17682 Last year's flagship vs comparable in price new: what is more profitable?

Last year’s flagship vs comparable in price new: what is more profitable?



When it comes time to upgrade smartphone preference want to give the latest flagship with cool twists, interesting design and stock performance for several years. But prices return to earth, and the new pocket is detected only in the middle price segment… Someone talked about the flagship reserve of power for years to come? We checked that oppose last year’s flagships actual “middling” and figured it was best to buy for the same money.

The official price for the new flagship smartphones usually start from 55 thousand rubles: top devices from Samsung, LG, Sony, Apple proof. But the closer the time of the presentation mate, the more they reduced the average price on the market. And after the release of the new hero on the market and it could collapse in half. For example, LG G5 today on Yandex.The store offers over 25 thousand rubles, and the average price of Sony Xperia XZ has fallen eight thousand at the time of entering the market XZ Premium. From the General trend stands out only Samsung S7 price fell to seven thousand in the time of S8, but after much hesitation, returned almost to my starting point.

Прошлогодний флагман против сравнимой по цене новинки: что вDynamics of average prices on Sony Xperia XZ according to Yandex.Market

Прошлогодний флагман против сравнимой по цене новинки: что вDynamics of average prices on Samsung Galaxy S7 according to Yandex.Market

In the considered price range today you can buy a “mobile-middling” from each of the vendors — fresh, 2017 release. But does it make sense to buy them? Perhaps for the same money it is worth to take a top (though in the recent past) smartphone? It will deal by comparing devices of each brand together. And since we are talking about the search for the most economical option, investigate the cheapest options last year’s flagships, that is, with a minimal amount of RAM and ROM.

ASUS: novelty more interesting, but will have to overpay

The flagship of the Taiwanese company in the past year has been ZenFone 3, who worked on the eight-core Snapdragon 625. However, other characteristics are quite on the level: 3/32 GB of memory in a younger model, Wi-Fi 802.11 ac, Bluetooth 4.2, the camera is at 16 MP with optical stabilization, battery 3000 mAh. The device costs about 18 thousand rubles (hereinafter — the average Yandex.Market at the time of writing).

Прошлогодний флагман против сравнимой по цене новинки: что в

For a similar price ASUS today won’t find anything, so we dug in on both sides. So, ASUS ZenFone 4 Max 16 thousand rubles to the CPU weaker — 430-th “dragon”, memory configuration, 3/32 GB wireless interfaces easier (Wi-Fi n, Bluetooth 4.1), but more capacious battery — 5000 mAh. But the ZenFone Zoom 3 kept the 625-th Snapdragon, acquired an additional Gigabyte of RAM, dual camera with optical zoom and an aperture of f/1.7 against f/2.0, AMOLED display instead of IPS and also increased to 5000 mAh battery. Such an upgrade will have to dig and to lay out 30 thousand roubles, but the smartphone more than interesting.

In this case, preference should be given to the more expensive new option, if finances allow.

 

ASUS ZenFone 3

ASUS ZenFone 4 Max

ASUS ZenFone Zoom 3

 

Release year

2016

2017

Screen

Super IPS 5,5″ 1920×1080

IPS 5,5″ 1920×1080

AMOLED, a 5.5″, 1920×1080

 

Chipset

Qualcomm Snapdragon 625

Qualcomm Snapdragon 425/430

Qualcomm Snapdragon 625

 

Memory, GB

3/32

3/32

4/64

 

Camera

16 MP, f/2.0, OIS

dual 13 MP, f/2.0 + 5 MP, f/2.0

dual, 12 MP, f/1,7, OIS + 12 MP, f/2.8

 

Battery capacity, mAh

3000

5000

5000

 

Price, RUB

17 790

15 990

29 990

 

HTC: parity between last year and new models

In recent years, the gadgets HTC is not as popular as in the early days of Android smartphones, but the company keeps trying to break into the top ranks. Last year, the attempt failed — HTC 10, which is today worth 30 thousand rubles, looked a bit strange and caused a great stir, after losing the first Samsung. The characteristics he had a full order: the Snapdragon 820, 4/32 GB, Wi-Fi 802.11 ac, Bluetooth 4.2, Super LCD display of 5.2″ with a resolution of 2560×1440. But it did not have raisins, and in 2017, the company decided to fix it.

