Before you visit the phone store, consider these five important things
Even if you’re familiar with smartphones, a buyer’s guide can introduce you to new features you might have overlooked. The Android ecosystem is versatile, and the OS is always receiving updates. You want to stay up-to-date on current trends and choose a phone you won’t end up regretting. Now, let’s help you make the smart choices.
1. Budget
You can’t talk about smartphone purchasing without money. You could sit on your couch and imagine your dream phone. Still, you have to be realistic about how far your wallet can go to acquire it. One thing that helps me is making a list.
How to make a phone shopping list
I like to make a list of features that I can’t do without in a phone. For example, large battery capacity, RAM, and powerful cameras with a processor that runs it all smoothly. Then I make a separate list for desirables. These are the features that are nice to have, but not particularly necessary. For example, expandable storage, facial recognition, Circle to Search, and wireless charging.
Next, I look up phones from brands I admire. Samsung is always my top choice because they offer quality phone series for every budget. You can buy an A series and enjoy near-flagship qualities, settle for the budget F series, Or squeeze out your pockets for the top Z and S series phones like the Galaxy S24 Ultra.
Basically, check the phone ranges the company offers and their prices to see your options. If you’ve decided that you want a flagship, middle range, or budget phone, you can run a quick Google search for keywords like “best Oppo phones” or “best Samsung camera phones”. Tech experts are always reviewing gadgets to make your decisions easier.
You can also get phone range and pricing information from manufacturer websites, carrier stores, and online retailers. From here, you’ll be able to narrow down from dozens of phones to a handful.
How to calculate your phone budget
When you’ve seen a phone’s price, calculate it with accessories, different mobile carrier plans, and other things you need. It’ll give you the total ownership cost of your phone. If it’s more than you can afford, you may need to do the following:
- Return to your list and evaluate your needs and desirables.
- Consider alternative phones from more affordable brands. For example, Realme and Motorola instead of Samsung.
- Consider pre-owned phones or trade-ins. You’re more likely to negotiate prices and deals with the seller.
- Save up for the phone.
How to avoid steep maintenance costs
One thing people commonly overlook is the costs that come after buying a phone, especially an expensive one. If you’re someone who has to save for months before getting a phone, you want to estimate repair costs. You can’t buy a flagship, and not spend on flagship quality over time.
If your device were to develop issues, you’d spend more on those types of phones than on middle and low-range phones. You don’t have to factor these costs into your budget right away. Just have it at the back of your mind before you rush to the phone store.
2. Technical specifications
This part of buying a phone is crucial because it helps you choose future-proofing features over aesthetics. If you plan to use your phone for more than two years or resell it, you’ll get more value for their processors, RAMs, and other hardware — and for maintaining them properly.
Battery capacity
A phone’s battery life is measured in milliampere-hours (mAh). It tells you how much electrical energy your phone’s battery can store. The milliampere (mA) is a unit that measures the rate at which electric current flows through circuits in the device. One alone is equal to one-thousandth of an ampere (A). An ampere is the standard unit for electric current, meaning that the mA is a smaller unit. The h stands for hours.
In combination, your phone’s battery mAh is its overall power storing capacity. The general rule of thumb is that the higher the numbers indicating it, the higher and better the capacity. 2,500 mAh is a decent starting point for light users. That is, anyone who hardly uses their phone for anything other than calling, texting, and other basic functionality.
People who like to stream music on Spotify and alternative platforms, watch movies, and use social media can do with 3,500 mAh or higher. 4,500 mAh and above is the ideal choice for playing the best games and other heavy-duty tasks.
Over time, your battery’s capacity will degrade the more you charge it. No matter the quality, it’s not built to last forever and will need replacement eventually. You want to be careful how often you charge and overload it with phone tasks.
Camera quality
A common misconception when buying phones is that a higher megapixel count makes a great camera. That’s not true, as there are multiple factors that come together to make it possible. For one, pixels appear as a “group” on your camera lens. The fewer megapixels in that group there are, the larger each one is in size.
Larger pixels capture more light and reduce noise, particularly in low-light situations. Because mobile sensors have limited space, that means higher megapixels can actually generate poorer image quality. You’d be shocked to know that a 13MP camera can outperform a 40MP camera.
You should also take time to research the phone’s zoom range and aperture, as well as if it offers smart features like optical image stabilization (OIS) and high dynamic range (HDR).
Storage, RAM & processor
Manufacturer websites and product packaging will give you clues about a phone’s performance. The storage capacity will hold all your files and apps, so you’ll want something large if you’re fond of downloading new things frequently. Phone storage and RAM are measured in gigabytes (GB). Depending on the manufacturer, there may be a slot for expanding the storage with an SD card.
A significant portion of your phone’s storage will always hold system apps. These are core apps your phone needs to function properly, although third-party manufacturers add their own bloatware. So, even if the product’s package says you’ll get 128GB storage, around 12GB is reserved for system apps. That means you’re down to 116GB.
As for the RAM, a higher capacity means smoother multitasking and performance when running resource-intensive apps. Expert reviews and benchmark comparisons will explain the processor’s performance better.
3. Android OS versatility
Google Pixel, Samsung Galaxy, Asus, and Motorola phones are all Android phones — but they’re different. Confusing? Here’s a breakdown to help you understand it.
Android phones all run a custom operating system that gives developers room to develop it. Pixel phones run the pure stock version of Android since they’re Google’s own products. In case you didn’t already know, Google developed the Android OS you’re familiar with. Because of this privilege, the phones always receive the latest versions of Android before any other devices and occasional feature drops like the one in March. The phones are also renowned for their sharp camera quality.
On the other hand, there’s the Galaxy device range. They’re also Android phones, except that Samsung has heavily customized them with the One UI app launcher. It offers its own apps and services, like Samsung Pass in place of Google Autofill and Samsung Internet Browser for the Chrome browser. Likewise, the other aforementioned manufacturers, and more, tweak the Android OS in their own way.
4. Warranty & software updates
A warranty is what will save you if you end up buying a crappy phone from an unpopular manufacturer, or a defective one from your favorite brand. It’s the manufacturer’s promise to you that they’ll compensate you if the product doesn’t work.
If the phone malfunctions within the warranty period, you’re eligible for free or discounted repairs, replacements, or returns. The warranty may cover cracked screens, a faulty battery, or a malfunctioning camera that came out of the box. However, if you accidentally dropped the phone or ruined it yourself, you’ll bear the full costs as it’s your fault. Typically, smartphone companies will offer you one to two years of coverage.
As for updates, they offer security patches to protect your phone against threats and introduce new features. Depending on the manufacturer, you may receive from two to four years of major updates with occasional minor ones. Sometimes, manufacturers extend updates for select phones. For example, the Samsung Galaxy S24 series will get updates until 2031.
Buy quality phones without breaking the bank
Now, you know the secrets to successfully buying a phone. If you’ve considered all the above factors and still struggle to get something worthy, there are options you can try to cheapen the deal. Instead of buying directly from the manufacturer, get the phone from third-party retailers like Amazon, Best Buy, or your local phone store. Occasionally, they’ll run special discounts. Alternatively, buy unlocked or second-hand phones.
