Best Smartphones to Buy in Every Price Segment in Nepal [Updated]

18 min readSep 21, 2022

With so many cell phones turning out on the lookout, it very well may be difficult for a typical shopper to pick the best gadget for them. What’s the best telephone for my financial plan, which one gives me the best camera execution, do I get a superior gaming experience from this gadget, and whatever blah is a portion of the questions one could have? In any case, dread not, for we at GadgetByte Nepal have assembled a refreshed rundown of the best cell phones you can purchase at each cost range, regardless of your spending plan. We ensure an ideal cell phone insight for you with our handpicked list of gadgets at each cost range.

Dashain Arrangements

To praise this Dashain, we have collaborated with our subsidiary accomplice Hukut to give extraordinary limits of up to Rs. 2,500 on these cell phones. We will incorporate the purchase interface for every gadget toward the finish of the portrayal, alongside a voucher code to reclaim the rebate. Or on the other hand, you can explore the arrangements straight by tapping on this connection. So try to make the most out of it. Cheerful Shopping!

Best Smartphones Under Rs. 15,000

Redmi 10A (2/32GB): Rs 13,999

The Redmi 10A is currently one of Xiaomi’s most affordable handsets in Nepal. It comes with a 6.53-inch IPS LCD display with a waterdrop notch. Since it is a budget device, you only get an HD+ resolution screen here, and a higher refresh rate screen is also out of the question.

In terms of design, the rear camera module of the 10A extends to form a large square that houses the fingerprint sensor. The square camera module houses a 13MP primary lens followed by a 2MP depth sensor. For selfies, you get a 5MP lens on the front.

Similarly, the smartphone is powered by a MediaTek Helio G25 chipset, which should be adequate for daily tasks. However, you should not expect good performance in demanding tasks such as gaming. The SoC is combined with up to 4GB of RAM and 128GB of storage. However, only the 2/32GB variant of the device is priced under Rs. 15,000 in Nepal. All of this is powered by a 5000mAh battery with 10W fast charging support. The only downside, as far as the charging goes, is it comes with a micro USB port.

Realme C30 (2/32GB): Rs. 13,499

Realme C30 goes head to head against the Redmi 10A in this list. Compared to the 10A’s heavy MIUI interface, the C30 comes with a lightweight Realme UI Go edition based on Android 11.
The Unisoc T612 chipset is also more powerful than the Helio G25 on the Redmi 10A, so the Realme C30 should perform a bit better.

The C30’s display measures 6.5 inches and, unsurprisingly, has an HD+ resolution with no higher refresh rate. However, Realme has attempted to make the device visually appealing by offering flat frames and stripes that run across the entire back panel. And its camera island is distinct in its own right, with a glossy rectangular module housing a single 8MP camera. It has a 5,000mAh battery, 10W charging, and a micro USB port, just like the Redmi 10A.

Best Smartphones Under Rs. 25,000

Samsung Galaxy F22 (6/128GB): Rs. 24,499

Launched last year, the Galaxy F22 is still one of the best phones under Rs. 25,000 in Nepal. It comes with a Samsung-made Super AMOLED panel with a 90Hz refresh rate and Corning Gorilla Glass protection. However, it’s worth noting that it’s still an HD+ panel.

The cameras are another strong point of the F22 in this price range. You get a quad-camera setup that comprises a 48MP primary, an 8MP ultrawide, and a couple of 2MP macro and depth sensors. And with software optimization from Samsung, the F22 can capture photos with good contrast, colors, and dynamic range.

For selfies, Samsung has included a 13MP on the front notch. The device packs in a 6,000mAh battery and there is support for 25W fast charging. However, Samsung ships the device with a 15W USB Type-C charger.

Redmi Note 11 (4/128GB): Rs. 23,999

Still, if you’re looking for a competent multimedia consumption device in Nepal for less than Rs. 25,000, you should definitely consider the Redmi Note 11. It has a Full HD+ AMOLED panel and a stereo speaker setup, which results in an excellent content consumption experience. The screen also has a brightness of 1000 nits, so outdoor visibility on Note 11 is not an issue.

However, its cameras are rather average. You do get a 50MP quad-camera setup, but the photos can be inconsistent at times, especially in low-light situations. Similarly, its 13MP selfie camera struggles to keep background exposure consistent, and photos also have muted colors. So, if you’re a camera enthusiast, the F22 is a steal deal at less than Rs. 25,000 in Nepal.

