Various embodiments disclosed herein provide for optimizing identification of a beam in a massive multiple-input multiple output (MIMO) system. The receiver device can select a beam to use for a transmission, and generate channel state information based on a selection of either a single stage beam selection process or a two stage beam selection process. According to an embodiment of the disclosure, the receiver can select which beam selection process to use based on the context of the receiver device. The receiver can select which beam selection process to use based on the long term signal to noise ratio, or the correlation metrics associated with the receiver and transmitter, or based on the path loss between the transmitter and receiver, or based on the location of the receiver relative to the transmitter.