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iPhone 5 - black version scuffs (merged)

Is your black iPhone 5 scuffed, chipped or scratched?

  • Flawless

    Votes: 1,158 46.1%

  • Flawless because I put a case on it.

    Votes: 198 7.9%

  • Scuffed out of the box

    Votes: 820 32.7%

  • Scuffed/scratched shortly after

    Votes: 334 13.3%
  • Total voters
    2,510
Pagemakers

Pagemakers

macrumors 68030
Original poster
Mar 28, 2008
2,835
1,143
Manchester UK
Because I’m going to pre-order mine without actually seeing it, I’m going to play safe and go for white again :confused:

Is there anybody ready this who was actually at the event and who can comment first hand on the black finish?
 
fsck-y dingo

fsck-y dingo

macrumors 65816
Jun 14, 2009
1,008
0
BigJohno said:
No it will show silver. Anodizing does not go through metal its just a coating or a built up surface done by electrically charging particles. Taken with iphone 4. Hopefully my iphone 5 will take better macro :).
Click to expand...

Since it's not out yet that's really difficult to say. I think it's going to have a higher quality finish compared to iPods. MacBooks are anodized and don't seem to scratch easily. I have an anodized "Mil-Spec" flashlight that has yet to scratch and it's about eight years old.

I posted this before but here it is one more time. Straight from Apple's iPhone design webpage (side note half way down the page):

http://www.apple.com/iphone/design/

"Aluminum and Glass Body

The back of iPhone 5 is made of anodized 6000 series aluminum — the same material used in Apple notebooks — with inlays along the top and bottom made of ceramic glass (on the white and silver model) or pigmented glass (on the black and slate model)."

If it's the same quality and thickness of what they use on MacBooks I feel we have little to worry about. I really don't think they'll skimp on a flagship device. Black over silver (aluminum) is risky though, I will say that. If it does scratch through it will be very noticeable. For me it would add character, but I understand that others may not feel the same way.
 
ste1164

ste1164

macrumors 6502a
Jan 4, 2009
732
3
Hope they dont have the issues HTC did with their black One S phones where it chipped off for no reason.
 
B

beate

macrumors regular
Jun 8, 2007
246
0
I was horrified when I saw the casing options. And sad...as I will not be buying.

The white is too flashy and looks gaudy when off (black & white).
The black is "heavy" looking and will scratch and look cheap.

Both are unappealing and I just hope they do not go in same direction with the iPad & Macbook Pro.

I wrote and told Apple of my disappointment. I was really expecting aluminum (silver) back & sides and black front. Maybe next year....
 
NM08SRT8

NM08SRT8

macrumors 6502a
Jan 18, 2010
968
314
Earf
beate said:
I was horrified when I saw the casing options. And sad...as I will not be buying.

The white is too flashy and looks gaudy when off (black & white).
The black is "heavy" looking and will scratch and look cheap.

Both are unappealing and I just hope they do not go in same direction with the iPad & Macbook Pro.

I wrote and told Apple of my disappointment. I was really expecting aluminum (silver) back & sides and black front. Maybe next year....
Click to expand...

Lol, they won't care about one little mans complaints. If you don't like it, fine. The ratio of those who do vs those who don't is so massive, you few bumps in the road won't affect them in the slightest.

Just saying...
 
BigJohno

BigJohno

macrumors 65816
Jan 1, 2007
1,454
540
San Francisco
fsck-y dingo said:
Since it's not out yet that's really difficult to say. I think it's going to have a higher quality finish compared to iPods. MacBooks are anodized and don't seem to scratch easily. I have an anodized "Mil-Spec" flashlight that has yet to scratch and it's about eight years old.

I posted this before but here it is one more time. Straight from Apple's iPhone design webpage (side note half way down the page):

http://www.apple.com/iphone/design/

"Aluminum and Glass Body

The back of iPhone 5 is made of anodized 6000 series aluminum — the same material used in Apple notebooks — with inlays along the top and bottom made of ceramic glass (on the white and silver model) or pigmented glass (on the black and slate model)."

If it's the same quality and thickness of what they use on MacBooks I feel we have little to worry about. I really don't think they'll skimp on a flagship device. Black over silver (aluminum) is risky though, I will say that. If it does scratch through it will be very noticeable. For me it would add character, but I understand that others may not feel the same way.
Click to expand...

I'm honestly not that concerned with scratches and I also don't believe in covering it up with a case. I like the Jerry Seinfeld saying that if you have a case on you iphone you should walk around with a helmet.

Are you sure the MacBooks are anodized? I thought they were done using a bead blast technique.
 
fsck-y dingo

fsck-y dingo

macrumors 65816
Jun 14, 2009
1,008
0
BigJohno said:
I'm honestly not that concerned with scratches and I also don't believe in covering it up with a case. I like the Jerry Seinfeld saying that if you have a case on you iphone you should walk around with a helmet.

