Macworld says:

quote

The iPhone 3GS is, without a doubt, the finest iPhone Apple has made. It addresses most of the fundamental weaknesses of the previous models, adding raw speed, voice-activated phone and music navigation, an improved autofocus camera, and video-recording features. quote


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Critic reviews

8.0
18 reviews
  • Reception and call quality
    6.6
  • Display
    8.6
  • Battery life
    7.8
  • Camera
    7.5
  • Ease of use
    8.2
  • Design and form factor
    8.2
  • Portability (size / weight)
    8.0
  • Media support
    8.7
  • Durability
    6.0
  • Ecosystem (apps, accessories, etc.)
    8.8

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User reviews

8.6
257 reviews
7.0
Engadget Jun 20, 2009

Ultimately we're not saying it's time to jump ship, but we've come to expect a bit more pedal to the floor from Apple -- you've raised the bar guys, now it's time to jump over it.

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9.0
Macworld Jun 22, 2009

The iPhone 3GS is, without a doubt, the finest iPhone Apple has made. It addresses most of the fundamental weaknesses of the previous models, adding raw speed, voice-activated phone and music navigation, an improved autofocus camera, and video-recording features.

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9.0
PC Mag Jun 22, 2009

If you like apps or the Internet, go buy the iPhone 3GS right now. The new model's improved processor and graphics chipset significantly boost the speed of everything from Web browsing to games, cementing the iPhone's role as the nation's most flexible handheld computer.

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8.0
Gizmodo Jul 17, 2009

As a whole, the iPhone 3GS is the best all-around smartphone available. If you're looking for a refined, augmented version of what you already know, a phone that, not for nothing, runs all the tens of thousands of apps on the App Store, choose the iPhone 3GS.

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8.0
CNET Jun 16, 2009

The iPhone 3GS doesn't make the same grand leap that the iPhone 3G made from the first-generation model, but the latest Apple handset is still a compelling upgrade for some users. The iPhone 3GS is faster and we appreciate the new features and extended battery life, but call quality and 3G reception...

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8.0
Wired Jun 17, 2009

The new phone introduces a long list of improvements, big and small. Taken together, they're enough to re-establish Apple's once-shrinking lead in a brutal technology competition that is making the chariot race in Ben Hur look like a stroll in the park.

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8.0
New York Times Jun 17, 2009

All of these changes make it much harder to resist the iPhone on intellectual, feature-counting grounds. The new iPhone doesn't just catch up to its rivals — it vaults a year ahead of them. At this point, the usual 10 rational objections to the iPhone have been whittled down to about three: no...

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8.0
Computerworld Jun 26, 2009

All of it works together to produce a more refined iPhone that first-time buyers will love and upgraders will appreciate. The design is classic iPhone, and the price for what you get still makes it a deal.

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7.0
Ars Technica Jun 22, 2009

The iPhone 3GS has launched and Apple claims that it's faster than ever. Ars Technica put the device through its paces and found that, while the camera could still use some work, its other new features are useful and the phone's speed definitely lives up to its name.

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7.0
AllThingsD Jun 17, 2009

Both the new iPhone and iPhone OS are packed with features that make a great product even better. But, for many users, the software may be enough of a boost to keep them from buying the new model.

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7.0
AnandTech Jul 7, 2009

A deep dive into the technicals behind what makes the iPhone 3GS one of the fastest, if not the fastest, smartphone on the market.

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9.0
WirelessInfo Jun 19, 2009

The latest iteration of the iPhone adds a much better camera, faster processor, more memory and a number of new software features that make it easier to use and more flexible. That's a considerable set of improvements that make the iPhone 3G S a very attractive package, but existing iPhone users...

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9.0
Pocket-Lint Jun 22, 2009

It may offer one of the best experiences that mobile telephony has to offer, but there is still room for improvement, meaning we can all look forward to future updates with that same palpable sense of excitement.

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9.0
Phone Scoop Jul 2, 2009

For the Mac faithful, there's simply no other phone to have. For anyone who wants a device that does nearly everything -- and does it all well -- then it's hard not to recommend the iPhone.

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8.0
iLounge Jun 22, 2009

If you’re an original iPhone owner looking for a major speed bump, capacity jump, better camera, superior mapping device, or more easily controlled iPhone, you’ll find all these things and many more pleasant benefits in the iPhone 3GS... First-time iPhone buyers will find the iPhone 3GS to be a...

