The lower mid-range segment of smartphones has got a lot of great contenders for the crown. Those cheeky smartphone pushers could very easily and wrongfully sway an average consumer. Therefore, it is necessary to know what you’re buying before going on to buy them. At the price of NPR 20000, you can get a lot of great phones. And here is our updated pick for the best phones under NPR 20000 in Nepal.
| Note: In this list, we have also included a few smartphones that cost more than NPR 20000—but not by a lot. We’ve done this so that you can further curate your choices, and also because we don’t want you to miss any good deal by spending NPR 500 – 1000 more. The prices of such products are marked with an asterisk (*) at the end. |
Best mobile phones under NPR 20000 in Nepal:
8. Infinix Hot 12 Pro
Kicking off our list of best phones under NPR 20000 in Nepal is the Infinix Hot 12 Pro. With this, Infinix has tried to deliver a “big” smartphone experience on a budget. It has a massive 6.6″ display for all your media consumption needs. This is also a smoother screen with a 90Hz refresh rate and a 180Hz touch sampling rate.
Having said that, Infinix has still not upped the resolution to Full HD here, so expect some pixelation whenever interacting with this display. Also, while the cheaper Infinix Hot 12 Play gets a hole-punch cutout for the selfie camera, this guy is still stuck on a traditional notch. Anyway, it has a big 5000mAh battery too with 18W fast charging support via the onboard USB-C connection.
Unisoc chip
As for the performance, you’re getting the Unisoc T616 chip here, which is a slight upgrade over Infinix Hot 12 Play’s T610. It boots on Android 12 with Infinix’s custom skin called “XOS 10” on top. In terms of memory, the Hot 12 Pro comes with 6/8GB of RAM and up to 128GB of internal storage, whereas it can also accept up to 512GB micro SD card. It also supports virtual RAM expansion by up to 5GB.
There’s also a dedicated game space called “XArena” where you can launch your games and optimize performance, accordingly. Camera-wise, the Infinix Hot 12 Pro brings a 50MP primary and a QVGA sensor at the back—and an 8MP selfie shooter. Biometric options on this budget phone include a fingerprint sensor located at the back. Interestingly, Infinix has also gone with a flat-edge design on this phone.
Infinix Hot 12 Pro Specifications:
- Display: 6.6-inches IPS LCD screen, HD+, 90Hz refresh rate
- Chipset: Unisoc T616 4G (12nm mobile platform)
- Memory: 6/8GB RAM, 64/128GB storage (expandable)
- Software & UI: XOS 10.6 on top of Android 12
- Rear Camera: Dual (50MP primary, QVGA sensor)
- Front Camera: 8MP sensor (teardrop notch)
- Security: Fingerprint sensor (rear-mounted)
- Connectivity: Dual-SIM (Nano), WiFi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac (Dual-band), Bluetooth 5.0, GPS / AGPS / Galileo / Glonass, USB-C, 4G LTE
- Sensors: Accelerometer, Light, Electronic Compass, Gyro, Proximity
- Battery: 5000mAh with 18W charging (18W adapter inside the box)
- Price in Nepal: NPR 19,999 (6/64GB)
7. Redmi 10
Next up in our list of best phones under NPR 20000 in Nepal is the Redmi 10. Launched in May 2022, the Redmi 10 is somehow different from the Redmi 10 (2022). Just Xiaomi things, amirite? Anyway, this phone goes by “Redmi 10C” in Nigeria (this variant has a smaller 5000mAh battery) and “Redmi 10 Power” in India as well.
Rebrandings aside, the Redmi 10 is for those who want a large display and a battery that goes on all day long. Case in point, the phone has a massive 6.7″ IPS LCD screen, a 6000mAh battery, and dual speakers. As a result, you can stream videos on YouTube, Facebook, TikTok, and other platforms all through the day without having to worry about battery life.
60Hz HD LCD display
Like the Infinix Hot 12 Play above, Xiaomi has also gone with just HD resolution here so you might notice content pixelation in some cases. And juicing up the phone is equally time-consuming since it supports 18W fast charging only. Plus, the company only ships a 10W power adapter inside the box. Having said that, 18W is a pretty common charging standard in this price bracket so it’s not a big deal really.
