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Realistic assessment of iPhone 7+, from recent buyers

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virginiaplain0

macrumors member
Original poster
Jul 25, 2011
40
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So, for those of you who bought an iPhone 7+, how has it been using it, for close to a month now. How do your photos compare to photos taken on your older model? How do you like using the new iMessage features? In general, how do you like using iOS 10? And most of all, how has the lack of a headphone jack affect you?

I am on Tmobile, and am debating whether to just upgrade to a 6S+ or go for a 7+. With the 6S I still have the benefit of 3D touch, the camera is still the same, iOS will still work on a 6S, I would be able to take 4K video and Live Photos even on a 6S, and it still has the jack. I want to make a major upgrade in 2 years, when I finish my doctorate degree, and I'm not sure my iPhone 6+ will last as long as a 6S+, or even a 7+.
 
I went from a 6+ to a 7+. It is noticeably faster...and I wouldn't necessarily say the camera is the same on the 6s+ and the 7+...or did I misinterpret that sentence? In my opinion the loss of the headphone jack is overblown. if you have to have wired headphones just keep the supplied adapter attached to it...no big deal. Home button is different...but after some time have grown to love it....so much that using my wifes 6s doesn't feel right. ios 10 is well...ios...none of the new features are exactly groundbreaking...but it works.
My 2 cents...go with the 7+...will last well past your 2 year upgrade and will be worth more in the resale market at that time.
 
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I just returned my 7+ and have gone back to my trusty 6s+. However...the 7+ is the better phone IMO. I just don't think it's worth the upgrade from a 6s+.

Going from a 6+ or older? No brainer. Get the 7+. You're getting the best performance and a higher storage tier for your price vs the 6s+. That alone makes it the better option in your case.
 
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Been using it for two weeks.
Haven't noticed a significant change difference in battery life but it is much faster than my iPhone 6s Plus.
The camera is fantastic too.
LOVE the new home button too.
 
Went from the 6s -> 7Plus. Absolutely love it. Its faster, battery life is phenomenal, and obviously the screen is beautiful. Even the 6sPlus screen compared to the 7Plus is vastly different. (Brother had the 6sPlus before he went to the 7Plus). Colors look much more natural.
 
I tried an iPhone 7+ in store and it felt great. I didn't fully understand what they said about the home button and the taptic engine. I thought it was just a solid button and nothing pressed down when you pressed it. After trying it, I understand there's still a tactile component to the home button and it still presses down. I can get used to that. I also liked the 3D touch. I still haven't figured out how to get live photos yet but that is a nice feature. As for the lack of a jack, I don't think it affects me as much. I'll get used to it, like I got used to not having a Super Drive on my Macbook Pro.
 
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6S+ to 7+, so far I like it a lot. It is marginally faster but I like the new home button and the battery life is noticeably better. Honestly I already know I'm going to get the new iPhone every year anyway so it's never a question of whether it's worth it or not, it's a question of whether I notice a difference. Between the 6+ and 6S+ it wasn't as notable a change even with the force touch. This year it feels like more of an upgrade.

I'm satisfied.
 
virginiaplain0 said:
I tried an iPhone 7+ in store and it felt great. I didn't fully understand what they said about the home button and the taptic engine. I thought it was just a solid button and nothing pressed down when you pressed it. After trying it, I understand there's still a tactile component to the home button and it still presses down. I can get used to that. I also liked the 3D touch. I still haven't figured out how to get live photos yet but that is a nice feature. As for the lack of a jack, I don't think it affects me as much. I'll get used to it, like I got used to not having a Super Drive on my Macbook Pro.
Click to expand...

There isn't any mechanical aspect to that 'button'. It's solely a 'tactile illusion' due to the haptic feedback. To illustrate this, power the phone off completely. Try pressing on that 'button' ... it'll feel just like you're pushing on the back of the phone. Alternately, when the phone is on, try pressing it with something that's not your finger (eg. the eraser end of a pencil, or something similar). You'll note that it has zero give. It can't press down because it's not real.

You can also look at the teardown from iFixit and see for yourself. All that's there is a solid state sensor (to detect when you press, TouchID etc).
 
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Better photos, love iOS 10, and I've been rocking BT headphones since my 6+. So no issues here.

I'm most happy about the how the jet black feels in the hand. Rocking naked really brings out the difference between this and older iterations.

Also loving the IP67 resistance. Forget wiping my phone down. Now I just run it under the faucet to clean and pat dry. Fantastic!
 
I liked my 6s+ but dig my 7+ silly:D. Everything is frictionless & snappier; it just works 24/7, battery life is fantastic. Like the fun iMessage & the enhanced home button, not a single glitch since Sept 20th
 
Last edited:
Kiimora said:
I liked my 6s+ but dig my 7+ silly:D. Everything is frictionless & snappier; it just works 24/7, battery life is fantastic. Like the fun iMessage & the enhanced home button, not a single glitch since Sept 20th
Click to expand...

