As the Diwali festive sales are reaching their end, so is the opportunity to snag up some pretty incredible deals on smartphones. Now’s the best time to invest in a new smartphone if you’ve been holding off on buying one. However, with the number of options crowding the market, it can be hard to decipher what suits your needs the best. To that end, here are some things you must remember when buying a smartphone in 2023.
Higher number ≠ Better Performance
One would think an SoC with a higher number in its name would obviously be more powerful. While this stands true most of the time, there are some exceptions. For example, the Snapdragon 7 Gen 2 clocks higher scores in synthetic benchmarks than the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1. It also stays cooler and is more efficient. So, we recommend reading about the processors before taking the plunge just based on nomenclature.
Types of displays
There are two basic types of panels – OLED and LCD. OLED screens are often seen on more premium offerings since they offer purer blacks, more vibrant colours, and consume less energy when dark colours are displayed. If your budget is between ₹15K-20K, I would suggest looking for phones with OLED/AMOLED screens because of the benefits they offer. Additionally, ensure to check out phones with reliable display protection.
Virtual RAM is not real RAM
Several phones in 2023 falsely advertise how much RAM they have. For example, a phone’s marketing material could say it has 8 GB RAM under ₹10,000 but reading the fine print reveals that this is actually 4 GB actual onboard RAM + 4 GB virtual RAM. Virtual RAM uses a part of the phone’s internal storage to serve as makeshift RAM. Note, that this extra RAM is not as fast as the real deal and it could also reduce your internal storage’s lifespan because of the constant reading and writing happening that’s harmful for flash memory.
128 GB smartphones shouldn’t be on your radar now
The generation of 64 and 128 GB storage phones is gone now, in our opinion. Especially when it comes to high-end or flagship phones. Opting for 128 GB models may seem appealing due to the cost-saving aspect but this essentially speeds up your phone’s expiry date. App and multimedia size has increased significantly over the years. If your phone’s storage is full or close to full, your phone will tend to lag considerably which can sour user experience and impact device longevity.
5G is the future
With 5G connectivity becoming more prevalent across the country, we wouldn’t recommend most people to opt for a 4G device anymore. Not unless they’re living in extremely remote parts of the country. 5G will allow your device to be future-proof. While the data speeds haven’t risen as much as expected so far, it is still a significant enough boost.
Make your choice: Sleek v/s good battery
Since smartphones still use Lithium-ion batteries in 2023, there’s a choice one needs to make when purchasing a smartphone. Do you want your phone to be sleek and slender or do you want it to have excellent battery life? Most sub-8 mm phones we’ve tested in 2023 lack good battery life.
Larger camera sensor > More megapixels
Always choose to go for a phone with a larger camera sensor size over more megapixels. The number of megapixels doesn’t matter nearly as much as the size of the sensor. A bigger sensor will allow more light in, which will enhance the quality of low-light images. More megapixels just means more detail but it doesn’t really matter as much because of the size of screens these pictures are viewed on and all the pixel-binning happening. More light intake is always more beneficial.
Pay closer heed to software updates
Unless you’re one of those who change their smartphones as often as their undies, you would want to pay attention to software updates. With brands such as Samsung, Xiaomi and others offering a good 4 years of OS updates, and Google bumping it all the way up to a whopping 7 years, 1 year of OS updates shouldn’t be a thing anymore. Ensure to go with phones with at least 3 years of guaranteed software updates; that way, you can use a phone for a good 3 years without having to switch while being up to date with the latest software.
144 Hz – 165 Hz? Is it really needed?
Save your money and stay away from screens with 144 or 165 Hz refresh rate. Unless you’re a pro-gamer, you won’t really be able to tell much of a difference between good ol’ 120 Hz and 144 Hz. Instead, spend that dough upgrading to a 256 GB storage phone!
Now’s a great time to invest in foldable smartphones
2023 is the year of the foldables. The software is much more mature, the hinges are getting better than ever, durability has gone up, and some are even paying special attention to optics. Example: the new OnePlus Open. Head to our reviews section to read the full review.
Don’t shy away from buying refurbished smartphones
Refurbished phones are the answer to getting a well-rounded phone at a palatable price. Often, these phones are past their warranty period, but some refurbished phone sellers offer their own in-store warranty. You can also get more powerful hardware at a fraction of the price, which is always a win!
Environment friendly
OEMs are paying more attention than ever to green tech by using recycled materials, clean energy, less plastic in the packaging, and more. Let’s do our part to save the environment by buying phones only when our own devices reach the end of their lifespan and help reduce e-waste.
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Dhriti Datta
Perpetually sporting a death stare, this one can be seen tinkering around with her smartphone which she holds more dear than life itself and stuffing her face with copious amounts of bacon. View Full Profile
