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100% disagree. SS is waaaay less prone to take dents. I hit my iPhone 11 Pro with a frying pan and it resulted in a hardly visible scratch under certain angles, while my Al AW is full of them without any major incident. And as the structural core of the iPhone, it’s a much more robust material than aluminium (it’s nearly imposible to flex even by accident, while with aluminium, it’s not so imposible). Aesthetics are personal and less important than function... from my point of view, the Pros look and feel like “jewellery”, while the regular ones, specially since iPhone 6, and the competition, are like toys.

Really.. no story behind the phone and frying pan...?
 
The screen used in the 6S weighed 29 grams compared to the 12 gram screen used in the 6.
I'm sure that the stainless steel is responsible for the bulk of the weight difference in the iPhone 12s but we can't discount differences in the screens.
Those extra 175 nits aren't coming from identical hardware.
 
My clear case was $15, Apple Care is $199... I’ll be happy to take your advice if you don’t mind spotting me the difference. Sounds like you are made of money anyway.


Not made of money, just willing to spend what I consider a reasonable amount for a device that I use a hundred times a day that arguably is more important than my main computer. Cases are dumb. as. hell.
 
Not made of money, just willing to spend what I consider a reasonable amount for a device that I use a hundred times a day that arguably is more important than my main computer. Cases are dumb. as. hell.
I happen to use a case. I happen to not use a screen protector. The cases I choose do not interfere with the functioning of the phone and do provide some cushioning and protection if the phone is dropped. I prefer the texture of the Apple leather case to the bare metal and glass. So I'm not sure why that's dumb. Unnecessary? Perhaps.

On the other hand, I haven't used a protective case on a camera (well, other than iPhone cameras) since the 1960s. Those two-piece things (the kind that had one section that covered the front and lens that needed to be removed before taking a shot, and another section covering the body that needed to be removed before you could change a roll of film) actually interfered with my use of the camera. I much preferred the occasional dent, ding, and scratch to not having the camera available at a moment's notice.
 
Not made of money, just willing to spend what I consider a reasonable amount for a device that I use a hundred times a day that arguably is more important than my main computer. Cases are dumb. as. hell.

If that’s your view that’s fine, just don’t pretend they are even close to being comparable cost. You are basically paying for a screen replacement up front.
 
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The screen used in the 6S weighed 29 grams compared to the 12 gram screen used in the 6.
I'm sure that the stainless steel is responsible for the bulk of the weight difference in the iPhone 12s but we can't discount differences in the screens.
Those extra 175 nits aren't coming from identical hardware.

Actually the screens are exactly the same. The 175 nits difference is only for HDR content. That is a software limitation imposed by Apple. They both reach 1200 nits max brightness.That is Apple being Apple.
 
if anyone can tell me what the thickness of the aluminum and stainless steel is I can tell you if that’s the weight hit, but I cannot find that info anywhere.

I don't know, but as they have almost the same exact design, I would think the same.
 
100% disagree. SS is waaaay less prone to take dents. I hit my iPhone 11 Pro with a frying pan and it resulted in a hardly visible scratch under certain angles, while my Al AW is full of them without any major incident. And as the structural core of the iPhone, it’s a much more robust material than aluminium (it’s nearly imposible to flex even by accident, while with aluminium, it’s not so imposible). Aesthetics are personal and less important than function... from my point of view, the Pros look and feel like “jewellery”, while the regular ones, specially since iPhone 6, and the competition, are like toys.

I disagree. I also have the 11 pro. It may not dent as easily but it gets scratches more easily. The current and last few Apple watch models are made out of a cheaper recycled aluminum. The earlier apple watch aluminum models were made out of high tensile 7000 series aluminum. Big difference. The iPhone xr, 11 don't bend outside of a hydraulic press. The pro models are too damn heavy. SS has almost zero benefit on a phone. Other than impressing the easily swayed public.

If you have a case on your phone, there is zero difference other than the weight. SS conducts heat worse than Aluminum, is heavier. As I have used the SS model iPhones since the X, I see little or no difference other than weight and heat dissipation. Aluminum is also better in that regard as well. High tensile 7000 series aluminum is used for spacecraft! Apple uses the same aluminum.

 
12 vs 12 pro. The shiny edges really don’t matter since it will have a case on it for most. Durability wise the aluminum will also have a case on it so that really doesn’t matter. But one difference you can tell will be the weight of the phone. The aluminum will be way lighter. I have been waiting for awhile for a OLED aluminum iPhone after using just the x, then xs, and 11 pro models. Stainless steel serves little purpose in a phone, zero actually. The 7000 series aluminum is durable enough for almost anyone outside a hydraulic press. There is a reason Samsung, Oneplus, and every phone manufacturer other than Apple use it. Weight. Apple just ignores this because their Apple.
Aluminum also conducts heat way better. Stainless steel not so much. Hardness is closer than people think. Scratch resistance will be similar to both. Benefit of steel you can buff them out, aluminum no. There are benefits to using steel, I just think 7000 aluminum has more. I have a stainless steel Apple Watch but I like the added weight and the sapphire. In a phone not so much.


