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6 Important Things You Should Consider When Buying a Smartphone

Updated on May 1, 2020
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Nikhil is a BCA graduate by education and a technical writer by passion and choice. He loves staying up to date with the latest technologies

We cannot deny the fact that now we all are dependent on our smartphones for most of the personal and professional work. They have become an integral part of our lives and will stay for many decades to come.

Be it for watching videos on YouTube, taking pictures, learning new skills online, or connecting with our loved ones in any part of the world through video or voice call; smartphones are used in a plethora of things. For some people, this pocket-sized gadget is not less than a beloved family member. So, are you planning on adding a new member to your family?

Well, this post is not to tell you to stay away from it but to help you buy an ideal smartphone. The smartphone will make your life easier and hopefully minimizes your dependency on the same.

So, if you are planning to buy a new smartphone for yourself or you know someone who is, this post is for them. Below I've shared some of the most important things you should consider when buying a smartphone. So, let's check them out below step-by-step in no particular order:

1. Display

The first parameter you should look for when purchasing a smartphone is the display and its quality. Although these days, most of the smartphones come with good to great screen quality, you must select the ideal size and resolution for you.

In the end, you are going to view everything on your smartphone's screen only. It may be an LCD or AMOLED panel, but the critical thing to know which should suit your needs.

If you watch lots of videos, take pictures, or stream video content online, be sure to consider at least 5.5-inches full-HD+ (1080p+) display smartphone. It will help you give a fantastic immersing viewing experience.

Although if you're on a high budget and you want a better quality screen, you can go for Quad-HD or QHD+ (1440p+) display, which is a higher screen resolution. Remember, higher the resolution higher will be the price of a smartphone.

Quick Question

Since How Long You're Using Your Current Smartphone?

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2. Processor

A lot of people these days use smartphones for playing games, switching between apps, or doing multitasking. Thus, multitasking plays a vital role in your device's performance.

Having an excellent and fast processor on your smartphone is crucial. It gives you a better overall user experience as all the apps and tasks will be handled smoothly and quickly.

Choosing the right processor on a smartphone can be a difficult task, especially if you don't have sound technical knowledge. Although there are certain basic things, you can remember to judge the capability of a processor.

There may be many processors in the market, such as Exynos (by Samsung), Kirin (by Huawei), MediaTek, A12 or A13 Bionic (by Apple), or Helio, but the most popular one is Snapdragon.

The overall market share of Snapdragon-powered smartphones is much more than any other processor. All the Snapdragon processors are built by a US-based company called Qualcomm.

If you are on a standard budget, you can consider Snapdragon processors in 6000 series, such as Snapdragon 636, or 660. While if you are a heavy user, look for a processor with 7000 series, like Snapdragon 712, or 720. Although the higher you go, the more you will have to shell out money on buying a smartphone.

3. Camera

This is probably one of the most important things you should examine in a smartphone, especially if you love taking pictures or videos. One of the biggest myths while considering a good camera is the number of megapixels it has.

Having the highest megapixels in a camera does not necessarily mean it will produce great pictures or videos. You must also look for other features in the camera, such as ISO levels, pixel size, camera aperture, etc. while selecting a smartphone.

Unlike earlier times, these days, most of the smartphones come with two, three, or even four cameras at the back. Although the idea behind putting different cameras is innovative, it doesn't mean that it will give better results.

Even smartphones with two cameras might provide better quality images and videos as compared to the one with three or more camera sensors. It is due to software tuning in the camera and the pixel size in the lens.

If you are a selfie freak or use the front camera more often, a standard 16 megapixels will be pretty enough.

4. Built Quality

Are you looking to buy a mobile device that can last for at least a few years?

Well, while nobody can guarantee you about that particular thing, most of it also depends on the durability of your smartphone. So, the next parameter you should consider when buying a new smartphone is its durability.

Most of the smartphones in the market come with either metal or plastic body. So, now it's your choice which one you would like to buy. Are you confused about which one is ideal for you? Well, worry not; I will answer that as well.

On the one hand, metal is more robust and durable; it will be a little heavy to carry around and will cost you extra bucks. While on the other hand, plastic body smartphones may look as stylish as metal ones and can cost a little less; they may not be durable in the long-term. So, in the end it all depends on your personal choice and preference.

5. Storage

Storage is yet another critical aspect when you consider purchasing a new smartphone. In the end, all your pictures, videos, docs, apps, or any other file will be stored primarily in the phone's memory.

Although most of a smartphone's memory is taken up by the OS and pre-installed apps, you will get ample storage for keeping your docs and files.

As smartphones are getting cheaper day by day, companies have started offering more storage spaces in them. Nowadays, you can easily get a 64GB internal storage on any budget-level smartphone. However, if you can spend more than that, go for at least a 128GB storage option. A

lso, while considering the phone's internal memory, make sure to go for ample RAM size as well. Look for at least 4 or 6GB RAM smartphone that is readily available in mid-range to upper mid-range smartphones.

Storage memory also comes in a variety of technology, such as UFS 2.1, UFS 3.0, or UFS 3.1. It affects the quality of storage on a smartphone. As compared to the UFS 3.0 or 3.1, UFS 2.1 is the old storage technology.

Not only this, but the newest UFS storage quality can also withstand higher temperatures up to 105-degrees Celsius.

The latest technology storage is also power efficient. Therefore, you must look into the storage quality when buying a smartphone.

Some of the latest smartphones with this technology include Realme X50 Pro 5G, OnePlus 7T Pro, Asus ROG Phone 2, Samsung Galaxy Note 10 and Note 10 Plus, etc.

6. Miscellaneous

Apart from all the parameters mentioned above, there are some miscellaneous things you should consider when planning for a new smartphone. These may include wireless charging, stereo speakers, headphone jack, and network carrier support.

Wireless charging is the technology of charging your device without the use of a cable. It costs with a wireless pad or holder. Although the feature never became popular in the smartphone industry, it may be useful for people who often go for traveling.

The stereo speakers are the dual-speakers at the top and bottom of your phone that give you a fantastic experience while watching video content or playing games.

When planning to buy a new smartphone, you should also consider whether it has a 3.5mm headphone jack or not. Although most of the new phones still come with the audio jack, it's best to confirm the same.

Final Poll

Which is the most important factor for you when buying a smartphone?

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Conclusion

As smartphone makers are testing and offering new features and technologies, customers are finding it difficult to choose the right phone for them. However, based on your needs and requirements, and of course, budget, you can buy a smartphone ideal for you.

Some Interesting Yet Worrisome Facts about Smartphones:

  • According to Bankmycell's latest stats of 2020, there are currently 3.5 billion smartphone users in the world. And this converts to about 45.04% of the world's population.
  • As per the prediction by Statista, the number of total mobile devices is expected to soar to about 7.33 billion by 2023.
  • Huawei and Xiaomi are the fastest-growing smartphone brands in the world, reports IDC (International Data Corporation).
  • Currently, India is the second-largest internet market in the world, only behind China, with over 560 million internet users, as per Statista.
  • According to Baylor, female college students all across the world spend ten hours daily on their mobile phones.

This content is accurate and true to the best of the author’s knowledge and is not meant to substitute for formal and individualized advice from a qualified professional.

© 2020 Nikhil Sharma

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