Buying a smartphone - what are you looking for?
Want to buy a new smartphone? With this buying guide you will find out everything about what has to do with smartphones. A smartphone is a mobile phone with which you can just call and text a little more than just calls.
The ever-increasing variety of smartphones does not make it easier to choose the right smartphone. On this page you will be helped to find the right smartphone. You will learn what differences exist, which things to consider and we also discuss issues such as the operating system, the storage capacity, the characteristics of a camera and many more relevant things.
Calling, texting and the internet
Many users are looking for a smartphone that makes it possible to use the most important functions. With almost all smartphones, it is possible to use these basic functions quickly and properly. When you take a smartphone out of the box and put the SIM card in the device you can start immediately.
Watching movies and listening to music
Watching movies and listening to music often requires a slightly more advanced smartphone. For example, if you want to use Spotify on YouTube and want to use Spotify, it is important to use a data bundle. Preferably use a fast 4G connection to enjoy music or video without hitting. If you only want to enjoy videos and music at home or in the office, you can also use a Wi-Fi connection.
Taking photos and video
Photographs and video are possible with more and more smartphones. Unfortunately, the quality is not always optimal and when you are looking for quality it is as nice as the photos are also sharp and beautiful in color. It is important to pay attention to the number of megapixels of a camera, the storage capacity of a smartphone and possibly you need a front camera to take pictures or videos of yourself.
Playing games
Do you like to play games on your smartphone? You need a smartphone that makes this possible. To play games in a pleasant way, you need at least the following:
- High image quality to see everything razor-sharp.
- Fast processors that allow you to play without faltering.
- At least 2 GB of RAM.
Each game requires a different type of operating system and especially when you are a lover of specific games, it makes sense to take this into account. On Android you can find the most games by far and certainly due to Google’s low control there are more games than available on IOS. Apple apps store have fewer games available due to the robust control. Apple strictly monitors the quality and originality of content. This way you as a user know for sure that a game functions fully, but on the other hand it is difficult to find cheaper variants of a specific game.
Accessories with a smartphone
Accessories are taking an increasingly important role. The life of your smartphone can be extended significantly when you protect it with a case or a screen protector. Nowadays everyone is looking for a nice cover for the smartphone to protect it from damage. This way, the chance is much smaller that you get scratches or cracks on the screen. You can often put money or bank cards in a phone case. Look at both the safety and the appearance of the cover. Of course, it is tempting to choose the most elegant case, but at the same time you want to avoid damage. Do you find a phone case too big or does a phone with cover not fit in your pocket? You can opt for a screen protector.
With a screen protector you are less well protected than with a phone cover, but if there is no other, a screen protector is a great replacement for the phone cover. A matching charger is delivered with each smartphone. Unfortunately, one charger is often not enough and you want to charge your smartphone in more locations than just at home. In many locations you will find chargers for home or other situations. Do you have power from time to time and still want to charge your smartphone?
A power bank may offer the solution. A power bank is a battery that allows you to charge a smartphone directly. Make sure the power bank is completely full and use it when the battery of your smartphone is empty. Some charging stations are hidden in the cover of a phone and you always have at hand this way.
In the first part you have discovered which things you should take into account when choosing a smartphone. When you succeed in making the right choice, this explanation is in principle sufficient. Do you prefer to go deeper into the matter? Then read on and discover between which specific parts there are differences. We take a closer look at the biggest differences as:
- Battery life
- Operating system
- Storage space
- Photo and video
- Connection speed
- Screen
- Processor and processor
Battery life
The battery life is becoming increasingly important due to the increasing amount of energy a smartphone needs. As a rule, the capacity is measured in mAh and you discover this value of how long you can use a smartphone. However, when there is more capacity, we do not always see this in battery life or standby time. When a smartphone is more economical, it can function longer or stays on standby for longer.
Currently, the capacity of a smartphone varies between 1200 mAh and 4000 mAh. Many manufacturers have difficulty getting bored with the battery spilled due to the demand for ever thinner smartphones. In general, a smartphone with better performance has a larger battery. Most devices last about a day or half a day and when you are looking for a high-end device you have to charge it daily. Are you satisfied with a smartphone with lower performance and a larger battery? Then you can continue with some devices for two to three days.
