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Other What’s your favorite and least favorite iPhone... or top/bottom 3?

Kal-037

Kal-037

macrumors 68020
Original poster
Apr 7, 2015
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Depends on the day, but usually I live all over.
I didn’t see a thread asking this particular question, so I thought it might be fun to make one. *mods, I apologize if there is one already, I used the search icon, but found nothing.
I was a poor person and non Apple customer until I got an iPhone 5s in 2013. That was a great phone... or maybe because it was my first smart phone I was blinded to any issues, (I was 26 when I got my first smartphone, lol.)

Favorite iPhones...
iPhone 8 Plus was amazing, I had it while waiting for the X, and it was honestly the best iPhone I’d ever owned as no hardware issues or even software issues occurred... like not a single one I can remember. The X was cool to have, but it for some reason was a bit too glitchy and a pain (even with many restores and 1-2 swaps I think.)
The other super spiffy iPhone is/was the XR. I love the colors and design a lot, (before iOS 13 the battery on the XR was awesome, but now on iOS 13... not so great.)
The other favorite of mine is the 11 Pro. I think design wise (besides the weird stove cameras, it is awesome-sauce incarnate, (especially the matte glass on back.)

*in order of most favorite...

1.) iPhone 11 Pro.
2.) iPhone XR.
3.) iPhone 8 or 8 Plus.

Hopefully the next iPhones are just as good (but also better in the sense of new cameras and other features.)
it would be great if Apple simplified the line-up, because it’s now super messy like the iPads.
I think instead of naming them “iPhone 12 Pro Max” and “iPhone 12 Pro”... they name the flagship iPhones “iPhone Pro“ with the two sizes (just like the iPad Pro 12.9“ and 11”)


Anyways, what’s your favorite iPhone?
 
Top 3:

- 1. iPhone 11 Pro Max
The best iPhone experience by far. Before that, there was always something missing for me so i couldn’t keep an iPhone for long.
- 2. iPhone 5S
Touch ID that revolutionized biometrics on mobile phones, awesome OS redesign in iOS7 and just amazing design.
- 3. iPhone 3GS
The best version of the first design (I don’t consider iPhone 2G at all) and by far the best smartphone on the planet at the time.

Worst 3:

- 1. iPhone 5C
Toy-like build quality and really bad value for money.
- 2. iPhone 8
An overpriced iPhone 6SSS (since 7 was like a 6SS) for anyone that couldn’t afford an iPhone X, and a bit expensive for what you got.
- 3. iPhone 2G
Yes it was the first, it was amazing blah blah, but it was an experiment. Limited availability, limited functionality, no 3rd party apps (at first), horribly slow 2G network even for 2007, and a huge price tag.
 
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favorites : iPhone 7 - iPhone se - iPhone 11 pro
least favourites : iPhone 11 - iPhone XR - 6 plus
 
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Favorites: SE, 2G (original), X

I first SE is the phone that I held onto the longest, love that design. The original iPhone really felt like something from the future. I will never forget queuing in line at 8pm the night before. The X was refreshing when we had the same design for years (6, 7, 8).
 
I’ve had iPhone 4, 5S, 6S, 8 and now 11 Pro. My favourite (so far) is the 11 Pro, no contest. It’s a great phone. Second would have to be the 8, that was a solid phone too. Then 6S.
 
Top 3:
1. iPhone 11 Pro
2. iPhone XS Max
3. iPhone 5s

Bottom 3:
1. iPhone 5c
2. iPhone 3G
3. iPhone 6s

Quite a lot of reasons for those picks, but there you go - that's my list
 
My favorite was the X. Better sized than the more capable 11.
Least, the 3G. Obsoleted so fast.
The 4 was a nice phone. Display so much improved over what came before. And it outlasted my usage by several years.

The 5 was early LTE, so limited on bands.
 
Least favorite iPhone 6 due to the 1 gig ram got sluggish real quick.

Favorite has to be the iPhone 4 that design 😍 followed closely by the iPhone X.

