How to Choose the Right Mojo Smartphone
As a mobile journalist, your gear kit revolves around your smartphone — which is why you need to invest in the right one. There are a lot of top-notch new phones to choose from, but that, in itself, can be a tricky process. Here’s what you should consider when deciding which smartphone will work best for the majority of your assignments.
1. RAM and CPU
RAM (random access memory) holds the data that your phone is currently using while the CPU (central processing unit) functions as the brain of the phone and is what makes your phone feel fast or slow. Besides speed, CPU cores also control battery efficiency and how well your phone can run multiple processes and apps at the same time. The better your CPU and RAM are, the faster you’ll be able to export your videos while simultaneously editing photos.
However, not all CPU cores are made equal, and just having more of them doesn’t necessarily mean your phone will be faster. To give you an example, the new iPhone X has a six-core CPU and 3GB of RAM while the older Samsung Galaxy S7 has an eight-core CPU and 4GB of RAM. If your mojo work requires you to quickly upload videos, then you should check speed tests to see which phones will run the fastest and multitask well without sacrificing battery life.
2. Camera Specs
Having a great camera is integral to video journalism. Lucky for you, all of the newest phones have high-quality cameras that can film in 4K. The new iPhone 8 and Galaxy S8 Plus both have twelve megapixel, dual rear cameras with optical zoom and image stabilization. Their front-facing cameras have seven and eight megapixels, respectively. It’s pretty much guaranteed that the newer the phone you have, the better the camera will be. However, if you don’t have the budget for the newest phones, don’t forget that accessories, such as the right lens or mic, can improve the quality of one or two-year-old phone cameras as well.
3. Storage Space
HD videos and photos take up a ton of storage space on your phone and not all new phones will let you use a memory card with them. When choosing a smartphone, it’s safest to opt for the most storage space you can get, or you could find yourself running out of room when you’re on the job.
4. Accessories
The last thing you should consider when choosing your mojo phone is whether your current accessories (lenses, mics, stabilizers, etc) will still work when you upgrade. Not every lens is compatible with every phone, so you might want to consider buying a phone that has a wide range of compatible, high-quality accessories in price-points that fit your budget and that won’t have to be discarded every time you get a phone upgrade. With the rate at which new phones are released, and if you’re someone who wants to stay on top of the game and consistently upgrade, you should invest in flexible accessories for your kit.
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By D. Simone Kovacs, Storyhunter Editor