Прошлогодний флагман против сравнимой по цене новинки: что в

Curious experimental device this year HTC U Ultra is equipped with a small additional display by 2.05″ over the basic 5.7-inch. The characteristics of this “middling” cannot be considered the flagship except that in the HTC U11: Snapdragon 821, 4/64 GB, Wi-Fi 802.11 ac, Bluetooth 4.2, camera with optical stabilization and aperture f/1,8. A version with 128 GB of ROM and still covered with sapphire glass instead of Gorilla Glass 5 mounted to the cheaper version. The price today is less than 33 thousand rubles. A little cheaper last year’s HTC 10 inferior to it, but not much.

See also  Vulnerability in the NTFS file system causes the system to hang computers
 

HTC 10

HTC U Ultra

Release year

2016

2017

Screen

Super LCD, 5,2″, 2560×1440

Super LCD, a 5.7″, 2560×1440

Chipset

Qualcomm Snapdragon 820

Qualcomm Snapdragon 821

Memory, GB

4/64

4/64

Camera

16 MP, 26 mm, f/2.0, OIS

12 MP, 26 mm, f/1.8, sensor 1/2,3″

Battery capacity, mAh

3000

3000

Price, RUB

29 990

32 500

Huawei: last year’s flagship is not losing ground

Flagship smartphones this company is presented by a line R, and last year the main character was a model P9. Today, it is about 21390 rubles we get a device of glass and metal with a top brand HiSilicon Kirin 955, memory from 3/32 GB, Wi-Fi 802.11 ac, Bluetooth 4.2. But the main highlight of the smartphone is a dual 12-megapixel rear camera production Leica.

Прошлогодний флагман против сравнимой по цене новинки: что в

In 2017 he opposed just three smartphone: the Lite version of the current flagship of Huawei P10 Lite (15 thousand rubles) and Nova 2 with your option Plus (22 and 24.6 per thousand, respectively). In P10 Lite is a single module of the camera of 12 MP with an aperture of f/2.8, both Nova 2 — double, but not from Leica. But their front-facing camera got a matrix of 20 Megapixels. Throughput is also slightly weaker than the lightweight flagship: 658 th Kirin at the same 3/32 in P10 Lite, 659 in Nova 2 (4/64 GB). Capacity battery all about the same — about 3000mAh — with the exception of Nova 2 Plus, where due to the larger size of the smartphone has placed the battery, 3340 mAh.

If you look at the performance of the Huawei devices, the preference by far is to give last year’s P9, which besides camera from Leica. Consider P10 Lite is only in the case that saving is paramount and to add money and to take “New” only for the sake of higher quality selfie, compact metal housing (with display 5″) and, perhaps, everything.

 

Huawei P9

Huawei P10 Lite

Huawei Nova 2

Huawei Nova 2 Plus

Release year

2016

2017

Screen

IPS-NEO, a 5.2″, 1920×1080

LTPS IPS, 5,2″, 1920 x 1080

LTPS IPS, 5,0″, 1920×1080

LTPS IPS 5,5″ 1920×1080

Chipset

HiSilicon Kirin 955

HiSilicon Kirin 658

HiSilicon Kirin 659

HiSilicon Kirin 659

Memory, GB

3/32

3/32

4/64

4/64

Camera

dual,12 MP, f/2,2 + 12 MP, f/2,2

12 MP, f/2,2

dual, 12 MP, f/1,8 + 8 MP, f/1,8

dual, 12 MP, f/1,8 + 8 MP, f/1,8

Battery capacity, mAh

3000

3000

2950

3340

Price, RUB

21 390

14 890

22 090

24 600

LG: the flagship for fashionistas, the new — for lovers of reliability

Last year’s flagship G5 was somewhat ambiguous. First, because of its modular design: the bottom part of the smartphone can be removed and put in its place a module, for example, with the audio chip for music playback in high resolution. Second, from top-end Qualcomm Snapdragon processor 652, albeit with the support of 3 GB of RAM. And the screen, though high (2560×1440) resolution, but for some reason with IPS-matrix, when the vendor himself makes a great AMOLED’s. But the camera in the device is great: dual-core module with a standard and telephoto lens, optical stabilization and a laser autofocus. Today to buy such a device can for 28 thousand rubles.

