7 Things to Keep In Mind When Buying a Phone

Did you know that 97% of Americans own some type of cellphone? If you are in the market to buy a new phone but are overwhelmed because of all the choices, we are here to help you out. Our guide below will go over everything you want to keep in mind when buying a phone.

Read on to learn more.

1. Pick an Operating System

The first thing you have to think about when buying a new phone is whether you want an Android operating system or iOS. If you are comfortable using Apple products such as MacBook, iPads, etc. then you might be more comfortable diving into an iOS phone.

For those that already use an Android device such as a Google, LG, or Samsung devices then switching to an iOS operating system might be challenging. Please keep in mind that if you are used to the Android operating system, it can be a bit of a different experience depending on the device that you are using.

For example, on a Google Pixel you will have a different experience than on an LG's UX or the Z Fold 4. You can read more about this Samsung Z Fold 4 here. What you have used in the past can help you choose the phone brand you feel most comfortable with, or you can be adventurous and try a different operating system.

2. Storage Space

Next, you want to take a look at how much storage space you need. Nowadays, pictures and videos require a lot more space than they used to because of the higher resolutions available. Also, apps are bigger in size than they used to be.

It's always best to opt for as much storage as possible if it's within your budget. Some Android phones offer memory card slots that allow you to expand your internal memory as needed.

3. Camera Quality

If you are using your phone for vlogging, or require a certain camera for work, then you need to take the camera quality into consideration. Every year phone cameras are improving and taking higher quality images.

For those that quality matters then you need to opt for a phone that offers the resolution you need for either your pictures or videos.

4. Phone Size

Smartphones seem to be getting a bit on the bigger side, but there are still smartphones that are small enough to fit in your pocket. When deciding on the size of phone you want to take into consideration what you use your phone for most.

Do you use it as your phone and also television? If so, then you probably want a big enough screen where you can see the video, show, or movie you're streaming. Think about where you will put your phone most often and make sure the size of the phone is not inconvenient.

For example, if it's going in your purse and it's too small you might have a hard time finding it. Or, if you are used to putting it in your back pocket you can't get something too large because it might fall out.

5. Performance

You also want to take a look at the RAM and the processor the phone has. The processor is what determines how fast it is and how power efficient it is. As of the writing of this post Android phones with the best processor come with the Qualcomm Snapdragon 865.

As far as RAM goes, you want at least 4 GB of RAM when you are buying an Android phone. With iPhones, you don't have to worry about the RAM as much because the operating system handles memory management differently, so they don't require as much RAM.

6. Battery Life

We seem to be doing everything from our smartphones, but if they are constantly dying they won't be very helpful. Take a look at the battery life and also how long they take to charge. There are phones that are charging via a "WARP" charger where they go from 0 to 100% in less than 15 minutes.

If the battery life is important to you, make sure you not only look at the battery life specs but look at reviews to see what others are saying about the battery life.

7. Display

Another factor to take into account is the display. The resolution of the phone or screen is going to determine how sharp the quality of the images and text are. Some smartphones offer up to 4K displays and others offer Full HD.

This is where you will have to evaluate the display that you prefer to see. If you plan on watching videos and movies on your phone, then you want to at least choose a phone that has a Full HD+ resolution. For those that only use their phone for calling, light web browsing, or texting then you can probably get away with an HD screen.

When looking at the display you also want to take a look at what the refresh rate is. This is the number of times that the display outputs a new image per second. Faster refresh rates are 90Hz and 120 Hz. The higher this number is the faster your phone will seem because it gives it the ability to respond quicker.