Which phone should I buy?" This is the single most common question readers like you ask phone reviewers like us every day. We get it -- it can be a challenge, especially with superb choices such as the Samsung Galaxy S6 and iPhone 6S . But depending on your price range and what's available where you live, the new phone you should be getting may not be a flagship -- it could turn out to be the Nokia Lumia 640.
On the bright side, options are a good thing, so long as you're armed with the knowledge necessary to make smart shopping decisions. Sit tight as we lay out what you need to know to find the best new device for you.
Three key phone-shopping essentials
1. Don't be a cheapskate
Contract or no contract, chances are high that once you commit to a new phone, you'll hang onto it for a while. Therefore, buy the best device you can afford. You'll need the camera quality and processor to last you as long as possible until your next upgrade. The battery, too, becomes less efficient at holding a charge as your phone ages, so you'll want to choose one with a high capacity.
2. Know which phone features you want
If you understand exactly which features and capabilities you'd like to see in your new phone, it'll help you avoid paying too much for those you don't want or need. Some, like the Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge+, have it all -- including a large, curved screen with its own user interface controls. Yet if you'll never use the new UI, you'll be overspending for a pricey novelty device.
3. Find the right design
Buying a cell phone means entering into a deeply personal relationship with a highly portable physical object. That's why you should think hard about how it's designed, since you and it will be spending plenty of quality time together. Make sure you're comfortable with the way it looks and -- this is important -- feels in your hand, and make sure that your phone-to-be reflects your personal sense of style. This is as true for sleek metal handsets and simple flip phones as it is for rubber-plated rugged handsets.
In the US there are four major carriers that offer devices with and without a contract.
That said, when selecting a carrier, first on your list of criteria should be coverage. You'll want a carrier with decent coverage in your home and at work, and all the places in between. For more about carriers and networks, see the next section.
Figure out if you'll be sticking to urban centers or trekking through rural areas often. Perhaps you won't even leave your home neighborhood much, or conversely, you plan on doing plenty of international trips. With your wireless usage in mind, settle on a carrier that offers broad coverage. Alternatively, you may be satisfied with a regional carrier that covers a limited area.
Feature deeper dives
Want to know more about some of the features mentioned above? Read on for a deeper analysis.
Mobile networks and 4G data
The wireless network technology at the backbone of your smartphone is a veritable alphabet soup of acronyms and industry buzzwords, and you could spend an eternity studying how cellular infrastructure is built and works. Here's a basic overview of what you need to know.
CDMA
CDMA stands for "code division multiple access," but more importantly, it's a method by which cellular radios transmit and receive voice and data. This standard is found mostly in America and to some extent in Asian countries such as Japan and Korea. For example, major US carriers that use wireless networks based on CDMA are Verizon and Sprint.
GSM
GSM, aka the Global System for Mobile Communications, first referred to in French as Groupe Special Mobile, is a standard created for use in the UK and the rest of Europe. GSM then spread to other corners of the world, with carriers operating GSM networks across Asia, the Middle East and Africa. It's the most widespread of the cellular standards. The two technologies are incompatible, so phones strictly locked to CDMA networks won't work in GSM areas, and vice versa. However, the Moto X Pure Edition is unique in that it's equipped with radios that support either standard, so it's cross-compatible with both CDMA and GSM carriers.
HSPA+
Based on the older High-Speed Packet Access, which topped out at 3G speeds, HSPA+ supports a theoretical peak download throughput of 168Mbps. This may sound pretty fast, but in practice the protocol delivers data speeds just marginally faster than 3G, and average download speeds of approximately 3 to 5Mbps. This causes us to think of it as really a 3.5G wireless solution.
4G and LTE
LTE, or Long Term Evolution, is the current generation of faster data connectivity for both GSM and CDMA technologies. Often referred to as 4G or 4G LTE, it's the speediest data throughput you can get right now. LTE Advanced, a step beyond LTE (but still part of the same family) gives data speeds still another boost, and is rolling out in bits and pieces. VOLTE, which stands for Voice Over LTE, relays voice service over data channels, allowing you to surf and speak at the same time even if you have a CDMA phone.
Wi-Fi Only
Making and receiving calls over local Wi-Fi networks (the same kind that's set up at your home or local cafe) is nothing new. Apps like Skype and WhatsApp offer this functionality, and they're useful when you're in an area with weak or nonexistent cellular coverage. In addition, certain mobile networks already support this service built-in with some of their handsets. But there are a handful of carriers that exclusively employ Wi-Fi networks as the default method to patch calls and enable users to surf the Web. The most high-profile of these services is Google's Project Fi, which is only available in the US for now. Because data usage is minimized, phone bills can be generally cheaper. But users are limited to what devices they can use depending on compatibility.
Screen technologies
LCD
LCD screens, short for liquid crystal display, have come a long way from the alarm clocks and digital wristwatches of the 1980s. Today's smartphone LCD panels offer HD resolutions of up to 2,560x1,440 pixels, with the exception of the Sony Xperia Z5 Premium, which has a 3,840x2,160-pixel resolution (or 4K) display. LCDs use of an external backlight for illumination, which often results in more shallow viewing angles and lower contrast compared with AMOLED displays. On the other hand, colors often appear more natural.
Retina Display
Apple uses what it calls Retina Displays in its latest iPhones. This is essentially a clever marketing phrase to say the iPhones (the iPhone 4 and up) sports LCD screens with minimum resolutions of 326 pixels per inch (ppi).
A reference device running the Snapdragon 820 chipApple A9
Apple's latest wafer of processing silicon graces the iPhone 6S and 6S Plus with 64-bit mobile phone processing. Apple claims the system is 70 percent faster than the A8. All other details remain officially hush-hush.
Samsung Exynos
As well as displays and memory components, Samsung makes its own processors under the Exynos brand. Its most recently announced Exynos chip, the Exynos 7 Octa uses 64-bit computing, and has turned up in some of the company's top phones, like the Galaxy S6 and Galaxy Note 5. Other Samsung phones do continue to use Qualcomm's chipsets, however.
Motorola X8
Motorola took a unique approach in its smartphone lineup for 2013. Instead of cramming the fastest off-the-shelf CPUs into its phones, it made a hybrid. 2014's haul returned to Qualcomm and has continued through 2015.
MediaTek
MediaTek is a Qualcomm rival whose chips are typically found in smartphones for Asia and for emerging markets.
This was the end of Part II of our guide to finding the right mobile. You can check out our first part here. |
With Car Rental 8 you can get the cheapest car rental from over 50000 international locations.
ReplyDeleteYou should see how my partner Wesley Virgin's adventure launches with this shocking and controversial video.
ReplyDeleteWesley was in the military-and shortly after leaving-he unveiled hidden, "SELF MIND CONTROL" secrets that the CIA and others used to get anything they want.
THESE are the same methods tons of celebrities (especially those who "became famous out of nowhere") and the greatest business people used to become wealthy and successful.
You've heard that you use only 10% of your brain.
That's because the majority of your brainpower is UNTAPPED.
Maybe that conversation has even taken place INSIDE your very own head... as it did in my good friend Wesley Virgin's head seven years ago, while driving an unregistered, beat-up trash bucket of a car with a suspended driver's license and $3.20 in his pocket.
"I'm very frustrated with going through life paycheck to paycheck! When will I get my big break?"
You've taken part in those types of questions, isn't it so?
Your success story is waiting to happen. You need to start believing in YOURSELF.
Take Action Now!