How to Choose the Perfect Smartphone in 2024
Smartphones are an essential part of our daily lives, whether we use them for communication, entertainment, work or education.
So many options are available in the market, and it is tough to find the perfect smartphone which perfectly complete your needs and fit your budget.
In this blog post, I will share some tips and factors to consider when choosing a smartphone in 2024.
Budget
First thing you need to decide is how much you are willing to spend on a smartphone. There is a wide range of prices, like low end phones cost less than $100 (Rupees 8000/-) to high-end flagships that can go over $1000 (Rupees 1Lacs+).
Price will decide the quality and features of the phone, but no worries, you don’t have to go bankrupt to get a good smartphone.
You can find decent devices in the mid-range segment, between $300 and $600 (Rupees 25k to 50K), that offer a balanced performance, better battery life, good camera, and beautiful design.
You can also look for discounts and deals to save more money with cashback offers with Debit/Credit Cards or festival offer.
Operating System
Operating system (OS) is the software that runs on your smartphone and determines its user interface, functionality, and compatibility.
The two main OS options available in market are Android and iOS with its own advantages and disadvantages.
Android is more customizable, flexible, and diverse, as it is used by many different brands and models. You can also sideload apps from third-party sources, change the look and feel of your phone, and access more free apps and games. However, it will increase more prone to fragmentation, malware, and inconsistent updates, depending on the manufacturer and carrier.
iOS is more simple, secure, and smooth, as it is exclusively designed for Apple devices. You can enjoy a consistent and intuitive user experience, regular and timely updates, and seamless integration with other Apple products and services.
However, iOS is also more restrictive, expensive, and less compatible with non-Apple devices. You can’t customize your phone as much, and you must rely on the App Store for downloading apps and games.
Processor
The processor is the brain of your smartphone, and it determines how fast and smooth it can run multiple tasks, apps, and games.
Processor’s performance depends on its speed, cores, and architecture. Generally, higher the speed and a greater number of cores will be better the processor.
However, you also have to consider the power efficiency and heat management of the processor, as it will affect the battery life and durability of your phone.
Here are the most popular and powerful processors in 2024
Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3
Apple A16 Bionic
Samsung Exynos 2400.
RAM
RAM stands for random access memory, and it is the temporary storage that your smartphone uses to run apps and processes. More RAM your phone has, the more apps and tasks it can handle at the same time without slowing down or crashing.
RAM is measured in gigabytes (GB), and the minimum amount you should look for in 2024 is 4GB.
However, if you are a heavy user who likes to do multitasking, playing games, or editing videos, you may want to opt for 6GB, 8GB, or even 12GB of RAM for better experience.
ROM (Storage)
Storage is the space that your smartphone has to store your apps, files, photos, videos, and other data. Storage is measured in gigabytes (GB) or terabytes (TB), and more storage your phone has, more data you can store without running out of space or slowing down your phone. However, storage also affects the price of your phone, so you have to balance your needs and budget.
Minimum amount of storage you should look for in 2024 is 64GB, but if you are a heavy user who likes to download a lot of apps, games, music, or movies, you may want to opt for 128GB, 256GB, or even 512GB of storage.
Aside to choosing storage variants you also must check for the storage versions like EMMC 5.1 or UFS 2.1, UFS 2.2, UFS 3.0, UFS 3.1.
Now days UFS type of storage are the best for your device for long term smooth performances. Higher the version is it will consume less power and while gives you faster data transferring.
Camera
Good camera is one of the most important and popular features of a smartphone, as it allows you to capture and share your memories, moments, and creativity. Camera quality depends on several factors, such as the resolution, aperture, zoom, stabilization, autofocus, and software.
Resolution is measured in megapixels (MP), and it indicates how many pixels the camera can capture in an image. Higher the resolution, more details and clarity the image will have.
However, resolution is not everything, and you also have to consider Sensor like Sony Sensor or Samsung Sensor for better clarity and Aperture is equally important, which is the window that lets light into the camera. Lower the aperture, lighter the camera can capture, resulting in brighter and sharper images, especially in low-light conditions.
Aperture is expressed in f-numbers, such as f/1.8, f/2.0, or f/2.2.
Zoom is the capability of the camera to magnify distant objects, and it can be either optical or digital. Optical zoom uses lenses to zoom in without losing quality, while digital zoom uses software to crop and enlarge the image, performing in loss of quality.
Stabilization is the point that reduces the blur and shake caused by movement, and it can be either optic or electronic. optic stabilization uses tackle to offset the movement, while electronic stabilization uses software to smooth out the image.
Autofocus is the point that allows the camera to concentrate on the subject snappily and directly, and it can be either phase discovery, ray, or discrepancy. Phase discovery uses detectors to descry the phase difference of light, ray uses a ray of light to measure the distance and uses the discrepancy of the image to determine the focus.
Software optimization is the program that processes and enhances the image, and it can include features like HDR, AI, portrait mode, night mode, and many more photography and videography modes.