On the performance front, Redmi 10 is powered by Snapdragon 680, which is manufactured under an efficient 6nm process node. While it does help in maintaining higher battery endurance, the 680 isn’t that powerful compared to other processors on our list. Moving on, the phone has dual cameras at the back—50MP main and 2MP depth—and a 5MP selfie shooter.
Redmi 10 Specifications:
- Display: 6.7-inches IPS LCD screen, HD+, 60Hz refresh rate
- Chipset: Qualcomm Snapdragon 680 4G (6nm mobile platform)
- Memory: 4/6GB RAM, 64/128GB storage (expandable)
- Software & UI: MIUI 13 on top of Android 11
- Rear Camera: Dual (50MP primary, 2MP depth)
- Front Camera: 5MP sensor (teardrop notch)
- Security: Fingerprint scanner (rear-mounted)
- Connectivity: Hybrid dual-SIM (Nano), WiFi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac (Dual-band), Bluetooth 5.1, GPS / AGPS / Galileo / Glonass / Beidou, USB-C, 4G LTE
- Sensors: Accelerometer, Ambient Light, E-compass, Proximity, IR Blaster
- Battery: 6000mAh with 18W charging (10W adapter inside the box)
- Price in Nepal: NPR 18,999 (4/64GB)
6. Samsung Galaxy A04s
Okay, the sixth spot on our list of best phones under NPR 20000 in Nepal goes to Samsung Galaxy A04s. This budget phone packs a pretty modest spec sheet and could be a decent starter smartphone for school-level students and such. Powering the Galaxy A04s is Samsung’s in-house Exynos 850 processor. Instead of sheer horsepower, this chip focuses on power-efficiency instead.
Exynos 850 chip
It is manufactured under an 8nm process node and its octa-core CPU cluster consists of Cortex-A55 cores only. All clocked at 2.0 GHz. So the A04s should be good for casual usage including light multi-tasking and such but don’t expect anything more from this phone.
Software-wise, it runs on Samsung’s One UI Core 4.1 based on Android 12. And it should get at least a couple of years of Android as well as security updates. All this is complemented by 4GB of RAM and either 64 or 128GB of internal storage. On the display front, the phone has a 6.5″ PLS LCD screen with a 90Hz refresh rate and an HD resolution. So nothing fancy there either. When it comes to cameras, you’ll find three of them at the back—housed without any camera island. Just like the flagship Galaxy S23 series.
You’re getting a 50MP main shooter alongside a 2MP macro and a 2MP portrait camera here. The teardrop notch on the display houses a 5MP selfie camera. But the Galaxy A04s does deliver impressive battery life. Its 5000mAh battery, combined with a power-efficient processor and an HD display, will easily last you through a day and more. It supports 15W charging via the USB-C port and Samsung provides a charger inside the box itself.
Samsung Galaxy A04s Specifications:
- Display: 6.5-inches PLS LCD screen, HD+, 90Hz refresh rate
- Chipset: Samsung Exynos 850 4G (8nm mobile platform)
- Memory: 4GB RAM, 64/128GB storage (expandable)
- Software & UI: One UI Core 4.1 on top of Android 12
- Rear Camera: Triple (50MP primary, 2MP macro, 2MP portrait)
- Front Camera: 5MP sensor (teardrop notch)
- Security: Fingerprint scanner (side-mounted)
- Connectivity: Dual-SIM (Nano), WiFi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac (Dual-band), Bluetooth 5.0, GPS / AGPS / Galileo / Glonass / BeiDou / QZSS, USB-C, 4G LTE
- Sensors: Accelerometer, Virtual Light, Virtual Proximity
- Battery: 5000mAh with 15W charging (15W adapter inside the box)
- Price in Nepal: NPR 19,999 (4/64GB) | NPR 21,999* (4/128GB)
5. Realme Narzo 50A Prime
Taking the 5th spot on our list of best phones under NPR 20000 in Nepal is Realme Narzo 50A Prime. Essentially, this is a Realme C35 in disguise—except that it is powered by a slightly slower Unisoc T612 processor instead of the T616. It comes with 4GB of RAM and up to 128GB of internal storage. As for the software, the Narzo 50A Prime is loaded with Realme UI R Edition based on Android 11.
