Search results

Samsung's two most affordable new phones for 2026 both land under R4,000 or within reach of it. The Galaxy A08 starts at R3,299 and the Galaxy A18 sells for R4,699. Both arrived quietly in mid-September, a year after the A07 and A17 they replace. They share a 6.7-inch screen size and Samsung's six-year update promise, but they are built for different buyers. The A08 is the battery phone: a big cell, a basic screen and the lowest price. The A18 is the step up, with a sharper AMOLED display, a newer chip and a fuller camera set. If you have around R4,000 to spend, here is how to choose between them, and where the new Galaxy A07s fits in. Galaxy A08: the battery-first budget pick The A08's headline feature is its 6,000mAh battery. That is 20% more than the A07 offered, and paired with a modest HD+ screen it should comfortably outlast a full day of use. Charging tops out at 25W over USB-C, and there is no charger in the box, so budget for one if you don't already own a fast charger. The rest is familiar. You get a 6.7-inch HD+ LCD with a 90Hz refresh rate, a MediaTek Helio G99 processor with 4GB of RAM, a 50MP main camera with a 2MP depth sensor, and an 8MP selfie camera in a notch. It is a 4G phone with a side-mounted fingerprint reader, a headphone jack and IP64 dust and splash resistance. Performance is fine for WhatsApp, banking apps, social media and streaming. It is not a gaming phone, and 4GB of RAM means heavy multitasking will show its limits. 64GB or 128GB? The A08 comes in two storage sizes: 64GB at R3,299 and 128GB at R4,099. Both accept a microSD card of up to 2TB. 64GB suits light users: calls, WhatsApp and a handful of apps. The system and pre-installed apps take a fair slice of that space, so expect to lean on a memory card for photos and video early on. 128GB is the one most people should buy. Not every app can live on a memory card, and a phone with six years of updates ahead of it needs room to grow. The gap is R800. If you can stretch to it, take the 128GB. If R4,000 is a firm limit, the 64GB model with a memory card will do the job. Galaxy A18: the step up The A18 sells for R4,699, which is R600 more than the 128GB A08, and most of that extra money goes into the screen. It has a 6.7-inch Full HD+ Super AMOLED panel at 90Hz. Next to the A08's HD+ LCD it is noticeably sharper, with richer colour and true blacks, and you will see the difference every time you watch a video or scroll a feed. Samsung has also changed the chip. The A18 drops the Helio G99 used in last year's A17 for Samsung's own Exynos 1610, paired with 4GB of RAM and 128GB of storage. Expect a smoother phone than the A08, although 4GB of RAM is still the ceiling here. The cameras are more versatile too. The back carries a 50MP main camera, a 5MP ultrawide and a 2MP macro, and the selfie camera steps up to 13MP. The ultrawide and the better front camera are the practical gains over the A08. The trade-off is battery. The A18 has a 5,000mAh cell with 25W charging, which is good for a day but will not match the A08's stamina. In return you get a slimmer 7.7mm body, the same IP64 rating and the same six years of updates. How the A08 compares to the new A07s The Galaxy A07s is Samsung's other new entry-level phone, launched in September. It is last year's A07 with a newer Helio G99+ chip, which puts it one rung below the A08. Where the A08 is ahead: Battery: 6,000mAh against 5,000mAh Durability: IP64 against IP54, so the A08 is fully dust-tight Where the A07s is ahead: Processor: the newer Helio G99+ against the A08's Helio G99 Size: slimmer and lighter, at 7.6mm and 188g against 8.0mm and 197g Everything else matches: the 6.7-inch HD+ 90Hz LCD, 4GB of RAM, 64GB or 128GB of storage, the 50MP and 2MP rear cameras, the 8MP selfie camera, 25W charging and six years of updates. The choice comes down to price. If the A07s is clearly cheaper, it gives you much the same day-to-day experience. At similar money, the A08's bigger battery makes it the better buy. Specs side by side   Galaxy A07s Galaxy A08 Galaxy A18 Display 6.7" HD+ LCD, 90Hz 6.7" HD+ LCD, 90Hz 6.7" Full