How to choose a smartphone (2026)
By the Let’s Compare Editorial Team · 3 min read · 7 things that matter · Updated September 2026
Short answer: Buy the phone that's strong where you actually use it. Nearly everyone benefits from a good screen and a battery that lasts the day; cameras and raw power only count if you lean on them. Set a budget first, then let the one or two specs you care about break the tie, and don't pay for the rest.
A phone spec sheet runs to dozens of lines, and most of them won't change how the phone feels to live with. The handful below will. For each one we explain what it means in plain English, how much it counts toward our 0–100 score, and what's normal right now across the whole market we track, so you can tell an upgrade from a marketing line. One caveat: iPhone and Android specs don't map one-to-one (iOS often gets more out of a smaller battery or less RAM), so compare numbers within a platform rather than across it.
What matters most, and how much
| Factor | Weight in our score |
|---|---|
| The screen | 12% |
| Battery | 11% |
| Cameras | 11% |
| Performance | 10% |
| RAM & storage | 7% |
| Size, weight & durability | 6% |
How much each factor moves our 0–100 smartphones score.
Torn between the top two? See our head-to-head: Honor Magic V6 vs Oppo Find X9 Pro →
The screen: the bit you stare at all day
You touch it every waking hour, which is why the screen carries the most weight in our score. OLED-type panels are now on 97% of the phones we track, so deep blacks and punchy colour are no longer reserved for flagships. A 120Hz refresh rate is what still separates good from great (it's the smooth scrolling people notice straight away). Nearly every Android above ~$250 has it now, but Apple keeps 120Hz (ProMotion) for its Pro iPhones and leaves base models at 60Hz. For brightness, skip the headline "peak nits" figure, which is a lab number for a tiny patch of HDR, and look for around 1,000+ sustained nits if you want to read it outdoors. Resolution above roughly 400 pixels-per-inch isn't worth worrying about. Your eyes can't tell.
Weight in our score: 12%
Battery: it has to last the day
Battery sits near the top of our score for a simple reason: a phone that dies before you get home spoils everything else about it. The median phone we track carries 5,000mAh, so treat that as the floor for a standard-size Android rather than a selling point. Capacity and battery life aren't the same thing, though. iPhones and compact flagships use smaller cells (often 3,300–4,400mAh) and still last all day thanks to tighter efficiency, so compare real-world endurance instead of mAh alone. Fast charging counts as much as size. If 15 minutes on the charger buys you hours, range anxiety stops being a thing.
Weight in our score: 11%See the best for this →
Cameras: megapixels are the least of it
Don't get drawn into the megapixel race. Sensor size, stabilisation and processing shape your photos far more than the number on the box. If you shoot a lot, hold out for optical stabilisation (OIS) and a true optical zoom rather than a digital crop dressed up as one. Photographing kids or pets? Then capture speed counts for more than resolution: a 200MP sensor will still blur a moving toddler if the shutter is slow. And if your photos mostly end up in group chats and stories, almost any current main camera is more than enough.
Weight in our score: 11%See the best for this →
Performance: probably more than you need
This is where you can save money. Every current chip flies through messaging, browsing, maps and video, and raw speed only decides things if you game hard or want the phone to feel quick four years from now. If neither applies, don't pay flagship money for benchmark gains you'll never notice. Mid-range chips are very good these days.
Weight in our score: 10%See the best for this →
Software support: how many years you'll get
Spec sheets rarely lead with it, but update support decides how long a phone stays useful. Google and Samsung now promise up to 7 years of OS and security updates on their flagships and Apple typically supports iPhones for 5–7, while plenty of budget brands stop after one or two. If you keep phones a long time, weigh this above an extra gigabyte of RAM.
RAM & storage: buy for how long you'll keep it
Two rules cover it. For RAM, 8GB is fine today, while 12GB or more keeps things smooth further down the road; 49% of the phones we track already have that much. For storage, whatever you buy is what you're stuck with, since 85% of modern phones have dropped the microSD slot. 256GB is the safe default unless you're ruthless about clearing out photos.
Weight in our score: 7%
Size, weight & durability: the stuff you feel
You'll come to resent a phone that's too big or too heavy, so compare its actual dimensions with a phone you already like instead of trusting a glamour shot. Look for an IP68 rating too (proper dust and water resistance). 66% of the phones we track have it, so there's little reason to settle for less on something you'll keep for years.
Weight in our score: 6%
Frequently asked questions
How much RAM do I need in a phone?
For most people 8GB is fine today, and 12GB or more keeps the phone smooth for the years you'll own it. RAM and storage usually can't be upgraded, so buy for how long you plan to keep it.
Are more megapixels better on a phone camera?
Not really. Sensor size, stabilisation and processing count for far more than the megapixel figure, and a good main camera will beat a bigger number on a smaller sensor.
How many years of updates should a phone get?
On flagships from Apple, Google and Samsung, look for 5–7 years of OS and security updates. Many budget brands stop after one or two, which shortens the phone's useful life.
Explainers for this guide
- Water resistance ratings explained: IP67, IP68 and IPX8
What those IP numbers promise, and what they don't.
- eSIM vs physical SIM: which should you choose?
What an eSIM is, where it helps, and the situation where a physical SIM still wins.
- mAh vs Wh: how to actually compare battery sizes
Why mAh doesn't compare across devices, and the number that does.
Ready to compare?
The figures in this guide are computed live from the 116 smartphonesin our catalogue and update as it grows. Analysis by the Let’s Compare Data Engine.