Anyways, it is powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 680 chipset while the graphics are handled by Adreno 610 GPU. Redmi Note 11 ships with Android 11 with MIUI 11 on top. The device is backed by a 5000mAh battery, and it supports 33W fast charging. Not to forget, it’s also IP53 rated for dust and water resistance.

Best Smartphones Under Rs. 35,000

Realme 9 (8/128GB): Rs 33,999

With the Realme 9, the company has given special emphasis on design. It is a slim and lightweight smartphone with a thickness of 7.99mm and a weight of 178 grams. It also has a plasma atom-coating and UV-Nano imprinting on the back, which the company refers to as “Ripple Holographic design.”

Upfront, you get a 6.6-inch 90Hz AMOLED display with a 360Hz touch sampling rate. The screen also has a peak brightness of 1000 nits, is covered by Gorilla Glass 5, and has an in-display fingerprint scanner for biometrics.

In terms of cameras, the Realme 9 is the world’s first smartphone to feature Samsung’s 108MP ISOCELL HM6 sensor. This is accompanied by an 8MP ultrawide lens and a 2MP macro lens. A 16MP lens is in charge of selfies. Likewise, the Realme 9’s battery is a 5000mAh that charges with a 33W adapter.

Redmi Note 11S (8/128GB): Rs. 31,999

Another pick for the smartphone under Rs. 35,000 in Nepal is Redmi Note 11S. Xiaomi recently slashed its price by Rs. 1,000 across all memory variants under the “शुभ विजया दशmi” campaign. And you can get an additional Rs. 1,000 off from our affiliate partner during this Dashain.

Anyways, talking about the specification, it has a 6.43-inch AMOLED panel with an FHD+ resolution. The display has a punch-hole cutout in the center for the 16MP selfie camera. The device has a quad-camera setup on the back, led by a 108MP Samsung HM2 sensor.

The phone is powered by an Helio G96 chip from MediaTek. And users get to choose from 6GB or 8GB of RAM and 128GB of internal storage. It features a 5000mAh battery and supports 33W fast charging.

Redmi Note 11 Pro 4G (8/128GB): Rs. 35,999*

The Redmi Note 11 Pro 4G is another entry from Redmi on the list of the best smartphones under Rs. 35,000. Like the Note 11S, the company has discounted its price for the holiday season. You will also be able to get an additional Rs. 1,000 off from our affiliate partner, bringing the 8/128GB variant down to Rs. 35,000 in Nepal.

The Note 11 Pro 4G has a premium glass sandwich design and a 6.67-inch Full HD+ AMOLED display with a refresh rate of 120Hz and a touch sampling rate of 360Hz. A pair of stereo speakers that deliver loud and clear audio complement the OLED screen.

Another advantage that the Note 11 Pro 4G has over other smartphones in this price range is that it supports a 67W adapter for charging. Xiaomi includes a compatible charger inside the box which can fuel up its 5000mAh battery from 0 to 100% in just 50 minutes. The smartphone is powered by an Helio G96 chipset, which performs well in light multitasking tasks.

Best Smartphones Under Rs. 50,000

Realme 9 Pro+ (8/128GB): Rs. 45,999

The 9 Pro+ is a stellar mid-range phone from Realme this year. Since this is the first ‘Pro+’ smartphone in their lineup, the company has placed a special emphasis on the camera department.

On the back is a flagship-grade 50MP Sony IMX766 primary sensor with OIS that can deliver excellent results both during the day and at night. Similarly, its performance with the MediaTek Dimensity 920 chipset is adequate for your everyday chores and even for light to medium gaming. The Realme 9 Pro+’s haptics are also among the best in the class.

Apart from this, it has a 6.4-inch Super AMOLED display. Most phones in this price range now offer a higher 120Hz refresh rate. However, Realme has settled for only 90Hz smoothness with the 9 Pro+. The front is protected by Gorilla Glass 5 and the back panel is also made of glass. However, there’s no protection on the rear.

Redmi Note 11 Pro 5G (8/128GB): Rs. 40,499

The Redmi Note 11 Pro 5G is almost identical to the Note 11 Pro 4G. They both have an AMOLED screen, a glass sandwich building, stereo speakers, and fast 67W charging.

The only significant difference between the two is in performance, as the Note 11 Pro 5G has a superior Snapdragon 695 5G chipset. As a result, this handset’s sustained performance is a bit better than that of the Note 11 Pro 4G.

