Best Smartphones To Buy In Kenya in 2025: Categorized by Budget
With the amount of phones circulating the market, the choice of what smartphone to buy can be overwhelming. According to Exploding Topics, almost 90% of the cellular phones in the world are smartphones as of 2024 (Howarth, 2024). This article highlights some of the smartphones you can consider for different budgets.
Table of Contents
Best Premium Phone (Budget: Above Ksh. 60,000)
Top Pick: Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra
There are a lot of strong contenders in the premium category. For the best, I would put my money on the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra. It costs around Ksh. 145,000 at the Samsung shop in Nairobi CBD and can get as low as around Ksh. 130,000 at authorized resellers such as Franctech Gadgets in Kimathi House.
Popular tech Youtuber MKBHD uses what he calls the “Five Pillars of a Great Smartphone” to determine a smartphone’s value: build quality, display, battery, camera and performance. The S24 Ultra checks all these boxes. It has good build quality with a titanium frame between two glass panels, a gorgeous display, all-day battery life from its 5000 mAh battery, great picture quality and top-notch performance courtesy of the snapdragon 8 gen 3 processor.
Alternative
Another good option is the Apple iPhone 16 Pro series. The A18 Pro processor in these phones performs well and they also check all the pillars of a great smartphone (Although picture quality is subjective with top tier phones, Apple remains unbeaten in video quality- for those interested in logging especially). The iPhones fall a little behind in charging speeds though. Despite moving to USB-Type C ports as from the 15 series (after some coercion from the EU), Apple still has one of the slowest charging speeds in the market. While Samsung may not have the best, it does better than Apple and charging speed makes the difference between having a good battery experience and a subpar one.
Best Midrange Phone (Budget: Ksh.30,000 – 60,000)
In this category, you can buy a new device marketed as midrange like the Samsung Galaxy A55 or the One Plus 12R. You can also go for a flagship or upper midrange phone from previous model years (the iPhone 13 from 2021 can be found for around Ksh 60,000 and the Samsung Galaxy S22 for about Ksh.40,000 in the used market). For better warranty options, better long-term battery health and more modern features, a current midrange device is the pick. Those who prefer features typically reserved for higher-end phones (better or more cameras, and a more premium build quality in some cases for example), can go for an older flagship.
Top Pick: One Plus 12R
I say get the current midrange device- the One Plus 12R to be specific. Its performance is impressive with the Snapdragon 8 gen 2 processor- just one generation behind the above-mentioned S24 Ultra. The camera is great, and the battery life is good. It disappoints in software support as it only offers up to 3 years as opposed to 4 years from competitors like Samsung.
Alternative
Speaking of, the Samsung Galaxy A55 5g gives the OnePlus a run for its money and comes in cheaper at around Ksh. 55,000 on average. The OnePlus typically costs more than Ksh. 60,000 but can be found at Ksh 58,499 from Avechi’s online store.
Best affordable smartphone (Budget: Below Ksh.30,000)
Top Pick: Samsung Galaxy A25 5g
I suggest the Samsung Galaxy A25 5g which costs between Ksh. 25,000 to Ksh. 30,000. Samsung may heavily feature in my choices, and that’s because their popularity also poses advantages to buyers. Support is easily available as Samsung stores and service centers are accessible almost anywhere in the country. Accessories are also easily available. The phone is also solid with acceptable performance and features.
Alternative
You can also consider alternatives like the Xiaomi Redmi Note 14 and the Tecno Camon 30s which offer decent features even if they are not as popular.
What about other phones?
At the end of the day, the smartphone you choose is based on your preference just as much as your budget. There are plenty of other options not mentioned here and the alternatives can replace my picks depending on what you’re looking for. Hopefully, this list is a positive step in your journey to find a device that works for you
References
https://explodingtopics.com/blog/smartphone-stats
https://www.bbc.com/news/technology-66778528
Share this content:
Post Comment