Top 12 Best Phones under 30k in Kenya.
Choosing a phone can be a daunting task. Especially the best phones under 30k since there is so much competition from Oppo, Infinix, Huawei, Techno, Xiaomi. , and Samsung. All are seeking your attention, choosing the right smartphone has never been more challenging. But we’re here to make it less complicated.
Our comparisons are based on factors such as budget, must-have features for you, size, Display, Camera, Chipset & Ram, and Durability not in any particular importance or order.
In most cases, the first thing that determines which phone we buy is the budget range we have set. You should never pay more than you need to for a phone. In any category, we highlight the features and reasons why a given phone stands out in that category based on How to get the best phone Guidelines. But in the end, everybody wants all the best we can get for less.
Our Best Phones under 30k Picks
Huawei Y9a
Redmi Note 8 Pro
Huawei Nova 7i
With this in mind we have separated phones in this category in Top best Phones between 20K to 25k and Top best phones between 26k to 30k.
Best Phones under 25K include
Xiaomi Redmi Note 9 4GB 128GB price Ksh. 20,999
Infinix Note 8 128GB 6GB price Ksh.21,999.
Oppo A52 128GB 4GB. Ksh. 22,500
Huawei P30 Lite 128GB 6GB price Ksh. 24,499
Xiaomi Redmi Note 8 Pro 128GB 6GB price Ksh.24,999
Samsung Galaxy M31 128GB 6GB price Ksh.25,999
Best Phones under 30K include
In this price range, there is a cutthroat competition like never before. Almost all phones have similar specs on paper. The variations are in the actual camera software, processor chipset and the Battery life.
Xiaomi Redmi Note 9 Pro 128GB 6GB price Ksh.26,999
Oppo A92 128GB 8GB price Ksh. 28,499
Realme 6 128GB 8GB price Ksh. 28,499
Samsung Galaxy A51 128GB 4GB price Ksh. 28,999
Huawei Y9A 128GB 6GB price Ksh. 29,499
Huawei Nova 7i 128GB 8GB price Ksh. 28,500
NB: The price can slightly vary depending on store and deals.
Best Phones under 25k
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Xiaomi Redmi Note 9 4GB 128GB
Beginning the list is Xiaomi Redmi Note 9, launched in 2020, May. This is among the most popular handsets in the under 30k category. With a dimension of 162.3 x 77.2 x 8.9mm, Display 6.53 inches and a Resolution of 1080 x 2340 pixels, 19.5:9 ratio (~395 ppi density) Redmi Note 9 has a nice display color range . The brightness outside is also okay.
The catch in Redmi Note 9 is:
- 48 MP(wide). 8 MP (ultrawide), 2 MP, 2MP, Main Camera
- Selfie Camera of 13 MP
- Memory of 4GB RAM 128GB ROM
- Android 10, MIUI 11, MediaTek Helio G85
- Li-Po 5020, Fast charging 18W. Reverse charging 9W
Xiaomi Redmi Note 9 128GB ROM 4GB RAM price in Kenya is around Ksh.20,999 makes it worth the money.
Here is Xiaomi Redmi Note 9 Video review.
Infinix Note 8 128GB 6GB
Launched in 2020, Oct, Infinix Note 8 replaces Infinix Note 7 in this category. The Infinix Note series is recommended among Gamers due to its famous Helio G70 and now G80 in Note 8. Other features that make it stand out are
- 64 MP, (wide) Front Camera ( Infinix Note 7 had 48MP), 16 MP Selfie Camera
- Dimension of 175.3 x 78.8 x 9 mm with a display of 6.95 inches. That is a very big screen perfect for Gaming. Though with its big screen, at 720 x 1640 pixels (~258 ppi density), Infinix Note 8 is not the best for watching HD videos and other high resolution media.
- Android 10, XOS 7.1 Mediatek Helio G80
- Yes , a 128GB ROM and 6GB RAM.
- Li-Po 5000 Fast charging 18W
In most retail outlets Infinix Note 8 128GB ROM 6GB RAM price in Kenya is Ksh.21,999 on estimate.
Learn more from this Infinix Note 8 Video review.
Oppo A52 128GB 4GB.
Among the popular mid range brands is Oppo. Oppo A series has consistently packed more specs for less. In this Category is Oppo A52 launched in 2020, April.
The Dimension is 162 x 75.5 x 8.9 mm, Display 6.5 inches with a resolution of 1080 x 2400 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~405 ppi density). This is good color display, even when outside.
