Smartphones have become a critical part of our lives, helping us not only stay in touch with near and dear ones but also functioning as a business tool. Some of us rely on them for entertainment while most of us use them as our only way to capture special memories.
As the demand for smartphones has ballooned, so has the supply. There was a time were picking up a mobile phone was as easy as walking into a store and choosing whatever our favourites brand had to offer.
Nowadays, every company has multiple options on offer, with each model having a different set of hardware and software features. There are many things to consider now, such as budget, your usage pattern, but more importantly, what is the most important thing to you in a smartphone.
All in all, it can get a little overwhelming but don’t worry, you’ve come to the perfect place, a one-stop guide to all your smartphone buying needs.
Smartphone Buying Guide: How to Choose Your Mobile Phone
Smartphone Buying Guide India
Processor
Benefit: The more powerful the processor, the lesser your phone will hang.
What is it: Think of the processor as the brain of the smartphone. The more powerful a processor, the smoother photo-editing will be, the apps will open faster and of course, gaming will be lag-free. Currently, the most powerful processor for mobile phones is the Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 which powers phones like the OnePlus 6 and the Asus Zenfone 5z. Up until a few months ago, the Snapdragon 835 was the top mobile CPU, so a phone with that processor won’t be bad either.
Processor Brand
Benefit: Bringing the convenience of choice to the lower price segment.
What is it: Most Android smartphones come with either Qualcomm or MediaTek processors. While Qualcomm is the choice of processor for all high-end smartphones, MediaTek focuses on processors designed for mid-range to entry-level smartphones. Their processors strike a balance between power and battery life.
If you’re buying a Samsung or an Honor device, you will see them exclusively powered by an Exynos or Kirin CPU respectively. Apple makes its own processor for the iPhone, with the latest being called the A11 Bionic chip. Between Snapdragon and MediaTek processors, the Snapdragon chips generally perform better, but also come with a premium attached.
ProTip: When it comes to processors, a higher number in the name designates higher performance. For example, Snapdragon 845 is better than Snapdragon 660, which is better than Snapdragon 450.
Processor Specifications
Every processor has a specification which will mention the number of cores present in the chip, along with the clockspeed they run at. Usually, it would be something like “1.4GHz Octa-Core processor” or “2.0GHz Quad-Core processor.” While higher core count may not always lead to good performance, higher clock speeds almost always do. If you’d like to know more about cores and clock-speed, click here to know more.
Cores
Benefit: More cores = Better performance.
What is it: Cores are like the processor’s muscles. The more cores you have, the more powerful your processors is. So, octa-cores are usually more powerful than quad-cores, which are in-turn more powerful than dual-cores. Processors have a fixed number of cores in them, and this is not something you can change. But you can choose to buy a phone which comes with a processor with more (or less) cores.
Myth: Always go for a processor with the highest number of cores
Truth: You don’t always need the highest-end processor, especially if you’re not going to be playing heavy games on it all the time.
Clockspeed
Benefit: The faster your clock-speed, the better performance you get.
What is it: Clock speed is how fast your processor can get things done. It’s usually measured in GHz and the higher the number, the faster your processor. These days, clock-speeds can go as high as 2.9GHz for top-of-the-line processors
Graphics Processing Unit
The Graphics Processing Unit or GPU is responsible for a part of the gaming performance of your performance. The GPU is a part of the processor and you shouldn’t really worry much about it because you cannot pick and choose the GPU for your smartphone. Mobile processors come with GPUs that complement their performance. So you won’t have to worry about what GPU is present in your CPU.
Display
Benefit: Amazing visuals and ease of use with just one hand.
What is it: The display is where you interact with all content on your smartphone. The display size and type make all the difference in whether you enjoy what you do on your smartphone or not. If you want to make sure you’re picking the right display, keep these pointers in mind.
Display Size
Benefit: The difference between being able to use your phone with one hand or needing two.
What is it: Display size is what determines how big your smartphone is going to be. It is measured in inches diagonally. Bigger the display, bigger the phone, but more immersive the viewing experience. Smartphones come in varying sizes, each ideal for a different use case. If you want to find out what size is ideal for your use case, click here.