Oh how did I forget the space grey iPhone 5 🥰
 
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I'm going to stick solely with phones I have owned or that are owned by others in my home. The reason for that is that from the iPhone 6 series on I have not liked a single iPhone.

iPhones I like.

Favorite iPhone: iPhone 5 - Black/Slate, chamfered sides, looks like the obelisk in 2001. First iPhone I ever bought for myself.

Next favorite: iPhone SE - My son's phone. Although I hate Space Gray (I prefer black) it's got the front of the iPhone 6 that I do like with the sides of the iPhone 5 (which I prefer). AND NO CAMERA BUMP!!!!

Next favorite: iPhone 3GS - This was the phone I used to introduce myself to iOS and jailbreaking. It was not my primary phone at the time so I learned a lot by screwing things up a lot.

iPhones I hate/tolerate.

Hate: iPhone 4 and 4s - I hate that ***** aluminum band around the middle. Why couldn't Apple make it a solid color? This series is the reason I waited two years after being eligible for an upgrade to buy an iPhone (the iPhone 5). I also have an unreasonable anger towards Apple in the fact that they decided to continue production of the iPhone 4s but discontinued the iPhone 5 after only a year. So, the phone I hate got more production than the phone I like.

Tolerate, but used to hate: iPhone 6/6+/6s/6s+ - If you've heard anything about me at all in this particular forum over the years you've heard about my hate for the camera bump. This series of iPhone is why.

I would love to like the iPhone 5s, but Apple never made a version in black (and no, Space Gray is NOT black).

Here's a few things.

1. Yes, I know, I hate an iPhone over color or camera bump. My preferences have been argued endlessly here in other threads. I buy phones (iPhone or otherwise) because I like how they look. My requirements/needs for a phone are low (call, text, email). Since most (if not all) phones can do that, I choose a phone based on how it looks.

2. Gray is a shade of black. That's also been an endless discussion. But gray is not 100% black. Yes, the screen is also black. But it's like saying that because the tires on your car are black - so is your car. Not the same. Oh, and thank you again to whatever forum member it was that gave me that argument when the 5s launched.

3. I own an iPhone 4, an iPhone 4s, an iPhone 6s and an iPhone 6s+. I have owned a 6 and a 6+. There are reasons for that but none of those reasons were because I liked how they looked.

4. For the "You're just going to throw it in a case anyway!" crowd who will use that argument against my preference for color and not to have a camera bump. I DO NOT use cases. And, my phones are just fine. No cracks or broken anything.

4b. As a subset of 4, there will be the group who argues "You're just going to be looking at the front anyway, who cares about the back?!" Well. I do. I usually end up seeing the back a lot during the course of the day.

All of this is subjective and just personal opinion based on what I like or don't like - nothing else.
 
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Favorites:
- iPhone X
- iPhone 5
- iPhone 11 Pro & iPhone 4 are tied

Least favorites
- iPhone 6
- iPhone 8
- iPhone 6S

(I never had a 5C but I’ve used it, it would be #1 for sure if I had it)
 
I’ve only had four phones, so rated from high to low..

XS Max, love the screen, and the update before last fixed my connection issue where I had to restart the phone every three days. This phone is a beast. Maybe should have got the 512, but it’s still better than 32 🤘🏻

5S, such a great little phone that fit perfectly, everywhere. I had the 32gb gold so I had room for my stuff. The flat edge was good for the night stand I could watch my shows without using a stand.

7, this was supposed to last me for a few years. I had problems with the mics on my original and free replacement. The screen is good and stereo speakers were nice. I didn’t mind the body, but it still lives in a limitless 2.0.

4S, great phone, my first actually, and classy af. But it didn’t age well, it was already an older phone that I got a deal on through my provider, the last of the 3 year contracts.. bet it was good in its prime heheh. Only 16gb though.
 
Judging the phones at the times of their respective launches (otherwise my top three are just the three latest models), I’d say:

Top 3:
1. iPhone 4 - genuinely revolutionary at the time, the screen was amazing and FaceTime felt like sci fi.
2. iPhone X - brought back the excitement of buying a new phone. Gestures and design were great and probably set the standard for the next 5-10 years of iPhone.
3. iPhone 2G - holding it in 2007 was incredible, though it did lack a lot of basic features which meant it's only number 3.