It packs a Snapdragon 665 chipset, a 128GBROM 4GB RAM. For most tasks the Performance should be very good.
Other Oppo A52 features include:
- Android 10, ColorOS 7.1
- Main Camera 12MP (wide) 8MP(ultrawide) 2MP(depth) 2MP(macro)that can shoot 4K@30fps
- Selfie Camera 16MP or 8MP (wide) HDR 1080p@30fps
- Li-Po 5000 with a Fast charging of 18W
Oppo A52 128GB ROM 4GB RAM price in Kenya is around Ksh.21,000 depending on the store.
Huawei P30 Lite 128GB 6GB
Huawei P30 Lite was launched 2019, April of 2019 and has been popular, among the best phones under 30k in kenya. Huawei P30 Lite still comes with the google play store.
At 152.9 x 72.7 x 7.4 mm in Dimension, Dispaly.6.15 inches, Resolution of 1080 x 2312 pixels (~415 ppi density) makes Huawei P30 Lite have such stunning colors display. The size is also perfect if you don’t fancy a phone big in size.
Among the specs that make Huawei P30 Lite stand out is the chipset, Kirin 710. In this category this is aa good fast chipset. Coupled with 6GB RAM, i would say the performance should not be an issue.
With a Front Camera of 48MP or 32MP (wide) 8MP (ultrawide) 2MP(depth), Selfie Camera
32MP or 24MP both capable of shooting 1080p@30fps videos.
The Battery, Li-Po 3340mAh Fast charging 18W, is low by current standards. Which might be an issue if you are the type who is alway on the move.
Huawei P30 Lite 128GB 6GB price in Kenya is around Ksh.24,500
Here is a Huawei P30 Lite video review.
Xiaomi Redmi Note 8 Pro 128GB 6GB
Like other Xiaomi phones, Redmi Note 8 Pro is packing a lot of features for a low price midrange phone under 30k. This phone was released in 2019, Sep. Redmi Note 8 Pro was one of the first few phones in this category that has 64MP main camera 8MP ultrawide 2MP macro + Depth Sensors. The selfie camera is 20MP (Wide)
The screen is built from Glass front (Gorilla Glass 5), front and glass back, with plastic frame. The IPS LCD, HDR, 6.53inches 1080 x 2340 pixels, 19.5:9 ratio (~395 ppi density) make the display very good even though not AMOLED.
It runs on Android 9.0 (Pie), upgradable to Android 10, MIUI 12. Under the hood is Mediatek Helio G90T, which is quite stable in performance. Also it comes with Game turbo mode which makes it stable for gaming.
4500mAh battery which has performed very impressively under endurance tests.
Redmi Note 8 Pro 128GB ROM 6GBRAM price in Kenya is around Ksh.24,999 and Note 8 Pro 64GB ROM 6GB RAM price should be Ksh.22,499
Check an in depth review of Redmi Note 8 Pro here.
Samsung Galaxy M31 128GB RPM 6GB RAM
Launched in 2020, March, Samsung Galaxy M31 comes in a 159.2 x 75.1 x 8.9 mm Dimension, a Glass front (Gorilla Glass 3), plastic back, and plastic frame. Its not the stunning eye catchy phone in this category.
The Display is a 6.4” inches Super AMOLED 1080 x 2340 pixels, 19.5:9 ratio (~403 ppi density). Its bright outdoors, sharp and the colors look nice making it good for multimedia content.
The highlight of Samsung Galaxy M31 is the Camera, an upgrade if you compare to M30s. At the back we have a 64 MP, (wide) main camera , 8 MP (ultrawide). 5MP ( depth) + Sensors. The selfie Camera is 32 MP (wide). The camera is capable of 4K@30fps. The video have electrical stabilization mode. The camera performance is quite excellent for a phone in this category.
Another highlight is the Li-Po 6000 Battery with a Fast charging of 15W. In best phones under 30k category, Galaxy M31 battery tops the charts. The endurance test is quite impressive.
The phone is powered by Exynos 9611 on Android 10 . With 6GB RAM, The performance is quite good. Yes, you can game with Galaxy M31 But i won’t recommend it for heavy graphics games.
The price of Samsung Galaxy M31 128GB ROM 6GB RAM price in Kenya is around Ksh. 25,999
Learn more on Samsung Galaxy M31 video review.
