iPhone 6 vs iPhone 6 Plus: What’s The Difference?

How does the iPhone 6 compare to the iPhone 6 Plus? Should you still buy either the iPhone 6 or 6 Plus in 2021? Here’s everything you need to know…

There’s a lot of similarities between Apple’s iPhone 6 and the iPhone 6 Plus. Both come in silver, gold, and space grey; both feature Touch ID; both have the A8 and M8 processors; both come in 16, 64, or 128 GB sizes; and both come with NFC, which supports Apple’s new Apple Pay mobile payments system. 

Yet both phones have a ton of differences.

The biggest of which is the display size; the iPhone 6s Plus’ display is 5.5in and significantly larger than the iPhone 6’s. And because the iPhone 6s Plus is an S update, you get a better processor, a larger battery, and an improved camera.

Still, both of these phones are now pretty much ancient – they’re almost six years old.

For this reason, you’re 100% better off going with a newer model – (the iPhone 7 Plus, maybe) or something like the iPhone X and iPhone XR can be picked up for less than $500. And these phones will get iOS updates for years to come, unlike the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6s Plus which are both approaching their end-of-life cycle.

MORE: Check Out The #1 Top iPhones For 2019 (In Order of Value For Money) 

Still, if you’re interested in the difference between the iPhone 6 and the iPhone 6s Plus, read on for our full, detailed comparison of the two iPhones…

iPhone 6 vs iPhone 6s Plus – The Major Differences

iPhone 6 vs iPhone 6 Plus: Are They Still Worth It In 2021?

In a word: no! I mean, look, if you have an iPhone 6 or 6 Plus that is still running, keep it for posterity’s sake. The two phones came out in 2014 and they don’t even run the most up-to-date iOS anymore.

This means they’ve basically got both feet in the grave. They were incredible smartphones back in 2014, but now they are ancient dinosaurs. If you still have them, it’s time to upgrade.

Now, enjoy our very old comparison from back in the day when the two iPhones were new.

iPhone 6 vs iPhone 6 Plus: Specs & Features Compared In Full 

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iPhone 6 vs iPhone 6 Plus: Display & Design

The biggest difference between the two new iPhones are in the display department. The iPhone 6 features a 4.7-inch display with a 1334×750-pixel resolution at 326 ppi and the iPhone 6 Plus features a 5.5-inch display with a 1920×1080-pixel resolution at 401 ppi.

Without a doubt, the iPhone 6 Plus screen is the technically better one in most departments. It’s got a much higher resolution screen with more pixels crammed into each square inch. But interestingly, the smaller iPhone 6 has a slightly better contrast ratio of 1400:1 compared to the iPhone 6 Plus’ 1300:1.

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As for the design, both feature aluminum bodies with rounded corners and while their physical length and height dimensions are of course different (due to screen size) the smaller iPhone 6 wins on thinness being just 6.9mm thick versus the iPhone 6 Plus’s 7.1mm thickness.

The iPhone 6 is also noticeably lighter than the iPhone 6 Plus. The iPhone 6 weighs just 129 grams versus the iPhone 6 Plus’ 172 grams.

iPhone 6 vs iPhone 6 Plus: Battery

The other major difference between the two new iPhones is in battery life. As can be expected, the iPhone 6 Plus packs a much larger battery because it needs it to power its larger screen.

Yet Apple has also managed to eke out some of that bigger battery’s power to give the iPhone 6 Plus slightly longer battery life in some tasks. Here’s their metrics in specific areas:

• Talk time: iPhone 6 – 14 hours on 3G. iPhone 6 Plus – 24 hours on 3G.
• Standby time: iPhone 6 – Up to 10 days (250 hours). iPhone 6 Plus – Up to 16 days (384 hours).
• Internet use: iPhone 6 – Up to 10 hours on 3G, up to 10 hours on 4G LTE, and up to 11 hours on Wi‑Fi. iPhone 6 Plus – Up to 12 hours on 3G, up to 12 hours on 4G LTE, and up to 12 hours on Wi‑Fi.
• Video playback: iPhone 6 – Up to 11 hours. iPhone 6 Plus – Up to 14 hours.
• Audio playback: iPhone 6 – Up to 50 hours. iPhone 6 Plus – Up to 80 hours.

iPhone 6 vs iPhone 6 Plus: Camera

The new iPhones both have the exact same cameras (a disappointing 8MP sensor is still the camera of choice for some reason).

