What is the advantage of an expensive smart phone?

[dj230]

12 hours ago, sezze said:

I never said you can't buy it , you do all you want with your money . I own luxury watches , does a cheap quartz keep better time , yes 100% , and it is way cheaper . I got no problem saying that , and i never said otherwise . However , my watches do keep their value , which is nothing a cheap quartz will ever do , and neither will any phone . In fact , the watches do go up in value , show me your topmodel 10y old iphone holding its value or increasing ?

My watches are a jewel , investment and i can read the time on it . Your phone can be a jewel , if you want that , never a investment , and you can call on it .

 

https://www.notebookcheck.net/The-Best-Smartphones-for-Less-Than-300-Euros.138973.0.html

https://www.androidcentral.com/best-android-phones-under-300

"A 5,000 mAh battery is crammed inside of the Moto G Power, meaning you can get between two and three days of use out of the phone before needing to charge it up. In a world where a lot of $1,000 flagships need to charge every night, that's darn impressive. In addition to the long endurance, the Moto G Power (2020) also shines with its 6.4-inch Full HD+ display, reliable performance, and three rear cameras that are a lot of fun to shoot with."

thats a quote not from me ... 

Watches much like any collectable item is only worth something until no one wants it. Much of it is just a way rich people evade taxes anyways. I rather pay for a phone that can make my work and life more efficient, at least my money ends up getting me something of better quality/performance. 

 

An investment isn't always about capital gains, if you invest in better tools as a mechanic and can do more work, you make more money. Same works with your phone, if I can do things faster and more efficiently, I can get more work done and make more money. 

 

I am guessing this original Mac has better returns on investment than your omega watch

https://www.bbc.com/news/technology-59222749 

Everything is an 'investment' when you can find someone to buy it. 

 

Sure I'll compare the iPhone 12 max pro to the moto g power, keep in mind the Motorola is 1 year newer

 

5G vs LTE, water resistant + dust resistant vs 'water repellent coating', way better display Super Retina OLED vs IPS LCD display, brighter (higher nits + HDR 10), higher resolution, double the PPI, scratch resistance, iPhone has dual sim/esim, way faster CPU/GPU (im guessing 4-5x faster, there isn't even data testing the Motorola), more RAM, wifi 6 faster wifi, internet, hotspot, better security (Secure Enclave, Face ID, iMessage, find my iPhone, Apple Pay), better speakers, better camera (front and back 4k vs 1080p), storage on iPhone is NVME, even has more storage at lowest tier model. 

 

So its exactly what I said it was, better display, faster phone, faster internet, 5g/wifi6, build quality (water resistant, scratch resistant), is it worth it to someone who's just phoning people? probably not, but if you do any work, gaming, watching videos, or use the phone like a smart phone rather than a cellphone, it is worth the extra money. These phones aren't similar at all other than the shape of the phone, they're both rectangular. Kind of like comparing a Yaris to a Ferrari and saying "there's minimal difference"

 

1 hour ago, OneMoreFarang said:

For me it seems you are comparing technical data, and that is fair enough.

But that reminds me of new generations of RAM modules for PCs every couple of years. Like they are double as fast. Yes, they are, but even with double speed a user often doesn't notice any difference at all.

Like I wrote above, I have that phone. Until now I could easily read and recognize everything on the screen, the screen was never not bright enough, I never had to wait a considerable time (maybe 0.2 seconds compared to 0.1 second, but I don't see that as a problem). Similar with download speed, who needs high internet speed on a mobile phone? For what? I never had to wait for a long download because I can't remember I ever downloaded a huge file on my phone.

I am sure there will be a few users who really need the faster CPU and download speed, etc. But I am also pretty sure most users wouldn't notice any difference even if the speed would be 10 times as fast. We won't read or type or watch videos 10 times faster...

All the data with testing shows the performance is a lot faster with faster computer components, if you're just watching YouTube or reading emails, you don't see a real speed performance. It's kind of like going 10mph in a Ferrari and a Yaris, you're going the same speed.