Operating system
Today, both Android and IOS are dominated. The market share of Android and IOS is 80%. In some cases, Windows Phone is used and a number of small operating systems like Blackberry also participate.
Android is an operating system from Google that is used in several variants. Manufacturers are free to adjust the operating system and the system is accessible to any manufacturer. Many phones are optimized for Android and that makes the use a lot more pleasant. Via Android you can control the smartphone from a home screen and in this way all processes are accessible. The system regularly receives a new update and that ensures that you are completely ready for the future. Software can easily be downloaded via Google Play and you can use free of charge or at low cost.
IOS is a system that is only used on the iPhone. The system is used by Apple and work flawlessly with the device together. When you are familiar with IOS it works very user-friendly and fast. You can download apps from the App Store and are often free or downloadable for a small amount. All apps in the App Store are approved by Apple and meet all kinds of quality standards. Apple is sometimes strict and does not allow all apps. If an app is not original enough, it is rejected via the App Store. IOS is regularly updated to be back in time.
Windows Phone is a system separate and not comparable to IOS or Android. The Windows Phone is best compared to the Windows 8 operating system. Windows 8 is less and less used and seems to be against IOS and Android. Few apps are released via Windows 8 and that makes the functionalities of this operating system extremely limited.
Storage space
Storage space is becoming less and less important on a smartphone. As a rule, storage only requires storage for photos, videos and apps. You can easily stream music via the internet and all kinds of other information is stored in the cloud. In the future, this will probably continue and a smartphone requires less and less storage space. Internal memory is usually built into a smartphone or via MicroSD. When you have a smartphone with MicroSD, it is quite easy to expand the memory. Do you store files in the cloud? Then you basically have an infinite amount of storage space. For normal use, 8 GB to 128 GB is the norm when it comes to internal memory or MicroSD. Do you store photos and videos via the cloud? Then you probably already have 8 GB of enough for the most important apps and browser data that your smartphone stores. Choose more storage capacity if you prefer to keep your files in-house. Are you afraid of losing the data on your smartphone? Of course, that can happen! Back up the main material to lose nothing.
Photo and video
Taking photos and video is not always about the number of megapixels. The quality of a camera also depends on the lens, image sensor and software used. When looking for a smartphone with a good camera, it is important to look at the result. Collect footage made with a smartphone and discover what the quality is. Videos can be filmed more and more in Full HD and the photo camera is also more and more of an excellent quality. Do you think taking photos and recording videos is less important? Sometimes you can save a lot by choosing a simpler smartphone.
Connection speed
Most smartphones today have a 3G or 4G connection. Of course you should close a data bundle to make a connection to the internet at all. A smartphone often accepts different connections and you can already see whether 3G or 4G is possible only at the purchase. 4G is generally a lot faster than 4G and especially for streaming music and video, a fast connection is important. 3G stands for the third generation of a mobile connection and 4G represents the fourth generation. In the future, we can find a connection of the fifth generation that will be even faster. If your smartphone does not find a fast connection, it will switch to another connection to not lose contact with the internet. At the moment, not the whole of the Netherlands is covered with 4G and due to closed spaces and abandoned locations, this will never be possible for full coverage. Check as well as you can whether a 4G connection is actually 4G. Some variants complete the number and pretend that a 3G connection is as fast as 4G.
When you occasionally send e-mails, use the internet, send photos or use social media, 3G is in principle enough. The speed of 3G is generally between 100 KB and 10 MB per second. When the connection comes up to 10 MB seconds, you often don’t notice any difference with 4G. When the connection is unstable, you notice that the difference is getting bigger.
Do you want more speed through the internet? Then use a 4G connection that allows speeds between 100 MB and 1 GB per second. 4G currently has no nationwide coverage and will switch to 3G when the faster variant is not yet available.
Screen
Smartphone screens today are getting bigger, sharper and getting improved clarity. Every smartphone has a different screen and that makes it interesting to take this part with you when you buy a smartphone. If you like watching videos or playing games, a larger screen can be useful. Do you use a phone to call or play a game from time to time? A normal screen is probably enough.
