Realme 16 Pro Plus vs Vivo V60 vs OPPO Reno 14: Which is the Best Smartphone Under Rs 40,000 in India (2026)?

The Realme 16 Pro series made its debut in India earlier this week and is now available for purchase in the country. While the line-up includes the Realme 16 Pro and 16 Pro Plus, our focus in this comparison is on the latter and how it stacks up to the competition.

While India’s sub-40K smartphone market is a highly competitive one, two phones in particular standout as major challengers to the Realme 16 Pro+; the OPPO Reno 14 and Vivo V60. So let’s compare the three devices to find out which one comes out on top.

Realme 16 Pro Plus vs Vivo V60 vs OPPO Reno 14: Comparison

Design, Build, Display

The Vivo V60 and Realme 16 Pro+ feature a more rounded frame, with curved screens as opposed to the flat display and box-shaped frame of the Reno 14. All three phones also have unique back panels with different camera modules. While design is subjective, the same can’t be said about build quality.

Both the OPPO Reno 14 and Realme 16 Pro+ stand out in terms of build quality, offering aluminum alloy frames and Gorilla Glass 7i protection on the front. The back panel on the Vivo V60 and Reno 14 use glass, although the Mist Gray edition of the V60 boasts a plastic back. The Realme 16 Pro+ offers the option of plastic or leather for the rear panel. All three phones offer flagship-grade protection against dust and water.

In terms of display quality, there’s no doubt that the Realme 16 Pro+ takes the lead here with its 1.5K resolution, 144Hz refresh rate, and HDR10+ support. Additionally, the Realme 16 Pro Plus also has the brightest display of its competitors. While the Reno 14’s screen also has a 1.5K resolution, it isn’t as bright or as smooth as the panel on the 16 Pro Plus.

Performance, Battery, Software

Both the Realme 16 Pro+ and Vivo V60 are powered by the Snapdragon 7 Gen 4 chip. However, Realme uses faster LPDDR5X RAM, making it the faster of the two phones. Although the OPPO Reno 14 has them both beat with the incorporation of the MediaTek Dimensity 8350 SoC, which offers better CPU and GPU performance. It is also worth noting that the base version of the Reno 14 comes with twice as much storage as its competitors.

The Realme 16 Pro+ has the largest silicon carbon cell of all three phones, promising the best battery life. Coming in close second is the Vivo V60, followed by the OPPO Reno 14. It is worth noting that all three phones have fairly large batteries, easily capable of surviving a day of moderate-to-heavy usage. All three phones charge equally quickly, although the Reno 14 doesn’t support bypass charging.

Both the OPPO Reno 14 and Realme 16 Pro Plus will receive three major Android OS updates, although the former ran on Android 15 out of the box, which means it won’t receive the Android 19 upgrade like the Realme 16 Pro+. Additionally, the Vivo V60 will receive four years of OS updates, making it eligible for the Android 19 upgrade when the times comes.

While Realme UI closely resembles ColorOS on the Reno 14, the latest version of ColorOS is more refined with tons of customization and AI features. ColorOS 16 is arguably one of the best Android software skins to date. Finally, OriginOS 6 offers several improvements over Funtouch OS 15, although it is far from the finished article, giving the win to the Reno 14.

Camera Specifications

OPPO Reno 14: The Reno 14 is equipped with a triple-camera setup that includes a 50MP Sony IMX882 primary sensor (OIS, f/1.8 aperture), an 8MP OV08D ultrawide lens (f/2.2 aperture), and a 50MP Samsung JN5 telephoto shooter (3.5x optical zoom, OIS, f/2.8 aperture). It also features a 50MP JN5 selfie camera with autofocus and an f/2.0 aperture.

Vivo V60: For optics, the Vivo V60 also boasts a similar triple-camera setup with a 50MP Sony IMX766 primary sensor (OIS, f/1.9 aperture), an 8MP OV08D ultrawide lens (f/2.0 aperture), and a 50MP Sony IMX882 telephoto shooter (3x optical zoom, OIS, f/2.7 aperture). It also features a 50MP S5KJN1 selfie camera with autofocus and an f/2.2 aperture.

Realme 16 Pro Plus: The Realme 16 Pro+ has arguably the best main camera of any of the three phones with its 200MP Samsung HP5 primary sensor (OIS, f/1.8 aperture). It also features an 8MP ultrawide lens and a 50MP periscope-telephoto unit (3.5x optical zoom, OIS, f/2.8 aperture). Up front, the Realme 16 Pro+ opts for a 50MP selfie camera with an f/2.4 aperture.

Overall, all three smartphones offer capable and well-rounded camera systems, but they cater to slightly different priorities. The OPPO Reno 14 and Vivo V60 focus on balanced, reliable imaging with 50MP primary sensors, versatile telephoto lenses, and high-resolution selfie cameras with autofocus, making them strong all-rounders for photography and video calls. The Realme 16 Pro Plus stands out on paper with its 200MP primary sensor and periscope telephoto camera, giving it an edge for high-detail shots and long-range zoom.

When it comes to video, the Reno 14 and Realme 16 Pro Plus clearly pull ahead, as both support 4K video recording at 60fps on the front and rear cameras. In comparison, the Vivo V60 is limited to 4K recording at 30fps on both sides, which may matter to users who prioritise smoother, higher-frame-rate video capture.

Realme 16 Pro Plus vs OPPO Reno 14 vs Vivo V60: Conclusion

All three smartphones offer compelling value in India’s sub-Rs 40,000 segment, each catering to a distinct audience. The Vivo V60 is the most value-oriented option at Rs 36,999, delivering a premium design, reliable cameras, strong battery life, and the longest software support, making it ideal for users focused on longevity and everyday reliability.

The Realme 16 Pro Plus, priced at Rs 39,999, stands out as the most feature-rich, with its 1.5K 144Hz display, large battery, LPDDR5X RAM, and 200MP camera appealing to power users, gamers, and photography enthusiasts.

Meanwhile, the OPPO Reno 14, also at Rs 39,999, emerges as the most polished all-rounder, combining the strongest performance, refined ColorOS 16 software, versatile cameras, and superior video capabilities, making it the most balanced choice overall.