But the iPhone 6 Plus wins in the camera department because it also has optical image stabilization, which the iPhone 6 does not.

Optical image stabilization can make your pics look a lot better–so if your iPhone is your only camera, getting the 6 Plus could be worth it.

iPhone 6 vs iPhone 6 Plus: Cost & Verdict

And then there is the cost. As I mentioned earlier, both the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus come in silver, gold, and space grey and in 16 GB, 64 GB, and 128 GB storage capacities.

Unlocked the 4.7-inch iPhone 6 will cost £539 (16GB), £619 (64GB) and £699 (128GB). The iPhone 6 Plus will cost £619 (16GB), £699 (64GB) and £789 (128GB). This was at launch, however, so the price of these phones is now A LOT cheaper, as you can see below.

But the thing about it is you can’t base your purchase decision on cost–or the optical image stabilization in the iPhone 6 Plus’ camera, or even the battery life differences. Your choice will have entirely to do with the screen. In that case, the only question is how big do you want to go?

iPhone 6 vs iPhone 6 Plus: Full Specs

Here are the specs for the iPhone 6:

• Display: 4.7-inch display with a 1334×750-pixel resolution at 326ppi
• Dimensions: 138.1mm x 67mm x 6.9mm
• Weight: 129 grams
• Storage: 16, 64, or 128GB
• Processors: A8 chip with 64-bit architecture and M8 motion coprocessor
• Front camera: FaceTime HD camera. 1.2 MP photos and 720p HD video.
• Rear camera: iSight camera. 8 MP photos. ƒ/2.2 aperture. 1080p video. True Tone flash.
• Battery life: Up to 12 hours mixed usage
• Touch ID: yes
• NFC: yes

And here are the specs for the iPhone 6 Plus:

• Display: 5.5-inch Retina HD display with 1920×1080 resolution at 401 pixels per inch (ppi)
• Dimensions: 158.1mm  x 77.8 mm x 7.1 mm
• Weight: 172 grams
• Storage: 16, 64, or 128GB
• Processors: A8 chip with 64-bit architecture and M8 motion coprocessor
• Front camera: FaceTime HD camera. 1.2 MP photos and 720p HD video.
• Rear camera: iSight camera. 8 MP photos. ƒ/2.2 aperture. 1080p video. True Tone flash. Optical image stabilization.
• Battery life: Up to 12 hours mixed usage
• Touch ID: yes
• NFC: yes

Wrapping Up…

If you want my professional advice, I would avoid both the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus in 2021. And the reason is simple: neither phone is supported by Apple, meaning you will not get iOS updates anymore.

This means you’ll lose out on features and important security updates. If you want a cheaper iPhone, you’re best bet is something more modern – something like the iPhone XR which can now be had for around $300.

The iPhone XR is still a great option (especially at this price), it looks like a modern iPhone, thanks to its FACE ID sensor and notch, and it is still plenty powerful, thanks to its A12 Bionic chipset. It will also get iOS updates for years to come.

The iPhone XR was also the best-selling iPhone for three years straight. And there is good reason for this too – it’s a brilliant phone that serves up plenty of value for money and loads of performance. And the fact that it now costs less than $300 makes it a no-brainer in 2021 and beyond.

Michael Grothaus

Apple expert and novelist, Michael Grothaus has been covering tech on KnowYourMobile for the best part of 10 years. Prior to this, he worked at Apple. And before that, he was a film journalist. Michael is a published author; his book Epiphany Jones was voted as one of the best novels about Hollywood by Entertainment Weekly. Michael is also a writer at other publications including VICE and Fast Company.