The Phone Specs That Matter

10.06.2011
Considering a new phone? It's easy to get pulled into the specs war: single-core or dual-core processor? 3G or 4G? But today's smartphones are mostly big screens and it makes more sense to pay attention to how good apps, pictures and video will look on those screens.

Noise-reduction technology: A few phones out there boast "noise-reduction technology," which supposedly blocks out background noise when you're calling on a busy street. In our hands-on tests, we've noticed that this technology can make your voice sound really strange to callers on the other end of the line, and it sometimes adds a weird muffling effect to your contacts' voices. Related:

HDMI port: Unless you store a library of HD movies on your phone, and unless you own an HDMI cable with the proper connection for your phone's port (you'll have to buy that separately) plus an HDTV, pay no attention to whether a phone has an HDMI port. It's a nice extra for movie junkies who have a lot of full-length flicks on their handset, but we're not sure that describes many people. Related: |

4G: If you don't have 4G coverage in your area (or even close to your area), don't bother getting a 4G phone yet. If you do have coverage, 4G is fantastic for streaming music and movies on your phone, surfing the Web, and downloading apps quickly. Be careful, though: 4G will drain your phone's battery life long before you finish streaming any one of the entries in the Lord of the Rings trilogy. Related: