Poco X6 Neo launched in India

The affordable smartphone Poco X6 Neo debuts in India, featuring standout specs like a 120Hz refresh rate, a 108MP dual rear camera setup, a 3.5mm headphone jack, and a MediaTek Dimensity 6080+ chipset. It competes with rivals such as the Realme 12 5G, Redmi Note 13 5G, and Lava Curve Blaze 5G. Available in two configurations, the 8GB RAM + 128GB storage version is priced at Rs 15,999, while the 12GB RAM + 256GB storage variant costs Rs 17,999. Color options include Astral Black, Horizon Blue, and Martian Orange.

The Poco X6 Neo hits Flipkart shelves today, March 13, at 7 pm, with a Rs 1,000 instant discount for ICICI Bank cardholders. The subsequent sale is slated for March 18 at 12 pm. Sporting a 6.67-inch AMOLED display, the device promises a 120Hz refresh rate, 1000 nits peak brightness, and Full HD+ resolution. Powered by a MediaTek Dimensity 6080 chipset, it offers up to 12GB RAM and 256GB storage, running on Android 13-based MIUI 14.

Camera-wise, it boasts a dual rear setup with a 108MP primary sensor and a 2MP depth sensor, complemented by a 16MP front camera. The device packs a 5,000mAh battery supporting 33W fast charging, IP54 water and dust resistance, a 3.5mm headphone jack, and an in-display fingerprint sensor. It also promises two years of Android OS updates and four years of security updates.

Poco M6 5G India Launch Date

Poco M6 5G is poised to make its official debut in India this week, as announced by the Xiaomi sub-brand through its social media channels. The brand has shared a poster unveiling the smartphone's design, featuring a 50-megapixel dual rear camera unit and a waterdrop-style display notch at the front. Serving as the successor to the Poco M5 launched last year, the Poco M6 5G is rumored to be a rebranded version of the Redmi 13C 5G. Poco has scheduled the launch for December 22, with the event set to take place at 12:00 pm IST, as indicated by the teaser on its official X (formerly Twitter) account.

POCO C65 launched in India

The POCO C65, POCO's latest smartphone offering in India, is scheduled to be available for purchase on Flipkart starting Monday, just three days after its official launch on December 15. The sales will commence at 12 noon on the e-commerce platform. The phone offers three storage configurations: 4GB+128GB RAM, 6GB+128GB RAM, and 8GB+256GB RAM variants. The pricing is set at ₹8499 for the 4GB+128GB variant, ₹9499 for the 6GB+128GB model, and ₹10,999 for the 8GB+256GB version. Additionally, there's an instant discount of ₹1000 available on ICICI Bank credit/debit cards and EMI transactions.

Launch of Poco C65 in India is slated for December 15

Having been globally launched in November, the Poco C65 is now anticipated to make its debut in India. The global version features a MediaTek Helio G85 SoC and houses a 5,000mAh battery supporting 18W wired fast charging through a micro USB port. Equipped with a 50-megapixel dual rear camera unit and a 6.74-inch HD+ display, it succeeds the Poco C55 unveiled in February of the same year. Poco India has officially confirmed the smartphone's India launch date, set for December 15, and the handset will be available for purchase via Flipkart. The teaser poster hints at a purple color option and suggests a design similar to the global variant, likely with corresponding specifications.

Internationally, the Poco C65 is priced starting at $129 (approximately Rs. 10,700) for the 6GB + 128GB variant, with the 8GB + 256GB option at $149 (roughly Rs. 12,400). It is available in Black, Blue, and Purple colors. The global variant features a 6.74-inch HD+ display with a 90Hz refresh rate, a MediaTek Helio G85 SoC, up to 8GB of LPDDR4X RAM, and up to 256GB of eMMC 5.1 storage (expandable up to 1TB with a microSD card). Operating on Android 13-based MIUI 14 for Poco, the phone incorporates a 50-megapixel primary rear sensor with an f/1.8 aperture and a 2-megapixel sensor with an f/2.4 aperture macro lens. The front camera, housed in a centre-aligned waterdrop notch, features an 8-megapixel sensor with an f/2.0 aperture.

Powering the Poco C65 is a 5,000mAh battery supporting 18W wired fast charging through a micro USB port, and for security, a side-mounted fingerprint sensor is included. Connectivity options comprise 4G VoLTE, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 5.1, GPS, and GLONASS.

Best Phones Under ₹30,000 [DECEMBER 2023]

1) Realme 11 Pro+

The Realme 11 Pro+, released on May 10, 2023, features a 6.70-inch touchscreen display with a resolution of 2400x1080 pixels (FHD+). Powered by an octa-core MediaTek Dimensity 7050 processor, the phone is available with either 8GB or 12GB of RAM. Running on Android 13, it houses a 5000mAh non-removable battery that supports proprietary fast charging. In the camera department, the Realme 11 Pro+ boasts a triple camera setup on the rear, including a 200-megapixel primary camera, an 8-megapixel camera, and a 2-megapixel camera. For selfies, it features a single front camera with a 32-megapixel sensor. The phone runs Realme UI 4.0 based on Android 13 and offers 256GB of inbuilt storage, expandable via a microSD card. Supporting dual Nano-SIM cards, the Realme 11 Pro+ has dimensions of 161.60 x 73.90 x 8.70mm and weighs 189.00 grams. It is available in City of the Rising Sun, City of Green Fields, and Starry Night Black colors. Connectivity options include Wi-Fi, GPS, Bluetooth v5.20, NFC, and USB Type-C. The phone is equipped with various sensors, such as an accelerometer, ambient light sensor, compass/magnetometer, gyroscope, proximity sensor, and an in-display fingerprint sensor. The Realme 11 Pro+ is priced at Rs. 26,999 in India.

