When it was released in 2014 the iPhone 6 was one of the hottest smartphone on the market. Featuring a completely rethought design, Apple loaded the iPhone 6 with a wealth of custom software and hardware features.

Great 4.7-inch screen; Good all-round camera; Class-leading performance; Great new software features

Expensive; Shorter battery life than rivals

Update: Our iPhone 6 review has been updated now that iOS 10.3.1 has launched and iOS 11 is around the corner. It's still one of the best (and a cheaper price) two and a half years on.

Apple's change to its juggernaut smartphone is here, and it's not just a number change with a fingerprint sensor. This time, the iPhone includes a bigger screen, faster processor, and a new design.

A bigger iPhone; yay; Built beautifully; almost like the iPod Touch as a phone; Reachability (double-tap home) is a neat idea for larger phones; Fast 4G speeds; Finally; 802.11ac is here; Excellent rear camera; iOS 8 now lets you exchange and replace keyboards; With Mac OS X 10.10 "Yosemite," you...

Screen is larger; but not really a huge improvement; Fixed storage with no way of upgrading; Expensive; Slippery; Hand-hold for thumb at the bottom is a bit of a balancing act with a phone this size; NFC can't be used with pretty much anything; Quite a few iOS 8 bugs; Mediocre battery life

None of our other top unlocked phones are the iPhone's hand-friendly, 2.64-inch-wide size. And none of these phones have a camera as good as the iPhone's. But the real reason to spring for an unlocked iPhone 6 isn't hardware, but software and support.

Universal carrier compatibility in the United States; Best third-party apps of any mobile OS; Excellent low-light camera performance; Fast Wi-Fi

Phone calling performance is just okay

Editors' note: On September 7, 2016, Apple debuted the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus, and discontinued the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus. The iPhone 6S and 6S Plus remain available, however, and Apple has increased the storage capacity of the entry-level models to 32GB and lowered their prices to $549 and $649, respectively. The full iPhone 6 review, first published in September 2014, updated to include a CNET Editor's Choice designation in November 2014, and then updated in Summer 2015, follows.

The iPhone 6 is an exceptional phone in nearly every way except its average battery life: it's thin, fast, and features the excellent iOS operating system. It was the best overall phone introduced in 2014.

The iPhone 6 delivers a spacious, crisp 4.7-inch screen, improved wireless speeds, better camera autofocus, and bumped-up storage capacities to 128GB at the top end; iOS remains a top-notch mobile operating system with an excellent ecosystem of apps, and Apple Pay is a smooth, secure payment system.

Battery life isn't much better than it is on last year's iPhone 5S; And there's wasted space: an even larger screen could have been squeezed into the same housing.

Great cosmetic condition! Only a small scratch so minimal it's hardly noticeable unless it's viewed on a all-white background. Besides that I received headphones,charger and usb cable. For less than $400 it's a great buy! Thanks and best regards!

Rivals usurping market share have pushed Apple to dig deep and do something it's only done once in seven years: increase the size of its iPhone's screen. Even with the face lift, the iPhone introduces nothing new to the smartphone market and little else to Apple's existing users.

Vibrant display; Aesthetic; simple software; Premium aluminium body; Proficient camera modes

Apple's strict governance; Data- and battery-intensive

This phone does not disappoint. It may be pricey but it is hella fun to use. 8 MP camera seems a bit small for a current-gen smartphone, but it shoots quite well. The phone looks very neat, with aluminium built to give it a touch of class. After all, it's an iPhone.

-Camera is quite pleasing; -Siri is fun; -Easy to use; -Looks classy; -Touch ID; -An Apple product; -Lots of apps

-Display quality is a quite low compared to other newer smartphones; -Battery life is quite poor; -Pricey; -Microphone jack located at the bottom

Phone worked great. Good price. Thought it was all perfect. But... I got it for my son for Christmas and we seem to be having trouble keeping a charge on the battery. I believe we are going to need to exchange it. Stay tuned for an update.

iPhone 6 is a great device - nothing I can add that hasn't been said

I don't think anyone checked the phone before sending it out - not cleaned; pretty badly nicked up; and most importantly - it was still tied to last owners contract! Newegg sent me to their white-label refurbisher; PCS Wireless; to get it resolved.