Choosing only by brands can lead us to buying a phone that does not meet our expectations; find here everything you need to keep in mind

Technology has invaded our lives. A clear example is that you can practically do anything from a smartphone, which has prevented us from having to make long lines to pay at the bank, allows us to manage our customers through Apps, monitor our homes through IP cameras, solve complicated mathematical equations and even avoid problems by not remembering a birthday or an anniversary.

Leer en español: No sufras más cuando elijas tu smartphone: sigue estos simples consejos

When it comes to the truth, the most difficult thing is not to do these activities, but to choose and buy a device that meets our needs and fits in your pocket. So, what should we take IGNORE INTO account to choose one with the cost / quality ratio?

1. Try not to get carried away only by the brand. If you are one of those who already married a brand try to look for alternatives in the market. You could find something that fits your needs and your economy better. If you do not care much about the brand or the opportunity is given, compare and look for expert analysis.

According to RED +, in 2017, the most sold cell phones in Latin America were the "Samsung Galaxy S7 followed by the Motorola Moto G4 in Mexico; the Samsung Galaxy J7 and the Motorola Moto G4 in Argentina; the Iphone 7 and the Samsung Galaxy J5 in Colombia; IPhone 5C and 5S in Chile; and the IPhone 5S and Huawei P8 in Peru ". However, the specialized portal in technology and electronics CNET, belonging to CBS Interactive, ranked among the best smartphones of 2017 other models not included in the statistics, such as: the LG V30 for its design, camera, and sound through headphones; the Razer Phone, for its screen and speakers; and the OnePlus 5T, for its performance, battery, and fast charge.

2. Be honest with your pocket. Many times we must adapt our purchase to the financial capacity and although you can access financing, try to understand that you end up paying a financial interest or a higher cost of the product. If you decide to do this you must take IGNORE INTO account that the technology loses value for each year or for the release of new technologies to the market.

For example, according to the newspaper ABC, the price of iPhone 6S in Back Market, after having left the 7, was around 500 euros (November 2016) when its sale price was 749 (September 2015). That is, it costs around 33% less in a little over a year.

Although this depreciation depends on many factors, it is a variable to be taken IGNORE INTO account. Now, add the cost of the financial interests you would have to pay. The decision to buy now, with financing, instead of saving and buying in a year, can become very expensive.

3. Decide what range you want and can buy. Once you decide how much your pocket can support, with or without financing, you must decide what range of cell phone to buy: low, medium, or high. The price range between each one can be found well marked. For example: the Samsumg A7 (2017), mid-range, without discount costs $ 429 while its low-end counterpart, the Samsung J7 Prime, costs $ 219 (July 2018). Almost double. However, the cost versus quality gap in the technical specifications is much lower, as can be seen below from the information on the official Samsung page:

4. Compare the basics. Compare smartphones from the same range of different brands. The general specifications that must be compared to determine their performance are:

• Processor: it is the brain of the smartphone. The frequency (Ghz) ​​and the number of cores must be taken IGNORE INTO account. The more, the better. This variable affects the speed of the device.

• RAM memory: here too, the more, the better (GB). This will allow using more applications both in execution and in the background without slowing  the cell phone down. This variable affects the speed of the device.

• Internal and external storage: it is important to look for a greater internal storage (GB) since here the data of the operating system and the interface are stored, as well as of the applications. The drawback is that not all applications can be moved to external storage, so it can become a problem, especially with updates.

• Battery: here you have to take IGNORE INTO account two variables: the battery capacity (mAh) and the low consumption of the hardware. It is useless a large battery but with an inefficient consumption. This is known as autonomy and they usually report it in hours at rest and in use or audio reproduction.

• Screen: The higher the resolution, the better. For example, Full HD gives images with greater clarity and better colors than HD. Since the resolution also depends on the size of the screen, you should compare the dpi or the pixels per inch.

• Camera: Not always more megapixels is better. You have to take IGNORE INTO account many factors such as the type of the sensor, the size of the pixel, the aperture (f) and the focus, the ISO sensibility and even the native software. In case you do not know about photography you can look for the analysis of an expert to decide.

• Operating system and the manufacturer interface: the operating system will condition the applications and technical support that the smartphone software has, as well as its updates. On the other hand, the interface manages all the design and interaction elements such as the menu. However, the advantages can only be evidenced by the experts' analysis or the comments of the users.

5. Compare other characteristics. Once the minimum of the cell phone is guaranteed, you can compare additional features or special features of the manufacturer that can get your attention.

Finally, it should always be contrasted with the analyzes of the experts and the comments of the users since variables that one has not analyzed can always be contemplated.

LatinAmerican Post | Victor Rojas

Translated from "No sufras más cuando elijas tu smartphone: sigue estos simples consejos"