The 7 Plus shares an almost identical design to the smaller model, with the only significant difference - aside from the dimensions - being the fact that it has a dual camera setup on the back, which we’ll cover later in this review. In every other regard this is simply just a bigger iPhone 7. It goes without saying that the iPhone 7 Plus boasts a larger screen than the standard model. Its 5.5-inch backlit LED panel has a resolution of 1080 x 1920 pixels, which is a jump from the 4.7-inch, 750 x 1334 pixel screen on the smaller model. A 1080p display on a phablet isn’t all that impressive in 2016, and many smaller Android phones have sharper screens. However, as was the case with the standard iPhone 7, it’s impossible to pick out individual pixels so it’s not that much of a concern. The panel is brighter and better at replicating colours than the one seen on the iPhone 6S Plus, which should give existing iPhone fans reason to upgrade.
Next year, however, is when things will get really interesting as Apple is moving over to AMOLED panels and that will bring a whole host of benefits to the iPhone 8 or iPhone X or whatever next year’s handset is called, the least of all being a bump to QHD resolution.
Like most things iPhone 7, the display technology on show here is just about par for the course. Apple has made some tweaks and improvements to the overall quality of the panel, which is expected, but it pales in comparison to the displays you find aboard the Galaxy S7 and Google Pixel XL.
iPhone 7 Plus Review: Hardware Specifications
In terms of technical specifications, the 7 Plus is an exact match to the iPhone 7, aside from RAM - the larger model has 3GB while the smaller version has 2GB. To be honest, it’s hard to notice any real difference in day-to-day use, although the additional gigabyte should ensure smoother performance on the 7 Plus in the long run.
The powerful A10 Fusion chipset is something of a beast, and we weren’t able to make it stutter or stumble during the review period. It’s that good.
Apple has an immense command over the silicon inside its phones and the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus are no exception. The A10 chipset is the most advanced chipset in the world right now – nothing else comes close to what Apple is able to do with this chipset.
But like the design, this bump in performance just sort of fades into the background. For most consumers it is not a standout feature, as the iPhone 6s and iPhone 6 before it were also pretty exceptional in this regard as well. In fact, for the last three generations of iPhones I don’t recall anyone saying they weren’t potent enough in the performance department.
The A10 is more power-efficient as well but in my experience the battery life of the iPhone 7 Plus, in the long term, is pretty similar to what I experienced on the iPhone 6s Plus and iPhone 6 Plus before that. It’s good, solid and will see you through a full day with heavy usage but compared to what I’m regularly getting on my Pixel XL it’s nothing to right home about.
iPhone 7 Plus Review: Camera
Aside from the screen, this is one of the key areas where the 7 Plus differs from the normal iPhone 7. It has the same 12 megapixel lens as its smaller stablemate, which boasts an aperture of f/1.8 and OIS, allowing for really effective low-light shooting. However, the 7 Plus is packing a second 12 megapixel, f/2.8 telephoto lens which gives x2 optical zoom and works in conjunction with the other camera to create some impressive depth-of-field effects. When taking a photo, the phone uses the data from both lens to create a depth map and then applies a nifty Bokeh effect to blur out the background and bring the subject into sharper focus. While the effect is artificial to degree, it’s convincing - and to achieve it via normal means you’d need an expensive DSLR camera with a wide aperture, so what Apple has achieved here is remarkable. The telephoto lens also allows for incredible macro shots, and once you’ve taken a few snaps with the 7 Plus, you’ll wonder how you ever coped without it.
iPhone 7 Plus Review: Audio
So yes, the 3.5mm headphone jack is gone in favour of the Lightning port and a new set of Lightning-based headphones bundled-in with the phones. What’s also bundled-in is an adaptor dongle allowing users to keep using their 3.5mm headphones with the new devices. However, the iPhone 7 series non-headphone audio setup has also been upgraded; it’s the first set of iPhone devices with stereo speakers!
On top of this, Apple has also developed a set of wireless Airpods allowing you to free yourself from wired headphones altogether. The Airpods feature a 24 hour battery life and are button-less, their setup is also synchronised across iCloud between devices. They use a dedicated W1 chip for audio and wireless, while built-in infrared sensors detect when you place them in your ears. Motion accelerometers detect touch to activate Siri and Voice accelerometer enhance your voice for calls and commands. They will ship in October and cost $159.
iPhone 7 Plus Review: Battery Life
There’s a 2900 mAh battery inside the 7 Plus, which is a big jump from the 1960 mAh cell seen in the smaller model. Stamina could be something of a concern with the standard iPhone 7, but that’s not the case with the Plus model - even by the end of the day, our review unit still had juice in the tank and we were able to push it a lot more in terms of playing games, watching movies and surfing the web.
iPhone 7 Plus Review: Conclusion
If you must buy an iPhone in 2016 the iPhone 7 Plus is the model to go for. The standard iPhone 7 model is just, well… disappointing on too many fronts. Battery performance isn’t great, the display pales in comparison to cheaper Android alternatives and it lacks the iPhone 7 Plus’ main USP, the dual-lens camera.