Latest Phones In Kenya And Their Prices For 2023

In a Kenyan increasingly driven by digital technology, choosing a suitable smartphone has become more than just a luxury; it's necessary. Whether you're an Android or iOS fan or seek the best value for your money, our comprehensive guide is here to help. Many choices are available, from 120Hz screens and 5G compatibility to folding technology.

To make your search easier, we've compiled the top smartphones in 2023, critically analyzed them, and compared them for you.

1. Samsung Galaxy A34 5G

With its ultra-bright 120 Hz AMOLED screen and convincing performance, the Samsung Galaxy A34 5G stands out in the mid-range smartphone segment. Even better: it offers this with the look of a high-end model since its design has been harmonized with that of the Galaxy S23.

Admittedly, the smartphone is weighed down by a fairly slow charge, limited to 25W. A defect nevertheless compensated by the excellent autonomy of the model, of which it is necessary to underline the pleasure of use thanks to the One UI 5.1 interface, which is welcoming and neat. It offers a main sensor for photo lovers that is quite satisfactory daily.

2. Google Pixel 7a

With the Pixel 7a, Google proves to us once again that it has mastered its subject. In addition to, logically, making the most of Android, the manufacturer signs here a powerful and versatile photophone whose final performance largely transcends its technical data sheet and its price. By closing the gap with the other models in the range, Google offers a more affordable version of the Pixel 7, but not a discount version. Successful bet for Google: the Pixel 7a sits among the best mid-range Android smartphones of 2023!

3. Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra

With successful design and ergonomics, a stylus, top performance, a remarkable screen, good autonomy, and excellent photo quality, the Galaxy S23 Ultra is undoubtedly one of the best smartphones of the beginning of the year. But you must agree to pay the (very) high price.

Is it worth this price? Yes, if you use all of its capabilities (notably the stylus and the photographic aspect) and can afford it. It then becomes an exceptional everyday companion. Otherwise, go your way and turn to less expensive models.

4. Apple iPhone 14

Tim Cook usually concludes his presentation of a new iPhone by stating it is the best. He's right when he talks about the brilliant iPhone 14 Pro Max in so many ways. We appreciate the quality of its screen, the phenomenal computing power of the SoC A16 Bionic, the increased autonomy, and the improvement of the photo and video parts, which is already powerful on the iPhone 13 Pro Max.

Dynamic Island is a great way to camouflage the hideous notch on iPhone screens…and make it acceptable. Ultimately, this gadget is more useful than futile, and we quickly appreciate its presence.

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5. Apple iPhone SE (2022)

It's obvious: Apple is starting to pull the strings with its iPhone SE. The design of the phone needs to be updated. And even if it is very durable, both externally and on the software side, we would appreciate it if the manufacturer did not just recycle.

That said, it's hard to be tough on the iPhone SE. Yes, its screen is LCD, HD+, and 60 Hz. But damn, it is well-calibrated! And the Apple A15 Bionic, which the team does wonders in performance. 

6. Xiaomi Redmi Note 12 Pro+ 5G

To promote this 12 Pro+ model, Xiaomi is betting everything on the impressive 200-megapixel figure of its main photo sensor. But the latter remains anecdotal in use, and it will not make us forget the disappointment of a slightly "polluted" software interface that only promised two years of updates. Software updates for a very limited lifespan. 

As a result, Xiaomi does not offer us the best value for money of the year with this device, and for fans of the brand, we recommend saving a few euros by favoring the "classic" Redmi Note 12 or, why not, last year's Redmi Note 11 Pro. Others will be able to find more durable alternatives from competing manufacturers.

7. Xiaomi 13 Pro

The Xiaomi 13 Pro has many advantages. We especially appreciate the quality of its screen and the speed of charging its battery. The photographic part, co-designed with Leica, is a great success, and we understand the presence of a perfectly exploited 1'' type sensor.

Add the phenomenal computing power of the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2, more than true autonomy, and a pleasant software overlay (once rid of its bloatware ), and you will understand our enthusiasm.

8. Poco F5

The Poco F5 is a really good mid-range smartphone. This model knows how to aim straight and tick the right boxes to deliver the best possible user experience at the ideal price. In particular, the device impresses with its performance, including in-game. It also shines with its very well-calibrated OLED screen, great autonomy, and a balanced main photo sensor. Only the ultra-wide-angle and macro lenses seem more perfectible to us, while in terms of longevity, we'd like the promise of more future-proof software support from Xiaomi. It's hard to consider a phone with a guaranteed two-year lifespan as "the best value for money"!

9. Huawei P60 Pro

A smartphone, the P60 Pro? Rather a camera that knows how to call if we stick to the quality of the images produced. Huawei has been able to make bold technological choices to allow the production of excellent photos, whatever the lighting conditions.

We also appreciate the care taken in the design, the true autonomy, and the impeccable screen. Too bad it is deprived of 5G and Google services: it would then have broken the house without a doubt, especially if offered at a lower price.

