This isn’t the first year Apple has sold multiple iPhone generations at
the same time, but never before has the company offered so many at once:
Currently five distinct generations are available (eight different
handsets if you count the Plus-size models separately), and—with the
exception of the iPhone X, a new flagship
that offers a fundamentally different experience at a much higher
price—they’re all pretty similar. The newer models just do things a
little better or fas
We think Apple’s overly packed range leaves regular folks without a clear best option. And with 64 GB of storage (the capacity that makes sense for most people) unavailable in the more-affordable iPhone 7 and SE, the non-flagship options leave you with too little storage, more storage than you need, or a price too close to that of the iPhone 8 (which may be what Apple had in mind).
Given that—plus the fact that we expect some iPhone X features to
trickle down to other models next year—we believe that if you have an
iPhone you’re happy with, you don’t need to upgrade this year. But we do
understand that you might want to buy a new device if your phone is
three-plus years old, if you’re on an upgrade plan and prefer to get a
new phone every year, or if you absolutely need to buy a phone because
you dropped your current one in a can of paint (don’t ask).
We think budget-minded shoppers should consider a refurbished iPhone 7 from a reputable seller (including Apple), or look at a new iPhone 7 if they feel more comfortable with a fresh-out-of-the-box device. If you want the very best iPhone, and you’re willing to pay for it, that’s the iPhone X. (You can read our full thoughts on the iPhone X here.) And if you want the latest specs and wireless charging, but you’re unwilling to pay $200 to $400 more for the X—or if you’d prefer Touch ID and the usual iPhone interface over Face ID and the need to learn a new one—the 8 and 8 Plus may appeal to you.
ter.
Even though the base-model iPhone 7 was released in 2016, it remains nearly as good as the iPhone 8 in the ways that matter most, and carries a significantly lower price. (And if you can find a refurbished iPhone 7 from a reputable seller, it’s about as good a deal as you can find on an iPhone that’s more or less current.) It has a fast processor, a great screen, and impressive cameras. It doesn’t offer wireless charging or automatic screen white balance, but in pretty much everything else it comes close enough to the 8 that most people won’t notice the difference. If you can get away with 32 GB of storage, this is the “budget” phone to buy—but that’s a big “if” for many people.
Apple iPhone 6 Plus 16GB GSM Unlocked Smartphone - Silver (Certified Refurbished) Price: $274.39
The iPhone 7 debuted in late 2016 (Apple has since released the iPhone 8 and iPhone X), but it’s the best option if you want a great iPhone experience at a good price. On the surface, the iPhone 7 looks a lot like the iPhone 6 and 6s, with the same aluminum body and 4.7-inch screen. From the front, it’s almost identical to the newer iPhone 8, as well. The differences you’ll notice depend largely on which iPhone model you have now—the older your current phone, the bigger the improvements—but the iPhone 7 is better than its predecessors in every way (unless you want a headphone jack), and it’s nearly as great as the iPhone 8.
The iPhone has always been one of the best smartphones—and often the best—for photography, and the iPhone 7’s camera performance is excellent. (You can see some comparisons between photos taken with the 7, 6s, and 6 in this iMore gallery.) Among other improvements over older iPhones, the 7 has the ability to capture more colors and shoot in raw format. The iPhone 8’s camera system is better than the 7’s, but it’s not the kind of difference that most people will notice unless they’re comparing images side by side.
We think the most noteworthy feature of the 7 for many people coming from an older iPhone is official water resistance (as opposed to the unofficial water resistance of the 6s models). The iPhone 7 has an IP (ingress protection) rating of IP67, which means that the phone should be impervious to splashing and incidental water damage, and should be able to survive a drop in the pool, the tub, or—let’s face it—the toilet. Note, however, that Apple’s iPhone warranty doesn’t cover water damage and that you shouldn’t charge a wet phone until it’s completely dry.
We submerged our test iPhone 7 Plus in tubs and sinks several times, and took a couple dozen showers with it, and it came out fine. The iPhone 8, 8 Plus, and X offer the same level of water resistance, so that feature is—ahem—a wash.
The iPhone 7 was the first iPhone to replace the physical Home button found on previous models with a pressure-sensitive, solid-state, capacitive button—the same one Apple uses on the iPhone 8. The button has no moving parts, which improves water resistance and should reduce the need for repairs. The new button feels a bit odd at first, especially because the Taptic Engine (the circuitry that vibrates to provide tactile feedback) shakes the entire bottom of the phone rather than just the button, but after a few days most Wirecutter staffers new to the iPhone 7 or 8 forgot that it was different—more than one person has noted that it now feels weird to use a device with the old Home button. A minor downside is that because the button is capacitive, you can’t press it with a fingernail or through nonconductive fabric; but because you can’t use the screen that way either, we don’t think this drawback is a big deal. (The iPhone X goes even further, abandoning the button altogether.)
