The smartphone market right now is as saturated with options as the gas station convenience store! If you need a camera-centric device, you can choose from various options. A similar trend goes on for performance-centric and gaming-centric mobile devices. However, when it comes to travelling, people really need to find a device which can best suit their needs. Based on your use case and needs, smartphones can replace a professional camera, flashlight, physical maps, and much more.
In our travel edition, I wanted to have a look at mobile devices with 8GB RAM. But what does having an 8GB RAM phone have to do with travel you ask? In my understanding of tech, having an 8GB RAM device puts users in the perfect sweet spot of stable and optimal usage. One doesn’t need to necessarily burn a hole in their pocket by spending on an ultra-premium device with 12/16GB RAM while travelling as devices with 8GB RAM can do the job just right. Here are my recommendations for the best 8GB RAM phones for your next travel outing:
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Samsung Galaxy Z Flip4
Getting the most expensive device on the list away first! I don’t know how appealing you find Samsung’s ‘Flip’ design, but the compact form factor seals the deal for me. Imagine backpacking in the woods without having to worry about a big phone in your pocket. Once folded, the device adapts a small size which packs in a big surprise with its performance. The device comes with the latest Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 coupled with 8GB RAM which makes it the perfect companion for your next outstation trip. The 3700mAh battery is the only point of concern but the device is capable of 25W fast charging. However, you do not get a charger in the box.
The QuickShot feature in the Galaxy z Flip4 device allows users to click selfies directly from the cover display. While the device comes with water resistance, it does not allow users to expand storage through a memory card slot. The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip4 is currently priced at ₹89,999 for the 8/128Gb model.
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Xiaomi 12 Pro
Xiaomi definitely has a number of offerings in mobile devices in each price segment. The company is known to provide flagship-like features for budget to midrange devices. However, the Xiaomi 12 Pro is the best the company has to offer when it comes to performance and design. The high-end devices at a considerable price, deliver in every aspect. The display of the Xiaomi 12 Pro is a 6.73-inch LTPO AMOLED panel with a 120Hz refresh rate. The device also comes with HDR10+, Dolby Vision, and a peak brightness of 1500 nits, enabling you to enjoy the movie you like in Full HD on your flight across borders. A big bump in the battery from the Galaxy Z Flip4, Xiaomi 12 Pro comes with a 4600mAh battery capacity.
Whereas, the device also has powerful 120W charging to power up the device to 100% in 18 minutes. It is available in both 8 and 12GB RAM variants, making it fit your requirements. It is equipped with the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 processor which provides a smooth performance. The Xiaomi 12 Pro is priced at ₹54,999.
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OnePlus Nord CE 2 5G
For me, the last OnePlus device which lived up to the brand’s ‘Never Settle’ tagline was the OnePlus Nord CE 2 5G. While I understand that the device doesn’t live up to its brand’s market disruptive history, it was a competitive device, to say the least. The OnePlus Nord CE 2 5G is powered by the octa-core MediaTek Dimensity 900 processor, which is the only minus point in my opinion (being a biased Snapdragon loyalist of course). However, it packs an overall punch which makes one consider buying the device. So what does the OnePlus Nord CE 2 5G brings to the table?
It comes with a 90Hz refresh rate 6.40-inch display with a resolution of 1080×2400 pixels. It has a pixel density of 409 pixels per inch with an aspect ratio of 20:9. The higher variant of the device comes with 8GB RAM and 128GB storage. The camera setup offers a 64-MP primary lens coupled with 8-MP and 2-MP lenses. The front camera setup features a decent 16-MP lens. The 4500mAh battery of the device can be juiced up with the 65W SUPERVOOC charging. The 8/128GB variant of the device is priced at ₹24,999.
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Redmi Note 11 Pro
Another Xiaomi device for the win! The Redmi Note 11 Pro 5g is straight-up a powerful device which provides powerful performance at a reasonable price. The premier attraction of the device for me is the beautiful quad-camera setup which houses the powerful 108-MP main camera. The main camera produces some crystal clear images, whereas the other three 8+2+2-MP lenses provide solid assistance. It comes with a powerful 5000mAh battery which can be charged up to 50% in just 15 minutes with the 67W fast charger.
The device does not come with 5G capabilities which can be a deal breaker for people looking for future-proof devices. But it should definitely be on your list for the best 8GB RAM phones. The 8/128GB variant of the Redmi Note 11 Pro is priced at ₹20,999.
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Vivo V25 Pro 5G
The 8GB RAM devices carry a ‘Pro’ tag with them in the market. This tag looks justified to me as the smartphones do provide some of the best features without going past the ₹50K mark. The Vivo V25 Pro 5G is one such device. It comes with the powerful MediaTek Dimensity 1300 chipset with 8GB RAM which makes it a complete performer. Whereas, the 64-MP primary camera is the cherry on top.
