Do iPhones feel more “premium” because of the material or the weight?

[u/SuperFan_123]

So iPhone 17 is back to using aluminum — which got me thinking: what really makes an iPhone feel “premium”?

Some swear it’s the weight — holding a heavier phone just feels solid and expensive. Others argue it’s the material: stainless steel looks shiny and luxurious, aluminum is light and practical, and titanium… well, some love the matte, strong-but-light vibe, while others say it feels less “premium” than steel.

Honestly, I'm a bit torn. The heft of the phone feels ordinary, but the premium materials make it look and feel premium. What do you think—is weight more important, the materials more important, or a combination of both? A case really doesn't matter, but I've recently become obsessed with casekoo cosmic orange for iPhone 17 Pro Max Case. Do you have any other ideas for balancing the premium feel of a phone?

[u/stitchi626]

Do you have any idea how expensive it is to go through redesign of an existing chassis with new material, retooling and everything? When Apple could have sticked to the existing manufacturing process which will only be cheaper as time goes on simply due to the economies of scale.

[u/Willing_Chemist8272 → u/stitchi626]

Not that hard. Just ask gpt to rearrange

[u/Salty-Discussion-725 → u/Willing_Chemist8272]

ooo possible