If you are on the market looking for a smartphone under 20,000, you do have a number of options to choose from. There are some good devices from Infinix, Tecno, Xiaomi and even Samsung. Most of these phones can get the job done and will not disappoint you.
All these phones are available in Kenya and online through ecommerce platforms like Jumia. I have included a link to purchase all these phones if you are interested in any one of them.
I have tried to include one phone for each manufacturer so as to give you different options to choose from.
Here is a summary of the phones.
Summary List of Best smartphones in Kenya for Ksh 20,000 and below (October 2022)
| Smartphone | Prices |
|---|---|
| XInfinix Note 12i | Ksh 19,999 |
| Tecno Spark 9T | Ksh 16,500 |
| Redmi 10C (4/64GB) | Ksh 16,500 |
| Samsung Galaxy A13 | Ksh 19,300 |
| Nokia G21 | Ksh 18,500 |
The Infinix Note 12i
The first phone on the list is the Infinix Note 12i. This phone was launched earlier this year but it is still a good buy right now. It is available for around Ksh 19,999. It is right at the mark for good reason. It does come with 4GB RAM but since it supports 3GB of virtual RAM, you theoretically end up with 7GB of RAM available to use. The phone also has a bigger battery, 90Hz display among others. Have a look at the other specifications below.
- Display: 6.82-inch, 90Hz refresh rate
- Front Camera: 8 MP
- Rear Camera: 50MP + 2MP + QVGA
- Processor: Mediatek Helio G85
- RAM: 4GB
- Storage: 128 GB
- Battery Capacity: 5,000mAh
- OS: Android 12
- Price: Ksh 19,999 (Buy on Jumia)
The Tecno Spark 9T
This is one of the latest smartphones from Tecno to launch in Kenya. The phone is part of the Spark 9 series that you can get in Kenya. I have already reviewed the Tecno Spark 9 Pro which is a really good camera phone but is available for a much higher price. With that in mind, the Spark 9T can be a good choice if you have less than 20,000.
- Display: 6.6-inch, 90Hz refresh rate
- Front Camera: 32 MP
- Rear Camera: 13 MP + 2 MP + QVGA
- Processor: Helio G37
- RAM: 4GB
- Storage: 64/128 GB
- Battery Capacity: 5,000mAh
- OS: Android 12
- Price: Ksh 16,500 (Buy on Jumia)
Redmi 10/10C
The Redmi 10 series has a number of good choices for anyone looking for a smartphone under 20k. You cannot go wrong with either the Redmi 10 or 10C so the decision is up to you.
| Xiaomi Redmi 10C Specifications | |
|---|---|
| Price | From Ksh 16,500 (Buy on Jumia) |
| Display | 6.71-inch, 720 x 1650 pixels, LCD |
| Processor | Snapdragon 680 |
| Storage | 64/128GB |
| RAM | 4GB |
| Rear camera | 50MP + 2MP |
| Front camera | 5MP |
| Connectivity | Wi-Fi, BlueTooth 5.0 |
| Ports | USB Type-C |
| Cellular | 4G |
| SIM | Dual Nano SIM |
| Biometrics | fingerprint scanner |
| Battery | 5,000 mAh, 18W |
Samsung Galaxy A13
The Galaxy A13 is also a good choice for anyone looking for a smartphone under 20K. You get some decent cameras with this phone and the performance isn’t bad either.
- Display: 6.6-inch
- Front Camera: 8 MP
- Rear Camera: 50 MP + 5 MP + 2 MP + 2 MP
- Processor: Exynos 850
- RAM: 3/4GB
- Storage: 64/128 GB
- Battery Capacity: 5,000mAh
- OS: Android 12
- Price: Ksh 19,300 (Buy on Jumia)
Nokia G21
This is one of the latest from Nokia and the reason it is here is the promise of up to 2 OS upgrades Nokia has made. You are guaranteed to get timely security updates on a regular basis, something we don’t see that often on phones within this price range.
- Display: 6.5-inch
- Front Camera: 8 MP
- Rear Camera: 50MP + 2MP + 2MP
- Processor: Unisoc T606
- RAM: 4GB
- Storage: 64/128 GB
- Battery Capacity: 5,050mAh
- OS: Android 12
- Price: Ksh 18,500 (Buy on Jumia)