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Don't Know Which Mobile Phone to Buy: How to Choose a Smartphone (Quad Core)

The aim of this guide is to help you decide which (smart-)phone is the best for you, based on your needs and budget.

Here are some basic points you should know when buying a smartphone: 

1) Operating system (OS) - The user interface which allows common users to use the hardware components (camera, speakers, etc.). The most common operating systems which run on smartphones are:

  • Android - runs on the majority of smartphones (Sony, Samsung, LG, Huawei, etc.). The latest version of this operating system is Android OS v.6 Marshmallow (as of Aug 2016). Some PROs and CONs using Android as operating system:

    PROs: 
    - A huge catalogue of applications
    - Home-screen widgets
    - Open-source

    CONs: 
    - Back-up options are limited to specific user data
    - No quality control of the applications
  • iOS - runs only on iPhones, iPads and iPods. Its latest version is iOS v.9.3 (as of Aug 2016)

    PROs:
    - Full back-up service
    - Frequent system updates
    - Greater control of notifications and data usage
    - Easier to uninstall applications
    - Mostly high-quality apps are offered in App store

    CONs:
    -     No home-screen widgets
    - Many limitations
     
  • Windows Phone OS - used by Nokia and Microsoft smartphones. The latest version of this smartphone is Windows Mobile 10 (as of Aug 2016)
  • BlackBerry OS - used only on Blackberry smartphones. The latest version of Blackberry OS is v10.3 (as of Aug 2016)

Note that not all devices can be upgraded to the latest OS version. It's mentioned in the solutions listed below. 

2) CPU (Central Processing Unit, or Processor, or the "brain" of a smartphone) - The main component of a smartphone which is a crucial factor for phone speed (how quickly applications open etc.).

There are several types of processors used in smartphones:

  • Single-Core - It has only one independent microprocessor
  • Dual-Core  - A multi-core processor with two independent microprocessors
  • Quad-Core  - A multi-core processor with four independent microprocessors
  • Hexa-Core - A multi-core processor with six independent microprocessors
  • Octa-Core - A multi-core processor with eight independent microprocessors

Note: You should treat the smartphone as a whole, as unity of all the components in it. It doesn't mean that a device which has an Octa-Core processor is faster than a device which has a Quad-Core processor. For instance, iPhone 6s has a Dual-Core processor, but it doesn't lag as much as some Octa-Core-processor smartphones.

The above-mentioned note also applies to camera quality. It doesn't mean that a 21 megapixel camera will produce higher-quality images than an 8 megapixel one (take iPhones for example. iPhone 6s has a 12 MP camera and produces better images than smartphones with 21 megapixel camera).

3) RAM (Random Access Memory) - The more RAM the more applications you can run in parallel.  Usually, the amount of RAM in smartphones varies from 1 GB to 4 GB.

4) Storage size - The space you have to store your pictures, music, videos or other documents. The amount of free memory on smartphones varies from 4 GB - 128 GB of internal memory, plus the ability to add a microSD card (up to 256 GB)

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Select specifications which apply:

Click on this if you're not willing to pay more than $100 on your mobile

Click on this if you only want to spend a max. of $200 on your mobile

Click on this if you only want to spend a max. of $300 on your mobile

Click on this if you only want to spend a max. of $500 on your mobile

Click on this if you don't want to spend more than $1,000 on your mobile

Click on this if you're willing to pay more than $1,000 on your mobile.

Click on this if you want a smartphone (with more functions than a calls-and-SMS-only phone)

Click on this if you only need the most basic functions in a phone: making calls and sending SMS

Click on this if you want your mobile to have a certain size (be it big or small)

Click on this if you already know from which manufacturer (Apple, LG, Windows etc.) your mobile should be.

Click on this if you want a (smart-)phone with a removable (which you can easily remove and replace yourself), or a non-removable (which can be removed and replaced in repair shops only) battery.

Click on this if you have a preferred operating system (e.g. iOS, Android, or Windows) which might be the case if you already use this operating system and don't want to switch to a different one.

Click on this if you want a mobile device with a secondary camera.

Click on this if you want to add extra memory (a microSD card) to your mobile device

Click on this if you want a device with a scratch−resistant screen, i.e. a device which has a "Corning Gorilla Glass" protection.

