Your smartphone has become your primary tool in everyday life, handling all your communications, work, entertainment, and of course social media. But the way we use our phones, and the things we use most often, is constantly changing. Who knows what’s the next big thing on mobile? What you can do is be prepared for anything that comes with a high-spec phone.
Except, when it comes to smartphones, what do the higher specs mean anymore? Reading the spec sheet can be a confusing exercise – lots of weird terms and abbreviations and number numbers. What is actually important? This is where this article comes in.
Here are five areas to focus on when choosing your next high-end phone. This gear represents the best of the best, and of course comes at a leading price. But you might be surprised how much of this technology is also filtering down to more affordable phones – we’ve provided a bunch of picks at the end as examples.
Powerful processor and large storage space
Understanding a smartphone’s processor, memory, and storage specifications can be tricky at best. Unlike the computing world, processors have complex names that don’t necessarily mean anything to beginners.
Fortunately, if you pick a phone with a large amount of RAM (12GB is the top tier at the moment) and 256GB or more of storage, it almost always means a high-spec CPU too.
It’s true that for web browsing and general phone use, the CPU isn’t that important, but with a high-end phone you want to take advantage of high-end features, like AI image optimization, and that definitely benefits from a powerful CPU. But the most obvious feature is that the phone will run all your apps smoothly and remain responsive even with multiple apps open and music playing in the background – and that’s where the 12GB of RAM plays an important role as well.
When it comes to onboard storage, bigger still better, because the better the phone, the better the cameras, and the more photo and video files you can save. This is still the biggest hit of space on your phone and using the extra SD card is also a good thing.
Some phone manufacturers don’t offer 256GB or 512GB options, and they’d rather store your photos and other stuff on a cloud service. And sure, this is an option if you live in a 5G area, or don’t mind waiting for 4G to upload your files. But why not get both? Plenty of space for files on your phone, as well as a backup in the cloud.
Great screen and cameras
It seems amazing now to rethink the time when people mocked the first “phablet” smartphone, 5 inches or more. Why would anyone want a phone this big? How times have changed!
Still size alone isn’t everything with a phone screen. Regardless of the actual size, you should be looking for a resolution of 2400 x 1080, or something similar. This makes photos (including your photos and in apps like Instagram) look much better, lets you watch videos in Full HD, and keeps text beautifully clear.
The latest specification for phone screens is the refresh rate. This is how often the phone’s electronics refresh the image on the screen. A higher refresh rate makes web pages scroll more smoothly, animations in apps look smoother, and makes a big difference in content like sports or movies. Look for a refresh rate of 144Hz or higher.
Then there is the screen’s ability to reproduce realistic colors. This gets really complicated and technical, but look for the specs that say the monitor complies with the DCI-P3 standard or similar. Basically that means: Lots of colour, very vibrant.
A phone with a stunning screen justifies the inclusion of an amazing camera — most of us look at most of our photos on our phones these days, after all. Naturally, look for multiple camera combinations that offer telephoto, wide angle, and maybe even a low-light camera as well. Megapixel ranges should be 48-50MP for at least one or two cameras, and f/1.8 aperture (remember, with cameras, a low f rating is better).
Finally, check to see that the phone offers AI processing or optimization built into the camera. Third-party apps can do a good job with photos, but nothing beats optimizing the hardware using the full power of your smartphone.
The fastest connection, including 5G and Wi-Fi 6E
Your next phone to have 5G is probably a no-brainer. This next generation network is being rolled out as we speak, so why not take advantage of it? But there’s an overlooked aspect of smartphone connectivity, too – and that’s Wi-Fi.
This is the connection you use at home on the Internet in your home. The latest spec here is called Wi-Fi 6E. You’ll also need a Wi-Fi 6E router, but with this generation of Wi-Fi you not only get faster data at home but more stable connections as well.
The Wi-Fi 6E smartphone will also have a feature called Wi-Fi Calling. This is where the phone uses the router and ISP to make calls, not the mobile network. It’s not like Skype or other VOIP services, it just works automatically, but it’s a boon for anyone with poor mobile phone reception at home.
Flexibility to work with your TV, and be productive with the stylus
Remember when you needed four or five boxes under the TV to display all your content on the screen? How things have changed! But even the best smart TV can piss you off with its apps that aren’t quite what you’re used to, extra logins, and upgrades, ugh!
Fortunately, the latest smartphones now work well with a range of smart TVs, and can share display and audio without the need for cables or – depending on your TV – even a special app. Your smartphone is more than powerful enough to stream even 4K content, so why not use it with your big TV? No more searching for the remote! Also look for the ability to use the TV to make video calls.
Another thing that a high-spec smartphone can do is manage your work life as well. With a powerful CPU under the hood, running all the productivity apps you use at work isn’t a problem — but to maximize your productivity with your phone, look for the option to add a dedicated stylus. With a piece of electronics on board the stylus itself, it works with your phone to do more. Why limit the possibilities?
A clean user experience with customization to make it your own
Of all the technologies you own and use, your phone is the most private. You should be able to make it your own, and this customization doesn’t have to start and end with cases and covers.
The Android operating system is designed to allow manufacturers to put their own stamp on it, changing the design and even basic functions. That can be fine, but the best is a very clean install of Android, with plenty of customization options. With a minimum of unwanted apps loaded on the phone out of the box, you are free to tweak things the way you want.
With a clean install, you can go ahead and tweak everything from wallpapers to icon sets and more. make it yours!
Smartphone View
Of course, you’re spoiled for choice when it comes to high-end phones these days, but for a flagship smartphone that’s hitting all the points in this article, consider the Motorola Edge 30 Pro — it has all the features and more. Of particular note is ThinkShield’s hardware-level security that protects you from viruses and other malicious attacks.
If you need to hit a budget, the Moto G22 gives you an amazing amount of high-end equipment. A huge battery, 50MP cameras, and a 90Hz screen give you that groundbreaking feeling at a mid-level price.
Find out more Motorola News and reviews.
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