BEST 10 PHONES TO BUY IN KENYA UNDER 20K (Ksh 20,000) OR LESS 4

With smartphones becoming a basic need in most households in Kenya in this age of social media. Here is a detailed list of why we recommend these 10 phones to be the best 10 phones to buy in Kenya under Ksh. 20,000.

1. Xiaomi Redmi 10 – Ksh 19,000

Launched in Kenya in September 2021, Xiaomi Redmi 10 is the best smartphone to buy in Kenya under Ksh. 20,000. The Xiaomi Redmi 10 Price in Kenya is Ksh 19,000 at Phones and Tablets Kenya Shop. With some shops selling it for as high as Ksh 21,000 and this is why.

Xiaomi Redmi 10 Camera

Rear Camera

Xiaomi Redmi 10 has managed to do what most phones including those that cost more have not been able to. Xiaomi Redmi 10 Rear/Main camera is 50MP wide + 8MP ultrawide + 2MP macro + 2MP depth. The Rear Camera shoots videos at 1080p@30fps which can be edited externally and exported in 4k. This camera will give you clear images and videos than any other phone on this list.

Selfie Camera

The Selfie Camera is 8MP wide for clear selfies with the screen lighting up when you are taking a selfie in low light. The Selfie camera also shoots videos at 1080p@30fps for the vloggers who want to shoot videos on the go.

Xiaomi Redmi 10 RAM and Internal Storage.

A good camera deserves to be supported by enough storage and Xiaomi Redmi 10 comes with 4GB RAM and 128GB ROM. This gives the phone a smooth Run and enough storage to store data, especially videos and pictures that the Redmi 10 is able to take.
When a time comes and the internal storage is not enough, you get a microSDXC Dedicated slot that can take up to 512GB Sd Card.

Xiaomi Redmi 10 Platform

The Xiaomi Redmi 10 comes with Android 11 pre-installed and will be amongst the Xiaomi Phones that will be upgradable to the Android 12 when it officially launches.

The Os runs on MediaTek Helio G88(12nm) Chipset which is one of the best chipsets for phones within this phones price range. The Xiaomi Redmi 10 comes with an Octa-Core Processor for the MediaTek Chipset.

Xiaomi Redmi 10 Display

The Xiaomi Redmi 10 Display is a 6.5 inch LCD with a refresh rate of 90Hz which is a very decent gaming and video display.

Xiaomi Redmi 10 Battery

The Xiaomi Redmi 10 comes with a 5000mAh Li-Po Technology camera. This is the same type of battery that Flagship phones like the Xiaomi Mi 11 Ultra uses and will last for more than 24hours with one charge. This is however determined by the usage.

2. Tecno Camon 17 – Ksh 17,700

Tecno Camon 17 price has dropped drastically. Tecno Camon 17 price in Kenya is Ksh 17,700 for the 4GB Ram and 128GB Rom variant. This price has made the competition tough but this phone stands as the second-best phone to buy in Kenya under Ksh 20,000.

Tecno Camon 17 Display

The Tecno Camon 17 display is 6.6 inch IPS LCD technology with a refresh rate of 90Hz, 450nits(HBM). With this screen display, you’re guaranteed surreal quality gaming and watching of videos.

Tecno Camon 17 Camera

Rear Camera

The Tecno Camon 17 rear camera is a Quad Camera of 48MP+2MP+2MP with the ability to shoot videos at 1080p@30fps. With the raw videos and pictures from this phone, you can edit to produce amazing content.

Selfie Camera

Tecno Camon 17 has a selfie Camera of 16MP with the ability to shoot videos at 1080p@30fps. The Selfie camera is better than that of the Xiaomi Redmi 10 which is 8MP.

Tecno Camon 17 RAM and Internal Storage.

The Tecno Camon 17 RAM and internal memory is 4GB RAM and 128GB ROM just like the Xiaomi Redmi 10 and also come with an SD Dedicated slot that can take up to 1T, and that makes it slightly better than Xiaomi Redmi 10.

Tecno Camon 17 Platform

Tecno Camon 17 comes with an Octa-Core MediaTek Helio G85 processor that clocks at 2.0GHz. The processor comes with improved connectivity enhancements which means you get faster and reliable reactions. The processor also comes with improved AI-Camera performance for better image processing. The processor comes with Mali G52 graphics which is great for image processing and gaming. 

Tecno Camon 17 also comes with the latest android 11 version with the room to upgrade once the android 12 is launched later this year or early next year.

Tecno Camon 17 Battery

If you like to take photos and videos using phones, then you will know that it consumes a lot of power. To address this problem, Tecno Camon 17 comes with a large 5000mAh battery. With the large battery, you can take photos and videos the whole day with still enough power at the end of the day.