- 5-inches or less
Smartphones whose display measures 5-inches or less, like the iPhone SE, is ideal for people who have small hands and want to be able to use the phone with one hand. The smaller screen will also put less strain on the battery, which is a good thing since a 5-inch (or smaller) smartphone will pack a smaller battery than a bigger smartphone. - 5-6 inches
Smartphones which measure 5.5-6 inches diagonally are ideal for people who use their phones a lot of social media, taking photos or doing a lot of work on their smartphones. The experience of watching videos on displays of this size is also good enough to keep you engaged. This is the most commonly available display size these days and doesn’t take a toll on the battery. - 5-inches and above
Phones with a display that measures 6.5 inches or above are best suited for those users whose primary use will be gaming or content consumption. Phones with a display this big are generally heavy, along with being large and hence pack a very large battery as well. These phones require the use of both hands due to their size and heft.
Aspect Ratio
Benefit: How you end up with a bigger screen in a smaller body.
What is it: Aspect ratio determines the total length and width of the display, given particular screen size. Up until last year, all phones followed the 16:9 aspect ratio, but now, we have 18:9 and 19:9, which reduces the width of the smartphone but increases the length, making the phone easier to hold.
Visual Tip: Show two phones, both 5.5” display one 16:9 and the other 18:9, being held in a hand. The idea is to show how difficult it is to hold a 5.5-inch phone with just one hand.
Panel Type
Benefit: Vibrant colours, improved battery life and immersive viewing experiences all depend on the type of display panel.
What is it: Modern smartphone use either IPS-LCD or OLED panels for the display. IPS-LCD is great for people who do a lot of photo editing on their phones thanks to its colour accuracy, but if you want vibrant colours, HDR video and even better battery life, a smartphone with OLED panel would be a better choice.
Also lookout for the brightness rating of the display, which should be a minimum of 150 nits (or 500 lumens) for the display to be legible under the bright mid-day sun. Both IPS Panels and OLED displays offer good viewing angles, so this is not something you should worry about.
Pro Tip: AMOLED, Super AMOLED Optic AMOLED etc are all variants of OLED technology with minor differences between them, but more or less similar benefits.
Resolution
Benefit: Higher resolution = sharper image.
What it is: Resolution is a number that tells you how many pixels there are on a display, usually measured in terms of width x height. A higher number of pixels delivers higher clarity or sharpness. Sometimes, you will also see it referred to as HD-Ready (720p), HD (1080p) or QHD (1440p). Higher the resolution, the more expensive the phone will be. If there is a + symbol in front of the resolution, it means the phone has an 18:9 aspect ratio. For most use cases, a Full HD display is good enough as it strikes the right balance between good detail and battery life.
Pro Tip: Higher resolution displays tend to drain more battery than a lower resolution display.
HDR vs. Non-HDR
Benefit: Colours like you’ve never experienced before!
What is it: How much colour can be displayed by your smartphone’s display is called colour space. Most non-HDR phones are good enough to enjoy any kind of movie, but if you want an even better visual experience, there are smartphones with HDR-enabled displays which would be better suited for you.
ProTip: In order to get the most out of an HDR display, you’ll need access to HDR content which is currently available through various streaming services like Netflix and Prime Video.
RAM
Benefit: More RAM = Better Multi-Tasking
What is it: Think of RAM as hands. The more RAM your phone has, the more your phone will be able to do at any given time. RAM on smartphones is usually measured in GB and you can get a phone with anywhere between 1GB, 2GB, 3GB, 4GB, 6GB or even a whopping 8GB of RAM! If you’re curious about how much RAM would be right for you, click here to find out.
- 1 or 2GB RAM
Smartphones which have 2GB or lesser RAM are ideal for those users who don’t ask much of their phones besides making/receiving calls and messages. These phones will barely run popular games like Temple Run and will not be able to handle much of multi-tasking. - 3 or 4GB RAM
Smartphones with 3-4GB of RAM are great for users who are social-media savvy, take a lot of photos and like to consume plenty of video content on their phones. You can even do a little bit of gaming on these devices, processor permitting. Phones with 3 to 4GB of RAM can also handle multi-tasking with ease, that is, you should be able to switch between more than a dozen browser tabs and your e-mail and messaging clients. - 6GB RAM
This is for the power-user, for those who need absolute speed and cannot stand even a slight drop in performance. Phones with 6GB RAM deliver top of the line performance, ideal for heavy-duty gaming or even for running multiple apps for browsing, photo editing, video playback etc all at the same time. - 8GB RAM
While some smartphones do come with 8GB RAM, currently there is no use-case scenario where apps have been able to make the most of having so much RAM. At this point, 8GB RAM is more for show than actual utility, however, it does future-proof your device.
Storage
Benefit: The more storage you have, the more games, apps, images and videos you can store on your smartphone.
