It's 2021 and the smartphone industry is more competitive than ever. We have so many options available in the market that it can get a bit overwhelming for most users, which keeps them from being limited to just a few smartphones. Although you can check out our top picks for the best smartphones for photography in 2021 , but in this guide we will focus on the basic rules you can use to choose the right phone for you. In this guide, you will learn how to choose the best smartphone in 2021.
How to Choose the Best Smartphone – The Science Revealed
When it comes to choosing the best smartphones, you can rate any smartphone on 5 basic pillars, and if a smartphone is rock solid on all 5 pillars, it is considered the best smartphone. The 5 pillars of the best smartphone are:
- Display
- Cameras
- Drums
- Manufacturing quality
- Specifications
In the next sections we will explain how to rate any modern smartphone based on these 5 pillars, and at the end of this guide you will be able to rate any smartphone and determine if it is the best fit for you or not. Let's start.
Display
The display is arguably one of the most important components of any smartphone, and you can rate the display of any smartphone based on three factors which are.
- Screen Resolution – This is the factor that basically decides how many pixels will be packed onto your screen, and it basically determines the quality of the display. The standard resolution these days is 1080p or FHD, and you shouldn't settle for less. If you want to get a premium smartphone, make sure that you get QHD resolution on your smartphone.
- Screen technology – Smartphones used to come with poor quality IPS screens, but technology has improved and IPS screens today are very sharp. However, if you want the best display quality, you should consider OLED technology as it comes with accurate colors and deeper blacks. In a nutshell, if you buy a mid-range smartphone, you can expect an IPS or OLED display. However, if you're buying a flagship smartphone, don't settle for less than the OLED display.
- Refresh Rate – Refresh rate is basically the metric that indicates how many times your screen will be refreshed in a second. Most smartphones come with a 60Hz refresh rate, and that will work for most people. However, if you are a gamer, you should consider a display with either 90Hz or 120Hz refresh rate as it will enhance the gaming experience for you.
Cameras
Nowadays smartphones are equipped with great cameras and can take great photos. When it comes to rating cameras on any smartphone, you can rate any camera based on two factors which are.
- Sensor Size – Sensor size is basically the size of the sensor, and it is presented in megapixels, for example, 12 MP, 50 MP, etc. If you want to use your smartphone for casual photography, you should consider a camera with 12 MP or better, like 50 MP.
- Aperture - Regardless of the size of your sensor, if it's not getting enough light you won't be able to get better images, and that's determined by the aperture. Many Chinese companies usually offer big sensors in their smartphones, but they usually have an f/2.4 aperture, which means the sensor won't get enough light and you'll get poor quality images. So, when choosing your camera on the smartphone, make sure you get an f/1.8, f/1.6 or better aperture for great shots.
Drums
The battery is another very important element that makes or breaks the whole experience. If you get a phone with poor battery performance, you will not enjoy it and spend a lot of time charging the device. Now, when it comes to rating the battery, you can rate it based on two factors which are.
- Battery Size - Battery size is the factor that will determine how long your battery will run for. The normal norm these days is 4000 mAh, and you shouldn't settle for less. However, if you get a smartphone with a battery of 4500 mAh or more, you can get excellent battery life, and if you are a casual user, it can last a whole day.
- Battery charging time – If you don't want your phone to take hours to charge, it's important that you choose a phone with fast charging. Luckily, most smartphones these days feature fast charging and can charge the battery in 90-120 minutes, depending on size and technology. So, when choosing a smartphone, make sure that it has fast charging.
Specifications
Finally, the specifications of the phone are also very important. When it comes to specs, you can rate them on the following factors.
- RAM: The standard RAM these days is 6GB, and you shouldn't settle for less than that. However, if you want to future-proof your phone, make sure you have 8GB or more of RAM on your device.
- Storage: Standard storage these days is 64GB, but that might not be enough for power users. So if you opt for 256GB of storage, you won't have to worry about space for long.
- Processor: The processor is arguably the most important factor to consider when buying a smartphone. If you buy the latest smartphone, make sure it has the latest processor. The quick way to find out is a quick Google search. If the processor is last year, you shouldn't get the phone unless you get it at a bargain price.
Conclusion
That's all. In this guide, you have learned how to choose the best smartphone in 2021. You can use the basic pillars above to evaluate any smartphone, and you will end up choosing the right smartphone. It's the hidden science that popular tech reviewers use, and now you know it too. If you want to test your knowledge, you can check out our guide where we have shared the best 5G smartphones , and you can use your knowledge to determine whether these are the best phones or not! Let us know your thoughts in the comments.