2) OnePlus Nord CE 3 5G

The OnePlus Nord CE 3 5G, launched on July 5, 2023, boasts a 120 Hz refresh rate on its 6.70-inch touchscreen display with a resolution of 1080x2412 pixels (FHD+), providing a pixel density of 394 pixels per inch (ppi). Driven by an octa-core Snapdragon 782G processor, it is available with either 8GB or 12GB of RAM. Running on Android 13, the device is powered by a 5000mAh non-removable battery and supports Super VOOC fast charging. In the camera department, the OnePlus Nord CE 3 5G features a triple camera setup on the rear, including a 50-megapixel (f/1.8) primary camera, an 8-megapixel (f/2.2) camera, and a 2-megapixel camera, all equipped with autofocus. For selfies, it offers a single front camera with a 16-megapixel sensor and an f/2.4 aperture. The phone runs OxygenOS 13.1 based on Android 13 and provides 128GB or 256GB of inbuilt storage, expandable via a microSD card (up to 1024GB). As a dual-SIM (GSM and GSM) mobile, it accepts Nano-SIM and Nano-SIM cards, measuring 162.70 x 75.50 x 8.20mm and weighing 184.00 grams. The OnePlus Nord CE 3 5G is available in Aqua Surge and Gray Shimmer colors. Connectivity options include Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, GPS, Bluetooth v5.20, NFC, USB Type-C, 3G, 4G (with support for Band 40 used by some LTE networks in India), and 5G with active 4G on both SIM cards. Sensors on the phone include an accelerometer, ambient light sensor, compass/magnetometer, gyroscope, proximity sensor, and an in-display fingerprint sensor. The starting price for the OnePlus Nord CE 3 5G in India is Rs. 24,999.

3) Motorola Edge 40

Launched on May 4, 2023, the Motorola Edge 40 boasts a 144 Hz refresh rate on its 6.50-inch touchscreen display, providing a resolution of 2400x1080 pixels (FHD+) at a pixel density of 402 pixels per inch (ppi) and an aspect ratio of 20:9. With 8GB of RAM, the phone operates on Android 13 and is fueled by a 4500mAh non-removable battery. Supporting both wireless charging and 68W Turbo Charge fast charging, the device offers versatile charging options. In terms of photography, the rear of the Motorola Edge 40 features a dual camera setup, including a 50-megapixel primary camera (f/f/1.4, 1.0 µm-micron) and a 13-megapixel camera (f/f/2.2, 1.2 µm-micron). For selfies, the front camera setup consists of a 32-megapixel sensor with an f/f/2.4 aperture and a pixel size of 0.7 µm-micron. Operating as a dual-SIM mobile with Nano-SIM and eSIM card compatibility, the Motorola Edge 40 offers 256GB of inbuilt storage. With dimensions measuring 158.43 x 71.99 x 7.49mm (height x width x thickness) and a weight of 167.00 grams, it is available in Eclipse Black, Lunar Blue, and Nebula Green colors. The phone carries an IP68 rating for dust and water protection. Connectivity options on the Motorola Edge 40 include Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/ax, GPS, Bluetooth v5.20, NFC, and USB Type-C. Sensors featured on the device include accelerometer, ambient light sensor, compass/magnetometer, gyroscope, proximity sensor, and an in-display fingerprint sensor. Additionally, the Motorola Edge 40 supports face unlock. The starting price for the Motorola Edge 40 in India is Rs. 24,999.

4) Samsung Galaxy F54 5G

Launched on June 6, 2023, the Samsung Galaxy F54 5G is equipped with a 120 Hz refresh rate on its 6.70-inch touchscreen display, providing a resolution of 2400x1080 pixels (FHD+). Powered by an octa-core Samsung Exynos 1380 processor and featuring 8GB of RAM, the phone runs on Android 13 and is backed by a substantial 6000mAh non-removable battery. Supporting proprietary fast charging, the device ensures efficient and quick charging capabilities. In terms of photography, the Samsung Galaxy F54 5G's rear hosts a triple camera setup, featuring a 108-megapixel primary camera, an 8-megapixel camera, and a 2-megapixel camera. For selfies, the front camera setup comprises a 32-megapixel sensor. Operating on OneUI 5 based on Android 13, the phone provides ample storage with 256GB of inbuilt storage that can be expanded via a microSD card (up to 1000GB). As a dual-SIM mobile accepting Nano-SIM cards, the Samsung Galaxy F54 5G presents dimensions of 164.90 x 77.30 x 8.40mm (height x width x thickness) and weighs 199.00 grams. It is available in Meteor Blue and Stardust Silver colors. Connectivity options include Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/ax, GPS, Bluetooth v5.30, USB Type-C, 4G (with support for Band 40 used by some LTE networks in India), and 5G with active 4G on both SIM cards. The phone is equipped with various sensors such as accelerometer, ambient light sensor, compass/magnetometer, gyroscope, proximity sensor, and a fingerprint sensor. The Samsung Galaxy F54 5G is priced starting at Rs. 31,999 in India.

5) Poco F5 5G

The Poco F5 5G stands out as an indisputable powerhouse in its price range, delivering raw performance that rivals Qualcomm's flagship 8 Gen series SoCs. Its robust heat management further enhances its appeal, making it an outstanding choice for those seeking a high-performance smartphone, especially for gaming. The device excels in various aspects, including its impressive display, commendable battery life, and sleek design. However, there's a desire for a more premium feel akin to its predecessor. In summary, if you're in the market for a potent gaming smartphone around the Rs. 30,000 mark, the F5 5G is certainly worth considering.