Best Phones Under 10K in Kenya, 2016

Update: 5 Best Smartphones under Ksh. 10,000 – May 2016

It has been long since I did this. Actually the last best under 10k was in July. But I think time’s ripe for a new list. This will definitely change in the next few months, but for now this list will help a lot of people looking for phones to buy.

All the phones below have either 16GB or 8GB internal storage. I don’t feel any device with less than 8GB internal storage should be on this list. All have at least 1GB RAM. Any device with less than 1GB RAM is an insult. Same way any device above 10K that’s less than 2GB RAM will not be bought. Not by me. Or by any sensible person.

Here’s are the best under 10k as of February 2016:

I have updated this list to include what I now consider to be the best phone under 10k in Kenya. Which is the Cubot Note S launched on February 12th. 

Cubot Note S:

This was not originally on my list. I’m sorry for all who’d read the post. But this phone is undeniably the best under 10K. First of all it is only Ksh. 8,888 and for that you get a 2.5D 5.5 inch screen, 2GB RAM, 16GB internal storage, 8MP back camera, 5MP front camera and a HUGE 4150 mAh battery!

Read my full review of the phone here where I tell you everything you need to know about the phone. And go ahead and buy it here from Kilimall.

Wiko Slide 2:

This is currently what I consider to be the 2nd best device under 10k. It was topping my list before I realised the Note S was official. It has a 5.5 inch screen, 2GB RAM, 16GB internal storage, 13MP back camera, 5MP front camera, a relatively huge 2820mAh battery and runs Android 5.1 Lollipop. All those wonderful specs and this device is only Ksh. 9,999!

I spent some time with the device and you can read my full review here. If you want to buy the device you can order for it here.

Infinix Hot Note X551:

This will come as a shock to many of my usual readers. It was the best selling phone in Kenya in 2015 and my best phone generally in the year 2015. I have featured it very many times on my lists; best under 10k, best under 15k, and now it is back on best under 10k. It is an old device released in 2014. But with the latest upgrade to Android 5.1 Lollipop, it beats many devices. It has a 5.5 inch display, 1GB RAM, 16GB internal storage, 8MP back camera, 2MP front camera and a HUGE 4000mAh battery.

I should say that this phone’s camera is good. Really good. Infact the camera is better than Wiko Slide 2’s. Check out my review of the Infinix Zero 3 and the Infinix Hot 2 as the photos used are by this phone’s camera.

I have a full review of the Hot Note here. And if you want to run Android 5.1 Lollipop check out my post on how to upgrade the device. You can buy it currently at about Ksh. 9,300.

InnJoo Max 2:

I love how well this device is designed. It looks really good. It has a 5 inch display, 16GB internal storage, 1GB RAM, 13MP back camera, 8MP front camera, and a HUGE 4000mAh battery. Both cameras have flash.

I have a quick review of the device here. You can buy it here at Ksh. 9,330.

DooGee X5 Pro:

A site known as Avechi.com brings us little know devices, or devices we can’t easily get in Kenya. And they sell the devices at nice prices. I have never bought anything from them and don’t know how they work. I don’t know how they deliver their items and whether or not they can be trusted.

The X5 Pro supports 4G networks. It has a 5.o inch screen, 2GB RAM, 16GB internal storage, 8MP back camera, 5MP front camera, a 2400mAh battery and runs Android 5.1 Lollipop. Check it out here. It costs Ksh. 9,999.

Infinix Hot 2:

The first Android One in Africa. And still the only phone under 25k running the latest version of Android. Yes this phone runs Android 6.1 Marshmallow. Those are just one of the few benefits of being an Android One device. If you don’t understand the meaning of Android One read this post.

It has a 5″ display, 1GB RAM, 16GB internal storage, an 8MP back camera, 2MP front camera and a 2200mAh battery.

I have a full review of it here. If you want it you can buy it here at Ksh. 7,699.

U7 Pro:

Another from Avechi.

It caught my eye because at Ksh. 8,499 you get a 5.5 inch display, a 13MP back camera, 8GB internal storage, a 2500mAh battery and runs Android 5.1 Lollipop. Check it out here.

Cubot P11:

This one has a 5 inch screen, a 13MP back camera, 5MP front camera, 1GB RAM, 8GB internal storage, a 1.3GHz Quad Core Processor and a 2200mAh battery.

It has a ‘weird’ back cover design and is quite something for just Ksh. 8,499. Read TechArena’s full review here.

Snokor Rocket Z5000:

This is a pretty cheap device for all that it offers. I liked it so much when it launched that I did a quick review here. It costs only Ksh. 6500. And is the best device to get for someone who’s just yet getting their first smartphone.

It has a 5 inch display, 5MP back camera, 1GB RAM, 8GB internal and a huge 3600mAh battery. You can buy it here.

X-TIGI S1550:

My major problem with X-TIGI devices is that they lack names. Seriously now, how do you describe this phone to someone?

The S1550 has a 5.5 inch display, 1GB RAM, 8GB Internal and a huge 3100mAh battery. You also get a free extra 8GB memory card.

Check it out here. It goes for Ksh. 8,499.

DooGee X6:

The only thing I don’t get about this phone is its design. However it is a very well spec’d device.

It has a 5.5 inch display, 1GB RAM, 8GB internal storage, 8MP back camera, 5MP front camera and a huge 3000mAh battery! It is priced at Ksh. 7,999

InnJoo Halo:

This device has a nice-ish design. It goes for Ksh. 6,200.

You get a 5 inch display, 8GB internal storage, 1GB RAM, a 5MP back camera and a huge 3200mAh battery. Buy it here.

As you can see a lot good things have happened:

• Only 2 devices here run Android KitKat. However the InnJoo Halo is upgradable to Lollipop.
• All these phones have huge batteries except the Infinix Hot 2, Cubot P11, DooGee Pro and the U7 Pro which have below 3000mAh batteries. And their batteries are larger than what most flagships offer.
• All the devices have good RAM and good internal storage
• We are seeing many 13MP cameras
• Also note that all these phones have either a Quad or an Octa Core Processor and that they’re fast devices with performances that way beat their price range.

Cheap phones are getting better like I said in What to expect in 2016.

Tell me what you think in the comments’ sections below. Mention which phone you like most and which you are getting. And don’t forget to share this post with your friends!