 

Have you ever used a more expensive phone? You state that you can do everything fine and that's great, but if you've never experienced using a faster phone, how could you compare the difference? I thought the same before I upgraded, 5G and 4G is night and day, its not even comparable. 

 

[OneMoreFarang]

1 hour ago, dj230 said:

Have you ever used a more expensive phone? You state that you can do everything fine and that's great, but if you've never experienced using a faster phone, how could you compare the difference? I thought the same before I upgraded, 5G and 4G is night and day, its not even comparable. 

To answer your question: no, I never used a more expensive phone. But I have a fast Desktop PC with big screen, big keyboard and high quality mouse. I also own a fast high quality (but not top of the line) ThinkPad.

If I want to watch a video (and not just see the news guy) then I do that on a big screen. If I want to type a lot then I do that on a good (10 finger) keyboard. And if I want to download big files then I do that on the Desktop or ThinkPad, because I won't use those large files on my mobile.

A friend has always the latest iPhone. He showed it to me. And it looks nice - apart from the plastic cover that protects it. But after he showed it to me I never had this "I want that" feeling.

In a way the funny thing is that from time to time I buy expensive gadgets which are nice but which I seldom use. But I never had the urge to a top smartphone simply because I don't see the additional value for me personally. 

[dj230]

12 minutes ago, OneMoreFarang said:

To answer your question: no, I never used a more expensive phone. But I have a fast Desktop PC with big screen, big keyboard and high quality mouse. I also own a fast high quality (but not top of the line) ThinkPad.

If I want to watch a video (and not just see the news guy) then I do that on a big screen. If I want to type a lot then I do that on a good (10 finger) keyboard. And if I want to download big files then I do that on the Desktop or ThinkPad, because I won't use those large files on my mobile.

A friend has always the latest iPhone. He showed it to me. And it looks nice - apart from the plastic cover that protects it. But after he showed it to me I never had this "I want that" feeling.

In a way the funny thing is that from time to time I buy expensive gadgets which are nice but which I seldom use. But I never had the urge to a top smartphone simply because I don't see the additional value for me personally. 

Fair enough, with an iPhone it's hard to get a sense of what you get from buying one without using it, the outside looks the same as any other phone, screen, camera, volume buttons, power button, charging port.

 

Once you use one and see how easy it is and efficient it is to watch videos, send emails, messages, browse the web, use apps, go through data, it really shows you what you're missing out on. When I sold phones I used androids, they had better hardware and tech at the time, but the efficiency of using one is a lot slower, buggy interface, apps aren't very well integrated. I always resorted back to the iPhone. When I used android phones, it felt more like using a cellphone than a mini computer, all I did was text, see emails, sometimes browse the web or watch videos. The apps just weren't well made to allow you to use them as if you were using software on a computer, buggy/slow/in-efficient.

 

A part of it is how everything is integrated from your computer to mobile device, emails, passwords, photos, all the data is connected now. The data is secure, even if someone steals your phone they can't access your data and if they reset your phone they can't use it without your iCloud account even whilst deleting all the data on it, the phone gets "bricked", it gets reset but can't go through he process of the startup page. 

 

I do most of my heavy computing on my laptop as well, but surprisingly a lot of it can now be done on a phone, the benefit is, it's 100% mobile, I can be out and about and do what I need to on my phone without my laptop. Answer messages, emails, use apps, send files, download files, watch movies, etc. 

 

If you ever change your mind in the future and want to give it a shot you can buy one, use it for 14 days and return it, no questions asked, another reason I like Apple. 

 

 

[OneMoreFarang]

38 minutes ago, dj230 said:

If you ever change your mind in the future and want to give it a shot you can buy one, use it for 14 days and return it, no questions asked, another reason I like Apple. 

Thanks for your comments, I appreciate them.

You last sentence reminded me of the Apple Newton which I bought for lots of money a long time ago. It just didn't work the way it was supposed to work. I guess that experiment is still in the back of my mind when I think about Apple and spending a lot of money...

