iPhone Review

Welcome to our iPhone 7 review. If you’d rather read about the bigger version, check out our iPhone 7 Plus review.

Apple unveiled the iPhone 7 on 7 September, alongside the bigger iPhone 7 Plus. The new iPhones feature better cameras, a new, super-speedy processor, two new colour options and waterproofing. The iPhone 7 is available to buy in the UK now, via the Apple Store and UK carriers. (Read our iPhone 7 deals.)

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If you’re still debating whether or not to buy an iPhone 7, our review will help: we test and rate the iPhone 7’s looks and build quality, features, tech specs, speed, camera capabilities and value for money. And we’d like to give a special mention to Mobile Fun for lending us the iPhone 7 we used to write this review!

Read next: iPhone 7 vs iPhone 6s | iPhone 7 vs iPhone 7 Plus | iPhone 7 vs Samsung Galaxy S7

If you’re interested in the full current iPhone range, take a look at our iPhone buying guide 2016. Or if you’d rather read about future iPhones, see iPhone 7s rumours and iPhone 8 rumours.

Update 7 November 2016: According to Mac Otakara, Apple plans to add a ‘Jet White’ version. This has yet to be confirmed, but the source has been known to be reliable in the past — so we’re holding high hopes for a ‘Jet White’ finish.

iPhone 7 review: Design & build quality

Let’s address the elephant in the room before we go any further. While previous Apple releases, and the usual ‘tick-tock’ pattern of iPhone updates, led us to expect the iPhone 7 would be a completely redesigned iPhone, in fact it features essentially the same design of the iPhone 6 and 6s. That’s the third year now with the same design. Many will say that’s a bad thing — but it isn’t quite so simple.

The iPhone 7 looks gorgeous, there’s no doubt about that, boasting an aluminium unibody with curved edges and 2.5D glass that helps make the phone sit into your hand much more comfortably, while also providing a much nicer experience when swiping from the side of the display. It isn’t just standard aluminium like the material used by its competitors, either — the iPhone 7 features 7000 Series aluminium, making the iPhone much more durable without adding much weight and adding more of a premium feel to the device.

The iPhone 7 is, physically, the same size and shape as its predecessors, the iPhone 6s and iPhone 6, measuring in at 128.3 x 67.1 x 7.1mm, but with a few notable differences. The rear-facing camera and TrueTone flash are bigger, and the eagle-eyed among you will spot that the antenna lines are gone from the back of the iPhone. Well, not gone, but repositioned to the top and bottom of the smartphone to make them less noticeable and provide a much cleaner look.