The premium smartphone segment is where the festive sales start getting genuinely interesting. Phones that normally sit close to the Rs 1 lakh mark are now being pushed into a much more competitive price range through sale discounts, bank offers and exchange benefits.
This year's festive sale has some particularly notable deals, with the iPhone 17 dropping to an effective Rs 79,999, the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra starting at Rs 84,999 and the OnePlus 15 available at Rs 81,999 in the offers shown by Flipkart. If you are planning to spend anywhere between Rs 75,000 and Rs 1 lakh on a new smartphone, these are three deals worth looking at.
iPhone 17
The iPhone 17 is listed at an effective Rs 79,999 during the Flipkart Big Billion Days sale. The actual sale price is Rs 84,999, with eligible bank and exchange benefits bringing the effective price down further. The Rs 79,999 figure therefore isn't a flat price available to every buyer. The iPhone 17 itself is a significant upgrade over the previous base-generation iPhones. It comes with a 6.3-inch Super Retina XDR OLED display with ProMotion up to 120Hz and is powered by Apple's A19 chipset. The camera setup includes a 48MP Fusion main camera and a 48MP Fusion ultrawide, while the front gets Apple's 18MP Center Stage camera.
At Rs 79,999, the iPhone 17 becomes a much more compelling option for buyers who want Apple's latest base iPhone without moving into Pro pricing. The jump to a 120Hz display also addresses one of the biggest complaints about previous non-Pro iPhones.
Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra
The Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra is being offered from Rs 84,999, bringing Samsung's flagship much closer to the Rs 80,000 mark. This is the kind of deal that makes last year's flagship particularly relevant during a sale, especially for buyers who don't necessarily need to own the newest model.
The Galaxy S25 Ultra brings a 6.9-inch QHD+ Dynamic AMOLED 2X display with a 120Hz refresh rate and is powered by Qualcomm's Snapdragon 8 Elite. It also gets a 200MP primary camera alongside dedicated ultrawide and telephoto cameras, while the integrated S Pen gives it a productivity advantage that neither of the other two phones here can really replicate. The S25 Ultra is also the most feature-heavy phone in this list. From its large high-resolution display and versatile camera setup to the S Pen and long-term software support, it is aimed at users who want a phone that can do a bit of everything.
At Rs 84,999, it makes particular sense if you value the complete flagship experience over simply having the newest model.
OnePlus 15
The OnePlus 15 is listed at Rs 81,999 in the festive sale offer, putting it between the iPhone 17 and Galaxy S25 Ultra in terms of advertised pricing.
OnePlus has taken a very different approach with this generation. The OnePlus 15 is powered by the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 and features a 6.78-inch 1.5K LTPO display with a 165Hz refresh rate. It also packs a huge 7,300mAh silicon-nanostack battery and supports 120W SUPERVOOC wired charging and 50W AIRVOOC wireless charging. The phone is clearly aimed at users who prioritise performance, gaming and battery endurance. OnePlus also highlights 120fps gaming support and a triple 50MP camera setup, along with 4K 120fps Dolby Vision video recording.
At Rs 81,999, the OnePlus 15 is an interesting alternative to the more traditional flagship approach of Samsung and Apple. The combination of a 165Hz display, flagship Snapdragon processor and 7,300mAh battery gives it a very different proposition at this price.
Which One Should You Consider?
These three phones are aimed at three slightly different types of premium smartphone buyers.
The iPhone 17 at Rs 79,999 makes the most sense if you want the latest iPhone, Apple's ecosystem and a much-improved 120Hz display without going for a Pro model. The Galaxy S25 Ultra at Rs 84,999 is the more feature-packed choice, particularly if cameras, the S Pen, a large QHD+ display and productivity features matter to you. The OnePlus 15 at Rs 81,999 is arguably the most performance-focused option, with its Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 chipset, 165Hz display and 7,300mAh battery.
One thing buyers should keep in mind is that these advertised festive prices are not necessarily the final price for everyone. Bank discounts, exchange bonuses and other conditions can affect the effective cost. For the iPhone 17 specifically, Flipkart's Rs 79,999 figure depends on additional offers on top of its Rs 84,999 sale price.
