Christmas bonus? 13th month pay? This means gadget shopping for geeks out there this coming holiday season. But along with it comes the challenge, what gadget should I buy? So before you go on a gadget hunt you might want to ask yourself these six questions before you make your purchase.
1. Can I afford it?
Probably the most important part in this list. Since buying a gadget obviously requires money, ask yourself if you have enough money to purchase the gadget that you love so much. And if you do, also ask yourself if you’ll be able to live comfortably after buying it. It doesn’t make sense to have an iPhone 5S then put yourself on a mandatory “diet”. The same concept applies if you purchase on credit.
2. What features do I need?
Gadgets are all about specs and features. The higher the specs and the more plentiful the features, the higher the price tag. So ask yourself, do you really need those specs and features? Do you need LTE connectivity if you mostly spend your time in a non-LTE area? Do you need mobile data if there’s always free WiFi accessible or if your 3G network sucks? Do you really need a gold-colored smartphone with 64-bit processing and a fingerprint scanner? Knowing what features you need can help you decide which gadget suits you. Letting go of fancy features you won’t fully utilize can actually save you some cash.
3. Does it suit my lifestyle?
This part complements number 2. Ask yourself if you’re a gamer, a bookworm, a music lover, a mobile photographer, a traveler, etc. This can help you decide what screen size, build, features and specs your phone should have. Your gadget should complement your lifestyle, that way you won’t have to complain about your device’s limitations. It’s irritating to hear a person complain about an entry-level device just because it couldn’t play Dead Trigger 2 smoothly.
4. Can I maintain it?
A gadget is a liability, not an asset as it takes money out of your pocket. It needs to be maintained. You need to buy prepaid cards or pay your postpaid bills to stay connected. You will need to protect it from getting damaged as well so a screen protector and a good protective case is required especially if you’re too clumsy. God knows you won’t settle for just one case or screen protector.
5. Can I afford to lose it?
There will be unfortunate moments in your life that will put an end to your gadget’s happy days. It can get stolen or damaged beyond repair. A person with a sub Php4K smartphone won’t grieve much compared to a person with a much expensive device. If you can’t afford to lose it then better get a gadget insurance or make sure that your phone has good warranty. Also, when purchasing online, it pays to know the difference between a Manufacturer Warranty and a Service Warranty.
6. Am I going to be happy with it?
Regardless if it’s a local brand or a premium brand, what matters the most is that you’re happy with the gadget you bought. Even if you purchased a very affordable phone it should be something you won’t hesitate to use in a room full of iPhone users because that’s what you need. I used to own a sub-Php1K feature phone and when someone asked me why I bought a cheap one, I just dropped it on a hardwood floor, picked it up and used it again like nothing happened. Point taken.
To sum it up, if you’re going to buy a gadget make sure that it sits well within your budget, it has the specs and features that you need, it suits your lifestyle, it’s something you can easily maintain, something that you can afford to lose, and lastly, it is something that makes you happy.
In the meantime, you can check out our Christmas Gadget Guide below:
YugaTech Christmas Gadget Guide: Smartphones
YugaTech Christmas Gadget Guide: Laptops & Ultrabooks
Sa Bold 9900 pa lang solve na ako for everyday commute. Pang text at tawag lang naman e. Wala ng iba. Ngayon pa lang nag-upgrade sa Passport at bago mag upgrade nainvest ko na sa negosyo. Nice list Yuga.
The most important question to yourself is
1. Do I really need to buy this gadget?
Need vs. want!
may cellphone ka pa naman. bbili ka nanamn ng bago? para lang masabi na “IN” ka. may pang yabang sa tropa. dibale ng gutom basta may cellphone. kya mag isip mabuti!
Basta smartphone, automatic naman want na yan eh. Imposible naman kasing need pa ang mga gadgets worth 30k+ di ba?
Any idea who insures gadgets not acquired via the telcos?
This is exactly what I would tell my friends and family when deciding to buy a gadget. Thank you for this post!
also consider the aftersales service
mejo unfair ata itong article nato sa iPhone tungkol dun sa quote na scanner,kailanman kase di naman talaga magiging isang “need” ang fingerprint scanner at ang may bibili ng iphone dahil dito ay dahil “gusto” nila ito.
I got Nokia 31 something series, sorry i forgot the model number. And thinking while reading this blog post, Most of the question ay pareho ng tanong ko sa sarili ko, kaya im still stuck sa nokia 31series. At dahil sa question na ito I got more better thing in life na nabinili na mas importante pa sa mga bagong gadget..
Quoted from the List:
1. It doesn’t make sense to have an iPhone 5S then put yourself on a mandatory “diet”
2. Do you really need a gold-colored smartphone with 64-bit processing and a fingerprint scanner?
Parang iPhone 5s ata pinatatamaan dito,ah? Hehe! Wala lang, napansin ko lang. The Point is Me Point naman talaga, aanhin mo naman ang pagkamahal mahal na gadget kung wala ka na ngang makain,di ba? Ano, hanggang sa selfie ka na lang sa salamin na kita ang apple logo sa likod? para ma pa impress at sabihing naka iPhone 5s Gold ka?
