How to Pick the Best iPhone For You - Not so long ago, when you wanted to buy a new iPhone, the choice came down to one thing: how much storage would you get and, as a result, how much would you pay? Then the iPhone came to Verizon and other phone companies and you had to decide not only how much storage you would buy, but also what carrier you wanted.
Now that each generation of iPhone comes in two models—beginning with the iPhone 5S and 5C, and carried over to the iPhone 6 and 6S series—picking the best iPhone for you and your needs has gotten more complicated.
Instead of just having to choose between two storage capacities and two phone companies, there are now five models—iPhone 6S, 6S Plus, 6, 6 Plus and 5S—and four phone companies: AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile, and Verizon.
If you're planning to buy a new iPhone soon, you need to figure out what matters to you in a phone, what doesn't, and which model to choose.
iPhone 6S Plus
Pros
- It's the biggest and the best - The iPhone 6S Plus is the top of the line model. It's got the largest screen—5.5 inches—which makes for terrific gaming and multimedia. In any other place where features are different from the 6S, it's got the better options: better camera, more battery life.
- Longer battery life - The 6S Plus' battery is big and offers longer life than any other model. Apple claims up to 80 hours of audio playback and 16 days of standby time for this phone.
- Improved camera - The 12-megapixel cameras on the both iPhone 6S models are almost identical, except that the 6S Plus offers optical image stabilization, a bonus feature that results in better photos. Photographers will want to look closely at this.
- 3D Touch screen - The screen on the 6S Plus can detect how hard you're pushing on it. As a result, it can respond in different ways to different kinds of touch. Not only does this enable eye-catching features like Live Photos, it also opens a whole host of new user-interface options.
- Touch ID fingerprint scanner - Apple's fingerprint scanning technology is built into all models on this list, so entering passwords and making purchases is as simple as laying your finger on your phone's Home button.
- NFC & Apple Pay - Both iPhone 6S and 6 models include support for NFC (Near-Field Communication), the wireless standard that is used for transactions with the Apple Pay mobile payment platform.
- Newer processors - The latest, fastest, and most capable chips show up in both iPhone 6S models: the 64-bit A9 processor and the M9 motion co-processor. The 6 series offers the previous generations of both, while the 5S is two generations back.
- Apple Watch compatible - Every phone on this list works with the first-generation Apple Watch.
Cons
- Bigger size - Due to its 5.5-inch screen, the iPhone 6S Plus is really big. Like almost 1.5 inches taller than the 5S. It may not fit in your pockets. If you're not sure you want a big phone, get your hands on one at a store before buying.
- Higher Price - Because of its bigger screen and better features, the 6S Plus costs $100 more than the equivalent iPhone 6S models.
Prices
(with a two-year phone company contract)
16 GB - $299
64 GB - $399
128 GB - $499
iPhone 6S
Pros
- Big screen - The iPhone 6S offers a 4.7-inch screen. While that's not as huge as the 6S Plus', it's a good deal bigger than the 4-inch screens on the iPhone 5S.
- Nearly identical features to the 6S Plus - Almost every feature of the 6S Plus is also present on the 6S (for a list of the ones that aren't, check out the cons below). The two phones are identical when it comes to storage options, processors, 3D Touch, Touch ID, support for NFC and Apple Pay, and Apple Watch compatibility.
- Less expensive than the 6S Plus - Each model of the iPhone 6S costs less than the equivalent iPhone 6S Plus.
Cons
- Smaller screen than 6S Plus - The iPhone 6S's screen is about three-quarters of an inch smaller than that on the 6S Plus, so if you need the biggest screen possible, check out the other model.
- Less battery life than 6S Plus - The 6S also offers a shorter battery life, though it's still very good: 50 hours of audio playback and 10 days of standby, according to Apple.
- Lesser camera - The camera on the 6S doesn't include optical image stabilization, only software stabilization, so photos in some circumstances may not be quite as nice as those taken with the 6S Plus (for the everyday photographer, though, the difference probably won't be noticeable).
- More expensive than 6 or 5S - Because it's one of the latest models, it's more expensive than the earlier generation. It starts at $100 more than the 6 and $200 more than the 5S.
Prices
(with a two-year phone company contract)
16 GB - $199
64 GB - $299
128 GB - $399
iPhone 6 Plus
Pros
- Lower price - Since it's not the latest model, each model of the 6 Plus is $100 less than the equivalent 6S Plus model.