Bottom 3:
1. iPhone XS - such a minor update, remember watching the keynote and it was just them rehashing the iPhone X features. Least exciting update ever.
2. iPhone 3G - felt like a step backwards in design, though the price drop was good/probably needed.
3. iPhone 8 - really the 7S and completely overshadowed by the X. Not a bad phone by any means, but was an odd proposition at launch.


The iPhone 11 Pro just misses out on my top 3, but it feels like the most refined device to date. The iPhone 6 series is somewhere in the middle - it was relieving/exciting to finally have larger sizes to choose from and it was insanely popular, but those antenna lines were ugly on day 1 and still ugly today.
 
Top 3:

1. iPhone 5 - seeing that dark grey body with the black front and the screen off was like looking like a piece of jewelry for the first time. Also the first phone I queued for, loved the hype around it.

2. iPhone X - the first time we got a home button-free design which many had wanted for years.

3. iPhone 6 Plus - loved the sight of that huge plus-size screen in an iPhone for the first time.


Bottom 3:

1. iPhone 7 - Only minor changes from 6 -> 7 when people were expecting better things. Underwhelming.

2. iPhone 5C - It felt cheap and some of the colours were an eye sore.

3. iPhone 11 Pro/Pro Max - Hate the huge camera cluster at the back combined with the green colour, plus the price point was very off-putting.
 
top three:
• 4 (and 4s): classy and elegant looking, small size and easy to grip.
• SE: my current phone, I have it in rose gold and it’s stunning.
• 8 and 8 Plus: it’s gold was certainly done right 😍

bottom three:
• OG iPhone: appreciate where it lead us, but that black bottom bar thing in the back ruins the whole design. Which was great for it’s time, but certainly not nowadays when we have the likes of modern day iPhones.
• iPhone 5c: cheap looking with the plastic back, my one broke down on me without reason suddenly back in the day and I still have a grudge..
• iPhone 11 Pro & Pro Max in midnight green: ugliest iPhone colour IMO (also the entire 11 line camera system looks like a kitchen hob)
 
If the rumors turn out to be true, I know what my favorite iPhone will be: The 5,4" iPhone 12 (pro?). :p
 
My top three iPhone's (in no particular order):

5s/SE - I still have my SE and refuse to get rid of it (even if I rarely use it)
4 - Like the 5s/SE just a fantastic design at the time. Though I hope Apple brings back the flat edges this year
X - Love the all screen display and OLED

Bottom three (again, no particular order):

3G - Nice at the time, but the clamshell design doesn't do anything for me
5c - I actually liked this at the time for the different colors, but looking back it felt very cheap
11 Pro Max - I have the 11 Pro, but I strong dislike "plus" devices and the camera design on the back is terrible.
 
Top
iPhone SE still have it as my backup.
iPhone 11 my current phone. Pro features and performance at non pro pricing.
iPhone 6 plus. Just remember it fondly being the first plus sized iPhone.

7 - wasn't compelled to jump from the 6 bought the SE instead
X - It has the same internals as the iPhone 8 and it set the standard for $1000 priced iphones.
5C - it was a pointless line.
 
Favorites

X - Best phone I’ve had. Fantastic design, great display, revolutionary Face ID and gestures. I’m sure XS and 11 Pro are even better.

5S - Really the perfect form factor for one-handed use. Premium quality feel, while still being light. Also, iOS 7 made the iPhone fun again.

3GS - My first iPhone. Such a technological breakthrough.

Least favorites:

5C - Looked super cheap.

4S - Many people rave about the 4/4S design. I thought it was extremely uncomfortable in the hand. The stainless band cut into your fingers, and mine never worked properly either.

6/6S - Like someone said, the antenna bands were horrible from day one. Other than that, it was a decent phone but never really had the Apple feel. Might as well have been a Samsung, but it worked well.
 
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