How Big Is The Iphone 8 Compared To The 6s

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11 reasons you should buy an iPhone 6S instead of the iPhone 8 or iPhone X

Updated

2018-05-18T13:35:00Z

The fact that Apple is still selling the iPhone 6S, a phone that will be three years old in four months, is a testament to how good the phone is.

In the past, Apple has only offered the previous-generation iPhone after it announces a new model.

But if you compare the specs of the iPhone 8 or the iPhone X on Apple's website, you'll notice that the phones look pretty similar. You'll be telling yourself: "Yep, the iPhone 6S has this, and that, and that."

The main differences are the chips that dictate performance and certain features, as well as a few incremental improvements in the iPhone 8 and iPhone X to things like the display and camera. These are hugely important factors when deciding which iPhone to buy, but the iPhone 6S is still a top contender, especially as it now starts at $450.

Here's why you should consider buying the iPhone 6S instead of the iPhone 8 or iPhone X:

1. It's more affordable.

It should go without saying that Apple's older iPhones are going to be cheaper than its new ones.

Here's what the new iPhones cost:

• iPhone 8 with 64 GB of storage: $700.

• iPhone 8 Plus with 64 GB of storage: $800.

• iPhone X with 64 GB of storage: $1,000.

However, Apple is still selling the iPhone 6S and 6S Plus for significantly less than the new iPhones:

• iPhone 6S with 32 GB of storage: $450.

• iPhone 6S Plus with 32 GB of storage: $550.

Unfortunately, you can't buy either iPhone 6S models refurbished from Apple's Refurbished Mac Store.

2. It comes in a color that the iPhone 8 and iPhone X don't have.

The new iPhone 8 comes in only silver, gold, and space gray. The new iPhone X comes in only silver and space gray.

The iPhone 6S and 6S Plus come in silver, gold, space gray, and rose gold — you can't get an iPhone 8 or iPhone X in rose gold.

3. It looks nearly identical to the new iPhone 8.

The iPhone 6s on top, and iPhone 8 on the bottom, look nearly identical.

If you value design above everything else, the iPhone X would be the iPhone of choice. It's the freshest iPhone design since Apple released the iPhone 6 in 2014, and it looks downright gorgeous.

But the iPhone 6S has an excellent design — and you'll find comfort in knowing that the iPhone 6S and 6S Plus look nearly identical to the new iPhone 8 models. Both the iPhone 6S and the iPhone 8 have the same size of bezels around the display and same overall shape, and their screens are the same size and same resolution.

The main differences in the iPhone 8 is the hidden antenna stripes and the glass back.

5. It charges just as fast as the iPhone 8 and the iPhone X out of the box.

All the new iPhones come with the same chargers as the iPhone 6S, which means they'll charge at the same speed.

Apple added support for fast charging into its new iPhone 8 and iPhone X, meaning you can charge your iPhone up to 50% in 30 minutes. But you'll have to buy extra accessories — including a USB power adapter with the Power Delivery standard, and Apple's USB-C-to-Lightning power cable — to take advantage of that.

The iPhone 8 and the iPhone X also support wireless charging, but that also requires you buy a separate charger.

6. It still runs smoothly.

The Apple A9 chip turning the wheels inside the iPhone 6S is still a great performer. I updated my iPhone 6S Plus to iOS 11 when it was first released, and I've hardly noticed any slowdown. Apps might take a little longer to load on the iPhone 6S than they do on the iPhone 8, but it's still perfectly suitable for my day-to-day needs, and I'm very fickle about my apps opening quickly.

On top of the A9 chip, the iPhone 6S still has an incredibly fast Touch ID sensor — so I can unlock my iPhone 6S Plus with minimal delay, which is also very important to me. Face ID, an iPhone X exclusive feature that lets you unlock the phone using the front camera and your face, never really worked properly for me. It was a slower and more frustrating experience than the simple Touch ID. I expect it's something Apple can improve over time with future software updates and new models.

7. Its rear camera is still fantastic.

Not bad, iPhone 6s Plus. Not bad at all.

The iPhone 8 Plus' camera is excellent, and it's also an undeniably better camera than the iPhone 6S'. Still, the camera on my iPhone 6S Plus takes incredible photos, and I'm happy to capture my memories with it. Mind you, this phone is almost three years old!

8. It has a headphone jack, while the iPhone 7, the iPhone 8, and the iPhone X do not.

If the headphone jack still matters to you and you want t stick to a pure dongle-less iPhone experience, the iPhone 6S and iPhone SE are your only choices. Even Android phones are starting to ditch the headphone jack.

Eventually, however, you'll have to adjust to a headphone-jack-less world when you upgrade beyond the iPhone 6S.

9. Its screen is still great.

Apple added improvements to the iPhone 8's and iPhone X's screens, including TrueTone, which adjusts the overall color temperature to match the lighting in your surrounding, and a wide color gamut for richer colors.

At the same time, the screen on the iPhone 6S is still excellent. The screen on that phone has the same sharpness and resolution as the new iPhone 8, and it reproduces colors just fine for browsing the web, using apps, watching videos, looking at photos, and playing games.

The iPhone X's screen has the most significant improvements — such as a sharper, larger 5.8-inch display — but again, you won't feel as if you're missing out on much when you're holding an iPhone 6S.

10. It runs iOS, the same software as the new iPhone 8 and iPhone X.

You'll get the same great iOS experience and Apple ecosystem, including timely updates, with the iPhone 6S that you would if you bought an iPhone 8 or an iPhone X.

Sure, you won't find some of the cool new software-based features you'd find on the iPhone 8 or the iPhone X, like "portrait mode" in the camera app. But for the most part, you're getting the same smartphone experience as every other iPhone.

11. What about the new augmented-reality stuff on the new iPhones?

When a company promotes a new feature, it shows off the best thing you can do with it. For the iPhone 8 and iPhone X's augmented-reality features, Apple thinks the best thing you can do with it is "digitally redecorate your home, explore a city you've never visited, or even walk with dinosaurs."

Augmented reality is in its early stages, and as Apple notes, "the possibilities are endless." But right now, there aren't that many possibilities with augmented reality that excite me to the point that it's worth the extra cash for an iPhone 8 or an iPhone X. Even the top augmented-reality app in the App Store right now can't crack the top 500 apps overall.

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