Прошлогодний флагман против сравнимой по цене новинки: что в

So far the only device with comparable price from LG sample 2017 stands LG X venture for 25 thousand rubles. Characteristics it is much simpler than last year’s flagship: Qualcomm Snapdragon processor 435, 2 GB of RAM, an unremarkable single camera. But the device is significant for many advantage is the powerful battery, impact resistant case and possible protection against water and dust (IP68).

Frankly, both smartphones seem a little overvalued, and the question is only how much money will be spent on a new device. If you have thirty, which decided to spend certainly LG should come from needs.

 

LG G5

LG X venture

Release year

2016

2017

Screen

IPS LCD is 5.3″, 2560×1440

IPS LCD, the 5.2″, 1920×1080

Chipset

Qualcomm Snapdragon 820

Qualcomm Snapdragon 435

Memory, GB

4/32

2/32

Camera

dual,16 MP, f/1,8 + 8 MP, f/2.4

16 MP, f/2,2

Battery capacity, mAh

2800

4100

Price, RUB

23 890

24 990

Moto: novelty cheaper

The Motorola brand has just triumphantly returned to the Russian market, and we have to figure out not profitable to take last year’s flagship instead of a fresh device easier. Both devices belong to the range of Z and are more than 30 thousand rubles. Last year’s Moto Z boasts of a Snapdragon processor 820, memory 4/32 GB on Board is excellent even if a single camera on the 13 Megapixel with aperture f/1,8, AMOLED-display with a resolution of 2560×1440. Is that the small battery is just 2600 mAh, but overall a very decent phone for 37,000 rubles.

See also  NASA tested the Mars supersonic parachute

Прошлогодний флагман против сравнимой по цене новинки: что в

Its alternative — Z2 Moto Play is inferior slightly. CPU — average 626 th “dragon” display with a resolution of Full HD, but the battery on 3000 mAh battery, and all together gives more autonomy to the device. Have dvenadtsatimegapikselnoy matrix main camera has a slightly better indicator of the ISO — f/1,7. And the price of the Z2 Play below 30 thousand rubles.

The inner world of these two very similar in appearance devices vary not so much. And if high performance does not play a key role in the selection device, should stop at the actual Z2 Play — because of its slightly greater autonomy and significantly lower prices.

 

Moto Z

Moto Z2 Play

Release year

2016

2017

Screen

AMOLED, a 5.5″, 2560×1440

Super AMOLED display of 5.5″, 1920×1080

Chipset

Qualcomm Snapdragon 820

Qualcomm Snapdragon 626

Memory, GB

4/32

4/64

Camera

13 MP, f/1,8, OIS

12 MP, f/1,7

Battery capacity, mAh

2600

3000

Price, RUB

36 990

29 950

Samsung: new is interesting, but even the Galaxy S6 is still in the ranks

In the Android world Samsung is, perhaps, the first place in popularity, and the company that successfully use. How else to explain that the price tag on last year’s flagship S7 in the summer has soared to the level of almost 40 thousand rubles, as shown in the graph at the beginning of the article? Perhaps, in this context, it makes sense to go back for another year or two before and seen the Galaxy S6 in 25 thousand rubles, which is still good: the Samsung Exynos 7420, 3/32, Super-AMOLED display with a resolution of 2560×1440. However, the battery is smaller than that of S7 and S8 — 2550 mAh vs 3000, but a worthy optimization is hardly critical.

