In the past 20 years, telephony has experienced an incredible growth spurt, largely thanks to the introduction of smartphones. These devices have continued to evolve, becoming larger and more feature-packed with each new release. While many of these improvements have been genuinely useful, some may be overhyped. Typically, these features start out on high-end phones and gradually become standardized across all devices.
This doesn’t mean that these features are bad, but rather that they may not necessarily be essential for everyone. It’s important to consider whether these features are really worth the extra cost, especially for those who are looking for an affordable phone with specific features.
Are These Smartphone Features Really Worth the Extra Cost?
Refresh rate
One example of a feature that may be overhyped is the refresh rate. Many people prefer their phone to have a sleek appearance. A high refresh rate on a phone is enjoyable. However, this may negatively impact battery life. High-end phones with efficient battery management can handle this problem. But, for other phone ranges, it can be problematic. Despite this, the high refresh rate is a great feature as it enables the screen to move smoothly. Nevertheless, it creates a familiar dilemma: do we prioritize battery life or phone performance?
8K video recording
For about eight years, we’ve been recording 4K videos. At first, it wasn’t necessary, just like 8K recording. We can admit that it’s just a fancy marketing campaign. Only a few people really use 8K recording, and the cameras don’t offer significant benefits.
Currently, only super high-end mobile phones have 8K video recording available. On the other hand, 4K recording is also available on mid-range and high-end mobile phones. The difference is that 4K recording provides a visible improvement on our mobile devices. When we play a video with this resolution, the jump from FHD to 4K is significant.
However, 8K recording is not the same. Nowadays, it doesn’t make sense to use this feature because the differences are imperceptible on most screens.
108MP cameras
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When the first 108MP cameras were introduced, people were excited because it was a futuristic feature. However, over time, we have come to realize that not all 108MP sensors offer good quality. The ones that do are incredibly useful and can take amazing photos that can be zoomed in and cropped without losing quality. High-end phones already have powerful telephoto lenses that can accomplish the same result. But, the reality is that we don’t fully take advantage of this feature due to social media compressing photos and the large storage space required.
Wireless charging
One of the features of a phone that is not very useful is wireless charging. It is an inefficient way of charging your phone. It is slow and can take all night for your phone to reach full charge. In some cases, it can take even longer. Moreover, although there are many phones with wireless charging, it is more profitable to charge them with a cable. It can take up to 50% more power to charge your phone wirelessly than with a corded phone. This means that it requires more energy, and it is not clear if this is worth it for such a slow technology.
16 GB of RAM
It’s common to see phones with 12GB to 16GB of RAM, which is a lot. Without the LPDDR format, these phones would have RAM comparable to desktop computers. Having 12GB of RAM is useful for playing demanding games, but 16GB of RAM is not necessary for most tasks. However, it could be a smart investment for future developments. It’s interesting to keep an eye on phones with 16GB of RAM or more, even if it’s just out of curiosity.
Verdict
Ultimately, it’s important to carefully consider which features are truly essential and which ones are just nice-to-haves. While it’s tempting to go for the latest and greatest device, it’s not always necessary and can be a waste of money. By taking the time to evaluate your needs and prioritize features accordingly, you can find a phone that meets your needs without paying too much.
