We’ve become increasingly attached to our cell phones – for better and for worse. Your smartphone is always with you and you perform all sorts of stuff with it, not just calling and texting. Therefore, when the time comes to finding a new cell phone, we need to take a moment and plan it all. You don’t want to end up spending your hard-earned money on a phone that isn’t just what you want.
So, here are nine things to consider when choosing your cell phone.
1. Which OS do you want?
There are essentially two good OS options when it comes to modern phones. You can either go with iOS or Android. There are others, such as Windows, but those two are really the main players.
If you want iOS, your only option is to buy an iPhone by Apple. If you want Android, you have more availability in terms of the phones.
2. What size are you looking for?
Size matters, especially with smartphones. If you spend a lot of time watching videos or playing games on the phone, you’d want a screen above 5.5 inches. On the other hand, if you want to use the phone with one hand and you just want something neat to snuggle in your pocket, go with phones below the 5.5 inches.
As well as thinking about the size of the display, you might also want to consider the weight. If you hold the phone in your hands a lot, it might be nicer to have something lightweight.
3. What are the requirements for the display?
Now, most people focus on the resolution, but buying a 4K-screen cell phone is really taking it a bit far. You don’t enjoy the benefits of the resolution on a display so small.
Instead, your focus should be on the quality of the colours and the brightness of colours. For example, AMOLED phone displays are better than LCD and the newest kid on the block is HDR, which shows a lot more colours.
4. What kind of processing power do I need?
In modern smartphones, the processor doesn’t matter as much as it did right at the start. Even when you buy a midrange phone, you’ll get quite a good processor.
However, if you are looking to play games or use VR features with your phone, the Snapdragon821 chip or Snapdragon 835 are must-have features on the cell phone. In iPhones, the best processor now is naturally in the latest installation of iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus phones.
5. What do I want from the camera?
Now, if you are passionate about photography, you might want a smartphone that has a good camera. For those that just snap a photo here and another there, the camera is not anything to focus on. Most cell phones have good enough camera for occasional use.
If you do need a good smartphone camera, then don’t just focus on the pixels. Instead, pay attention to things like aperture (the lower the better) or dual lens options.
6. How good is the battery life?
Anyone who spends a lot of time on a smartphone will testify that the battery life is among the most important features on a phone. If you are constantly going to have to charge the phone, you’ll fall in love with it rather soon. The best cameras would have a camera capacity of over 3,000 mAh.
7. How much storage do I need?
The next big thing is the storage. This depends on what you want from the phone – if you take many photos, listen to a lot of music and want the latest apps, you shouldn’t pick a phone with less than 64GB storage. If you won’t be shooting a lot of videos or playing games, 32GB storage will be sufficient.
8. What does the cell phone look like?
Design is also something to keep in mind. While others don’t really care about it, you might want to consider things like the colour, the shape and so on. Do look around and find something that pleases your eyes.
9. With a contract or not?
It’s also possible these days to buy a new cell phone as part of a phone deal or not. The right option depends a bit on how much you use the phone, how often you are looking to replace it and what kind of budget you are dealing with.
When you are thinking about your options, compare different deals and be realistic with your needs. For example, Vodafone.co.uk offers special saving options and deals that can be built around your needs.
10. What are you willing to pay?
Of course, you also need to think about the cost. It’s important to analyse your budget and whether a contract phone is better for your needs. Always compare with different providers and phone stores to ensure you find the cheapest deals.
When it comes to buying a new cell phone, don’t make the shopping decisions until you’ve considered all these 10 factors.
