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8 reasons why you should get the iPhone 7 instead of the new iPhone XR, XS, or XS Max
8 reasons why you should get the iPhone 7 instead of the new iPhone XR, XS, or XS Max
Antonio Villas-BoasSep 22, 2018, 18:30 IST
Apple
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It looks like the four-figure price tag is here to stay when it comes to new iPhones from Apple.
Indeed, the $1,000 iPhone XS and $1,100 iPhone XS Max may very well be out of reach for some who want the iPhone experience, and even for those who don't want to spend that much on principle.
The $750 iPhone XR may seem like the iPhone to get if you don't want to be a part of the $1,000 club, but there are actually a few things about the iPhone 7 that some might prefer over the XR.
Thankfully, Apple is keeping around its older iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus just in case you want the Apple experience for under $600. Surprisingly, you're not sacrificing that much by going with Apple's iPhone 7, which is now two generations old. The iPhone 7 is still a fantastic smartphone that stands strong in the face of its younger, shinier siblings, and it's still a great option for anyone who's clung onto an iPhone 4, iPhone 5, and even iPhone 6.
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Check out eight great reasons why you should check out the iPhone 7 instead of Apple's latest iPhones:
First and foremost, the iPhone 7 now costs as low as $450, and it's $570 for the iPhone 7 Plus.
For the iPhone 7, that's $300 less to start than the iPhone XR, $550 less than the iPhone XS, and $650 less than the iPhone XS Max.
For the iPhone 7 Plus, that's $180 less than the iPhone XR, $430 less than the iPhone XS, and $530 less than the iPhone XS Max.
You could even get the iPhone 7 refurbished from Apple's Refurbished Mac Store for less. The word "refurbished" might not sound good, but my experience with a refurbished 2016 MacBook Pro directly from Apple has been nothing but positive. And you get a one-year warranty with refurbished devices, too.
(To note, I did experience an issue with my MacBook's keyboard, but it's a common issue among 2016 and 2017 MacBook Pros that could easily happen on brand new MacBooks, too. Apple has recognized and is offering to repair for free.)
2. You still get the same great iOS experience.
Despite paying significantly less for the iPhone 7, you still get to run the latest version of iOS, iOS 12. It includes better performance for older iPhones, as well as updates to the notifications system and other great tweaks that makes the iPhone operating system better and easier to use.
3. The iPhone 7 is lighter and thinner than the new iPhones.
The iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus are lighter than all the new iPhones, although the iPhone 7 Plus is heavier than the $1,000 iPhone XS.
The iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus are also slightly thinner than all the new iPhones.
4. The iPhone 7 has the home button and fingerprint scanner, which some might prefer over Face ID on the new iPhones.
If you're not ready to adopt Face ID or the new gestures to navigate around iOS 12, the iPhone 7 phones still come with the good old-fashioned home button and Touch ID fingerprint sensor. They'll give you the classic tried-and-true iPhone experience, while the new Face ID and gestures could take some getting used to.
5. The iPhone 7 still has a great camera.
Significant strides have been made with the new cameras on the new iPhones with features like Smart HDR, but the iPhone 7 still takes great photos. The iPhone 7 Plus even comes with a dual-lens camera system, with one of the lenses donning a 2x zoom.
6. The iPhone 7 Plus has a higher resolution display than the iPhone XR.
Surprisingly, the iPhone XR's 6.1-inch display will have a 828p screen resolution that's closer to the smaller 750p 4.7-inch iPhone 7 than the 1080p 5.5-inch iPhone 7 Plus. That means the iPhone 7 Plus has a sharper display than a brand-new iPhone with a larger display.
We have yet to see how that'll affect the viewing experience on the iPhone XR, but at least you'd know that the iPhone 7 Plus is technically sharper with a 1080p resolution.
7. The iPhone 7 has 3D Touch, unlike the iPhone XR.
In another surprise move, the iPhone XR doesn't come with Apple's 3D Touch feature, which lets you hard-press an app to get useful shortcuts. It might not be the most widely used features in the world, but 3D Touch users may want to avoid the iPhone XR and go for a phone with 3D Touch ... like the iPhone 7!
8. The iPhone 7 is still a great performer.
By selling the iPhone 7 with the A10 chip, Apple is essentially stating that it's still a top performer that matches its strict standards. In fact, my wife's iPhone 6S with an older chip is still running beautifully with iOS 12.
