When looking for a cheap smartphone, many people often focus only on price and ignore other important features.
However, this is a mistake that users should avoid. Although price is the main factor when evaluating a budget smartphone , there are many other factors that need to be considered.
Below are the features that users should not ignore when buying a smartphone, regardless of whether they choose a budget product or not.
There are many important factors that users should know when buying a cheap smartphone.
There are many important factors that users should know when buying a cheap smartphone .
Pay attention to the display
When choosing a budget smartphone, screen quality is a factor that cannot be ignored, especially durability and display capabilities.
Previously, users often accepted that the screens of budget smartphones would be inferior to high-end models, but the trend has now changed.
Smartphones like the Pixel 8a, Galaxy A35, and Nothing Phone 2 all feature OLED displays, which represents a significant improvement in display technology in this segment.
That marks a big step forward from the days when LCD screens were the go-to choice for budget smartphones.
Many low-cost smartphones today have OLED screens like those on high-end products.
Many low-cost smartphones today have OLED screens like those on high-end products.
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When buying a budget smartphone, users should not skimp on the display.
Although many devices are sold at lower prices, they often do not provide a good visual experience and ease of use.
The image quality and response speed of the display are very important; a slow response time will frustrate users.
Fortunately, manufacturers are improving display quality, especially on mid-range devices. However, one area where budget smartphones still can’t match premium models is screen brightness. Premium devices tend to have brighter screens, making them easier to see in bright light. However, the Pixel 8a managed to hit 1,378 nits of brightness, which is far superior to its competitors in the same segment.
Review camera specifications
When it comes to smartphone camera specs, the list of the best cameras today ranges from high-end to budget options. While manufacturers often reserve advanced camera technology for their high-end models, the days of cheap camera sensors are over.
Many mid-range smartphones like the Nothing Phone 2 and OnePlus 12R now come with 50MP main cameras, while the Pixel 8a even has a 64MP camera. This shows that users don't have to accept cheap smartphones with poor camera specs anymore.
The camera power on the Pixel 8a may surprise many people.
The camera power on the Pixel 8a may surprise many people.
Finding cameras beyond the main camera can be more difficult, though. Ultra-wide cameras on budget smartphones tend to have lower resolutions, and dedicated telephoto cameras are rare. The Galaxy S24 FE, for example, has a telephoto camera, but it costs $649, which is closer to the price of high-end products.
When evaluating smartphone cameras, it's not just the hardware that counts, but also the image processing capabilities. Models like the Pixel 8a can produce photos that look as good as more expensive devices thanks to Google's advanced image processing technology.
AI is no longer limited to expensive models
In today's technological age, artificial intelligence (AI) has become an indispensable part of mobile devices. In 2023, AI will not only appear on expensive smartphones but also gradually creep into low-cost models.
The Pixel 8a, for example, is equipped with the same Tensor G3 chip as the high-end Pixel 8, which allows the Pixel 8a to have advanced AI features such as Call Assist, where the Google Assistant can take calls on behalf of the user, and Circle to Search, which allows users to search for information simply by circling an image. In addition, AI-powered photo editing tools are also available on the Pixel 8a.
