How to choose a smartphone: what characteristics to look for. How to choose a phone

Choosing a smartphone is a scrupulous and complex process, because the phone has long left the category of luxury products. Nowadays, a smartphone is an essential item, essentially on the same level as a toothbrush; moreover, just like with toothbrushes, at first glance it seems that all gadgets are identical and perform the same functions, but in fact the difference is in the little things plays a key role.

Which brand's smartphone is better?

Today there is a certain conglomerate that sells phones all over the world, dragging behind them an eternal war and competition. These are smartphone manufacturers that have managed to make a name for themselves. Companies that are in demand and have played an important role in the development of the market. In this material, we will analyze an impromptu rating of smartphone companies, based not so much on sales, but on product quality, profit and consumer satisfaction.

Apple iPhone: a legend from California

The iPhone definitely doesn’t require a separate introduction; the device is familiar even to those who are not at all comfortable with technology. They say a lot about the Apple phone, but the main thing is that no other gadget has received so much attention.

latest model
CPU	Branded quad-core A10 chip with PoverVR graphics, own design.
	4.7/5.5-inch screen, made using Retina technology, having the widest color range for an IPS matrix.
	2/3 gigabytes of RAM and up to 256 gigabytes of main memory (ROM).
	12-megapixel photo module with the ability to shoot in the dark/two 12-megapixel cameras with optical zoom and focus adjustment.
Autonomy	Up to 12/18 hours of operation on a single battery charge.

The iPhone is the standard, the first smartphone with a capacitive touch display, the first to offer such a form factor, and the forefather of an entire category of devices. What makes this smartphone unique is the operating system developed by programmers and engineers from silicon valley. iOS is the most secure and simple operating system in the world, delivered with a set of high-quality, proprietary software, and the largest software store - Apple App Store.

If you are asked which company’s smartphone is faster, the answer is definitely Apple; If you are asked which brand's smartphone is more reliable, the answer will be identical. An uncompromising solution for all those who love beautiful and affordable technology focused on quality user experience. An important factor is the image component. Among the shortcomings for which Apple smartphones are often criticized, it is worth highlighting the closed system, focus on the “Apple ecosystem” and inflated price.

Samsung: best in the East

The main competitor of the team from Cupertino is Korean engineers from Samsung, who managed to create one of the most popular lines of devices on the market. Samsung, in comparison with other Android phone manufacturers, has a number of its own patented developments coupled with a proprietary software shell. The company's latest smartphone is breaking records and aims to dethrone the iPhone.

latest model	Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge
CPU
	5.5-inch display with a resolution of 2560 by 1440 pixels. Glass with curved edges is used.
	4 gigabytes of RAM, 32 gigabytes of main memory (ROM). There is support for memory cards up to 200 gigabytes.
	12-megapixel photo module with the ability to shoot in the dark.
Autonomy	Up to 25 hours of operation on a single battery charge (according to the manufacturer).

The distinctive features of the flagship Galaxy series are: oversaturated, almost “radioactive” color rendering of the display (which many liked), curved edges of the display, and the best mobile camera. The latest model has support for two SIM cards, protection from moisture and dust.

A definite disadvantage of the device is the ineptly created software. Powerful hardware and a huge supply of memory have never saved Samsung smartphones from problems with software. The system is full of junk, it slows down, freezes, and at the same time it looks terrible. An ideal solution for those who are anti-Apple and are looking for an alternative in the same class.

LG: subtle Korean experimenters

Another well-known Korean company, not so successful and profitable, of course, but no less interesting. LG smartphones have never been in great demand, but their gadgets have always been interesting to look at. New solutions from the Korean company are individual, specific, and unlike others. Just look at modular smartphones, which, like a system unit, can be modified and expanded without replacing the main parts.

latest model
CPU	Chip manufactured by Snapdragon, 820 model. 4 cores.
	5.7-inch IPS-based display panel with a resolution of 2560 by 1440 pixels. Second display with a resolution of 1040 by 160 pixels.
	4 gigabytes of RAM, 64 gigabytes of main memory (ROM). There is support for memory cards up to two terabytes.
	Dual camera with a resolution of 16 and 8 megapixels.
Autonomy

The V20 flagship phone also has a distinctive feature: a second display that displays all sorts of useful information. For example, received messages, missed calls, shortcuts to quickly access applications. Although the manufacturer focused on the additional display, LG did not forget about aesthetics, powerful hardware and a decent camera. The smartphone is suitable for all those who want to stand out, try something new, and who are always wondering which brand’s smartphone is better.

Sony: inventive and stylish Japanese

Sony, like, for example, Samsung, pays a lot of attention to various areas of electronics, instead of focusing only on the mobile division. Perhaps it was precisely because of this that things somehow didn’t work out for the Japanese with phones.

latest model
CPU	Chip manufactured by Snapdragon, 820 model. 8 cores.
	5.2-inch display with a resolution of 1920 by 1080 pixels.
	3 gigabytes of RAM, 32 gigabytes of main memory (ROM). There is support for memory cards up to 256 gigabytes.
	23-megapixel photo module with the ability to shoot in the dark.
Autonomy	Up to 15 hours of operation on a single battery charge.