Basic screens for smartphones exist in variants from 2 inches to 5 inches and sometimes even slightly larger. When you just call or text, a maximum of 4 inches is already more than enough. Do you use the internet, social media and do you watch a short video every now and then? A screen between 4 and 5 inches is ideal. When you love gaming, watching series or movies is a 5-inch screen or something bigger the easiest. This way you can be sure that you can use the smartphone optimally and you do not miss anything.
Smartphones are increasingly resistant to scratching. For example, there are screens where the chance of scratches and cracks is smaller. Of course, a screen protector or phone cases is also a nice solution, but often this hinders the use. Don't you want to take a risk? Then you can have the smartphone insured. If your phone is scratched or if cracks occur in the screen, the damage will be compensated. At the moment, the main brands are working hard to develop a screen that prevents scratches or cracks. The initial findings showed too much to develop such a screen or it failed to approach such a product.
Finally, we will discuss the resolution. Today, the biggest brands work at least with Full HD and often even better than that. 4K and 5K retina screens show the smallest details. When assessing the quality of a screen, it is important to look at this with your own eyes. After all, the quality of the screen is also about the underlying system and the screen itself is not always the most important for the right quality.
Processor and processor
A smartphone is similar to a desktop or laptop. Components such as the processor are at least as important with a smartphone as with a laptop or computer.
The processor indicates the speed of the smartphone and it is often expressed in GHz. When the number of GHz a processor will generally be faster. Many smartphones have multiple processors, which means that work is even faster. Think of a smartphone with dual-core processor or a system with quad core processor. With a quad core processor, there are four processors at the same time and with a dual core processor there are two.
Do you use a smartphone for basic functions like calling and sending messages? Then dual core processor is sufficient and you can also do with one processor. Are you often working with the camera or occasionally active via social media and the internet? You need a quad core processor. The higher speed makes it possible to do more at once and to work faster.
When you use the smartphone to play games or when you use multiple functions, it is advisable to choose a powerful quad core processor. This way you never suffer from faltering and the smartphone works flawlessly.
Business users and individuals
A business user has different wishes than a private user. In some cases, a phone is used for work and private life. In other cases, there is no distinction and one phone is used for all kinds of purposes. Business users often choose brands like Apple and Blackberry, while individuals choose a Samsung or HTC faster. If you want a high-end phone, it is advisable to use one phone both business and private. This way you save costs in contrast to two devices and/or two subscriptions. If necessary, you can turn off the mail function in the evening and on weekends or use a smartphone with multiple SIM cards. When you keep WhatsApp completely private, you can switch between business and private business and you are less disturbed in the evening and on weekends. Most employers allow to use a business phone privately and therefore the combination of business and private use is most common.
Today, we no longer speak of phones that you use specifically for business purposes. They used to use a PDA, but nowadays everything falls under the category of smartphones. Of course, this does not exclude to opt for a particular brand or type. You may need a water-resistant phone for work, a phone that allows you to easily send emails or feel comfortable with a phone that automatically syncs with your home. The need of a business user still differs from a consumer and that is something that manufacturers sometimes seem to lose sight of. On the other hand, you can easily adjust a smartphone based on the software and therefore many phones are sufficient for both private and business use.
Important brands in a row
Do you have any idea which phone you need? In this part of the buying guide, we discuss the main smartphone brands. This way you get an idea of which brand suits you best and based on that it becomes a lot easier to choose the right smartphone.
Apple: Apple is the brand that still sets the trend when it comes to smartphones. The phones are fast and due to the extensive App store there are plenty of possibilities that you do not have with any other device. The iPhone is Apple’s only smartphone and has appeared in several generations.
Blackberry: For business users, Blackberry is still one of the most popular brands. When you use a Blackberry smartphone, all important information is encrypted and you can basically communicate what you want. In the business world, the Blackberry is a popular smartphone and certainly in industries where a lot of sensitive information is communicated.
