The Ultimate Guide on Choosing and Buying the Best Phone in Kenya

Both leading Brands have launched some super feature cool phones this year but also the prices have gone up. as compared to early last year. Budget phones have greatly improved in features while the older flagships have good features but lack battery efficiency.  Mid Range phones offer more battery efficiency, newer software and sometimes pack flagship features like waterproofing.

Traditionally iOS has been expensive compared to Android devices but this year, 2020, both camps have some expensive flagships models. 

Budget

First, make a budget and stick to it or identify the feature you can’t compromise on then stick to that. Over 70K, you get a flagship phone. Between 20k and 40k you will get a mid range phone.

Below 20k you are on a budget. make sure you single out the features you need the most, you will have to compromise on the rest. Be sure to separate needs from wants.

In all these categories you will still look for a phone that gives you value for money. Having to spend your hard earned money on a device you are satisfied with.

Size

Do you want the biggest screen possible or something you can easily fit in your hands especially if you have some small hands?

Display

When you want the best display possible you want great contrast, great colors, but not necessarily a mind pixel density. You will definitely know when your phone is not bright enough to read outside or when you have dull colors.

You might not notice a huge difference between 1080 and 4K videos but always strive for a pixel density of 400ppi.

Camera

Cameras have become the biggest selling point of phones, especially in Android phones. Here is where guys go wrong, Megapixels (MP) don’t really matter. Photo and Video quality depend on Phone sensors, Chipset, Software Processing, and Aperture.

This explains why iPhones have 12MP but way better quality than some 16, 24, and even 48MP in some android phones.

The only sure way to compare cameras is through the actual photos and videos, not specs. especially when the specs have no big difference.

Phones’ biggest challenges are light shot and contrasting light conditions. This is where buying an expensive phone might make a difference. Also, most have video stabilization and good details. This is good especially when you like taking a lot of videos.

Battery

All of us don’t want to charge our phones every now and then. Ensure you get the battery life you need. Watch for 4000mAh and above in an android phone and above 3500mAh in iPhones.

Remember a bigger battery doesn’t mean better endurance. Look for the screen on time, basically how long the battery last when on screen usage. Another is total battery life, Endurance, is how long the phone will last with average use, including time spent in your pocket.

Storage

Any person in college and above should have at least 32GB of internal storage.  Less than this you are going to have a bad time. Even if the phone comes with an expandable card slot, rarely will you install apps on the SD card. 

As a rule of Thumb, only use SD cards for photos, music, and videos. In 2020, 64GB should be the lowest benchmark.

Durability

 Make sure your phone can survive your Environment. Accidents do happen. Check for Drop test, Scratch test, Underwater test, Dust test, and generally make sure your phone can survive an accident.  

This is where Flagship phones have a difference because most pass these tests, unlike most midrange and Budget phones.

Chipset & RAM

The more advanced the chipset, the better performance it stands a chance. As for RAM, 3GB is a good start.  More ram equals better multitasking and more apps you can have open at once.

Finally Find a reputable Online or Physical store. 

Now that you have got specs out of the way.  You have a list of phones you are interested in. The next step is to find a store or a reputable online store where you can shop. You dont want to buy fake products.