The 7 was also the first phone to feature a “stereo” speaker system, thanks to a second speaker in the earpiece. The dual speakers don’t give you much stereo separation, but they do make speakerphone calls more audible, and if you ever listen to music, podcasts, or a video’s audio through your phone’s speaker, the new models get surprisingly loud.
Of course, as with every new iPhone, the iPhone 7 is much faster than previous models. Yes, the iPhone 8 is faster still, but not in ways most people will notice if they aren’t comparing the two side by side. And the 7 has the same battery life as the 8.
The iPhone 7 costs $550 for 32 GB of storage. We wish you could get 64 GB, but the only other option is 128 GB for $650. That’s just $50 less than the price of an iPhone 8 with 64 GB—plenty for most people—so if you need more than 32 GB, we think you should just buy the 8. Most carriers have eliminated contract-based subsidized prices, so you can expect to either pay the full price of the phone up front or have the full price split into monthly payments on a financing plan such as Apple’s iPhone Upgrade Program. Breaking the cost down over two years, the base-model iPhone 7 is just under $24 per month, or $28 per month through the Upgrade Program, which includes AppleCare+.
Apple iPhone 6, GSM Unlocked, 16GB - Gold (Certified Refurbished) Price: $169.00
In terms of performance, the differences between the iPhone 7 and 8 aren’t huge. But as we discussed earlier, if you need more than 32 GB of storage, the only other iPhone 7 configuration—128 GB—costs only $50 less than the 64 GB base-model iPhone 8, which makes the 8 worth considering if you need the space but don’t have the budget for an iPhone X. And the 8 adds some useful features that make it more appealing than the 7 to some people.
The iPhone 8 is the same size as the iPhone 7, but it has a glass back that allows inductive Qi wireless charging. The 8’s screen looks slightly better thanks to a wider color gamut (something most people probably won’t notice) and a True Tone display, which adjusts the screen’s white balance depending on the ambient light (something you will notice and we like a lot). As with most year-over-year iPhone updates, the 8’s camera and processor are both slightly better than the 7’s.
These updates are good things (the more-fragile glass back being the only possible exception), but they’re not necessarily worth $150 over the base-model iPhone 7, especially if you’re on a budget or if you’re planning to upgrade next year, when we expect Apple to make bigger updates to the non-X iPhone lines. But if you need more than 32 GB of storage or if you want wireless charging, the iPhone 8 is an obvious choice over the higher-capacity model of the iPhone 7, for just $50 more.
Apple iPhone X, Fully Unlocked 5.8", 64 GB - Silver
Price: $1,138.00
We think Apple’s overly packed range leaves regular folks without a clear best option. And with 64 GB of storage (the capacity that makes sense for most people) unavailable in the more-affordable iPhone 7 and SE, the non-flagship options leave you with too little storage, more storage than you need, or a price too close to that of the iPhone 8 (which may be what Apple had in mind).
We think budget-minded shoppers should consider a refurbished iPhone 7 from a reputable seller (including Apple), or look at a new iPhone 7 if they feel more comfortable with a fresh-out-of-the-box device. If you want the very best iPhone, and you’re willing to pay for it, that’s the iPhone X. (You can read our full thoughts on the iPhone X here.) And if you want the latest specs and wireless charging, but you’re unwilling to pay $200 to $400 more for the X—or if you’d prefer Touch ID and the usual iPhone interface over Face ID and the need to learn a new one—the 8 and 8 Plus may appeal to you.
ter.
Even though the base-model iPhone 7 was released in 2016, it remains nearly as good as the iPhone 8 in the ways that matter most, and carries a significantly lower price. (And if you can find a refurbished iPhone 7 from a reputable seller, it’s about as good a deal as you can find on an iPhone that’s more or less current.) It has a fast processor, a great screen, and impressive cameras. It doesn’t offer wireless charging or automatic screen white balance, but in pretty much everything else it comes close enough to the 8 that most people won’t notice the difference. If you can get away with 32 GB of storage, this is the “budget” phone to buy—but that’s a big “if” for many people.
Apple iPhone 6 Plus 16GB GSM Unlocked Smartphone - Silver (Certified Refurbished) Price: $274.39
The iPhone 7 debuted in late 2016 (Apple has since released the iPhone 8 and iPhone X), but it’s the best option if you want a great iPhone experience at a good price. On the surface, the iPhone 7 looks a lot like the iPhone 6 and 6s, with the same aluminum body and 4.7-inch screen. From the front, it’s almost identical to the newer iPhone 8, as well. The differences you’ll notice depend largely on which iPhone model you have now—the older your current phone, the bigger the improvements—but the iPhone 7 is better than its predecessors in every way (unless you want a headphone jack), and it’s nearly as great as the iPhone 8.