Samsung Galaxy M31 marks the end of top phones between 20K and 25k. The next list is for Top phones between 25k and 30k.
Best Phones under 30k
Xiaomi Redmi Note 9 Pro 128GB 6GB
A solid midranger within this price range. The design is slick, this is because its all glass. Glass front (Gorilla Glass 5), glass back (Gorilla Glass 5), plastic frame.
In size it has a Dimension of 165.8 x 76.7 x 8.8 mm, on the front an IPS LCD 6.67”inches 1080 x 2400 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~395 ppi density) Corning Gorilla Glass 5 screen. The Sharpness is good , and contrast quite decent for an LCD screen. Max brightness is good too. You can also adjust the color in color settings.
Locking and unlocking this phone is quick and fast with the Fingerprint sensor at the sides. You have a storage of either 64GB or 128GB, and its expandable through SD card.
Powering Redmi Note 9 Pro is Snapdragon 720 chipset on Android 10, with 6GB RAM. THe performance is realy great. In the benchmark it performed better in this category but not best. The is the Game Turbo, more of a game vault where your games can perform at optimum. Heavy games run great.
The phone’s Li-Po 5020 power Battery is excellent. Endurance test score of 123h rating in battery life test. Charging is fast, with 30W, it reaches 69% in 30min.
On the back there is a 64 MP(wide) main camera + 8 MP (ultrawide) + 5MP( macro) + Depth sensor. The selfie camera is 16 MP (wide), The cameras have an HDR support. Shots from the main camera are excellent for this price group. More details, accurate colors, low noise and wide dynamic range. The closeup shots are great, they are detailed and sharp, no noise. Always use Night mode in the dark or at night, the images are so much improved. In general the camera is realy great for this price point.
The video can be captured upto 4K@30fps, it has electronic stabilization from 1080p. The details are good, the color range very impressive.
That’s the Redmi Note 9 Pro, you get a premium looking glass build, a large and bright LCD screen, a competitive chipset, a nice and versatile camera setup and awesome battery life.
Redmi Note 9 pro 128GB ROM 6GB RAM price in Kenya is around Ksh. 26,999.
See Redmi Note 9 pro video review here.
Oppo A92 128GB 8GB
Finally another Oppo within this price range after Oppo A52 is Oppo A92. This phone comes with a premium look, a 3D curved Glass back. At the back there is a Quadruple camera with anLED light. At 6.5 Oppo A92 is not small in size. On the side a power button which is also a fingerprint sensor.
The Display is a 6.5” inches FHD+ IPS LCD with a Resolution of 1080 x 2400 pixel@505 ppi. The display quality is fine. You get vibrant colors, detail sharpness and great brightness under direct sunlight.
Under the hood is SNapdragon 665 chipset, 128GB ROM and 8GB of RAM. This can be expanded with an SD card slot. On paper this is impressive considering the price. It can run normal tasks quite well but take care not to run too many apps in the background. When it comes to games it not the best in this category.
Oppo A92 runs on Android 10, ColorOS 7.1. With easy customization and ease of use. For security Oppo A92 has the side Fingerprint scanner and Face unlock which work quite well.
Powering this device is the massive Li 5000 mAh Battery with a fast charging of 18W. On the test the phone lasted 11h 53min endurance test, this is okay.
At the back is a Quad Camera setup. 48MP (wide) Main Camera + 8MP(ultrawide) + 2MP(macro) + depth. The selfie camera is 16MP. Photos taken by the main camera look good especially under natural lighting. Photos come out sharp with accurate colors. The night shots are actually impressive. You can shoot upto 4K@30fps which has Electronic stabilisation.
To conclude, Oppo has done well with this one. In look and feel in the hands, Oppo A92 definitely ranks high in best phones under 30k. But the competition is very stiff and it doesn’t measure well here. If you are a light user and love Oppo brand it will do. Oppo A92 128GB ROM 8GB price in Kenya is around Ksh.28,500
Realme 6
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Samsung Galaxy A51
Samsung Galaxy A51 128GB 4GB
Launched in 2019, Dec. Just like other Samsung Galaxy phones in this price range, it has that Samsung flagship look but its made of Glass front (Gorilla Glass 3), plastic back and frame to cut cost. One thing that stands out is how slim and light the phone is.
The 6.5”inches display is the famous samsung infinity display, Super AMOLED with a resolution of 1080 x 2400 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~405 ppi density) Corning Gorilla Glass 3 protecting it.
