Tips and tricks on purchasing your next phone

It’s not every year that I change my phone. Like you, I change units only when it’s broken beyond repair or it will be cheaper to buy a new one compared to replacing the screen or internal components (sometimes it’s gone too slow for any custom OS to save it.)

Mabuhay, Manila. This is Drew for Manila Shaker and here are my top tips and tricks on purchasing your next device:

1. (Tip) Set a budget

I know how hard it is to want the latest and greatest mobile device in the market but it’s not always the case to have money to back your wants. Besides iPhones, Samsungs, LGs and other big names have proven to be very expensive, as of late, for specs you can find everywhere else. Set a budget and stick to it. There are so many options to choose from.

See also: Best Budget, Cheap Android Phones for Gaming

2. (Trick) It’s not about processor. It’s about everything else.

Yes, the processor plays a factor but you should also look at the other things that support the CPU. 8 cores can be handy but if it comes with less than sufficient RAM and video cards, you’ll have failed your needs then.

If you’re looking for a phone for texting, messaging, and calling then by all means, minimal specs will suffice. Otherwise, look into having at least 3GB RAM and a video card (yes, phones have been sporting video cards since 3 years ago) to aid in graphic processing for games and apps with pleasing user interface (UI).

See also: Mediatek Helio X10 vs X20 vs X30 Benchmarks

3. (Trick) Cameras

Filipinos LOVE selfies. There’s no other way around it. But sometimes the best cameras are limited to company flagships that are way too out-of-budget. Lucky for selfie- and groupfie-holics, there are a ton of feature smartphones that are wallet-friendly that focus on the selfie-empowered market.

Read: Best Compact Camera Phones

4. (Tip) New meaning to “Made in China”

There was a time when the fine print “made in China” meant sacrificing quality for quantity. Not anymore, sort of, in just the last few years, there has been a growing market of China branded phones that have overtaken the big names. Xiaomi, Lenovo, Meizu, ZTE, Huawei, Oppo, OnePlus, LeTV, among other brands that provide all the flagship specs without breaking the (piggy) bank.

See also: Beastly, High-end Phones with 6GB RAM and Marshmallow OS

5. (Tip and Trick) Canvass. Canvass. Canvass.

Before I justify my purchase I want to always make sure it is and will be the best possible deal for me at the most efficient cost. I’ve long since avoided Apples and Samsungs since there are far better quality phones out there at less than half the cost of popular phones. You can trust me in saying you can do better sans an iPhone and a Galaxy.

Never be afraid to ask, it’s always better to be educated about your purchase compared to blindly shelling out for a device that may not have been the best option for you.

More comparisons: iPhone 6s vs Mi 5 vs Lumia 1020 vs Galaxy S7 vs Xperia Z5 Review

Like to add a few more tips and tricks? Need help with choosing your next phone? Ask away! You can reach me via @ginuhit on Twitter, FB Messenger, and ginuhit@gmail on Hangouts. This has been Drew for Manila Shaker. Mabuhay, Manila.