Whats is it: Storage is the amount of space in your smartphone and that space is measured in GB as well. The more storage space the phone comes with, the more stuff you can save on your phone. If you’re someone who stores a lot of music and photos on their phone, you should get a minimum of 32GB of onboard storage, though 64 is advisable. If you’re the kind of person who’s only going to use their phone to stay in touch with people and not really store much apps or games on it, then you should be fine with 16GB of onboard storage.
Pro tip: If you take a lot of pictures, or like downloading songs/movies/games, then you should consider buying phones with not just higher storage space, but also a microSD card slot.
Myth Buster: Advertised storage is not what you finally get to use. It’s usually a little less as some space is taken up by the operating system, and some pre-loaded apps. You can check the available storage by clicking on the Storage option in the Settings menu on both iOS and Android.
Expandable storage
Benefit: Rescues you from low storage troubles
What is it: Think of expandable storage as increasing the size of a room in your home. You get more space, which you can then use to store even more things. Storage space is expanded when you add a microSD card to your smartphone, but not all smartphones come with a microSD card slot. For example, the iPhone and even the OnePlus 6 do not have a microSD card slot, meaning you cannot increase their storage space. We won’t recommend installing apps on the microSD card, but you can definitely use the extra space for storing your favourite photos, tunes or movies.
Pro tip: Before buying a MicroSD card, always check what’s the maximum capacity your smartphone can support.
Battery
Benefit: More battery capacity means that you’ll be able to use your phone for longer.
What is it: Battery capacity is usually measured in mAh and higher the mAh, the better. Higher battery capacity generally is a good indication of how long you’ll be able to use your phone without the need to recharge it. However, how long a battery lasts will also depend on the processor, the type and resolution of the display and even the radios used. Two phones with the same battery capacities can give different battery life numbers if there is a difference in any of the above-stated factors.
Pro tip: Bigger batteries usually mean larger phones.
Wireless Charging
Benefit: The convenience of just putting your phone on the table and watching it charge. Priceless!
What is it: Some modern smartphones have started to come with the ability to charge without having to plug in the traditional charger. Just place the phone on the wireless charger and it will start charging. However, the biggest benefit of wireless chargers is not having to deal with cables. Also, no cables mean no more tripping over them and sending your phone flying across the room.
Pro Tip: Wireless charging is still a new technology and will charge your phone much slower than a traditional charger. Wireless charging only makes sense if you have a number of hours when the phone will be placed on the charger.
Fast charging
Benefit: Making your phone ready to go within minutes
What is it: Fast Charging allows you to recharge your smartphone’s battery much faster than you’d expect. Even though there are many standards of Fast Charging, typically they all yield the same result; taking your battery from 0 to 50 per cent charge in under 30-minutes. Some, like OnePlus’s Dash Charge, is much faster, where it can charge the OnePlus 6’s 3300mAh battery from 0 to 100 in less than an hour. Dash Charge is exclusive to OnePlus, but if you’re looking for a phone which has fast charging, look for wording in the specifications that sound similar to “fast charge.” Qualcomm’s Quick Charge 3.0 is the most common fast charging standard in the market today.
Pro Tip: Don’t plug your phone in overnight to charge as it will tax the battery. Instead, just charge it at work for a couple of hours to top up the charge.
Protection
Benefit: Keeps your precious screen from shattering to bits when you accidentally drop your phone.
What is it: Displays are delicate, so smartphone makers put an additional protective layer of glass on top of it. Gorilla Glass is the most commonly used protective glass and the higher the number against it (Gorilla Glass 5 vs. Gorilla Glass 3), the stronger the protection. However, Gorilla Glass is not the only type of protective glass out there. Manufacturers can also use Asahi Glass or terms like “Bonded Glass” to highlight the protection on the display.
Pro Tip: Gorilla Glass or equivalent doesn’t make your smartphone immune from damage, so please be careful regardless.
Visual Tip: Two smartphones with a key next to each. One display is scratched while the other is not. The one without scratches should say “protected by Gorilla Glass”.
Design
Benefit: The right design language of a phone not only makes it feel good in the hands but also ensures it can survive some abuse.
What is it: Designing a smartphone isn’t as simple as deciding its shape. Every little detail that goes into the design of a smartphone lends to how easy it will be to use and of course, its durability. It is a general belief that phones that use metal are sturdier than phones made of plastic, but also ensure that the buttons too are made of the same material. If you’d like to more about things to consider about design before you pull the trigger on your next smartphone, click here.
