The first month of 2024 was an exciting period for the smartphone market which witnessed the launch of several flagship and midrange devices. The year kickstarted with the Redmi Note 13 Series, followed by the Vivo X100 Pro, the OnePlus 12, and the latest Samsung Galaxy S24 lineup. Realme also released its Realme 12 Pro+, introducing periscope cameras in the midrange segment. Let’s have a look at the best smartphones from January 2024, across all budgets.
Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra
The Galaxy 24 Ultra is the most talked about flagship of the moment and will remain so for the rest of the year. Samsung has introduced a titanium frame on the device, which further narrows the gap with its arch-rival, the iPhone 15 Pro Max. It is also the only device in the Galaxy S24 Series to feature the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chipset, as the Galaxy S24 and S24+ come with the Exynos 2400 processor in India.
While the design has remained unchanged, the Galaxy S24 Ultra gets a new 50MP periscope lens, which is a huge upgrade over the 10MP telephoto lens of its predecessor. The highlights of the device are the Galaxy AI features, which bring Live Translation, Cricle to Search, Generative editing, AI-powered slow-motion videos, and more. Many of these features are also found on the Google Pixel 8 Pro, but the Galaxy S24 Ultra is a more refined package taking the edge.
The Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra is priced at Rs 1,29,999 and is available for purchase on Amazon, Flipkart, Samsung Online Store, and partner offline stores.
OnePlus 12
The OnePlus 12 is built over the performance-centric legacy of the company, upgrading its flagship with the latest Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chipset. Although the device does not ride over AI features, the company has focused on refinement this year. The OnePlus 12 gets an improved 64MP periscope lens with 3x optical zoom and also brings back support for wireless charging.
The device also features a massive dual vapour chamber cooling system, which was revealed in its teardown. This system is capable of keeping the cooler by 7 degrees Celsius.
The OnePlus 12 is priced at Rs 64,999 and is available for purchase on Amazon and OnePlus Online Store. However, the device is slightly overshadowed by its younger sibling OnePlus 12R due to its aggressive pricing and flagship-grade specifications.
OPPO Reno 11 Pro
The OPPO Reno 11 Pro features a curved AMOLED screen with a unique design at the back. While most devices in the premium midrange segment are in a specifications war, the Reno 11 Pro follows an approach of going with the tried and tested setups.
The device features a 50MP primary camera with the Sony IMX 890 sensor, a 32MP telephoto lens with 2x optical zoom, and an 8MP ultrawide lens. It also gets support for OPPO’s HyperTone Imaging Engine, to enhance the quality of portrait shots. The Reno 11 Pro is equipped with the MediaTek Dimensity 8200 chipset, making it a 5G-ready device.
The OPPO Reno 11 Pro is priced at Rs 39,999 and is available for purchase on Flipkart.
Vivo X100 Pro
The Vivo X100 Pro is undoubtedly a head-turner with its camera prowess. It also marked the debut of the flagship MediaTek Dimensity 9300 chipset in India. In our review of the Vivo 100 Pro, we were impressed with the quality of portrait images. The device features a new Zeiss APO floating periscope lens, which improves the focus and stabilization of the telephoto camera.
The Vivo X100 Pro also features a massive 5400mAh battery with support for 100W fast charging, and 50W wireless charging. The device cuts no corners in offering a true flagship-grade experience.
The Vivo X100 Pro is priced at Rs 89,999 and is available for purchase on Amazon.
Redmi Note 13 Pro
The Redmi Note 13 Pro is the most premium Note device from Xiaomi, since the inception of this lineup. The phone brings massive upgrades over its predecessors with its 200MP camera and Snapdragon 7s Gen 2 chipset. It is also the most practical device from the Redmi Note 13 Series, as it balances the ratio between price and specifications.
The Redmi Note 13 Pro is equipped with a 5100mAh battery with support for 67W charging. It also comes with a glass-sandwich design which provides a premium in-hand feel. The device is certified with Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos to enrich the multimedia viewing experience.
