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Why I'm going black iPhone 5 not white: regardless scuff gate

johndallas999

johndallas999

macrumors 6502a
Oct 9, 2008
885
1
Seattle
Skika said:
I will get the black one and use the hell out of it. It will probably get scratched but this will only give it character. My 2g iPhone had scratches and a dent but i didn't mind.

Having it pristine is pristinely boring.

My two cents.
Click to expand...

I hate the character argument. That's as bad as saying you have to hold the iPhone 4 in an unnatural way to get around it's short coming. You are definitely in the minority with your scratches build character opinion as most Apple fans prefer their things to look pristine as possible.
 
S

Skika

macrumors 68030
Mar 11, 2009
2,999
1,246
johndallas999 said:
I hate the character argument. That's as bad as saying you have to hold the iPhone 4 in an unnatural way to get around it's short coming.

You are definitely in the minority with your scratches build character opinion as most Apple fans prefer their things to look pristine as possible.
Click to expand...

No, they aren't really comparable since your example is about using the product with extra care or additional steps to achieve basic functionality, my mantra is about using it carefree with disregard to keeping the product in its pristine state.

Yeah, and?
 
guccigucci88

guccigucci88

macrumors 6502a
Dec 30, 2010
534
0
What does MGFR mean?

viewfly said:
Both are anodized aluminum. Anodization is a chemical process that replicates natural aluminum oxidation, but done to enhance (since many colors can be used) the beauty of Al and to increase wear. It normally takes years or really tough use to wear through. It's not paint that flecks off.

I've seen evidence of scuff gate in the store. Apple has years experience with anodizing Al. My 2009 MacBook Pro has NO worn sharp edges. It is Al anodized silver ( we call white here: it's a white phone and silver back side). Wasn't the iPhone 1 aluminum on the back? The iPad is the same anodized silver too. They have experience.

I've also have seen mistakes or bad anodization in my own professional experience that wear early. Kind of thinking this may be the case here, especially for the out of the box problems. I hope apple sorts this out. Could be a bad batch.

HOWEVER, I've seen marks on both black and white phones, mostly on the bevels. Whether due to wear or scratches, it's less apparent on the white, BUT on the black, I can cover it up with a black sharpie. What will I do with the silver? Not much.

So I will go black, and wait a tat for Apple to figure this out. I like black better. The scuff gates I've seen, well most all of them feel rough to my finger, so that is a scratch, not a chemical problem. Other scuffs are not so clearly understood to me.

It is curious. Some hated the glass back due to scratching. Well aluminum is softer than glass. But glass will shatter, Al will dent and scratch. Steel is too heavy and has RF problems. The macs are made from Al, but they all have feet on the bottom so they don't scrape on the desk; phones don't have feet. I think what is needed on the phone is just a screen protector on the metal back, or slim bumper feet to raise it off of surfaces. That would protect the matte back, the glass, and the bottom bevel edge from normal wear when laying on various table surfaces ( that are metal or have sand on them). The iPads could use the same.

Just a thought. A good anodization will last a reasonably long time, if no mgfr for errors are found. But scratches are something else and a fact of life. At least a black matte sharpie on the metal back will cover them up well. I like character but not on my phones. I would go white but I like the display better with a black border.
Click to expand...
 
Archer1440

Archer1440

Suspended
Mar 10, 2012
730
302
USA
A scratched black anodized M4 carbine receiver or holster-worn blued or Teflon M1911 has character and cred among the knowledgeable. An M1911 with an idiot scratch (google it) has neither.

A scratched black anodized iPhone simply looks like crap to anyone with a sense of taste.
 
M

MacOSExustio

macrumors member
Sep 7, 2010
40
8
Anodized Aluminum "nail on a chalkboard"..

viewfly said:
Both are anodized aluminum .. Some hated the glass back due to scratching.
Click to expand...

I just got a 2011 Unibody Macbook Pro (8,1) which has an anodized Al finish. I don't know about scuffing (yet perhaps), but what I really dislike about it is that any small scratch by a fingernail makes a screech a bit too close to a chalkboard for my nervous system.. I appreciate that now about the polycarbonate-macbook's case..

Is there some way to give the macbook a thin plastic coating or something to get rid of that not-so-endearing engineering detail? I guess that would be kind of like a coat of veneer or something.

(aside.. I read a book once where there was a character who *wasn't* bothered to the core of their spine by that noise.. Is there a gene or something that controls whether a person's auditory cortex is or isn't wired to be deathly annoyed by that sound?)