Also check the newly released Camon 18i in Kenya from Phones & Tablets Kenya.

3. Nokia 5.3 – Ksh 17,500

Nokia 5.3 is the third-best phone to buy in Kenya with a budget of Ksh. 20,000 or less and with it you get amazing features. Nokia 5.3 Price in Kenya is Ksh. 17,500 at our shops with other shops selling this gem for as high as Ksh 22,000.

Nokia 5.3 Display

Nokia 5.3 comes with a large 6.55″ inch teardrop display. With an 82.3% screen-to-body ratio, you get a big screen in a compact body. What makes the device compact is that it has slim bezels. Bezels are the parts that surround the display. The thicker the bezels the smaller the display will be since you want people to use the phone single-handed. But if you make the bezels slim, you can have a big display on the same device without making the phone larger. That is why Nokia 5.3 has a big display but a compact body that is easy to be handled single-handedly.

Nokia 5.3 Camera

Rear Camera

A good camera smartphone can take different types of photos. A single-camera lens is not able to take all types of photos that is why smartphones come with multiple cameras so that you can take different types of photos on a single device. That is why Nokia 5.3 has a has a 13MP(wide) + 5MP(ultrawide) + 2MP(macro) + 2MP(depth) Quad camera system at the back.

Selfie Camera

The Nokia 5.3 Front camera is 8 MP, f/2.0, (wide) with the ability to shoot 1080p@30fps. This makes it equal to Xiaomi Redmi 10 Selfie camera. Nokia 5.3 is able to take clearer pictures in low lighting with the front selfie camera.

Nokia 5.3 Storage and Platform

Nokia 5. 3 has a 2.0GHz Octa-Core Qualcomm Snapdragon 665 processor runs. The Snapdragon Chipset is the main reason this phone comes in at position three. Nokia 5.3 has 6GB RAM and 64GB of internal storage expandable to 256GB using a microSD card.

Nokia 5.3 Battery

The Nokia 5.3 has a battery capacity of 4000mAh li-po. Though this is the least of all the phones on this list, it shares the same battery capacity with better phones like the Samsung Galaxy A51 and even better ones. This battery will last you 24 hours on a single charge and you will not have to carry your charger around with you wherever you go.

4. Oneplus Nord N100 – Ksh 20,000

OnePlus Nord N100 is our fourth pick and is the cheapest OnePlus smartphone in the market. OnePlus recently released the Nord series which are affordable OnePlus smartphones to best serve the mid-range market. Oneplus Nord N100 is currently retailing at Ksh 20,000 at our shops with other shops selling the same phone at Ksh 23,000.

Oneplus Nord N100 Display

OnePlus Nord N100 comes with a 6.52″ inch HD display. The display comes with a 90Hz refresh rate. Refresh rate refers to how fast the display responds to commands. With a 90Hz display, every swipe and scroll is fast with no delay. This makes OnePlus Nord N100 a good smartphone for browsing and gaming.

Oneplus Nord N100 Camera

OnePlus Nord N100 comes with a 13MP (wide) + 2MP (macro) + 2MP (depth) triple camera at the back. With the triple cameras, you get to take different types of photos compared to a single camera which can only take a certain type of photo.

With the 13MP main camera, you get to take clear bright photos. And although the lens is small, the photos are detailed and full of vibrancy.

With the macro camera, you get to take close-ups. The camera lets you move as close as 4cm to the subject so that you can capture the smallest details.

The depth camera is for taking portraits. The camera creates a beautiful bokeh effect by blurring out the background. This brings the subject into focus allowing you to take stunning portraits.

The Nord N100 has a Selfie Camera of 8MP. Both of these cameras are able to shoot 1080p@30fps

Oneplus Nord N100 Storage and Platform

OnePlus Nord N100 comes with a 1.8GHz Octa-Core Qualcomm Snapdragon 460. The processor comes with improved connectivity which makes web browsing and multitasking fast. Also, the processor comes with improved AI computing that helps in more intuitive on-device interactions.

The Snapdragon 460 is supported by the Oneplus Nord N100 4GB RAM and a 128GB ROM. The phone comes with Android 11 pre-installed and the latest Oneplus UI.

 Oneplus Nord N100 Battery

OnePlus Nord N100 comes with a 5000mAh battery. With the large battery, you get to use your smartphone for more than a day on a single charge. Gone are the days when your power runs out during the day when you charged your phone in the morning. And when you run out of power, OnePlus Nord N100 supports 18W Fast Charging that will power up your battery quickly.

5. Samsung Galaxy A12 – Ksh 17,900

Samsung Phones are generally believed to be expensive even when the specification is equal or less to other cheaper phones from other brands.