I like the added weight, gives it a premium feel along with the leather case that I use, with the Apple leather case the bottom is exposed so you still see and feel the steel.
 
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100% disagree. SS is waaaay less prone to take dents. I hit my iPhone 11 Pro with a frying pan and it resulted in a hardly visible scratch under certain angles, while my Al AW is full of them without any major incident. And as the structural core of the iPhone, it’s a much more robust material than aluminium (it’s nearly imposible to flex even by accident, while with aluminium, it’s not so imposible). Aesthetics are personal and less important than function... from my point of view, the Pros look and feel like “jewellery”, while the regular ones, specially since iPhone 6, and the competition, are like toys.
The aluminium models don’t feel like toys, let’s not get overly dramatic here. The 7000 series aluminium is just a different metal and a very innovative metal at that. Of course it is softer than stainless steel but it’s also a third of the weight so each material has a superior property in its application over the other. I prefer a lighter phone whereas others may prefer a shiny bezel but it’s subjective.

One thing is for sure and that is the aluminium is roughly the same cost as the stainless from a production perspective and we are lucky Apple aren’t transferring that premium on for the aluminium models. If Apple ever go down the 3D printing route, the stainless is much cheaper to print than aluminium which I know well from my own experience. I do find it funny how Apple apply impressive marketing spins on these materials like ‘aerospace grade’ and ‘Surgical grade’ rather than ‘construction grade’ or ‘swimming pool grill grade’ lol. Impressionable suckers do enjoy these terms though.
 
Toms review saying the sides are sharp to hold.

“All that said, I can’t say my hands have really taken to the sharper design. Few smartphones employ flat sides these days, and the iPhone 12 reminds me why. The edges dig into your palm, and make the entire device a bit harder to grip. For example, the iPhone 12 measures 0.29 inches thick — which is perceptibly identical to the 0.31-inch-thick Pixel 5. However, the Pixel 5 feels more slender in the hand, because it naturally fits the curvature of your palm.”
 
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Toms review saying the sides are sharp to hold.

“All that said, I can’t say my hands have really taken to the sharper design. Few smartphones employ flat sides these days, and the iPhone 12 reminds me why. The edges dig into your palm, and make the entire device a bit harder to grip. For example, the iPhone 12 measures 0.29 inches thick — which is perceptibly identical to the 0.31-inch-thick Pixel 5. However, the Pixel 5 feels more slender in the hand, because it naturally fits the curvature of your palm.”

This was my biggest worry with the flat sides, the entire reason why manufacturers began rounding their designs was due to this.

One of the most ergonomically amazing phones I have ever owned and used was the Samsung Galaxy S3, the phone had rounded corners and curved on the sides, it was shaped like a pebble and so it sat in hand incredibly well, that thing felt incredible to use, hands barely ever got tired of holding it.

Unfortunately in terms of looks, rounding is not as attractive as the sharp looks of flat sides and sharp edges.

Anyway a good case should get around this.
 
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Toms review saying the sides are sharp to hold.

“All that said, I can’t say my hands have really taken to the sharper design. Few smartphones employ flat sides these days, and the iPhone 12 reminds me why. The edges dig into your palm, and make the entire device a bit harder to grip. For example, the iPhone 12 measures 0.29 inches thick — which is perceptibly identical to the 0.31-inch-thick Pixel 5. However, the Pixel 5 feels more slender in the hand, because it naturally fits the curvature of your palm.”

We coped with the iPhone 4 and 5 and to be fair, most people use cases anyway. This only really affects (if that’s not too dramatic) those who go case-less.
 
One of the most ergonomically amazing phones I have ever owned and used was the Samsung Galaxy S3, the phone had rounded corners and curved on the sides, it was shaped like a pebble and so it sat in hand incredibly well, that thing felt incredible to use, hands barely ever got tired of holding it.
I owned that phone too and it was my last Android phone. Amazing looking device and nice screen for its time. Shame mine was a buggy mess, I got rid of it after 5 months and used an iPhone 4 until the 5 was released. I’ve been with Apple ever since.
 
I owned that phone too and it was my last Android phone. Amazing looking device and nice screen for its time. Shame mine was a buggy mess, I got rid of it after 5 months and used an iPhone 4 until the 5 was released. I’ve been with Apple ever since.

That is a real shame, I had mine for about 8 months then got a S4, and great as that was it simply didn’t match how natural the S3 felt in hand.

To this day, I still rate the Galaxy S3 as one of the best phones in terms of ergonomics.
The size, weight and shape were all near perfection.

I never got to hold a Palm Pre but looking at it I think that gets pretty close to S3 territory to.

With the above said, considering how many of us put cases on these things I guess ergonomics for most of us now is all down to what case we get, lol.

Would love to see Apples 12 Pro leather case range, I’m sure they will have well tapered edges.
 
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We coped with the iPhone 4 and 5 and to be fair, most people use cases anyway. This only really affects (if that’s not too dramatic) those who go case-less.

On the plus side will be easier to pick up off a table, surprising they went backwards in design. Not sure with a case if it will fit in the hand as comfy as the 11 pro. IP5 was boxy with a leather case from memory.
 
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