Cellphones are no longer the minimal gadgets used to fulfill the purposes of calling and sending messages. They’re no longer a luxury either; they’re deemed quite a necessity! (Time for some honesty — how long can you go without the satisfaction of knowing your phone is in your pocket, or better yet, your hands? Exactly. You get the point!)
Smartphones revolutionized the world when they first made an appearance in 1992 (though the term was officially used only from 1995). Owning a smartphone is akin to carrying around your own mini-mini personal computer. The world is literally at your fingertips, whether you seek information, shopping, groceries, cabs, food — the apps on your phone can cater to everything you need, everything you don’t need, and everything you didn’t know you needed but need!
No prizes for guessing which company is one of the biggest revolutionizers in the smartphone industry. Steve Jobs’ started-off-in-a-garage-company is now, undeniably, one of the biggest tech giants in the world, with an estimated 900-million-plus active handsets around the world by the end of 2018. The numbers are only expected to increase, and the fact that Apple entices us with a new release every September doesn’t help the cause!
Today, we give you a low-down on two of Apple’s popular smartphone offerings: the iPhone 6 and the 6 Plus. We’ll tell you what their differences are, what their similarities are, and if a winner emerges from the comparison. Onward, we go!
iPhone 6 vs iPhone 6 Plus
There’s no denying that the 6 and 6 Plus share quite a few similarities — both come in the same range of colors (Silver, Gold and Space Grey), they both feature a Touch ID, they’re both equipped with Near Field Communication or NFC (this supports Apple’s newly-launched Apple Pay payment system), they both feature A8 and M8 processors and they both come with the same storage options (16, 64 and 128 GB). They both also come with iOS 8 (upgradable to 12.4), dual-core 1.4 GHz ARM-v8-based Typhoon CPUs, no additional card slot, and a PowerVR GX6450 GPU (quad-core graphics).
So what, then, sets the two phones apart?
Design and Display
Though it may not look it, the most significant difference between the 6 and 6 plus lies in their display. The iPhone 6 comes with a 4.7-inch display and a pixel resolution of 1334×750 at 326 ppi, whereas its younger cousin comes with a 5.5-inch display and a pixel resolution of 1920×1080 at 401 ppi. No prizes for guessing which one’s the better display!
The 6 Plus’ display is not only bigger but also presents a much higher screen resolution, supporting more pixels per square inch. However, it only manages a contrast of 1300:1, whereas the smaller 6 does slightly better with a ratio of 1400:1.
When it comes to the design and the make, both phones have an aluminum construction, with rounded corners and varying physical dimensions (obviously due to the screen size). The iPhone 6 is not only smaller but thinner as well, measuring 6.9 mm, whereas the 6 Plus is slightly more well-endowed at 7.1 mm. These features also lend to a significant difference in the weight of the two phones, with the 6 being the noticeably-lighter option at 129 grams; the 6 Plus is significantly heavier at 172 grams.