The graceful series of Xperia smartphones solemnly walked around the planet, boasting either an incredible camera capable of shooting in the dark, under water, on the move, or protection from moisture and dust. As for the standards of protection against water and short-term immersions, it was Sony who took this on first, launching a large-scale marketing campaign based on this feature. Sony phones can also boast a unique exterior that few people want to copy, and deep integration with other Sony products and services. For example, you can connect a PlayStation game controller to flagship phone models and even enjoy playing some exclusive projects. What Sony cannot boast of is reliability; phones have high level marriage, often, no matter how ironic it may sound, Japanese gadgets become drowned. Sony devices are suitable for all those for whom visual perception is more important, or those who love other products of the company.

HTC: surrounded, but not broken

One of the most long-suffering manufacturers in history. The Taiwanese company HTC was once a leader, sold a lot of gadgets, had its own style, its own patented solutions, and made a profit. Unfortunately, popular smartphone companies such as Apple and Samsung have supplanted the Taiwanese in a matter of years, forcing them to hesitate, get confused, and make bad decisions.

latest model
CPU	Chip manufactured by Snapdragon, 820 model. 8 cores.
	5.2-inch display with a resolution of 2560 by 1440 pixels.
	4 gigabytes of RAM, 32 gigabytes of main memory (ROM). There is support for memory cards up to two terabytes.
	12-megapixel photo module with LED flash and autofocus.
Autonomy	Up to 27 hours of operation on a single battery charge (according to the manufacturer).

The company's latest device is the HTC 10, which is no different from the many "Chinese" devices, of which 10 are born a week. HTC abandoned everything they had been working on over the years and made a normal powerful smartphone, which is unlikely to be of any interest. Ultimately, the question always arises of which company’s smartphone is better to buy, and if the brand is not of high importance, then it’s time to look at the affordable and attractive East.

Chinese smartphone companies

Between 2012 and 2014 there was a real revolution in the smartphone market. Expensive and luxury phones are facing an onslaught of the same phones, only 2-3 times cheaper. The Chinese have taken smartphone sales seriously and have begun to relentlessly churn out cheap devices with the same characteristics as the top models. The world is divided into two camps: those who consider Chinese devices to be consumer goods, and those who fell in love with them at first sight.

Meizu: leaders of dumping prices

Chinese smartphone companies started their journey surprisingly brightly; already with the first release of the Meizu smartphone, it became clear that they came with serious intentions. The prices for the first smartphones amazed everyone without exception, and people began to buy budget flagship phones.

A distinctive feature unique to Meizu is the blatant copying of a product created by the Apple corporation. If you put iPhone 6/7 and Meizu Pro 6 next to each other, it’s not so easy to notice the difference; you can immediately see that the Chinese were “inspired” by the Americans. Even the proprietary technology that makes it possible to create displays that recognize touch force has been copied. Among other things, the Chinese gadget turned out to be quite powerful and has a number of interesting software solutions. An ideal solution for those who are not used to spending a lot on electronics.

Xiaomi: making dreams come true

The history of Xiaomi is not much different from that of the manufacturer above. The essence is the same, rampant dumping and new gadgets once a month. But there is a serious difference between the companies.

latest model
CPU	Latest quad-core Snapdragon 821 processor.
	Giant 6.4-inch display with a resolution of 2040 by 1080 pixels. A frameless display is used.
	6 gigabytes of RAM, up to 256 gigabytes of main memory (ROM).
	16-megapixel photo module.
Autonomy	Up to 30 hours of operation on a single battery charge (battery capacity - 4400 milliamp hours).

Xiaomi knows how to listen to the public and just recently presented the world with the phone that all the Internet geeks on the planet have been dreaming about. Stunning content, elegant design, giant frameless display. This beautiful, amazing phone made a lot of noise on the Internet, many people seriously thought about the superiority of the Chinese. No one has ever offered anything like this, which makes the device seem even more interesting, and the company becomes more and more visible. Is it worth getting this phone right now? Only if you are ready to experiment today, if you are not afraid of running into marriage and spending money on a “Chinese”.

OnePlus One: sophistication and style

Last on the list, but no less significant is the device: developed by the Chinese from OnePlus, at its core, this is not too expensive, but a very high-quality phone, distinguished by its sophisticated style.

Unlike other Chinese phones, OnePlus does not use Android; instead, the phones have a modification based on it, OxygenOS, which has a positive effect on performance and stability. OnePlus has always been the preserve of the self-proclaimed elite, but today this brand does not have such weight, and therefore it is worth choosing it only if you are interested in working with new, unusual software.

Instead of a conclusion

The concept of a good smartphone is indecently blurred, because many people prioritize cost and are looking for something cheaper. For this reason, the material above considered only flagship models, which allow you to get an impression of the company as a whole and purchase a truly high-quality item. Be that as it may, the answer to the question: “Which company’s smartphone is better?” - always individual. You need to choose a device based on the tasks that will be assigned to it, not forgetting about personal preferences.

It is simply impossible to imagine everyday life without a mobile phone; use the Internet, play games, watch videos, all these possibilities are contained in only one device. Possibilities modern gadgets are limitless and choose best smartphone in 2018 – 2019 is not the easiest task. Perhaps a few years ago, when these devices first went on sale and there wasn’t much to choose from, such problems did not arise.

