Flagship phones are expensive and are considered luxury products rather than a device that a person just purchases for everyday use.
The phone manufacturers try to include all sorts of over-the-top additional features along with the latest specs to make their flagship phones stand out from the rest, and that’s why flagship phones are always intended for either rich people or niche users like tech enthusiasts.
But these phones are also made to last and perform for an extended period, and they do become cheaper 1 or 2 years after their release, almost coming down to the same price point as the newer mid-range devices.
So, should a buyer consider buying an old flagship phone over a mid-range one?
Let us see a case study in terms of the Bangladeshi market. The popular new mid-range devices usually cost between Tk 20000-30000, and if they are from brands like Samsung or Google, the range can go up to Tk 40000.
Now, let’s take a look at the OnePlus 7 pro, a device that is now 2 years old, and is currently selling around Tk 30000. This device has an excellent HDR 10+ supported 90hz Quad HD (1440p) AMOLED display, Snapdragon 855 processor, a good set of cameras, very good haptics, and excellent performance optimisation.
People who bought this device back in 2019 or 2020 still haven’t come across any lag or other issues.
The second-hand flagship phone market can bring even more value for money propositions.
A brand flagship phone like the Samsung S10 is being sold around Tk 27000. In terms of features, the most value-for-money new device that can be bought right now is the Poco X3 pro, a very good device for the money, but with some certain caveats too, like an LCD instead of an AMOLED one.
So, what does an old flagship phone have that the mid-range devices generally don’t have?
First of all, built quality. Flagship devices are premium devices for a reason, they are tailor-made to make the user feel good about the phone when they hold it.
Secondly, these phones come with excellent cameras, packed with useful features like optical image stabilisation, good ultra-wide and telephoto lenses, and so on.
Most flagship phones are dust and water-resistant; they also usually have wireless charging. Most importantly, these phones come with the most amazing displays that cannot be found on cheaper mid-range devices.
So, what a buyer will miss out on if he buys a new mid-range device? Mostly on the display, the camera, and the build quality.
Mid-range devices are made to work for day-to-day uses. They don’t have the best camera or display. And the processors also perform slower than the 2-year-old flagship ones.
But there are certain things a buyer should also consider. Newer mid-range devices will have better battery life as they have fewer power-hungry processors.
They also come with a reliable warranty, and these devices will get longer software and security support than the older flagships.
The target customers for mid-range devices usually want a device that they can rely on in terms of battery life and warranty. They do not always want the best camera or processor, rather they’d go for a device that’s cheaper but will get them through day-to-day tasks just fine.
In this category, the older flagship devices can’t compete with these newer mid-rangers.
So, if you want good battery life and software-hardware support, mid-range devices will most likely yield you better returns. But if you are willing to compromise a bit in that area to get a better camera, display and processor, older flagship devices could be a satisfactory investment.
