5 options I don’t care about when shopping for a brand new telephone

On the subject of shopping for a brand new smartphone, it’s simple to get caught up in all of the hype. Producers always push the newest and biggest options, main many people to purchase extra telephone than we really want.

After I’m out there for a brand new telephone, I at all times attempt to slender down my choices as a lot as potential. I do this by making an inventory of not solely the options I would like in my subsequent smartphone but in addition these I don’t care about. This method helps me reduce by way of the advertising noise and discover a gadget that actually fits my preferences, with out overspending on issues I’ll by no means use.

Listed here are some common smartphone options that I, personally, don’t care about, and why you would possibly take into account them elective too.

An IP ranking signifies a telephone’s resistance to mud and water. Whereas most high-end telephones include one, it’s by no means been a deciding issue for me.

In all my years of utilizing smartphones, I’ve by no means discovered myself in a scenario the place an IP ranking would have saved the day. I’ve by no means dropped a telephone in a pool, spilled a drink on it, or taken a name in a downpour with out an umbrella. I additionally make a behavior of not dealing with my telephone with moist arms.

In fact, accidents occur, and a few individuals are naturally extra liable to them. Everybody’s preferences are completely different, however for me, a telephone with none water resistance is one thing I can completely stay with.

Very like an IP ranking, wi-fi charging and reverse wi-fi charging are normal options on many flagship telephones lately. My present Pixel has it, however actually, I couldn’t care much less. I’ve by no means used it.

For starters, wi-fi charging is usually slower than wired charging. It’s additionally much less handy for me. With a cable, I can simply decide up my telephone and use it whereas it’s charging. Grabbing a telephone off a wi-fi charging pad clearly cuts the facility provide.

And let’s be actual, wi-fi charging doesn’t technically eliminate cables; you continue to have one related to the charging pad. Talking of pads, they normally have to be positioned on a flat, secure floor, whereas I’ve a behavior of plugging in my telephone and tossing it on the mattress, sofa, or different mushy furnishings.

The one actual profit I see to wi-fi charging is after I’m at a espresso store or restaurant which have tables with built-in charging pads, providing a fast top-up whereas I’m out. Past that, it’s a characteristic I fortunately cross on.

The times while you wanted absolutely the latest telephone to get a easy, lag-free expertise are lengthy gone. Fashionable mid-range telephones are extremely succesful and greater than adequate for many customers, even some demanding ones.

I don’t play graphically intensive video games on my telephone, so I don’t want the very newest Snapdragon SoC to be blissful. The Tensor chip in my older Pixel works completely superb, and plenty of mid-range choices from Snapdragon would additionally swimsuit my wants.

I additionally don’t want 16GB of RAM or absolutely the latest digital camera {hardware}. Telephones just like the Pixel 9a or the Galaxy A56 are greater than enough for my each day use, and that goes for the overwhelming majority of individuals, for my part. My level is, I don’t chase the newest specs and options only for the sake of it; I prioritize what I really want.

Telephones now include as a lot as 1TB of inside storage, which, for me, is full overkill. I don’t use tons of of apps or play dozens of demanding video games. Most of my images and movies are saved within the cloud, which makes them simply accessible from all my units. The identical goes for different paperwork.

A telephone with 256GB of storage is often all I would like, though I may simply stay with much less. For me, 256GB is the candy spot that ensures I gained’t run out of house over the few years I’ll use a selected gadget.

With that in thoughts, I additionally don’t want a microSD card slot. Granted, most high-end telephones don’t have one lately, outdoors of sure fashions just like the Xperia 1 VII, for instance. I perceive that some folks favor native storage for privateness causes, and that others obtain a ton of apps and video games. However with my present needs and wishes, a telephone with large inside storage is just pointless.

Don’t get me fallacious, I don’t need a telephone as thick as a brick. However I’ve additionally by no means requested for a telephone as skinny because the Galaxy S25 Edge. It appears producers are always making an attempt new tips to persuade us to half with our cash, and an ultra-thin physique seems to be the newest craze that I hope not each producer will soar on.

A thinner telephone typically means a smaller battery, which is a compromise I’m not keen to make. A telephone with a normal thickness of round 8 to 9mm is completely superb for me, and I’ve by no means wished for it to be thinner.

Often, it’s the general measurement I’ve an issue with. A telephone that’s too massive isn’t simple to carry and use with one hand, and it’s actually not the best to pocket. The telephone’s thickness hardly ever performs a major function in that, so it’s not one thing I care about when shopping for a brand new telephone. And in contrast to another entries on this listing, I feel most individuals would agree with me on this one.

These are the issues I don’t care about when shopping for a brand new telephone. In fact, there are many options I do prioritize, however that’s a subject for one more publish.

What about you? Are there any common smartphone options that you simply simply don’t care about? Let me know within the feedback.