All there is to know about the Android Smartphone!
The Android Smartphone is puzzling by itself with all the tech specs! Have these questions plagued you?
Which Smartphone to choose?
Which Smartphone to choose?
Does all the Tech Info MAKE NO SENSE?
Are you faced with that old Shakespearean question? Don't worry, it's easy, just follow my lead :
1st PHONE BRANDS
The first thing you hear or see on a smartphone is the brand name.Brand behemoths like Samsung, Sony, LG, Huawei, Lenovo, Xiaomi, Oppoare often the most preferred choice.You might want to look for a phone in these particular manufacturers,as they have a proven record and good(official and community)software and hardware support for your device. This means that if something is wrong with your phone(or you don't understand something) all you have to do is ask uncle Google. Most of the time(~90%) you'll get an actual working answer.
If that doesn't work you can get the phone to your warranty service and they'll fix it.On top of that, you'll be getting at least 1-2 updates for your phone,which for some users is very important(to have all those cool new features).Helpful Tip - when you're having trouble choosing between 2-3 phones, try writing in Google the phone model number and add the word "Problem".
- See if any of the phones has a software or annoying hardware feature that's not working properly.
- Now keep in mind, that no hardware is without issues, but some are just plain broken.
2nd DISPLAY Type and Size
Here is where the real confusion starts, but stick with Wanderer and I'll safely guide you through it.Phone specs usually start with Display size, type and resolution.Size is what matters when you use the phone, so try your best to get a hands-on experience with the devices you want to buy. Make sure it feels comfortable in your hand to hold.
Size is measured in inches, and it's usually 5", 5.2" or 5.5" . If you have smaller hands you'd better go with 5" or 5.2", if your hands are bigger go with 5.5" or 5.7"-6".
Now a few tips on the Display Type and Resolution.
There are three display types - LCD, AMOLED and OLED. Out of the three LCD and AMOLED are used in 99% of the devices, so you'll most likely be picking between them.
So, see the display and if you like it, it doesn't matter what type it is.
3rd DISPLAY Resolution
Resolution - This is the number of pixels the display can produce on the screen. The more pixels, the sharper and detail rich the content on the screen will be. Most of the times it's not shown with actual pixel count(1280x720, 960x540, 1920x1080), but with Acronyms(shortened version of the long word)
Ranking from - qHD is the lowest, next is HD, then FHD, and 2K/QHD(the same thing) and 4K
qHD(quarter High Definition) - This is one of the lowest counts 960x540, which should only be used for displays below 5.0 inches, so if you get a 5.5 or 6 inch with qHD written on it, you might want to look for a better option.
HD(High Definition)- this is the standard(1280x720) for 5" phones as it produces enough detail, it might even be OK for 5.2" and 5.5", but better actually check with your own eyes if you're satisfied.
FHD(Full High Definition) - this is the best resolution(1920x1080) perfect for any size from 5 to 6 inches, on a lower than 5" it's overkill(won't really notice the difference) and it's even OK for 10" devices.
QHD or 2K(Quad High Definition or 2K panel) - It's 2560x1440 pixels and this produces really crisp visuals, but at the cost of performance and battery life(taxing on the hardware), so although it's nice to have it, you won't really see all that difference between QHD and FHD on a 5"-6" phone.
4K - You'll probably not want that on your 5-6 phone as it will be super taxing on the hardware and you really won't notice the difference.
4th PERFORMANCE (SoC, CPU, GPU, RAM)
SoC(system-on-chip)is the single, most important chip that is responsible for the performance any smartphone.
- SoC makers that matter are:
- Qualcomm's Snapdragon
- Mediatek - MTKxxx, Helio Series X10, P10, X20
- Huawei's Kirin
- Samsung's Exynos
Any chip from quad-core(Quad =4 cores, Octa=means 8 and Hexa = 10) above will be more than fine to handle all general tasks(social apps, browsing, youtube and light gaming) with ease. Remember that more cores doesn't always mean better performance, but it's a good indication. If you want to play the best looking 3D games(like CSRacing 2 pictured below)
THE SoCs THAT ARE GOOD FOR 3D HEAVY GAMING ARE:
- Snapdragon - 617,625,650,652,808,810,820,821
- MTK(MediaTek) Helio X20
- Kirin 950, 955 and 960, they are only found in Huawei Phones
- Exynos 5433/7420/8890 . They are only used in Samsung phones and Meizu MX4 Pro and MX5 Pro.
Modems are responsible for your cellular/internet connection. The modem you need to have 4G(LTE) and look for which LTE Bands (they are numbers from 1-40) it supports. The BEST modems(band support, speed and power efficiency) are on Snapdragon devices. If you buy a phone from abroad, ask your local operator which LTE bands work in your country.