But now the modern market of mobile gadgets is replenished with the latest high-quality devices every six months, and many of us do not know exactly what parameters to pay attention to in 2018 - 2019. Our experts will help you figure out how to choose the right smartphone, inexpensive but good, so as not to overpay for unnecessary functions, who tried to reveal the main points that you should pay attention to when purchasing.

Why do you need a smartphone?

Answer this question for yourself before you start choosing a good smartphone, since the selection process itself directly depends on the purpose of using the gadget:

If you only need a device for calls and SMS communication, then all devices cope with these functions perfectly and you should not overpay for famous brands and cool functionality.
Do you often communicate in in social networks, make video calls, or read books, you at least need stable Internet (preferably 3G and 4G, in addition to Wi-Fi), a bright and contrasting display and a good front camera.
Do you like to play games, watch high-definition movies and work with a lot of applications? Choose a smartphone model with a powerful processor (at least 1.5 GHz and 4 cores), 2-3 GB of RAM, a capacious battery (the bigger the better, for a 5-inch smartphone from 3000 mAh), a high-quality large-size display with high resolution.
For selfie lovers, those who travel a lot and want to capture all the most interesting moments on camera, phones with excellent optics (from 16 MP), complemented by a variety of functions such as autofocus and optical image stabilization, are suitable.

To summarize, it is worth noting that when buying a smartphone, we often give preference to well-known brands for which we sometimes overpay a lot of money. We, in turn, can confidently say that Chinese smartphones whose price and quality are at a good level can be bought for reasonable money without sacrificing performance.

Criteria for choosing a good smartphone

You can independently decide which smartphone to choose by studying several main technical characteristics. You should choose based on the following criteria:

display;
operating system;
CPU;
memory;
video accelerator;
camera;
battery.

Display

Today, due to the wide variety of phone models with different types of screens, it is sometimes very difficult to decide which display size to choose for your smartphone. It is the display that we pay attention to first when we want to buy a smartphone; it is the first thing that catches your eye when you pick it up. There are not many small devices with a diagonal of 3-3.5 inches on sale anymore. They are best suited for calls and SMS. But if we are talking, for example, about a good Samsung smartphone, and not about a simple cell phone, then you should still make the most of the capabilities of your device. The optimal size is 4-5 inches. Anything higher can already cause discomfort, but many users prefer large-sized devices (from 5.5 inches). In this case, it is recommended to take a particularly close look at the resolution of the gadget. Of course, the higher the resolution, the better. For example, Full HD resolution (1920 by 1080 pixels) indicates high picture clarity. However, in terms of parameters, this is rather an expensive flagship, so if you want to buy, the optimal choice would be the HD format resolution – 1280 by 720, and the price will definitely suit you.

The technical characteristics of the display also indicate the type of matrix, for example, TFT, IPS, Super Amoled or Retina (in Apple phones). If the model you like has a TFT matrix, it is better to immediately abandon it, since this is an outdated technology used in budget smartphones. The last two matrices provide high-quality images, but have a significant impact on the cost. Thus, IPS is the best option; it is this matrix that is used in most devices in the mid-price segment.

Look detailed video about types and technologies of screens!

operating system

The three main competing platforms to choose from are Android, iOS and Windows Phone. Android is currently considered the most popular and most convenient system, followed by iOS. Android smartphones are regularly updated and provide more opportunities for their users, they have a clear and simple interface and many different features that modern users like.

Windows Phone has not yet gained a large enough audience of users due to its somewhat complicated structure, although it is successfully and actively developing. Still, I would like to note that Windows system Phone was originally designed more for computers than smartphones. And if you, for example, download a song or any other file from the Internet, then in Windows you will spend a long time searching in which folder exactly it was downloaded. There are also few applications in Windows, and if you find the application you need, it will most likely be paid.

iOS is most focused on ensuring the security of user data, it is 100 percent the most secure operating system in the world. Of course, you will also need to spend a lot of money on a smartphone with this OS.

If your first priority is the ability to have full control over your gadget, install any applications (including from unofficial sources), customize the appearance of the OS at your discretion, choose Android, it is more understandable to the average user, and there are also inexpensive good smartphones Android is huge. If you are more concerned about the safety of your personal data and are willing to pay a lot for it, iOS is more suitable for you.

CPU

The two main characteristics of a processor are the number of cores and frequency. If there are more than 4 cores, the phone will discharge much faster. And there is a need for such characteristics only if you choose a smartphone for high-demand games. It is desirable that the smartphone has the ability to temporarily disable some cores when they are not needed, and, conversely, use all the hardware power when running demanding games, programs, etc. You can learn about this phone ability from a review of a specific model.

As for companies that manufacture processors, the abbreviation MTK – MediaTek – is most often found in inexpensive smartphones. This chip is the cheapest and does not have very high performance and operating speed. Intel and Exynos are present in the most powerful and expensive devices (the price-quality ratio of the smartphone will be appropriate), but Qualcomm Snapdragon is what you need; it shows good performance and low power consumption,
5 most popular mobile processors:

Qualcomm Snapdragon 650 MSM8956, 1800 MHz;
Qualcomm Snapdragon 620 APQ8076, 1800 MHz;
MediaTek MT6797 Helio X25, 2500 MHz;
Qualcomm Snapdragon 620 MSM8976, 1800 MHz;
Qualcomm Snapdragon 618 MSM8956, 1800 MHz.