 

[PFMills]

On 2/4/2022 at 6:25 PM, Neeranam said:

My flip phone was 35k.

I can place it on a table and take videos.

There are many other thing better than my wife's 8k phone.

My kids have the top iPhones for show mostly.

 

Video of a table ender with the wife. That takes me back.

[Kinnock]

On 2/4/2022 at 8:06 PM, Kinnock said:

For years I used the cheap Thai/Chinese phones from iMobile, and they were decent smart phones at the time.  But the Apps I was using started to be more demanding on memory and processor speed - especially photo and video editing.  Also, my work also put more demands on the phone - with video conferences and requirements for increased security from our IT department.

 

So when the iMobile brand disappeared - I bought my first top end phone, a Samsung Note.

 

The large memory, fast processor and bigger screen coped much better with business needs, plus it has Knox security features.  The S pen is also great for photo editing, and the Note can edit and render long videos better than my i7 laptop.  The stabilised camera is also good for photos and video, and it's waterproof too, which is very handy when I'm on the bike and caught in a monsoon shower.

 

Now on my second Note - I bought a Note 9 just after the new Note 20 was released, so got a good deal.  I couldn't go back to a non-waterproof, basic phone now, as it would be slow and unreliable with the more demanding applications.  Plus, my Note 9 has 1TB of storage, enough for all my photos and videos.

Strike 'weatherproof' off my list of the advantages of an expensive phone.

 

Samsung Note 9 now has water droplets on the inside of the camera lenses after a good rain storm - good for soft focus portraits, useless for everything else.  The SIM/SD card slot seems to be the weak point in the weatherproofing.

 

Will try the dry rice trick.

[OneMoreFarang]

2 hours ago, Kinnock said:

Strike 'weatherproof' off my list of the advantages of an expensive phone.

 

Samsung Note 9 now has water droplets on the inside of the camera lenses after a good rain storm - good for soft focus portraits, useless for everything else.  The SIM/SD card slot seems to be the weak point in the weatherproofing.

 

Will try the dry rice trick.

that reminds me of a waterproofed watch which I had many years ago.

One there was a little water behind the glass it took weeks until it evaporated. 

[Streem26]

You're missing out on a lot of speed, more intuitive/convient interfaces, bigger/bezelless screen depending on the phone and much better camera quality. Durability and water resistance are something to consider. Cheaper phones use much less durable glass.

Beyond that, cell reception and LTE speeds are better on higher end phones. But if those things aren't important and your phone gets it done for you then live your life, it's not an absolute necessity.

[thaibeachlovers]

On 2/5/2022 at 12:40 AM, vinny41 said:

None, its Brand Snoberry and Peer presssure , if you have kids they are never going to come home and say Dad we want a  LeEco Le Max 2 for our next present 

Exactly. Same reason people pay more to buy an apple product.

[thaibeachlovers]

On 2/12/2022 at 1:57 AM, dj230 said:

Fair enough, with an iPhone it's hard to get a sense of what you get from buying one without using it, the outside looks the same as any other phone, screen, camera, volume buttons, power button, charging port.

 

Once you use one and see how easy it is and efficient it is to watch videos, send emails, messages, browse the web, use apps, go through data, it really shows you what you're missing out on. When I sold phones I used androids, they had better hardware and tech at the time, but the efficiency of using one is a lot slower, buggy interface, apps aren't very well integrated. I always resorted back to the iPhone. When I used android phones, it felt more like using a cellphone than a mini computer, all I did was text, see emails, sometimes browse the web or watch videos. The apps just weren't well made to allow you to use them as if you were using software on a computer, buggy/slow/in-efficient.

 

A part of it is how everything is integrated from your computer to mobile device, emails, passwords, photos, all the data is connected now. The data is secure, even if someone steals your phone they can't access your data and if they reset your phone they can't use it without your iCloud account even whilst deleting all the data on it, the phone gets "bricked", it gets reset but can't go through he process of the startup page. 

