fbpx

Best Smartphone Shop in Nairobi, Best Phones to buy in 2024

THE BEST ANDROID phone means something different to everyone—it’s hard to find one that caters to every need. But chances are there’s a smartphone that comes close to what you’re looking for. From the bottomless pit of phone choices, these are our favorite Android handsets, including the Google Pixel 7A, our top pick. All the phones we’ve selected have their advantages, and we’ve laid them out as best we can based on our extensive testing.

  • Google Pixel 7A with lit screenThe Best Android Phone Google Pixel 7A comes very close to being the perfect phone for everybody. It looks gorgeous. It has a powerful processor—Tensor G2—to run demanding games and zip through dozens of apps with ease. New in this model is an upgraded 64-megapixel camera and a 13-megapixel ultrawide that take better photos than most other phones its price (and some pricier ones too). The 6.1-inch OLED screen is a nice size that’s not too large and not too small, and it gets decently bright. Don’t forget the smooth 90-Hz screen too! Then there’s wireless charging and the IP67 water resistance rating. Did I mention it costs less than $900? It will even last a while, thanks to the five years of security updates and three Android OS upgrades. It does have some concessions. It lacks a headphone jack and a microSD card slot. The battery life is just OK; on average it can last a day, but you’ll need a power bank if you’re a power user.
  • Samsung Galaxy S24 smartphonesBest Flagship Phones Samsung Galaxy S24, S24+, and S24 Ultra Samsung’s smartphones are the crème de la crème of the Android world, with top specs, refined hardware, and excellent software support. Seriously, the Galaxy S24, S24+, and S24 Ultra (8/10, WIRED Recommends) will all receive seven years of software updates—you can hold on to your phone for longer. They’re powered by the latest Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chipset for smooth and powerful performance, the AMOLED screens are sharp and extremely bright (with 120-Hz screen refresh rates), and the batteries in all three should last you more than a day with average use. I break down the differences between all three models in this story, but suffice it to say that if you prioritize battery life, you should stick with the S24+ or S24 Ultra; the S24 is the smallest and best for anyone who prefers a tiny phone. The Ultra has the S Pen embedded inside, so it’s a must-have for stylus stans.The triple-camera systems on the S24 and S24+ are reliable and versatile, and the selfie camera remains one of the sharpest. The S24 Ultra has an extra fourth camera—a 5X optical zoom that replaced the old 10X optical zoom. These phones also capture some of the smoothest and most detailed videos in the world of Android, so if you film a lot on your phone, the S24 series is right for you. There is also now a bevy of smart AI features, some of which are genuinely useful, though they’re still not quite as smart as Pixel phones. Once you have your Samsung in hand, read my recommendations on what settings to change to get the most out of it.
  • Google Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro smartphonesThe Smartest Phones (and Great Cameras!)Google Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 ProGoogle’s flagship Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro are more polished than ever, and they will be supported for a whopping seven years of software updates like Samsung’s Galaxy S24 series. The camera system on these two phones is, as always, excellent—the ultrawide on the Pixel 8 Pro is one of the best in the business. There’s now secure Face Unlock, which means you can use your mug as biometric authentication to get into banking apps, but it’s not effective in low light, so the fingerprint sensor is still present as a secondary option.The reason to buy Pixel phones is the smart software features, like Call Screen, which thwarts robocalls and now even lets you respond to people without having to answer the phone. The Pixel 8 series focuses on smart image-editing software.
  • OnePlus 12R smartphoneMidrange Alternative OnePlus 12R, OnePlus seems to be reconnecting with its roots this year, offering killer specs at surprisingly low prices. The OnePlus 12R isn’t its flagship phone—that would be the OnePlus 12—but this handset has 2023’s top-end Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset, offering excellent performance for just $500. If you’re a heavy mobile gamer on a modest budget, buy this phone. The 6.78-inch AMOLED has a variable 120-Hz screen refresh rate and gets plenty bright too. The software feels slick, the primary camera does a decent job of keeping up with the Pixel 7A, and the 5,500-mAh battery will last roughly two days with average use. You can recharge it very quickly too with the included charger (100 percent in about 30 minutes!).So why isn’t the OnePlus 12R our top overall pick? Sadly, it only has an IP64 water-resistance rating, meaning it’ll be fine in the rain, but not so much if you drop it in a pool. Its secondary cameras, the ultrawide and macro, are a bit lackluster. And it doesn’t have wireless charging, a convenience available on the Pixel 7A.
  • Samsung Galaxy Z Flip5Samsung Galaxy Z Flip5Folding flip phones are the solution for folks who hate big-screen devices and want tiny things that can fit in the smallest pockets. Here are two standouts.Samsung’s Galaxy Z Flip5 delivers a big-screen phone that feels more like a stack of Post-Its in your pocket when it’s all folded up. How can you hate that? The new 3.4-inch Cover Screen lets you do more than before, like scroll through widgets, and you can browse a few apps too. The cameras are better than what’s on the Motorola Razr+ (see below), and it has an overall better build quality, but the battery life isn’t great.Motorola’s Razr+ has, in my opinion, an even more useful (and larger) front screen than the Galaxy Z, meaning you can use almost any app, read notifications clearly, and check other widgets like the weather, news, and your calendar—all without having to open the phone. The cameras are sadly lackluster, and battery life is equally as middling as the Flip5. It’s also not as water-repellent. If you want to save some cash, Motorola’s regularly dips as low as $500, which is one of the lowest prices you’ll find on a folding phone. It still functions great, with smooth performance and day-long battery life.

About the Author

Leave a Reply

You may also like these