Using an old smartphone in 2021 might make you feel outdated. So, you plan to buy a
new smartphone.
But, to buy a smartphone you are confused which one to go for.
In this age of fast-growing technology and smartphones becoming an essential part of
our lives, it has become a necessity to own a smartphone.
So, this article is the complete Smartphone Buying Guide for you in 2021.
This will ease your decision to buy a smartphone, which perfectly suits your needs.
So, let’s get started.
1. Smartphone Buying Guide 2021
Using an old smartphone in 2021 might make you feel outdated. So, you plan to buy a
new smartphone.
But, to buy a smartphone you are confused which one to go for.
In this age of fast-growing technology and smartphones becoming an essential part of
our lives, it has become a necessity to own a smartphone.
So, this article is the complete Smartphone Buying Guide for you in 2021.
This will ease your decision to buy a smartphone, which perfectly suits your needs.
So, let’s get started.
Highlights
● The first thing to focus on is the price you want to pay for a new smartphone.
● You must genuinely identify what all features do you need in a smartphone.
● This article will help you find the best mobile phone for your needs.
Overview
It is absolutely true that smartphones have become an essential need for our lives.
Earlier, phones were seen only as a medium of communication. But now it plays a major
role in our lives.
Be it communication, work, entertainment, shopping, productivity and nowadays,
studies primarily depend on smartphones.
Many people are buying smartphones every day, and the number of smartphones
available in the market is exponentially increasing, day by day.
With so many options flooded around you, it might be a tough decision for you to buy a
smartphone.
Don’t worry! We’ll help you figure out which is the best mobile phone for your needs.
2. How to buy the best smartphone
This is a detailed smartphone guide which will focus on every detail you should look for
when you buy a smartphone.
1. Budget
Be it a smartphone or any other gadget which you want to buy; the first factor to
think upon is the budget.
Who doesn’t want a smartphone with top-notch specs, splendid display and
performance?
Ultimately, it is the price of the smartphone which should satisfy your budget.
Before checking out any other factors, you should first determine what is the
budget range you will spend to buy a new smartphone.
The budget will play an important role in setting the benchmarks for your new
smartphone.
For example, if you are willing to spend Rs. 10,000 for a smartphone, you can’t
expect it to have flagship features.
You must have understood what I meant to say.
So, the first thing to decide is the budget range or the price which you want to
pay for the new smartphone.
2. Performance
The processor handles the performance of your device, alternatively known as
SoC or chipset.
It is the primary controlling and functioning unit of a smartphone.
The processor is not only limited to performing heavy tasks and running the
system.
3. But, it also enhances various other factors in a smartphone like image
processing, charging and battery optimization, AI capabilities and much more.
There are only a handful of manufacturers whose processors we see in today’s
gen smartphones.
They include,
● Apple’s A-series Bionic chips
● Qualcomm’s Snapdragon processors
● MediaTek’s Helio and Dimensity series of processors
● Samsung’s Exynos chips
● Huawei’s HiSilicon Kirin processors
Of these Apple A-series Bionic chips are only used in iPhones and iPads. They do not
use any other manufacturer’s chips. And Huawei also does the same.
Samsung uses it’s in-house Exynos chips in some devices, while in others they source
it from Qualcomm and MediaTek.
Talking about performance Apple’s processors are very well known for its raw
computing power, image processing and overall system management.
But others are also no slouch, the closest competitors are Qualcomm and HiSilicon
Kirin. They are accomplished and perform equally well.
Nowadays, MediaTek is also in the limelight with its new gen Dimensity and latest Helio
series processors.
They are implemented in various latest devices and have proven themselves.
Samsung’s Exynos processors haven’t received a plausible response. But they are also
good as we have seen many flagship devices from the Galaxy series making use of it.
To make your decision easy, I have a solution:
Flagship Processors
● Apple A13 and A14 bionic chips
● Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 800 series
● Exynos 9825, 2100, 1000/2000 series
● MediaTek’s Dimensity 1000 series
4. ● HiSilicon Kirin 9000, 990, 980
Upper mid-range
● Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 700 series
● Exynos 980, 990
● MediaTek’s Dimensity 700, 800 series and Helio G90T, G95
● HiSilicon Kirin 810
Mid-range
● Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 600 series
● MediaTek’s Helio G80, G85
Budget range
● Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 400 series
● MediaTek’s Helio A and P series processors
From the above data you can roughly get an idea, which processor to choose
from.
