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iphone 3G vs 3GS

B

BRmitch

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Aug 27, 2009
1
0
not any significant differances i guess, just little ones.
the 3gs costs 100 more than the 3g HOWEVER the 3gs is 16gb as standard and the 3g is 8gb as standard.
for the 3g 16gb its 390 so 'tis only like 50quid differance if you look at it that way.

basically got my GCSE results today, and before i got them i told my dad i wanted a second hand iphone however im going to get a new one insted, and mum said she will pay half towards. however i may see if he will just buy me one
so i have a choice of either iphone, however if i bought the the 3g then i would be able to get a t-shirt or 2 for college with the extra 100 i would have. so...

(PRICES QUOTED IN GBP)
 
Who on earth would want to get old technology? The speed on the 3GS is worth it to me to upgrade. Not to mention the better camera/video. Spend an extra hundred bucks.
 
Just get the 3G S. If you get a 3G now with OS 3.0 out, you'll kick yourself later.

BTW Make sure you grab some insurance. Plus if you want internet on O2 Pay and Go it costs £10 a month. As does insurance from O2. ;)

Hope you factored those costs in :rolleyes:

And £100 for A T-shirt OR 2 ?!? Thats a lot :eek:
 
BRmitch said:
not any significant differances i guess, just little ones.
Click to expand...
I think you're going to have people disagree that the differences between the 3g and 3gs are little ones. To be fair and honest the differences are more start between this update then between the 2g and 3g.

To name a few
Faster processor
Faster bandwidth (where available by your carrier)
oleophobic coating
better camera
video capability
voice control
more memory

These may or may not be important to you, but I'd have to say they're not little changes.

To that end, I do believe it justifies the increase in price and the 3GS is well worth the purchase. As always YMMV
 
Lets cut the crap here. The 3gs is the same phone with a couple of gimmicks thrown in. The only thing is has over the 3g is speed. But unless your bothered by an app taking 1 more second etc to load then I would not waste your money.

Alot are complaining of worse 3g reception on the 3gs than the 3g. And it has a yellow tint on the screen. Watch some you tube videos with the 3g and 3gs and you will see the screen tint on the 3gs it's cack.

You'll get all the 3gs owners telling you this ain't true but it is. I'm waiting for the real update. Not the "stop gap" revision the 3gs is.
 
I'm surprised no one has mentioned this yet. At the end of the contract the cost difference is very unsubstantial.

I will quote american cost's with AT&T because that is all that I am familiar with.

3g = $99
3gs = $199

data plan for 3g = $30 x 24 months = $720
data plan for 3gs = $30 x 24 months = $720

Total cost of 3g = $819
Total cost of 3gs = $919

Therefore the cost is only about an 11% difference over the life of the phone. You also have to consider that you will be locked into this phone for 2 whole years, and the way that phone technology is constantly improved upon it's always best to start out with the latest and greatest!

Just my 2 cents
:)

EDIT: and I even left out the cost of voice plan because you will need that on any phone you get regardless. But if you want to total in the $40 a month for the minimum voice plan that puts the totals at 3g = $1779 and 3gs = 1879. about a 5% difference. And that's without any text messages!

If you add umlimited texting (like me) that's an additional $20 a month. That puts the totals at 3g= 2259 and 3gs = 2359. That's about about a 4% difference...

Then there is tax and activation fees and things like that. When you start to add it all up the $100 really does start to look insignificant in the whole picture to get a substantially better, and longer lasting, iphone.

There 4 cents. ;)
 
iTravis said:
Is this a serious question?. . . 3GS for sure.
Click to expand...