- Larger screen than 6 or 5S - Like the 6S Plus, the 6 Plus has a 5.5-inch screen, larger than the 4.7-inch screen on the 6 or the 4-inch screen on the 5S.
- Better camera than the 6 - While the cameras on both the 6 and 6 Plus are both 8 megapixel, the optical image stabilization built into the camera on the 6 Plus can result in superior photos in some circumstances.
- Support for Apple Pay and Apple Watch - Key new Apple technologies like Apple Pay and the Apple Watch work just fine with the 6 Plus.
Cons
- Older processors - The 6 Plus is built around the A8 and M8 processors, one generation older than those used in the 6S series.
- Lesser camera than 6S series - The 6S series offers 12-megapixel cameras and the ability to record 4K video, so the 6 Plus won't be able to capture the best-looking photos of the iPhone line up.
- No 3D Touch - Only the 6S series includes the 3D Touch screen.
iPhone 6 Plus Review
Prices
(with a two-year phone company contract)
16 GB - $199
64 GB - $299
128 GB - $399
iPhone 6
Pros
- Lower Price - Since it's an older model, the 6 carries a lower price tag than any model above it on this list. The entry-level price is just $100.
- Support for Apple Pay and Apple Watch - As with the 6 Plus, the 6 gives you support for these new, exciting Apple technologies.
- Better than 5S in every way - Any way you look at it, the iPhone 6 is better than the 5S. It's got a bigger screen, better camera, newer processors, support for Apple Pay and other new technologies, and more.
Cons
- Older processors - The same situation as the 6 Plus: compared to the 6S series, the processors at the heart of the 6 are one generation old. They still perform well, but they're no longer cutting edge.
- Lesser camera than 6 Plus or 6S series - The 6S series offers 12-megapixel cameras, better than the 8 megapixel on the 6. The 6 Plus has optical image stabilization, while the 6 only has software-based image stabilization. The photos on the 6 are great for most people, but if you demand a lot of performance from your phone's camera, the 6 may be a little behind the curve for you.
- No 3D Touch - As with the 6 Plus, there's no 3D Touch screen on the 6 series.
- Smaller screen than 6 Plus - If you want the biggest screen possible, you'll need the 6 Plus or 6S Plus. The 6 only offers a 4.7-inch screen.
iPhone 6 Review
Prices
(with a two-year phone company contract)
16 GB - $99
64 GB - $199
128 GB - $299
iPhone 5S
Pros
- Solid performance - The iPhone 5S's Apple A7 processor is two generations old now, but its performance is still pretty good. Like its successors, the A7 is also 64-bit, meaning it can access more memory at the same time than the 32-bit A6. This doesn't necessarily translate into a speed boost, but it can improve performance in some processing-intensive tasks.
- Good camera & video - The 5S's camera takes photos at 8 megapixels, which results in very good images. Plus, it has a number of other cool features, including slow-motion video recording, and dual-flash for better color fidelity.
- Touch ID fingerprint scanner - The Touch ID fingerprint scanner debuted on the 5S.
- M7 Motion co-processor - This chip works with the accelerometer, compass, and gyroscope in the 5S to enable new kinds of sports, fitness, and physically aware apps. It was the first iPhone to have an M-series processor.
- Apple Watch compatible - If you want to use the Apple Watch, you can do it with the 5S.
- Price - Thanks to the iPhone 6S models coming onto the market, the price of the 5S has dropped to as low as $0 with a two-year phone contract.
Cons
- An aging model - While it was top of the line when it was released in 2013, the 5S has been on the market for a couple of years. If you want the latest and greatest, you'll need to get a 6S or 6S Plus.
- Lesser camera - The 8-megapixel camera on the 5S is plenty good, and will be fine for many, many users, but the 12-megapixel option introduced on the 6S series is much better.
- Smaller screen - While the 4-inch screen on the 5S is beautiful, it's smaller than either screen offered by the iPhone 6 or 6S models.
- No NFC - The 5S lacks a NFC chip, so you won't be able to use it with Apple Pay.
- No 3D Touch - You won't be able to get the cool effects and options provided by the 3D Touch screen, since that's only available on the 6S series.screen, since that's only available on the 6S series. iPhone 5S ReviewPrices(with a two-year phone company contract)16 GB - Free32 GB - $49