I hear these exact statements with every new iPhone release every year and I always question what is met by snappier...does it mean 1 millisecond, 5 milliseconds.....what does the average person know about snappier if something just works....most smartphones are always snappy the first couple weeks

Battery life has always been good on a iPhone.....open and close your camera app ten times in a row and I bet you get a springboard crash...enjoy
 
I'd go with the 7+ simply for the improved battery life over the 6s+.

virginiaplain0 said:
I didn't fully understand what they said about the home button and the taptic engine. I thought it was just a solid button and nothing pressed down when you pressed it. After trying it, I understand there's still a tactile component to the home button and it still presses down.
Click to expand...

As someone else already pointed out, that's not true. The button doesn't move at all.
 
Mlrollin91 said:
Went from the 6s -> 7Plus. Absolutely love it. Its faster, battery life is phenomenal, and obviously the screen is beautiful. Even the 6sPlus screen compared to the 7Plus is vastly different. (Brother had the 6sPlus before he went to the 7Plus). Colors look much more natural.
Click to expand...

Agreed. I wasn't entirely sure how different the screen would be from the 6s Plus. And to my surprise, the 7 Plus Really stands out from the 6s with the contrast and color saturation.
 
I went from an iPhone 6s Plus to a Galaxy S7 Edge and now to an iPhone 7 Plus. The 6s Plus is still an absolutely fantastic phone, so I wouldn't have any qualms recommending it. It should still be going strong in 2 years when you plan to upgrade again, but it will be close to being left behind for updates.

Comparing the 6s Plus to the 7s Plus, there's not one major difference that makes an upgrade worthwhile (unless you are a camera nut would upgrade for that alone), but the cumulative changes are quite nice. I'm actually in the camp that the capacitive home button is an improvement and a welcomed change. I haven't used a headphone jack in years, so I don't miss that at all. I'd say the 7 Plus feels snappier in every day use. The camera is pretty significantly improved, especially in low light and the new dual lens capability. During the daytime, your photos will look pretty similar, except now you can do 2x zoom without any loss of quality. At night, you'll notice a pretty big difference with the new phone gathering more light. I'm also really digging the portrait mode, which is still in beta.

Really though, if you can get a good deal on a 6s Plus, there's no shame in going that route.
 
BeeGood said:
I just returned my 7+ and have gone back to my trusty 6s+. However...the 7+ is the better phone IMO. I just don't think it's worth the upgrade from a 6s+.

Going from a 6+ or older? No brainer. Get the 7+. You're getting the best performance and a higher storage tier for your price vs the 6s+. That alone makes it the better option in your case.
Click to expand...

The 6S plus is a great phone good choice
 
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Seeing as this is my first iPhone since he iPhone 4, I can't really say much about its upgrade value in comparison to older models. I went from a galaxy s6 - note 7 (got recalled, waited until he iPhone release before handing it in) and then the iPhone 7 plus. Compared to the note 7, I would say the photos are less saturated. I find the note 7 camera a little easier to use, however some iPhone photos I've taken have been stunning. Just requires a little more effort.
The battery life is similar to the note 7. It drains a little slower depending on tasks. However the note 7 drained less during other type of tasks. Both phones easily got me through the day.
Headphone jack is a non issue for me, seeing as I already invested in a $400 Bluetooth headset. I believe I'd mind more if I hadn't.
This phone is harder to use in one hand, but I always use both my hands regardless of size (galaxy s6 included). It's a beautiful device and doesn't overheat. I prefer the iPhone screen over the Note 7. There's just something about Apple screens that android cannot compete with m, even at a higher resolution. Probably a personal preference thing though. Definitely less saturated colors.
The button didn't feel weird, but then again I didn't come from a previous gen iphone so it was a whole new thing to get used to regardless.
Overall it's one of the most premium phones I've possessed in a long time, and I couldn't be happier. This is coming from someone who prefers android and has been a loyal android users for years. I feel this phone can definitely make it an extra year before I upgrade. And I usually upgrade a minimum of once a year.
 
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Go for the 7+ instead of the 6s+, It's only $100 more and you get much more benefits like water resistance, better battery life, better camera for zooming, and most importantly better resale value.. The headphone jack isn't as big of a deal as some people make it out to be.
 
Coming from a 6s+
The display
The speakers
The Taptic home button
And the matte black color.
Using it, it feels like a completely new phone.
 
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I'm coming from a regular 6 and am over the moon with it. The camera is fantastic, battery life is outstanding. It is big but I am getting used to it. 3D touch is awesome and the landscape app like mail and even home screen rotating are very nice. Speed is a noticeable improvement. Overall very satisfied.
 
The 7 is much faster than my 6, but the screens on the new phones are poor. I preferred the screen on my 6. The 7's screen is yellow at the bottom. I went through 4 of them and they were all yellow at the bottom.
 
pendragon1984 said:
The 7 is much faster than my 6, but the screens on the new phones are poor. I preferred the screen on my 6. The 7's screen is yellow at the bottom. I went through 4 of them and they were all yellow at the bottom.
Click to expand...

The screen is the main reason i have stuck with my 6s plus... i have a near perfectly even screen on this phone. I don't want to upgrade and get an inferior screen
 
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