Working in the mobile telephony sector means that a large part of my family, friends and other relatives ask me for advice on changing mobile very frequently. I always urge you to value other opinions, although I try to reaffirm mine as well based on my experience testing cell phones over the years, especially in the entry range.
Because yes, recommending a high-end mobile is relatively simple. Almost all options are valid. However, I consider the decision more vital when it comes to a budget range mobile. And here I have three things very clear that yes or yes they must have those mobiles that you recommend.
Android Go should be an obligation which, fortunately, is fulfilled
We assume that anyone looking for a cheap mobile is already giving up on having the best. Sometimes it’s because of a budget and other times it’s just because you don’t want or believe you need something else. and knowing that Android Go brings Google services and updates them frequentlyhaving the latest version of the system is not the most important thing.
It doesn’t matter if it’s Android 11, Android 12 or Android 13. As long as it’s a “Go” version, that’s good enough. In fact, in these versions there are not too many changes and there is one common fact: These are very light layers and suitable for basic equipment in basic use..
Android Go is the natural replacement for Android One, being a simplified version of Android with equally light applications. See for example Google Go, Google Maps Go or YouTube Go, versions that essentially provide the most important of these applications, eliminating some more superfluous functions or those that require more powerful hardware.
Luckily, more and more manufacturers are relying on this system in their economy ranges. Xiaomi, Realme or Nokia are some examples. Of course, not all of their mobiles or those of other brands offer Android Go, so yes, it’s still something I always recommend looking at.
I came to test very limited hardware mobiles with typical layers of the manufacturer and which, despite the efforts to lighten them, turn the experience into total chaos. I will not deny that more customization options may be missing in Android Go, but everything works well and having a more robust version with bare hardware translates into a user experience in which slowness is a clear protagonist.
4 GB of RAM is the minimum today.
You’ll think it’s a bit of a contradiction to ask for Android Go and then 4GB of RAM, but nothing could be further from the truth. 4 GB is already the norm for many mobiles, although in my experience I admit that it is insufficient to manage software resources with solvency. For him, the combination of 4 GB and Android Go this is the ideal.
There are no phones with Android Go and larger RAM capacity. And if they exist, I have never met them. The problem is that yes there are too many smartphones with Android Go and less RAM. And although with 3 GB I admit that the case is not bad, the difference is important.
Many are still rooted in the 2GB of RAM and here the software can be very light in its ‘Go’ version, but I can assure you that using it on a daily basis is absolute hell on many occasions. And no longer compared to a mid-range or high-end, where there will always be abysmal differences, but even with another similar model in hardware, but with 3 or 4 GB.
USB-C port (almost mandatory) and with charging over 10W
In 2024 the new law that requires all smartphones (and other devices) to carry USB-C in Europe. Remembering Apple and its iPhone is easy given this rule, but the truth is that it affects Android makers as well. Because no, USB-C is not as standardized in Android as we think and the economic range is good proof of this.
It is true that it is already almost impossible to see a mid-range or high-end Android with anything other than USB-C, but many manufacturers continue to choose to integrate Micro USB in their cheap mobiles. And not only is it an outdated and less universal standard, but it loses in versatility, transfer speed and…yes, download speed.
The 5000 mAh batteries are very good because they give a lot of autonomy to the mobile, but they are counterproductive if the charge is slow
But beware, there are those who implement USB-C, but in an obsolete standard that prevents having a load of more than 10 W. Knowing that the batteries, on average, They have a capacity of 5000 mAh, charging is excessively slow. The minimum 2 hours are guaranteed. And it’s not a major drama if you get used to charging at night, but what about emergencies? You have to go out and have some battery, but after 15 minutes, your mobile barely charges at 10% at most.
Moreover, there is no longer any question of savings for the manufacturer. Fast charging is already at an average of 67, 120 and even 200 W and more power. And another song would be in those capacities, but in the lower ones, the price democratized a long time ago, and that’s not such a big saving. Offers 25 or 33 W at least It’s something I think I’m ready to ask for and even more so when there are manufacturers who already offer it.
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