This “R Edition” of Realme UI is pretty bare-bone, which kinda makes sense for a budget phone. In terms of cameras, you’re looking at a triple-lens setup consisting of a 50MP primary, a 2MP macro, and a B&W portrait sensor at the back. Then there’s an 8MP selfie camera inside the teardrop notch.
No charger inside the box
Narzo 50A Prime also impresses with its battery. Here, you get a big 5000mAh battery, which Realme says, can last up to 8.1 hours of continuous gaming or 17.2 hours of streaming YouTube. It supports 18W fast charging for quickly filling up the battery but interestingly (or annoyingly?) enough, Realme hasn’t shipped a compatible power brick inside the box this time.
Yes, this is in fact the first-ever Realme phone to give in to the trend of smartphone brands skipping a charger inside the box. And we’re not sure if folks who’re buying a budget phone are going to appreciate this practice. Anyway, the Narzo 50A Prime has a pretty nice display though. It’s still an LCD panel, but Realme has gone with a sharper, Full HD resolution.
Realme Narzo 50A Prime Specifications:
- Display: 6.6-inches IPS LCD screen, FHD+, 60Hz refresh rate
- Chipset: Unisoc T612 4G (12nm Mobile Platform)
- Memory: 4GB RAM, 64/128GB storage (expandable)
- Software & UI: Realme UI R Edition on top of Android 11
- Rear Camera: Triple (50MP primary, 2MP macro, B&W portrait sensor)
- Front Camera: 8MP sensor (teardrop notch)
- Security: Fingerprint scanner (side-mounted)
- Connectivity: Dual-SIM (Nano), WiFi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac (Dual-band), Bluetooth 5.0, GPS / AGPS / Galileo / Glonass / BeiDou, USB-C, 4G LTE
- Sensors: Accelerometer, Light, Gyro, Proximity, Magnetic Induction
- Battery: 5000mAh with 18W charging (power adapter not provided)
- Price in Nepal: NPR 20,299* (4/64GB)
4. Micromax In Note 1
Back in the day (about 7-8 years ago), Indian smartphone makers including Micromax ruled the Nepalese smartphone market. But with grueling competition from Chinese vendors like Xiaomi, OPPO, Vivo, and more, they faded away from the market.
And in 2021, Micromax made a comeback in the Indian market by capitalizing on the growing anti-China sentiment in the country. Consequently, the company is back in Nepal as well. Besides In 2b, Micromax In Note 1 is the company’s only phone available here, which has managed to take a spot in our list of best phones under NPR 20000 in Nepal.
Pretty powerful
The phone packs in some serious firepower as well. It is powered by MediaTek’s Helio G85 SoC which is a slight upgrade over the G80, specifically in terms of GPU (+50MHz). Complementing the chipset is 4GB of RAM and either 64/128GB of internal storage.
Micromax In Note 1 also has a decent 6.67-inches FHD+ LCD display. As for cameras, you’re getting a quad-lens setup consisting of a 48MP primary, a 5MP wide-angle, a 2MP macro, and a 2MP depth sensor. One major talking point about it is also its stock Android 10 OS. Plus, the company has also promised 2 years of OS and 3 years of security updates for the phone. As such, the phone has already been updated to Android 12.
Micromax In Note 1 Specifications:
- Display: 6.67-inches IPS LCD screen, FHD+, 60Hz refresh rate
- Chipset: MediaTek Helio G85 4G (12nm mobile platform)
- Memory: 4GB RAM, 64/128GB storage (expandable)
- Software & UI: Android 10 (upgradeable to Android 12)
- Rear Camera: Quad (48MP primary, 5MP ultrawide, 2MP depth, 2MP macro)
- Front Camera: 16MP sensor (hole-punch)
- Security: Fingerprint scanner (rear-mounted)
- Connectivity: Dual-SIM (Nano), WiFi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, Bluetooth 5.0, GPS / AGPS / Glonass / Galileo / BDS, USB-C
- Sensors: Accelerometer, Proximity, Light
- Battery: 5000mAh with 18W charging (18W adapter inside the box)
- Price in Nepal: NPR 15,999 (4/64GB)
- Read our Micromax In Note 1 review
- Watch our Micromax In Note 1 review
3. Samsung Galaxy A14
Moving on, Samsung’s new Galaxy A14 4G has secured the third position on our list of best phones under NPR 20000 in Nepal. Like most Samsung launches in 2023 so far, this one shares a pretty similar design language with the company’s premium Galaxy “S” series of smartphones too. Available in four attractive color options (dark red, silver, green, and black), the Galaxy A14 is for those who value a premium look over everything else.