I know, it amazes me how ppl are still asking this. I mean I understand that some ppl just really can't afford the 3gs (and if that's the case maybe the iphone isn't for you with the huge data fees etc), but if you have the money to get the 3gs just go for it! I'm still bitter that they didn't give me video on my 3g :(
 
Coaldust said:
Lets cut the crap here. The 3gs is the same phone with a couple of gimmicks thrown in. The only thing is has over the 3g is speed. But unless your bothered by an app taking 1 more second etc to load then I would not waste your money.
Click to expand...
That's what I thought until I tried a 3GS at the Apple Store. The speed difference alone was enough to convince me to buy it. It was such an eye-opener for me.

Alot are complaining of worse 3g reception on the 3gs than the 3g. And it has a yellow tint on the screen. Watch some you tube videos with the 3g and 3gs and you will see the screen tint on the 3gs it's cack.
Click to expand...
Where are they? LOL Seriously, the 3G reception on my 3GS is no worse than that of my old 3G. I don't see any noticeable yellow tint on my screen, either.

Of course, YMMV. If you feel the 3GS is not worth the money, who am I to try and change your mind? It's your time and money, after all. :)
 
Another 3g v/s 3gs post..... You can't compare the 2 the are 2 different phones. To say there are just small changes to the s over 3g is like saying there are just small differences between the Porsche 916 v/s 959....

If you want a 3g then get it you don't need us to convince you that $100 more for 3gs is worth it.

Coaldust said:
Lets cut the crap here. The 3gs is the same phone with a couple of gimmicks thrown in. The only thing is has over the 3g is speed. But unless your bothered by an app taking 1 more second etc to load then I would not waste your money.
A lot are complaining of worse 3g reception on the 3gs than the 3g. And it has a yellow tint on the screen. Watch some you tube videos with the 3g and 3gs and you will see the screen tint on the 3gs it's cack.
You'll get all the 3gs owners telling you this ain't true but it is. I'm waiting for the real update. Not the "stop gap" revision the 3gs is.
Click to expand...

Says the man with no 3gs.... Of course it is more than just apps loading faster but no convincing you because you have made up your mind. Have you actually ever used the 3gs.... I don't mean tried it in the store or used your buddies, I mean USED it..... it's so much more than you say. Of course knocking something you don't have is cool.
 
Coaldust said:
Lets cut the crap here. The 3gs is the same phone with a couple of gimmicks thrown in. The only thing is has over the 3g is speed. But unless your bothered by an app taking 1 more second etc to load then I would not waste your money.

Alot are complaining of worse 3g reception on the 3gs than the 3g. And it has a yellow tint on the screen. Watch some you tube videos with the 3g and 3gs and you will see the screen tint on the 3gs it's cack.

You'll get all the 3gs owners telling you this ain't true but it is. I'm waiting for the real update. Not the "stop gap" revision the 3gs is.
Click to expand...

Just because it looks the same, doesn't mean that it's the same.

You can see the list of improvements that maflynn posted above. Those aren't insignificant.

My screen doesn't have a yellow tint. My reception is just fine.

Your argument doesn't apply here. The OP doesn't want to upgrade from a 3G to a 3GS. He wants to buy one or the other.

If it's a choice between the two, the no-brainer answer is to buy the 3GS.

If it's an upgrade from a 1st gen. to a 3GS, again the answer is to buy the 3GS.

If it's an upgrade from a 3G to a 3GS, then, yes, the decision is less clear.
 
Coaldust said:
Lets cut the crap here. The 3gs is the same phone with a couple of gimmicks thrown in.
Click to expand...

I have a 3G and my wife has a 3GS. Her phone is better than mine in so many ways that I find myself often borrowing hers instead of using mine.

I've had over 2 months of experience with both phones every day. You have admitted that you have no hands-on experience with the 3GS.

I'll leave it up to the readers to decide which opinion is more valuable.
 
Mad Mac Maniac said:
I know, it amazes me how ppl are still asking this. I mean I understand that some ppl just really can't afford the 3gs (and if that's the case maybe the iphone isn't for you with the huge data fees etc), but if you have the money to get the 3gs just go for it! I'm still bitter that they didn't give me video on my 3g :(
Click to expand...

