Biggest thing for me is the screen is much better pixels and so much clearer. The camera's are awesome, but I don't use my phone to take a ton of pictures, my wife does and she loves her's but she has the smaller size, I would not want the smaller size, I always keep my phone in a case, all the way around including screen. Up until this time I used the Otter box that had a rubber feel to it as I really liked the ability to grip the phone. The battery is really great. I am not a huge phone user, and can go almost 2 days without charging depending on what I am doing.

I feel my wife's and kids are going to slide out of my hands all the time.

This one I went with a less expensive case but still all the way around but clear in the back and front, just sides have a hard plastic so if you drop it there is is something to absorb that shock.

I would do it in a heart beat, as for the 12, I am not one to get the latest and greatest, as you can see I has my 8 for quite some time. Only reason I eded