- Wireless charging
Cons
- Mediocre chipset
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Final Thoughts
These are the top 10 smartphones you can buy under Rs 40,000 in October 2025. If you have some more room in your budget, check out the best phones under Rs 50,000 this month. Got any questions? Let us know in the comments!