Other than this, Samsung has used MediaTek’s Helio G80 chipset here. Based on a 12nm node, this processor is capable enough for basic everyday usage but it’s definitely not the most powerful phone you can find in this price bracket. At least the software side of things is pretty solid here. It boots on the latest Android 13 with Samsung’s One UI 5.
No promised software updates
But unlike the Galaxy A14 5G, Samsung hasn’t committed to any number of Android or security updates for this guy. Anyway, Galaxy A14’s battery backup is just as impressive. Fueled by a big 5000mAh battery that drives a standard 60Hz FHD display, this phone should easily last a couple of days under normal usage.
As for cameras, the Galaxy A14 has three of them at the back. Including a 50MP primary, a 5MP ultrawide, and a 2MP macro unit. This is a pretty big and bulky phone though, measuring 9.1mm thick and weight about 201 grams. For security, you’ll find a side-mounted fingerprint scanner here.
Samsung Galaxy A14 Specifications:
- Display: 6.6-inch PLS LCD screen, FHD+, 60Hz refresh rate
- Chipset: MediaTek Helio G80 4G (12nm mobile platform)
- Memory: 4/6GB RAM, 64/128GB storage (expandable)
- Software & UI: One UI 5 on top of Android 13
- Rear Camera: Triple (50MP primary, 5MP ultrawide, 2MP macro)
- Front Camera: 13MP sensor (teardrop notch)
- Security: Fingerprint sensor (side-mounted)
- Connectivity: Dual-SIM (Nano), WiFi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac (Dual-band), Bluetooth 5.1, GPS / AGPS / Glonass / Beidou / QZSS, USB-C, 4G LTE
- Sensors: Accelerometer, Geomagnetic, Gyro, Light, Proximity
- Battery: 5000mAh with 10W charging (power adapter not provided)
- Price in Nepal: NPR 20,999* (4/64GB)
2. Redmi 10 Prime 2022
The silver medal on our list of best phones under NPR 20000 in Nepal is the Redmi 10 Prime 2022. Although it has “2022” in the name, this phone is basically the same as 2021’s Redmi 10 Prime.
To make matters even more confusing, the Redmi 10 (2022) is pretty much the same phone as this one—except for the battery size. But despite being launched in 2022, the Redmi 10 Prime (2022) still boots with Android 11-based MIUI 12.5. Handling the performance side of things is MediaTek’s Helio G88 chip, paired with 4/6GB RAM and up to 128GB of internal storage.
Great performance
For a phone in this price range, the G88 is one of the best performers even though its 12nm process means it isn’t exactly that power efficient. Then again, the phone has a massive 6000mAh battery which should easily last you a couple of days. It supports 18W fast charging and a compatible power brick is provided inside the box itself.
Moving on, the Redmi 10 Prime (2022) brings a quad-camera setup at the back consisting of a 50MP primary, an 8MP ultrawide, and a couple of 2MP sensors for macro and portrait shots. Upfront, you’re looking at a large 6.5″ 90Hz IPS display protected by Gorilla Glass 3. Its hole-punch cutout includes an 8MP selfie camera.