Some of the best camera phones in 2024
Google Pixel 8 Pro, which has a 50MP main camera,16MP ultrawide camera, 12MP telephoto camera, and an 8MP selfie camera, with features like Night Sight, Super Res Zoom, and Astrophotography.
iPhone 15 Pro, which has a 12MP main camera,12MP ultrawide camera, 12MP telephoto camera, and a 12MP selfie camera, with features like Smart HDR, Deep Fusion, and Cinematic Mode.
Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra, which has a 200MP main camera, 12MP ultrawide camera, 50MP telephoto camera, 10MP telephoto camera, and a 12MP selfie camera, with features like 100x Space Zoom, Director’s View, and Single Take.
Xiaomi 13 Pro with 50MP(Sony IMX989) Primary camera, 50MP Ultrawide for 120degree FOV and 50MP Telephoto which allows you 3.2x optical zoom and HyperOIS for stabilization. This phone supports 8K Recording as well.
Recently Vivo also has launched its X100 and X100 Pro with Really great camera composition with Zeise Lens.
Display
Display is the screen of your smartphone, and it determines the size, quality, and experience of your viewing. Display quality depends on several factors, such as the size, resolution, refresh rate, brightness, and technology.
Display Size is measured in inches, and it indicates how big the screen is diagonally. Size of the screen depends on your preference and usage, but generally, bigger the screen, better the viewing, but also the harder the handling.
Display Resolution is measured in pixels, and it indicates how many pixels the screen can display horizontally and vertically. Higher the resolution, more details and sharpness the screen has. However, resolution also depends on the pixel density, which is measured in pixels per inch (ppi), and it indicates how many pixels are packed in an inch of the screen. Higher the pixel density, crisper and clear the screen is.
Display Refresh rate is measured in hertz (Hz), and it indicates how many times the screen can refresh or update per second.
Example 120hz means screen can refresh upto 120times per second. Higher the refresh rate, screen will be smoother and fluid, especially when scrolling, gaming, or watching videos.
Display Brightness is measured in nits, and it indicates how bright the screen can get. Higher the brightness, screen will be more visible and readable the screen is, especially in sunlight.
Display Technology is the type of screen that your smartphone uses, and it can be either LCD or OLED. LCD stands for liquid crystal display, and it uses a backlight to illuminate the pixels.
LCD screens are cheaper, brighter, and more power-efficient, but they also have lower contrast, color accuracy, and viewing angles.
OLED stands for organic light-emitting diode, and it uses self-lit pixels that can turn on and off individually. OLED screens are more expensive, darker, and less power-efficient, but they also have higher contrast, color accuracy, and viewing angles.
Some of the best display phones in 2024 are:
OnePlus Open, which has a 7.6-inch OLED display with a resolution of 2208 x 1768 pixels, a refresh rate of 120Hz, a brightness of 800 nits, and a foldable design that can transform into a tablet.
Motorola Razr Plus, which has a 6.8-inch OLED display with a resolution of 2142 x 876 pixels, a refresh rate of 90Hz, a brightness of 700 nits, and a flip-style design that can fold into a compact clamshell.
Sony Xperia 5 IV, which has a 6.1-inch OLED display with a resolution of 2520 x 1080 pixels, a refresh rate of 120Hz, a brightness of 650 nits, and a 21:9 aspect ratio that offers a cinematic and immersive experience.
Xiaomi 13 Pro with 6.67″ 2K+ Resolution with 120hz adaptive refresh rate and 480hz touch sampling rate, it has got 1900nits of pick brightness with 20:9 ratio.
Fast charging
To save your valuable time you must consider phone with fast charging, so that you phone can get quickly charged up, especially when you are in a hurry to leave.
The fastest charging phone in 2024
Redmi note 13 Pro plus is the fastest charging phone with its hyper charge technology and 120Watt charger in the box. Its take only 19minutes to get 100% charged up. And, rest of the phones in the segment are coming with 67Watt to 80Watt maximum charging adaptor.
Durability & Protections:
While purchasing a new smartphone in 2024, you cannot ignore its durability and protection level, as 80% of the users who visit service centres, they have faced the either physical or liquid damages.
If you are considering a budget friendly phone, you might not get Gorilla Glass Protection or IP Rating. But, while you are going above 20k, I must tell you that there so many devices which giving best level of Durability and Protection with Gorilla Glass 5 or Victus and IP65 and IP68 Rating.
Best phones in 2024 for Durability and Protection:
Redmi Note 13Pro+ comes with a IP68 which makes it a dust and waterproof phone and a the toughest gorilla glass Victus on the screen to protect from unwanted scratches or everyday wear and tears. (Ream more about Redmi Note 13 Pro+)
Moto Edge 40 is another phone with IP68 and Gorilla Glass 5 protection.
These are the two phone you can consider buying in the range of $361 or INR 30K.
So, I’m sure you are having a great clarity on How to choose the perfect smartphone in 2024.
Feel free to comment below to let us know opinion.