- Construction Material
As a general rule of thumb, a smartphone made of metal will be more durable than one made of plastic or polycarbonate. Glass is the least durable choice of construction material, but it generally looks the best, allows the phone to have wireless charging, but requires the phone to be in a case. IF your top priority is looking, a smartphone made of glass will be a head-turner, but one made of metal will withstand abuse. - Colours
Colours are an important part of the design, because many of us consider colours to be a representation of ourselves, of our personalities. While many smartphones offer the usual Gold, Black and Silver colour options, brands like Huawei, Honor, Samsung and even OnePlus are adding more to the colour palate. - Ergonomics
The ease with which you can use your smartphone will depend on not only how big your hand is, but also the size of the smartphone. IF you’re looking for a phone that is easy to use with one hand, you might want to choose one which has the newer 18:9 aspect ratio display. - Dust and Water Resistance
Commonly referred to as IP ratings, Ingress Protection ratings give you an indication of just how much water your phone can handle without getting spoiled. An IP68 rating offers the best protection from dust and submersion, while IP67, IP66 and IP65 offer just sufficient protection from light rainfall or an accidental spill of water.
Camera
Benefit: The better the camera, the better photos you’ll be able to take no matter where you are.
What is it: Cameras on smartphones have come a long way. Today, a smartphone camera is the first and, in many cases, the only camera most of us will ever end up using. To some, the camera may be the most important aspect of a smartphone. There are many factors that come together to make a smartphone camera a “good” camera, which is detailed below.
Resolution
Benefit: Resolution = detail
What is it: Resolution refers to the number of pixels your camera has. Often referred to as Megapixels, their job is to record the scene you want to capture it all its beauty.
Myth: More megapixels = better images
Truth: You may think it would be best to have lots of megapixels to get the most detail, but that is not true. There is a limit to how many pixels you can fit in a camera sensor without hampering their ability to do their job. Imagine if you had to work in a cubicle full of 10 people when that cubicle was only designed for 3. So, don’t get swayed by the flashy ‘more megapixel’ claims. The best performance is given by sensors with 12-14-megapixel resolution.
Lens
Benefit: Creating your crystal clear, haze-free images.
What is it: The lens helps focus the light on the camera sensor so that things are in sharp focus. Smartphone cameras typically use plastic lenses, but more expensive cameras use glass lenses, which are superior to plastic lenses. Sometimes, you will even see Zeiss of Leica branding on cameras, in which case you can rest assured that you’re getting the very best of the best.
Aperture
Benefit: Helping you take better low light photos, always.
What is it: The size of the lens’ opening is called the aperture, written as f/1.4 or f/2.0 or f/2.8 and so on. Just look for the aperture number of the lens. The smaller the number, the more light it will let into the camera, making its low light performance even better. For example, an aperture of 1.4 is better than 1.8, which is better than 2.4.
Visual Tip: Show aperture openings with the quantity of light going through. Ensure there are aperture numbers there as well.
Focus Method
Benefit: Ensuring you never miss that precious shot because the focus was too slow.
What is it: The focusing system makes sure you don’t end up with blurry photos of your subject. Of the many focusing technologies out there, Dual Pixel AF is not only the fastest but also the most reliable in good light and even low light. Phase Detect Auto Focus, also known as PDAF is also very good and reliable. Look for a smartphone with either of these two features.
Pro Tip: Cameras need a little light to focus, so if your smartphone doesn’t have Dual Pixel AF or PDAF, you can still get focus by shining some light on your subject and then focusing on them.
Stabilisation
Benefit: Get blur-free images in low light and stable video even when shot hand-held
What is it: When taking photos or videos, our hands can sometimes be very shaky. Optical and Electronic image stabilization help compensate for that, resulting in blur-free images. Currently, optical image stabilization (OIS) is considered superior to electronic image stabilization (EIS), so if your budget permits, pick a smartphone whose cameras have OIS.
Pro Tip: Optical Image Stabilisation works better than EIS, but a combination of both is the best.
Dual Camera
Benefit: More cameras give you more ways to capture your perfect memories
What is it: By adding two cameras, the photography experience is greatly improved. Dual camera phones are of two types generally depending on the type of the second lens; one that gives you an additional focal length (telephoto or ultrawide) and the other which has a monochrome sensor. Cameras with monochrome secondary sensors are great if you’re into black and white photography, but having two cameras with two different views of the world is more likely to result in better pictures.
Triple Camera
Benefit: Gives you the ability to zoom and sharper images.