Exactly. When you got it. . . get it! However in most cases it's teens that want their parents to pay. Just get a job and use your money the way you want, so there wouldn't be thread like these. That's what I did, since '07 ;)
 
I'll admit - for some people the speed difference is really not that big a deal, and saving $100 is a big deal. It's just like someone saying "I really don't need a dual-core processor in my PC, because all I do is browse the net and use Word, and I'm very patient." Another example: I have a brother-in-law who will drive 5 extra miles to save 10 cents a gallon on gas. He just FEELS better when he saves money, even if the extra driving cancels out the savings. It's an emotional thing, not necessarily logical.

For those people, sure save $100 and get the 3G.

But make no mistake - the 3GS may look identical to the 3G, but the 3GS is substantially faster across the board, and it makes a very noticeable difference in every single thing you do, not just how fast an app opens, but how quickly your calendar populates when you open it, to how fast it responds when you click on a text field to start typing, to how fast web pages render when you open them (this is one of the biggest advantages). If lag annoys you on a computer (lag being those random, sometimes long delays between a click and a response), know that you WILL see that on the 3G and hardly at all on the 3GS. The 3G is somewhat underpowered for what it is intended to do, while the 3GS has PLENTY of power for that and more. It's quite nice having the extra headroom.

Here's one advantage you might not have thought of. When you're on the PC, do you ever open multiple web pages at the same time, on different tabs, so they all pre-load while you read one? For example, say you pull up your Macrumors subscribed threads, then click and open each in a new tab. You can do that nicely on the 3GS, because it has the processing power to load multiple pages at the same time, and the RAM to keep them in memory. The 3G does not. The 3G will "forget" many of the tabs so that when you go back to them, they just reload from scratch again. With the 3GS, I can usually have all 8 tabs filled and none will reload when I go back to them.

So consider carefully, and do what's right for you. But like Mad Mac Maniac pointed out, the extra $100 is peanuts compared to the data and voice costs you will pay over the life of the contract.
 
Coaldust said:
I'm waiting for the real update. Not the "stop gap" revision the 3gs is.
Click to expand...
Well, the OP isn't waiting for "the real update". He's making a decision NOW between last years iPhone and this years iPhone.

I understand the 3GS isn't "worthy enough" for your standards, but honestly, does that warrant recommending the old 3G to someone who's buying a phone that they're probably going to be using for the next two years?

The 3.0 software running on the iPhone 3G isn't a snappy experience, and I think everyone will agree that the next major iPhone software upgrade is likely to be even less of a snappier experience on an iPhone 3G (which would basically be end-of-life'd by next summer).

So, again, why recommend to someone in the market NOW to buy an iPhone, that they should get the one with significantly slower hardware inside? I can see your point if you're talking to someone who has the ability of waiting until the next iPhone release before purchasing, but honestly, your post comes across just pissy that the 3GS wasn't exactly what you're looking for, and you'll never recommend it, regardless.
 
the 3gs is much better than the 3g.

for $100 more (USD) you are getting waaaaay better speed, better camera, double the storage, ability to record videos, and then you get a few features like the compass which I have used a few times and it is pretty cool to be able to orient your google maps with it, the voice thing is retarded imo, but yeah for $100 I'd say it is DEFINITELY worth it if for nothing except for speed. My 3gs flys circles around my old 3g
 
I am not bothered in the slightest about upgrading, But if i was getting a new contract then yes i would get the 3gs, So you are right he should go for the 3gs i geuss, But over in the uk on ebay the 3g is selling for around £250 and the 3gs £450, No way it is worth £200 more, At least i dont think so.

But you are correct, ive had no hands on with the 3gs, And may have a different outlook if i had, So take what i said above very lightly, I was just having a moment ;-).
 
Wow. A Simple question turns into a fully fledged debate. :p

3G or 3G S?



Yay or Nay?

Answer: 3G S = Yay :)
 
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