Is it just me or are the last few years models cheaper and nastier than say the 12 series? My 12pm feels like the most premium design I’ve seen and has lasted 5.5 years, way more than previous models I’ve had. It’s got issues now like charge port broken, awful battery life, gets super hot super quickly etc so on the look for a replacement but the new models seem do cheap! Difficult to say how long they’ll last but certainly feel like they used to.
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iPhone 17 iPhone build quality
- Thread starter Mac2019
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Hajj.david
macrumors 6502a
I thought exactly the same about the build. I guess they’re just offsetting the cheap hardware with a more premium feel, and vice versa with the others.
I guess the air is still a decent upgrade on the 12pm
Hajj.david
macrumors 6502a
Hardware is good, same chip as the pro etc just with less cameras and one less speaker
Macdctr
macrumors 68000
The Air comes with the A19 Pro processor (minus one GPU core) and 12GB RAM. Pretty much the same setup as the Pro series iPhones. For the average user, they won't see the missing GPU core on daily use and they will also find that the Air will last all day long depending on how they use this device. For me I have long lasting battery performance on my Air but then I don't game on it and use mine as a phone so it sits in standby most of the day while I use my iPad Pro or my MacBook Pro during the day.
For some having the single 48 megapixel fusion camera is the limitation as they prefer having use of the telephoto or ultra wide angle lens which the current Air does not have. Still, it takes decent pictures for my use case. I have never had an issue while using my Air as a point and shoot camera.
The single speaker is another issue presented online many times either here on this forum or on YouTube by various content creators. Again, not an issue for me as I can use the single speaker and if I need better, I have my AirPod Pro 3 earbuds I can simply put on and go from there. Again, not an issue for me.
This leaves the "battery" . . . I keep my Air connected on the charger during the day until I actually need to use it. I'm never far from a charging source so if the Air dips and I want to top it off, I can reconnect it to either a USB-C cable to charge it or place it on my MagSafe puck to charge it. If I am mobile, my car has an iPhone charging shelf where I can place my Air on to charge it via MagSafe. It comes down to how you use your device and whether or not you have an issue having to charge it from time to time. I myself, don't have this hangup some people have posted.
What I really enjoy about the Air is just how thin and light this iPhone is. You really get a lot for this form factor and since getting mine since launch I have enjoyed using it. I prefer the smaller screen size of my 15 Pro (6.1 inch vice 6.5 inch on the Air) and my 13 mini (5.4 inch) as I like using my devices with one hand. With the Air you can somewhat do this but you end up playing hand gymnastics to get to the extreme corners. It is more aligned for two handed operations. If you're okay with everything I have presented based on my daily use and operation of my Air, then this device is for you.
Looking at iPhones, not all iPhones made are perfect iPhones in a sense. They all have their compromises in one form or another. What you have to look at is for your individual use case, which iPhone is the perfect iPhone for you. In my case, the Air is not the perfect iPhone but rather, my 15 Pro is my perfect daily iPhone primarily because of it's 6.1 inch screen size and that it is also Apple Intelligence compatible as my Air is. There are some things like Photo AI that I actually like using where on my older 13 series iPhones this feature is not available under iOS27. Today your best bang for the buck lies in getting the 15 Pro from Amazon as a renewed premium device where your'e guaranteed 365 days to return the device if you change your mind for a full refund, the device arrives in perfect cosmetic condition and guaranteed battery life of 90% or better. The best part is you typically can get the iPhone 15 Pro for around $600 - $750. Here is an example of a 512GB renewed premium 15 Pro you can currently get
Apple iPhone (Renewed Premium) 15 Pro, 512GB, Blue Titanium - Unlocked
The iPhone 15 Pro is a cutting-edge device with a 6.1-inch Super Retina XDR display and ProMotion technology for smooth performance. Powered by the A17 Pro chip, it handles demanding tasks and gaming with ease. Its advanced triple-camera system, featuring a 48MP main lens, ultra-wide, and telepho...
www.amazon.com
In my opinion, this is still a great buy to get into the new iOS 27 operating system while benefiting from Apple Intelligence without having to pay full pricing for a brand new Apple iPhone. In my case my 1TB Air set me back $1399. The 15 Pro in the link is running $740, almost half the cost if cost is also a factor. I use my 15 Pro 95% of the time today and my Air sits as a backup not because of any of it's limitations but because I prefer using the smaller screen size device. For me it is not the tech as the Air clearly outperforms my 15 Pro but being able to use the devices using only one hand.
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