 

I do most of my heavy computing on my laptop as well, but surprisingly a lot of it can now be done on a phone, the benefit is, it's 100% mobile, I can be out and about and do what I need to on my phone without my laptop. Answer messages, emails, use apps, send files, download files, watch movies, etc. 

 

If you ever change your mind in the future and want to give it a shot you can buy one, use it for 14 days and return it, no questions asked, another reason I like Apple. 

 

 

Don't take this as personal criticism, but seems to me that a lot of people have given up an active life to live "on line" and prefer to spend their lives communicating with a machine instead of other people face to face.

While I do spend ( too much ) time on this forum, most of the time I'm too busy doing "real stuff" to live in the matrix. I've never used an "app" whatever that is and wouldn't have a clue about an icloud, or interfacing ( whatever that means ). I'm not claiming to live a better life than others, but seems to me I do have an actual life outside the machines.

[ronster]

On 2/5/2022 at 6:23 PM, grain said:

I've often wonder this too, why someone would pay 20,000-30,000 Bt or more for a smartphone. Mine is a Redmi Note 10, cost 6000 Bt. Excellent screen quality, fast, good battery life, good ram, 3 sim slots (very handy) being Android there are tons of free apps.

 

The camera is excellent. I'm a serious photographer, it's my main hobby, and I currently own 2 high end cameras: a Fujifilm xf10 and a Sony rx100m2...and I hardly ever use them because there's no advantage to carrying a camera when I have my smartphone with me all the time. My smartphone images are as good - and often better - than taken with either camera.

I got the 10s 8gb model and it does everything you say and battery lasts forever and charges in minutes. I paid 6600bht for it and if it stops working or gets lost or stolen in year or two I will just buy another , instead of wondering who nicked my 30-40000 bht iphone ! 
From reading reviews of this and the pro the only difference was 108mp camera and slightly better refresh rate on screen on the pro . From comparison sites it rated it as equal to a iPhone 11 in score but that still costs about 22000bht with decent memory size .

[rwill]

More memory and a faster processor to start with.  

 

Since you are in Thailand the prestige of owning the best.  Very important, perhaps more important than any stats.

[IAMHERE]

On 2/4/2022 at 6:38 PM, scubascuba3 said:

Better camera is probably a major one, people often say faster too but i reckon most people would hardly notice, my Redme Note 9 is fast enough, I'll get an 11 next

I never progressed past Pac-Man but I'm told the 'faster' is for gamers. The game has better graphics and such if they are faster brain ship, inside the phone that is.

 

[Stefanix]

Actually I paid more to get less. I want a small phone which fits into a reasonably sized belt pouch. Unfortunately there aren't many with up to date specs. So after resisting the Apple ecosystem for many years I finally bought an iPhone mini. Besides this, a good camera, a secure OS and a waterproof case are important to me. I don't see any use in even higher pixel density, screen refresh rates or faster CPUs. Better battery life time would be good! Unfortunately the market is for screen addicted gamers and movie watchers with need for big displays. iPhone 13 mini appears to be the last mini version.

[ChrisKC]

As they say, "it's a minefield out there". There are lots of YouTube videos that compare in great detail about features, benefits of just about any smartphone you have ever heard of. This is the best way forward in research. As well as the videos themselves, many Commenters on them ask more questions or make observations that are useful for the potential Buyer.

 

I am taking delivery of new smartphone, tomorrow or Monday, Huawei Nova, B9,000 from a Huawei Dealer in Lampang from whom I have already bought two tablets, two smart watches for myself and my wife, and great earbuds. I am buying from them because their service in the last year has been outstanding.

 

Just in case you went for a Huawei smartphone, be aware that its operating system will not allow the use Of Google Earth and no access to Google Playstore. So if you have important APPs that rely on Google Earth you will need to download a similar App that runs on a different GPS system. The Huawei App store is quite substantial and could probably easily accommodate alternatives, This is all due to a political problem with USA.

 

The above paragraph does does not apply to smartwatches or tablets. I don't know why!

 

In the meantime, happy hunting!

[Stefanix]

On 2/12/2022 at 9:32 AM, Kinnock said:

Strike 'weatherproof' off my list of the advantages of an expensive phone.

