4G network has come at a time when mobile internet is seeing rapid growth in Uganda. It is safe to attribute this to smartphones getting affordable and data prices getting slashed by the day. These seem to have sped up the process significantly. People are purchasing 4G smartphones even in places where 4G services are not yet launched, to future proof themselves maybe. 4G handsets are majorly provided by Apple and Samsung. They are expensive options and only end in a few hands that manage to splash wallet whittling sums on buying cell phones.
But currently Fero and Transsion Holdings (for the uninitiated, that is the company that makes Tecno, Infinix, Itel and Spice smartphone brands) are aggressively launching 4G devices at multiple price points to meet the demand and expectations of today’s consumer. Following closely behind is Huawei Technologies. These devices offer 4G experience in every aspect, from faster browsing, downloading to video streaming, and video calling. Plus, they are very affordable when compared to other brands, giving competitors a good run for their money. Ah, what a time to be alive.
So without further ado, let’s dive into the list of top 10 most affordable 4G smartphones you can buy in Uganda.
1. Fero 1100 4G
This is the cheapest 4G smartphone we could find as we turned the web over to compile this list. Fero 1100 is a 4G/LTE enabled smartphone with dual SIM support, runs on Android 6.0 and has 5″ display screen toughened with dragon trail glass. The processor that captains the functionality is a quad core that clocks at 1.3GHz speed. The device also has some good graphics handler. At this extremely low price, you can’t expect anything ground breaking of course. With a basic smartphone comes basic specs like the 480*854 pixels resolution.
Price: UGX 259,000. (available at Simba Telecom)
Other Specs.
RAM: 1GB
ROM: 8GB expandable by SD card to 32GB.
2350mAh battery.
5MP primary and secondary cameras.
2. Tecno WX3 LTE
Tecno’s expansion continues into the entry-level segment with this WX3 LTE – the second cheapest 4G capable handset on this list of affordable 4G smartphones you can get your hands on in Uganda. UGX 318,000 in Tecno-land gets you a 5-inch 854*480 pixels display smartphone. This is pretty great at this price point if you ask us. Where things start looking gloomy is the chipset – the 1.3GHz quad core processor is an old dog and quite slow at things. And that’s just us being polite. A single gigabyte of RAM and 8GB of storage further reinforce the feeling we’re looking at 2010 phone. The camera department is chaired by a 5MP camera on the back, and a 5MP front-facing unit both with LED. Nothing fancy, obviously.
Price: UGX 318,000. (available at Simba Telecom Tecno Mobile Uganda)
Other Specs.
Android 7.0.
2,500 mAh Li-ion battery
Dual Sim (micro SIM Dual standby)
3. Fero Pace 2
The Pace 2 is a modern looking phone even though it isn’t made out of flagship material. It has a reasonably big 5.5″ 720p 2.5D glass display. The chin bezel might be huge, but at this low price tag Fero gets a pass. It is powered by a MediaTek MT6580 chipset, which is a budget 4G LTE-enabled quad core chipset clocking at 1.3GHz While the Pace 2’s 13MP 5P lens main camera is nothing to write home about, the front 13MP selfie camera with 4P lens and beautify technology will provide you with beautiful selfies.
Price: UGX 359,000. (available at Simba Telecom)
Other Specs.
2GB RAM.
16GB storage expandable to 32GB via memory card.
Android 7.0 Nougat.
4,000 mAh battery.
4. Fero Royale Y2
The Fero brand is quickly picking up pace in Uganda and will soon be synonymous with quality Android experience on a budget with a good reason. It offers very affordable quality smartphones. Enter the Royale Y2, a beautifully crafted smartphone just for you. It comes with a big 3,900 mAh battery, fast quad core chipset for snap operations and a large 5.5 inch IPS LCD screen with great colour performance. Most importantly, is the 4G LTE connectivity for flash browsing, downloads and video streaming. There is a 13MP camera at both sides of the phone with LED lights for your photo needs.
Price: UGX 385,200. (available at Jumia and Simba Telecom)
Other Specs.
Android 7.0 Nougat.
2GB RAM.
16GB storage expandable to 128GB via a memory card.
Rear mounted Fingerprint Scanner.
Dual SIM.
5. Tecno W5
Segmentation is at its finest in the Tecno smartphone lineup. That’s how we have almost the entire alphabet of series with a handful of models in each of them. Somewhere in the chain, is the hugely affordable W series and the Tecno W5 is ready to oblige. The display is a Full HD with 5.5 inches of screen diagonal. The most important feature of the W5 is its compatibility with 4G LTE and it has a frequency band of 3(1800) / 7(2600) / 20(800). The W5 comes with only 1GB of RAM. Storage is a bit less than generous too at 16GB expandable via memory card. The cameras include a primary 8MP Autofocus f/2.0 with LED flash, Geo-tagging, Touch Focus, Face detection, HDR and Panorama, and a front facing 5MP shooter. Additionally, you do get a fingerprint reader.
Price: UGX 459,000. (available at Tecno Mobile Uganda)
Other Specs.
Pixel Per Inch: 300ppi.
Android 6.0 Marshmallow.
1.3GHz Quad-core (MediaTek 6753) Chipset.
Bluetooth v4.0.
3000mAh Non-Removable Battery.
Fast Charging Support.