The number of cores on a phone does not always mean that it will work 8 times faster. First of all, you should pay attention to the frequency and then to the quantity.

Interesting video about mobile processors, you need to know this!

Memory

RAM and built-in memory are two very important characteristics that must be taken into account when choosing a mobile phone.
RAM is responsible for the speed of the smartphone, the ability to run several processes simultaneously, etc. If there is too little of it, you won’t even be able to run the game or video in good resolution, or they will run slowly, with constant slowdowns. On the 1 GB model random access memory It's worth paying attention only if you don't play games or work with a lot of open applications. At the moment, a good gaming smartphone should have at least 2 GB of RAM, and preferably 3 GB.

Internal memory is a kind of drive designed to store various system and user data. After installing an application, some of the files end up in the internal memory. If this capacity is too small, you will not be able to install many programs or games, or you will have to delete something to free up memory. You must choose a smartphone with at least 16 GB of internal memory. However, remember that part of this volume is already occupied by system data, so in fact you will have about 12 GB at your disposal. You can improve the situation a little by buying a memory card, if a slot for it is provided in the phone, but not all programs are moved to the SD card, take this into account when buying a smartphone, checking this information with the seller.

Video accelerator

First, it’s worth understanding what a video accelerator is, which is also called a graphics processor. Unlike a regular processor chip, it only processes graphics data. For example, if the video accelerator is poor, the device will not be able to play a game with beautiful 3D graphics. The best smartphones are equipped with the following models of video accelerators:

Mali-T880;
Adreno 530;
Adreno 510;
PowerVR GXA6850;
Mali-T760.

These manufacturers offer a large selection of graphics chips for mid-priced and low-cost smartphones. In order not to make a mistake in choosing, it is recommended to study in more detail the pros and cons of a particular accelerator, and then decide whether it is worth buying such a smartphone or not.

Camera

The main indicator of camera quality is resolution, measured in pixels. As a rule, the front module of a smartphone is much weaker than the main one, since it is intended mainly for video calling and selfies, which have become popular recently. To ensure that the image obtained from the front camera is clear enough, it is worth considering devices with a resolution of at least 5 megapixels.
Good camera The main type in a smartphone may have a resolution of 20 megapixels, but the cost of such a device is rather high. Photos of quite good quality can be taken using 13 megapixels. It is also important to have additional functions:

automatic focus (improves the clarity of pictures);
flash (significantly improves shooting quality);
image stabilization system (preferably optical - allows you to take high-quality photos and videos in motion).

Battery

If you want to get the most out of your phone without having to sit near an outlet all day with charger, then the battery should be given a lot of attention. IN in this case it all depends on the size of the display (its resolution) and the operating conditions of the gadget.

Important! The more productive the device and the larger its high-resolution screen diagonal, the more energy it requires to operate, and, accordingly, the more powerful and durable the battery.

Have you chosen a cool smartphone with high performance, but are unhappy with its performance? Some of the most common problems include slow performance and rapid battery drain. This is not uncommon, so it is recommended that you familiarize yourself with some valuable tips.

To prevent the battery from draining quickly

If your smartphone discharges quickly, use energy saving modes, of which there may be several. After activating this mode, the smartphone disables unnecessary modules, processor cores, wireless communications and other components that quickly drain the battery. If there is no such function, follow these tips:

Do not install live wallpapers as your desktop screensaver.
Turn off Wi-Fi, GPS, Bluetooth and other wireless connections if you are not currently using them.
Reduce the display brightness to a minimum - this will help your smartphone hold a charge for a long time.
Turn off the vibration signal.

What to choose for screen protection?

Film (matte, glossy, mirror) is a cheaper option, but it only protects against scratches and light impacts, is difficult to apply, and can slightly degrade image quality and reduce screen sensitivity.
Protective glass is more expensive, does not affect the sensitivity of the sensor and picture quality, and can protect the screen not only from scratches, but also from impacts. If your smartphone costs a lot of money, it is important to choose high-quality glass with high shock resistance.

How to speed up your smartphone?

Over time, it becomes noticeable that the smartphone begins to work much more slowly, errors appear, crashes from applications, etc. This happens for various reasons, most often due to the accumulation of a large amount of unnecessary data in the phone’s memory. To solve this problem, there are several ways, both radical and simple, that every user can cope with:

Install an application designed to clean your smartphone, optimize its performance, and use it regularly (about once a month). For example, CCleaner, Clean Master are good programs that have proven themselves worthy.
From time to time, look through the data storage for third-party folders and files (sometimes they remain after uninstalled programs and clog up the system).
Remove any unused programs.
Clear application cache (it slows down your smartphone and takes up RAM).
Rebooting the system temporarily speeds up the device.
Update your firmware regularly.

Which brand to choose a smartphone

The question of which company is better to choose a smartphone, as a rule, does not arise - in search of a good mobile phone, many are inclined to brand manufacturers with a good reputation. To some extent this is true, but recently many Chinese companies have released many high-quality, noteworthy new products. They are not inferior in characteristics to smartphones from well-known companies, but have a more affordable price. Most popular for Last year steel companies:

Meizu;
Xiaomi;
Huawei;
Samsung.

