Three great 5G smartphones which cost less than R5,000 – MyBroadband

South Africa has embarked on a project to deactivate its 2G and 3G networks, meaning people with these devices could be left behind if they fail to upgrade before the switch-off date.

While the logical upgrade would be to a 4G-capable device, several affordable 5G smartphones are available to South Africans who want to upgrade to the latest technology.

South Africa has set 31 December 2027 as the final date for switching off the country’s 2G and 3G networks, with the process kicking off on 1 June 2025.

The Department of Communications and Digital Technologies (DCDT) previously indicated that mobile operators could decide which network to switch off first.

However, it now says that the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (Icasa) will determine this.

“The sequencing for sunsetting of 2G and 3G networks and their related dates will be determined by Icasa subject to conducting an economic and regulatory impact assessment,” the DCDT said in the Next-Generation Radio Frequency Spectrum policy.

A major concern over the switch-off is the unaffordability of 4G and 5G devices for many South Africans.

Vodacom said demand for 2G and 3G devices remains high due to the country’s harsh economic conditions and the high barrier to entry for 4G and 5G devices.

“Transitions of this nature have a significant impact on customers, and we are hopeful that Icasa will work with the industry to develop a practical schedule for sunsetting of legacy technologies during its feasibility study, which we expect to commence shortly,” it said.

MTN told MyBroadband that 2G is still critical to its South African operations. It said more than 30% of its prepaid subscribers relies on the technology.

MTN added that it no longer sells 3G devices and plans to subsidise 4G handsets to make them more affordable to its customers.

“The measures include increasing the investment towards smart feature devices and continue investing in subsidising 4G entry devices to reduce costs so that our customers can afford to purchase these devices,” it said.

However, various 5G-capable devices are available in South Africa that won’t break the bank. MyBroadband found three 5G smartphones for under R5,000 that will meet various user requirements.

5G smartphones under R5,000

While these devices don’t feature flagship specs like top-tier camera systems and processors, they still offer impressive features and specifications that will meet the needs of most South Africans.

We included the ZTE Blade A72 5G, Hisense Infinity H60 5G, and Samsung Galaxy A25. Prices for these devices range from R1,799 for the ZTE to R3,018 for the Hisense smartphone and R4,149 for the Samsung Galaxy A25.

All three devices feature displays with refresh rates higher than 60Hz. The ZTE Blade A72 5G has a 90Hz refresh rate, while the Hisense and Samsung devices increase this to 120Hz.

It also features a lower-resolution display than the rest at 720p. The Hisense and Samsung smartphones offer a 1080p resolution and newer OLED display technology.

Regarding performance, the ZTE Blade A72 5G packs a MediaTek Dimensity 700 SoC and 4GB of RAM, running Android 11.

The Hisense Infinity H60 5G packs a MediaTek Dimensity 810 processor combined with 8GB of RAM. It also runs Android 11.

Samsung’s Galaxy A25 is powered by the company’s in-house Exynos 1280 chip and 6GB of RAM running Android 14.

The table below compares specifications for the ZTE Blade A72 5G, Hisense Infinity H60 5G, and Samsung Galaxy A25.