 

Samsung Note 9 now has water droplets on the inside of the camera lenses after a good rain storm - good for soft focus portraits, useless for everything else.  The SIM/SD card slot seems to be the weak point in the weatherproofing.

 

Will try the dry rice trick.

I can not complain. I took my iPhone 12 mini intentionally with me while swimming. Tried to avoid dipping it more than 50 cm into the water, but took even some under water photos. No problem. Had to get rid of water in the speakers, which can be done with a special sound recording with which the water comes out drop by drop. Besides this, no problem!

[sawadee1947]

On 2/4/2022 at 12:44 PM, DezLez said:

Why do you need to hold a phone when you are running?

For selfies of course,,,,????

[BusyB]

On 2/4/2022 at 12:57 PM, G Rex said:

For me it has just become habit. I replace my iPhone every few years, mostly because my battery is starting to drain too quickly. It seems after about 2 years iPhone batteries start fading - or at least that is my experience.

I have always had iPhones (since #3) as my work phone - and I have continued the tradition. I know iOS products well , and do not know how to use most android phones!  About 10 years ago my (ex) wife wanted a Samsung. We got one - but neither of us could drive it properly! - so went back to ????

The iPhone (pro) cameras are excellent, and I appreciate that feature. 

As a web browser & using WiFi functions it does everything it should do - but probably not much better than my daughters  Vivo (@ about 4K baht).

For my wife - she wants, no, needs her friends to know that she has the latest and greatest phone!

Apple gadgets are more intuitive and user friendly in my experience. It also has its own 'ecosystem' which is great for guys like me who don't want to fiddle and nerd around a lot.

I'm also pretty sure that the cheaper versions will make most savings on the processor. That will affect picture/screen quality, speed and battery life. Though I'm not sure if the average user would notice that.

Like I said I migrated to Apple and don't regret is in the slightest - especially since they are now pretty robust and water/dust proof. 

I've also been lucky enough to be able to afford the luxury.

[gamb00ler]

When I was still working, a phone that was well integrated with my home computer was valuable because all the details I had collected while out working away from home were already synchronized with my desktop automajically.  That feature did not require a high end model but it did eliminate many low end phones. I also stored a lot of reference material on my phone so a larger memory was necessary.  One application I used did require a decent processor as the calculations were definitely cpu intensive and who likes to wait?

 

These days my phone could be much simpler but I don't want to bother mastering a different interface.

[scorecard]

QUOTE:   "As far as I see expensive phones offer just more of the same. I.e. a camera with higher resolution, a screen with more pixels and higher DPI..."

 

My Thai Son, his wife and 2 of his kids have new phones, all around 7,000 to 8,000 Baht. The photo quality is very impressive indeed. 

 

My phone is getting old, Samsung J7, photo quality is not too bad but way behind the 7,000 - 8,000Baht phones above.

 

 

[spidermike007]

In my opinion, and the opinion of some experts and professional photographers I know, the iPhone 13 pro and pro max, are the first time Apple has ever spent much on the camera, and the first really good camera an iPhone has ever had. But, it is not worth 30,000 plus. No way. Yet, millions have to have it, as it is a status symbol. I find the iPhone and iPad to be over rated, even though I use a Mac desktop and laptop. I prefer an android phone and tablet, for many reasons. 

 

I had an iPhone for years, but got tired of the keyboard, the display, and the camera. I think Samsung makes a better product for the money. I usually look for a model that is one or two years old. They are nearly state of the art, and tend to be cheaper. I am seeing the Galaxy S20+ for 17,000 online, and alot less with a postpaid plan from True or AIS. I think it is worth it. It is a great smartphone. Super fast, and has alot of customizable options. But, I use my phone for work, usually keep them 3-4 years, (so it costs me 2,500 baht a year more than a basic phone) and enjoy having an outstanding piece of equipment, at my disposal. So, it is a question of priorities. 

[Fairynuff]

On 2/4/2022 at 6:25 PM, Neeranam said:

My flip phone was 35k.