Click on this if you want your new mobile to have a stylish design

Click on this if long battery life is very important to you

Click on this if you want to additionally protect your smartphone and unlock it only with your fingerprint.

Click on this if you want to buy a waterproof mobile device (i.e. a device which can be used under water for a certain period of time)

Click on this if it's important to you that your mobile device has a physical keyboard, i.e. not only a "virtual keyboard" on the screen

Click on this if you have specific technical requirements, e.g. processor speed, min. megapixels for camera etc.

Click on this if you want a phone running on the Android operating system.

Click on this if if want a mobile device which works with a nano SIM card (it looks like this http://goo.gl/0DOq4e)

Click on this if you want your mobile (camera) to have at least 4 Megapixels. Read this intro to megapixels http://goo.gl/dbNK9r, however be aware that a high number of megapixels doesn't guarantee a high picture quality, as you can read here: http://goo.gl/PUZ8QV

Click on this if you want a mobile device which works with a micro SIM card (it looks like this http://goo.gl/v8rUoz).

Click on this if you're fine if your new mobile has a camera with less than 4 Megapixels. Read this intro to megapixels http://goo.gl/dbNK9r, however be aware that a high number of megapixels doesn't guarantee a high picture quality, as you can read here: http://goo.gl/PUZ8QV

Click on this if want a mobile device which works with a standard/mini SIM card (it looks like this https://goo.gl/nrkomV)

Click on this if you want your mobile (camera) to have at least 6 Megapixels. Read this intro to megapixels http://goo.gl/dbNK9r, however be aware that a high number of megapixels doesn't guarantee a high picture quality, as you can read here: http://goo.gl/PUZ8QV

Click on this if you want a phone running on the Windows phone operating system.

Click on this if want the diagonal of your mobile screen to be larger than 5.3 inches. See on http://goo.gl/3jNErw how much that is.

Click on this if you want a phone running on the iOS operating system.

Click on this if want the diagonal of your mobile screen to be between 4.65 and less than 5.3 inches. See on http://goo.gl/3jNErw how much that is.

Click on this if you want your mobile (camera) to have at least 8 Megapixels. Read this intro to megapixels http://goo.gl/dbNK9r, however be aware that a high number of megapixels doesn't guarantee a high picture quality, as you can read here: http://goo.gl/PUZ8QV

Click on this if you want your mobile (camera) to have at least 12 Megapixels. Read this intro to megapixels http://goo.gl/dbNK9r, however be aware that a high number of megapixels doesn't guarantee a high picture quality, as you can read here: http://goo.gl/PUZ8QV

Click on this if you want a battery which would last at least 70 hours if you do one hour of calls, one hour of video playback and one hour of web browsing daily.

Click on this if you want the diagonal of your mobile screen to be between 3.5 and less than 4.3 inches. See on http://goo.gl/3jNErw how much that is.

Click on this if you're fine with a phone which only supports the second generation of wireless telephone technology

Click on this if you want a battery which would last at least 100 hours if you do one hour of calls, one hour of video playback and one hour of web browsing daily.

Click on this if you don't want the diagonal of your mobile screen exceed 3.5 inches. See on http://goo.gl/3jNErw how much that is.

Click on this if want the diagonal of your mobile screen to be between 4.3 and less than 4.65 inches. See on http://goo.gl/3jNErw how much that is.

Click on this if you want a phone that supports the third generation of wireless telephone technology

Click on this if you want a phone that supports the fourth generation of wireless telephone technology.

Click on this if it's important to you that the phone has a certain storage size so that you can save many pictures/music/video on your mobile

Click on this if you want your phone to have at least 8 gigabytes of storage space

Click on this if you want your phone to have at least 16 gigabytes of storage space

Click on this if you want your phone to have at least 32 gigabytes of storage space

Click on this if you want your phone to have at least 64 gigabytes of storage space

Click on this if you want a battery which would last at least 30 hours if you do one hour of calls, one hour of video playback and one hour of web browsing daily.

Click on this if you want a battery which would last at least 50 hours, if you do one hour of calls, one hour of video playback and one hour of web browsing daily.

Click on this if you want a smartphone which has a Dual core, Quad core, Hexa Core or Octa core processor.

