Advantage/Disadvantage in buying 5G phones.

[3sniper]

"Current 4G users can expect to use 5G the same way they use their current devices. Devices won’t need to change significantly to adopt 5G capabilities, and your routine won’t be interrupted or shaken. It’s still unknown when 4G will officially face discontinuation because cell phones using 5G technology will still be using 4G technology for many years"

Found above article from a certain website. Which means no advantage in paying more for 5G phones now.

What's your opinion?

 

[keenklee]

IMHO.
I have a budget of the budget Samsung A14 5G which also have a 4G version. The 4G seems significantly slower from what I have read. I usually try to get the latest model for the support, for the A14 5G, support is until 2027.

I have other 4G devices like mobile/tablets - the concern is the OS becomes old and no more security patches.

 

[xiaofan]

It depends on your budget.

If you really want to go for the sub S$200 range, I think you will mostly get 4G phones. For me I usually go for the mid-range phone around S$400, in that case, 5G phones will be the way to go. I have listed 5G and NFC as a requirement since 2022.

Basically the lower end phones will have lower end chipset and lower performance and often less duration of OS and security updates. High end phones will have better performance and often longer duration of support (eg: Samsung and Google).

Reference: mid-range Android mobile phone and chipset
https://forums.hardwarezone.com.sg/threads/mid-range-android-mobile-phone-and-chipset.6817761/

 

[xiaofan]

The other thing is that 4G coverage seems to deterioate. I am using Singtel SIM Only plan (4G, only first three month was 5G) now. And I can feel the coverage is getting worse as SIngtel may convert some 4G base station to 5G NSA. But the next recontract will be 5G.

Next recontract offer -- free 5G access for 12 months
https://www.singtel.com/personal/products-services/mobile/eform/simonlyplus-form
https://www.singtel.com/personal/products-services/mobile/eform/simonlycampaign

 

[yusoffb01]

buy 5G for the network capacity. in crowded places it still works fine

 

[firesong]

"Current 4G users can expect to use 5G the same way they use their current devices. Devices won’t need to change significantly to adopt 5G capabilities, and your routine won’t be interrupted or shaken. It’s still unknown when 4G will officially face discontinuation because cell phones using 5G technology will still be using 4G technology for many years"

Found above article from a certain website. Which means no advantage in paying more for 5G phones now.

What's your opinion?

A rather sweeping statement tho. They are assuming that deployments of 5G non-standalone (NSA) remain standard. NSA forces the use of 4G backend equipment for signalling and other functions. In some other countries, that may be more widespread. However, Singapore does have a problem with limited electricity and power resources. We have begun to import these to supplement our local needs, and we become dependent on other countries to supply us, which makes us vulnerable to them. It seems that as a country, we have not learnt our lesson with water.

If countries push for power and network efficiency, going 5G standalone (SA) makes more sense. In Singapore, when we now resort to buying power from neighbouring countries because we do not generate enough of our own, it's a bad idea to keep running low efficiency networks. When we consider that we have other demands on our electrical grid (increase in electric cars etc), it is possible that NSA networks may be phased out sooner rather than later to meet our country's energy needs and goals.

https://www.channelnewsasia.com/sin...energy-laos-through-thailand-malaysia-2766251
https://www.businesstimes.com.sg/in...ctricity-malaysia-first-time-second-half-2023

 

[froztheart]

A rather sweeping statement tho. They are assuming that deployments of 5G non-standalone (NSA) remain standard. NSA forces the use of 4G backend equipment for signalling and other functions. In some other countries, that may be more widespread. However, Singapore does have a problem with limited electricity and power resources. We have begun to import these to supplement our local needs, and we become dependent on other countries to supply us, which makes us vulnerable to them. It seems that as a country, we have not learnt our lesson with water.

If countries push for power and network efficiency, going 5G standalone (SA) makes more sense. In Singapore, when we now resort to buying power from neighbouring countries because we do not generate enough of our own, it's a bad idea to keep running low efficiency networks. When we consider that we have other demands on our electrical grid (increase in electric cars etc), it is possible that NSA networks may be phased out sooner rather than later to meet our country's energy needs and goals.

https://www.channelnewsasia.com/sin...energy-laos-through-thailand-malaysia-2766251
https://www.businesstimes.com.sg/in...ctricity-malaysia-first-time-second-half-2023

They speed to get things done is abysmal, no urgency yet trumpeting that energy security is another crtical factor to total defence.

 

[OutBreak]

I will use 5G when it's free.

 

[froztheart]

I will use 5G when it's free.

Guess you have to wait for quite a while more then, similar to how 4G took a while before its free.

 

[Valdyr]

I will use 5G when it's free.

SIMBA? M1 Bespoke?

 

[OutBreak]

SIMBA? M1 Bespoke?

I am using Simba now.