Redmi 10 Prime (2022) Specifications:
- Display: 6.5-inch IPS LCD screen, FHD+, 90Hz refresh rate, Gorilla Glass 3
- Chipset: MediaTek Helio G88 4G (12nm mobile platform)
- Memory: 4/6GB LPDDR4X RAM, 64/128GB eMMC 5.1 storage (expandable)
- Software & UI: MIUI 12.5 on top of Android 11
- Rear Camera: Quad (50MP primary, 8MP ultrawide, 2MP depth, 2MP macro)
- Front Camera: 8MP sensor (hole-punch)
- Security: Fingerprint sensor (side-mounted)
- Connectivity: Dual-SIM (Nano), WiFi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac (Dual-band), Bluetooth 5.1, GPS / AGPS / Glonass / Beidou, USB-C, 4G LTE
- Sensors: Accelerometer, Ambient Light, E-compass, Proximity, IR Blaster
- Battery: 6000mAh with 18W charging (18W adapter inside the box)
- Price in Nepal: NPR 20,499* (4/64GB)
- Read our Redmi 10 Prime review
- Watch our Redmi 10 Prime review
1. Poco M5
Finally, taking the top spot on our list of best phones under NPR 20000 in Nepal is the Poco M5. As with most Poco smartphones, this one is geared toward gaming too. Powered by the new Helio G99 processor, this is your best bet if you’re looking for a budget gaming phone. This 6nm chip has two Cortex-A76 cores as its prime cores and a Mali-G57 MC2 GPU to deliver a reliable gaming experience. Granted that you adjust the settings properly, of course.
Furthermore, its display has a 240Hz touch sampling rate which means it is faster and more responsive to your touch inputs. So whether you’re playing FPS or other kinds of games that require a quick response, the Poco M5 isn’t going to disappoint. It also has quite an interesting design, with a leather-like texture at the back. The phone is also available in a couple of fun color options like yellow, green, and black.
A 90Hz display
Up front, the Poco M5 features a 6.58″ FHD IPS display protected by Corning’s Gorilla Glass 3. It supports a 90Hz refresh rate which can switch between 30, 60, and 90Hz depending on the content on the screen. As far as cameras go, Poco has gone with a triple camera array at the back. This includes a 50MP primary alongside a couple of 2MP sensors for portrait and macro shots. An ultrawide shooter would’ve been more useful but it is what it is.
The Poco M5 is fueled by a large 5000mAh battery that should be good for a day even under relatively heavy usage. It supports 18W fast charging and the company ships a 22.5W power adapter inside the box. In terms of software, the phone runs on Android 12 with MIUI 13 for Poco on top. Keeping things secure is the side-mounted fingerprint reader.
Poco M5 Specifications:
- Display: 6.58-inch IPS LCD screen, FHD+, 90Hz refresh rate, Gorilla Glass 3
- Chipset: MediaTek Helio G99 4G (6nm mobile platform)
- Memory: 4/6GB LPDDR4X RAM, 64/128GB UFS 2.2 storage (expandable)
- Software & UI: MIUI 13 for POCO on top of Android 12
- Rear Camera: Triple (50MP primary, 2MP depth, 2MP macro)
- Front Camera: 5MP sensor (teardrop notch)
- Security: Fingerprint sensor (side-mounted)
- Connectivity: Dual-SIM (Nano), WiFi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac (Dual-band), Bluetooth 5.3, GPS / AGPS / Glonass / Galileo / Beidou, USB-C, 4G LTE
- Sensors: Accelerometer, Ambient light, E-compass, Proximity
- Battery: 5000mAh with 18W charging (22.5W adapter inside the box)
- Price in Nepal: NPR 20,499* (4/64GB)
- Watch our Poco M5 review
Summary list of best mobile phones under NPR 20000 in Nepal
| S. No. | Best phones under 20000 in Nepal | Price |
| 1 | Poco M5 (4/64GB) | NPR 20,499* |
| 2 | Redmi 10 Prime 2022 (4/64GB) | NPR 20,499* |
| 3 | Samsung Galaxy A14 (4/64GB) | NPR 20,999* |
| 4 | Micromax In Note 1 (4/64GB) | NPR 15,999 |
| 5 | Realme Narzo 50A Prime (4/64GB) | NPR 20,299* |
| 6 | Samsung Galaxy A04s (4/64GB) | NPR 19,999 |
| 7 | Redmi 10 (4/64GB) | NPR 18,999 |
| 8 | Infinix Hot 12 Pro (6/64GB) | NPR 19,999 |
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Do you agree with our choice of the best phones under NPR 20000 in Nepal, or do you want to add something to the list? Have your say in the comments section.
