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

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 Samsung Galaxy S4 (from $188.08)

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    Affordable phone of solid performance, suitable for an average smartphone user.

    According to users, the only con of this phone is a somewhat problematic UI.

    Its key features are:

    • Android OS, v4.2.2 (Jelly Bean), upgradable to v5.0.1 (Lollipop)
    • A Quad-core 1.6 GHz Cortex-A15 & quad-core 1.2 GHz Cortex-A7 processor
    • 2 GB RAM
    • 13 MP camera with autofocus and a 2 MP front camera
    • Super AMOLED capacitive touchscreen with 16M colors
    • Its 5.0-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 64 GB
    • A removable 2600 mAh battery, which offers you 11:01 hours of talk time, 06:58 hours of web browsing and 11:29 hours of video playback and up to 370 hours of stand-by. (according to tests)

    Pros

    • Large internal memory (16/32/64 GB)
    • AirView – the ability to preview content by hovering a finger over it, without touching the screen
    • Large RAM (2 GB)
    • Large screen size
    • Wireless charging
    • TV remote control feature

    Cons

    • Expensive
    • Heating issues
    • Not good sound quality for multimedia playback (according to some users)

    You can buy the 16 GB of this smartphone, which is rated with 3.6/5 stars, from Amazon.

    ---
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  2. Buy Microsoft Lumia 640 XL (from $100)

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    If you are looking for a big screen smartphone and you're on a tight budget, you've come to the right place.

    You can buy Lumia 640 XL for a very affordable price and you can play mobile games with a nearly same experience as with two to three times more expensive smartphone models.

    Besides the affordable price, this phone dominates in a battery duration and a thick construction segment.

    Its drawbacks are a low internal storage and low specification ratings.

    Its key features are:

    • Microsoft Windows Phone 8.1 with Lumia Denim
    • A Quad-core 1.2 GHz Cortex-A7 processor
    • 1 GB RAM
    • 13 MP camera with autofocus and a 5 MP front camera
    • IPS capacitive touchscreen with 16M colors
    • Its 5.7-inch display is protected with Corning Gorilla Glass 3
    • Internal memory of 8 GB, with the possibility to add a microSD card up to 256 GB
    • A removable 3000 mAh battery, which offers you 29:46 hours of talk time, 10:14 hours of web browsing and 08:40 hours of video playback. (according to tests)

    Pros

    • 4G-LTE Support
    • Large screen size
    • Affordable price

    Cons

    • Low internal memory (8 GB)
    • Low RAM (1 GB)
    • Laggy performance

    You can purchase the Dual SIM version of this smartphone, which is rated with 3.9/5 stars by customers, from Amazon.

    ---
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  3. Buy LG V10 (from $350.00)

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    LG V10 comes with a special feature, a second screen at the top. Besides that, pros are durable design and a wide camera, cons are short battery life and a high price.

    Its key features are:

    • Android OS, v5.1.1 (Lollipop), upgradable to v6.0 (Marshmallow)
    • A Quad-core 1.44 GHz Cortex-A53 & dual-core 1.82 GHz Cortex-A57 processor
    • 4 GB RAM
    • 16 MP camera with laser autofocus and a 5 MP front camera
    • IPS LCD capacitive touchscreen with 16M colors
    • Its 5.7-inch display is protected with Corning Gorilla Glass 4
    • Internal memory of 32/64 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 16:40 hours of talk time, 08:20 hours of web browsing and 07:30 hours of video playback. (according to tests)

    Pros

    • Great picture quality
    • Large internal memory (32/64 GB)
    • Fingerprint scanner on the back
    • Large RAM (4 GB)
    • 4G-LTE Support
    • Large screen size

    Cons

    • High price
    • No FM radio
    • Not waterproof

    • You can become the owner of the 32 GB version, which is rated with 4.4/5 stars by customers on Amazon, if you follow this link.
    • If you want the 64 GB version (DUAL SIM), which is rated with 4.3/5 stars, you can buy it from here.

