Buying a new phone in 2020 is tough. Nowadays, there are so many devices, that, it becomes tough for us to keep track of all the phones launching in a month. Naturally, with so many options available in the market there are both good and bad options.
While most devices these days have decent specifications and are adequate for regular usage, irrespective of price, there are still some devices that might be a bad value or just junk. What are the signs that one ought to pay attention to, to detect as to whether a phone is a total waste? Let us list out the same.
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1. Absence of Basic Features
While a device not having a couple of features is not wrong, since brands need to make cuts somewhere, the absence of basic features that aid in functionality is wrong. If a device does not have wireless charging or a high refresh rate panel, it is acceptable considering they might be part of cost-cutting that is necessary to reach a certain price point.
However, if the device that you want to buy lacks a 3.5mm audio port for connecting audio accessories, this might be unacceptable to a lot of people. Similarly, a gyroscope is a necessary feature as it helps in games as well. To add to the list, if the device does not have a fingerprint sensor or support for face unlock, you ought to look elsewhere, since these security features are usually standard on all devices. When on a budget, compromises are made, but that does not mean you should sacrifice more than needed.
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2. Language Error in Promotional Material
When you consider buying a device, you usually go to the brand’s official site to see the specifications and features of said device. While browsing through the content, if you spot one or two mistakes, you could probably not bat an eye, since mistakes can easily happen.
But, if you see the grammar used is wrong, or the site mentions features that are not part of the device, you ought to skip the device. Since the promotional material of a device plays a pivotal role in pushing sales and, if that in itself is defective, it might be an indication of the brand. Hence, skipping a device that has such a promo page is advisable.
3. Bad Reviews
All devices have pros and cons, which is not wrong. Usually, if a device is good and well worth the asking price, the reviews will be overwhelmingly positive. If it makes some compromises, it might get an average review. But, if a device is straight-up bad or overpriced, you might want to skip it.
Check the reviews of the device that you are considering and, if most of them are negative or suggest alternatives to the device, consider skipping the same, since a smartphone is a pretty useful tool and buying a device, which will be bought with hard-earned money, only to have a bad experience is not a good thing.
4. Weak Specifications
If you are tied for a budget, you cannot expect to get the best specifications available. With a certain price point, the hardware is limited. But, that does not mean you ought to overpay for poor specifications.
In the context of India, just in terms of value, you might see the same specifications for a 15k device on a 33k INR device. This is not bad, but, considering how the same specs are available for half as much as the regular price, you ought to feel bad about your purchase.
So, while purchasing or considering a device, keep a note of the specifications available on similarly priced devices and, if you feel the specs on the device you are considering are weaker than alternatives, consider skipping the device.
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5. Poor Design
The design of a device is particularly subjective. A device might look good with shiny materials and might look sturdy but that does not mean that the device is built well. The build materials make a huge difference in the overall durability of the device, a plastic frame can be ned quite easily and brands might use this to cut down the cost. A metal or steel frame is preferred to increase the overall durability of the device.
Talking about the material used at the exterior, Glass rear panels are still not present on every device, and not featuring a glass panel is not bad. Plastic or polycarbonate is still a bit more common, especially in the budget segment. However, even in polycarbonate, you can find high quality builds and cheap builds. Some expensive devices feature polycarbonate, but, they also scratch too easily, which is not something you want to see for your phone. So, if the device you are considering has reports of scratching and not holding up well, avoid it at all costs.
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6. Older OS version
If you are considering an older flagship, which has gone down in value, you might see a generation older OS version, which is par for the course. But, if you are considering a new device, which does not come with the latest OS version by more than 1 generation, you should stay away.
Consider a device running Android 9 today, you should not consider that, meanwhile, Android 10 is most recommended, considering Android 11 has not received a complete rollout. The older version of software on a new phone is a poor indication of the brand’s attitude towards a new product and might even hint at what the future might behold in terms of support.
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7. Unknown Brand/OEM
When buying a new phone, it is advisable to go for a well known brand, or, one that has a proper portfolio of products. If you see a device from a non-reputable brand with limited products, that might raise some concerns.
The reason for this is the fact that a newer brand might not end up succeeding and, in case they fail, software support for your device might take a hit. This is also a reason to avoid devices part of crowdfunding, which is an indication that a certain device might not succeed.
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8. Laggy UI, Sluggish experience
While you cannot expect blazing fast performance from all devices, the least that is expected from your new device is a good software experience. If the device is lagging and slowing down or heating on the first day, that is not a good sign.
One major reason for this could be a heavy skin on the device’s OS, which is consisting of a lot of animations, might not run well on all devices. Samsung used to have this issue with it’s older devices, wherein the heavier skin would lag on budget devices. But with OneUI the software experience is better now.
Consider investing in a smartphone that has a stock Android experience, this offers a clean build on Android with no bloatware, thus these devices are usually faster and do not lag at all. You also get the freedom to use any default apps and there are no unwanted apps and notifications as well.
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9. Bloatware
This issue works hand in hand with the above mentioned 8th issue. Excess of bloat on a device might result in an issue regarding the OS and, more importantly, might hamper a user’s experience. Some brands also include ads as part of their bloat, which gets annoying for the user. Pre-loaded apps are also counted as bloat and, if you are unable to delete the same, that is not a good thing on your new device, irrespective of the price.
Again we shall stick to getting a device that features stock android and most of the performance issues won’t even occur.
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This concludes our list of 9 signs that the new phone you are buying is a total waste. We hope this article has been helpful and you can now make a uniform decision in regards to what device to buy and save yourself from the misery of buying a waste of a product.
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