Smartphones: should we favor the latest generation or opt for the top of the range from last year?

The Christmas shopping season has begun. Which means the smartphones in our pockets will suddenly start randomly crashing and melting their battery life to trick us into buying new phones. And if you’re looking to replace your smartphone before the end of the year, you might be hesitating between a recent phone or an older phone that you know what it’s worth.

If money is no object, then treat yourself to the latest phone available. You’ll benefit from the latest technologies and have a reliable pocket companion that will accompany you for years.

But for those who want to save money, the dilemma then becomes: should you buy a latest generation mid-range phone or an older high-end phone? Both may cost the same, but they usually don’t offer the same benefits.

Prefer an older top-of-the-range model if…

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1. You want a flawless finish

For many, the smartphone industry has hit a ceiling in recent years. Unless you’re into foldable devices, most of the latest smartphones look similar, at least hardware-wise. This is good news if you want to buy an older high-end phone.

Take the example of last year’s Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra, which received a lot of praise. It’s no longer the $1,000 flagship it once was – a quick search finds the product around $500 – but the Gorilla Glass, metal/aluminum frame mix can easily rival the build quality of today’s high-end mobiles, while easily outperforming that of mid-range models.

In addition, most high-end models are IP68 certified, that is to say resistant to water and dust. This certification becomes less universal as you go down the range.

2. Photo performance is another priority

Like build quality, camera quality ages like fine wine on higher-end models. Although modern cameras are equipped with lenses and sensors capable of capturing more distant subjects and better low-light images, it should be remembered that a smartphone two or three years old can be used for shots. occasional view. In fact, sharp features like 4K video recording and portrait mode selfies have been around for years now, so you won’t be missing out on much by settling for an older model.

Still, if you were to compare the camera performance of an older high-end model with that of current mid-range devices, you’d be surprised how often the former is better. That’s not to say that new $400-$500 phones are bad — the iPhone SE or the Google Pixel 6a take outstanding photos and videos. You’ll simply find an arsenal of greater photography tools on the older flagships, especially when it comes to autofocus and image stabilization.

Image: Jason Hiner/ZDNET.

3. Screen quality matters to you

As more and more companies start prioritizing display quality, even on budget devices, you’ll still have to scratch to find a next-gen device under $500 that has both an OLED screen and a high refresh rate. There are exceptions, such as the Samsung Galaxy A53 5G, but overall the screens of older high-end models outperform those of modern mid-range devices in terms of viewing angles, color reproduction, brightness , touch delay, and more.

Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra – Best prices:

You should consider a last generation mid-range model if…

Image: June Wan/ZDNET.

1. You want one or two more years of software updates

I cannot stress enough the importance of software updates and security patches. They aim to protect devices against the latest security vulnerabilities while providing you with an optimized software experience. While it’s true that flagship phones are usually at the top of companies’ priority lists for updates – and they get four to seven years of software support – buying an older device means that part of this time has already been consumed.

On the contrary, a new mid-range phone comes with fresh promises. So you can expect to get an extra year or two of software updates compared to an older device.

2. You are allergic to refurbished

You may have seen ads on Amazon that feature “refurbished” smartphones. This is a fancy way of saying that refurbishers have carefully inspected the devices, replaced the parts that no longer worked, and now consider them “like new”. Unfortunately, depending on the platform and retailer you buy your phone from, warranties and parts quality aren’t always as strong as with new devices.

The main reason is that not all retailers have the same parts and components as the official manufacturer, which makes it difficult to repair through official brand channels. Companies are trying to make their original parts more accessible, but all of that wouldn’t be a problem if you were buying a new device, mid-range or not. Be aware, however, that some reconditioners offer warranties that are as comprehensive as new and are committed to the quality of their products.

Google Pixel 7 – Best prices:

Source: ZDNet.com