Flagship smartphones to gift your loved ones this Lakshmi Pujan

There has never been a better time to buy high-end smartphones. Between Navratri and Diwali or Lakshmi Pujan, 2024 is shaping to be the year to upgrade from premium mid-range phones to flagship or high-end phones. With high-end phones, you are looking at the best in performance, camera experience, and software updates.

From the likes of iPhones to Android flagships from major smartphone brands, there are plenty of offers to choose from. If you are planning to gift smartphones to your loved ones during Lakshmi Pujan in 2024 then you should skip mid-range phones and look straight at high-end phones. You must be wondering which ones you should consider, here are the top options during this festive season.

Diwali offers on smartphones: Best high-end phones to consider

Unlike in past years, both online and offline retailers are offering excellent discounts and exchange options on high-end smartphones this festive season. 

There are several reasons to choose a premium flagship or high-end phone including faster performance, a vibrant display with a fast refresh rate, excellent cameras, and superior build quality. One thing that has worked against them is their price but this festive season, retailers are discounting that caveat.

These are the best Diwali offers on mobile right now:

1. Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max

2. OnePlus 12 5G

3. Samsung Galaxy S24 series

4. Vivo X100

5. Xiaomi 14 5G

Deepavali smartphone offers: Best deals on high-end phones

Festive season is the best time to buy a new smartphone but it might be difficult to choose the right one for you. If you are looking to gift your loved ones a high-end phone during Lakshmi Pujan 2024 or Diwali, these are your best options.

1. Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max

For years, the iPhone has been the Apple smartphone to get but this festive season, it makes real sense to upgrade to the Pro model. The iPhone 16 Pro Max, Apple’s current flagship phone, is the ultimate iPhone to get this year. The 256GB iPhone 16 Pro Max starts at Rs 1,44,900 and for that, you are getting a smartphone with a titanium enclosure and matte glass back.

ALSO READ: Apple iPhone 16 series launched with more power and camera control button

The phone has a 6.9-inch ProMotion Super Retina XDR display, an A18 Pro chip, Pro camera with a 48MP fusion sensor, a 48MP ultrawide and a 12MP 12MP telephoto sensor, along with a TrueDepth 12MP front camera. It supports up to 5x optical zoom and Smart HDR 5. And let’s not forget the on-device support for Apple Intelligence, which is expected to arrive later this year.

2. OnePlus 12 5G

If you are looking for a performance flagship running Android then the OnePlus 12 5G is for you. It starts at Rs 57,999 during Lakshmi Pujan 2024 and delivers flagship performance through 12GB or 16GB of RAM and a Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chip. It has a 6.82-inch OLED display that OnePlus claims is capable of hitting 4,500 nits in HDR and 1,600 nits of brightness in high brightness mode. It runs Android 14 with the promise of 4 major upgrades.

On the camera front, there is a triple rear camera setup with a 50MP main shooter, 64MP periscope telephoto, and 48MP ultrawide. For selfies, the OnePlus 12 5G is equipped with a 32MP and packs a 5,400mAh battery with 100W wired charging.

3. Samsung Galaxy S24

When it comes to flagship Android smartphones, you cannot go wrong with the Samsung Galaxy S lineup and the Galaxy S24 is available starting at Rs 66,999. I would recommend the Galaxy S24 to those looking for a compact flagship Android smartphone with a 6.2-inch Full HD+ display, Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 SoC, 8GB RAM and 256GB or 512GB storage.

There is a 50MP main camera, a 10MP telephoto camera, a 12MP ultrawide camera, and a 12MP selfie camera. The smartphone runs Android 14 and Samsung promises 7 major Android upgrades. It features an under-display ultrasonic fingerprint sensor, a 4,000mAh battery and 25W wired charging.

4. Vivo X100 and Vivo X100 Pro

If you are looking for a camera smartphone with the best still photos then you should consider Vivo X100 and Vivo X100 Pro. Vivo’s X-series has always been about photography and the newest X-series devices combine the best sensors and Zeiss tech to deliver an incredible imaging experience. These smartphones really stand out for their photography experience and both Vivo X100 and X100 Pro feature a 6.78-inch FHD+ AMOLED display with 120Hz refresh. 

The X100 is offered with 12GB or 16GB RAM and 256GB or 512GB storage while X100 Pro comes in a single variant featuring 16GB RAM and 512GB storage. Both the devices use MediaTek Dimensity 9300 chipset, run Funtouch OS 14 based on Android 14, and feature IP68 ingress protection and an in-display optical fingerprint sensor.

They both also feature a 32MP selfie and triple rear camera setup. On the back of the X100, there is a 50MP primary camera, a 50MP ultrawide camera, and a 64MP telephoto camera. The X100 Pro uses 50MP sensors for wide, ultrawide, and telephoto cameras and is undoubtedly the best. From Zeiss optics and Zeiss T* lens coating to Zeiss photographic styles, this phone is all about point-and-shoot. The X100 gets a 5,000mAh battery while the X100 Pro has a beefier 5,400mAh battery.

5. Xiaomi 14 5G

Xiaomi 14 5G is a great example of how a smartphone maker can compete with the best in the business with its cameras if it finds the right partner. Xiaomi’s partnership with Leica has heralded a smartphone that works like magic when it comes to photography. The smartphone is equipped with a 6.36-inch LTPO AMOLED display with 120Hz refresh rate, 12GB RAM, 512GB storage, Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chip, a 4,610mAh battery with 90W wired charging, and IP68 water and dust resistance. 

However, we are here for its camera system which relies on triple 50MP sensors. The main camera has a focal length of 23mm while the ultrawide shooter has a focal length of 14mm. There is also a 75mm Leica floating telephoto camera that uses 32MP for photos and 50MP in portrait mode. This phone will be liked by those who like to tinker with colour tones and those Leica colour tones feel both honest and nostalgic.

The truth about smartphones is that you cannot go wrong with any high-end phone right now. While each smartphone has its strengths and weaknesses, these also resemble the peak of smartphone experience.

ALSO READ: 4 smartphones with high screen-to-body ratios to buy in 2024

If you are looking to gift someone already invested in the Apple ecosystem then the iPhone 15 Pro Max is undoubtedly the best option. However, if your loved one is a camera-savvy person then the Vivo X100 series and Xiaomi 14 5G will be ideal gifting options. The OnePlus 12 and Samsung Galaxy S24, on the other hand, are ideal for performance and compact flagship seekers.