Do you feel confused when buying a new smartphone? What do you do then? Do you consider several things such as RAM and memory capacity, processor type, and other specification details of the phone? Or do you just go to a phone store and buy a smartphone based on staff recommendations?
Well, buying a new smartphone can be too difficult and confusing if you do not do at least basic research on what phone you want to buy. You can be tricked by the salesperson at the store if you do not have enough knowledge and reason to buy a new smartphone.
The basic knowledge that you should have when buying a new smartphone is the functions of the smartphone that you will buy whether you need a good camera, a long battery life, or a large memory capacity. Referring to that, you can easily choose the brand, color, or smartphone model.
Since a smartphone is critically needed in everyday life for communication, online shopping, paying bills, watching videos, listening to music, and so on, there should be some guides that can help you narrow your choices so you can spend money wisely for the right smartphone.
Here are some questions that you could ask yourself for a guide to buying the best smartphone at the best price.
Smartphone Shopping Guide
Do I really need a new smartphone?
The first and probably most important question to ask yourself is “do I really need to buy a new smartphone?” The answer will help you differentiate between what you need and what you want. If your old phone is not working maximally or some features do not meet your requirements, it is time for you to buy a new smartphone.
Meanwhile, if you want to buy a new smartphone because of following trends or want to show off, you better think twice before buying it. Although you can afford the latest version of the smartphone, if it is not urgently needed then it should be postponed. Because if your current phone is still perfectly working and all the features still suit your needs, buying a new phone is not a necessity. Buying a new phone and throwing away the old one can harm the environment because it can cause e-waste.
What is my price range?
When you are planning to buy a new smartphone, you should decide how much you are willing to spend your money on the new phone. After that, you can determine what phone you want to buy that meets your budget.
You can buy a smartphone from big brands like Samsung and Apple with an estimated price of $600 to more than $1000. Meanwhile, you can buy a smartphone from middle brands with an estimated price of $100 and more or less.
If you need a smartphone with high specifications but you have a tight budget, you can try to afford a second-hand smartphone that still has good quality.
Which operating system do I prefer?
If you feel confused about which phone you should buy, you can start by considering the operating system used by the phone. There are two most known smartphone operating systems: iOS and Android.
The operating system is software that allows smartphones to run applications and programs. Simply said, it is the system that can turn on and off your smartphone.
iOS is an operating system used for the iPhone, a product from Apple. If you like to get constant OS updates that are supported for a more extended period and a strong reputation for security support for a smartphone, you can consider buying an iPhone. However, iOS is only used for the iPhone which the phone model is limited. The iPhone is available in a few different models, starting from $450 up to $1000.
Meanwhile, Android is available in hundreds of phone models because this operating system can be used by any smartphone manufacturer. Thus, Android offers a wider choice of devices at different prices and more customization options. If you like a phone that can easily be customized and want to experience the latest smartphone as soon as it comes out, you can consider buying an Android-based smartphone.
What features should my smartphone have?
Processor
It is an important component of smartphones that needs to be considered. Simply said, it is the brain of the system which is responsible for everything functioning on your smartphone.
If you want to buy a smartphone, you should know what processor it has to support its performance. There are some popular processors such as the Snapdragon 865+, Apple A16 Bionic, Exynos 990 and Kirin 990. Each of these processors has different abilities: sharper processing power, better image processing ability, and so on.
Different processor performance also impacts the phone price, so the better processor will have a higher price and vice versa. Thus, you should carefully consider what phone you will buy and what processor it uses based on your needs.
RAM
It refers to the system memory of smartphones used for holding data of active applications. A portion of the smartphone’s RAM is used to run the operating system. Having more RAM allows you to have more active applications running in the background which significantly affects your multitasking experience. Thus, having 3-4GB of RAM is already suitable for a light smartphone user that only uses the phone for calling, texting and browsing. Meanwhile, if you use your phone for heavier tasks like gaming, you can choose a phone that has RAM of more than 4GB.
Battery life
Having a battery life that can last longer can help you have less time to charge your phone. You can use the smartphone longer in a day. Thus, when buying a new smartphone, you should consider the battery capacity. It is worth checking out the battery capacity of the phone you are interested in and comparing it to another phone.
Camera quality
A good quality camera can be one of the important features that need to be considered for a smartphone, especially for those whose work really requires a good quality camera such as a photographer or vlogger. Currently, smartphones can have two, three, and even four cameras. Although more cameras do not mean better for photography, they are useful for taking different types of shots such as wide angle, telephoto or portrait, and photo zoom. You can consider buying a smartphone with good camera quality based on your needs.
