By now, watching sports in streaming is becoming a rather widespread habit, but which are the best mobile devices to follow our favorite athletes?
When it comes to the sports season, the first thought usually goes to soccer. It is no coincidence that we are talking about the sport most loved by Italians, the one that brings hundreds of thousands of people every weekend in the stadium of one’s favorite team and for which pay TV subscriptions are subscribed. But the fans don’t just watch the matches, they live them, comment on them even after ninety minutes and try to predict the result in advance through Serie A bets. In short, it’s not just a sport, but almost a sacred liturgy.
But there is not only football, but also other disciplines that are considered important at least as much as the ball: from basketball to volleyball, through cycling and ending with engines, between Formula 1 and MotoGP in primis. Well, there is no impediment that holds for the Italian who is in love with sport, especially in 2023. We are in the age of the internet and digital, of ultra-fast connections and mobile devices. All this has made it possible to create, develop and optimize a particular technology: lo streaming live. This allows anyone in possession of a device capable of connecting to the fixed or mobile network to watch any type of video live, as in the case of the various channels present on platforms such as YouTube and Twitch.
A similar argument can be made about sport, since it has been years now that it is possible to follow all the major sporting events, including Serie A and football in general, via live stream, especially on the DAZN platform, which has announced the new prices for the upcoming season. But what are the best mobile devices to be able to see this kind of video? Let’s try to answer this question starting from some preliminary data on a hypothetical winning model and then broadening the discussion to specific smartphone models and more.
Long battery life for sports streaming
As known, streaming via the internet is certainly a salvation for those who cannot watch their favorite sporting event through their home television, computer or, even better, live on site. But, on the other hand, it is a rather expensive technology for batteries of mobile devices. Especially if you are far from a stable and powerful Wi-Fi connection, having to rely instead on the data connection.
Now with 5G it is also possible to make up for the drops in speed and stability of the old 4G networks, but what is certain is that a mobile connection will greatly overload the performance effort of our device, quickly draining its battery. Watching a streaming video connected to the mobile network, in fact, entails a drop in battery charge percentage at least 50% faster compared to conditions of use that we could define as normal. So, when thinking about buying a mobile device to be able to watch matches or grands prix away from home, it’s always good to try to choose one that has a larger than average capacity battery, from 4000 mAh upwards if possible.
Performance network card and processor
But a good battery is certainly not enough to easily watch a live streaming video lasting at least 90 minutes. Instead, it will be necessary to consider at least two other characteristics of the phone to buy: the network card and the processor. The first must be of the latest generation, capable of connect to the 5G networknot just 4G plus, and support a latest generation Wi-Fi connection, ie WiFi 6. This will allow our device to reach download speeds that they will even be close to 1 Gbpswhile in upload you will easily touch 100 Mbps.
Equally fast and performing must be the processor of the device. Just think of the latest ones released by Apple, such as the A14 chip and the A15 chip, which allow you to process billions of pieces of information per second, more than a good computer can even do. If these processors are then combined with a RAM of at least 6 or 8 GB, the result will be more than satisfactory.
Quite large and high resolution screen
By now, the time of mobile phones that folded into wallets and more than pocket-sized is over. We have gone back slightly from this point of view, preferring devices from ever wider and more defined screens. But a screen that is at least 6-7 inches is critical if you plan to use your mobile phone as a TV to watch matches or other sporting events in streaming. Otherwise the risk is only to strain your eyesight and not see anything or almost. The definition is also important. The higher it is, perhaps UHD, the easier it will be to watch a sporting event in streaming even on a phone that has a medium-sized screen.
Best templates for sports streaming
But what are currently the phones that have all these features together in 2023? It starts with two now bitter competitors: on the one hand Samsung, on the other Apple. From the S10 plus to the S23 Ultra, every phone model from the South Korean house of Galaxy S line is fit for purpose above. The battery performance is excellent, with almost 48 hours of life under normal use, the processors and the operating system are fast and intuitive, while the screen is among the best on the market, on average between 5.8 and 7 inches with AMOLED technology and definition in UHD.
The same goes for the competing models of the Cupertino house. But the real breakthrough came with the Pro linefrom the iPhone 11 onwards, and with the 14 Plus series. The batteries don’t run out before 24 hours with intensive use, the screens, all rigorously UHD, have an optimal size for watching videos, while the processors fitted are very fast and performing like no other in the world.
Attention, then, to the Xiaomi line, in particular the PRO one, but also the Lite one, which are characterized by a medium-long battery life, the ultra-fast Snapdragon processor, a 5G connection and a UHD screen with a 120Hz refresh rate, which will make the smooth viewing experience as if it were live. In summary, therefore, the best devices for watching a match or a sporting event in streaming are the top of the range, with reference to the latest releases, iPhone 14, especially in the Plus or Pro Max versions, Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra and Xiaomi Red Mi 12 pros.
Tablet, the alternative solution to the smartphone
Finally, for those who don’t want to settle for a mobile phone, but don’t even want to depart from the world of mobile devices, there is always the tablet solution, whether it’s an iPad or any Android model. A device of this kind usually has the advantage of having an equally performing battery, processors similar to those of a real PC and a high-definition screen at least 1.5 times larger than that of a smartphone. Certainly, a tablet will also have some defects, such as the less easy portability compared to a mobile phone, which is perfectly pocket-sized even if it is large, or the absence of a dedicated data connection on some models. In the latter cases, it will be necessary either to find a Wi-Fi network to connect to, or to act as a hotspot with your mobile phone during the entire game.
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