Moreover, since the Snapdragon 695 features a 5G modem, it is also 5G compatible. Redmi has also provided 13 5G band support to make the most out of it..

Samsung Galaxy A52/A33 (8/128GB): Rs. 41,999

If you’re looking for a Samsung phone under Rs. 50,000, then we actually have two options for you: the Galaxy A52 and A33. Both are available for the same price of Rs. 41,999 for the 8/128GB variant.

Design

1 of 2

Galaxy A52

Galaxy A33

The A52 and A33 have a 90Hz Super AMOLED panel protected by Gorilla Glass 5 and are the only smartphones under Rs. 50,000 with IP67 water and dust rating. They also have a reliable camera setup with OIS. However, the A52 has a higher resolution 64MP primary sensor on the back and a 32MP selfie snapper on the front. Compared to this, the A33 has a 48MP quad-camera setup with a 13MP selfie camera. So you can expect somewhat better camera results from the Galaxy A52.

But with the Exynos 1280 chipset, the Galaxy A33 has better performance than the A52. The Galaxy A52’s Snapdragon 720G SoC can also deliver respectable day-to-day performance. However, the Exynos 1280 performs better in heavy tasks such as gaming.

The A33 also has a bigger 5000mAh battery, whereas the A52 only has a 4500mAh cell. Even so, they both support 25W charging.

Xiaomi 12 Lite (6/128GB): Rs. 49,999

The Xiaomi 12 Lite is the latest mid-range offering from the Chinese manufacturer in Nepal. This phone prioritizes its lightweight and slim design. It weighs only 173 grams and measures 7.29mm thick. Xiaomi has also managed to offer a glass body with the 12 Lite. Nonetheless, the handset’s slim design results in a smaller battery, as it only has a 4300mAh cell. However, with the 67W adapter provided inside the box, you can juice up the cell in just about 41 minutes.

It’s not just the design; the 12 Lite also offers a flagship-grade display. It has a 6.55-inch AMOLED panel with a refresh rate of 120Hz and a touch sampling rate of 240Hz. More than that, it is a 12-bit panel with Dolby Vision and HDR 10+ certification, as well as 1920Hz PWM dimming. The display also has Corning Gorilla Glass 5 protection against accidental drops.

Inside, the smartphone gets its sheer power from a Snapdragon 778G chipset. The SoC was announced last year, but it is still popular in the mid-range segment because of its reliable performance. The camera hardware on the 12 Lite includes a 108MP Samsung 108MP HM2 primary sensor, an 8MP ultrawide shooter, and a 2MP sensor for macro photography.

Best Premium Midrange Smartphones:

Realme GT Neo 3

Realme GT Neo 3 is a performance-centric smartphone powered by a Dimensity 8100 SoC. This is a sub-flagship chipset with enough processing power to handle even the most demanding games at the highest of settings. Plus, the company has paired it with flagship-grade LPDDR5 RAM and UFS 3.1 storage.

Furthermore, despite being a gaming phone, its 50MP triple camera setup with OIS can produce decent results. Aside from gaming, the GT Neo 3’s charging speed is another highlight. It comes with a charging speed of 150W that can charge the phone in just 20 minutes.

On the display front, you get an AMOLED screen with a refresh rate of 120Hz. And there is support for 1000Hz touch sampling rate, so the touch response is extremely good on this smartphone. Other highlights of the display include a 10-bit color depth, Corning Gorilla Glass 5 protection, and HDR10+ support. On the software side of things, it boots on Android 12-based Realme UI 3.0. However, the company has not specified how many software updates the GT Neo 3 will get.

Xiaomi 12X (8/256GB): Rs. 68,999

The Xiaomi 12X is yet another sleek smartphone in the company’s flagship 12-series lineup. Its curved design and excellent weight distribution contribute to a premium smartphone experience. But again the slim design makes room for a smaller battery. It has a 4500mAh battery that charges via a 67W adapter.

Like the 12 Lite, the display on the 12X has a 12-bit color depth, Dolby Vision certification, and a refresh rate of 120Hz. So it goes without saying that the Xiaomi 12X is an excellent multimedia device. In terms of performance, it is powered by a Snapdragon 870 chipset.

However, one letdown for the 12X, as far as the performance goes, is that it comes with Android 11-based MIUI 13 out of the box. In any case, the handset performs admirably in both everyday tasks and casual gaming. As for the cameras, the 50MP OIS camera setup on the back yields decent results. However, the photos do come out with saturated colors.