3. RAM and Storage
The RAM and storage are other important factors while buying a smartphone.
RAM plays an important role in running your system effectively and smoothly.
While the storage has necessary files and required by the system and of course,
the data you store.
These days smartphones come with many RAM and storage options. But it solely
depends on you what are your preferences and working scenarios.
Let me give you a quick insight:
● 4 Gb RAM — Daily tasks, browsing, calling and normal usage
● 6-8 Gb RAM- Occasional or mediocre gaming, multitasking.
● Above 8 Gb RAM- High-end gaming, multitasking, running heavy apps,
CPU intensive works.
5. You can now easily judge which type of user you are and select according to it.
For storage, the conditions are also the same. It depends on how many data you deal
with.
If you are in confusion, then make sure that your phone supports microSD card slot for
future storage expansion.
The RAM and storage on every device have different interfaces. This interface allows
the processor to retrieve information and memory from both the storages faster.
The latest ones include UFS 3.1 storage and LPDDR5 RAM.
4. Display
The display is the most prominent part of the smartphone. It acts as an I/O
interface between the user and the system.
There are mainly two types of displays:
● IPS LCD- It is cheaper than AMOLED and most widely used.
● AMOLED- It is a better display than IPS LCD and consumes less power
Both are equally good in their respective areas. AMOLED displays are better
than IPS panels in terms of colour reproduction and battery consumption.
But IPS panels are also great.
Manufacturers offer to compensate on both sides, either an IPS display with high
refresh rate or an AMOLED panel these days.
If you are into gaming, then a display with higher refresh rate is recommended.
But if you want a premium viewing experience, opt for an AMOLED one.
The last point to look at is the display brightness. 400-500 nits of brightness is
considered average for IPS panels.
AMOLED displays have higher brightness than IPS ones.
I would highly recommend going for an AMOLED display.
6. 5. Camera
Do not believe in the no. of megapixels a camera has. It takes more than
numbers to capture a wonderful photo.
Image processing, hardware employed and processor’s ISP play a major role in
clicking excellent pictures.
Always look for some camera samples while buying a smartphone.
And, if possible, avoid the 2MP+2MP crap sensors, they don't add a worth to
your camera setup.
We know iPhones and Pixel devices for their good quality pictures, using no
extra sensors or high megapixel count.
6. Software
There are two pieces of software running in the smartphone industry, Android
and iOS.
I would recommend you to:
● Prefer Android
It has freedom and flexibility. Supports many customization features and
has access to many apps (official and third-party).
Android devices also have custom skin on top. I suggest you have a real
time usage of the UI, whose device you’re going to buy.
It will give you more in-depth experience.
● Prefer iOS
It is very secure and has timely updates for around 4-5 years. If you want
a phone for long-term usage, go for it.
7. 7. Battery
A smartphone’s battery should at least last you a full day on a single charge. A
battery capacity above 4,500 mAh is considered as a good option.
It also will last you almost a day of normal usage.
In this fast-paced life a fast-charger has become a necessity. A minimum 30W
fast- charger should be the base limit of your choice.
8. Form Factor and Ergonomics
When you hold a smartphone, it should give you a good in-hand feeling.
The smartphone's thickness and weight should be well-balanced to give you an
overall good in-hand feeling.
Build quality should also be good. Phones with plastic and glass backs are
common these days.
Avoid glass back phones if you are prone to dropping your phone.
9. Other features
Many other features make your smartphone a good deal. Some features include:
● stereo speakers
● good haptics
● in-display/side-mounted fingerprint scanner
● 3.5 mm headphone jack
● curved display
● IP rating
● IR blaster
These features add some more usability features to your smartphone.
Conclusion
So, this was a detailed smartphone buying guide for you. We have given in-depth
information on every feature you must look at while you buy a smartphone.
Hope this article will help many of the readers.
THANK YOU!