The viewing experience on this screen is so great with plenty of sharpness and contrast. Colors can be set accurately in the color settings and brightness good for outdoors. There is an under display fingerprint reader to wake the phone , reliable but not the fastest around.
Under the hood is Android Exynos 9611 chipset running on 10,with 4GB RAM.
The performance is not the best in this category but will do okay in day today tasks. Certainly not the best for Gaming in this price range.
The Quad cameras include a 48MP (wide) main camera + 12MP (ultrawide) + 5MP (depth) + macro. The main can record 4K@30fps, 1080p@30/120fps videos. Selfie camera is 32 MP (wide) able to record 4K@30fps and 1080p@30fps. The cameras perform very good in natural light. Low light shots which are not so great are improved a lot with Night mode.
Powering the Galaxy A51 is Li-Po 4000 Battery with Fast charging 15W. On the endurance test at 86h it is outperformed by its competitors in battery life. The fast charging is not great either, at 35% in 30min.
You can get Samsung Galaxy A51 128GB ROM 4GB RAM in kenya at a around Ksh.29,999
Huawei Y9A
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Huawei Nova 7i
Huawei Nova 7i 128GB 8GB
We always expect more from Huawei. Within this price range we have Huawei Nova 7i. Launched in 2020, Feb. One first glass Nova 7i looks similar to Nova 5T, with a dimension of 159.2 x 76.3 x 8.7 mm. Glass front, plastic back, plastic frame. On the side is a volume and power button which doubles as the Fingerprint scanner. At the back is the Quad camera with a protruding nudge.
The 6.4”inches Display LTPS IPS LCD has a resolution of 1080 x 2310 pixels (~398 ppi density) and support FHD+. The display quality is sharp with vibrant colors and is bright enough for outdoor use and bright sunlight. Viewing angles are also pretty good.
Huawei Nova 7i has 48MP (wide) main camera + 8MP (ultrawide) + 2MP(depth) + micro. Camera good, shots are colorful and enough sharpness. The selfie camera is 16MP HDR. Both support 1080p@30fps. The selfie shots are really good.
Nova 7i run on Android 10, EMUI 10, with no Google Play Services though one can still get the popular google apps in other ways i.e APK pure or App Gallery. The chipset is Kirin 810, a powerful midrange chip. On an 8GB RAM, the performance is excellent. It can handle modern heavy duty games just as well. Normal day tasks are fast no sign of sluggishness.
The Battery is Li-Po 4200 with a Fast charging 40W. At 16Hrs 34min, Nova 7i can last a day and better part of the night for a heavy user. It can charge upto 70% in 30 min.
In conclusion, it has a nice display, good camera, Good performance and fast charging considering the price. Huawei Nova 7i 128GB 8GB price in kenya is Ksh.28,500
Here is a detailed Huawei Nova 7i video review.
Our Ranking of the best phone in Kenya is based on factors such as budget, must-have features for you, size, Display, Camera, Chipset & Ram, and Durability not in any particular importance or order.
So Here is our Take!
Best Phone Overall
Huawei Y9a is the favorite contender for best overall, thou not having a 64MP camera, its 48MP camera is good most won’t even realize unless you are a Photography fan.
Best camera Phone:
The competition for the Best camera in this category is very stiff, with most cameras having 64MP as specs. It all boils down to the camera sofware.
Best Phone in Performance.
Huawei Nova 7i takes the lead, its chipset, Kirin 810 coupled with 8GB Ram outperforms all the other chipset in this category. Heavy-duty task i.e. Gaming is way better.
Best Value for Money
For 20k for Redmi Note 9 is a good value for money. The build and body is way better than most phones in this category.
Best Gaming Phone
Huawei Nova 7i performance is top notch for its competitors in this category. Its processor chipset can handle gaming seamlessly
Best Phones under 70k in Kenya
Best Phones under 50k in Kenya
Best Phones under 40k in Kenya
Best Phones under 30k in Kenya
Best Phones under 20k in Kenya
Best Phones under 15k in Kenya
What customers say
The iPhone 11 has the fastest performance in the world (if it’s behind anything, it’s one of the iPhone 11 Pros), amazing cameras, and great battery life.
Lizzie
Now I can say for sure , note 10+ is much fluid and faster than note 20 ultra… Note 20 ultra was a disapointment for me , note 20 ultra
Mike