OnePlus Nord 2T (8/128GB): Rs. 64,999

The Nord 2T brings a mediocre upgrade over the last year’s Nord 2. It comes with a bit different design and a few upgrades here and there.

The processor has been upgraded from the MediaTek Dimensity 1200 to Dimensity 1300 — although the improvement it brings to actual performance is quite minimal. Another improvement is that the Nord 2T now supports 80W fast charging.

Rest of the specifications of the Nord 2T is pretty similar to the Nord 2. It still houses a 6.43-inch AMOLED display encased in a glass body. In terms of cameras, you get an OIS-powered 50MP primary lens, 8MP ultrawide and 2MP depth sensor on the back, and a 32MP lens on the front.

Samsung Galaxy A73 (8/256GB): Rs 75,999

Samsung Galaxy A73 is the most expensive A-series smartphone this year. However, the company has made no significant design changes with this phone. Still, it’s a good-looking phone with good ergonomics for a firm grip in your hand. And let us not forget the IP67 dust and water resistance rating, which is still uncommon in this price range.

On the display side of things, it has a 6.7-inch FullHD+ Super AMOLED panel that reproduces excellent color and contrast. There’s also Widevine L1 and HDR 10 certification for high-quality streaming on OTT platforms like Netflix.

The most important upgrade the Galaxy A73 brings over its predecessor is the performance. Compared to the Snapdragon 720G, the 778G powering the A73 is more powerful and more power-efficient as well. Despite the performance upgrade, Samsung has unfortunately introduced a slight downgrade in the camera department. While the A72 featured a dedicated 3x telephoto lens, that’s been replaced with a 5MP portrait camera this time.

Nonetheless, you can take good photos with its cameras, thanks to Samsung’s software optimization. Similarly, a 5000mAh battery powers the smartphone. And Samsung is still stuck with a 25W charging speed on its most expensive A-series phone.

Best Flagship Smartphones

Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra (12/512GB): Rs. 179,999

Now let’s move on to the flagship arena on this list. Starting with the S22 Ultra, it is a standout device in the company’s latest flagship lineup. The most noticeable difference between the S22 Ultra and its predecessor is in design, as it borrows design cues from the Galaxy Note (now discontinued) lineup.

That also means you get built-in S-pen compatibility, which has 70% less latency than the S-pen on the Note 20 Ultra. And it works flawlessly with Samsung’s default note-taking apps.

The display on the S22 Ultra is also worth a look. In place of the standard sAMOLED panel found on Samsung’s mid-range phones, the S22 Ultra features a Dynamic AMOLED 2X Infinity-O display protected by Gorilla Glass Victus+. The screen has WQHD+ resolution screen with Vision Booster, which allows you to increase the peak brightness to a whopping 1750 nits, making it the brightest phone on this list. The iPhone 14 Pro Max, of course, has 2,000 nits of brightness, but it is not yet available in Nepal.

This phone’s build quality is also top-notch, with Gorilla Glass Victus+ on the back, an IP68 rating, and aluminum frames. The Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 chipset is at the core of this smartphone. There have been gripes about the chipset’s heating issue. However, during our testing, we found that it doesn’t heat up excessively and it also cools down fairly quickly.

The software update policy on Samsung’s latest flagship phone is also the best in class. Here, the company has promised four years of major OS upgrades and an additional year of security updates. It’s almost as good as iPhones and even better than Google.

Anyway, the cameras on the Galaxy S22 Ultra are another highlight. It yields quite pleasing photos with almost no additional editing required before uploading to social media. Finally, the 5000mAh cell combined with the energy-efficient LTPO screen can provide 7 hours of screen time on typical usage. You can charge the phone either via a 45W wired medium or a 15W Qi wireless charging.

Realme GT 2 Pro (12/256GB): Rs. 109,999

Moving on, we have the Realme GT 2 Pro. This is the company’s first proper flagship phone, so Realme has gone above and beyond ength to make it special. The rear panel is made of biopolymer material with a paper-like finish, giving it a distinct feel. The ergonomics are also excellent. But Realme should have included an official IP rating on such a premium phone.

As a flagship phone, it’s safe to assume that it’s powered by Qualcomm’s top-tier Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 chipset. The memory option includes up to 12GB of RAM and 256GB of storage. On the software front, it runs Realme UI 3.0, which is based on Android 12. On the cards are also three generations of OS and four years of software upgrades. While Realme’s custom Android skin is well-optimized, it does come with a slew of bloatware apps that takes away its premium feel.