What is it: A triple-camera setup gives you the most flexibility, offering zoom, wide-angle lens and even a black and white sensor for artistic photos. This is the answer if you feel conflicted when considering a dual camera smartphone.
Portrait Mode
Benefit: Getting DSLR-like portraits from your smartphone camera
What is it: Portrait mode or Bokeh Mode is a type of photography that blurs the background while keeping the person in sharp focus. For good portrait shots, the camera needs a two-lens setup which works together with software to give you amazing portrait photos. Since this feature relies more on software than hardware, the kind of dual-camera setup you have wouldn’t really matter. In fact, the Google Pixel 2 achieves amazing portrait mode photos despite having just one camera and that is because of the software.
Selfie Camera
Benefit: Making it easier to take your own photos without the help of anyone.
What is it: Since the front-facing camera is all about you and making you look good, they will all come with some beautification features which can remove skin blemishes and even make your face glow. If you’re the type of consumer who considers the selfie camera as important as the back camera, then make sure you keep an eye out for a front-facing flash like those offered by Oppo and Vivo phones. Many smartphones now also offer Portrait Mode using the front-facing camera, which is an additional benefit you get.
Pro Tip: Sometimes the beautification filters can make skin look like plastic, so make sure you use the right setting.
Video Modes
What is it: Memories are priceless, so you would want to make sure that they’re captured in the best way possible. While we all want high-resolution video, there are a few other aspects that come together to make the video capabilities of the smartphone ideal for your use.
Resolution
Benefit: Higher resolution recording = sharper, clearer video
What is it: Video can be recorded in 4K, 1080p and 720p. Higher resolution means you can play it on bigger screens without losing quality or seeing grain on screen.
Pro Tip: The higher the resolution of the video you record, the more space it’s going to consume on your storage, so keep an eye on that.
Frame-Rate
Benefit: Higher frame rate = smoother playback
What is it: Frame-rate refers to the number of photos captured in one second when you shoot video. The video, at the end of the day, is just a large number of photos put together and played back really fast. The minimum frame rate is 24 frames per second (or 24fps) and can be as high as 60 fps. High frame rates come in handy when you’re trying to capture fast-moving action. For example, if you record a fast-moving action sequence in 60fps and 24 fps, the 60fps video would playback more smoothly and the 24fps counterpart. Higher frame rates hence give you smoother video. Also, don’t confuse this with slow-motion video, which we discuss next.
Slow-Mo or Slow Motion
Benefit: Shoot surreal videos which appear to slow downtime.
What is it: Super slow motion video is basically a video that has been shot at very high frame rates such as 180, 240 or even a whopping 960 fps. When you play such videos, the action in them moves very slowly allowing you to savour a fleeting moment in all its glory. You can capture your cute pet running across the room or the dripping of water into a puddle to cinematic effect.
Operating System
Benefit: How happy you are using the phone depends on the right choice of the operating system.
What is it: All smartphones are either Android or iOS. There are countless Android phones, each offering their own unique features for both hardware and software. Custom Android versions can come with added functionality that may be missing in stock Android like being able to apply themes or customizing the icons, but they can also be more demanding on your processor and RAM, slowing the phone down. If you want the best performance, buy a smartphone that comes with Stock Android like the Google Pixel or Nokia smartphones.
Pro Tip: Stock Android is the version of Android that doesn’t slow your phone down even after a whole year’s use.
Custom Android UI
Benefits: Extra features that are not a part of Stock Android
What is it: While Google uses Stock Android, manufacturers like Huawei, Samsung and many more take stock Android and add a layer of customization to it. This is why Huawei’s version of Android is called EMUI and Samsung calls its version Samsung Experience. Many other manufacturers take the same approach in order to provide features and capabilities that aren’t available in stock Android. This could be features like the ability to apply themes, use custom icons or even change the way the operating system works. However, custom versions of Android are a little more demanding on the processor and RAM.
Android Go
Benefit: Even low-end devices can run Android smoothly now.
What is it: Google built a lean version of Android specifically for phones with less than 1GB of RAM. The best part, it is based on the latest Android Oreo and brings the same experience to smartphones which are not so powerful. The OS is missing the slick animations of the full version of Android in order to make it run smoothly on low-end devices. Android Go is designed to run on smartphones with less than 1GB of RAM and hence is found on phones that cost less than Rs 8000
Android One
What is it: Android One is a program where Google ensures that the hardware and software match, giving the customer the best possible Android experience. The OS is a little lean-to make sure it works on all hardware, not just the most powerful ones.
