How to choose a mobile phone
Choose a smartphone by how you will use it: battery life away from a charger, camera quality and how many years you plan to keep it. The range covers smartphones with 120 Hz AMOLED screens and 200 MP cameras, rugged models for outdoor work and simple button phones. Brands include Apple iPhone and Android phones from Samsung, Google, Xiaomi, Nothing and others. Headsets and item trackers are in the phone accessories section.
Popular choices
Google Pixel 10a
6.3 inch pOLED display, IP68 rating and 7 years of Android and security updates.
Samsung Galaxy S26 FE 5G
Three cameras with 3x optical zoom, a 4900 mAh battery and up to 7 OS upgrades.
Redmi Note 17 Pro Max 5G
10000 mAh battery, 100 W charging and IP69K protection for long days away from a power socket.
Samsung Galaxy XCover7 Pro
Removable 4350 mAh battery, IP68 and MIL-STD-810H for work outdoors, in a warehouse or on a building site.
Doro Leva E10 4G
Button phone for seniors: assistance button, ringtone louder than 83 dB and menus in Latvian, Russian and English.
Which phone to choose
| Need | What to look for | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Long time between charges | battery from 7000 mAh, charging from 45 W | Redmi Note 17 5G, Poco X8, Redmi Note 17 Pro Max 5G |
| Photo and video | telephoto camera with optical zoom, optical stabilisation | Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra S938, Xiaomi 17T, Google Pixel 11 Pro |
| Many years of use | update period, IP68 protection | Google Pixel 10a, Samsung Galaxy S26 FE 5G |
| Outdoor work | IP68 or IP69, MIL-STD-810H, removable battery (XCover7 Pro) | Samsung Galaxy XCover7 Pro, Hammer Iron 6 5G |
What to check in the specifications
- Memory. A figure like 8/256 GB means 8 GB of RAM and 256 GB of built-in storage. The Samsung Galaxy S25 S931 and S26 FE 5G do not take memory cards, so choose storage with room to spare. The Redmi 17 5G, Poco C95 Pro and Galaxy XCover7 Pro accept a microSD card of up to 2 TB.
- Charging. Wired charging ranges from 15 W (Redmi A7 Pro 4G, Galaxy XCover7 Pro) to 100 W (Poco F9 Pro, Poco X8 Pro, Redmi Note 17 Pro Max 5G). Wireless charging is available on the Google Pixel 10a, the Samsung Galaxy S25 and S26 series and the Poco F9 Pro.
- Updates. Google promises 7 years of Android and security updates for the Pixel 10a and Pixel 11 Pro. The Samsung Galaxy S26 FE 5G gets up to 7 OS upgrades, the Galaxy A17 4G 6 OS generations, the Hammer Iron 6 5G 5 years of support.
Frequently asked questions
Is a charger included?
The Google Pixel 10a, Pixel 11 Pro and Hammer Iron 6 5G come with a USB-C cable only, without a charger. The Nokia 225 4G includes a charger. Before buying, check the In the box section.
Which phone suits a senior?
The Doro Leva E10 4G has a Doro Secure Button for an assistance call and message, a ringtone louder than 83 dB, M4/T4 hearing aid compatibility and menus in Latvian, Russian and English. The Nokia 225 4G has two SIM slots, USB-C charging and a removable battery.
What do IP54, IP68 and IP69K mean?
IP54 protects against dust and splashes (Galaxy A17 4G), IP68 withstands immersion in water (Galaxy S25 and S26 series, Pixel 10a), and IP69K also withstands a hot high-pressure water jet (Redmi Note 17 Pro 5G, Poco X8).
