Buying a cheap smartphone may seem more interesting at first glance for your finances.
Materials are more fragile
The days of cracking plastic smartphones are over. Affordable smartphones have improved a lot in a few years in their design, but so have more expensive models.
Beyond the design, the choice of materials is especially important for the solidity and therefore the life of the smartphone. An IP68-certified model withstands water, dust, and harsher conditions. Glass is also stronger, it ages better.
The screens of higher-end models are protected by more robust glass. So many advantages that extend the life of a premium model compared to a more affordable smartphone.
His performances quickly become correct
Less expensive smartphones incorporate components that are either older or less advanced and therefore less efficient. Uses evolve very quickly, so they quickly become outdated.
Some models are already suffering from delays when they come out, which already limits certain uses. Certainly, they meet most needs on the day of their release, but they leave some doubts about our future needs.
Opting for a cheap smartphone therefore means taking the risk of changing it within the next 2 years to meet your new needs. The more premium models can provide a good level of performance for 5 to 6 years.
Tracking updates is less good
Outside of the iPhone SE or Pixel Xa, cheaper smartphones often have shorter update tracking. It takes 2 years of major updates and 3 years of security updates, in the best case. The premium models, on the other hand, enjoy a follow-up of up to 5 to 6 years at Apple and up to 4 years on Android.
Keeping track of updates is as important as good hardware. It helps keep a smartphone protected from the latest viruses, malware and other nasty software that can slow down your phone. Incidentally, your personal data is safer in an up-to-date smartphone.
The camera is quickly obsolete
The camera is one of the first criteria of choice when buying a smartphone. Again, if the more accessible models have improved a lot in recent years, they remain far from market references.
Apart from Google's Pixel Xa (which offers a photo experience worthy of the best for 500 euros), the premium models are more talented in photography. If the difference is not necessarily obvious when they are released, but the cameras of cheaper smartphones become obsolete more quickly. Also you will want to change your smartphone more quickly and therefore go back to the checkout.
Used or refurbished smartphones: a good alternative
We are well aware that not everyone can afford to spend 800 to more than 1,000 euros on a smartphone. If it is too difficult or too long to save money to make the financial effort to buy a high-end model, used or refurbished smartphones can be a good alternative.
After a year, a premium Android smartphone already loses a lot of its value. It can therefore be found at a much more affordable price without losing its luster. Because a one-year premium smartphone has a lifespan of 4 years.
As you will have understood, buying a cheap smartphone can seem interesting at the moment. But thinking about the long term, it is better to turn to more premium models, which are more expensive to buy but which you will renew less often.