Here’s why I wait before buying the latest flagship

Over the years as I’ve tried different brands and switched between smartphone manufacturers, I’ve become a more scrutinizing consumer. For my first smartphone, I just bought what the sales representative suggested, because there weren’t that many brands available. This was around 2011 and while I was very happy with my HTC device, the market has developed significantly since.

Over time I learned that there are hidden drawbacks to many flagships that may not be evident at launch. While I still invest in a new flagship Android smartphone when I’m due for an upgrade, I’ve learned to wait a while before jumping on the bandwagon and buying the latest device.

Smartphone product launches are often about marketing and hyping up a product. These presentations often lean more into intangible marketing and hyping up the vague experience of smartphone features, rather than focusing on specs, performance, and major hardware updates.

I was underwhelmed by the launch of the Galaxy S25 series earlier this year, but didn’t want to just make assumptions based on the presentation. So, like I usually do, I waited for the reviews to come in from trustworthy sources to figure out if the smartphone was really worth my time and money.

Another benefit of waiting until the reviews come in is that reviewers usually create comparisons between devices. It’s worth knowing how the S25 Ultra compares to the Xiaomi 15 Ultra, for example. I’m more than willing to switch to a different smartphone brand if it offers more value for money, so these comparisons help me get a good idea of what competitors are offering.

I miss the days when smartphone makers seemed to really be pushing boundaries when it came to the hardware. Nowadays, many updates are minor and iterative, if not mainly focused on AI features.

There are a few brands that still innovate, but pushing technology further does come with certain drawbacks. Another reason I wait before buying a new flagship device is to see whether any hardware problems present themselves for early adopters and reviewers.

One of the latest instances of this that made me glad that I didn’t immediately invest in a newly launched phone is the Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset’s overheating issue. While I won’t be testing my own smartphone with rigorous benchmarking, a chipset that runs too hot can slow down your phone and isn’t the most pleasant thing to hold in your hand.

Then there are AMOLED displays on flagship phones that sometimes have the “green line issue.” While I can’t completely avoid the risk of a green line forming on my smartphone screen, I can look out for smartphone models where the issue seems more prevalent so I can avoid them.

But my tradition of waiting to see if hardware issues present themselves goes back further than that. I was initially keen to get the Galaxy Note 7 until reports came out about the phone’s battery defects which caused overheating and fires. This was an instance where waiting really paid off.

When folding smartphones started becoming more mainstream, I also waited to see whether they were really as durable as the marketing stated. Early adopters experienced multiple issues, and while the technology has been refined over the years, I’m still not ready to invest in this smartphone format yet — despite how appealing some of the launches have been. I enjoyed the OPPO Find N2 Flip during my review period with the device, but some people have reported hinge issues after only a year of use.

Even if you’re not heavily researching your smartphones before purchasing, there is another major benefit of waiting before buying — the inevitable price drops and sales. A caveat, however, is that you miss out on pre-order deals and bonuses, as well as certain limited trade-in offers. But the benefit is that you can buy a device that has been vetted by reviewers and early adopters at a lower price than launch.

I personally bought my S23 Ultra at a $600 discount, with these specials first appearing a few months after the phone’s release. And even though the S25 Ultra launched in February, there are currently plenty of deals offering the smartphone at a reduced price on third-party storefronts like Amazon. In March, for example, you could also get the S25 Ultra for $300 off the launch price.

If you really want a phone, however, I wouldn’t recommend waiting too long since you may run into stock issues.

While buying a flagship at launch is extremely tempting, especially if the product is exciting, I’ve found that patience comes with multiple benefits. You can see what reviewers say and how the phone compares to the competition, as well as getting the occasional discount. That said, being an early adopter does allow you to benefit from pre-order deals and bonuses.