So, you’re thinking about using SurveyCTO for your next data collection project? We think it’s pretty great, but we might be biased. Whatever you decide, there’s a good chance that one of the next decisions you’ll need to make will be what device to purchase. Because Android manufacturers change their lineup of models too often for us to keep track of all of their specifications we can’t recommend specific brands or models, but we are happy to offer you some advice about things to consider while you’re making your decision. What to buy depends on the features that are important to your project and how much future use you plan to get out of your devices. Before we get into details, the single most important bit of advice we can give you is to buy one unit of your chosen device and test it thoroughly before making any larger purchases.
SurveyCTO requirements (summary)
| System | Minimum | Recommended |
| Operating system | Android 4.4 | Android 5, 7 for field plug-ins |
| Storage | 4 GB | 8 GB |
| Memory | 2 GB | 4 GB, especially for longer forms |
Other recommendations:
- SIM card: Necessary for phone calls and mobile hotspot connection in areas with limited/ no wifi.
- Dedicated GPS chip: For retrieving location.
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Note: As of SurveyCTO 2.60, SurveyCTO also supports data collection on iOS devices. iOS is brand newer to the SurveyCTO platform, and does not have every feature that SurveyCTO Collect on Android has (although we aim to close the gap where possible). See this article for guidance on what iOS supports as compared to Android. SurveyCTO Collect for iOS requires at least iOS 11. |
Brand
While you can generally rely on the devices made by familiar, well-known manufacturers, don’t discount many of the brands emerging from China which might be less familiar than those popular in the US and Europe but who are releasing some amazing devices that are very good value. Focus on the features you need and specifications the device offers more so than on the name of the manufacturer.
Language and font support
One of the most important considerations is device support for the language and fonts required for your study. This will increasingly become a legacy consideration as manufacturers add support for more languages in new device models. If your study will take place in a country which uses Latin script (including English and most Romance languages), you should have no trouble.
Most importantly, SurveyCTO Collect for Android supports Unicode character encoding. However, Unicode font encoding is not always the default for non-Latin languages, so this can add complications.
A great many non-Latin scripts are also well-supported on most devices (often with Unicode fonts) but it should not be assumed. This depends on the device and region the devices are purchased in (see below for guidance on where to purchase devices).
If you are planning a survey on mobile devices for an audience that speaks a non-Latin language, it is critical that you be sure that your devices can support that language. SurveyCTO Collect for Android has no built-in font support, so it depends on your device.
GPS
An on-board GPS chip is really important to have for most projects. Budget devices with only tower-assisted triangulation (sometimes called “a-gps”) are not a good idea, as you won’t be able to get GPS coordinates when 100% offline. We would argue that a dedicated, onboard GPS chip is a must.
A quick trick to know whether a device has a dedicated GPS chip is to check location settings on the device. If it has a “gps-only” option, then it has an on-board GPS chip.
Cellular functionality
Speaking of connectivity, SIM card support would be a good idea. Wi-Fi-only tablets might be a lot of trouble to sync regularly enough with the server, and generally would require your surveyors, or teams, to have wireless hotspots to connect to. The sooner your data gets uploaded to your server, the better.
Even better, consider devices that can take multiple SIM cards! While less common in the U.S. and Europe, such devices are common in other markets. Having SIM cards from different networks installed in your devices can help cope with poor network coverage.
Also, be sure to double-check that the devices you are considering can operate on the frequencies used by mobile network operators in the country that data collection will take place. This is increasingly a legacy concern, as mobile devices can often work on several frequency ranges.
Camera
Will your surveyors take photos as part of data collection? Do they need to be good quality? Then consider the built-in camera. Most devices above the cheapest have acceptable cameras these days, but you will want to do some tests beforehand to figure out the best size/quality trade-off for your project.
Storage and memory
When you're shopping for a device, you have to take both storage and memory into account but since SurveyCTO doesn't usually collect large amounts of data (unless you are taking pictures and videos), memory/RAM will have a greater effect on your day-to-day experience. So if you’re looking for a tie-breaker between two similar devices, prioritize RAM over processor speed and storage.
For a budget device, 4-8GB of storage and 2GB of RAM should be considered a bare minimum. In general, go for as much RAM as you can within your budget.
Screen
The most important consideration with device screens is their clarity and readability under different light conditions. A screen that appears perfectly clear and usable inside your office might be unclear in direct sunlight, making it very hard to work with in the field. This is an important reason to test devices in real world conditions before buying in bulk. Problems with visibility might however be managed with the right protective screen cover or case for the device.
Overall screen quality and higher resolutions are nice to have but are probably things you might choose to compromise on in favour of price. If displaying videos or images in your survey is important, better quality screens might be worth the investment.
Screens will also be variably durable and the newer a device, the more likely it will have a better grade of damage-resistant glass covering the screen.
Battery life
Battery life is really important BUT you can compensate with power banks to charge devices and keep them going in the field. If you have the budget for it, get a power bank per tablet, at least. Also think about how you’ll charge all your tablets and power banks in-country. Keep in mind that GPS and cellular functionality are big drains on the battery, so depending on your use case it could be helpful to train your surveyors to put their device in airplane mode unless they are actively transmitting data. If you have a dedicated GPS chip (as we discussed above) it will still turn on when necessary even if the tablet is in airplane mode.
Android version
While we recommend using the most recent, and most secure version of Android your device supports, SurveyCTO Collect runs on Android version 4.4 and older (Android devices running 4.3 and older are not be able to synchronize with the server).
In a more strict sense, you should use Android version 5+ as some 4.4 devices will have trouble taking photos, scanning barcodes, and some other tasks.
If you are interested in running phone surveys on SurveyCTO and would like to record interviews using audio audits, you'll want to use Android versions 5 through 7. For more details, read this guide covering options for initiating phone calls.
Where to buy
Where you buy your devices from might be largely governed by the best price. However, take vendor relationships and past reliability into account. Paying a little more per device might be worth it if the vendor offers a better warranty and is someone who has been trustworthy in the past. Be careful not to buy devices which are locked to a given mobile network.
Also, consider purchasing devices in the country they will be used. While it could be expedient to purchase devices in your own country, set them up and then travel with them, this has disadvantages too. Firstly, travelling with a large amount of mobile devices will mean problems with customs - you may find yourself liable for customs duties for importing consumer electronics. Further, contemporary air travel regulation is restrictive as to the number of and size of the lithium ion batteries you can carry with you. Buying devices locally also means that you’ll be more likely to receive chargers with the devices that work in domestic wall sockets, which will save you buying adaptors.
It is not impossible to put a number of devices in check-in luggage, or to ship devices by international air freight, it is just better to not have to organize such things as emergency measures. You’ll want to be confident that devices you’ve bought at home and have carefully setup, arrive in one piece on the other side. If you do plan to purchase your devices in another country have them shipped, give yourself plenty of time and build in a few weeks to your estimate to account for potential delays with local customs officials.
Test one before you buy in bulk
Lastly, to reiterate, the most important advice we could give is that you should ideally buy a sample tablet and test it carefully before buying more. This won’t be possible in all cases but one can avoid a lot of trouble down the line with this approach.
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