HD+ Super AMOLED, 90Hz Processor Helio G99+ Helio G99 Exynos 1610 RAM 4GB 4GB 4GB Storage 64GB or 128GB 64GB or 128GB 128GB Rear cameras 50MP + 2MP 50MP + 2MP 50MP + 5MP ultrawide + 2MP macro Selfie camera 8MP 8MP 13MP Battery 5,000mAh 6,000mAh 5,000mAh Charging 25W 25W 25W Dust and water IP54 IP64 IP64 Network 4G 4G 4G Thickness and weight 7.6mm, 188g 8.0mm, 197g 7.7mm, 196g Android upgrades 6 6 6 Which one should you buy at around R4,000? Galaxy A08 64GB: R3,299, and the only one here that comes in under R4,000. It is the cheapest way into a new Samsung with years of updates ahead. Best for light users, first smartphones and anyone who mostly calls and messages. Galaxy A08 128GB: R4,099, so just over the R4,000 line. Choose it if battery life matters most and you want storage that will last. Galaxy A18: R4,699. It is R600 more than the 128GB A08 and the better all-round phone, so stretch to it if you watch a lot of video, take plenty of photos or simply want the nicer screen. Galaxy A07s: worth it only if it is clearly cheaper than the A08. It is much the same phone with a smaller battery. The short version:Buy the A08 for battery life and the A18 for the screen. Either way, around R4,000 now gets you a Samsung that will still be receiving updates in the early 2030s.

Most new phones no longer come with a charger in the box, so the plug you buy decides how fast your phone actually charges. Pick one that is too weak and a phone built for fast charging will crawl. Pick the wrong standard and a powerful charger will fall back to slow speeds. The good news is that you only need to understand three things: how many watts your phone can take, which fast-charging standard it uses, and whether the cable can keep up. This guide covers each one, then looks at wireless charging and what to buy. Watts: the number that matters most Watts (W) measure how much power a charger can deliver, and more watts means a faster charge. The figure comes from two others printed on every charger: volts multiplied by amps. A charger that supplies 9 volts at 2.77 amps is a 25W charger. You do not need to do the maths. You only need to match the charger's wattage to what your phone can accept. Find your phone's maximum. It is listed on the spec sheet as "wired charging" or "fast charging".  Match it or go higher. A 25W phone on a 45W charger still charges at 25W. The phone decides how much power to draw, so a bigger charger is safe. Do not go lower. A 25W phone on an old 5W or 10W plug will charge, but it can take several times longer. As a rough guide, 20W to 30W covers most phones, 45W suits flagship phones that support it, and 65W or more is for charging a tablet or laptop from the same plug. Fast-charging standards: the language your charger speaks A charger only delivers its full wattage if it and the phone agree on a fast-charging standard. If they do not, the phone falls back to a slow, safe speed. These are the names to look for on the box. USB Power Delivery (PD) is the universal standard. iPhones, Samsung Galaxy phones and most other Android phones use it over a USB-C port. If a charger says PD, it will fast-charge almost anything. PPS (Programmable Power Supply) is an add-on to PD that lets the phone fine-tune the power as it charges. Samsung's Super Fast Charging needs it, so a Galaxy phone only reaches its full 25W or 45W on a PD charger with PPS. Quick Charge (QC) is an older standard found on many Android phones and on USB-A ports. It is useful for older devices, but PD has replaced it on most new phones. Brand-specific systems from Xiaomi, Oppo, Huawei and Honor reach very high wattages, but only with the brand's own charger and cable. On a standard PD charger these phones still charge, just more slowly. The simple rule: a PD charger with PPS, at or above your phone's wattage, is the safest all-round buy. The cable and the ports A fast charger with the wrong cable is a slow charger. The cable has a power limit of its own. Use USB-C to USB-C for fast charging. Power Delivery runs over USB-C at both ends. The older USB-A to USB-C cables cannot carry it, so they hold a new phone back. Check the cable's wattage. A standard USB-C cable handles up to 60W, which is plenty for any phone.  