Best Phones of 2021 – Indian Gadget Awards Categories and Nominees

This blog post has been originally posted in www.mysmartprice.com

IGA 2021 is here and this time it is much bigger! We have more than 70 nominations in smartphones that will go against each other to get the prestigious title of Best phone of 2021. There are 12 different categories this time, including best budget smartphone, best gaming one, best selfie camera, best mainstream phone, and more. We have one of the best biggest YouTubers and tech publications under one umbrella to pick the best gadgets of 2021 in an unbiased and democratic fashion. So, without wasting much time, let’s take a look at the award categories and the nomination of IGA 2021.

Table of Contents

Best Phone of 2021 Under Rs 10,000

The budget segment in India is probably one of the most competitive ones. In 2021, we have seen companies focusing on bringing better performing devices with some affordable price tags. We have some key features like 90Hz, a big battery, and more, making it a highlight of 2021. Here are the nominees in the under 10,000 segment that ruled the market.

Moto E40
Samsung Galaxy M02
Realme C25
Infinix Hot 11
Redmi 9 Activ
Realme Narzo 30A

Best Phone of 2021 Under Rs 20,000

The sub-Rs 20,000 segment is indeed one of the most popular segments in India. This is the segment where we saw brands introducing some new technologies to users that were earlier only available in the mid-range or premium segments. In 2021, we saw a huge jump in the 5G handsets in this price band along with an interesting set of features. And, you can credit the following nominees for raising the bar in this price segment.

POCO X3 Pro
Redmi Note 10 Pro Max
iQOO Z3 5G
Moto G60
Realme X7 5G
Samsung Galaxy A22 5G
Redmi Note 11T 5G

Best Phone of 2021 Under Rs 30,000

The Rs 30,000 price segment has become the new mid-premium segment in India. We have seen some top-of-the-line features ecoming popular in this price band, including great cameras, 120Hz screen refresh, fast charging, and more. This is why the panel of the Indian Gadget Awards 2021 has handpicked these devices.

iQOO Z5 5G
Realme X7 Max 5G
OnePlus Nord 2 5G
POCO F3 GT
Samsung Galaxy M52 5G
Realme GT Master Edition
Xiaomi Mi 11X
Motorola Edge 20
Xiaomi 11 Lite NE 5G

Best Phone of 2021 Under Rs 50,000

Smartphones under Rs 50,000 budget are now considered as affordable flagships. The phones in this price segment bring almost all the premium features that you would expect in a device above Rs 60,000. We have brands like Realme, OnePlus, Vivo, and more that has introduced some great products this year that deliver almost everything you want from a smartphone. Here are some of the devices that have been the highlights of 2021 in this price segment.

OnePlus 9 5G
iQOO 7 Legend 5G
iQOO 7 5G
Realme GT Neo 2
Xiaomi Mi 11X Pro
Samsung Galaxy S20 FE 5G
OnePlus 9R 5G
Vivo X70 Pro
Realme GT 5G
Motorola Edge 20 Pro

Best Phone of 2021 – Premium

This segment represents the pinnacle of the smartphone industry in India. This is the category where you will find the latest and greatest innovations likes the Folds and the Flips of the smartphone world. The premium segment is usually dominated by the likes of Apple and Samsung. However, this time there are some other challengers as well. Here’s a list of all the nominees for the best phone of 2021 in the premium segment.

Xiaomi Mi 11 Ultra
Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G
Apple iPhone 13
Apple iPhone 13 Pro Max
Vivo X70 Pro+
OnePlus 9 Pro 5G
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip3 5G
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold3 5G

Best Selfie Phone of 2021 – Mainstream

With the rise of short videos, the demand for good selfie camera phones is now more than ever. People are now looking for a smartphone that not only comes with good performance but also offers an exceptional selfie shooter. This is why our panellists have shortlisted some of the best selfie phones that were launched in 2021.

Realme 8 Pro
Redmi Note 10 Pro Max
iQOO Z3 5G
Tecno Camon 17 Pro
Realme X7 5G

Best Selfie Phone of 2021 – Premium

If it is a premium smartphone, it has to have the best selfie camera. This is why we have seen multiple premium brands focusing on providing the best selfie experience with their flagship smartphones. And here are some of the models that have been nominated for the best selfie performance in 2021 in the premium category.

Xiaomi Mi 11 Ultra
Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G
Apple iPhone 13 Pro Max
Vivo X70 Pro+

Best Camera Phone of 2021 – Mainstream

Whether you are going on a vacation or shooting a video, a good camera phone was an absolute must in 2021. We have seen different brands promoting their smartphones as the best camera phones in the market. However, only a handful of them has actually delivered on this front. Here’s a list of all the camera-centric smartphones that made some headlines this year.

Redmi Note 10 Pro Max
Moto G60
Realme 8s 5G
Samsung Galaxy A22 5G
Realme X7 5G

Best Camera Phone of 2021 – Premium

In 2021, we saw some crazy camera innovations in the premium segment. Be it the 108MP camera or the ability to shoot video with shifting focus, the smartphones in the premium segment are the epitome of camera prowess. Check out these nominees of the best camera phone of 2021 in the premium segment.

iQOO 7 Legend 5G
Xiaomi Mi 11 Ultra
Apple iPhone 13 Pro Max
Vivo X70 Pro+
Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G
OnePlus 9 Pro 5G

Best Gaming Phone of 2021 – Mainstream

Mobile gaming has seen an unprecedented rise in popularity in 2021. With multiple games like BGMI, Genshin Impact, COD Mobile, and more, people are focusing more on the gaming capabilities of a smartphone they go for shopping. This is why our panellists at IGA 2021 have handpicked some of the popular gaming smartphones of 2021 in the mainstream category.

POCO X3 Pro
iQOO Z3 5G
Redmi Note 10 Pro Max
Realme X7 5G
Moto G60

Best Gaming Phone of 2021 – Premium

Whenever you think of the premium segment, one thing that comes to mind is that the phone will have some serious gaming capabilities. It is true that gaming has become an integral part of handpicking a smartphone, especially, in the premium segment. In 2021, we have multiple brands introducing smartphones with gaming-centric features like liquid cooling, air triggers, fast charging, and more. Here are some of the best gaming smartphones that have been nominated for the IGA 2021.

ASUS ROG Phone 5
POCO F3 GT
Apple iPhone 13 Pro Max
iQOO 7 Legend 5G

Best Phone of 2021 – Overall

Who doesn’t want a smartphone that is packed with all the best features? Shortlisting phones for this category has been one of the toughest tasks for our panellists. Why? Because the market is flooded with phones that are all-rounders, across various price segments. Here’s the list.