What to Check Out for When Looking for Your Next Phone?

What to look out for when looking for your next phone?

When it comes to buying a new phone, it’s easy to be drowned in the sea of tech jargon. This is especially frustrating when you don’t even know what it means. This article will simplify the things you should look out for when considering a new phone.

RAM

RAM stands for random access memory and in a nutshell, it is a quick access storage that allows your phone to run multiple apps simultaneously. Naturally this makes your device feel faster. However, you don’t need an absurd amount of RAM for your phone to run smoothly.

Go for 3-8 RAM

Refresh rate

Usually measured in Hz, it is the amount of times the screen refreshes. This applies to all screen visuals including static items. Most phones today have a 60Hz refresh rate, with more models now boasting 90Hz and above. While a higher refresh rate may seem attractive, 60Hz to 90Hz is enough for most eyes. The effects of a low refresh rate are usually felt after long use.

Go for 60-90 Hz

Biometrics 

These usually come in the form of fingerprint sensors, usually on-screen or on the side button. Personally, the on-screen fingerprint is a tad gimmicky and tends to function poorly when you’ve got a screen protector on. While this feature is great to have, it isn’t entirely essential. 

You can overlook this feature

IP rating

This determines how resistant your device is to water and/or dust. IP stands for ingress protection and the IP is usually followed by two digits. The first digit which goes from 1 to 6 refers to solids such as dust and the second one which goes from 1-8 refers to liquids. This is great to have and can save you from watery woes. But if your phone doesn’t have an IP rating, just avoid showers with your device.

Go for IP67 and up

Processor 

Processors have arrived at a point where most mid to flagship ranged devices will be able to perform well for the next 1-2 years. Famous names you may have heard of include the Bionic processors from Apple, Snapdragon, Exynos and Kirin. If you’re looking for flagship performance, it is the A14 Bionic for Apple, Snapdragon 888 for most Androids and Exynos 2100 for Samsung.

Go for A13 and up for Apple Snapdragon 865 and up for most Androids 

Camera 

Cameras are tricky. This is because, despite impressive features on paper, photo quality continues to vary. A high megapixel count only means that your picture can be enlarged with more quality retained. Then there are multiple lenses, video recording and zoom capabilities to consider. What we can tell you is to go for 8 megapixels and up.

Go for 8 megapixels and up. 

Battery 

This one is pretty important as experienced first-hand. There’s nothing quite as annoying as having to constantly keep your phone plugged in. Even with a power bank, seeing your phone at about 30% battery life can be frustrating. It’s not common to think about charging your phone overnight these days. So make sure your phone is quick charge ready and has about 2000 mAh and up.

At least 15W fast charging + 2000 mAh and up

Now that you know what to look out for, it’s the best time to go phone shopping! Check out our awesome deals at shop.compasia.com