How to Pick a Smartphone? Top Factors to Consider

Who would’ve thought twenty years ago that we could access any piece of information from the palm of our hands in an instant? From keeping in touch with our friends on the other side of the world to monitoring stock fluctuations, so much has been made possible by our smartphones.

 

Buying a phone can be just as anxiety inducing as it is exciting. We have become completely dependent on our phones which makes picking the right phone even more significant.

These days many people are noticing that phones last a lot longer than they used to and buying a used cell phone is a very attractive option due to this leap in longevity. You can also get used phones for a lot less than new, and its now possible to sell your old phones online to help you pay for the new one.

We’ve listed the top factors you need to consider when buying a phone, whether it’s your first phone, a used phone, or a work phone.

1. Battery Life

Battery life for a phone is one of the most important factors when buying a phone. If you’re the type that uses your phone on social media, texting, or simply loves to binge shows on your phone then you need a device that’s at least going to last at least 6 to 8 hours on a single charge. A phone with a minimum of 3000 mAh battery life is a spec that you’ll want to look for.

2. Processing Power

If you’re a diehard Apple fan then your choices are pretty clear. All the phones in their lineup are built for high processing power. Their bionic / A series chip processors not only allow for seamless online gaming, but also other heavy duty tasks like music production and photo editing.

 

For Androids, your best pick would ideally be a Google Pixel or Samsung Galaxy which run on the powerful Snapdragon processors. Processing power also includes memory so you might want to keep a look out for the RAM on your phone as well. Anything with 6GB of RAM or more is great for light gaming, browsing and streaming but if you juggle a lot of high-powered apps such as Asphalt, TikTok, or Snapchat (which are notorious for draining your battery and hogging up your entire RAM) then stay on the safe side and get a phone with a higher RAM – 8GB or beyond.

3. Display

While there are various display types used in smartphones today, like the LCD, OLED, AMOLED (which is a variation of an OLED display), ultimately the choice comes to what size you like personally.

If you use your phone for watching movies, gaming or for video calls, you should opt for a smartphone that is equipped with a display of more than 5.5 inches. Anything less than this may be too small.

If you like smaller phones (which are gaining popularity these days) then you’re probably not too worried about the type of screen and are looking for ease of use. In such a case you can go for the iPhone SE with a 4.7 inch screen or the iPhone 12 Mini which is a 5.4 inch Super Retina XDR Display, but has the same processing power as the other iPhones in the 12 series. For Androids, the smallest that you will find is the Samsung Galaxy S10e which has a 5.8 inch OLED display or the Pixel 4a also at 5.8 inches. Picking a phone according to display size really depends on your preferences.

4. Camera

Last but not least, the camera. Your phone is the one thing you carry with you everywhere to capture and create memories. Having a decent camera on your phone is essential, unless you’re comfortable carrying a DSLR camera around. But if you’re not, picking a phone with a good camera is a major deciding factor when buying a phone.

 

Apple iPhones are well known for taking great photos, especially portraits. However, there are also many Android phones that have decent cameras such as the Samsung Galaxy A series , the OnePlus Nord Series, or the Google Pixel A series.

Pick a Phone That is Right for You!

Ultimately, the right phone depends on your needs and what you will be using it for. When you know what to look for buying a phone becomes a much more enjoyable process. Before you go jumping from one online store to the next try to decide on a few phones that would work for you. This will make your shopping process easier and ultimately help you find the right phone faster.