I can place it on a table and take videos.

There are many other thing better than my wife's 8k phone.

My kids have the top iPhones for show mostly.

 

Not just the kids that like to show off then ????

[Thalueng]

To me excluding better camera or better whatever as argument for an expensive phone does not sound right. What is better makes me buy the more expensive phone. Camera is very important for me, clear also in low light conditions vs foggy results makes all the difference (i can never go back to take a better version of a shot). I normally buy Samsung Galaxy phones as they get regular Android updates for many years. Yes, they are more expensive, and still you get a line to chose from according to your budget. I guess all these things apply to iPhone too, for twice the price of a model with comparable specs. 

[PETERTHEEATER]

On 2/4/2022 at 11:40 AM, vinny41 said:

None, its Brand Snoberry and Peer presssure , if you have kids they are never going to come home and say Dad we want a  LeEco Le Max 2 for our next present 

Correct. The kids will say "Dad, you must buy us the best I-phones, everyone at school has them....????

[OneMoreFarang]

41 minutes ago, Thalueng said:

To me excluding better camera or better whatever as argument for an expensive phone does not sound right.

In my original post/question I asked for unique functions i.e. like LIDAR or anything else which is something new and not just something better.

 

Obviously if someone wants a better than average camera on a phone then he needs a better than average phone.

Personally I am happy with the average camera quality of average phones. They are probably as good as the best phone cameras from a few years ago. I see pictures clear and sharp, definitely good enough for the pictures with I make. If someone is a (want to be) instagram star then I guess the latest camera and latest image manipulation software is a must. 

[jak2002003]

3 hours ago, BusyB said:

Apple gadgets are more intuitive and user friendly in my experience. It also has its own 'ecosystem' which is great for guys like me who don't want to fiddle and nerd around a lot.

I'm also pretty sure that the cheaper versions will make most savings on the processor. That will affect picture/screen quality, speed and battery life. Though I'm not sure if the average user would notice that.

Like I said I migrated to Apple and don't regret is in the slightest - especially since they are now pretty robust and water/dust proof. 

I've also been lucky enough to be able to afford the luxury.

To me your last comment is the main reason people have Apple products....for statues and to look hi so.  They are ok products but not worth the money for their performance and technology.  They are also a bit of a con as you are trapped to buy all other Apple products (usually more expensive than other brands counterparts ) as apple make all these products incomparable with everyone else...even down to simple phone chargers!  

 

 

[dj230]

14 hours ago, thaibeachlovers said:

Don't take this as personal criticism, but seems to me that a lot of people have given up an active life to live "on line" and prefer to spend their lives communicating with a machine instead of other people face to face.

While I do spend ( too much ) time on this forum, most of the time I'm too busy doing "real stuff" to live in the matrix. I've never used an "app" whatever that is and wouldn't have a clue about an icloud, or interfacing ( whatever that means ). I'm not claiming to live a better life than others, but seems to me I do have an actual life outside the machines.

None taken, I can't see though how in 2022 this would be possible except for rare circumstances or if you were extremely wealthy, or had a limited amount of contacts/friends/family/responsibilities.

 

If I want to message and keep up with family/friends/accountants/banks/companies/work which are all over the world, I am not going to take a plane to see them for dinner/have a meeting, or write a letter/ send them mail.

 

I'd say life is pretty limited if you don't use technology, but to each their own. On the contrary I'd say technology would give one more time to spend on their "actual life outside of machines". 

[Golden Triangle]

I have only ever spent about 4k max on a phone, as long as I can call people & they can call me and I can receive texts & emails I'm happy. I don't need any more than that.

[OneMoreFarang]

6 minutes ago, Golden Triangle said:

I have only ever spent about 4k max on a phone, as long as I can call people & they can call me and I can receive texts & emails I'm happy. I don't need any more than that.

You have spent about 3,000 too much ????

[Golden Triangle]

2 minutes ago, OneMoreFarang said:

You have spent about 3,000 too much ????

I did say 4k MAX ????