Summarize

Now, as soon as you decide to buy a mobile phone, you can choose it yourself. There is nothing complicated about this - just carefully study the technical specifications. But, first of all, you should decide for what purpose you are buying it, so as not to overpay for unnecessary functions. Choosing the right inexpensive but good smartphone in 2017 is quite easy; the main thing is to approach this issue by studying all the most important details.

When buying a smartphone, the primary task of any person who manages their money wisely is to choose a device specifically for their needs. Because any phone, even the most budget one, will bring you positive emotions if it meets your requirements and expectations.

We have prepared detailed instructions on how to choose a smartphone according to the parameters specifically for your tasks. Having studied it, you will be able to distinguish between marketing nonsense, under the sauce of which they are trying to sell us the most expensive and, often, unnecessary smartphones, and also learn to be guided by the things that are really important when choosing. Let's begin.

Housing, materials

Design is a subjective thing, and there are not and cannot be any recommendations for choosing the appearance of a smartphone. However, you still need to know some information regarding the exterior of the device. Almost all smartphones currently produced have the following body types:

metal;
plastic;
ceramic.

A hit of yesteryear that is still popular today, a metal case can be considered the best option. This case looks nice (allows the manufacturer to experiment with finishing options), it is durable, resists drops well, and thanks to its high thermal conductivity, it removes heat well from the internal filling of the smartphone, preventing it from overheating under load. Disadvantage - the body becomes covered with abrasions during use.

The latest trend is a ceramic case, which is often positioned as an image solution. Indeed, such phones look unusual, but you have to pay for beauty - the glass body is slippery and fragile, it is not particularly pleasant to hold in your hands, and the surface itself quickly becomes covered with scratches and loses its original appearance. This is definitely not a choice for lovers of practicality.

Smartphones in a plastic case are now presented mainly in the entry-level price category, often these are ultra-low-cost phones with poor characteristics and mediocre assembly, so there is not much choice here. A pleasant exception was the recently released one (full review at the link), you can also consider the LG K10. Plastic has no particular operational advantages or disadvantages, except that in the cold the phone is not so cold and it is more pleasant to put it to your ear when talking.

The vast majority of smartphones are produced in a monolithic case, which makes the assembly better (no backlash or gaps between in separate parts) and allows you to implement dust and moisture protection in devices. However, this imposes certain restrictions, for example, you will not be able to replace your smartphone’s battery yourself as it wears out; to do this, you will have to take the gadget to a service center. Smartphones with a removable back cover and battery are produced by LG; you can also look for them among ultra-budget devices from Chinese manufacturers (for example,)

Display

When choosing a display, you should pay attention to the following parameters:

size;
matrix type;
permission.

Everyone has their own smartphone screen diagonal that is comfortable for use, so it makes sense to come to the nearest mobile phone store and test it different models to determine what fits more comfortably in your hands. Obviously, smartphones with large displays are better suited for watching videos and consuming a variety of media content, while compact devices are simply more convenient to use. They can be controlled with one hand, which is not applicable to phablets.

The standard screen diagonal today is considered to be 5-5.5 inches, while for particularly large phablets, such as , it reaches 6.44 inches. There are frankly few high-quality compact devices on the market; let’s highlight the iPhone SE (4’’), (4.7’’) and Sony Xperia X Compact (4.6’’).

Next, you should look at the display resolution. There are two options: HD (1280*720) or FHD (1920*720). HD resolution is optimal for displays up to 5 inches diagonal, while for larger diagonals it is desirable to have FHD. Anything less than HD gives a grainy, crumbly picture, more than FHD - 2K, 4K, is simple marketing for which you will have to overpay. The difference between FHD and 2K resolution on a small smartphone screen will be noticed by 1 out of 10 people; it is extremely insignificant.

Parameters such as color rendering, viewing angles and screen contrast depend on the type of matrix, of which there are currently three (main):

TN are the simplest and cheapest matrices that are used in ultra-budget smartphones; together with a resolution that does not even reach HD, they provide a low-contrast picture that is frankly unpleasant for the eyes, which is also inverted at the slightest change in viewing angles.
IPS is the “gold standard” of modern screen technology. Such displays have good viewing angles and brightness/contrast parameters. Expensive monitors for graphic designers and photographers are made on the basis of IPS, since this technology allows for the most accurate color reproduction. However, all this concerns high-quality IPS, since in cheap smartphones manufacturers often use frankly mediocre matrices.
AMOLED – such displays are a characteristic feature of Samsung smartphones. The features of these matrices are the deepest blacks, rich colors (sometimes even excessively) and high contrast. AMOLED screens are also very energy efficient, since the pixels that display black color are simply turned off and do not consume energy at all.

The pitfalls of AMOLED matrices are PenTile (a technology for constructing a pixel network, due to which, even at high ppi, the picture can be loose), as well as uneven wear and burnout of individual pixels. However, now these problems are considered “childhood diseases” of AMOLED matrices; in modern smartphones they are minimized.