Прошлогодний флагман против сравнимой по цене новинки: что в

Of the actual “facelift” Samsung sample of 2017, who can resist the former Atlanteans, you can select A5 and J7 device 22 and 19 thousand respectively. They are not so interesting from the design point of view, the resolution of the displays is a modest Full HD, the processors differ only slightly — in A5 Exynos 7880, 7870 — J7, everywhere 3 GB RAM, camera a little easier… in Other words, the main difference in appearance: of course, no Samsung live doesn’t look as premium as the most popular flagships vendor.

Of course, the flagship remains the flagship and two years later: top-end processor, a good power optimization, but… If we do not strive for the Shine of previous years, and aim for a good current smartphone, the best fit is the new representative of middle segment, and the surcharge is more than 10 thousand rubles for last year’s S7 seems altogether unreasonable.

 

Samsung Galaxy S6

Samsung Galaxy S7

Samsung Galaxy A5 (2017)

Samsung Galaxy J7 (2017)

Release year

2015

2016

2017

Screen

Super AMOLED display of 5.1″, 2560×1440

Super AMOLED display of 5.1″, 2560×1440

Super AMOLED display of 5.2″, 1920×1080

Super AMOLED display of 5.5″, 1920×1080

Chipset

Exynos 7420 Octa

Exynos Octa 8890

Exynos Octa 7880

Exynos Octa 7870

Memory, GB

3/32

4/32

3/32

3/16

Camera

16 MP, f/1,9, OIS

12 MP, f/1,7, OIS

16 MP, f/1,9

13 MP, f/1,7

Battery capacity, mAh

2550

3000

3000

3600

Price, RUB

25 190

32 490

22 000

18 500

Sony: last year’s flagship justified

Because of vague positioning is difficult to understand what Japanese smartphones in 2016 “fegmania”: Sony Xperia XZ or X Performance. On the “stuffing” they’re almost identical, but we will focus on slightly more powerful XZ, because his successor was already a famous Premium XZ beginning of 2017. The device, frankly, is also excellent: the Snapdragon 820, 3/64 GB, 802.11 ac Wi-Fi, the main camera of 23 MP with laser auto focus, Full HD display with a proprietary technology to improve image quality Triluminos. Given the brand, the price of 34 thousand seems quite reasonable.

Прошлогодний флагман против сравнимой по цене новинки: что в

The nearest price to the XZ device this year — XA1 Ultra, which costs 25 thousand rubles. Instead of using the “dragon” series 6xx vendor decided to install in the device is MediaTek Helio P20 and 4 GB of RAM. With the same Full HD display from 5.2″ up to 6″, visibly lost in ppi (367 vs 423), and without technology Triluminos. The main camera has a matrix with the same high resolution, but there is no laser focus. But the front camera even higher resolution 16 MP vs 13 MP. The battery capacity slightly below — XA1 Ultra 2700 mAh, XZ — 2900 mAh.

Sony — the case when the flagship is indeed the flagship, without any compromises. Because of a more efficient processor, better display, better-equipped primary camera and a more capacious battery idea to add money and to prefer last year’s flagship, it seems only right.

 

Sony Xperia XZ

Sony Xperia Ultra XA1

Release year

2016

2017

Screen

IPS, 5,2″, 1920 x 1080

IPS, a 6.0″, 1920×1080

Chipset

Qualcomm Snapdragon 820

Mediatek Helio P20

Memory, GB

3/64

4/64

Camera

23 MP, f/2.0

23 MP, f/2.0

Battery capacity, mAh

2900

2700

Price, RUB

33 990

25 000

See also  Developed a method of creating a retina with the help of 3D printing

Xiaomi: last year’s flagships performance

The smartphone Xiaomi Mi very extensive and is updated annually a large number of “mixed” devices. The main devices of Xiaomi in 2016 can be called Mi5 Mi5S and which, at the time of writing, estimated at 17 and 20 thousand rubles respectively. The characteristics they do not differ greatly, with S-version — slightly improved “five”: Snapdragon Snapdragon 820 and 821, 3/32 3/64 GB and GB, battery 3000 mAh and 3200 mAh battery. In later models slightly higher performance and better autonomy.