Older iPhones need Lightning. For an iPhone with a Lightning port, choose a USB-C to Lightning cable so you can still use a PD charger. The charger's ports matter too. If you charge more than one device, look at a multi-port charger, but remember the wattage on the box is the total. A 65W charger with three ports shares that 65W between whatever is plugged in. You will also see GaN on many newer chargers. It stands for gallium nitride, a material that lets a charger run cooler and pack more power into a smaller body. It does not charge faster by itself, but it makes a 45W or 65W charger pocket-sized. Wireless charging: convenience over speed Wireless charging sends power from a coil in the pad to a coil in the back of the phone. It is slower than a good wired charger and runs a little warmer, but nothing beats dropping your phone on a pad at your desk or bedside. First check that your phone supports it. Most flagship and many mid-range phones do, while entry-level models do not. Qi (say "chee") is the universal wireless standard. Any Qi phone works on any Qi pad, typically at 5W to 15W. Qi2 adds a ring of magnets so the phone snaps into the right spot every time. Good alignment means less wasted power and less heat. Qi2 chargers deliver 15W, and the newest reach 25W. MagSafe is Apple's magnetic system for the iPhone 12 and later, and Qi2 is built on the same idea. A MagSafe or Qi2 charger is the best match for a recent iPhone. Three things to know before you buy: The pad still needs a plug. Many wireless chargers come without a wall adapter. A 15W pad needs a PD adapter of about 20W or more behind it to reach full speed. Cases matter. Thick cases, metal plates and bank cards in a wallet case can block or slow charging. For magnetic chargers, use a magnetic case. Pick the shape for the place. A flat pad suits a bedside table, a stand lets you see the screen at a desk, and a 3-in-1 charger handles several devices from one plug. Chargers worth a look at Technomobi These picks from Technomobi's wall charger, wireless charger and charging cable ranges cover the most common needs. If you need Consider Power Price An everyday fast charger for an iPhone Loopd 1 Port 20W PD Wall Charging Adapter 20W R159 The right plug for a 25W Samsung Samsung Galaxy GaN Travel Adapter 25W 25W R449 A budget 25W plug Superfly 25 Watt Single Type C Wall Charger 25W R199 Full speed on a 45W Samsung flagship Samsung 1 Port Travel Adapter 45W 45W R619 A compact 45W charger Anker 1 Port Nano Type C PD Wall Charger 45W 45W R529 One plug for phone, tablet and laptop UGreen 3 Port GaN 65W PD Wall Charger 65W R639 A simple wireless pad Snug Wireless Pad Charger 15W 15W R239 A wireless stand with Qi2 magnets Canyon OnCharge 205 15W Qi2 2-in-1 Stand 15W R549 The fastest magnetic wireless charging UGREEN Magnetic Wireless Charger 25W 25W R559 Several devices on one wireless charger Snug 3-in-1 Magnetic Wireless Travel Charger 15W 15W R469 A USB-C cable for any phone Samsung Type C to Type C 60W 1m Cable 60W R229 A USB-C cable that also handles a laptop Anker USB-C to USB-C 1m 240W Braided Cable 240W R219 Prices are Technomobi's listed sale prices on 9 October 2026 and may change. These products were also available at the time of this article. visit the collection above this table to shop newer models. The 30-second checklist Look up your phone's maximum charging wattage. Buy a charger that matches it or goes higher. Check the standard. PD for almost everything, PD with PPS for Samsung, and the brand's own charger for Xiaomi, Oppo, Huawei or Honor top speeds. Pair it with a USB-C to USB-C cable rated for the wattage, or USB-C to Lightning for an older iPhone. Count your devices. One phone needs one port. A phone, tablet and laptop call for a multi-port GaN charger of 65W or more. Add wireless for convenience, not speed, and make sure the pad has a strong enough plug behind it. Get those five right and your phone will charge as fast as it was designed to, every time.