Which smartphones to choose is up to you. If possible, hold two smartphones with IPS and AMOLED screens in your hands and decide which picture you like best. In general, IPS can be considered the best choice - take it with confidence, you won’t go wrong, but TN screens should be avoided in 2017, even with a limited budget.

Memory

We will not delve into the jungle of characteristics and types of memory. It’s enough to know that any smartphone has 2 types of memory:

operational - used to store executable code, in simple terms - to provide tasks performed by the processor and various intermediate data, directly affects the efficiency of the smartphone in multitasking mode;
the main one is used as storage for all kinds of files (photos, videos, music, etc.).

The required minimum RAM for a smartphone today is 2, the optimal is 3 or 4 GB of RAM. The rule here is that the more, the better: with a large amount of RAM, the smartphone can keep a huge number of applications in the background, while if there is not enough of it, the applications will be unloaded and launched again the next time they are opened, and the interface and browser itself will work slowly, with noticeable glitches . There are already smartphones on the market with 6 and 8 GB of RAM; this amount is excessive, but it provides a certain foundation for the future, since the appetite for applications and the Android OS itself is constantly growing.

Regarding the main memory, it is worth looking first of all at the possibility of expanding it using memory cards. If the smartphone supports flash drives, then the volume of the built-in storage is not critical, since even if you buy a 16 GB version of the smartphone, you can use a flash drive of the required size.

However, if there is no MicroSD support, which many Chinese manufacturers like to “please” in an attempt to sell a more expensive version of the smartphone, you will have to overpay for the required amount of memory, which everyone must determine based on their needs. There's no escape here.

16 GB is frankly not enough, even taking into account the fact that music and films can be received online without storing them on the device. The same photos and videos taken with the built-in camera will fill up 16 GB extremely quickly. Therefore, we recommend looking at 32, preferably 64 GB versions of smartphones without flash drives.

CPU

70% of all smartphones on the market come with Snapdragon and MediaTek processors. These are eternal competitors, in the rivalry between which Snapdragon has a noticeable advantage. Roughly speaking, these chipsets are used in all expensive smartphones, while budget devices are equipped with chips from MediaTek.

On paper, MediaTek may have an advantage in operating frequency, number of cores and other characteristics, but due to weak video accelerators, they lose to Dragons in 3D graphics processing. That is, in games, for which this most “powerful” processor is needed, since the average chipset from MediaTek can cope with any everyday tasks (net surfing, applications, video playback).

We choose smartphones for games with Snapdragon processors;
if games are not important, you can save money and buy a phone with any chip from MediaTek.

The top Dragon today is the flagships of previous generations - 825, 821 and 820. In the mid-price segment, a good choice is Snapdragon 625, 650, 652. And budget chips 430 and 425, which do not pretend to be “gaming”, will allow you to play even in the heaviest games on medium-low graphics settings.

Camera

The first thing to remember is that the number of megapixels (resolution) of a camera has absolutely no bearing on how high-quality the pictures will be. The final result depends on a combination of the following factors:

Light sensitivity (maximum operating ISO) and optical aperture (from f/1.7 in flagships to f/2.2 in most smartphones) affect the quality of photographs taken in low light.
The dynamic range of the sensor (mostly IMX sensors from Sony are used everywhere) - the wider it is, the less overexposure and loss of information in the bright areas of the image, and the more details are preserved in the shadows. In top smartphones (Huawei 8 Pro, Mate 9), the second camera is responsible for expanding the camera and this is perhaps the only useful way its use, since all sorts of “portrait modes” (blurring the background) are nothing more than marketing that does not work well in practice.
Autofocus - can be contrast, phase, laser and combined (all 3 combined). The fastest and most accurate is laser autofocus; such smartphones usually cost more, but they allow you to instantly take a photo at the right moment, rather than being left without a photo. Choose smartphones with laser or combined autofocus if the goal is to photograph restless small children, animals and any dynamic events.
Optical stabilization - when shooting photos allows you to take better pictures in low light or on the go, but it is most important for video. The OS makes the image smooth, without jerking or shaking. And since many modern smartphones can shoot video in 4K, the lack of an OS in them is unforgivable, in this case all the advantages of a high-quality picture are neutralized. By the way, stabilization can be not only optical, but also electronic – like the Google Pixel, but the OS is often more effective.

And the last, but one of the most important factors influencing the quality of a photo is software, or software processing algorithms. A clear example of this is the many Chinese flagships that take frankly lousy pictures despite the fact that they have top-end sensors, high-aperture optics and cool avofocus. On the other side of the scale is some Nexus 5x, released almost 3 years ago, but in terms of image quality it gives a head start to 90% of modern smartphones.

In general, a smartphone for high-quality photography should be chosen not by characteristics on paper, but by tests and example images. We recommend that you familiarize yourself with ours, where we present optimal options for purchase, both among flagships and among budget devices.

Battery

The size of a smartphone's battery has a significant, but not final, impact on its autonomy. No less important is power consumption, which in turn depends on three factors: screen type (AMOLED displays are much more energy efficient than IPS counterparts), processor (the smaller the process used to make the chipset, the better) and software optimization of power consumption.

