iPhone Buyer's Guide: Which Model to Choose

[MacRumors]

It's been over eight years since the iPhone made its debut, and it's still the most popular smartphone on the planet. For years, Apple's iPhone offerings were very straightforward: one expensive top-of-the-line model, a more affordable iPhone with fewer features or slower specs typically identical to previous year's flagship model, and maybe even a cheap model based on the flagship model from two years' prior. And they all had the same screen size.

Your choices aren't so simple now. Apple now offers four different iPhone models with different screen sizes and different prices. Confused as to which iPhone to get? Use this guide to help you decide.

iPhone models overview

Let's go over the key specifications and differences between the iPhones, starting with Apple's priciest offering.

iPhone 6 Plus: Apple's biggest iPhone. If you've always wanted the biggest screen possible on your iPhone, this is the model to get. Some might see the iPhone 6 Plus as a viable alternative to an iPad mini 3, but keep in mind that you'll be using the iPhone version of apps, not the iPad versions. That means the app UIs will be designed with a smaller screen in mind.

Key specifications for the iPhone 6 Plus:

- Measures 6.22 by 3.06 by 0.28 inches and weighs 6.07 ounces
- 5.5-inch screen with a 1920-by-1080-pixel resolution at 401 pixels per inch
- 64-bit A8 processor with M8 motion coprocessor
- 8-megapixel iSight camera with optical image stabilization; 1.2-megapixel FaceTime camera
- Siri voice-activated interface
- 16GB, 64GB, or 128GB of storage
- Apple Pay support
- Sensors: Touch ID, accelerometer, barometer, gyroscope, proximity, ambient light
- Available in three finishes: gold, silver, and space gray
- 2,915 mAh battery

The iPhone 6 Plus could be the phone to get if you're serious about photography. It's the only iPhone with optical image stabilization. For recording video, both iPhone 6 models offer cinematic video stabilization and continuous autofocus video, which aren't found in the iPhone 5 models.

If you want to use Apple Pay, you have to get one of the iPhone 6 models. The NFC chip that Apple Pay uses is not found in the older iPhone 5 models.

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Article Link: iPhone Buyer's Guide: Which Model to Choose

 

[imola.zhp]

6 is too big, I miss my 5. Thinking of selling the 6 and getting a 5S. Just got my better half a 5S, every time I use it I think "this is the perfect size phone." I can't reach anything at the top of the 6 and while it might be a case issue, the 6 is too slippery.

I hope they release a 5/5S size iPhone mini or - in the future.

 

[justperry]

Your choices aren't so simple now. Apple now offers four different iPhone models with different screen sizes and different prices. Confused as to which iPhone to get? Use this guide to help you decide.

No, I think people aren't confused, I think they all want the best and latest were it not that the latest and best iPhones are way too expensive.

 

[Supacon]

There's no reason someone should buy an 8GB iPhone 5c unless they really can't wait to be disappointed in a month when they are completely out of storage.

If one is really *that* cost sensitive, there are a few great Android phones on the market for far less money than this. Or perhaps find a 16GB iPhone 5c on the used market.

The only decent application for this I can really imagine is maybe a phone you give grandma to FaceTime with or young children so you can track them with Find My Friends. This certainly isn't going to offer a good experience for someone who would take any amount of photos or install any apps or games.

 

[DougTheImpaler]

if you want to use your iphone to create videos or take a lot of pictures, you might even want to buy a selfie stick. Don't do it. Just don't. Please, for the love of God.

ftfy.

 

[kwikdeth]

my problem is the 6 is too big for the screen size you get. my friend has a OnePlusOne and with its 5.5" screen, its very comfortable to hold in the hand... whereas the 6+ is not. I also dont care for the look of the design... i appreciate the throwback to the 1st gen look but the bands on the back are ugly and the way the screen works on the front just makes me feel like it could come apart with minimal effort. i know that's not actually the case but it just looks like it could...

but yeah, next iphone design they really need to cut down on the bezel size... its just wasted space that's contributing to a lack of usability on the larger size.

 

[aardwolf]

I didn't see this in the article, but only the 6+ can rotate the icons on the home screen.

