10 THINGS TO CONSIDER BEFORE BUYING A SMART PHONE
A smart phone is an
indispensable tool for any seriously minded professional. From performing simple tasks like checking
e-mails, chatting and receiving instant notifications, to more complex tasks
such as online payment transactions and learning, a smart phone has become more
of a necessity than a luxury. In fact,
not having a smart phone is equivalent to ‘living’ in the Stone Age.
Smart phones come in
different sizes and specs depending on your taste and pocket. Below are ten
things to consider and guide you in making a better decision when buying your
next smart device.
1. Budget:
You mustn’t break the bank to get your next smart phone. Remember the old
adage: “Cut your coat according to your size”, yes it applies here. Smart
phones come in low, medium and high ends specs respectively. Low-end smart phones cost in the range of
N13, 000 – N22, 000. Examples include InnJoo T1, Nokia Lumia 520, etc. and the medium
ones go for N22, 000 – N40,000 such as Blackberry Q 10. The high end go for
N70, 000 to over N100, 000 such as I phone 6 and LG G3, Samsung S5, etc. So go
for the one that you can comfortably afford without any regrets after.
2. Processing speed: One of the
primary things to look out for when buying a smart phone is the Central
Processing Unit (CPU) architecture. A powerful CPU allows you to process data
faster. That means faster app opening, faster web page loads, faster games,
etc. It will ensure lag-free games, smooth operations. But now the industry
standards are shifting towards multi-core processors. For a basic phone any
processor with more than 1GHZ is always sufficient. But the CPU is not the only
thing to consider. For best performance in mobile, computer etc., a good
balance between processor, GPU and RAM is required.
3. Memory:
memory is divided into two - local storage and RAM (Read Only Memory). RAM is
important for multi-tasking such as handling more tabs on a browser and
smoother loading for large games like Asphalt 8. T My Samsung Galaxy Duos has a
1.78 GB (Giga bytes) internal memory and 512 MB RAM and it lags a lot (perform
slowly) due to so many apps on it. The local storage is where you store your
photos, videos and music. I personally recommend 4GB internal memory and 1GB
RAM as my lowest benchmarks for any phone.
4. Graphics Processing Unit: The GPU is responsible for games and UI (User
interface) animations. So if you are interested in the performance of heavy
graphics oriented apps (games, HD video, etc.) then you must take into
consideration, the GPU of the phone as well.
5. Camera:
Important things to look out for in a camera phone are the camera megapixels
(MP), image sensor, lens and Flash. The megapixels of a particular camera phone
refer to its image output quality. The
higher the MP, the better. The Image sensor is responsible for capturing light,
analysing it and converting it to electronic signals, the higher the image
sensor the better. The job of the lens is to capture what is being seen by the
human eye as accurately as possible. Most camera phones churn out great photos
when there is enough light. This is why taking photos in places with no light
can be a problem. Make sure your phone has a flash.
6. Screen:
The screen resolution and its resistant to scratch are important
7. Battery: Smart phone batteries are rechargeable and
are usually the lithium-ion type. Although the batteries discharge current
completely after a while, some run down faster than others. A simple test to
determine battery strength is if it hardly heats up during usage.
8. Operating system (OS): They are three major operating systems that powers
majority of the smart phones in the market namely: Google’s android with the
latest being android lollipop, Windows OS 8.1 and Apple’s iOS. Another is the
Blackberry OS. However, Android OS is the most popular and developers friendly
but it takes up memory a lot unlike iOS
9. Wi-Fi:
Airports, hotels and shopping malls such as the Ikeja city mall offer free
Wi-Fi access. To be able to enjoy such goodies, your smart phone must be Wi-Fi
enabled. Although most smart devices are Wi-Fi enabled, some older and lower
end specs don’t have it. Check your phone settings to see your Wi-Fi settings.
10. Availability of spares: Avoid buying phone brands that are relatively scarce
in the market. You never might know when you will need to replace a broken
screen or battery. Moreover ensure to take good care of your mobile devices, as
they are very fragile. Use screen guards and pouches for protecting them.
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