The record holder for battery capacity today is the Oukitel K10000 with a 10 thousand mAh battery, but this is far from the longest-living one on the market, since the Chinese, as often happens, did not support the hardware with properly optimized software, which is why the K10000 does not hold a charge during active use. much more than

Extremely useful is the fast charging function, which allows you to charge your smartphone in an hour instead of the standard 2-3 hours. Almost all top-end devices are equipped with it, but recently this technology has also appeared in inexpensive smartphones, for example, which costs less than 9 thousand rubles.

Ours will help anyone looking for a long-lasting smartphone. We recommend you read it.

Which manufacturer should you trust?

And finally, let’s briefly talk about the manufacturers. All companies can be divided into the following categories:

A-brands – Samsung, Apple. If you have an unlimited budget and want to buy the best that is on the market (design, functionality, prestige), it makes sense to choose between Galaxy and iPhone - these are cool smartphones in all respects that can be sold on the secondary market without any problems.
“Pensioner” brands that are always well-known but do not claim to be market leaders are LG, Sony, HTC, Nokia, Asus, Lenovo (Motorola). These companies offer flagships and mid-range smartphones that are worth your attention and purchase, but budget models are often frankly overpriced. You will have to overpay “for the brand,” while for the same money you can get a much more sophisticated Chinese one.
Large Chinese brands - Huawei, ZTE, Xiaomi, Meizu, One Plus. These companies are gradually taking over an increasing share of the market and often it is they who offer the best smartphones in terms of price/functionality/quality ratio. If you have a limited budget, we recommend looking at these manufacturers.
Small Chinese brands - Oukitel, UMI, Ulefone, Doogee, LeEco, Cubot. This list can be continued endlessly; it includes companies that, in conditions of fierce competition, are trying to attract buyers with an even more favorable price/functionality ratio, but the quality of their products is often lame. Hence the high percentage of defects, and since these smartphones are usually purchased directly from China, without any guarantee in Russia, you make such a purchase at your own peril and risk.

That's all. Now you know how to choose an inexpensive but good smartphone in 2017. Good luck!

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A modern smartphone doesn't just make calls. Throughout the day it is the center of our lives.

However, the key is to choose the right equipment for our needs.

Therefore, in response to requests for help choosing a smartphone, this guide appeared. Of course, you have the right to disagree and criticize me, but I still have some reasons, since I own a service center for repairing phones and computers.

It’s impossible to describe how to choose a good smartphone with two or three applications. Why? Because not only do we have different tastes, but also different requirements, not to mention that price plays an important role.

As far as I know, people most want to choose inexpensive, high-quality smartphones, evaluating them by parameters and price.

This is the right approach. This is how they chose in 2016, this is how they chose in 2017 and will choose in 2018.

If we evaluate it by characteristics, then of course everyone wants one with a good battery, since this is a disease of all modern smartphones.

As for which company to choose a smartphone, today this item is not in the first place, since almost everything is made in China, although the main offices are of course located in the homeland of the founders of the corporations.

This was a brief introduction, and now let’s move on to a detailed analysis: which processor, what to look for, what criteria to choose, what brand, and so on, although most of course are interested in how to choose an inexpensive smartphone with good characteristics.

Below you will find practical advice how to choose a smartphone closer to your needs. Find out what types of screens and resolutions apply and when to buy a FullHD screen.

I’ll also tell you what the best smartphone is for gaming, for traveling, for 2 SIM cards, and what to look for when you want to take high-quality photos (with a good camera).

Screen size and resolution when choosing a smartphone

Most people choose smartphones up to 5,000 – 10,000 rubles. It's inexpensive and fine for the Internet, but if you want the image to be very detailed and sharp, you'll need a high-resolution display.

There are no such ones in the price range of up to 4000, 6000, 7000 or 8000 rubles, with the exception of Chinese ones and it most likely will not be reliable.

If the screen is from 4 to 4.9 inches and has a resolution of 1280 × 720 pixels, then it can be considered very acceptable. For displays with a diagonal of 5 - 6 inches, the recommended resolution is 1080 × 1920 (Full HD) or higher.

Currently, the most popular displays are up to 5.5 inches. Why? This allows complete control with one finger (taking into account the size of the palm).

In the most modern smartphones in 2017, in displays larger than 5 inches you can find a resolution of 1440 × 2560 pixels (for example, Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge, Galaxy S7) or even 2160 × 3840 pixels (for example, Sony Xperia Z5 premium).

High resolution in practice leads to improved quality of fonts on web pages, office documents and e-books. You can also expect a better movie watching experience.

Only here you also need to look from the point of view of purposes - will it be intended for work, just for home or for games.

Office workers will appreciate the larger size - the larger screen makes it much easier to view various documents.

If the phone falls into the hands of people working physically, the display size should be as small as possible to reduce accidental mechanical damage.

Also important is the technology in which the display was made. Currently, IPS LCD and Super AMOLED are the most preferred ones.

IPS offers natural colors, good viewing angles and high brightness. In contrast, AMOLED has very rich colors, high contrast, almost perfect viewing angles and excellent viewing, but may be characterized by lower brightness.

AMOLEDs don't require backlights, so it can be more power efficient in some situations - especially when displaying dark colors.

Which smartphone to choose with two SIM cards?

A dual-SIM smartphone can receive calls from 2 independent SIM cards on one phone if you select a model with “Dual SIM”.