The iPhone has always been one of the best smartphones—and often the best—for photography, and the iPhone 7’s camera performance is excellent. (You can see some comparisons between photos taken with the 7, 6s, and 6 in this iMore gallery.) Among other improvements over older iPhones, the 7 has the ability to capture more colors and shoot in raw format. The iPhone 8’s camera system is better than the 7’s, but it’s not the kind of difference that most people will notice unless they’re comparing images side by side.
We think the most noteworthy feature of the 7 for many people coming from an older iPhone is official water resistance (as opposed to the unofficial water resistance of the 6s models). The iPhone 7 has an IP (ingress protection) rating of IP67, which means that the phone should be impervious to splashing and incidental water damage, and should be able to survive a drop in the pool, the tub, or—let’s face it—the toilet. Note, however, that Apple’s iPhone warranty doesn’t cover water damage and that you shouldn’t charge a wet phone until it’s completely dry.
We submerged our test iPhone 7 Plus in tubs and sinks several times, and took a couple dozen showers with it, and it came out fine. The iPhone 8, 8 Plus, and X offer the same level of water resistance, so that feature is—ahem—a wash.
The iPhone 7 was the first iPhone to replace the physical Home button found on previous models with a pressure-sensitive, solid-state, capacitive button—the same one Apple uses on the iPhone 8. The button has no moving parts, which improves water resistance and should reduce the need for repairs. The new button feels a bit odd at first, especially because the Taptic Engine (the circuitry that vibrates to provide tactile feedback) shakes the entire bottom of the phone rather than just the button, but after a few days most Wirecutter staffers new to the iPhone 7 or 8 forgot that it was different—more than one person has noted that it now feels weird to use a device with the old Home button. A minor downside is that because the button is capacitive, you can’t press it with a fingernail or through nonconductive fabric; but because you can’t use the screen that way either, we don’t think this drawback is a big deal. (The iPhone X goes even further, abandoning the button altogether.)
The 7 was also the first phone to feature a “stereo” speaker system, thanks to a second speaker in the earpiece. The dual speakers don’t give you much stereo separation, but they do make speakerphone calls more audible, and if you ever listen to music, podcasts, or a video’s audio through your phone’s speaker, the new models get surprisingly loud.
Of course, as with every new iPhone, the iPhone 7 is much faster than previous models. Yes, the iPhone 8 is faster still, but not in ways most people will notice if they aren’t comparing the two side by side. And the 7 has the same battery life as the 8.
The iPhone 7 costs $550 for 32 GB of storage. We wish you could get 64 GB, but the only other option is 128 GB for $650. That’s just $50 less than the price of an iPhone 8 with 64 GB—plenty for most people—so if you need more than 32 GB, we think you should just buy the 8. Most carriers have eliminated contract-based subsidized prices, so you can expect to either pay the full price of the phone up front or have the full price split into monthly payments on a financing plan such as Apple’s iPhone Upgrade Program. Breaking the cost down over two years, the base-model iPhone 7 is just under $24 per month, or $28 per month through the Upgrade Program, which includes AppleCare+.
Apple iPhone 6, GSM Unlocked, 16GB - Gold (Certified Refurbished) Price: $169.00
In terms of performance, the differences between the iPhone 7 and 8 aren’t huge. But as we discussed earlier, if you need more than 32 GB of storage, the only other iPhone 7 configuration—128 GB—costs only $50 less than the 64 GB base-model iPhone 8, which makes the 8 worth considering if you need the space but don’t have the budget for an iPhone X. And the 8 adds some useful features that make it more appealing than the 7 to some people.
The iPhone 8 is the same size as the iPhone 7, but it has a glass back that allows inductive Qi wireless charging. The 8’s screen looks slightly better thanks to a wider color gamut (something most people probably won’t notice) and a True Tone display, which adjusts the screen’s white balance depending on the ambient light (something you will notice and we like a lot). As with most year-over-year iPhone updates, the 8’s camera and processor are both slightly better than the 7’s.
These updates are good things (the more-fragile glass back being the only possible exception), but they’re not necessarily worth $150 over the base-model iPhone 7, especially if you’re on a budget or if you’re planning to upgrade next year, when we expect Apple to make bigger updates to the non-X iPhone lines. But if you need more than 32 GB of storage or if you want wireless charging, the iPhone 8 is an obvious choice over the higher-capacity model of the iPhone 7, for just $50 more.
