iPhone 7 First Impressions

I ended up getting the 4.7" iPhone 7–sizing down from my iPhone 6s Plus–in Jet Black. I’m sure in large part, that’s why this phone feels so jewel-like in my hand: it actually feels small, and that’s not how I felt about my previous 4.7" iPhone, the original 6. So far, I’m thrilled to be back to the smaller phone.

The finish is pretty amazing: it doesn’t feel like either aluminum nor plastic. It’s got a polished, almost sticky grip like the 3GS did, but not the plasticky feel. It’s hard to tell where the screen begins, it’s so smooth.

It’s fast. I have the iPad Pro as well, and this thing benchmarks as fast or faster than that does. I don’t run benchmarks, but in use, it’s blazing. Rerouting after a turn in Maps is super quick, and everything is responsive.

The new home button doesn’t feel at all like a button, but I don’t mind it. Touch ID is even quicker than before. The Taptic Engine is put to new uses in iOS 10, and it’s a really nice experience. I particularly like the taps that it uses when scrolling through a date list to make it feel like a tactile operation.

So far, I’m very impressed.


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