How To: Having Trouble Picking a New Phone? This Chart Will Help You Choose

When it comes time to buy a new smartphone, the sheer amount of options on the market can make you feel overwhelmed. There are Android devices of all shapes and sizes with different functionalities and price points, and now, even Apple has three unique iPhone models to fit various budgets.

So to help you narrow down the choices and find out what device is right for you, we've created a simple flowchart that focuses on the fundamental factors that differentiate each major smartphone model. As a result, this decision tree should be relatively future-proof, and can be used at any time regardless of incremental updates.

Current-Generation Devices Depicted in This Flowchart

• iPhone Plus: iPhone 7 Plus
• iPhone: iPhone 7
• iPhone SE: iPhone SE
• Samsung Galaxy Note: Galaxy Note7
• Samsung Galaxy S (edge): Galaxy S7 Edge
• Samsung Galaxy S: Galaxy S7
• BlackBerry: BlackBerry Priv
• LG G Series: LG G5
• HTC One: HTC 10
• Nexus (Large): Nexus 6P
• Nexus (Small): Nexus 5X
• OnePlus (Flagship): OnePlus 3
• OnePlus (X Series): OnePlus X
• Moto X: Moto X Pure Edition
• Moto G: Moto G4
• Huawei P Series: Huawei P9
• Huawei Honor: Huawei Honor 8
• Alcatel Idol: Alcatel Idol 4
• Lenovo Vibe: Lenovo Vibe K5
• Xiaomi Redmi: Xiaomi Redmi 3S Prime

Notes

• Prices depicted are the full retail price for base models at the time of each device's launch. After release, but before the next generation, the prices may actually be lower.
• "AMOLED" is a type of display panel with low battery consumption, high contrast, and deep blacks. Compared to traditional "LCD" displays, however, AMOLED screens are more susceptible to screen burn-in.
• A "mute switch" is a physical toggle on the side of the device that silences all notifications and ringtones.
• "Stock Android" is the base Android software as seen on Nexus devices, free of manufacturer skins and themes.
• "Bezels" refer to the area on the front face of a phone that is not occupied by the screen.
• "Large" smartphones are defined here as anything with a screen size greater than 5.3 inches.
• Sprint and Verizon work on CDMA networks, while AT&T, T-Mobile, and most of the world operate on GSM networks. All phones listed above work on GSM, but many will not work on CDMA, like the OnePlus, Lenovo, Alcatel, etc.

If you want to compare features more granularly, try using the Mr Phone app for Android.

Let us know what device you're going with, or ask us questions about any of these phones, in the comment section below. Happy shopping!

• Follow Gadget Hacks on Facebook, Twitter, Google+, and YouTube
• Follow Apple Hacks on Facebook and Twitter
• Follow Android Hacks on Facebook and Twitter
• Follow WonderHowTo on Facebook, Twitter, and Google+