Choosing A Smartphone

Introduction

The smartphone market overflows with options, from years-old handsets to gleaming new flagships.

• Consequently, picking the perfect one can quickly turn into a head-scratching ordeal.

Key Considerations

Price

• You should not sell a kidney for a mobile phone!
• Plus, the pursuit of the latest flagship phone can be a never-ending cycle.
• While manufacturer are packing in better specifications for mid-range phones to compete with flagships, their prices are going up.
• Hence, if you are on a tight budget, focus on your essential needs and avoid unnecessary bells and whistles.

Processor speed

• Suggestion: Midrange or flagship for average users.
• A mid-range processor is typically adequate for everyday tasks, unless you frequently engage in high-end gaming or intensive video or photo editing.
• While AnTuTu Benchmark can be a helpful tool for comparing raw processor power, it is crucial to remember that overheating is a major concern.
• A good thermal cooling system is absolutely key for maintaining performance, battery life, and the overall health of your phone.

Network support

• With 5G networks rapidly expanding, buying a 5G phone ensures you will be ready to enjoy faster download speeds, lower latency and improved network capacity when it becomes available in your area.
• At the moment, 5G coverage is still expanding and may not be widely available everywhere yet.
• Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax) offers significant improvements over Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac), such as faster speeds, better performance in crowded networks, and improved energy efficiency.
• Wi-Fi 7 is the latest wireless standard, boasting significant advantages over Wi-Fi 6.
• However, to reap the full benefits of Wi-Fi 7, you will need a router that also supports this standard.

Memory

• Suggestion: 12 GB RAM and above.
• Opts for slightly higher RAM and storage than your current needs is a smart strategy for future-proofing your phone.
• Artificial intelligence features within smartphones can be resource-intensive, requiring significant memory to operate smoothly. To illustrate, 8 GB RAM is generally suitable for basic AI tasks like voice assistants, facial recognition, and camera enhancements. However, as AI models become more complex, 8 GB may not be sufficient to handle demanding tasks (e.g. advanced image processing, real-time language recognition and translation, and generative AI) smoothly.
• High-end gaming applications also demand substantial RAM for optimal performance.
• Some phone manufacturers offer memory extension technology that utilizes a portion of your phone's internal storage (ROM) as virtual RAM. While this can seem like a quick fix for low RAM, there are downsides to consider:
• Slower Performance: Virtual RAM is significantly slower than actual RAM, which can lead to lags and stutters in app performance.
• Potential Storage Wear: Frequent use of virtual RAM may increase wear and tear on your storage flash disk, potentially shortening its lifespan.

Storage

• Suggestion: 256 GB ROM and above.
• With the removal of microSD, ever-increasing application size and advancement in camera technology that produce larger files, 128 GB of storage is becoming increasingly inadequate for long-term phone use.
• Unlike the early days of photography, photos can now be captured and deleted effortlessly at no extra cost.
• This has led to frequent travellers taking numerous photos, which can quickly consume significant data storage. Even a short trip can use up 2 GB of space. 
• Additionally, users often save photos and videos for extended periods, rarely deleting them.
• Universal Flash Storage (UFS) and embedded Multi-Media Controller (eMMC) are both storage technologies used in mobile devices.
• While UFS offers significant advantages in terms of speed and performance, it is also more costly.

Display

• I personally prefer 6.1-inch size for portability, 6.7-inch size is preferred by many for a more immersive viewing experience.
• The current trend favours larger display sizes. This often allows phone manufacturers to incorporate larger batteries without significantly increasing the overall device dimensions.
• AMOLED (Active-Matrix Organic Light-Emitting Diode) and LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) are two common display technologies for mobile devices.
• In AMOLED displays, each pixel is made up of organic light-emitting diodes that illuminate individually. This allows for true blacks (pixels can be completely turned off, making them more power-efficient in dark mode) and high contrast ratios.
• On the other hand, LCDs rely on a backlight to illuminate the entire screen. The pixels are made of liquid crystals that control how much light passes through colour filters. LCDs are typically brighter (with higher maximum nits) for better outdoor visibility and are less expensive.

Camera quality

• While most phone cameras capture decent photos in daylight, low-light conditions and video stabilization often reveal their limitations.
• Flagship phones often excel in these areas, offering superior photo quality.
• Telephoto lenses are another distinguishing feature of flagship phones, setting them apart from mid-range models that typically only offer main and wide-angle lenses.
• Megapixel and sensor size are just pieces of the puzzle.
• For a clearer picture, focus on user reviews and real-world camera comparisons, instead of relying on the specification sheets.
• Moreover, the true magic in modern smartphone photography often lies in how each company utilizes artificial intelligence (AI) for photo processing and enhancement.
• However, the essence of photography lies in capturing the imperfect beauty of the real world, rather than relying heavily on artificial enhancements.

Battery life and charging speed

• Suggestion for extended use: 5000 mAh and above.
• Fast charging (ranging from 25 W to even over 100 W) and wireless charging are the current hot trends.
• Nonetheless, some debate that fast charging can generate more heat and stress on the battery, leading to faster capacity loss over time.
• May consider 18 W fast charging for a balance between speed and battery health.
• Energy efficiency, influenced by battery quality and software optimization, and battery lifespan are key considerations for long-term smartphone use.
• Even with the same capacity, some batteries offer superior internal chemistry or manufacturing, leading to slower degradation and longer life.

Operating system support

• Flagship phones typically receive more years of OS support and faster security updates compared to low-end models.
• Although older generation phones can be significantly cheaper, but it comes at a cost of fewer years of software updates and security patches, especially Androids.
• Newer operating systems often require more resources, potentially slowing down older smartphones.
• However, over time, some applications, particularly banking apps, may require a minimum operating system version for security reasons.

GPS functionality

• Current smartphones typically use the L1 GPS signal for positioning.
• However, for enhanced accuracy, especially in crowded cities with tall buildings or thick forests, some high-end models support dual-frequency, utilizing both L1 and L5 signals.

Availability of dual sim, micro-SD, headphone jacks, infra-red blaster and accessories.

The Next Thing in Smartphone World: Artificial Intelligence

Believing it or not, the hardware technology had advanced to a point where it is becoming increasingly difficult to achieve significant breakthroughs.

• As a result, researchers are increasingly turning their attention to artificial intelligence (AI) as a way to achieve further performance gains or provide unique features.

Following the introduction of Google Magic Eraser and Live Translate on Galaxy phones, Apple has unveiled its Apple Intelligence.

• While some of the new features are undoubtedly helpful and convenient, there are concerns about privacy risks associated with such advanced technology.
• Additionally, the practicality of so-called 'smart' features in real-life scenarios may be limited.

Summary

In fact, the 80/20 rule, or Pareto principle, can be surprisingly applicable to choosing a smartphone.

• You can actually achieve 80% of their amazing capabilities for a mere 20% of the cost.
• However, that remaining 20% of premium features comes at a steep price, demanding a significant jump in your budget.