The Redmi Note 13 Pro is priced at Rs 25,999 in India and is available for purchase on Flipkart and Xiaomi Online Store.
Realme 12 Pro+
The Realme 12 Pro+ is one of the first devices to introduce a periscope lens in the Rs 30,000 segment. The phone comes with a curved AMOLED screen and has a unique design with its massive camera module and leather finish.
The Realme 12 Pro+ is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 7s Gen 2 chipset. It also gets Dolby Atmos certified stereo speakers and an IP65 rating. The device runs on a 5000mAh battery with support for 67W SuperVOOC charging. The Realme 12 Pro+ is a fierce competitor for the Redmi Note 13 Pro lineup, and even other premium mid-rangers in the market.
The Realme 12 Pro+ is priced at Rs 31,999 in India and is sold on Flipkart, Realme Online Store, and offline retail partners.
POCO X6 5G
The POCO X6 is a disruptive mid-range smartphone that grabs attention with its aggressive pricing. The device comes with the Snapdragon 7s Gen 2 chipset, similar to its competition. The device will also get migrated to Xiaomi’s new HyperOS interface.
The device comes with a 64MP primary camera with OIS support, an 8MP ultrawide lens, and a 2MP macro shooter. It is powered by a 5100mAh battery with support for 67W charging. The phone also gets Dolby Atmos stereo speakers and a 3.5mm headphone jack.
Compared to other devices with similar specifications, the POCO X6 undercuts every other phone with its price tag of Rs 21,999. It is available for purchase on Flipkart.
Moto G34 5G
The Moto G34 is an affordable 5G device from the company. The smartphone delivers a complete package with its Snapdragon 695 chipset, 50MP primary camera, and a 5000mAh battery. Although the display has a refresh rate of 120Hz, the resolution is limited to just 720p.
The Moto G34 features a 16MP selfie camera. The device also gets Dolby Atmos stereo speakers and retains the 3.5mm headphone jack. It also gets the latest Android 14 version.
The Moto G34 is priced at Rs 10,999 is is available for purchase on Flipkart.
Tecno Spark 20
The Tecno Spark 20 is the latest budget offering from the company. The highlight of the device is its 8GB+256GB storage configuration which is one of the highest in the segment. It comes with the Helio G85 chipset, a 50MP primary rear camera, and a 32MP selfie shooter.
The Tecno Spark 20 is powered by a 5000mAh that supports 18W charging. It also gets DTS stereo speakers. However, the connectivity on the device is limited to 4G LTE as the chipset is not compatible with 5G.
The Tecno Spark 20 is priced at Rs 10,499 and is sold on Amazon.
itel a70
The itel A70 is an entry-level device featuring a material design language. The phone is equipped with a 6.6-inch LCD screen with 720p resolution. The device comes with the Unisoc T603 chipset loaded with Android 13 Go Edition which consumes very less resources while retaining compatibility for maximum applications.
The itel A70 gets a 13MP primary camera, an 8MP selfie camera, and a 5000mAh battery. The base variant comes with 4GB RAM and 64GB storage, which is expandable via microSD. When we reviewed the itel A70, we found the device to be a good fit for users shifting from a feature phone to their first smartphone, especially at its price of Rs 6299. The device is available on Amazon and Flipkart, but its main target is the offline markets in smaller cities.
Vivo Y28 5G
The Vivo Y28 is a youth-centric midrange device that focuses on design and cameras. The phone features a 6.56-inch LCD screen with a 720p resolution and 90Hz refresh rate. It comes with the MediaTek Dimensity 6020 chipset making it a 5G-ready smartphone.
The Vivo Y28 has a 50MP primary rear camera, an 8MP selfie camera, and a 5000mAh battery. It supports 15W wired charging. The Vivo Y28 is a balanced package for the offline markets and a good option for users looking to buy a 5G phone.
The Vivo Y28 is priced at Rs 13,999 and is available for purchase on Amazon. It is also sold across offline retail chains of Reliance Digital.