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  1. Buy Asus Zenfone Selfie (from $199)

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    The highlight of Zenfone Selfie is pretty much self-explanatory, it is taking "selfies". Zenfone Selfie features brilliant front camera, pretty design and beautiful screen and UI.

    Its key features are:

    • Android OS, v5.0 (Lollipop), upgradable to v6.0 (Marshmallow)
    • A Quad-core Cortex-A53 & Quad-core Cortex-A53 processor
    • 2/3 GB RAM (depends on the model)
    • Dual SIM (Micro SIM) support
    • 13 MP camera with autofocus and a 13 MP front camera
    • IPS capacitive touchscreen with 16M colors
    • Its 5.5-inch display is protected with Corning Gorilla Glass 4 and oleophobic coating
    • Internal memory of 16/32 GB (depends on the model) with the possibility to add a microSD card up to 256 GB
    • A removable 3000 mAh battery, which offers you 20:22 hours of talk time, 07:43 hours of web browsing and 11:32 hours of video playback (according to tests)

    Pros

    • Dual SIM
    • Large RAM (2/3 GB)
    • 4G-LTE Support
    • Large screen size

    Cons

    • A bit too large to hold
    • Absence of the "slow motion" feature

    • You can purchase the 16 GB version of this smartphone from Amazon.
    • In addition, you can purchase the 32 GB version if you click here.

    ---
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  2. Buy Asus Zenfone 2 (from $209)

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    Zenfone 2 has a beautiful display and a solid battery life but the design is rather bland and the camera is average.

    Its key features are:

    • Android OS, v5.0 (Lollipop), upgradable to v6.0 (Marshmallow)
    • A Quad-core 1.8 GHz (2 GB RAM model) / Quad-core 2.3 GHz (4 GB RAM model) processor
    • 2/4 GB RAM
    • Dual SIM (Micro SIM) support
    • 13 MP camera with autofocus and a 5 MP front camera
    • IPS capacitive touchscreen with 16M colors
    • Its 5.5-inch display is protected with Corning Gorilla Glass 3
    • Internal memory of 16/32/64 GB (depends on the model) with the possibility to add a microSD card up to 256 GB
    • A non-removable 3000 mAh battery, which offers you 15:47 hours of talk time, 07:52 hours of web browsing and 08:34 hours of video playback (according to tests)

    Pros

    • Good for multi-tasking
    • Large RAM (2/4 GB)
    • Voice and Call quality
    • 4G-LTE Support
    • Large screen size

     

    Cons

    • SIM 2 slot only supports 2G

    • You can purchase the 16 GB version of this smartphone, which is rated with 3.6/5 stars by customers on Amazon, if you follow this link.
    • If you want the 32 GB version, which is rated with 3.1/5 stars by customers, follow this link.
    • You can also become the owner of the 64 GB version, which is rated with 3.1/5 stars by the customers, if you follow this link.

    Note: The 16 GB version is currently unavailable.

    ---
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  3. Buy Huawei Y6 (a.k.a Huawei Honor 4A, from $161.99) − Currently unavai

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    Y6 is a top notch low budget smartphone, featuring beautiful display, great build quality and a solid all-round performance.

    Its key features are:

    • Android OS, v5.1 (Lollipop) Operating system
    • A Quad-core 1.1 GHz Cortex-A7 processor
    • 1/2 GB RAM (depends on the model)
    • Dual SIM (Micro SIM) support
    • 8 MP camera and a 2 MP front camera
    • IPS LCD capacitive touchscreen with 16M colors
    • A 5-inch display
    • Internal memory of 8 GB with the possibility to add a microSD card up to 256 GB
    • A removable 2200 mAh battery, which offers you up to 300 hours (3G) of stand-by time and talk time up to 11 hours (according to tests)

    Pros

    • Dual SIM
    • 4G-LTE Support
    • Large screen size

    Cons

    • Too little RAM memory (1 GB RAM)
    • Low-resolution camera (5 megapixels)
    • Lack of autofocus

    You can purchase Huawei Y6 (a.k.a Huawei Honor 4A) from Amazon.
    This smartphone is currently unavailable.

