Thinking of buying a new iPhone? We’ve got plenty of advice in our iPhone buying guide, but rather than just telling you which iPhone might be best for you, we thought it might be good to go over some common pitfalls. with the purchase of an iPhone.
Whether you’re switching to the iPhone for the first time or replacing an older model, here are five ways to make sure you avoid the most common pitfalls people fall into.
Don’t dismiss the high-priced Pro model
When buying an iPhone, you have more to consider than whether or not you want the larger size. The iPhone lineup is divided into regular iPhones (iPhone 14, iPhone 14 Plus) and iPhones Pro (iPhone 14 Pro, iPhone 14 Pro Max). There is even talk of a future “Ultra” model which will be even more expensive and feature-rich.
The price difference is substantial – around $200, or around 25% more. The additional features you get with Pro models vary from year to year. But be sure to consider what they are – you could be giving up more than you think saving a few bucks on the standard model.
Currently, the iPhone 14 Pro gives you a brighter display, always-on display, Dynamic Island, 48-megapixel rear main camera, and 3x telephoto lens. Moreover, it has the A16 processor, while the regular iPhone 14 has an A15.
The CPU difference isn’t huge (this year), but it’s a lot of extra stuff for $200. And the iPhone 15 should widen the gap between the lines even more.
Think carefully if you really need all that stuff Pro or not. Your money may be better spent elsewhere, like on Apple Care+ or more storage.
A good rule of thumb: if you plan to keep your iPhone for three years or more before upgrading, go for Pro. The newer processor and superior cameras keep it relevant for longer. If you replace your iPhone more frequently, get the standard model – next year’s model will be better, so there’s no need to splurge today.
Don’t get the wrong charger
When you buy an iPhone, there is no power adapter in the box. You get a USB-C to Lightning cable, but that’s it.
It’ll work great with just about any USB-C charger you have, and will charge even when just plugged into a laptop or desktop. But there’s a big difference in charging speed between the older 10W adapter you might have in a drawer and some of the newer models. And you don’t want to be stuck waiting over an hour to get enough charge for your iPhone.
Newer chargers provide more power in a compact form and often have multiple USB-C (or other) outlets to charge multiple devices at once. And they don’t cost a fortune. So do yourself a favor and check out our list of the best iPhone chargers.
Every iPhone also supports wireless charging. There are also MagSafe chargers, which have a ring of magnets to hold your iPhone in place, and regular Qi chargers that don’t. They are not as quick as plugging in, but often much more convenient.
Don’t skimp on storage
Current iPhones have 128GB of storage to start with, but you can pay more for 256GB, 512GB, or even 1TB in the Pro models. Sure, cloud storage is great, but nothing replaces your photos and videos, games, and apps. on your device just when you need it. There’s no way to add more storage later, so you want to make sure you buy an iPhone with enough to last as long as you plan on keeping it.
We see social media posts and receive emails all the time on iPhones with full storage. What takes up so much space? How to free up space?
For some users, 128 GB will be enough for a very long time. But the longer you keep your iPhone, the more photos and videos you take, and the bigger apps you have (games are the worst offenders), the more likely you’ll run out of space.
If you plan to keep your iPhone for several years, or just know you tend to need more storage, it’s well worth the extra $100 it costs to upgrade to the first storage upgrade. , which doubles your space to 256 GB.
128GB might seem like a lot, but not too long ago 32GB seemed more than enough, and we couldn’t imagine living with that today. Get more than you need today and you’ll be happy tomorrow.
Remember to protect every part of your iPhone
If you ever take public transport, you know that at least half the people are looking at their phones, and a mad many of them have cracked screens or backs.
Apple continues to make the iPhone tougher, but there’s not much you can do to drop glass on the pavement. You’ll never feel dumber than when you ruin an $800+ phone because you can’t be bothered with a $30 shell.
Suitcases don’t have to be big and bulky. They’re available in many styles and materials, including cases so thin you’ll barely notice them. And anything is better than Nothing. Our list of the best iPhone 14 cases is a good place to start, but there are hundreds to choose from.
You can even get a vinyl skin that will render your iPhone caseless but protect it from minor scratches.
Whatever you choose to do, we strongly suggest a glass screen protector. They’re affordable, and many come in little kits with applicators that make it easy to get the perfect application (just give your screen a good clean first).
Once applied, a screen protector will make your iPhone display MUCH harder to break – usually the screen protector will absorb all the energy and crack, so you can just replace it. It also improves resale value by protecting your screen from minor scratches.
If you’re error-prone, ask yourself if Apple Care+ will save you money in the long run.
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Do not buy from individuals
When shopping for a new iPhone, it can be tempting to buy a new or “like new” phone from someone on eBay, Facebook Marketplace, Craigslist, or other person-to-person marketplaces.
You must be very careful with that. It’s often a scam, iPhones are frequently stolen and can be quickly disabled, and you have no one to go to if something goes wrong.
Unless you know the seller personally, it’s probably a good idea to buy your iPhone only from a major retailer or carrier, someone who will be there to return it if something goes wrong. Beware of big discounts – nobody Really sells iPhones for much less than others, and any “too good to be true” deals you find usually are (you’re going to pay one way or another). We maintain a list of the best iPhone deals.
If you want to buy a good used iPhone, consider Apple’s Certified Refurbished store. Apple’s refurbished iPhones aren’t always the cheapest, but it’s almost like buying a new one – they have brand new batteries, housings, cables, and sometimes other parts. They also come with a full warranty.
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