6. Itel S32 LTE
The S32 is one of those Itel devices on the market that needs no introductions. This beautiful device is made with a poly-carbonate finishing and an all round metal frame travelling through its edges. While other manufacturers competed in dual rear cameras, Itel went for the most unexpected innovation – Dual Selfie Cameras. Being an affordable smartphone, the specs are not so different from other phones in its price range. It’s powered by 1.3 Quad core processor with 2 gigs of RAM. There is an 8MP main camera and dual selfie cameras (2.0MP+8.0MP). Finally, a non removable 3,000mAh battery should provide you with enough power autonomy. This is a 4G enabled version of the regular S32.
Price: UGX 480,000. (available at Itel Uganda)
Other Specs:
Android 7.0 Nougat
5.5 Inch display with a resolution of 1280 x 720 pixels.
16GB of storage expandable up to 32 GB via SD card.
Fingerprint, Accelerometer, Proximity, Light and Compass
7. Tecno Camon CX Air
The CX Air takes after its flamboyant sibling –the CX, in most ways. However, Tecno cut down on some aspects the CX offered but still managed to deliver a sensible and approachable handset. As great at photography as any other Camon in the series, the CX Air manages to hold its head up high while maintaining a relatively lower price. The Camon CX Air is for those who love good camera phones but are on a budget because it’s a lot cheaper than the original CX. In this version, Tecno trims down both cameras to 13MP. The performance is not compromised though since they deliver good quality photos, and all got at a cut down cost. A 1.25GHz quad core MediaTek MT6737 processor runs the operations assisted with 2GB of RAM. Enjoy blistering 4G LTE speeds of up to 150Mbps.
Price: UGX 525,000. (available at Tecno Mobile Uganda)
Other Specs.
5.5-inch IPS Screen display with 720 x 1280 pixels.
Android 7.0 with HiOS 2.0.
16GB Storage expandable up to 128GB.
Rear mounted Fingerprint Sensor.
3200 mAh Battery with Fast Charging.
8. Tecno Camon CM
You don’t really have to look any further than the new Camon CM for proof that Tecno is evolving even if slowly. The 2018 phone is different in a number of ways, some of which more visible than others. First in line is the stunning bezle-less display with 18:9 aspect ratio. Whether or not the new design appeals to you is clearly a matter of personal taste and something we can’t really weigh in on. Although, it is equally easy to say with certainty that it is better than Tecno’s designs of old. The new addition to the Camon series doesn’t divert from the series renown mastery –Photography. It comes equipped with a 13MP rear camera 4 LED ring flash and another 13MP camera taking charge of the selfie job aided by a dedicated LED. The Camon CM is a great 4G camera smartphone that comes at a decent price. Browse the internet with the tremendous speed of 4G with no more lags or stutters while video streaming or video calling. It also offers Android Nougat 7.0 right out of the box, 2 gigs of RAM and 16 GB of storage that you can expand via micro SD card. Tecno’s first bezel free attempt on the display is protected by super-tough Corning Gorilla Glass from scratch and shuttering. If you are on a budget and want to enjoy 4G speeds free from bezels, this is Tecno’s offer exactly for you.
Price: UGX 539,000. (available at Tecno Mobile Uganda)
Other Specs
1,440 x 720 pixels resolution.
Rear mounted finger print scanner.
1.3 GHz Quad Core processor.
9. Huawei Y6 Pro
The Huawei Y6 Pro has enough to make an excellent first impression – 5″ HD IPS display, LTE support, high-res cameras, snappy chipset and 2 gigs of Ram. If the onboard 16GB of storage isn’t enough for your needs, Huawei Y6 Pro accepts MicroSD card upto 128 GB. The smartphone has a sophisticated cameras with 13MP lens on the back supported LED flash and 5 MP front cameras as selfie snapper having the entire best feature like HDR and Panorama. Huawei is clearly not messing around with the power as it throws a 4,000mAh battery into the Y6 Pro. A bigger battery will ensure uninterrupted 4G experience as you won’t need to run often run for the charger.
Price: UGX 550,000. (available at Simba Telecom)
Other Specs.
Bluetooth v4.0.
USB OTG support.
1.3 GHz Quad core processor.
2 GB RAM.
Android Lollipop.
10. Tecno CX
The C9 had every one drooling, and the CX just built on everything good the C9 offered. So, what we have here is the an mid-range smartphone but it’s exactly like Tecno likes to pack them – with the usual high bang for the shilling ratio. The CX is a modern looking phone even though it’s not made of all glass or ceramic flagship materials. It has a reasonably big 5.5″ 1080p display with 400ppi. The processor is an octacore MediaTek MT6750T CPU clocking at 1.5GHz and 2GB of RAM. Armed with a 16MP rear camera with very good dynamic range (meaning photos of the sky will appear blue and not white) the CX leaves the sub-par shooter of its predecessor in the dust. Even the 16MP selfie camera, arguably makes more sense, with very beautiful detailed selfies. You will enjoy 4G speeds of up to 300Mbps with this phone.
Price: UGX 635,000 (available at Tecno Mobile Uganda)
Other Specs.
Android 7.0 with HiOS 2.0.
16GB Storage expandable up to 128GB.
Fingerprint Sensor (Back).
3200 mAh Battery with Fast Charging.