Storage
Previously, there was an option to use external storage, an SD card, in a smartphone, but now, most smartphones come only with internal storage due to faster data processing. Referring to that, you should buy a smartphone with enough storage. If you like to download several applications and love taking pictures and videos, it is better to buy a smartphone with 128GB or more internal storage. So there will be enough storage to keep your data.
SIM card
If you want to buy and use a smartphone, you will need a SIM card for calling, texting, browsing, and so on since it can provide you with a phone number and the ability to connect to mobile data. There are three forms of SIM technology: physical SIM card, eSIM, iSIM.
Here are the basic differences between physical SIM, eSIM, and iSIM.
| Comparison | Physical SIM | eSIM | iSIM |
| Year of development | 1991 | 2016 | 2018 |
| Size | 25×15 mm (standard);12×15 mm (micro);8.8×12.3 mm (nano) | 5×6 mm | Less than 1 mm2 |
| Location | In a dedicated slot of a device | Embedded into a device which need a separated processor | Integrated directly into a processor |
Currently, eSIM is a growing SIM technology and the usage continues to increase as more devices with eSIM-only features are launched. It is even predicted that in the future, more people will use eSIM because of the several advantages it provides.
As for iSIM, even though it is the latest SIM technology, it is not very popular and is not being developed because it has not been certified by GMSA or Common Criteria.
Therefore, you can consider buying a smartphone that supports eSIM because you can easily buy and install it by only taking a photo of a QR code without the need to come to the physical phone store to buy a physical SIM card. You can also have multiple numbers or phones for different needs. For example, you want one number for work, one number for traveling, and another number for different purposes. You just need to buy data plans from the eSIM providers through an online system.
For more information about eSIM, you can read it here.
Cellular network technology
Up until now, there have been five generations of cellular or mobile network technology. They are: 1G, 2G, 3G, 4G, and 5G in which the “G” stands for “generation.” If you are connected to the internet, the speed of the internet depends on the signal strength that is shown as 1G, 2G, etc., in your home screen. Every phone has a different generation based on the technology implemented in the phone network standard. Therefore, when you buy a new smartphone, you also need to pay attention to cellular network technology for your speed in using the internet.
Here are the differences between 1G, 2G, 3G, 4G, and 5G.
| Comparison | 1G | 2G | 3G | 4G | 5G |
| Year of development | 1970 – 1984 | 1980 – 1999 | 1990 – 2002 | 2000 – 2010 | 2010 – 2015 |
| Technology | AMPS, NMT, TACS | GSM | WCDMA | LTE, WiMax | MIMO, mm Waves |
| Frequency | 30 KHz | 1.8 GHz | 1.5 – 2 GHz | 2 – 8 GHz | 3 – 30 GHz |
| Bandwidth | 2.4 kbps | 14.4 – 64 kbps | 2 Mbps | 2000 Mbps – 1 Gbps | 1 Gbps and higher |
| Access System | FDMA | TDMA/CDMA | CDMA | CDMA | OFDM/BDMA |
| Applications | Voice calls, short messages | Voice calls, short messages | Video conferencing, mobile TV, GPS | High speed applications, mobile TV, wearable device | High resolution video streaming, remote control of vehicles, robots, machines, and medical procedures |
Currently, more and more smartphones are implementing the latest generation, 5G, for faster and higher speed of the internet. Moreover, 5G enables a new kind of network that is designed to connect virtually everyone and everything together including machines, objects, and devices.
Wearable technology synchronization
Smartphones, fitness bracelets, glasses, healthcare monitors are wearable technology that have become popular and can be paired with smartphones. If you have wearable devices and want to connect to a smartphone, you should consider buying the one which has the ability to synchronize it.
How long will I use the new smartphone?
If you are thinking of buying a new smartphone, you should consider the question “how long will I use this new smartphone?” Each year, every smartphone manufacturer will launch at least one new product either the features are updated or only new colors are added. Thus, if you only buy a new smartphone out of desire, you will always want to buy the latest smartphone.
Even if you do not want to buy the expensive one and prefer the affordable one, you should compare it with your current smartphone. Is there any significant difference? Is it that better? Will I use it for two or three years? If not, you can save your money and use your still perfectly working smartphone.
Beneko: Save Money, Save Environment
After considering all the questions above and you still need to buy a new smartphone, you can buy it at Beneko at a better price and a good deal. At Beneko, we provide you with detailed descriptions and specifications for every smartphone which can help you compare one smartphone with another. We also have customer support who can help you answer every question you ask. So, you can buy a new smartphone with the specifications you need.
Beneko also helps you save money because when you buy a new phone, you only pay for what you use. Since you can return the smartphone to us, you actually only pay for the difference in cost between the new product and the resale price of the second-hand product.
Besides, you also can save the environment by returning your old smartphone or other electronic devices to Beneko to avoid them becoming waste.
You can enjoy a new smartphone and save more money and the environment.