For instance in Europe the most common LTE(4G)Band is 20, so people will look at reviews and ask about band 20 all the time, to be able to get 4G. RAM is easy - THE MORE RAM THE BETTER MULTI-TASKING and THE MORE APPS/GAMES YOU CAN RUN AT ONCE.So, if you are having a hard time picking between two phones and one has 2GBs RAM and the other 3GBs, go for the 3GB one.
5TH CAMERA Quality
Here is where it gets a little more tricky, as :
ANY SPECS ON A SMARTPHONE CAMERA ARE NO GUARANTEE THAT IT WILL BE GOOD!
Most important thing in choosing a smartphone for the sake of the camera is to watch reviews and see full sized photo samples, SEE EXAMPLES IN MY FLICKR profile FROM VARIOUS PHONES I'VE REVIEWED: https://www.flickr.com/photos/143499445@N03/albums
Next, I'm going to BREAK A FEW MYTHS about SMARTPHONE CAMERAS:
1st - MORE MEGAPIXELS = BETTER CAMERA(WRONG!)
Megapixels are simply the resolution of the photo the camera takes. Lots of cheap Chinese brands interpolate(increase by software) the number so that they can fool customers. So whenever you see something like 13 MP(Interpolated), or 5MP(Interpolated to 8MP), know that this is a gimmick.
2nd - A SONY OR SAMSUNG SENSOR GUARANTEES GOOD PICTURES(MISLEADING!)
Sony and Samsung have lots of camera sensor models for Smartphones. Lots of those models are really low end and have slow shutter speed/focus and have bad low-light performance. Cheaper phones that have Sony or Samsung cameras use such sensors and they are not very good.
A FEW FACTS:
- 95% OF ALL SMARTPHONE STRUGGLE IN LOW LIGHT SITUATIONS Currently, there are only a handful of devices that have OK low light performance. Such devices are -
Nexus 5X/6P, Samsung S7/EDGE, LG G5, Huawei P9, Honor 8/V8 So far a smartphone with great low-light performance for under 250$ has not been made!
SOME PEOPLE ARE JUST BAD PHOTOGRAPHERS AND EVEN WITH THE BEST CAM, CAN'T GET A GOOD SHOT!
We all have a friend who can't shoot a good picture even if his life depended on it :) Lots of people say that a certain phone camera is bad, but sometimes it's actually them who can't shoot.
The lesson here is to not trust anyone, but professionals like myself and other reviewers.
SOFTWARE OPTIMIZATION AND LENSES ARE VITAL TO A GOOD SMARTPHONE CAMERA
That proves the real difference in two phones that use the same sensor. The better camera will be the one that was tested better by the manufacturer and the software was better tuned to get the maximum out of the camera.
Example:
So, if you are looking at a Samsung phone with a Samsung Sensor and a lesser known brand with the same one, know for a fact that the Samsung phone will have much, much better performance.
6th BATTERY
THE MORE mAh there are 80% of the time this means better battery life. If you are choosing between a phone with 2500mAh and a phone with 4000mAh battery, then clearly you need to go for the 4000mAh one if you want to charge it less often.
BATTERY QUALITY IS ALSO VERY IMPORTANT as IS THE SoC used in the phone!
Big brands like Samsung, LG and Huawei use better batteries than lesser known Chinese brands. Which means that your battery will have a bigger lifespan.
Small SoCs that are built with efficiency in mind also have great battery life. Such are Snapdragon 430,625 and Kirin 650/655 phones for a great battery life without the need for a big battery.
Under 100$ -
Oukitel K4000 Lite : Small, very tough, with excellent battery life,
usable camera and good performance
usable camera and good performance
Between 100-150$:
Xiaomi Redmi 3S - Small, very fast, can even play the heaviest games in the highest settings,
also superb battery life.
also superb battery life.
Oukitel K6000 Pro - Tough, larger screen, FHD resolution,
a great Sony IMX214 16MP Camera and a big 6000mAh battery for all your needs.
a great Sony IMX214 16MP Camera and a big 6000mAh battery for all your needs.
Click here to buy it
Between 200$ and 250$:
Xiaomi Redmi Note 4 - Excellent performance thanks to Deca-Core Helio X20 chip, a good camera, frequent updates.
LeECo Le Max 2 - Snapdragon 820 - 4GB RAM, 23MP Sony IMX230, top specs for just below 250$
Big Spenders 400-500$:
Xiaomi Mi5S Plus - Fastest Android Chip on the Market(Snapdragon 821), a great 5.7" Screenand most important Dual-Cams to capture all the important moments perfectly.
Be sure to check my youtube channel for the best Smartphone Reviews. Have a nice day, This is Steven Fox signing off