List Of All Latest Phones In Kenya And Their Prices For 2023

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Smartphone: the answers to all your questions

How to choose your smartphone?

Before going into the specifics of your uses and seeing which model can meet them, you must first define your budget for acquiring a smartphone. It is normal to expect better performance from a KSH 45000 smartphone than from a KSH 15000 smartphone model. Once the products are in hand, the logic is well respected. The most expensive products are more fluid and more reactive. However, the most affordable models are far from slow. The days when "cheap" rhymed with "slow" seemed over. An excellent thing made possible by the ever-increasing optimization of iOS and Android and the increase in the power of the chips integrated into our phones.

So why choose a more expensive model? The difference will be felt mainly in specific uses, such as recording videos in 4K or the most demanding 3D games on the Play Store. The most expensive phones are also distinguished by the refresh rate of their screen (90 or 120 Hz against 60 Hz for other models), which reinforces this impression of the overall fluidity of the phone.

How do you know if a smartphone has good photo quality?

If there is one area where the price differences are felt much more, it is that of the quality of the photo sensors. If the number of sensors with which the smartphone is equipped is a guarantee of versatility, it is in no way a guarantee of quality.

Concretely, the most expensive mobiles have better photo sensors and more advanced software processing than entry-level models. The quality of night photos is the last bastion of high-end mobiles, which use it as a strong argument to justify (among other qualities) their price difference. If you want the ultimate photo sensors on mobile, you must break the bank.

In favorable light conditions, all our smartphones today can take excellent photos. But if there is one point on which the high-end models stand out, it is that of night photography. In this little game, the mobiles that we call "ultra-premium" stand out from the competition regarding photo quality. A specific use that is far from rare. We all ended up in the evening with poor-quality photos because the lighting was not optimal, and our phones did not go the distance.

What storage capacity should I target for my smartphone?

Brands offering inexpensive smartphones must save money on several points. Storage capacity is one. If the models sold with 16 GB of storage are becoming increasingly rare, there are still some. 32 GB models are more common at the entry-level but fill up quickly, especially with the space already occupied by the OS. Fortunately, these models almost always have a slot for a microSD card, which must therefore be purchased separately.

From 64 GB of storage, you can be more comfortable, especially if you choose cloud storage services like Dropbox, One Drive, or Google One. As always, your usage determines your needs. If you play a lot on your mobile and capture 4K videos, we recommend a smartphone with at least 128 GB of storage.

Which smartphone brand to choose?

Buying a good smartphone is good; buying a good, regularly updated smartphone is better! Again, the reputation of the brand is at stake. Nothing is more frustrating than paying a phone several hundred euros to realize a year later that it will no longer receive the latest updates. Apple and iOS are ahead on this point, even if Android is improving year after year on this point. In general, high-end models benefit from longer support for updates, but each brand is to be studied on a case-by-case basis.

Android or iOS: which OS to choose?

Your first choice is iOS or Android. Apple's interface takes advantage of the brand's entire ecosystem. Your iPhone will perfectly synchronize with a MacBook, an iPad, or Apple Watch. That is an undeniable strong point. If you prefer Android, you must choose among the different manufacturer interfaces. They all bring their share of interesting features and customizations. The rest will be a matter of taste concerning the design of each of these interfaces.

What size smartphone are you looking for?

Some may remember Steve Jobs touting iPhone screens that you could swipe from end to end with one hand. Water flows under the points, and Android or iOS smartphones now display generous diagonals, often above 6 inches. Screen bezels may have shrunk, but that doesn't make them any less difficult to use with one hand. Some "compact" models under the 6-inch mark still manage to do this, provided you don't have small hands.

The border between the models usable with one hand and those not is tiny. Beyond the diagonal itself, many criteria come into play, such as the fineness of the borders, the screen format, or the interface. We come back to these last two points a little below. The best way to find out is to try it. We, therefore, advise you to take the phone you want to buy in hand, in certain department stores or mobile operator shops, for example.

Which smartphone has the best battery life?

In most cases, a large smartphone will give it better battery life. If we can question the ever more impressive size of our smartphones, this has the advantage of leaving more room to integrate large-capacity batteries. This increases overall autonomy, even if the onboard processors' power or the screen's refresh rate can undermine this gain in battery endurance.

This increase in autonomy hides a sadder observation: battery technologies are struggling to evolve on our mobiles. Increasing their size seems the most viable large-scale solution, according to manufacturers. Also note that a larger battery means a heavier smartphone, which can be inconvenient once in hand, and of course, in your pocket (if you have wide enough pants).

Why choose a 5G smartphone?

If the fifth-generation mobile network is far from reality for most French people, some manufacturers are ready to offer 5 G-compatible smartphones. Initially reserved for high-end phones, this compatibility is gradually extended to mid-range and entry-level products (like 4G in its day). Today, the choice is endless.

The 5G network is advertised as ten times faster than 4G. A speed equivalent to optical fiber offers possibilities hitherto unseen by a mobile device connected to the network. With very low latency and greater stability in public places, 5G responds to the constant increase in connected objects in our daily lives.