If you’re weighing up the value of the iPhone Duo, the napkin math is worth thinking about before you commit.
The new model is the most expensive base configuration iPhone ever at $3499 for just 256GB. Prices climb to $3899 for 512GB, $4699 for 1GB, and a whopping $5899 for 2TB of storage.
Market trends seem to suggest customers are increasingly opting away from expensive high-end phones as a sole device, instead choosing dedicated devices for special interests.
This is especially true for younger people – one search on social media will show how popular digital cameras are among Gen Z.
Before committing the price of a used hatchback to the foldable iPhone, here’s what you could get instead.
iPhone Duo alternatives
Without the iPhone itself as a sole device, you can take care of the key features an iPhone does with superior technology for the job.
Productivity handled
A brand new MacBook Neo starts at $899 for 256GB or $1099 for the 512GB model with Touch ID. It’s Apple’s cheapest MacBook ever, it’s silent, lightweight, and more than capable for most laptop tasks.
If a tablet suits you better, the iPad starts at just $749 for 128GB or $949 for 256GB. The iPad Mini comes in at $949 with a similar size and form factor to the unfolded iPhone Duo.
Photography improved
iPhones are good for happy snaps, but they don’t hold a candle to an actual camera when it comes to quality. Compact cameras are highly portable and offer superior image quality with a more tactile experience.
The Canon PowerShot G7X Mark III comes with an RRP of $1349 but is often on sale for a few hundred dollars off, and it’s one of the best all-rounder cameras on the market.
The Sony ZV-1 II is a similar price with RRP at $1299 and is a camera that’s more suited towards videography and vlogging. Its inbuilt wind buffer means you’ve got the equipment to get started with video right away.
If you’re happy to shop used, there’s a thriving second hand market and a budget of around $1500 will net you an excellent mirrorless camera like a Fujifilm X, Nikon Z, Canon EOS R, or Sony a6000 series body plus a dependable prime lens.
Plus a phone
After the productivity device and the camera, there’s still a touch over $1000 before you reach the price of the iPhone Duo.
One of the obvious picks is a refurbished iPhone 15 Pro Max at around $1100. It has most key features that come with a modern premium iPhone: titanium frame, Apple Intelligence support, and a support tail that should last until around 2030 with an additional year or two of security patches after that.
If you’re set on a brand new model, the iPhone 17e had a price increase after the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone Duo announcement, but it still comes in pretty affordable at $1149.
If you’re willing to step away from Apple’s ecosystem, the Motorola Signature is one of our favourite phones on the year and we recently spotted it for just $999 on sale.
Our opinion
Taking the base MacBook Neo, the Canon PowerShot G7X Mark III, and an iPhone 17e comes in at $3397, just over $100 cheaper than the base iPhone Duo on its own.
That gives you a lightweight and portable laptop, an excellent camera, and a basic but dependable iPhone.
If you’re considering one of the more expensive iPhone Duo options, the price becomes even harder to justify. Current storage prices are massively inflated due to the ongoing component crisis driven by AI accelerators.
Single do-it-all devices aren’t exactly what everyone’s looking for these days, and it’s easy to see why when you look at the quality a dedicated option can give you.
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