There are two reasons for “needing” a new gadget: functionality, and ego. Ego is a pretty valid reason these days. Just as a new car draws attention and makes impressions, having the latest dazzling smart phone can make you cool for a while.

Functionality draws buyers who often don’t even think about whether they’ll use all that power. With the evolution of apps in memory size, CPU consumption and graphics use, there’s a good argument for upgrading.

Everyone knows about “gadget lust,” that feeling you get when you hear about a cool new tech item that you suddenly need terribly. What if you stop for a moment and think about whether you really have to have it or what you’ve already got will do?

It comes down to how you use your phone. If you’re not much into apps, a basic phone will do. If you’re playing the latest games on your phone, digging into the latest technologies and staying busy on social media, your phone will need to work hard. If you just have a few apps like navigation and contact management, messaging and photography, you’ll find that your mid-range phone was worth it.