Whether you love or hate your current smartphone, there comes a time when it’s necessary for an upgrade, or at the very least, a replacement. Even if you pick a top-of-the-line model, you’re not guaranteed to be happy with your new purchase unless the specs line up with your expectations for a phone. And everyone has different expectations of the perfect phone for them!
In actuality, even if the phone you’re considering is not one with fancy, in-your-face upgrades, there are still certain specs that are necessary. Some of these specs are now considered standard, rather than ‘add-ons’ which merit a higher price tag. For example, a phone with inferior graphics to the current one you’ve had for circa 3-4 years simply won’t cut it. This is especially true if you’re one to enjoy playing online slot machine games in your free time.
As with any electronics purchase, choosing the right specs really is dependent on what you spend your time doing with that device. A power phone gamer needs good screen refresh rates and processor speed, while a TikTok influencer needs a great camera.
Today, we take a look at some of the core specs that people often overlook in their phone purchases – and why they might be important to you.
Dual SIM
You never know when you are going to need a second SIM card. Maybe your mobile network goes down and you need to switch to another provider to get through a work day. Perhaps you travel to another town, state, or country where you need to use a different network. Maybe you run out of credit and someone else is doing a great deal. You have a business line and a personal. The list goes on. A dual SIM phone just gives you that backup option when you need it and life smacks you in the face.
eSIM
Similarly, eSIM functionality is becoming a standard inbuilt phone spec. Instead of having to use a dual SIM phone, you might grab an eSIM instead. eSIMs work just like a regular SIM card but without the physical card in your phone. In the future, maybe phones will only have eSIM! Do be aware that eSIMs aren’t available in all regions, or may be significantly higher cost than a physical card, so having both dual SIM and eSIM functionality at once is the better option here.
USB-C charge point
This should go without saying in 2023, but getting a phone with a USB-C charge point is a must. Nowadays, all phones should come standard with a USB-C charge point, thanks to laws in Europe mandating it however, there are still makes and models floating about with different specs, including, mostly, iPhones. With a USB-C charge point, you are guaranteed that if you accidentally run out of charge while out and about someone will have a charger that you can use and you will be able to top up your battery again.
5G
5G is going global! Which means it’s time you upgraded to 5G, too. Since plenty of apps and websites are now optimized for 5G performance, having a phone that’s capable of 5G speeds is also important too, especially as you use your phone for 2+ years.
4GB+ RAM
RAM, ROM, SSD, UFS, it’s all a bit of a mystery what different memory components mean with computers. However, if you’re selecting a new phone, what you want is to ensure that it has 4+GB of RAM (that’s processor memory) so that apps and multitasking work quickly and without lag on your device.
Onboard storage and/or SD slot
Your onboard storage is the other storage that you need to take a look at on your phone. This one will be the bigger size. Depending on how many apps you use and if they store data in the cloud or on your device, and whether you like downloading big files, like videos, on your phone, you may want to consider a large storage space on your phone. For example, a longer video can take up 2GB or more of space on your phone. You can also find phones with an SD slot which allows you to put in an SD card for extra storage, which may work out cheaper.
Waterproofing and/or IP rating
The last thing that you want is to break your new phone as soon as you get it by spilling coffee, beer, coke, or water on it! Many phones now have fairly good specs in terms of waterproofing, you can check the IP rating to determine. For phones with IP67, this means submersion in up to a meter of water for up to 30 minutes, and for IP68, it is more than a meter with no specific time. Shower phone games here we come!