2017 was the most impressive year for smartphones. New trends and standards were conceived, including the likes of bezel-free designs and USB Type C fast charging.
Some of the top smartphones from 2017 from the likes of Apple and Samsung have surpassed the $1,000 (~R12,300) mark. On the other end of the spectrum, companies like Huawei and OnePlus have developed cheaper smartphones with flagship capabilities.
So it's a very exciting time indeed for smartphones. But most of this excitement has not yet carried to our South African shores. We are currently restricted to only a few major companies in the smartphone game –– Samsung and Apple, with the odd appearance by LG and Huawei.
But did you know that the gaming peripheral manufacturer Razer has also recently released its own highly acclaimed device?
Let's take a look at some of these great smartphones, whether they make it to South Africa or not.
The OnePlus 5T
OnePlus is a Chinese smartphone manufacturer that believes in delivering products with features to meet their client's needs. OnePlus has managed to manufacture a device that includes almost every top smartphone feature –– the OnePlus 5T, a phone made for the people.
The OnePlus 5T is a Qualcomm Snapdragon smartphone featuring a whopping 6GB of RAM. This power is housed in a slim metal unibody design. The screen is an upgrade of the original OnePlus 5 (which is currently available through FNB), designed with a near bezel-free 18:9 aspect ratio.
The larger screen size and long-lasting battery makes this powerful smartphone great for gaming and watching videos. But neither that nor the fact that it also has a headphone jack isn't the 5T's greatest feature –– its main selling point is the price: around $500 (~R6,150). That's half the price of the latest iPhone X. At that price, this flagship smartphone will do well in the South African market.
With smartphone contract prices currently soaring through the roof, the Honor 7X could be a welcome addition to our South African market.
Huawei Honor 7X
The Honor 7X recently launched in the U.S. It's currently retailing there for just $199 (~R2,449)! The equivalent here would be something like a R3,000 Samsung J series. But what makes the Honor 7X stand out are its amazing design and features.
Similar to the OnePlus 5T, the Honor also has a slim metal unibody design with an almost bezel-free 18:9 aspect ratio screen. In terms of power, the Honor 7x has a Kirin 659 processor (made by Huawei) with 4GB of RAM. What you get here is a great-looking smartphone with powerful internals at an extremely low price.
With smartphone contract prices currently going through the roof, the Honor 7X could be a welcome addition to our South African market.
Razer Phone
Razer is a mid- to high-end computer gaming peripheral manufacturer. They are well known for their gaming headsets, keyboards and mice. Recently, Razer has also begun to manufacture gaming laptops and PCs. These devices have been met with general critical praise from users and the Razer fan base.
Now, the company is attempting to enter the mobile gaming market with its latest product: the Razer Phone.
The Razer Phone is a very large smartphone that does everything in a very big way. It houses a Snapdragon 835 processor with an insane 8GB of RAM, as well as a 4000mAh battery. You can expect long hours of serious smooth gaming here. Another factor facilitating smooth gaming is its 120Hz UltraMotion screen. This high resolution makes navigating the phone feel buttery smooth.
Razer has also gone all-out with its speakers. At the top and bottom of the display, you will find large front-facing stereo speakers to further enhance the gaming experience. The Razer Phone is still, however, far from perfect. The picture quality of its camera is very poor, and it doesn't have a headphone jack. Which is strange, seeing that Razer is known for manufacturing great headsets. Nevertheless, it is still a great smartphone among the options available here in SA.