Should I buy an iPhone 7? Here's how it compares to the iPhone 6, 6s and 5s
Breathe. It's over. The September Apple keynote has finally come and gone. Are you eager to get your greasy paws on the water-resistant, photographer-friendly iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus? Yeah, yeah, so are we. But before you wake up at 3 a.m. Friday to preorder, read this to figure out which sleek new device is right for you.
If you have the iPhone 6s or 6s Plus
No upgrade — or buy the iPhone 7 Plus
Until Wednesday, you had the newest iPhone on the market. I hate to say it, but the iPhone 7 will not be a big improvement.
You'll be paying for improved storage, an upgraded camera, water resistance, stereo speakers, new colors, an improved display and a new home button. These are all nice additions, but for the most part, the phone will look and feel basically the same as what you're used to.
My advice: Don't get the 7. Keep your current phone. But if you want to upgrade, get the 7 Plus.
The 7 Plus is the phone to beat right now, and it's all because of the ridiculous new camera. Apple finally added a premium feature that makes the Plus worth spending extra money on, whereas the 6 Plus and 6s Plus were basically larger versions of the original.
It's all about the snaps: The 7 Plus' 12-megapixel camera system is a dual-lens telephoto-and-wide-angle setup that gives your portraits a depth-of-field effect that looks like they were taken with an expensive DSLR. The digital background blur is the coolest photography feature any smartphone offers right now. If you were planning a trip to Europe and considering investing in a $600 mirrorless camera, you might want to spend an extra $100 on the iPhone 7 Plus instead.
Don't get me wrong, the iPhone 7 camera is great too. It's also 12 megapixels, and like the 7 Plus' lenses, it has built-in optical image stabilization. This means your zoomed-in Snapchat videos won't be as shaky. The front-facing "selfie" camera is vastly improved as well.
But if you're used to having the best phone on the market and don't want to settle for less, you're gonna feel like you're missing out unless you get the 7 Plus. Oh yeah, and the battery life on the Plus is supposedly longer.
If you have the iPhone 6 or 6 Plus
Get the iPhone 7 Plus
You probably need a new phone anyway. For all the reasons above, get the 7 Plus unless you really want a smaller phone. But if you decide to get the 7, you'll have very few complaints. If you're sick of trying to squeeze your mobile life into 16 GB, the storage upgrade alone is worth it. You'll get a couple extra hours of battery life with either upgrade.
If you have the iPhone 5 or 5s
Buy either the iPhone 7 or 7 Plus
Get either one! The iPhone 7 will feel like a major upgrade, and the size change won't feel too drastic. You'll see an immediate improvement in your photography: The 7's camera blows yours out of the water. You should treat yourself to more storage, and we promise the larger screen is easy to get used to. If you prefer a smaller phone, the iPhone SE is great too.
If you want a phone that explodes
Get the Samsung Galaxy Note 7
Read Apple's breakdown of every iPhone's technical specifications if you want more detail, and don't hesitate to reach out to us at @techmic for recommendations. What did you decide on? Let us know.
