India is on the brink of a technological revolution; projected to have over a billion smartphone users by 2026. While the vast majority of the Indian population is price-conscious, there is a growing sector of users who are opting to go down the more premium route. High-end smartphones are a bridge between the luxuries of a flagship and the cost-effectiveness of a budget phone. They sport powerful SoCs capable of handling pretty much everything you throw at them and impressive camera arrays.
Also read: Digit Zero1 Awards and Best Buy Awards 2023: Best Performing Premium Smartphone (Over ₹50K)
In 2023, we saw high-end smartphones between ₹35,000 to ₹50,000 improve on user interface, camera capabilities and fast charging. Moreover, once premium-only features such as wireless charging, telephoto lenses, and flagship SoCs started making their way into this fast-expanding category. The winner of this category has pretty much ‘something’ going for it in every aspect. It not only decimates the competition when it comes to raw performance but also has one of the smoothest UIs to exist. Let’s find out which phone takes the crown.
Digit Zero1 Award Winner: Nothing Phone (2) (Buy now)
Price: ₹44,999
The Nothing Phone (2) is the absolute pinnacle of performance you can get your hands on under ₹50,000. The much-improved processor, incredible battery life, and a decent set of cameras set it apart from the competition. The Phone (2) comfortably beat competing products in most CPU and GPU benchmarks. The Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 chipset far outperforms the competition, including the OnePlus 11R, which sports the same chipset. It also has some of the fastest storage speeds in this price range, meaning app loading and data transfer speeds are excellent. The cameras, while not the best in this price category, show promise, especially in well-lit conditions.
One of the best things about the Nothing Phone (2) is its user interface. There’s no bloatware or ads, a truckload of customisation options, and smooth and fluid performance. Simply put, Nothing OS 2.0 is extremely classy. The display is one of the brightest in this segment and is fairly colour-accurate as well. The Glyph Interface actually has a couple of nifty features and third-party integrations; so it’s not superficial this time around. Nothing has made the Phone (2) one of the easiest recommendations to give under ₹50K because of how well-rounded the device is. All of this cements Nothing’s win in this category.
Digit Best Buy Award Winner: OnePlus 11R (Buy now)
Price: ₹39,999
The OnePlus 11R doesn’t just grab the runner-up spot in the high-end smartphone category, but it also manages to snag our Best Buy trophy for providing the most bang for your buck under ₹50,000. 2023 was the year OnePlus came back to form with immensely successful offerings such as the OnePlus 11, the OnePlus Open, and, of course, the OnePlus 11R.
Also read: Digit Zero1 Awards and Best Buy Awards 2023: Best Performing Camera Smartphone
Although the Nothing Phone (2) did beat out the OnePlus 11R in synthetic benchmarks, it felt no slower than the Phone (2). The performance is fluid, gaming is a breeze with little to no lag, and the battery life is superb. Add to that class-leading fast charging speeds, and the OnePlus 11R is not easy to ignore. Moreover, the camera set on the OnePlus 11R felt more versatile than that of the Nothing Phone (2), especially when it comes to low-light performance. The Sony IMX890 main camera shines here, clicking stellar nighttime pictures with oodles of detail.
The OnePlus 11R came out second in the performance department, but it makes up for that with an array of high-end features. You’ve got a gorgeous AMOLED display with 1 billion colours and HDR10+ support, up to 18 GB RAM, full-bodied stereo speakers, 100 W fast charging, and more. All for ₹5,000 less than the Nothing Phone (2)’s launch price. So, it is a deserving winner of the Digit Best Buy Award in the High-End Phone category.
For more information on Digit Zero1 Award winners across various categories of products, please visit: https://www.digit.in/zero1-awards
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Dhriti Datta
Perpetually sporting a death stare, this one can be seen tinkering around with her smartphone which she holds more dear than life itself and stuffing her face with copious amounts of bacon. View Full Profile
