iPhone 7 Review: Do you really need to upgrade? - Hungry Geeks

After Tim Cook launched the newest iPhone, every tech-related website that I’m constantly following posted their own reviews. There were write-ups and video compilation of the event that shows only a short experience with the product itself.

And while I don’t have anything against posts about the technicalities and specifications of the iPhone 7, I am more interested with how it affects the experience of living through the product by using it in everyone’s daily life.

With so many people using an iPhone everyday, I can see how they have no major complaints about it. So with the iPhone 7 arriving soon in The Philippines, the real questions are: is it going to improve your life? Is it worth to upgrade? Well, here are my thoughts.

Design

I have to admit, the iPhone is a real beauty. Throughout the years, the design underwent with only minor changes and I really have no problem with that. So yes, it looks a lot like the 6 and 6s.

The protruding camera found on the 6 and 6s are now slightly tapered, and it looks like it is actually embedded with the rest of the phone’s body. With the antenna lines now more hidden by curving just around the top and bottom of the phone, the back is left with a clean slate of aluminium.

You also get to pick two new colors: Jet Black and Black that replaces the Space Grey. And if you’re into people knowing that you own the latest iPhone, all you need is to pick between the two.

Performance

I previously owned an iPhone 6s and I loved that phone so much. After using both iPhones, I didn’t notice much boost in performance. But that’s not a bad thing because it’s already fast. Click on an app, and it instantly opens. Want to take a lot photos, you can keep clicking on the shutter button and you’ll get your picture without delay. From unlocking the phone with the TouchID to playing graphic-hungry games, it works like a breeze.

Let me just tell you that the phone is probably faster than you need it to be.

Display

One thing that I did notice when I compared my 6s to the 7 is that the screen has been improved. By the numbers, it’s 25 percent brighter and features a wider color gamut than the 6s.

It’s not better than the screens that are found in flagship Android smartphones but it still manages to be very impressive. I can fairly much see more when using the iPhone 7 outdoors. While walking outside, I didn’t need to cover the phone so I can see it under the bright sun which is not much of a problem when you’re already used to it.

The wider color gamut made a difference when I took both phones out for photo comparisons. It’s much more colorful and vibrant.

Camera

Apple is very famous for their camera. With the iPhone 7 Plus, it sports not one but two 12 megapixel cameras — one wide-angle lens for the usual picture-taking and a telephoto camera if you want to zoom in on your subject.

Additionally, optical image stabilization is now found in both the 7 and 7 Plus which helps in low-light situations and if you have shaky hands. Using the normal lens to take pictures did not really stood out when I compared both the 6s and 7 except in low-light where the 7 made so much difference.

Something that’s exclusive to the 7 Plus is it’s Portrait Mode, if you get a chance to take it for a spin, you’ll quickly notice that it works just the way its meant to. It’s not perfect because it uses software to create the depth-of-field effect, but with it’s usual updates I’m sure that it will improve overtime.

Bottomline, if you’re not that into photography or you already own a professional camera, you don’t really need to factor the camera if you’re thinking to upgrade.

Other thoughts

When I first got to use the iPhone 7, I thought to myself: “How in the hell will I survive without a headphone jack?!”. But when I used the device itself, I can easily say that you’ll forget all about it within a few hours because inside the box is a pair of lightning EarPods and a 3.5mm to lightning adapter that I didn’t really get to use because I’m already fine with the EarPods that comes with it.

All I can say is, if you’re an audiophile and you like to listen to your phone with your more expensive headphones, it will take some getting-used-to. But don’t make it a big issue like what the critics are ranting about.

Then there’s the water-resistance feature. With my friends already owning some water-resistant Android phones, I can fairly say that it is just nice to have as a party trick. People will talk about it but you’ll mostly not use it as much as to be excited with it. It’s a nice thing to have especially if you’re clumsy to drop your phone often.

Also, the home button doesn’t click anymore. At first, it feel strange — like the entire phone is clicking except the home button itself. But after a while, I got used to it that I got to like it more than the physical button.

If you’re one of the people that doesn’t want to press the home button in your previous iPhone because you’re afraid to break it, you’ll love this more because you’re not actually pressing it. No need to be careful.

Conclusion

All in all, the iPhone 7 and 7 Plus are phenomenal phones. Depending on your taste of design, your previous operating system, the compatibility with other device and budget, it can really be the perfect phone for you. It’s a great device that has been significantly improved compared to all the previous iPhones.

If you own a 6s like me, I suggest you consider the price you’re paying with the upgrades that you’ll receive: it’s only the camera, screen, and color. But if you’re upgrading from an older iPhone or an Android device, there’s no better iPhone that you could have now.