iPhone 6S actually that much faster?

[cridgit001]

So every year we read about how the previous generation gets slow with the new iOS and the new software is so much "snappier" on the new faster iPhones. But the question popped into my head, what if we put the phones on the software that came with them and then measured speed of things everyone does regularly? Such as opening and closing apps, swiping around the home screen, loading websites in safari, etc.

This could look like someone doing a bunch on things with a iPhone 6 on iOS 8.0 (and perhaps also testing with 8.4.1) and a 6S on iOS 9.0?

FWIW, I'm not questioning the benchmarks and everything that show the newest phone is faster. I'm more interested in seeing if the phones are that separate in daily tasks with software that came with them.

Or I could be off my rocker/computer chair here.

Thanks!

 

[MikesGravity]

So every year we read about how the previous generation gets slow with the new iOS and the new software is so much "snappier" on the new faster iPhones. But the question popped into my head, what if we put the phones on the software that came with them and then measured speed of things everyone does regularly? Such as opening and closing apps, swiping around the home screen, loading websites in safari, etc.

This could look like someone doing a bunch on things with a iPhone 6 on iOS 8.0 (and perhaps also testing with 8.4.1) and a 6S on iOS 9.0?

FWIW, I'm not questioning the benchmarks and everything that show the newest phone is faster. I'm more interested in seeing if the phones are that separate in daily tasks with software that came with them.

Or I could be off my rocker/computer chair here.

Thanks!

It feels a little snappier in day to day use but you can really notice how many apps you can have open and it never lags or reloads the app like the 6 did notoriously. Everything just feels more refined rather than "faster". If you make a movie in iMovie, you feel the power when editing and exporting though. Games run great (but they usually do on an iPhone).

 

[lagwagon]

I would imaging that even comparing an iPhone 6 on 8.0 vs iPhone 6s on 9.0, the 6s would still be quicker on simple tasks. iOS 9 uses Metal in the OS instead of just in games like iOS 8. Plus the phone is physically faster.

Doing a iPhone 6 on 8.4.1 vs iPhone 6s on 9.0.2 wouldn't be an even test either. 8.4.1 is highly refined and the finished product of iOS 8. 9.0.2 is still in it's infancy stage more or less. 9.0 isn't just 8.4.1 with some new toys to play with added on top. A lot more than people realize gets totally rewriten, which can degrease performance in the begining. It takes time to catch back up and then surpass.

 

[Max(IT)]

C'mon, on daily use there basically is no difference from an iPhone 6 and a 6S, using iOS 8 or 9.
On a synthetic benchmark you can see all the difference.

 

[themyst]

I never felt the 6 was amazingly fast even when I first got it last year. However, the 6S with the extra ram, faster storage, and zippy processor, its clear as day. Hell I almost never see an app reload during app switching, and I almost never use the home button anymore with the 3D touch app switching and widget/notifications.

The average user would probably find the 6S pretty underwhelming. Power users with ADD like me want to get to things as quickly as possible, and the 6S fits the bill. This is the first phone I can say has desktop-like browser speeds in terms of load times and response.

 

[rockitdog]

TouchID works faster, that's about all that is noticeable.

 

[Skoal]

Loading safari tabs is insanely better! App switcher is way better as well. In fact the whole phone feels faster in every respect.

Of course there's only so much speed you can put into tapping on an app to open it from scratch but that's on the dev as much as Apple.

 

[zhenya]

I would not say that most of my regular usage feels any different - but TouchID is noticeably faster and more accurate (or at least less picky...) and of course app switching and safari tabs are much more persistent due to the added RAM - but otherwise it doesn't particularly feel 'snappier' the way that some of my earlier upgrades did. Which is odd because of how much faster the new chips benchmark. I think it just shows that Apple and developers are still not really even pushing the limits of last years' chips.

 

[lagwagon]

I would not say that most of my regular usage feels any different - but TouchID is noticeably faster and more accurate (or at least less picky...) and of course app switching and safari tabs are much more persistent due to the added RAM - but otherwise it doesn't particularly feel 'snappier' the way that some of my earlier upgrades did. Which is odd because of how much faster the new chips benchmark. I think it just shows that Apple and developers are still not really even pushing the limits of last years' chips.

They for sure aren't pushing the new A9 to the limits yet. New hardware usually isn't initially. Take gaming consoles for example. The games released much later or near the end of its cycle are almost always way more advanced and graphically better in every way vs games released early on in the cycle. It takes time for developers to figure out or use the full power.

