iPhone - 3gs or not?

[Fun Bus]

I'm sure its been asked here a few times but unable to find anything.
I've decided to get an iPhone but am unsure if I really need the 3gs 16gb. It'll cost me to get one where as the 8gb 'normal' version will be for nothing.
So, do I really need the 3gs is my life?!

[ajprice]

Aside from storage size the main new features of the 3GS are a faster processor (everything generally a bit more snappy), better graphics chip (for games written for it), and a compass (for the Maps app). A lot of what came out for the 3GS was software on the iPhone 3.0 OS and not 3GS specific.

I got a 3G 18 months ago, and I'm out of contract and on SIM only now, I'm not bothering with an upgrade to a 3GS. If you can hang on until June/July, there will very very probably be a new iPhone. The original iPhone, 3G and 3GS have all been released around that time of year.

[pbirkett]

I've got a 3g, good phone but I'd stretch to 3gs if I were you, the 3g can be a little sluggish sometimes, the one thing which I'd change about mine is more CPU power, which the 3gs will give you.

[Peter101]

I just got a 3GS, it's marginally better than the 3g, not really worth the extra premium in my opinion. Ok, its a bit faster, it's got a compass and can do video, woopie. The cost doesnt really justify unless you have money to burn.

[ajprice]

Here's a decent review comparing the 3G and 3GS - http://www.iphonespies.com/iphone-reviews/iphone-v...

[seaninog]

I'd have to recommend you get the 3GS. Well worth the extra money.

[dealmaker]

Kids have a 2G, a 3G, and a 3GS - they say that the 3GS is a speed-demon in comparison to the 3G version - the 2G is not even worthy of compare apparently! So on their say so I would recommend that you push the boat out and get the 3GS for the extra speed/graphics (as well as the better camera and video, compass etc etc)

[cyberface]

3GS is definitely worth it because of double the system RAM... massive reduction in application crashes, and some apps are so memory-hungry that they only perform reliably on the 3GS.

[FourWheelDrift]

Would it also be safe to say that all the new apps coming out now or being updated are being developed with the extra capacity of the 3GS in mind?

[Noger]

FourWheelDrift said:

Would it also be safe to say that all the new apps coming out now or being updated are being developed with the extra capacity of the 3GS in mind?

Doubt it. I only have one app, Beatmaker, that allows for larger samples to be loaded due to the extra capacity. I think a few games take advantage of the better graphics. And compass / higher res camera support.

[fivesixseven8]

cyberface said:

3GS is definitely worth it because of double the system RAM... massive reduction in application crashes, and some apps are so memory-hungry that they only perform reliably on the 3GS.

+1, my Wife has a 3GS and I have the 3G, the first time I sat and tried them out in parallel I was shocked at how much faster the 3GS is. EVERYTHING is faster.