Top 5 Android smartphones under Rs 20,000

Here are five Android smartphones in the mid-range segment that perform well and are worth considering.

A slew of mid to high range Android operating system based smartphones have recently been launched. While you are eyeing the high-end Android smartphones, it is safe to try out the mid-range smartphones that promise good and stable performance.

Here is a list of Google Android based smartphones under Rs 20,000 worth buying.

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1. HTC One V (Rs 18,200)

HTC recently introduced this new phone under its One series line up.

Sporting a 3.7-inch Super LCD 2 touchscreen display, the One V supports WVGA (480 x 800 pixel) resolution. Text, images and videos appear crisper than they are on its predecessor -- Legend.

HTC has used unibody aluminium to construct this handset, and it has a chin on the front. One V is extremely comfortable to use and feels great for small or even medium sized palms.

Besides a single core 1 GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon processor, this smartphone has 512 MB RAM that ensures smoother system-wide performance. With the One Series, HTC has introduced the latest version of its proprietary HTC Sense 4.0 user interface, which is faster and slicker compared to the previous version.

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HTC's Sense 4.0 UI is integrated on top of Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich.

At the back is a 5 megapixel camera with LED flash. The camera app has been improved significantly to click more snaps in less time. The back camera is capable of recording 720p HD videos. There is no front facing camera though.

HTC has deeply incorporated the Beats Audio technology for better audio experience with the music and videos.

With other regular set of features like GPS with A-GPS, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.0, stereo FM radio with RDS, and great multimedia support.

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2. Samsung Galaxy Ace Plus (Rs 15,500)

Samsung is known for rolling out smartphones with slightly refreshed/updated hardware. Samsung Galaxy Ace GT-5830 has a worthy successor -- Galaxy Ace Plus GT-S7500. This new model comes with a single core 1 GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon MSM7227A mobile processor with 512 MB memory.

Physically, the Galaxy Ace Plus looks very similar to the Galaxy Ace but has a curvy back.

The Galaxy Ace Plus features a 3.6-inch touchscreen display with 320 x 480 pixel resolution. Running Android 2.3.6 Gingerbread, this Galaxy Ace Plus device features TouchWiz 4.0 user interface.

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Galaxy Ace Plus comes with 3 GB on-board storage of which 1.8 GB is user accessible. Samsung has improved the overall software performance. There is no dedicated camera button for the 5 megapixel camera with LED flash at the back.

Other features include Bluetooth 3.0, Wi-Fi, DLNA, stereo FM with RDS and GPS with A-GPS support. Samsung has reduced the battery to a 1300 mAh pack which offers better performance on 2G networks. With a slight bump in the processor and memory, this smartphone does promise better performance.

Samsung Galaxy Ace Plus smartphone will certainly get Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich update, but there is no specific date of its arrival.

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3. LG Optimus Sol E730 (Rs 19,499)

Running Android 2.3 Gingerbread, the LG Optimus Sol flaunts a 3.8-inch Ultra Amoled touchscreen display that supports 480 x 800 pixel resolution. The new Optimus Sol features curved edges and has capacitive buttons.

Weighing a mere 110 grams, this smartphone has only three hardware buttons -- power on/off and the volume buttons.

Offering great contrast and a vibrant set of colours, the Optimus Sol features a single core 1 GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon S1 MSM8255 mobile processor with 512 MB RAM and 2 GB of onboard storage of which only 1 GB is user accessible.

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Despite the fact that it carries the same core hardware as the HTC One V, there is a vast difference in the software experience offered by the two devices.

With default support for several popular video codecs such as DivX/Xvid, this smartphone offers a decent multimedia experience. Optimus Sol E730 features a 5 megapixel camera without an LED flash, but can record 720p HD videos. Along with other standard features, this smartphone has a 1500 mAh battery pack that promises decent run time.

As of now there is no information on whether this smartphone will get Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich update or not.

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4. Sony Ericsson Xperia Neo V (Rs 14,950)

Sony had introduced Xperia Neo V as a successor or replacement model for the Xperia Neo. Xperia Neo V has a 3.7-inch LCD touchscreen display with 480 x 854 pixel resolution.

It touts the Sony Mobile Bravia Engine that promises better visual feedback with videos and images. Along with a single core 1 GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon S1 MSM8255 mobile processor, this smartphone has 512 MB RAM.

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Sony Mobile has just started to roll out the Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich update for this handset, which by default comes with Android 2.3 Gingerbread. Its 5 megapixel camera, which comes with LED flash, can record 720p HD videos.

Sony Ericsson Xperia Neo V with Timescape user interface features a 1500 mAh battery for about 7 hours of continuous talk time. With a great design, this smartphone is certainly the choice for someone looking for a chic device.

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5. Motorola Defy+ (14,999)

Introduced as an updated version of Defy MB525, the new Defy Plus MB526 features a 1 GHz processor and offers more battery power compared to Defy.

Motorola Defy Plus has a 3.7-inch touchscreen display with Gorilla Glass technology. Its chassis is IP67 standard certified, which means this handset can survive if submerged in water, and the screen is sturdy enough to withstand minor scratches.

The 3.7-inch touchscreen display of the Defy Plus supports 480 x 854 pixel resolution and makes the text look crisp. Inside the body rests a 1 GHz Texas Instruments OMAP 3620 processor with 512 MB RAM and 1 GB on-board memory.

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Running Android 2.3 Gingerbread by default, the Defy Plus has a 5 megapixel camera with autofocus and LED flash. Unfortunately, there is no secondary camera even in the updated model.

Supporting up to 7.2 Mbps download speeds on 3G networks, the smartphone also supports Wi-Fi and Bluetooth wireless connectivity.

Other sensors include Bluetooth, GPS, an accelerometer, compass, stereo FM with RDS and proximity sensor. Apart from its waterproof and dust-resistant characteristics, this smartphone also promises good multimedia playback.

Unfortunately, this smartphone will not get Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich but number of third party developers plan to offer custom Android 4.0 ROM updates.

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