    ---
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  4. Buy Huawei Ascend G6 (from $164.99)

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    Ascend G6 is a solid phone for everybody not looking to spend too much on his new smartphone. Comes with brilliant front camera, good battery life. Sadly, keyboard and screen resolution are rather poor.

    Its key features are:

    • Android v4.3 (Jelly Bean), operating system
    • A Quad-core 1.2 GHz processor
    • 1 GB RAM
    • 8 MP camera with autofocus and a 5 MP front camera
    • IPS LCD capacitive touchscreen with 16M colors
    • A 4.5-inch display
    • Internal memory of 4 GB with the possibility to add a microSD card up to 32 GB
    • A removable 2000 mAh battery, which offers you up to 370 hours of stand-by time and up to 12 hour talk time

    Pros

    • Good Multimedia Features
    • Large screen size

    Cons

    • Small internal memory (4 GB)
    • Low-time battery backup
    • Outdated operating system

     

    You can become the owner of Huawei Ascend G6, which is rated with 3.6/5 stars by customers on Amazon, if you follow this link.

    ---
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  5. Buy Alcatel Idol 3 (from $149.99)

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    Alcatel Idol 3 is a phone that is not too expensive yet brings a very good specification set. Possesses a vibrant and very nice display, decent battery life and a 8 MP front camera. Comes with 4.7" and 5.5" display sizes.

    Its key features are:

    • Android OS, v5.0.2 (Lollipop), upgradable to v6.0.1 (Marshmallow)
    • A Quad-core 1.2 GHz Cortex-A53 processor
    • Dual SIM (Micro-SIM, some models)
    • 1.5 GB RAM
    • 13 MP camera with autofocus and a 5 front camera
    • IPS LCD capacitive touchscreen with 16M colors
    • A 4.7/5.5-inch display (depends on the model)
    • Internal memory of 8 GB, with the possibility to add a microSD card up to 32 GB
    • A non-removable 2000 mAh battery

    Pros

    • Affordable
    • Large screen size
    • 4G-LTE Support
    • Good camera

    Cons

    • Average battery life
    • Low internal memory
    • No fingerprint sensor

    You can buy this smartphone, which is rated with 4.0/5 stars, from Amazon.

    ---
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  6. Buy Lenovo S60 (from $148.00) − Currently unavailable

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    Lenovo S60 has a solid camera for its price range and decent RAM memory. Recommended for anybody who is looking for a solid phone for low price.

    Its key features are:

    • Android OS, v4.4.2 (KitKat), upgradable to v5.0 (Lollipop)
    • A Quad-core 1.2 GHz Cortex-A53 processor
    • 2 GB RAM
    • Dual SIM (Micro-SIM or Nano-SIM - depends on the model)
    • 13 MP camera with autofocus and a 5 MP front camera
    • IPS LCD capacitive touchscreen with 16M colors
    • A 5-inch display
    • Internal memory of 8 GB, with the possibility to add a microSD card up to 32 GB
    • A non-removable 2150 mAh battery, which offers you up to 30 hours of talk time, and up to 336 hours of stand-by. (according to tests)

    Pros

    • Large RAM (2 GB)
    • Dual SIM
    • Large screen size
    • Good camera quality

    Cons

    • Non-removable battery
    • Low internal memory
    • No protection against scratches

    You can buy this smartphone from Amazon.

    Note: This smartphone is currently unavailable.

    ---
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  7. Buy Sony Xperia E3 (from $164.95)

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    A low-budget smartphone recommended to anybody who is a novice smartphone user or an Android fan looking for a cheap smartphone.

    No significant advantages or flaws, just a basic smartphone for a good price.

    Its key features are:

    • Android OS, v4.4.2 (KitKat)
    • A Quad-core 1.2 GHz Cortex-A7 processor
    • 1 GB RAM
    • 5 MP camera with autofocus and a VGA front camera
    • IPS capacitive touchscreen with 16M colors
    • A 4.5-inch display protected with shatter-proof glass
    • Internal memory of 4 GB, with the possibility to add a microSD card up to 32 GB
    • A non-removable 2330 mAh battery, which offers you 14:28 hours of talk time, 09:48 hours of web browsing and 08:26 hours of video playback. (according to tests)

    Pros

    • Nice build quality bright display produces good clarity from wide viewing angles.
    • Great music quality in earphones;
    • Clear sound
    • "Stamina" mode and power saving mode which enhance battery duration

    Cons

    • It has only 1.7 GB free internal memory to install apps.
    • Front VGA camera
    • No LED Notification and no in-built video calling feature.

