Should you buy a 5G enabled smartphone right now or wait?

After the 5G spectrum allocation to the telecom companies, the government has finally given a nod for 5G deployment in the country. Jio recently announced that it's 5G services will be available in Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai and Kolkata by Diwali this year whereas Airtel is also planning to roll-out 5G by October.

The majority of manufacturers, including OnePlus, Redmi, Xiaomi, Realme, and Samsung among others, have 5G-focused smartphones in the market that you can buy in a variety of pricing ranges. However, the question remains whether you should spend money on a 5G phone right away or remain with 4G since it offers greater value for money? Here is your guide to not just answer your questions but help you towards the best choice.

What is special about 5G smartphones?

Now, whenever you come across a 5G enabled smartphone, keep in mind that the only 5G feature of that particular device is the integrated Qualcomm or MediaTek chipset. Both of the chip manufacturers have introduced new SoCs for smartphones that include integrated 5G modems. Therefore, when phone manufacturers purchase the chipsets from these chip manufacturers, they wind up paying more for a technology that is yet to become widely used. Finally, the phone brands will charge you more for these 5G phones.

Think about purchasing a phone for more than just 5G functionality

Here we come to the major issue that conusmers have: why are they purchasing a 5G phone? Let's be clear about one thing, though the 5G technology is on the verge of roll-out in the country but India does not yet have a 5G network. This may change within the next few months. Therefore, you require more than only 5G to support your buy of a smartphone. Pay attention to other aspects like the camera quality, phone's display quality and also things like the charging speed the battery is capable of. You'll observe that a 4G phone will not just perform better for you than a 5G phone in each of these categories but also prove to be value for money.

Does India's 4G network transition to 5G?

The answer is No. Once the 5G network is deployed, 4G network network and your present 4G devices will still remain in use. The rollout of 5G network will be gradual , so it won't likely have a significant impact on the demand for 4G for a few years at least. In light of this, even if you purchase a 4G phone today, you will continue to attain enough value in it to use it for a number of years.

5G phones come with their own advantages, speed 10x faster than 4G being the most obvious one. It will certainly seem enticing when you can purchase them for a fair price. However, 4G phones are as capable and dependable, so having one or purchasing one won't render it obsolete in the next two years. If your budget allows and you have the means to invest nearly Rs 25,000 or above, purchasing a 5G phone makes a lot more sense.

Many firms have have begun marketing 5G to consumers. Their thrust for 5G is mostly intended to make it the product for the foreseeable future. hence, it is crucial to make sure the 5G phone you choose to purchase now supports above 5 network bands. This eliminates the need to upgrade your phone for a minimum of two or three years when 5G in India is expected to be fully operational.