You’ve heard? Safaricom has a huge smartphone sale going on right now. Sadly, it ends today after having run for the last 5 days so you may have to move with speed. It involves deals on devices using the company’s customer loyalty reward scheme, Bonga, in its Jisort na Bonga promotion, as well as cash-based discounts. Here, we look at 10 cash deals that you can get from the super sale:
1. Huawei Y3II
At 1 centimetre thick, the Huawei Y3II is not the thinnest of smartphones nor does it pretend to be. It is as thick as thick goes in this day and age which is to be expected since it’s no longer the latest (there are better ones out there).
It’s probably this eventual ageing that has the device constantly featuring whenever Safaricom has a sale. It was the star attraction during the July 2017 Safaricom Open Day (where I actually bought one). Two months later, it still makes the front page of the end of September sales deals only that this time round, the discounts aren’t as massive. Still, anyone interested in picking up this bulky device will be getting it for Kshs 700 less than they would normally do at Safaricom’s retail outlets.
Price: Kshs 7,300
2. Moto C Plus
We got wind that Lenovo East Africa had entered into a partnership with Safaricom that would see the latter stock the devices of the former in its retail stores way back in June. Since then, Safaricom has gone on to sell several Moto devices including the Moto C Plus.
Launched in May, the Moto C Plus features some 2GB of memory, 16GB onboard storage, 4G LTE, a beefy 4,000mAh camera, an 8-megapixel camera and Android Nougat without all the ugly things that Lenovo is known for introducing on its devices, to spice things up.
On normal days, you will need to cough up Kshs 13,500 to walk away from a Safaricom shop with the Moto C Plus. This weekend, you can get it for just Kshs 10,000.
3. Samsung Galaxy Grand Prime Plus
If we were to judge every device on this list by its name, Samsung’s budget offering would lead from the behind. However, where it really matters, the device does manage to stand on its own. Not that it will be the best that you can buy at its price but it being a Samsung, you probably have better chances of surviving with it for at least a year than most no-name devices from China going for a similar price that dot the entire length of Nairobi’s infamous Luthuli Avenue.
Its qHD display will make you cringe and wonder why 2012 (not the movie) wants you back and since it’s just a month away from its first birthday, it may seem a little too old to be sharing a list with devices that bear the year 2017 as part of their name. However, if Kshs 10,000 is all you have to spare and there’s no way we can convince you to get the Moto C Plus above then go with this. You will probably regret it but hey, it would’ve been entirely your (bad) choice.
4. Huawei GR5 mini
A pair of 13 and 8-megapixel shooters at the back and on the front respectively, some 2GB memory accompanied by 16GB storage space, a 3,000mAh battery, 4G LTE and some Marshmallow (we know, it’s old)… Would you take a Kshs 5,700 discount for that? If your answer is in the affirmative then this is the device for you. Its advance in age (it’s now a year old) means that you don’t need to break the bank to get it and it’s always a good idea to save an extra coin, right?
Price: Kshs 18,300
5. Moto E Plus
The fourth generation Moto E Plus (Moto E4 Plus) which has been selling in Kenya for the last 3 months has the enviable distinction of being the first device to arrive in the Kenyan market with Android 7.1.1, then the latest iteration of Android Nougat. Safaricom paraded it for all to see, admire and buy during its last open day. This weekend, it’s back in the public light but at Kshs 3,000 cheaper. It’s expansive 5.5-inch display, mammoth 5,000mAh battery and fingerprint sensor are definitely worth the Kshs 17,000 that Safaricom is asking for it.
6. Huawei P9 Lite
There are fewer budget devices worth recommending than the “lite versions” of Huawei’s flagship P series devices. Often packing specifications that have been watered down to the point of being unrecognizable when placed side by side with those of their superior siblings, the P Lite series always delivers when compared to its peers. With the P9 Lite, which I had the privilege of using for an extended period late last year, it is a delightful device.
The display is good, the battery life bearable, the design profile thin and almost matching that of the flagship P9 and the fingerprint sensor just as fast as that found on Huawei’s pricier offerings.
This weekend, it’s going for Kshs 19,000 as it prepares to exit the stage in favour of the new sheriff in town, the Huawei P10 Lite. It is 2017, after all, and the P10 reigns supreme. It’s arguable whether the device deserves a much bigger discount than the Kshs 3,000 it has got but there’s no arguing that it remains the small beast that interacted with this time last year.
7. Huawei GR3 2017
There are fewer devices in this price segment that are as beautiful as the Huawei GR3 2017. The smaller sibling of the GR5 2017, the device has both the looks and the specs to match its Kshs 22,000 (a Kshs 2,000 discount) price tag this weekend.
8. Samsung Galaxy J5 Prime
Like the Samsung Galaxy Grand Prime Plus up in the list, the Samsung Galaxy J5 Prime is both a victim of its long name as well as its age (it’s a year old). While the former is excusable when a device is impressive, the latter means that our impressions of the device at this point in time won’t reveal much high regard for it thanks to its dated specifications. However, it surprisingly manages to hold up well in that regard.
A f/1.9 aperture 13-megapixel camera and a 294 ppi (pixels per inch) display don’t sound so bad at all but a 2,400mAh battery does. Which is why it’s hard to make a case for this Samsung device. Just buy the Huawei above which costs the same as it if you have to get something for yourself or your loved ones this weekend.
9. Tecno Phantom 6s
At this point in time, we’re preparing to see Tecno’s latest Phantom smartphone(s) in the new month (October). The new Phantom will be the successor of the Phantom 6s, the single-SIM variant of the Phantom 6 that Safaricom has been selling. One year is enough to shed off Kshs 5,000 from the price of a flagship device, right?
When I got to use the Tecno Phantom 6 last year, I loved it. I loved the dual-camera setup on the back which was missing on the larger Phantom 6 Plus, I loved the AMOLED display, the camera, the battery life and the gold-theme software. Other than receiving Android Nougat over the last few weeks, not much should have changed.
Price: Kshs 21,000
10. Moto G5 Plus
The Moto G5 Plus has been around since late February when they made a splash at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Spain. It only made it to the Kenyan market 2 months later but it has occupied its rightful spot ever since, the sweet spot between the pricey Moto Z and the cheap Moto C and E series devices.
For Kshs 27,000 this weekend, you get a f/1.7 12-megapixel camera, a Snapdragon 625 processor, Android Nougat and more.
The above deals are available countrywide at Safaricom shops and other selected spots. Check this list to see where to take advantage of the offers in any major town in the country.