Pro Tip: Android GO is specifically for phones with less than 1GB of RAM while Android One labelled phones can have more RAM.
Security
Benefit: Keep people from prying into your personal life.
What is it: There are now many ways in which you can lock your phone from those who are trying to snoop around. While companies keep advertising new ways of unlocking the phone, not all of them are as secure as they should be. Additionally, you’re going to be unlocking your phone a lot throughout the day, some maybe even more than a hundred times. Make sure you pick a phone which has the most convenient unlocking method for you, whether its tapping a finger, typing a password or holding the phone up to your face. Here are all the new security features in the market, and the ones which are secure.
Fingerprint Sensor
Benefit: the fastest way to unlock your smartphone, along with being the most secure.
What is it: Your unique fingerprint is the key to unlocking your phone. It is currently the most secure method for unlocking the phone because it measures an electrical signal generated by your finger’s unique pattern. It is very difficult and expensive to trick the fingerprint scanner, something your average person would not have access to. Fingerprint sensors can be placed either at the bottom of the screen or at the back, both of which are equally convenient and easy to get used to. We are also just starting to see under-display fingerprint technology emerge, but right now, it is slow and not as accurate as a conventional fingerprint sensor.
FaceID/Face Unlock
Benefit: Just lift your phone to unlock
What is it: Some phones will allow you to unlock them by just looking at them. They do this by scanning your face. FaceID is exclusive to Apple while brands like OnePlus, Vivo, Oppo are all using a different method to achieve the same result. Face Unlock is convenient but not as secure as using a fingerprint.
Pro Tip: It has been known that people can unlock your phone by just pointing it at your face, so you may want to wait for this technology to become more secure before relying on it 100%.
Connectivity
What is it: Smartphones are all about connecting us to our loved ones. Whether its through phone calls, texting or even sharing images and videos. Smartphones now have multiple little ways of making sure you’re always able to get your messages, content across whether to friends or social media. Dual Sim smartphones are now very commonplace as is Bluetooth. Click here to find out other important factors to consider when you look for connectivity.
- Dual SIM vs. Hybrid SIM
If you have two SIM cards, then a dual SIM smartphone makes a great choice., However, some smartphones have a Hybrid SIM card tray, where the SIM 2 slot share space with the microSD card. What this means is that you can either put a second SIM card in there or a microSD card. If you need to use both SIM cards and a microSD card, then you should find a phone that has dedicated slots for all three. - Dual VoLTE
Voice over LTE or VoLTE is fast becoming the next evolution of voice calling. Offered by Reliance Jio and in parts of the country by Airtel, Dual VoLTE compatibility is important if you would like to use both your Jio and Airtel SIM cards at the same time without losing connectivity when the other SIM is active. IF a smartphone supports Dual VoLTE, the spec sheet will definitely mention it as it is a hot feature right now.
Visual Tip: Smartphone screen showing 4G symbol on both SIM card signals. - Near Field Communication or NFC
NFC is an easy way to pair two phones over Bluetooth. If two phones have NFC, bringing them close together will ask you if you’d like to pair the devices. This is especially helpful in pairing your smartphone with Bluetooth speakers or other Bluetooth devices. Finally, no more struggling with Bluetooth pairing! - Audio Jack
The 3.5mm headphone jack has been the gold standard for audiophiles, but nowadays, some smartphones are starting to drop the port. In order to make smartphones thinner, the headphone jack is being removed by many and instead, you would find a USB-C to 3.5mm converter in the box. If you’ve got a big collection of headphones and earphones, or you think dealing with converters is a hassle, stick to a smartphone with a 3.5mm headphone jack.
Pro Tip: USB-C to 3.5mm headphone jacks are not universally compatible. A converter for one phone might not work with another, so be careful before committing to the USB-C audio trend.
Smartphones have become a critical part of our lives, helping us not only stay in touch with near and dear ones but also functioning as a business tool. Some of us rely on them for entertainment while most of us use them as our only way to capture special memories.
As the demand for smartphones has ballooned, so has the supply. There was a time were picking up a mobile phone was as easy as walking into a store and choosing whatever our favourites brand had to offer.
Nowadays, every company has multiple options on offer, with each model having a different set of hardware and software features. There are many things to consider now, such as budget, your usage pattern, but more importantly, what is the most important thing to you in a smartphone.
All in all, it can get a little overwhelming but don’t worry, you’ve come to the perfect place, a one-stop guide to all your smartphone buying needs.