 

[pesos]

I noticed a huge difference immediately between my 6+ and 6s. I had tabs reloading all the time before, which was super annoying and at times would cause data loss - that hasn't happened yet. Moving between apps and screens is snappy (I know folks love that word here) and I don't get refresh lag or typing lag like I did before. Not saying the 6+ was horrible, but delays were noticeable at times and the whole experience is much smoother now.

 

[ToroidalZeus]

I can notice a difference between my old 6 and the new 6s.

Facebook app is a lot smoother and less choppy.
Hearthstone has more stable FPS.
Apps open a little faster.
Safari isn't reloading tabs everytime i exit the app.

 

[sunking101]

C'mon, on daily use there basically is no difference from an iPhone 6 and a 6S, using iOS 8 or 9.
On a synthetic benchmark you can see all the difference.

You didn't notice lag, freezing or reloading on the previous series and you don't notice performance improvements in this series.

 

[Max(IT)]

You didn't notice lag, freezing or reloading on the previous series and you don't notice performance improvements in this series.

because Im still using the iPhone 6 and Ive yet to see any lag, freeze or reloading on my device ... or on my iPad Air.

 

[sunking101]

Apart from a few bugs in iOS9, which are to be expected I guess, and a loose mute switch, I'm extremely happy with my 6S+. It is night & day better than my old 6+.

 

[redman042]

My iPhone 6S+ feels WAY faster than my 6+. While it may not be saving me a lot of minutes, it's just so much smoother and more reliable in every respect that it feels like driving a Ferrari vs driving an SUV.

I really enjoy using this phone so much more than any prior iPhone.

 

[mcdj]

C'mon, on daily use there basically is no difference from an iPhone 6 and a 6S, using iOS 8 or 9.
On a synthetic benchmark you can see all the difference.

So who won't let you get an iPhone 6S? Mom or wife?

 

[WilliamG]

C'mon, on daily use there basically is no difference from an iPhone 6 and a 6S, using iOS 8 or 9.
On a synthetic benchmark you can see all the difference.

Simply not true. The difference is huge. Even the little things. For example, I want to message a picture to a friend. I open Photos, tap the picture, tap the Share button, and on my iPhone 6 Plus there's that tangible delay before the options to message/email show up. It's pretty much instant on the 6s Plus.

And that's just one thing. The whole OS is SO much smoother.

 

[Max(IT)]

So who won't let you get an iPhone 6S? Mom or wife?

I don't know if I'm going to get one.
I'd like to change my MBP this year, so the budget is limited.
BTW Im usually changing my iPhone by Christmas...I bought the iPhone 6 on january

 

[intofx]

Both my 6+ and 6s+ are running 9.1b3. 6s+ is much quicker over all and especially jumping from app to app. Touch is super fast as well. It all adds up to make a better daily experience.

If you dont try the S your fine. Is it a must have upgrade no. But if you try it you wont go back.

 

[ToroidalZeus]

Both my 6+ and 6s+ are running 9.1b3. 6s+ is much quicker over all and especially jumping from app to app. Touch is super fast as well. It all adds up to make a better daily experience.

If you dont try the S your fine. Is it a must have upgrade no. But if you try it you wont go back.

Yep.

I wasn't planning on getting the 6s originally but bought it on an impulse buy (cuz i got the upgrade). Overall I'm not blown away by the phone--which I knew I wouldn't be--but I don't regret it either and I wouldn't want to go back to using a 6 either. The OS is a lot smoother on the 6s.

 

[Yellowbean12]

An iPhone 5 running iOS 6 could outpace all others.

 

[hutrebug]

Some of you should really try Android phones first before moaning about iPhones.

From manufacturers bundling copious amounts of bloatware/crapware (which you can't eliminate unless you root your phone and voiding the warranty), to hoping Qualcomm doesn't jump the shark (like it did with the Snapdragon 810 in 2015), to praying that you'll get your Android Lollipop OTA update soon (and if/when it arrives, it doesn't screw up your phone in some undocumented, exotic way).

And the Nexus phones: I like parts of the Google ecosystem but I'm not sure if I want to be wedded so deeply to one. Stock Android also has its quirks and is not all rosy sunshine.

 

[dannyyankou]

People felt like the 6 wasn't much faster than the 5s, and same with the 6s compared to the 6. But I went from the 5s to the 6s and the difference is night and day.

 

[T'hain Esh Kelch]

There is already a billion videos of this on youtube.

 

[Newtons Apple]

My 6+ was no slouch and it ran plenty fast for me, never had any problems. My 6S+ is a bit quicker but much more buttery smooth doing about everything I use it for. No doubt an improvement but not so sure it was all worth the hype. The always on Hey Siri is one of my favorite functions and I am starting to use the 3D Touch.

A worthy upgrade? To me YES!