Phone Requirements for using DreamSave

Phone Requirements for using DreamSave

Which Phone is best for DreamSave?

Overview

DreamSave is designed to work with any smartphone running Android 5 or later. This includes most models released after 2012.

While Android phone prices continue to fall each year, it’s important to note that some budget phones use unreliable materials that can lead to hidden costs. If you’re not careful, these cheaper phones can result in higher rates of breakage, failure, and frustrating user experiences for savings groups.

For new DreamSave projects, we generally recommend phones in the “Standard” price range. While these models cost a little more upfront, they help ensure a consistently reliable experience for all savings groups. This allows you to focus your team on measuring the impact of the app itself, rather than wasting time managing potential quality problems with phones.

  1. Low-End (USD 50-100)

  2. Standard (USD 100-200)

  3. Mid-range (USD 200-600)

  4. High-end (USD 600+)

Major Android phone brands all have a series of models that matches the standard pricing. In the table below, we have listed some reliable brands, the series where you will be more likely to find standard devices and an example of a phone meeting all the requirements for a DreamSave project. These brands and models are widely available and have a good reputation for quality and reliability.

Brand
Serie(s)
Model Example
Price in USD (Estimated)
Infinix
Hot
 Infinix Hot 30i
$130
Samsung
Galaxy A
Samsung Galaxy A04s
$175
Tecno
Spark & Pop
Tecno Spark 10 
$110
Xiaomi
Redmi A & Poco
Xiaomi Redmi A2
$110

Selection Criteria

The recommended models above were selected based on the following criteria.
  1. Screen Quality: A good touch screen is essential to the user’s comfort. Since many groups meet outdoors, you also want a display with enough brightness. Experts recommend at least 400 nits of screen brightness for outdoor use.
  1. Battery Life: 5,000 mAh or more is preferable, especially in places where electricity is scarce (lower capacity means phones must be charged more often).
  1. Ease of Repair: The recommended models are all designed for easier screen repair, system repair, etc.
  1. Storage and RAM: All models have at least 2GB of RAM with 32GB of storage minimum.
  1. Android Support: The selected models all run on Android 12 or 13. Models with an earlier version (Minimum of Android 5.1) may work but with less efficiency.
  1. Cost: Phones that meet these standards typically range from $100-200 USD. Note that there are entry-level models on the market that are half this price range or less. While DreamSave will run on these cheaper phones, they are not recommended for projects. Low-quality touch screens are often difficult to use on entry-level smartphones, and quality shortcuts often result in high hardware failure rates. Add to this the fact that many low-end smartphones are difficult to repair, and the ultimate cost can end up being higher than buying a high-quality standard phone in the first place.

Additional Tips

  1. Buying a case can help protect the phones against drops (cost USD $2+).
  2. Tempered glass can help protect the screen (a tempered glass overlay costs around USD $6).
  3. Note that some smartphone brands no longer provide a charger out of the box. If you need to buy a charger, make sure it’s a high-quality model recommended by the store you purchase the phones from (cheap knock-off chargers from street vendors can significantly reduce the battery life or damage phones).




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