Furthermore, the phone has a 6.7′′ QHD AMOLED display which supports a 120Hz refresh rate so everything from scrolling to multitasking feels quite smooth here. And since Realme has used an LTPO 2.0 panel here, this display can automatically switch between 1 and 120Hz to save power. It is complemented by a set of stereo speakers which delivers incredible sound quality.

The GT 2 Pro comes with a 50MP triple camera array at the back. However, this does not include a telephoto lens. Instead, Realme has opted for a duo of 50MP main and ultrawide lenses accompanied by a 2MP microscopic sensor. Although its camera performance is quite good, it still lags behind the competition. As for the battery, the phone is fueled by a large 5000mAh cell with support for 65W fast charging and no wireless charging.

OnePlus 10 Pro (12/256GB): Rs. 135,000

Another option for the best flagship smartphones in Nepal is the OnePlus 10 Pro. It’s a bit expensive at Rs. 135,000, but it comes with all the features you’d expect from a flagship smartphone. Well, most of it anyway. For starters, it features a Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 processor, LPDDR5 RAM, and UFS 3.1 storage. And it comes with the OxygenOS interface based on the latest Android 12 which provides a polished software experience. Not to mention, the classic alert slider is also present on the 10 Pro.

In addition, you get a 6.7-inch 120Hz 2K AMOLED display with LTPO 2.0 backplane technology. This time around, OnePlus has also included a slightly larger 5000mAh battery that supports 80W wired and 50W wireless charging.

As for the cameras, the 10 Pro includes second-generation Hasselblad cameras for mobile. The camera hardware, however, remains largely unchanged from the OnePlus 9 Pro, with the exception of the ultrawide camera, which has a wider 150° FoV but a smaller sensor size than the 9 Pro. The OnePlus 10 Pro’s cameras can deliver good results, but it is nowhere near the mainstream flagships of 2022. Anyway, it has an in-display fingerprint scanner for biometrics.

Xiaomi 12 (8/256GB): Rs. 84,999

If you want a flagship Android experience at a relatively less price, then the Xiaomi 12 is your best bet. It was recently discounted for Dashain and is now available for Rs. 84,999, down from Rs. 87,999. And, once again, our affiliate partner discount makes the deal even more appealing.

As the most 2022 flagship smartphones, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 processor powers the Xiaomi 12. The company has also included a 2600mm2 vapor chamber cooling to keep the thermals under control. It has a 6.28′′ AMOLED panel with a Full HD resolution. This is also a 12-bit certified panel, which allows you to watch true Dolby Vision content since it is mastered at up to 12-bit.

On the camera front, the Xiaomi 12 features a 50MP triple-lens setup on the back, including one 50MP primary wide lens with OIS, one telephoto lens with 2x optical zoom, and one ultrawide camera with a 115° field of view. Xiaomi has opted for a 32MP selfie camera on the front. The phone is powered by a 4500mAh battery that supports 67W fast wired charging, 50W wireless charging, and 10W reverse wireless charging.

Apple iPhone 13 lineup

Apple’s iPhone 13 lineup includes four models: the 13 Mini, 13, 13 Pro, and 13 Pro Max. Except for the screen size and battery, the iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 mini are essentially the same devices.

Both have an OLED panel with a Ceramic Shield for extra protection. For their build, Apple has used aluminium frames with a glass back.

The Pro and Pro Max both have the same display technology and protection as the 13 and 13 Mini. But they differ in terms of the build as the Pro models have stainless steel frames. The A15 Bionic chipset powers the entire lineup. However, the 13 Pro and Pro Max come with a 6-core GPU on their SoC. Whereas the iPhone 13 and 13 Mini have a 4-core GPU.
The latter handsets still outperform most flagship Android phones of 2022. So performance is not an issue on any smartphone in iPhone 13 lineup.

Talking about the cameras, the iPhone 13 and 13 mini have a dual-camera system with a 12MP primary camera and a 12MP ultra-wide camera. In addition, the Pro model includes an additional 12MP telephoto lens with 3x optical zoom and OIS stabilization. And there’s a LiDAR scanner too. The primary camera of the entire lineup includes sensor-shift OIS stabilization from Apple for stable videos.

The iPhone 13 lineup also has better battery life than its predecessors from a year ago. On our tests with typical use, the iPhone 13 lasted roughly a day and a half. The beefier iPhone 13 Pro Max, on the other hand, has a battery life of about two days.