Smartphone Buying Guide: Chip, Display and Update Support

This smartphone buying guide gives one short answer: after you set a budget, compare the chip, the screen, the battery and how many years the maker will update the phone. Price tells you what you pay today. These four tell you how the phone will feel in year three.

Below, each point comes with a simple check you can do in a shop or on a spec page.

1. Look at the chip tier first

The chip is the brain of the phone. It sets how fast apps open, how smooth games run and how well the camera handles photos in low light.

Phone makers sell the same model line in several tiers. An entry chip is fine for calls, chat, maps and video. A mid tier chip handles many apps at once. A top tier chip is built for heavy games and video editing. Pay for the tier you will use, not the tier on the box.

Ask two questions. How old is this chip? How much memory (RAM) does the phone have? A new phone with an older chip can feel slow in a year. For most people, 6 GB of RAM or more is a comfortable floor in 2024 for daily use.

The chip also drives special features. Google says its Pixel 8 phones run on its own Tensor G3 chip, which works with a separate Titan M2 security chip to protect personal data. That is a good example of a chip choice that affects more than speed.

Sources: Google, Pixel 8 announcement page (https://blog.google/products/pixel/google-pixel-8-pro/), on Tensor G3 and the Titan M2 security chip.

2. Compare the display type and size

You look at the screen all day, so it deserves a close look. Two things matter most: the panel type and the size.

OLED panels light each dot on their own. Black looks deep, colors look rich and the screen can look bright outdoors. Cheaper LCD panels are often fine indoors but can look gray in strong sun. Check any phone outside the shop door if you can.

Brightness matters for Vietnam's sunny streets. Google says the 6.2 inch Actua display on the Pixel 8 is 42 percent brighter than the display on the Pixel 7. Makers publish such claims, so compare phones in your own hand.

Size is personal. A larger screen is easier for video and reading, but the phone is heavier and harder to use with one hand. Hold it for a minute before you buy.

Sources: Google, Pixel 8 announcement page (https://blog.google/products/pixel/google-pixel-8-pro/), on the Actua display brightness claim.

3. Read the battery numbers the right way

Battery size is listed in milliampere hours (mAh). A bigger number usually means longer use. But the chip and screen also change how fast the battery drains, so one phone with 5,000 mAh can last less than another with 4,500 mAh.

Look for real use tests: hours of video, hours of calls and hours of screen time. Also check charging speed. A phone that charges to half in 30 minutes is easier to live with than one that needs two hours.

Check whether the charger is in the box. Some makers now leave it out. If it is missing, add the cost of a good charger and cable to the price.

4. Check how many years of updates you get

Updates keep a phone safe and useful. Security updates fix holes that criminals can use. New system versions add features and keep apps running.

This is the biggest change in the market right now. In October 2023, Google said Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro would get seven years of software updates, including system upgrades, security updates and regular feature updates. Its own fine print says the security updates run at least seven years from when the phone first went on sale in the Google Store in the US.

Many phones get far less, often three to five years. Ask the seller for the exact end date for security updates for the model in front of you. Get it in writing or find it on the maker's own page. A phone with a faster chip but two years of updates can be a worse buy than a middle phone with six.

Sources: Google, Pixel 8 announcement page (https://blog.google/products/pixel/google-pixel-8-pro/), on the seven year software update promise and its security update footnote.

5. Add warranty, storage and the final check

Storage fills up faster than most people expect. Photos and video take the most space. 128 GB is a sensible start, and 256 GB is safer if you shoot a lot of video. Check whether the phone has a memory card slot, because many do not.

Ask where the warranty is honored. A phone bought from an authorized dealer has a warranty you can use at the maker's service center. Keep the receipt, and check the serial number on the box matches the one inside the phone.

Here is a short list to take to the shop.

• Chip: which tier, and how much RAM?
• Screen: OLED or LCD, and how bright outside?
• Battery: real use tests and charging speed.
• Updates: the end date for security updates.
• Extras: storage, charger in the box, warranty.

Score two or three phones on this list and the best value is usually clear. The cheapest phone is rarely the cheapest to own.

Sources: Google, Pixel 8 announcement page (https://blog.google/products/pixel/google-pixel-8-pro/).