Samsung: At world level, Samsung is the largest and most popular brand in the field of smartphones. The price level in relation to the quality of these sets is excellent. In general, the screens of Samsung are sharp, there is an excellent camera on the device and you can download free and paid apps from the Google App store.
HTC: HTC is a brand like it’s nothing to compare. HTC has already expanded numerous successful devices and is still innovating. The design of the HTC, the image quality and battery life are particularly striking. HTC works on Android and has an optimized operating system for all kinds of models.
Nokia: Nokia has repaid significantly in market share in recent years. The changing market will probably never make it possible for Nokia to be at the top. Nokia can hardly handle the competition and the brand may disappear from the scene in the coming years.
Sony: Sony has focused heavily on improving battery life. Sony has been able to develop a smartphone with a battery life of approximately 48 hours. Sony is getting a little better every launch and seems to be coming back from the decline of its competition.
LG: LG is a brand that still markets beautiful smartphones, but has fallen into a bit of oblivion. LG devices are still sold well and certainly in the lower segment good business is done.
Buying a subscription or a separate device
It is not always easy to make the right decision and especially when you have no idea which bundle you need or which device suits you. When you take out a subscription, you are usually there for a period of one or two years. It is important to make the right decision based on your previous smartphone. Were you quickly bored of your phone and want the latest of the latest? Then it is wise to choose a one-year subscription or a separate device. You have the freedom to choose something new right now and you remain flexible.
Do you prefer not to pay a large amount at once and still receive a high-end device? At that time, close a subscription for a period of two years. When you are bored on your smartphone, you can possibly buy a separate device and link it to the subscription that you have taken for two years. When subscribing, keep in mind that you pay for both the device and calls and internet. You cannot get rid of the subscription during this period. When you buy a separate device, you can take out a subscription that is flexible. When calling, texting and internet get cheaper you can benefit from this and you can easily go to another subscription. Do you find the cost on a monthly basis too high? Then you can sometimes pay off part of the device when the subscription starts.
Important Tips for Buying a Smartphone
We close this page with a number of important tips that will minimize the chance of a bad buy. When you use these tips, there is little chance that buying a smartphone will fail:
- Pay attention to the price when you buy a phone or when you take out a subscription.
When you buy an expensive smartphone, this certainly does not mean that it also meets the expectations. Put some energy into the different brands and associated functionalities to make the right comparison. There are all kinds of budget devices that allow you to do the most important things. For example, there are phones from LG and Sony with which you do the basic functionalities and for which you do not yet pay € 200. Do you need a higher speed, better image quality and higher battery life? You can always choose a more expensive smartphone.
- Also look at the size and weight.
If you use a smartphone daily it is nice if it is in the hand. When you order a smartphone online, you quickly forget to look at the size or weight of a smartphone. Some phones are so large that they won’t fit in your pocket. Take into account the practical use of a smartphone to avoid a bad buy. The weight also plays a role and especially when you get above 5 inches, a phone becomes considerably heavier. After all, if the size increases, a larger battery and more material is also needed.
- Preferably test a phone.
Everyone has a smartphone these days and it is certainly not a shame to test it out. Ask a user if you can watch the smartphone and test it out preferably. Ask if anyone is talking about the performance and do the same with a number of other devices. Do you want to try some smartphones in the store? Then enter a phone shop and ask which devices are available. You quickly have an idea of which smartphone suits you best and then the purchase is done quickly.
- Security of data.
It is becoming increasingly difficult for many manufacturers to secure data. When you are dealing with sensitive information, it is important to also focus on data security when buying a smartphone. When your smartphone gets into the wrong hands, it can have nasty consequences. Use the security features of IOS, Android or choose a Blackberry device when you choose the maximum level of security.
- Focus on what you use.
Nowadays, a smartphone has all kinds of different functions and therefore we sometimes forget what the smartphone is used for. Think about the activities you did on your previous phone. Were you often found on social media? Did you play a game every once in a while? Or do you just use your smartphone to make calls? It is unwise to choose functions that you do nothing with and especially when it comes to an expensive smartphone, this is a shame.
Did you manage to choose a new smartphone following this article? I hope and wish you luck with it!