Specifications
It’s often best to let the numbers do the talking. Here are the specifications of both the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus:
iPhone 6
- Weight: 129 grams
- Overall Dimensions: 138.1 mm x 67 mm x 6.9 mm
- Display: 4.7 inches, Retina HD, 326 ppi with a pixel resolution of 1334×750 pixels
- Processors: A8 64-bit-architecture chip and an M8 motion co-processor
- RAM: 1GB
- Storage Options: 16, 64 and 128 GB
- Battery Life: 12 hours of mixed usage
- Battery Size: 1810 mAh
- Front Camera: 5 MP front camera, FaceTime HD camera, photos of 1.2 MP and videos of 720p HD
- Rear Camera: iSight 12-MP camera with f/2.2 aperture speed and True Tone Dual-LED flash, capable of 8 MP photos and 1080p videos and Phase Detection Autofocus (PDAF)
- Touch ID: Yes
- NFC: Yes
iPhone 6 Plus
- Weight: 172 grams
- Overall Dimensions: 158.1 mm x 77.8 mm x 7.1 mm
- Display: 5.5 inches LCD and 401 ppi with a pixel resolution of 1920×1080 pixels and optimization in landscape
- Processors: A8 64-bit-architecture chip and an M8 motion co-processor
- RAM: 1GB
- Storage Options: 16, 64 and 128 GB
- Battery Life: 12 hours of mixed usage
- Battery Size: 2915mAh
- Front Camera: 5 MP front camera, FaceTime HD camera, photos of 1.2 MP and videos of 720p HD
- Rear Camera: iSight 12-MP camera with f/2.2 aperture speed and True Tone dual-LED flash, capable of 8 MP photos and 1080p videos, optical image stabilization and PDAF
- Touch ID: Yes
- NFC: Yes
iPhone 6 vs. 6 Plus Battery Life
One of the other significant differences between the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus is their battery life. The 6 Plus comes with a much bigger battery to support its larger display. Apart from this, the battery of the 6 Plus functions efficiently in the following cases, as well:
- 24 hours of talk time with a 3G connection
- Up to 384 hours of standby time, which translates to 16 days
- 12 hours of internet usage on a 3G connection, 12 hours on 4G LTE and 12 hours with a Wi-Fi connection
- Up to 14 hours of video playback
- Up to 80 hours of audio playback
In comparison, the iPhone 6 manages to eke out a relatively pale performance:
- 14 hours of talk time with a 3G connection
- Up to 250 hours (10 days) of standby time
- 10 hours of internet usage on a 3G connection, 10 hours on 4G LTE and 11 hours with a Wi-Fi connection
- Up to 11 hours of video playback
- Up to 50 hours of audio playback
Which Phone Has the Better Camera?
In this age of social media takeover, a great camera is one of the most important features that users look for in smartphones. Apple’s cameras are one of the many selling points of their smartphones and with good reason!
Both the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus are equipped with the same cameras, so there isn’t much of a basis for comparison there. However, the 6 Plus still has a slight edge because it comes with an optical image stabilization feature in addition to the PDAF, whereas the 6 only has the latter. OIS makes a world of difference to how your photos turn out, so the 6 Plus may be the better option for all the Paul Nicklen aspirants out there.
iPhone 6 vs. 6S Cost
Of course, it goes without saying that how much you pay for the iPhone is obviously going to weigh in on your decision. With both phones, which color you choose and which storage option you go with both influence the amount you’ll be shelling out to be the proud owner of an iPhone.
The iPhone 6, in all its unlocked glory, will cost you anywhere upwards of $690, whereas the 6 Plus starts at $801 — quite a significant difference in the starting prices themselves!
More specifically, the phones will cost you the following:
iPhone 6
- 16 GB: $649
- 64 GB: $749
- 128 GB: $849
iPhone 6 Plus
- 16 GB: $749
- 64 GB: $849
- 128 GB: $949
As you can see, you can get an iPhone 6 of 128 GB for $100 lesser than the starting price of a 16-GB iPhone 6 Plus!
Which Phone Should You Choose?
Well, not really a judgment, so much as a comparison! It’s quite obvious that the 6 Plus is a step ahead of its elder brother, the iPhone 6. In being so, it’s exactly as Apple intended — each model is an improvement of the previous one. In terms of specifications and the camera, both the phones are highly similar, as they are in terms of storage options, color tones and hardware. Where the differences really kick in and make a difference is with regard to their battery life, price and physical dimensions, with the most obvious difference lying in the display size and screen resolution.
Therefore, if you’re looking for a phone that gives you a great screen resolution, a bigger monitor for games, videos and apps, a relatively better camera and more stamina, the 6 Plus is the way to go. However, this doesn’t mean you discount the iPhone 6 completely; just because both phones were released at the same time, it doesn’t mean the 6 never stood a chance. It’s still a great option to consider, with a ton of features similar to the 6 Plus and a price tag that’s not nearly as intimidating as its successor (and it’s only going to get more intimidating with each new successor that hits the market!).
Therefore, thanks to their being not too different but still significantly different from each other, the decision lies in your hands and will continue to do so! Consider what your needs are and what features make it to your list of priorities when it comes to Apple smartphones and you’ll have a winner.