There are other designations: "DS" and sometimes "Duo". You will be able to benefit from a dual SIM card since you will no longer need to carry 2 smartphones. This results in increased comfort.

An interesting advantage of DS is the ability to use two independent operators.

For example, in one SIM slot you can put an operator card with free or cheap calls, and the second one with free Internet access or one that provides better data transfer.

Most smartphones allow you to choose which card is used for calls and which for connecting to the Internet, but not all - sometimes you can only include one phone number.

Which processor to choose a smartphone with

If you want what's yours new smartphone If you can easily cope with new, demanding games, then pay attention to 4 cores or more.

Modern high-end smartphones use 8-core processors. The clock frequency is also important - the higher, the higher the performance.

In lower-mid-range (budget) smartphones, you can expect from 1.0 to 1.6 GHz, and in high-end smartphones from 2.0 to 2.7 GHz.

Below is a list of six new processors that make it possible to play new games:

Qualcomm Sanpdragon 810 MSM8994 (eg Sony Xperia Z5)
Qualcomm Snapdragon 808 MSM8992 (eg LG G4)
Qualcomm Snapdragon 615 MSM8939 (eg Motorola Moto X Play)
Exynos 8890 (eg Samsung Galaxy S7)
Exynos 7420 (eg Samsung Galaxy S6)
Apple A9 (Apple, iPhone 6S)

What memory to choose a good smartphone with

Built-in memory has a very strong impact on the performance of your smartphone. Current ones offer from 2 to 4 GB of RAM.

Old budget devices are equipped with 1 - 1.5 GB. In order to use several applications at the same time, you need to have as many of them as possible.

Therefore, in order to to the fullest use your smartphone, it is recommended to have at least 3 GB.

How to choose a smartphone with a good camera

A smartphone is not only capable of making calls or accessing the Internet. Nowadays, every phone has a built-in camera capable of taking high-definition pictures.

In order to choose the right one with a good camera, you must answer the question: do you prefer pictures of average quality, but with high resolution or good quality at reasonable sizes.

High resolution does not go hand in hand with high image quality. The best photos will be taken by Nokia Lumia 1520, 925 and 1020, Samsung Galaxy S5 and S6, as well as G2, LG and HTC One.

If you want your smartphone to take good photos, pay attention to the number of pixels.

This data can be found in the description under the camera on the back panel. The more, the higher the detail of the images.

This general principle, although you should know that this does not always happen. Quality is influenced by more factors than just a large number of megapixels.

A good example would be the Microsoft Lumia 950 smartphone equipped with a 20 megapixel camera or the Sony Xperia Z5 (23 megapixels) - the price of these can be up to 25,000 - 30,000 thousand rubles.

However, if there are more pixels, they "catch less light." As a result, this may have a negative impact on image quality.

A lot depends on how good the noise reduction software is (small, white or colored dots).

An image with more pixels also takes up much more space on your phone's memory.

In most cases, a camera with a resolution of 8 to 13 megapixels is required - the price of these is from 15,000 to 20,000 thousand rubles, and in the most expensive smartphones you can expect up to 23 megapixels.

In turn, the front camera should have at least 2-3 megapixels, and preferably 5-8.

How to choose a smartphone with a good battery

If you use your smartphone frequently, you need to take into account the battery capacity. This parameter is often overlooked, but it has a huge impact on the performance of the device.

The principle is simple - the larger the battery capacity, the longer the phone can be used in offline mode.

The display and data transmission over a mobile network or wifi can boast of great gluttony. Unnecessary apps running in the background also drain your battery.

Currently the most popular are Cell phones with a battery capacity of 2000 mAh (3000 mAh, of course, even better) - this allows the device to be used quite comfortably throughout the day.

Other factors that influence the choice of a good smartphone

If you are looking for a smartphone that will not be damaged after falling into water, look at the IP (Ingress Protection) code.

The letters “IP” are usually followed by two numbers. The first is dust resistance (0-6) and the second is water resistance (0-9). The higher the number, the better.

When choosing a smartphone that will be sufficiently protected from water and dust, you should take a closer look at models such as Alcatel OneTouch Go Play (IP67), Motorola Moto G 3 (IPx7) or Sony Xperia Z5 (P68).

The practical advantage of a waterproof case is protection against accidental falls of water, for example, falling into a lake or drowning anywhere else.

It would be a good idea to take a closer look at a shockproof smartphone – it is more reliable and protected from damage when dropped.

NOTE: As we wrap up, I would like to draw your attention to a few more points. Many people look hard at the manufacturer. There is an important point here.

The manufacturer only does the assembly, and installs the components that make up the smartphone from other manufacturers, and almost all assemblies are made in China today.

Many people don’t even want to look in the direction of Chinese devices, but they forget that Chinese masters have been considered the best in the world since ancient times.

The fact that the Chinese make very cheap things, although often of very low quality, is also a kind of skill - after all, no country in the world does this, and this is a lot of money. Their products are scattered all over the world and do not stay on the shelves for long.

In conclusion, I’ll also mention what color to choose for your smartphone. I think it’s for a woman good choice It will be white and golden, and for men it will be black, but this is a matter of everyone’s taste. Good luck.