Buying a new phone: how do you choose the right one?
New year, new phone! Looking for a new smartphone for your Sim Only plan? Choosing the right phone is a very personal decision, and it's well worth taking the time to think it through carefully. You'll...
Door The Phone Shopper
Gepubliceerd: 2019-02-05
Buying a new phone: how do you choose the right one?
New year, new phone! Looking for a new smartphone for your Sim Only plan?
Choosing the right phone is a very personal decision, and it's well worth taking the time to think it through carefully. Ideally, you'll be using it for years to come,
so you'd better make sure you two get along. Here's everything you need to consider!
What matters most to you?
First things first: think about what you actually value in a smartphone.
Are you the type who dives deep into specs to get the fastest processor and the most memory for your money,
or do you always stick to the same operating system? There are a huge number of smartphones out there, so decide what you're really looking for before you start browsing.
Comparing apples and robots
The operating system is the most visible part of your phone, aside from its physical appearance.
It also has the biggest influence on how your smartphone works and which apps you can use.
To cut through the noise, it helps to answer one key question right at the start of your search:
do you go with Android or iOS?
Android: highly customisable and available at every price point
Android is Google's mobile operating system. It's enormously popular and there's a vast range of phones that run it.
That means you'll find an Android phone at virtually every budget — perfect for finding a great value handset for your Sim Only plan.
The operating system is also very open and transparent. If you're reasonably tech-savvy, you can easily tweak and customise it to your liking.
iOS: user-friendly and secure
iOS is Apple's mobile operating system. It's only available on the (often premium-priced) iPhone, but that certainly hasn't hurt its popularity.
You can't really customise iOS, but the system is extremely stable and secure.
On top of that, iOS is fully optimised for the iPhone's hardware, making it fast and energy-efficient.
Hardware: the ingredients for a great phone
Made your choice between Android and iOS? Great! Now you can turn your attention to the hardware.
This is what tells you whether a phone is truly good.
Below, we explain what the most important components actually do.
Processor: the brain of your smartphone
Think of the processor as the brain of your smartphone.
The better the processor, the faster apps launch on your device.
There are broadly two factors you can use to judge whether a processor is better or worse than other chipsets.
Cores: the hard workers
A processor contains cores. These perform countless calculations to launch apps and keep your games running smoothly. Today's processors typically have four or eight cores — known as quad-core or octa-core.
More cores is better, because there are more cores sharing the computational workload.
GHz: an indicator of speed
Clock speed, expressed in GHz, gives an indication of how powerful a processor is.
The rule here is simple: the higher the GHz, the faster your processor runs.
The best processors have eight cores and a clock speed of at least 2.2 GHz. Budget models often clock in at 1.8 GHz,
though even lower clock speeds do exist.
RAM: your phone's short-term memory
RAM (random access memory) is the working memory of a smartphone. This short-term memory keeps track of which apps you have open.
The more RAM you have, the faster you can switch between different apps.
2 GB of RAM is considered low, while 4, 6 or even 8 GB is plenty.
Storage: plenty of GB for the collectors among us
Do you snap photos constantly and prefer to have too many apps rather than too few?
Then it's worth choosing a new phone with plenty of storage capacity.
This long-term memory holds not just the operating system, but also your apps, music, photos and videos.
Just like RAM, more is better.
Keep in mind: the operating system takes up storage space.
In practice, a smartphone with 16 GB of storage never has that full amount of free space available,
because the operating system is already installed on the device.
Some smartphones allow you to expand storage capacity using a Micro SD card.
Battery: "I'm on 1%, so if I disappear…"
Phones used to last a few days between charges, but with the large screens and countless features of modern smartphones, those days are long gone.
If you're constantly on your phone but don't want to run out of battery by the end of the day,
pay close attention to the battery capacity, measured in milliampere-hours (mAh).
A higher number means a larger battery capacity.
These days, a large battery typically comes in at 3500 or 4000 mAh.
3000 mAh is also perfectly solid. The lower the mAh, the more often you'll need to charge your smartphone.
When it comes to taste, there are no rules
You can also choose a new phone based on its beautiful design, large screen or impressive camera.
These features don't say much about how fast a smartphone is, but they do account for a large part of the device's price —
because they largely determine how much you'll enjoy using it.
Design: important for falling in love with your smartphone
Just as you don't only look at size, price and material quality when buying a pair of shoes,
you probably also want your smartphone to look great and feel right for you. How does the phone's interface look?
Where are the various buttons positioned? How does it sit in your hand? Which colour suits you best?
Taste is personal, so we can't advise you there. Just don't get too hung up on technical specifications.
Like a good pair of shoes, a smartphone needs to feel right for you — and once it does, you'll love it!
Build materials play a big role in the phone's price. A plastic exterior is cheaper, but less premium than metal.
Screen: high resolution or longer battery life?
The screen also plays a significant role in your phone's price. It's the most important component you interact with every day.
When it comes to the screen, resolution is key — it determines how sharp the image looks.
The more pixels, the sharper the display. Most phones offer a Full HD resolution of 1920×1080 pixels or higher.
Another display choice you'll need to make is the technology used.
Do you go for the affordable, tried-and-tested LCD, or the more vibrant, higher-quality (but pricier) OLED?
Camera: more megapixels isn't always better
There's plenty to consider when it comes to cameras. Do you want a single lens or a dual-lens setup? Do you go for as many megapixels as possible?
Good to know: a great camera isn't just about megapixels. Other components have just as much influence on image quality.
These include the size of the sensor, the material the lens is made from, and how wide the aperture goes.
One thing is certain: a great smartphone camera is about much more than megapixels alone.
Read a review: it might be all you need to make up your mind!
Have you got your eye on a new phone but just need that final nudge to pull the trigger?
Reading a review can be all it takes. These days, virtually every smartphone gets reviewed.
A smartphone expert puts the phone through its paces and shares their verdict. Made up your mind and ready to buy?
You can compare and order phones right here on our website. You're also welcome to visit us in store in Nijverdal.
Has your smartphone taken a tumble? Pop in soon or book an appointment.
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