Samsung Galaxy A12 comes in fifth on this list. The Samsung Galaxy A12 is currently going for Ksh. 17,900 which makes it one of the cheapest phones in this category but with amazing features.

Samsung Galaxy A12 Display

Samsung Galaxy A12 comes with a large 6.5″ inch HD+ display. With an HD+ display, you get clear, crisp, and bright content. The level of detail creates an immersive feeling when watching your content.

Samsung GalaxyA12 Camera

Samsung Galaxy A12 comes with a 48MP (wide) + 5MP (ultrawide) + 2MP (macro) + 2MP (depth) quad-camera at the back. With the camera, which is an important feature of smartphones, the Samsung Galaxy A12 ensures that you get to take different types of photos using one device. 

Samsung Galaxy A12 selfie camera is 8MP making it no different to the other phones that have come before it. 

Both cameras shoot 1080p@30fps on default settings.

Samsung Galaxy A12  Storage and Platform

Samsung Galaxy A12 comes with a 2.35GHz Octa-core Mediatek Helio P35 processor. The processor comes with an improved CPU and GPU performance. AI computing has also been improved which helps in photo processing ensuring you get stunning photos. And with the help of 4GB RAM, you get to multitask with no lagging issues.

Samsung Galaxy A12 comes with the Android 11 running on the Mediatek helio chipset. This phone has an internal storage of 128GB and offers you an SD slot to expand the memory.

Samsung Galaxy A12  Battery

Samsung Galaxy A12 comes with a large 5000mAh battery. With a 5000mAh battery, you can game, shoot photos and videos, or stream content the whole day without any worry of power running out. And with support for 15W Fast Charging, Samsung Galaxy A12 ensures the battery is powered up quickly so that you can continue using your phone.

6. Tecno Spark 8 – Ksh 13,000

Tecno Spark 8 comes in at number 6 in this category. Tecno Spark 8 is the latest budget smartphone from Tecno Mobile of the Spark Series that consists of Tecno Spark 7 and Tecno Spark 7P. Tecno Spark 8 comes with a bold design and colours. It also comes with a powerful processor.

Tecno Spark 8 Display

Tecno Spark 8 comes with a 6.5″ inch HD+ display. With an HD resolution, you get to view clear bright content with vibrant colours. And with slim bezels around the display, you get a large display in a small body that can be easily used with one hand. The display also comes with a 90Hz refresh rate that makes swipes and scrolls fast with no delay between actions.

Tecno Spark 8 Camera

Tecno Spark 8 comes with a 16MP + 2MP Dual-camera system at the back. The main camera takes clear, bright, and detailed photos and videos. You can also take photos when you smile using the AI Portrait focusing. You can also take Video Bokeh where you take videos with the background blurred.

Tecno Spark 8 Memory and Platform

Tecno Spark 8 comes with 2GB of RAM and an internal memory of 64GB. This is impressive the about that this phone is going for, though they could have done slightly better with the RAM.

Tecno Spark 8 comes with an Octa-Core MediaTek Helio P22 processor that clocks at 2.0GHz. The processor comes with great gaming with hyper-engine power. With smartphone gaming blowing up, Tecno Spark 8 lets you play all the trending light games without spending a fortune on a gaming smartphone. The processor also comes with advanced multi-camera photography with premium picture quality as well as improved connectivity

Tecno Spark 8 Battery

Tecno Spark 8 comes with a large 5000mAh battery. With the large battery, you get two days of usage on a single charge. This saves you the stress of walking around with your charger in case your phone runs out of power.

Also, Check the newly released Tecno Spark 8P 64GB and the 128GB Spark 8P also under 20K in Kenya

7. Oppo A15s – Ksh 18,500

Oppo A15s price in Kenya is Ksh.18,500 and this phone comes in at position 7 as one of the best phones to buy with a budget of Ksh 20,000 or less. Oppo as a brand is known widely for its photo quality.

Oppo A15s Display

OPPO A15s comes with a 6.52″ inch HD+ display. The display comes with bright, clear, and detailed colors. And to help you use your phone outside during the day, the display comes with 480nits brightness. This enables the display to be visible under direct sunlight letting you read your texts and notifications.

Oppo A15s Camera

OPPO A15s has a 13MP (wide) + 2MP (macro) +2MP (depth) triple-camera system at the back. While the camera lens size might look small compared to the competition, OPPO A15s utilizes AI to enhance photos taken by the cameras to look better than photos taken by a large camera lens.

Oppo A15s Memory and Platform

Oppo A15s has an internal memory of 64GB and RAM of 4GB. The internal memory is expandable to 256GB using an SDcard.

