2026 is the year of redefining "budget" and "value for money" smartphones, especially in India. With the ongoing RAM crisis, brands have not only hiked phone prices but have also cut back on key hardware to combat losses. Hence, phones under Rs 20,000 in India have practically lost their value for money tag this year. However, that could change very soon as OnePlus now wants to enter this price range with an all-new "N" series.
OnePlus N Series Could Redefine Phones Under Rs 20,000
An exclusive report from publication SmartPrix has revealed that OnePlus is working on a brand new "N" series for launch in India. It is said to bring a bunch of new smartphones, all under Rs 20,000, making the brand's foray into the sub-Rs 20,000 space this year.
If this turns true, the new N lineup will take place of the previous "Nord CE" series. For context, the OnePlus Nord CE 6 Lite launched in India for Rs 20,999 and its price was further hiked to Rs 22,999. Compared to the OnePlus Nord 4 Lite, which launched for Rs 19,999 and is now not available anymore, the new N series could effectively sit below the OnePlus Nord CE lineup.
Hence, it might be a good decision to launch new OnePlus phones which sit below the Rs 20,000 price tag and compete with the likes of the Realme P4 5G and the Samsung Galaxy M36 5G. That said, at the time of writing, it is unclear what kind of specs the N series will bring.
However, based on what we have seen so far, they are sure to bring LCD displays instead of AMOLED, lower starting RAM and storage like 6 GB + 128 GB, toned-down cameras and above 7,000mAh batteries. The key differentiator will be the OxygenOS experience if OnePlus manages to bring the same fluidity and finesse as its more expensive phones like the OnePlus 15.
