When you decide to make a smartphone, you always choose first to use the most premium and resistant material on the market , especially in the highest ranges. So, for a lot of power or the great name of the mobile brand, if we spend money on a mobile, what less than the materials that have been used in its manufacture are good and even the best.
And it is that in recent years we have seen a war between the different companies in order to have the best mobile not only in terms of design, but also in resistance and durability. Therefore, we will review the pros and cons of each of the materials so that you can see in greater depth how they differ and if it really matters when changing mobile. Let’s go there!
What are the most used?
One fact that cannot be denied is that the materials that tend to be repeated the most for the manufacture of mobile phones in order to attract a large part of the public are usually glass and metal . And it is that if they are well used they can become very robust, resistant, beautiful and very showy. But one factor that we have to take into account is that, unfortunately, a majority of buyers are influenced much more by marketing strategies than by the characteristics that differentiate one material from another. If you are not part of it, it is important that you learn that both options have different advantages and disadvantages that we will discuss.
Types of materials by hardness
Plastic, at the service of all ranges
When the first smartphones began to be manufactured, no one thought about making devices out of metal, glass or any other type of material. For this reason, they opted for plastic, since it was the lightest, very resistant and malleable. And it may not be stronger than metal, but it is much more immune to scratches, marks, or major bumps . That is, if you want to break it, you may do it before aluminum, but it will be difficult to make notches more visible than other terminals with another finish.
Today, plastic is associated with the cheapest and most basic mobiles on the market, since few brands use this material in ranges other than low or medium. A fact that has caused that few users want to have a mobile that seems “cheap.” But this does not conform to reality, because if it were made good use of it, we would probably be talking about the best material available to achieve all kinds of personalized finishes in which communications do not suffer, since they are capable of transmitting very well. RF signals (radio frequency waves).
Metal, essential for frames
This material, without a doubt, is one of the most used and sought after in the mobile market in recent years, and not precisely because of its easy handling or low cost. However, and as you can deduce, it is much more resistant than its competitors, as it resists scratches very well , although it is true that not much more than glass, so you will not get rid of the happy marks.
And it is important to know that models that have metal can also deform, dented or can be damaged quite easily, so if you drop your smartphone or sit on it without realizing it, it is likely that you will leave it cosmetic damage. forever, or at least until you fix it.
However, metallic mobiles like a lot, not only at first glance, but also because of the touch of aluminum that gives us the feeling of a more ‘premium’ touch. Although this is also because the high-end has been filled with this material. In addition, it offers us an unbeatable design having different finishes such as polished, chrome, brushed …
It is also worth noting that metal is not a very good friend to wireless communications . For those who do not know it, the metal casings that many mobiles have do not incorporate the NFC chip or mount a plastic part with a metallic touch to be able to have antennas that facilitate this connection, so this point must also be taken into account when it comes to change device.
Crystal, elegant but fragile
As for the fragility of this material compared to its other two competitors it is much higher. And although our devices have great protections such as Dragontrail or Gorilla Glass , this will not guarantee, much less, that there are no scratches, marks or that nothing happens if our mobile falls.
In addition, this material emerged to offer an alternative to the other two. And it is that the possibilities of innovation are very wide, either in colors or in varied designs. Although one of its main failures is in the grip, since they slip just by looking at them. Another problem we can find is that it also adds a greater cost and weight to the device that has this finish. But, the good thing about the crystal is also that it lets the RF signals pass quite well so this will not be a problem. And without a doubt, the feeling and user experience is one of the best on the market.
Ceramic, very resistant but very expensive
Xiaomi was one of the first companies that decided to use this material for its high-end terminals, followed by Samsung. The great thing about ceramic is that it is harder than glass and plastic , and much lighter than metal. However, it is the most expensive today, as it is difficult to mold and manufacture due to equipment. We also find another negative point, such as its brittleness to blows, causing it to break before metal or plastic. Also, its polished surface can be scratched easily, matching glass in this regard.
But … which one should I keep?
This will depend on who you ask, since for some one material or another will be a better option, since as almost always, the choice will vary according to the tastes of each user. But, if we are objective, we will verify that the market has already spoken for itself and it has been proven that glass and metal have become the best option when changing terminals. This has been achieved thanks to the fact that the manufacturers have managed to combine a good robustness of the metallic chassis with a premium glass finish, making the purchase prices well accepted by anyone. Although in the end, the most important thing will be to acquire the device that everyone likes the most.