    ---
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  4. Buy Asus Pegasus (from $184.00) − Currently unavailable

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    An average phone with no significant pros and cons. If you prefer Asus phone and you're not looking to spend much money on it, Pegasus is a highly recommended way to go.

    Its key features are:

    • Android OS, v4.4 (KitKat)
    • A Quad-core 1.5 GHz Cortex-A53 processor
    • 2 GB RAM
    • Dual SIM (Micro SIM) support
    • 8 MP camera with autofocus and a 5 MP front camera
    • IPS capacitive touchscreen with 16M colors
    • A 5-inch display
    • Internal memory of 8/16 (depends on the model) with the possibility to add a microSD card up to 32 GB
    • A non-emovable 2500 mAh battery that will last up to up to 174 hours (3G) of stand-by time and up to 17 hours 40 minutes (3G) of talk time with a single charging

    Pros

    • Decent 64 bit Quad core processor
    • Large 2 GB RAM
    • Low price
    • 4G-LTE Support
    • Large screen size

    Cons

    • Outdated Android version

    You can purchase the 16 GB version of this smartphone from Amazon.
     This smartphone is currently unavailable.

    ---
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  5. 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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  6. 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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  7. 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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  8. Buy Nokia 130 (from $31.77) − Currently unavailable

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    Very cheap and basic phone with very long battery life.

     

    Its key features are:

    • TFT display with 65K colors
    • A 1.8-inch display
    • Internal memory of 4 MB, with the possibility to add a microSD card up to 32 GB
    • A removable 1020 mAh battery, which offers you 13 hours of talk time, 864 hours of stand-by and 46 hours of music play. (according to tests)

    Pros

    • Very cheap
    • Pocket-friendly

    Cons

    • Small internal memory

    You can buy this phone from Amazon.
    Note: This smartphone is currently unavailable.

    ---
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  9. Buy Nokia 222 (from $91.90) − Currently unavailable

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    Nokia 222 is a small, cheap phone with battery that can last almost a full day of phone calling. Nokia 222 is a 2.5G phone, since it possesses features like connecting to Opera Mini browser, Facebook and Twitter. Nokia 222 also comes with 2 MP camera, FM radio, MP3 player app and LED flashlight.

    Its key features are:

    • TFT display with 65K colors
    • A 2.4-inch display
    • A 2 MP camera
    • Internal memory of 16 MB, with the possibility to add a microSD card up to 32 GB
    • A removable 1100 mAh battery, which offers you 20 hours of talk time and 696 hours of stand-by. (according to tests)

    Pros

    • Very cheap
    • Pre-loaded social media apps (Facebook, Twitter, etc.)

    Cons

    • Small internal memory
    • Fixed-focus camera

    You can buy this phone from Amazon.
    Note: This smartphone is currently unavailable.

    ---
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  10. Buy Alcatel OT−997 (from $63.09)

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    Alcatel OT-997 is a relatively cheap smartphone, but has many glitches with software and the battery life is not so good.

    Its key features are:

    • Android OS, v4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich)
    • A Dual-core 1.0 GHz Cortex-A9 processor
    • 1 GB RAM
    • Dual SIM (Mini SIM)
    • 8 MP camera with autofocus and a VGA front camera
    • TFT capacitive touchscreen with 16M colors
    • A 4.3-inch display
    • Internal memory of 4 GB,  with the possibility to add a microSD card up to 32 GB
    • A removable 1800 mAh battery (depends on the model), which offers you up to 16 hours of talk time, and up to 400 hours of stand-by. (according to tests)

    Pros

    • Affordable
    • Removable battery
    • Average screen size

    Cons

    • Average battery life
    • Outdated operating system
    • Poor front camera
    • No 4G-LTE Support


    Click here to purchase this smartphone, which is rated with 4.1/5 stars by the customers on Amazon.

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