CNET Urges Shoppers to Skip $1,000 Flagships as iPhone Duo Reaches $3,199
Updated
Updated · CNET · Oct 3
CNET Urges Shoppers to Skip $1,000 Flagships as iPhone Duo Reaches $3,199
3 articles · Updated · CNET · Oct 3
Summary
$1,000-plus flagship prices and a $3,199 iPhone Duo prompted CNET to steer buyers toward clearer priorities before choosing an iPhone 18 or Android device.
RAM and flash-memory shortages are pushing phone costs higher, making midrange models and last year's phones more attractive ways to avoid paying top dollar.
CNET said buyers should focus on the features they use most—camera, battery, screen size and storage—while treating 128GB as a safer minimum than 64GB for many users.
7 years of software support from Google and similar promises from Samsung make update longevity a key value metric, especially for used phones that may soon lose security coverage.
5G is now widespread enough that CNET sees little reason to buy a 4G-only phone, while cases, screen protectors and sale periods like Prime Day can further cut long-term costs.