New Hardware - First Thoughts?

Hardware
1

I’m curious for everyone’s initial reactions to new devices that arrive(d) this weekend.

Mine were:

  1. Wow, that really is thin. Why does thin feel like magic?
  2. The case of the Pro feels much better in my hand than last year’s. It’s the material mostly, but perhaps also the edges are rounded a bit more? Either way, it’s more comfortable to hold.
  3. AirPods Pro 3s are tbd for me. The 2’s fit and felt fine, but after 30 minutes of use my ears hurt badly. I’ve been using AirPod 4s and love them but would really like to stop traveling with giant Bose OEs when I fly.
2

Went from a 15 Pro Max to a 17 Pro Max. Same blue, similar blue case. Put it my my pocket and went on about my day after the restore process.

I mean, it’s a hair bigger, a hair brighter, and the battery health is 100%. But a new iPhone in 2025 isn’t like getting my first iPhone 5 with the taller screen for one more row of apps on the homescreen.

2 Likes
3

17 Pro Max. The aluminum body looks and feels surprisingly cheap for an Apple device.

4

That’s so interesting how different our takes can be. I like it more than the titanium one I had before.

5

I thought the same when I went to the Apple Store today to have a look at the new devices. The silver aluminum and especially in combination with the white ceramic looked and felt cheap to me - in stark contrast to the iPhone Air.

On a side note: I think my iPhone 6 Plus was my last silver aluminum phone, but I don’t remember it feeling cheap to me. Maybe it’s because I got spoiled by apple for the last years with more fancy materials :)?

6

I wonder if color makes a difference then? I think the blue one looks great and, side by side a 16 Pro and Air, just as “premium.”

7

That might be a factor, indeed. I only had a chance to „test“ the silver one as the store was pretty packed. I really liked their feel in the hand, but the silver look didn’t speak premium to me … will take a look at the blue one next week.

8

My first impression of iPhone Air is that it feels like the Pro device this year. It looks good and feels great in hand. I read books on my iPhone and the light weight combined with bigger display (I always found Pro Max too bulky so stuck with Pro models) makes it the perfect e-reader on the go for me.

The Pro in Silver is my favorite. As you have said, the rounded edges make it sit more comfortably in hand. While this is a tad heavier than the iPhone 16 Pro, I find the 17 Pro to be a lot easier to handle.