iPhone 3GS build quality

[mattwestside]

I bought a 3GS over the weekend and am noticing that the power button (top of phone, right-hand side) has some side-to-side wiggle to it. I'm also noticing the SIM card slot has inconsistent spacing with where it meets the body of the phone - there is a visible gap at the top but not the bottom.

The screen is perfect, the bezel is even, and the volume switch is tight. Would this be considered a "good" one in terms of overall build quality?

 

[Bostonaholic]

I just bought my 3GS about 2 months ago and the only "build quality" issue I have found so far is the upper right of the screen is slighty lower than the rest. I notice it if I run my finger across the edge of the screen and the border.

Other than that, no wiggles or loose buttons.

 

[bruinsrme]

I bought a 3GS over the weekend and am noticing that the power button (top of phone, right-hand side) has some side-to-side wiggle to it. I'm also noticing the SIM card slot has inconsistent spacing with where it meets the body of the phone - there is a visible gap at the top but not the bottom.

The screen is perfect, the bezel is even, and the volume switch is tight. Would this be considered a "good" one in terms of overall build quality?

Are you satisfied with the phone, then it's a good overall build.
If you are not satisfied, then its not, and should return it for a new unit.

I had a few quirks with mine so I got a new unit.

 

[Roofy.]

I can't believe people really care about such insgnficant "problems". My iPhone's vibrate switch is loose, the volume button is pushed further down towards the bottom and is a little loose, the sleep wake button is pushed down on one side like the volume button, and the side of the phone sometimes creaks if held harder then normal.( it's the casing being pushed in)

and you know what? I could care less... If the phone works fine then who cares about a few small Insignificant issues. It's not like it ruin the functionality.

 

[mattwestside]

I can't believe people really care about such insgnficant "problems". My iPhone's vibrate switch is loose, the volume button is pushed further down towards the bottom and is a little loose, the sleep wake button is pushed down on one side like the volume button, and the side of the phone sometimes creaks if held harder then normal.( it's the casing being pushed in)

and you know what? I could care less... If the phone works fine then who cares about a few small Insignificant issues. It's not like it ruin the functionality.

Well, I was hoping for a reasonable build quality, and that's why I asked what the general consensus was for the nuances my phone exhibits. Personally, buttons that are going to be used as frequently as the sleep/power button should be tight, especially on a new phone, and moreso on a premium device with tight manufacturing tolerances. It seems that the screen bezel and uneven glass are greater concerns, which mine don't have, so I'll be keeping the one I got and not worrying about the button wiggle unless it breaks.

I know there are a lot of posts like mine, but there are similarly high levels of grumpy, catty responses like yours that sour new users like me from voicing what are just simple questions.

 

[Scarlet Fever]

Of the 5 Apple products my family has purchased in the last year (ipod nano, imac, mac mini, airport extreme, iphone), all of them have been perfect. Not a single fault.

Sounds like you guys got Friday models. The people who made them just wanted to go home.

 

[kAoTiX]

I can't believe people really care about such insgnficant "problems". My iPhone's vibrate switch is loose, the volume button is pushed further down towards the bottom and is a little loose, the sleep wake button is pushed down on one side like the volume button, and the side of the phone sometimes creaks if held harder then normal.( it's the casing being pushed in)

and you know what? I could care less... If the phone works fine then who cares about a few small Insignificant issues. It's not like it ruin the functionality.

Maybe cos when you pay nearly £500 for something you don't expect it to look like it came in a happy meal.
I too have slight issues with my new 3GS, actually exactly the same issues as Bostonaholic with the slightly lower top right. It's not a problem to me as it doesn't affect the phone usage but there was no issues with my 3G and that was cheaper. Go figure, Apple clearly changed how they build the newer phones.

 

[StefanBerlin]

I bought a 3GS over the weekend and am noticing that the power button (top of phone, right-hand side) has some side-to-side wiggle to it. I'm also noticing the SIM card slot has inconsistent spacing with where it meets the body of the phone - there is a visible gap at the top but not the bottom.

The screen is perfect, the bezel is even, and the volume switch is tight. Would this be considered a "good" one in terms of overall build quality?

Yes! i have the same "problems" with my new 3GS.
its is hard to use the power button, since only its right side peaks out for ca. 1/2 mm. also the SIM slot thing i have.
guess thats normal for "made in china".

my old 3G was ok with SIM and Power button, but light was leaking beneath the screen and the home button was fastly late-responding (it went deeper after a while and did not feel good/tight).

this really,really sucks in addition with iTunes and the poor battery, i must say...