5. Can I afford to lose it?
Ang saklap siguro pag nawala ang iPhone 5s na Gold Color pa.
Well, just my Idea lang naman. Hope Apple fans will not be mad at me..
7. Will I be able to pick up chicks with it?
… teka, dapat ata #1 ito?
Panget ka? Kelangan mo maganda phone… lol
Burn! Hahahaha lol Think before posting. A joke may backfire, just like what happened here. lmfao
1. Can I afford it?
that should always be the question. good point. we should be debt-free, as much as possible, before flaunting our high end gadgets. :)
if you are just buying it to impress your friends or para makibagay (naiinggit ka sa kanila), think twice
i invest mo nalang ang pera
Can i live without it? This question puts everything in perspective and reminds me that there are other more important things worth buying & paying – like food, clothing, kids tuition, etc. I bought a CM Blaze 1.0 last December and I’m set for the long haul. I’m not getting anymore phone, no matter how many cores or what not.
8. Should i buy Cheap product X or continue to save my money for a more quality product?
I think this is one thats overlooked, people in this country run out and buy a cheap android phone or tablet, and end up with a slow, bad experience . Its sort of money wasted, sure nicer products cost more but often its worth it to save and get something better. (example better buy a nexus 7 tablet vs a off brand mediatek chinese tablet)
good point, pero sa tingin ko magiging unfair sa mga nagbebenta ng affordable handsets at baka makasuhan pa ang yugatech lol dahil ang idadahilan ng mga nagbebenta eh di naman lahat ng handsets eh may defect =)))
Ang sarap magbasa ng comment section pagwalang trolls, pang- asar and KSP.
Gawa po kayo ng list po ng mga camera’s local & international brand na below 10K~
kasi may nakita po akong dslrs na fixed lens na mura pero di ko alam kung what brand yung mas better~ G.E or Polaroid
Like now, i got note 2, pero may note3 na, ayaw ko ng mag update sa note3 kasi di ko naman nagagamit ang Spen ng note2. I will just keep my note 2 kasi ok naman siya at mataas pa rin ang spec niya compare sa mga lumalabas na local phones.
sweet.
yung mga gadgets sa picture sa table, yan ba ipapamigay ng yuga this xmas? hehe..
Kung yugatech follower ka, alam mo na yan ay picture nang mga giveaway nila last year..
Yuga Guys,
Gawa naman kayo ng article or mag suggest naman kayo ng gadgets na tipong pwedeng pang exchange gift.
lapit na kasi ung pasko,
syempre swak dapat sa budget at maganda din yung quality
Looking forward na makita ko ung post nyo soon
Thanks
Thanks for the Info. From now on tatanungin ko muna yung sarili ko bago ako bumili…
Thank for the Info. From now on tatanungin ko muna yung sarili ko bago ako bumili…
May I know what’s the difference between a Manufacturer Warranty and a Service Warranty?
7th question: Malakas ba tong maka sosyal?
Or kapag ginamit MO, malakas maka-social CLIMBER? XD
Wala bang tablet guide? and what’s the best tablet for a 10k budget? :) thanks yugatech and lurkers
Can I afford to lose it?
This questions isn’t just about the physical gadget itself. It can also refer to data stored in the device. Data such as phonebook (contact list), text messages, notes stored in the device.
If you can’t afford to lose any of these, make sure you know how to backup these data to your own pc or anywhere that isn’t too likely to get lost or misplaced.
+1 on the value of data, although it’s not really part of the criteria that Louie listed down. I have an old laptop, a Thinkpad SL400 that I probably couldn’t sell for 10K if I took into account only the hardware. However, I put the value of my own data — i.e., the documents I’ve created — at least 50x that 10K, mainly because of the time I’ve put into creating them. Not that anyone else will buy that data for that much :)
tama! lalo na mga sex videos.
First question: Do I need it?
Second question: Will it make my life easier by buying the gadget?
very good point. hindi yung puro nlng tayo gasta ng gasta. at pinapayaman lang natin ung mga phone manufacturers na yan na kada bwan may ilalabas na phone para mmagbutas ng bulsa natin.
7. Am I going to keep it?
How long do you expect to use it? If you’re just going to buy a new one after a month or two, better wait.
wala naman cgurong tao na kapag di makapaghintay sa isang phone eh bibili muna ng iba tas pag naunveil na ung hinhintay eh bibili uli.hahaha pero tama ung headliner mo,mas ok kase na bumili ng d ganun kamahal kung every year naman nagpapalit and vice versa
Yap you got a point. Madalas akong bumibili ng saglit ko lang ginagamit. mga pocket wifi, cp at kung ano ano… Better think about that too!