Are you sure the MacBooks are anodized? I thought they were done using a bead blast technique.
Click to expand...

I like that quote. :)

Yes, I'm sure about the anodizing. Apple says it right in the quote I posted and it's also explained in this YouTube clip.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3ZhVOy-ytJY

If you don't want to watch the whole thing start at 2:15.
 
W

wongulous

macrumors 6502a
Dec 7, 2002
952
2
Ugh, I am really worried about this.

I was planning on getting two black iPhones but I'm just clumsy and hate big cases (and I'm getting AppleCare+ in case I damage my screen ever), but I cannot deal with ugly scratches like on those old, supposedly-anodized iPods.

If I can't figure this out in the next 2.5 hours before preorder, I'm gonna get white. But I hate white and the way the front of the white looks :(

Can anyone who watched that video on anodizing confirm if it is possible to anodize DEEPLY, and if so, would the shaving of the corner polished bezels on the aluminum from the iPhone 5 videos, which show silver shavings coming off, indicate that Apple has chosen against deep anodizing?!

Thank you in advance!
 
8

87am

macrumors regular
Feb 27, 2011
153
0
Think of how long it took Apple to come out with the white iPhone because Apple wanted it to be perfect and not discolor! If this aluminum scratches easily and looks bad then steve will be rolling in his grave (just like I'm sure he was at those stupid Genius commercials).
 
A

Aco Strkalj

macrumors member
Jun 4, 2012
66
0
Pagemakers said:
But in the iPod photo posted above the scratches can be clearly seen so maybe they did cheap out!
Click to expand...

That's an iPod nano thing. By no means their flagship product. It's machined Al with a coat of paint. The slate metal Apple's using in their black iPhone 5 is far from that. Think of it as a stained Al. No paint.

You have nothing to fear. This iPhone is the best of the best. Get it! NOW!!!
 
Last edited:
B

bobright

macrumors 601
Jun 29, 2010
4,813
33
I don't think the paint will come off that easily I mean if it is a high fall and good whack on street pavement then maybe, but that scuff would show on white or black
 
Technarchy

Technarchy

macrumors 604
May 21, 2012
6,753
4,927
If you scratch your iphone 5, you can cerakote it black again.

I've used cerakote on my M4, and it held up a billion times better than anodizing.

It's a few mils thicker, more durable, self lubricating, and can be more matte, or shinier based upon how you mix it.

Using a black marker will look like ****, using a spray can will look like ****, and sanding it for sure will look like ****, and expose bare aluminmum to open abuse.

So remember, use Cerakote, and it will look new and black damn near forever unless you run over it with a jeep.
 
Pagemakers

Pagemakers

macrumors 68030
Original poster
Mar 28, 2008
2,835
1,143
Manchester UK
Ahhh crap. There are more inport ant things in life.

I've made up my mid.... Black!!!

----------

Mmmmm. Or maybe white ;)
 
A

Aco Strkalj

macrumors member
Jun 4, 2012
66
0
Pagemakers said:
Ahhh crap. There are more inport ant things in life.

I've made up my mid.... Black!!!

----------

Mmmmm. Or maybe white ;)
Click to expand...

I thought a lot about this too. It's simple: The black version will look and feel newer. The white and silver looks very similar to the current white and silver 4/4S. And I already own a white and silver 4S. So it wouldn't feel as new going with the white and silver 5. I also looked at this picture which gave me a pretty good idea of which to go with. The white version lacks uniformity. The white and silver does not blend too nicely. The Apple logo and "iPhone" text are silver - doesn't blend with the white. You have a third black dot left to the ear-speaker. Finally, you see a black ring around the screen. Now if you look at the black version, it looks like a smooth, pancake flat brick that has a juicy, brilliant display.

And no, there is no noticeable difference in saturation and/or brightness between the two. I checked that thoroughly.
 
W

wongulous

macrumors 6502a
Dec 7, 2002
952
2
If it does scratch, you can always send it to Colorware to get painted your favorite shade of chartreuse or salmon or periwinkle, or all of the above!
 
mcdj

mcdj

macrumors G3
Jul 10, 2007
8,964
4,214
NYC
I think the black bezel will be the source of complaints when the people start putting the phone in their pocket with keys.

Countdown to Scratchgate in 3...2...
 
Oppressed

Oppressed

macrumors 65816
Aug 15, 2010
1,265
10
With white the letter boxing for apps becomes very apparent. Meanwhile the black has a chance to scratch and show silver. So it seems that if you like naked go white, and if you use cases go black.
 
mcdj

mcdj

macrumors G3
Jul 10, 2007
8,964
4,214
NYC
fsck-y dingo said:
MacBooks are anodized and don't seem to scratch easily.
Click to expand...

They owe most of their scratch resistance to the blasted finish. And the fact that they're not tinted. A scratch on silver aluminum will show aluminum. A scratch on black aluminum will also show silver.
 
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