50 JANUARY2021|COMPUTER SHOPPER|ISSUE395
01
Asmartphone’soperatingsystem
(OS)dictatesitsbasicfeaturesand
whichthird-partysoftwareyoucaninstall.
Therearethreemaincontenders:Apple’s
iOS,whichisfoundontheiPhone,Google’s
Android, which is used by various handset
manufacturers, and Windows Phone,which
hasfew options, especially since Microsoft
has discontinued support forits OS.
Apple iOS and Google Android both have
thousands of apps available.
02
All smartphones have colour screens,
but their resolutions vary.Basic models
have 1,280x720 pixels, but text can be
indistinct. Look foradisplaythat has at least
1,920x1,080 pixels so it’s easier to read text
Choosinga... Smartphone
and watch Full HD videos. Don’t worry too
much about built-in media players or Office
document editors; you can always install apps
to replace these with better versions later.
The image quality of smartphone
cameras has improved tremendously in
recent years, and resolutions have
increased to as high as 20 megapixels.
03
Very fewmodern smartphones have
aphysical keyboard forentering text;
theyalmost exclusively use touchscreens
now.Physical keyboards can aid heavy
emailing, but today’s touchscreen
keyboards work just as well.
Android smartphones and iPhones
running iOS 9orabove allow you to install
avariety of custom onscreen keyboards so
you can find one that suits you.
04
Be careful when choosing acontract.
Look forone that includes alarge data
allowance if you want to usethe internet
regularly or you’ve set your phone to
synchronise your contacts, calendar and
email through online services.
Built-in Wi-Fi can help you avoid high data
charges by connecting to the internet
through wireless hotspots when you’re out,
or your router when you’re at home.Android
and iPhone handsets can operateaswireless
hotspots, letting you connect your laptop to
the web over your mobile data connection.
There maybeanextra charge forthis.
SMARTPHONES
ONEPLUS 8
★★★★★
£549SIM-free•www.johnlewis.com
It doesn’t take any risks, but this is still a
great improvement on the OnePlus 7T.
Once again, OnePlus has provided
flagship-quality hardware,from the 90Hz displaytothe
sharp triple-lens camera, at alower price.
PROCESSOROcta-coreOcta-core 2.84GHzQualcommSnapdragon865•SCREENSIZE6.55in•
SCREENRESOLUTION2,400x1,080•REARCAMERAS48 megapixels, 16 megapixels,2megapixels
- STORAGE128GB•WIRELESSDATA5G•NFCYes•DIMENSIONS160x73x8mm•WEIGHT180g•
OPERATINGSYSTEMAndroid10•WARRANTYOneyearRTB•DETAILSwww.oneplus.com•
PARTCODEIN2013•FULLREVIEWAug2020
SAMSUNG Galaxy S2 0
★★★★★
£749SIM-free; £46-per-monthcontract•www.samsung.com
(SIM-free); http://www.tescomobile.com (contract)
While still apriceysmartphone, the
standard Galaxy S20 is the cheapest of
Samsung’s flagship line-up.Ithas the same
processor as –and similardesign to –the S20+ and S20
Ultra, so it’s the best value as well.
PROCESSOROcta-core2.73GHz Samsung Exynos 990•SCREENSIZE6.2in•SCREEN
RESOLUTION3,200x1,440•REARCAMERAS12 megapixels, 64 megapixels,12megapixels•
STORAGE128GB•WIRELESSDATA4G•NFCYes•DIMENSIONS152x69x7.9mm•WEIGHT163g•
OPERATINGSYSTEMAndroid 10•WARRANTYOneyear RTB•DETAILSwwww.samsung.com/uk
- PARTCODESM-G980FLBDEUA•FULLREVIEWJul2020
APPLEiPhoneSE(2020)
★★★★★
£419 SIM-free; £19 up front plus £16-per-month
contract•www.apple.com/uk (SIM-free);
http://www.three.co.uk (contract)
The updated iPhone SE cuts afamiliar
figure: on the outside,it’s essentially an
iPhone 8. On the inside,however, it’s
fitted with the same A13 Bionic processor as the iPhone
11 range,for performance that more than meets 2020 standards.
PROCESSORHexa-core 2.65GHzAppleA13 Bionic•SCREENSIZE4.7in•SCREENRESOLUTION
1,334x750•REARCAMERA12 megapixels•STORAGE64GB•WIRELESSDATA4G•NFCYes•
DIMENSIONS138x67x7.3mm•WEIGHT138g•OPERATINGSYSTEMiOS13•WARRANTY
OneyearRTB•DETAILSwww.apple.com/uk•PARTCODEiPhoneSE2020•FULLREVIEWSep 2020
GOOGLEPixel4a
★★★★★
£349 SIM-free•store.google.com
Even with toughcompetition from the
iPhone SE and OnePlus Nord, the Pixel
4a stands out as abrilliant mid-range
smartphone.Abig partofits appeal is the single-lens
rear camera, which takles flagship-worthy shots in all
manner of conditions.
PROCESSORQuad-core 2.2GHz QualcommSnapdragon730G•SCREENSIZE5.8in•
SCREENRESOLUTION2,240x1,080•REARCAMERA12.2 megapixels•STORAGE1284GB•
WIRELESSDATA4G•NFCYes•DIMENSIONS144x68x8.2mm•WEIGHT143g•OPERATING
SYSTEMAndroid 10•WARRANTYOneyearRTB•DETAILSstore.google.com•PARTCODEPixel
4a•FULLREVIEWNov2020
MOTOROLAMotoE6Plus
★★★★★
£80 SIM-free; £9-per-month contract•www.argos.co.uk
(SIM-free); http://www.tescomobile.com (contract)
There’s plenty of smartphone here forthe
money, whetherit’sthe spacious 6.1in
displayorthe surprisingly high performance.
It also has aremovable back panel, so it’s one of very few
Android handsets forwhich you can use spare batteries.
PROCESSOROcta-core2GHzMediatekHelio P22•SCREENSIZE6.1in•SCREENRESOLUTION
1,560x720•REARCAMERAS13 megapixels,2megapixels•STORAGE32GB•WIRELESSDATA
4G•NFCNo•DIMENSIONS156x73x8.6mm•WEIGHT150g•OPERATINGSYSTEMAndroid9.0
- WARRANTYOneyearRTB•DETAILSwww.www.motorola.co.uk•PARTCODEPAGA0000GB•
FULLREVIEWMay2020
APPLEiPhone11
★★★★★
£729 SIM-free; £9 up front plus £51-per-month
contract•www.apple.com/uk (SIM-free);
http://www.carphonewarehouse.com
PROCESSORHexa-core2.65GHz AppleA13 Bionic•SCREENSIZE6.1in•SCREENRESOLUTION
1,792x828•REARCAMERAS12 megapixels, 12 megapixels•STORAGE64GB•WIRELESSDATA4G
- NFCYes•DIMENSIONS151x76x8.3mm•WEIGHT194g•OPERATINGSYSTEMiOS13•
WARRANTYOneyearRTB•DETAILSwww.apple.com/uk•PARTCODEiPhone 11•FULLREVIEW
Mar 2020
The standard iPhone 11 is aslick
and powerful smartphone.Ithas
the same class-leading A13 Bionic
chip as the iPhone 11 Pro,while costing hundreds of pounds less.
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