After a year or two, you might be looking for your next new phone. Brand loyalty might be at play or just following the newest trend such as motorized pop-out camera. It can be overwhelming to decide which phone you want, but here are the basics you need to consider for your next phone.

• Computing Power

Every year there are benchmark ranking of processors and which phone they are in. What it comes down to is how much you are willing to spend for that speed. RAM also plays a part in how fast an app would load. Today it is normal to have 4GB of RAM but the top-tier smartphones use 8GB.

• Durability

Phones have been dropped or at least got spilt on at least once in their service life. Look for phones that have Gorilla Glass for its display and invest in a protective case so it can survive dropping from your hands or table. The standard phone typically has an IP67 rating which means that the phone is water-resistant from 3 feet of water for 30 minutes and is resistant from dust. So check whether the phone you’re checking out doesn’t have a lower IP rating than 67.

One of the places we store our phone is our pockets so some if not all would be inevitably be bent while the users take a seat. There are people online who tests the latest phones through every stress test they could come up and that involves bending. Of course, it can be all avoided by not carrying your phone in your pockets.

• Camera

A good camera is more than just how many megapixels the phone claims. It just means that the picture size is bigger and it all comes down to the ISO levels, aperture, and camera lens. You could always check before you buy a phone. Take a picture with it and zoom it to 100% and see the actual picture quality. Is the video quality to your liking? Are there any noticeable slowdowns or audio latency?

• Repairability

There are phones that are modular instead of soldered together. For example, the screen is connected to the board by a ribbon or the battery can be easily taken out. Phone manufacturers don’t sell spare parts but if the phone is popular enough there will be aftermarket parts from third parties available. That also means that flagship models wouldn’t have spare parts for the first few months. Some phones have their parts and circuitry glued together which makes them water-resistant to a degree but a nightmare to repair.

This should not discourage you from getting your phone repaired as it is more affordable to find a shop specialized in phone repair services in Salt Lake City and other locations than to buy a new phone.

• Screen size

A bigger screen like 6.4 inches is best for people who use their phones as a gaming device or as a streaming device. If your phone is mostly for communication or you prefer operating it with one hand then a 4.7 inches screen is more your thing.

• Do you have to buy every year?

If you can’t be sure if you would want the latest phone or can’t afford one you could buy last year’s flagship model phone so here is Metro PCS Free Phones With Activation. It still functions the same as a current phone and will mostly be able to meet your needs. You can be sure that it is also repairable with third party parts and current apps are already compatible with your phone.

• Battery Life

If you are a heavy user then a 3500mAH battery or higher would suit you. If you seldom use your phone or just use it for some light applications then a 3000mAH battery would suffice. Your phone’s screen size, resolution, and apps will determine how long you would be able to keep your phone on.

After weighing all your options, you can start looking for the phone that suits your lifestyle whether it’s a quick phone to take a picture in a snap or hours of video streaming on the go.

Joyce Laroche