New or Old? How to Choose a Flagship Phone Before Double 11

New or Old? How to Choose a Flagship Phone Before Double 11Though the digital market always says "buy new, not old," it isn't an absolute truth. In many scenarios, considering factors like price, many people choose previous generations, especially in the rapidly evolving field of smartphones

New or Old? How to Choose a Flagship Phone Before Double 11

Though the digital market always says "buy new, not old," it isn't an absolute truth. In many scenarios, considering factors like price, many people choose previous generations, especially in the rapidly evolving field of smartphones. Now, Double 11 is approaching, and next-generation flagship phones from brands like Xiaomi, OPPO, vivo, Honor, and Huawei are coming out one after another. Meanwhile, promotional activities on various e-commerce platforms are already underway. In this most agonizing time of the year for phone replacements, should we buy discounted previous-generation flagships or wait for the upcoming new flagship phones? As a former "agonizing party" member, this article will guide you through making an intelligent choice.

Needs First: Define Your Use Cases

No matter what product you want to buy, recognizing your needs is crucial. Unless you have an abundant budget to buy whatever you want, you should first define your needs when choosing a phone and then find a suitable model from existing products.

Needs in the phone field can be broadly categorized into three: performance, imaging, and "good enough."

• Performance Flagships: These phones boast top-tier processor performance, suitable for users with high demands on performance-intensive applications like games and video editing.

• True Flagship Phones: Besides performance, these phones also have top-notch imaging systems, suitable for users with high demands on photography.

• "Bucket Phones": These phones don't have obvious weaknesses, offering good overall experience and relatively affordable prices, suitable for users without specific requirements for phone functions.

"Good Enough": Rational Choice, No Need to Chase New

If you seek a phone that is "good enough," then there's no need to chase the latest. First, the price of new-generation flagship phones often exceeds 4000 yuan, significantly exceeding your budget alone. Second, their performance upgrades may go beyond your usage scenarios.

For such users, I recommend considering recently released mid-range and low-end models, like Xiaomi's Note 14 Pro+ and iQOO Z9 Turbo+, offering better value for money.

Performance and Imaging: Weigh the Pros and Cons, Make Precise Choices

If you have higher demands on phone performance and imaging, you need to carefully weigh your choices and budget.

• Performance Upgrade: New-generation flagship phones will see significant improvements in processor performance. For example, the upcoming Dimensity 9400 and Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for gaming will offer approximately 30% improvement in peak performance and noticeable enhancements in power efficiency. Improved power efficiency means the phone will stay "cooler" during usage, leading to longer battery life.

• Imaging Upgrade: New-generation flagship phones usually match the imaging performance of their higher-end models from the previous generation. For example, the imaging performance of Xiaomi 14 is close to Xiaomi 13 Pro, while Xiaomi 15 is expected to adopt similar imaging configurations as Xiaomi 13 Ultra.

Price War: The Temptation of Discounted Old Flagships

While new-generation flagship phones boast more powerful performance and better imaging experiences, old flagship phones will also see significant price drops in the days leading up to the release of new flagships, especially for some models with accumulated inventory. You can often find them at lower prices on platforms like Pinduoduo.

Additionally, large promotional events like Double 11 offer huge discount opportunities. If the price difference between the same spec old flagship and new flagship exceeds 1000 yuan, choosing the old flagship will be more worthwhile. You can then use the trade-in program after the new flagship drops in price to switch to the new one.

Flagship Phones Worth Paying Attention to

Based on current market conditions, the following flagship phones are worth your attention:

• OPPO Find X7 Series: This series boasts good performance and imaging capabilities. The Find X7 standard version comes equipped with a periscope telephoto lens, a highlight among standard flagship phones. Currently, with the help of Pinduoduo's "Hundred Billion Subsidies," the starting price of the Find X7 has dropped to around 3300 yuan.

• OPPO Find X7 Ultra: Being the first ultra-large cup flagship phone released, the Find X7 Ultra's overall performance is comparable to flagships like Xiaomi 14 Ultra. Its current price has dropped to around 4600 yuan, offering excellent value for money.

• Honor Magic6 Series: Honor has a good system and imaging experience, but its flagship model sales aren't particularly high. The Honor Magic6 is currently priced similarly to the Find X7 on Pinduoduo, equipped with the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 processor, making it more appealing to mainstream users.

• Honor Magic6 Ultimate Edition: This phone has a 5000 nit ultra-high brightness screen, flagship-level H9800 main camera, and satellite communication capabilities, among other advantages. Still, its exterior design may not appeal to the younger generation, and it has a relatively high starting price. However, its current price on Pinduoduo has dropped to below 5000 yuan, with the 16+512GB version particularly good value for money.

Conclusion

Ultimately, the choice of which phone depends on your specific needs and budget. Whether you prioritize performance, imaging, or value for money, you need to carefully weigh the pros and cons and find the most suitable one among the numerous flagship models.

Special Note: This article has no paid promotion content. Feel free to enjoy it.