Прошлогодний флагман против сравнимой по цене новинки: что в

This year the average price segment Xiaomi introduced a large number of devices each of which is interesting in its own way. For example, Mi5X and Mi Max 2 equipped with the Snapdragon 625 and 4/64 GB of memory modules Wi-Fi 802.11 ac and Bluetooth 4.2 (as the flagships in 2016), but Max 2 — SmartPad since the display is a 6.44″ and battery capacity of 5300 mAh, and the matrix of its main camera Sony 12 MP has a pixel pitch of 1.25 microns. Tellingly, both today cost around 17 thousand rubles.

If you look, last year’s flagship Xiaomi will be preferable due to more efficient iron and optimize the allocation of resources. But the difference in price between last year and current flagships are not so big: Mi Note 2 from the beginning of 2017 today is 22 thousand rubles, and Mi6 — 27 thousand rubles, so it may make sense to slightly tighten the belt and buy a Xiaomi flagship — but relevant.

 

Xiaomi Mi 5

Xiaomi Mi 5S

Xiaomi Mi 5X

Xiaomi Mi 2 Max

Release year

2016

2017

Screen

IPS, of 5.15″, 1920×1080

IPS, of 5.15″, 1920×1080

LTPS IPS 5,5″ 1920×1080

IPS is 6.44″ 1920×1080

Chipset

Qualcomm Snapdragon 820

Qualcomm Snapdragon 821

Qualcomm Snapdragon 625

Qualcomm Snapdragon 625

Memory, GB

3/32

4/32

4/64

4/64

Camera

16 MP, f/2.0, OIS

12 MP, f/2.0

dual, 12 MP, f/2,2 + 12 MP f/2,6

12 MP, f/2,2

Battery capacity, mAh

3000

3200

3080

5300

Price, RUB

15 800

22 700

17 590

16 590

Unnamed brands

The list presented above brands, of course, is far from complete. At least it has not got two high-profile producer, mention of which still needed: Apple and OnePlus. However, the latter is simple: in the line of OnePlus there is no non-flagship (at least yet). Every new device is equipped with the most productive hardware and the most current Android. In other words, the question is very simple: take the previous flagship of cheap or to accumulate some money and buy the actual device.

With Apple a bit more complicated. Although the current generation iPhone is only of the flagships models 7 and 7 Plus, it was not always so: in March 2016, the company released the SE model, and in 2013-m — 5C. Both smartphone runs on a processor from the “old” flagships — A9 (SE and 6S) and A6 (5C and 5) is different from the current iPhone design and, in the case of SE size.

Прошлогодний флагман против сравнимой по цене новинки: что вiPhone SE Прошлогодний флагман против сравнимой по цене новинки: что вiPhone 5C

The company actually put fans before a choice: to buy the actual cheaper smartphone or last year’s flagship. This same story can happen again, if confirmed the rumor about the higher price for iPhone 8 vs 7S and 7S Plus and also if the vendor decides to release SE 2, rumors of which also roam the web.

Insights

Drawing a comparison, we paid attention primarily on the technical equipment of the devices. But it is important to remember two important things. First, the flagships of any year in most cases, building a large community of owners, which leads to more custom firmware and increasing the chance for help from friends in case of any trouble with the device. Second, flagships A-brands as a rule, are updated to the latest version OS for several generations, while the middle segment may be abandoned after only one serious update. On the other hand, in the case of less famous brands risk to remain without tasty updates also present.

Thus, the preference of the current flagship devices of an average price segment is justified in most cases. The exception is Samsung, which reluctantly dropped prices on their “old men” HTC tends to return to its former glory, and Moto, which is just beginning to re-settle in the Russian market. And still a top device, remains so even after a year, despite the emergence of a more worthy (and not always) mate.

Write in the comments if you’ve ever had to stand in front of a similar dilemma, and what decision you eventually came.

The author of the text: Max Dvorak

Source: 4pda.ru

On this topic: ( from category Articles )

Leave feedback

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

*
*

Top