Vivo V25 Pro 5G comes with a 6.56-inches bezel-less display with a refresh rate of 120hz. It comes with a battery capacity of 4840mAh which can be charged with a 66W fast charging system. It comes with non-expandable 128GB internal storage. The powerful 64Mp camera is backed by an 8-MP wide angle and 2-MP macro lens. Whereas, the 32-MP front camera shoots crisp images. The Vivo V25 Pro 5G is priced at ₹35,999.
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OnePlus 10T
Placing the OnePlus Nord CE 2 5G above the OnePlus 10T in the list is as shocking to me as it is to you. However, while the flagship offering by OnePlus is definitely one of the devices to consider, it failed to impress me as it has little to no upgrades from its predecessor the OnePlus 10 Pro. In fact, it has a few downgrades like the lack of the Hasselblad branding and the downgraded display resolution. But there are a few plus points to the device which make it an optimal choice for some users. The USP of the device for me is the ultra-fast charging of a whopping 150W which can top up its 4,800mAh battery in mere 20 minutes.
The OnePlus 10T is powered by the Snapdragon 8 Plus Gen 1 chipset, which is the latest and most powerful offering by Qualcomm to this date. The powerful processor is blacked by the 8GB RAM but the storage options are limited to 256GB as it does not support expandable storage. You should also note that the 8GB RAM variant is exclusive to the 128GB storage options. The 256GB storage option is available for the 12/16GB RAM variants. Instead of a Hasselblad camera, the OnePlus 10T comes with a 50-MP main Sony IMX766 lens coupled with an 8-MP Ultrawide camera and 2-MP macro lens camera. Whereas, the selfie camera has EIS support at 16-MP. It is priced at ₹49,999 for the 8/128GB variant. Whereas, the overkill 16GB and 256Gb variant is priced at ₹55,999.
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Samsung Galaxy S20 FE 5G
This is personally my favourite device on the list. Having used it for nearly a year before accidentally breaking it off, I do have some experience with the Samsung Galaxy S20 FE 5G which is majorly positive. The only negative point I see for the device is that it was released back in March 2021, making it over a year old in the Indian market which could be a deal breaker for many. However, yesteryear’s flagship device with this year’s midrange prices is not a deal I would like to pass on.
The Samsung Galaxy S20 FE 5G comes with the Snapdragon 865 chip, which might be slightly older, but it is definitely powerful. It comes with 8GB of LPDDR5-type RAM which is considerably faster. It comes with Samsung’s flagship staple Super AMOLED display with a resolution of 1080 x 2400 pixels. The impressive camera setup includes a 12-MP f/1.8 wide-angle primary camera with an 8-MP telephoto lens and another 12-MP ultra-wide lens. The selfies can be shot with the powerful 32-MP camera which produces some of the best selfie shots. The internal storage can also be extended using a microSD card up to 1TB. The Samsung Galaxy S20 FEis priced at ₹29,999.
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Motorola Edge 30 Fusion
I have used the Motorola Edge 30 Fusion for over two weeks and can confirm that it is a powerful device. Keeping aside a few gripes I had with the device, like the heating issue, the new Moto midrange flagship comes with one of the RAM management features in all of the devices listed here. Getting the drawback out of the line first, it comes with a Snapdragon 888 Plus chipset which is known for its heating issue. While using the device, I noticed it heating up during gaming sessions and charging. But it was not a deal breaker for me.
The Motorola Edge 30 Fusion comes with a 6.55 inches P-OLED display with a resolution of 1080×2400 pixels. The key feature of the device for me is the beautiful 144Hz screen which comes with a partial always-on-display. The camera of the device features a 50-MP wide-angle main lens accompanied by a 13-MP Ultra-wide camera and a 2-MP Macro camera. Motorola has equipped the front of the device with a 32-MP shooter for selfies and video calls. The Motorola Edge 30 Fusion is priced at ₹39,999 for the 8/128Gb variants.
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Nothing Phone 1
The Nothing Phone 1’s light-up back is clearly a flex. For years as manufacturers have focussed more and more on the front of the device, Nothing took a different approach and went with a stylised back side which comes with the glyph interface, The transparent backside of the device comes with flashing light strips that beat rhythmically to the beats of a ringtone or other notifications. But, the device is not just a LED light show as it comes with power-packed insides too.
The Nothing Phone 1 comes with a powerful Snapdragon 778G+ chipset which is far more than just capable of multitasking and gaming. It comes with a powerful dual-lens camera set up with a primary lens of 50-MP and another 50-MP ultra-wide lens. The front of the device is equipped with a 16-MP selfie shooter. The 4500mAh battery is powered by fast charging capabilities. The Nothing Phone 1 can be purchased at ₹33,999 for the 8/128GB variant, whereas, the 8/256GB variant is priced at ₹36,999. The 12GB RAM variant is also available for this one priced at ₹39,999.