OPPO A15s comes with an Octa-Core MediaTek Helio P35 processor that clocks at 2.35GHz. The processor improves AI Processing which is crucial when it comes to image processing and Face ID. 

The processor also boosts light gaming if you game occasionally. The processor is assisted by 4GB RAM that helps multitask without the device lagging.

Oppo A15s Battery

OPPO A15s comes with the second least battery capacity after the Nokia 5.3. Oppo A15s comes with a battery capacity of 4230mAh. The battery power is meant to last more than a day on a single charge. With OPPO A15s, you can watch HD+ videos for 16-hours straight or you can play games for 6-hours straight.

8. Ulefone Armor 8 – Ksh 17,500

This is an exciting number 8, Ulefone Armor 8 is retailing at Ksh. 17,500. Ulefone Armor 8 is one of the best-rugged smartphones under Ksh.20,000. Compared to Ulefone Armor 7, the previous model, Ulefone Armor 8 comes with a slightly small display, a small camera lens, but a larger battery. Ulefone Armor 8 can still withstand 1.2 m concrete drops, is waterproof, and is dustproof. If you are prone to dropping your phone, you need to get the Ulefone Armor 8.

Ulefone Armor 8 Display

Ulefone Armor 8 comes with a 6.1″ inch waterdrop display. With slim bezels around the display, you have an edge-to-edge display that offers a cinematic immersive view. And with the display made of tough glass, you can use it with no fear of it breaking or getting scratched.

Ulefone Armor 8 Camera

Ulefone Armor 8 may not be ranked for its cameras but they are still good. Ulefone Armor 8 comes with a 16MP (wide) + 5MP (macro) + 2MP (depth) triple camera system at the back. The cameras take good photos that are enhanced by AI.

Ulefone Armor 8 Memory and Platform

Ulefone Armor 8 comes with 4GB of Ram and an internal memory of 64GB which is expandable.

Ulefone Armor 8 comes with an Octa-core Mediatek Helio P60 processor that clocks at 2.0GHz. The processor comes with an intelligent AI that helps the processor carry out its functions efficiently. The processor also consumes less power ensuring that you get to use your power longer on a single charge. And with the help of 4GB RAM, you get to open multiple tabs and multitask without lagging issues.

Ulefone Armor 8 Battery

Ulefone Armor 8 comes with a large 5580mAh battery. The system utilizes power efficiently ensuring that the battery lasts more than a day on a single charge. And when you run out of power. Ulefone Armor 8 has support for 15W Fast Charging that powers up your battery quickly.

9. Vivo Y20 – Ksh 16,000

Vivo Y20 is an affordable smartphone and comes in at position 9. Vivo Y20 Price in Kenya is Ksh 16,000.

Vivo Y20 Display

The 6.51-inch Halo FullView Display features an elongated aspect ratio of 20:9 and HD+ (1600 x 720) resolution. The view is bigger and more immersive than ever, and with the latest In-cell technology, the display is more colourful, too. It bursts with crystal clear detail; ideal for games and videos. The thoughtful Eye Protection Mode also filters out harmful blue light, to protect your eyesight throughout the day.

Vivo Y20 Camera

Y20’s AI Triple Macro Camera is supported by a wide range of features, including Face Beauty, Portrait Light Effects and Selfie Filters. You can also seamlessly switch perspectives to turn all the wonderful things in front of your eyes into master shots. With a main 13MP rear camera, an f/2.2 large aperture and PDAF technology, every detail will shine.

Vivo Y20 Memory and Platform

Vivo Y20 comes with a 1.8GHz Octa-Core Qualcomm Snapdragon 460 processor runs. Vivo Y20 has 4GB RAM and 64GB of internal storage expandable to 256GB using a microSD card. This phone runs the Android 11 operating system

Vivo Y20 Battery.

Vivo Y20 has a battery capacity of 5000mAh which will last you 24 hours or more.

10. Safaricom Neon Ray 2 4G

The Safaricom Neon Ray 2 is retailing at Ksh 4,700 and is the last on this list. Watch a preview of this phone on our YouTube channel

Also, check out the video on

The top 10 phones under 3K in Kenya:

More Value for Money Phones under 20K to buy in Kenya (December 2021)

1. Realme C21Y 4GB + 64GB – Ksh.13900

The Realme C21Y comes in 2 variants; One with 3GB RAM + 32GB ROM and another with 4GB RAM + 64GB option going for Ksh.12600 and Ksh.13900 respectively.

2. Realme C11 2021 – Ksh.10,000

3.Redmi 9A – 10,900

4. Redmi 9T – Ksh.19000

5. Tecno Spark 8P

6. Tecno Camon 18i

7. Samsung Galaxy A03s – 64GB

8. Realme C25Y 4GB 128GB