 

[FrizzleFryBen]

Maybe I'm just unlucky.

I've owned nearly every iteration since the iPhone3, but I've broken 2 screens (thus far) on the iPhone6. I never used a case before and never broken a screen until now. First was a 2 ft drop onto concrete (no case). Second was a 1.5 ft drop onto wood (with a case). Back in the day, I could throw my iPhone3/s off a balcony and it wouldn't break. Now I have to have a case that makes it as big as a 3 to make it a durable as a 3.

Oh, I guess my point is break-ability should be added to the buyers guide.

 

[ArtOfWarfare]

I may have made a mistake in buying a 128 GB iPhone 6+.

I had used 50 GB out of 64 GB on my prior iPhone (4S) and I got the 128 GB under the false impression that I would naturally end up needing more space over the lifetime of my 6+ (hopefully 4+ years).

Thus far I have used 8.5 GB.

Why?

Spotify.

On my prior iPhone, I had a 40 GB music library.

But Spotify has rendered keeping the music on my device entirely pointless.

I think it's entirely possible to have gotten just a 16 GB iPhone 6+. Certainly I didn't need more than a 64 GB.

Oh well, live and learn. Maybe I could trade it in for a 16 GB and get the $200 back, but I kind of doubt it and it sounds like more of a hassle to even try than it's worth.

 

[FieldingMellish]

Get rid of Spotify and you're instantly golden.

 

[JosephAW]

My brother bought a 6+ 128gb. Now he says it's too big and wanted to return it to the cellular carrier. First there was a $36 restocking fee and he would have to physically return the phone to a main distribution node that is hundreds of miles away and they can't guarentee that they will have the smaller 6 at 128gb at that location and he would be required to receive whatever size they have at the time of the exchange.

He's now waiting for me to scratch up enough money to buy a 6 128gb model and he'll swap his for mine saving me the extra $100 for the plus.

 

[B4U]

Is it just me that this article seems like a paid advertisement?

 

[SaraMac95014]

The Reachability feature for the 6 plus is a joke.

The screen is larger both horizontally and vertically. Reachability only offsets the vertical angle.

Samsung S5 has a truer feature that shrinks the screen in both directions that is customized to each person. You don't even have to tap the home key, just do a quick swipe across the screen.

This is another feature that Apple copied from Samsung
but didn't do it as well.

 

[hortod1]

Is this article really meant for the Apple savvy audience that read MacRumors, or is it meant for my parents that read Consumer Reports? Because it sounds like the latter......

 

[michaelant]

"The iPhone 6 will fit in most pockets, but not the iPhone 6 Plus."

So you're saying the 6 Plus will not fit in most pockets? I'm surprised. I haven't tried one, but it seems like it'd fit in my pocket, and the large majority of men's jeans pockets. And some women's. That seems like 'most'.

 

[MarcusCarpenter]

I had the choice between a 16GB iPhone 6 plus or a 64GB iPhone 6 obviously I went with the 64GB 6 given the same price for the same hardware but with bigger space.

The screen is bigger anyway so space meant more too me, plus there's no hiding an iPhone 6 plus

 

[ArtOfWarfare]

"The iPhone 6 will fit in most pockets, but not the iPhone 6 Plus."

So you're saying the 6 Plus will not fit in most pockets? I'm surprised. I haven't tried one, but it seems like it'd fit in my pocket, and the large majority of men's jeans pockets. And some women's. That seems like 'most'.

In some of my pants it fits easily. In other pants it barely fits. I have no pants where it doesn't fit.

But I'm a man who buys men's pants with men's pockets. I've noticed that often women's pockets are a joke where they can't even fit an iPod Nano (the tiny square ones, don't remember which generation that was.)

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I had the choice between a 16GB iPhone 6 plus or a 64GB iPhone 6 obviously I went with the 64GB 6 given the same price for the same hardware but with bigger space.

The 6+ had a bigger screen with a higher resolution, better camera, and longer battery life (which at launch may not seem like a big deal, but I expect to go 4 years with my iPhone 6+ battery still getting through a full day, whereas I expect the batteries in the 6 will stop getting through a full day part way through year 3.)