Should I buy a cheap high-end smartphone?

The high prices have made users turn to low-end premium smartphone options (or low-end flagships) with more acceptable prices, allowing consumers to experience the feeling of a high-end smartphone without having to pay too high a price. But are they really worth it?

Low-cost flagship has a big advantage in price

What is a cheap high-end smartphone?

These are devices that fall somewhere between the mid-range and high-end segments. They typically feature top-of-the-line chips, solid build quality, and competitive cameras, but lack some premium features like advanced telephoto cameras, high-quality displays, or wireless charging. They’re aimed at users who want powerful performance and a good camera without the high-end features.

For example, the OnePlus 13R was powered by a Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chip a year ago but cut costs in areas like camera sensors, display quality, or software support.

Reliable performance

Budget flagships often come with high-end chips that are ideal for gaming, multitasking, and demanding apps. However, they often use previous-generation chips rather than the latest chips found in true flagship models.

For example, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 in the iQOO Neo 9 is great for everyday tasks but lacks some of the advanced features or performance of newer chips like the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 or 8 Elite. This difference may not matter to the average person, but for gamers or those looking for cutting-edge technology, it can be glaring. Still, most users will find these chips more than enough for their needs.

Capture beautiful moments

Budget flagships often come with quality main sensors, sometimes borrowed from older flagships, but often lack secondary sensors. The Pixel 8a, for example, excels at still photography thanks to Google's computational photography algorithms, but lacks a telephoto lens for sharp portraits. Likewise, the OnePlus 13R has a good 50MP main sensor but only comes with a basic 8MP ultra-wide camera.

Camera quality is still highly rated

Still, budget flagships are great options for everyday photography, albeit less versatile than high-end smartphones, which often have advanced zoom and ultra-wide angles.

Premium design

Budget flagships also do a pretty good job of mimicking high-end devices with glass backs, metal frames, and thin bezels. However, they often have limitations like using plastic frames or lacking high-end durability features like IP68 water resistance.

While these trade-offs may not matter to everyone, they can have an impact on durability over time. High-end flagships with Gorilla Glass Victus and ceramic construction tend to hold up better to wear and tear, while budget flagships may start to show signs of wear sooner.

Software Support

While major brands like Samsung and Google offer long-term software support for even mid-range devices, many others fall short. Poco and iQOO, for example, typically promise only two or three major OS updates for their budget flagships, while high-end devices typically get four or five years of updates.

Software support is often shorter than a real flagship

Furthermore, the software experience on budget flagships is often marred by bloatware or lacks the refinement of premium models, which is something to consider if timely updates and a smooth user experience are a priority.

Attractive price

Devices like the OnePlus 13R and Pixel 8a offer powerful performance and quality cameras for nearly half the price of premium models. But is the savings worth the trade-offs? For many users, the answer is yes.

Budget flagships strike a good balance for those who want high performance without breaking the bank. But if you prioritize features like advanced cameras, premium materials, or long-term software support, the trade-offs can outweigh the benefits.

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/co-nen-mua-smartphone-cao-cap-gia-re-18525012908213016.htm