Received 29.12.2025, Revised 30.03.2026, Accepted 28.05.2026 Published 29.05.2026
The aim of the study was to make a comparative evaluation of smartphones of different price segments – in terms of their technical, operational, economic and informational characteristics. The research methodology was based upon a type of comparative commodity analysis, establishing evaluation criteria and employing both a weighted scoring approach and verification of correspondence between official specifications and manufacturer technical details. Four smartphone models representing the budget, mid-range, premium, and flagship price segments were selected for the analysis. The comparative assessment showed that the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra achieved the highest integrated quality score (4.80 points), whereas the Xiaomi Redmi Note 14 Pro 5G demonstrated the most favourable balance between technical performance and market price (4.55 points). The Apple iPhone 16 confirmed the importance of software optimisation, ecosystem integration, and long-term software support for the consumer value of premium devices, while the Samsung Galaxy A26 5G provided adequate functionality for everyday use as the most cost-effective model. The analysis indicates that higher prices for smartphones are not necessarily accompanied by improvements in the technical characteristics of those devices. The differences between phones within each price segment relate most directly to the processor performance of the devices, the imaging capabilities of the cameras, the design and construction of the devices, and the software that is available to support those smartphones. Each of the technical specifications for each of the smartphones was verified to be consistent with those published by the device manufacturers. The practical significance of the study lies in the applicability of the proposed evaluation criteria and integrated assessment methodology for commodity examination of smartphones, the development of consumer recommendations, and the selection of smartphone models according to price segment and user requirements
consumer properties; integrated quality index; technical specifications; software support; consumer value