Welcome to the Apple iPhone 7 review for 2020. The iPhone 7 was released all the way back in 2016 but it's still for sale as an entry level iPhone, along with the old iPhone 6S stocks being depleted. Since the iPhone is difficult to review without comparing it to the superseded model besides, they are physically identical we've included both reviews in one post.
In terms of construction iPhone7 is very good. The iPhone 7 has a slightly curved screen on the edges but you can't tell unless using a 6S screen protector, as well did. The design is industrial and aged - it's not a classic design as per prior's iPhone that's for sure. The Home button is still a welcome design element. No complaint apart from the ugliness of the rear panel.
In terms of hardware the iPhone 7 has a huge jump in CPU power but missing a headphone jack. The screen resolution is good for a small screen but it is washed out and cheap looking compared other phones of the same age. The call quality has always been very average despite what marketing says and claimed youtube and tech review sites. We understand why they don't say the truth and it allows us to point out the flaws. The pictures taken from the cameras are OK for their age but still not comparable to the point and shoot cameras for the same age. The ultimate problem with any iPhone is their lack of storage space which you pay a premium for.
In terms of usage the iPhone 7 still has a consistently smooth interface and run Apps quickly dependent on how much data downloading they require. The iPhone 7 is noticeably faster than the iPhone 6S at about a fraction of a second in most instances. The operating system in general is much more complicated than in the past as Apple is still catching up with the competition in terms of features. As a result it means the the system is getting difficult to use.
In the end the iPhone 7 is a budget choice. It's nearest competitor is the iPhone 6S and more often than not the less than $100 difference makes it a tough choice. The choice comes down to a iPhone 6S with 32GB memory or a iPhone 7with 32GB. If your primary usage are calls, non graphical social media and emails. The camera is still OK and more than adequate for this type of usage. Mind you picture quality is still not on par with the point and shoot cameras of this era. Furthermore the iPhone 6S will be dropped form support soon.
Is the iPhone 7 worth buying in 2020? the answer yes but conditional. The problem of 32GB, it's not a lot memory for apps and pictures. If you can't stretch to the 128GB model you will need to use an online storage. We recommend using Google or Dropbox as they offer a free storage tier. DO NOT pay for iCloud, amongst other flaws it doesn't allow you to share with others unless you pay them even more money for the family pack. We read other web reviewers and so called tech experts with the Apple imessage bias as an excuse for recommending a iPhone - you aren't tech experts if you don't know about other messaging services the rest of the world uses.
Specifications
- Apple iPhone 7
- Network
All - Design
Touch screen
L138.3 x W67.1 x 7.1 mm
Weight 143 grams - Display
4.7 inch LCD
750 x 1334 LCD - Camera
12 MP auto-focus
LED Flash
2nd forward facing video call camera 8MP - Video Camera
4K 30FPS main video camera
5MP front camera - Connectivity
Wi-Fi, Bluetooth - CPU
A10 2.3 Ghz CPU - Memory
2 Gig RAM
Up to 32 or 128 Gig for user - Features
NFC - No headphone jack - Cheap screen - Power
1960 Li-Po mAh battery
Up to 7 Days Standby
Up to 14 hours Talk Time - Price history
iPhone 6S 32GB GB Approx FROM $429 AUD May 2020 (Outright)
iPhone 7 32GB Approx FROM $489 AUD May 2020 (Outright)
iPhone 7 128GB Approx FROM $599 AUD May 2020 (Outright)