It’s funny how time flies, isn’t it? Nearly a decade ago, Apple unveiled the iPhone 6s and 6s Plus, and while they’re certainly not the latest and greatest anymore, they still pop up in the most unexpected places – think second-hand markets, budget-friendly households, or even as trusty backup phones. For anyone considering these older models, or just feeling a bit nostalgic, the question of how they stack up, particularly their size difference, remains surprisingly relevant.
At their core, these two iPhones are practically twins. They share the same A9 chip, a capable 12MP rear camera, the familiar Touch ID sensor, and their journey ended with iOS 15. But step back and look at them, and the most obvious difference screams at you: size. The iPhone 6s, with its 4.7-inch display, measures a neat 138.3 x 67.1 x 7.1 mm and weighs a light 143 grams. It’s the kind of phone that just melts into your hand, easy to navigate with a single thumb. The 6s Plus, on the other hand, is a different beast entirely. It stretches to 158.2 x 77.9 x 7.3 mm and tips the scales at a heftier 192 grams. Trying to reach across that 5.5-inch screen with one hand? Well, it can be a bit of a stretch, to say the least.
Both phones boast that robust aerospace-grade aluminum body and a tough glass front, which felt pretty darn solid back in 2015. However, a notable omission by today’s standards is the lack of water resistance. So, a tumble onto concrete might leave you with more than just a bruised ego.
If you’re all about that pocketability and effortless handling, the iPhone 6s definitely wins the ergonomic race, even now. But the 6s Plus has a trick up its sleeve: Reachability. While the 6s also has this feature (a quick double-tap of the Home button brings the top of the screen down), the larger display on the Plus means you see more content without constantly scrolling. It’s a subtle but significant difference for everyday browsing.
Let’s talk about the view. The iPhone 6s sports a 4.7-inch Retina HD display, packing 1334 x 750 pixels. The 6s Plus steps it up with a sharper 5.5-inch screen, boasting a resolution of 1920 x 1080 pixels. Now, neither of these screens will blow you away with modern HDR or OLED tech, but the Plus model’s display is noticeably crisper. Reading e-books, scrolling through photos, or catching up on videos – it all looks a bit more refined on the larger screen.
For anyone who enjoys consuming media on their phone, that extra screen real estate on the 6s Plus really does make a difference. Watching YouTube on the 6s can feel a bit cramped, whereas the 6s Plus, especially in landscape mode, offers an experience that’s almost tablet-like. Web browsing is also a more comfortable affair, with less need to zoom in to make out text. As one human-computer interaction researcher pointed out, even with older hardware, screen size directly impacts how we engage with our devices; larger screens can reduce eye strain and improve readability over time.
Performance-wise, both phones are powered by that same Apple A9 chip and 2GB of RAM. Back in 2015, this was a smooth operator. Today? Well, it’s starting to show its age, especially with heavy multitasking or the latest iOS updates. Neither device can handle iOS 16 or anything beyond, capping out at iOS 15.7.7. This means they’re missing out on the latest security patches, leaving them a bit more vulnerable to emerging threats. So, while they might still be functional, it’s worth keeping their limitations in mind.
Ultimately, the choice between the 6s and 6s Plus in 2024 boils down to what you value most. If ease of use and a compact form factor are paramount, the 6s is your go-to. But if you crave a more immersive media experience and don’t mind a bit more bulk, the 6s Plus still offers a compelling, albeit dated, visual advantage.