    You can buy this phone, which is rated with 4.0/5 stars, from Amazon.

    ---
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  8. Buy Sony Xperia Z (from $325)

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    A solid, cheap smartphone that is water resistant and has a great audio quality.

    Flaws are its non removable battery and a software issues.

    Its key features are:

    • Android OS, v4.1.2 (Jelly Bean), upgradable to v5.1.1 (Lollipop)
    • A Quad-core 1.5 GHz Krait processor
    • 2 GB RAM
    • 13.1 MP camera with autofocus and a 2.2 MP front camera
    • TFT capacitive touchscreen with 16M colors
    • A 5.0-inch display protected with a shatter-proof glass
    • Internal memory of 16 GB, with the possibility to add a microSD card up to 64 GB
    • A non-removable 2330 mAh battery, which offers you 16:03 hours of talk time, 06:37 hours of web browsing and 05:39 hours of video playback. (according to tests)

    Pros

    • Water-resistant
    • Large RAM (2 GB)
    • 4G-LTE Support
    • Large screen size

    Cons

    • Outdated Android OS version
    • Poor angle view



    You can buy this phone, which is rated with 3.5/5 stars by customers, from Amazon.

    ---
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  9. Buy Asus Zenfone Zoom (from $236.11)

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    Asus Zenfone Zoom possesses an innovative feature and that is a zoom lens. If you want to take pictures with your mobile from afar, Zenfone Zoom is your best choice. Besides that, Zenfone Zoom has a very elegant design, feels good in hand but battery life is not so great.

    Its key features are:

    • Android OS, v5.0 (Lollipop)
    • A Quad-core 2.3 GHz processor
    • 2/4 GB RAM (depends on the model)
    • Dual SIM (Micro SIM) support
    • 13 MP camera with autofocus and a 5 MP front camera
    • IPS capacitive touchscreen with 16M colors
    • Its 5.5-inch display is protected with Corning Gorilla Glass 3
    • Internal memory of 16/32/64/128 GB (depends on the model) with the possibility to add a microSD card up to 64 GB
    • A non-removable 3000 mAh battery, which offers you 20:22 hours of talk time, 07:43 hours of web browsing and 11:32 hours of video playback (according to tests)

    Pros

    • Dual SIM
    • Large RAM (2/3 GB)
    • 4G-LTE Support
    • Large screen size
    • 3x optical zoom ability
    • Laser autofocus technology

    Cons

    • A bit too large to hold
    • Heavy body (185 g)
    • Low speaker output
    • No video recording features for front camera

    You can become the owner of the 64 GB version, which is available on Amazon, if you follow this link.

    ---
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  10. Buy BlackBerry Passport (from $219.99)

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    BlackBerry Passport features very strong build, lot of RAM and an impressive battery life. Due to its size and weight it is impossible to use it with a single hand and it seems very overpriced as well.

    Its key features are:

    • BlackBerry OS 10.3, upgradable to v10.3.2
    • A Quad-core 2.26 GHz Krait 400 processor
    • 3 GB RAM
    • 13 MP camera with autofocus and a 2 MP front camera
    • IPS LCD capacitive touchscreen with 16M colors
    • Its 4.5-inch display is protected with Corning Gorilla Glass 3
    • Internal memory of 32 GB with the possibility to add a microSD card up to 256 GB
    • A non-removable 3450 mAh battery, which offers you 25:12 hours of talk time, 10:12 hours of web browsing and 10:46 hours of video playback and up to 444 hours of stand-by. (according to tests)

    Pros

    • Large internal memory
    • Large RAM (3 GB)
    • 4G-LTE Support
    • Large screen size
    • Strong battery life

    Cons

    • A poor front camera
    • Bulky
    • Not ideal for multimedia content (according to some users)
    • Lack of essential apps (according to some users)

    You can buy this smartphone, which is rated with 4.4/5 stars, from Amazon.

    ---
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