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8.0
GSM Arena Jun 30, 2009

It's true that the iPhone 3GS brings over only incrementing changes, there's nothing ground breaking about it. But before everything else, the newly introduced changes on both software AND hardware level will make the new iPhone 3GS a more balanced smartphone most of all.

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9.0
USA Today Jun 16, 2009

The 3.0 software and 3G S phone may not check off everything on your iPhone wish list. But they give iPhone loyalists plenty of new reasons to celebrate.

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9.0
About Aug 15, 2009

There’s no arguing: the iPhone 3GS is the best iPhone ever. And it ought to be. Each successive iPhone has been better than the last. And the iPhone 3GS is a great phone. If you’re not an iPhone user, it’s the most compelling reason yet to switch. But not all of the phone’s promise is...

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10
joshuasortino

No longer do I find myself sitting at my computer 10 hours a day. Once work is over, I can handle my social internet life from my iPhone. No longer is a computer necessary to talk over chat protocols, Facebook, or email. And then there's internet browsing. Never before had I believed mobile...

10
SalAyyad

initially i didnt want to buy this iPhone. I own the previous 2 versions and thought the 3G would be just fine. than i started to think about the benefits of having a faster CPU and better Graphics and man was it noticeable. launching apps is so much faster and the video recording looks much...

10
bobbyco57

I find myself constantly using this thing. It really does provide so much more than phone service, pictures and an address book. The geekdom out there is in one of those loving to hate Apple modes right now. You know, like the love to hate Microsoft mode of a few years ago. Anyway, if you simply...

10
gravescp

I have slowly become an apple fanboy for a long time, so if you are looking for a review of an iPhone versus the Blackberry or Palm this one is not for you. However, if you are one of the many people trying to decided if it is time for an upgrade then read on. Prior to my recent purchase of the...

8.0
Hells

It's great, almost two years after I bought it and I still get excited with apps and new iOS versions every day.

10
dunce002917

I have been using the iPhone 3G s since launch date. I've travelled to vegas (driving) and signal strength was spotty (AT&T's fault). Battery life is indeed better and processor speed did help launch apps faster. The 3MP camera and video is worth the price of admission. Needs...

10
tariqi

I bought all of the iPhones the day they were released in the US. The 3G was my most anticipated, but the 3GS is the one that I am most impressed with. The speed is fantastic. It switches apps so fast it almost negates the need for background apps. The compass is a nice touch. The app is not very...

10
Enigmatic24

When the iPhone 3GS was announced as being 2X faster then the previous iPhone model, it didn't seem like a big enough selling point. But I was amazed when I first booted the device that it took about 20 seconds to start up and go into the home screen (Compare that to about 45 seconds for the...

10
mrlibrary03

Well, if you're a mac user there is no reason at all not to get this phone. To be able to sync all your photos, emails, songs, pics, bookmarks, contacts etc effortlessly, alone makes this phone worthwhile. The 3GS runs so much more smoothly than the previous versions that upgrading is well...

9.0
fostermatt

Naming this the iPhone 3GS was exactly what it should have been. Faster app launch time, faster phone boot time, more memory and the standard increase in storage. Not to mention better camera, adding video and the compass feature. The last of which is a much bigger deal than many might think....

10
Loydg

It's still not quite perfect, but this version is the best handheld device I've ever seen by far. Like most others on this site I've seen all the videos comparing speed differences between the old and new and I'm really blown away by the sheer speed and silky smoothness of...

10
GlennEU

My first smartphone was the HTC Touch, after that the HTC Touch HD... then i finally tested out the iphone 3g... and now i own a 3gs ! Why ? Because nothing compares to the experience of the iphone for me so it was a no brainer that i'm now staying with the iphone... I never tested out a...

10
juxtapolemic

Something's in the kool-aid, because I feel even more productive the more fun I have. Being a middle-class bachelor, I move pretty often. More often than I want to. When I move, the iPhone gives me the ability to stay connected while I take the time to set up my Internet connection again....

10
smason

If you were waiting for the right time to get an iPhone or were on the fence about getting a "smart phone", the 3GS should be on your purchase list. It has all the hardware features and speed you need (for the next 2 years) and isn't too pricey at $300 with the 2 year contract with...

9.0
billmuel

iPhone is all about looks, the software looks great, the hardware looks great. I loved the way my 3g looked, but i carried that phone for a year. I was really hoping that the rumors of the matte finish were true, and was disappointed to see the same exact shell for this years iPhone model. It...

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