Jim
 
Cergman

Cergman

macrumors 6502a
Jan 1, 2013
852
305
my tesla
viewfly said:
So I gave the feet a try on my 4S and started a thread here. https://forums.macrumors.com/posts/15860988/

Would work on IPhone 5 too. It's a low tack adhesive that removes easily. Will do it when I get mine.

Image
Click to expand...

That is brilliant. I thought about this, but wasn't sure how it would look. I love using my iPhone/iPad caseless, but the scratches are less to be desired. How do these feet feel in your pocket? Thanks for the great idea!
 
M

Mechinyun

macrumors 6502
Jun 24, 2010
361
75
MacOSExustio said:
I just got a 2011 Unibody Macbook Pro (8,1) which has an anodized Al finish. I don't know about scuffing (yet perhaps), but what I really dislike about it is that any small scratch by a fingernail makes a screech a bit too close to a chalkboard for my nervous system.. I appreciate that now about the polycarbonate-macbook's case..

Is there some way to give the macbook a thin plastic coating or something to get rid of that not-so-endearing engineering detail? I guess that would be kind of like a coat of veneer or something.

(aside.. I read a book once where there was a character who *wasn't* bothered to the core of their spine by that noise.. Is there a gene or something that controls whether a person's auditory cortex is or isn't wired to be deathly annoyed by that sound?)

Jim
Click to expand...

Check out best skins ever or something similar - full body, clear skins. That will do what your looking for.
 
The-Real-Deal82

The-Real-Deal82

macrumors P6
Jan 17, 2013
16,357
24,075
Wales, United Kingdom
I chose the white iPhone 5 because when I compared both colours side by side, I felt the white looked so much nicer than the black. Other peoples opinions don't even come into it because if they disagree they are simply wrong :p

Just get whatever colour you like best, other peoples opinions and perceptions count for nothing. :)
 
I

itjw

macrumors 65816
Dec 20, 2011
1,088
6
I had a white 4S, and while I didn't like it (not for the obvious cosmetic "girly" reasons either, I just didn't like the way the white framing of the screen looked) I would never buy a color I disliked solely on the fact that it might show slightly less "scuffing".

What will LIKELY happen is that you will regret not getting the color you wanted all along, and end up as one of the many people trying to find a way to swap without it costing an arm and a leg.

Get what you want. If a mm "scuff" is your primary concern on a device that is ultimately still a PHONE, you perhaps need to rethink whether or not the phone is the one with the problem...

My launch day (naked) slate 5 is still looking great.

I don't believe in the "defective anodizing". I don't believe in "scuffgate". I also think "bendgate" is 100% ridiculous...

I DO, on the other hand, believe that some people are careless with their stuff, and want to find anything/anyone they can to point the finger at rather than accept the blame themselves for the damage they caused.

If it's "damaged" out of the box in any way shape or form, RETURN IT right there. It's a mass produced product. It happens.

Any damage AFTER that, can (and is often times) 100% preventable.

Apple has confirmed NOTHING. Millions and millions of NORMAL users have no problems what so ever with "scuffing" or "defective anodizing". It only seems to come from the same people who gripe about 1% differences in battery life, or the screen being "too yellow".

Again, if you're that picky, I don't think ANY phone is right for you.

But if you are just a NORMAL person, looking for the best phone on the market all-around, don't let the OCD crowd scare you away from the iPhone 5, White OR Slate.
 
viewfly

viewfly

macrumors 65816
Original poster
May 1, 2009
1,263
24
Cergman said:
That is brilliant. I thought about this, but wasn't sure how it would look. I love using my iPhone/iPad caseless, but the scratches are less to be desired. How do these feet feel in your pocket? Thanks for the great idea!
Click to expand...

Hardly noticeable. The 3M bumpers I finally chose we're inexpensive and low profile. Look well on the iPhone 5 or iPad. Plus they serve as finger grips when using the device.
 
S

surjavarman

macrumors 6502a
Nov 24, 2007
645
2
Bought the white one because I wanted to go naked and I am simply not able to do that with the black iphone.

I have seen how butchered the black iphone can look after a couple of months of use. It looks ugly and it hurts the resale value a lot. After a year it would probably look close to new and I can easily sell it at almost full price. A really really butchered white iphone on the other hand will still look great and utilitarian.
 
S

Smartass

macrumors 65816
Dec 18, 2012
1,450
1,701
viewfly said:
Both are anodized aluminum. Anodization is a chemical process that replicates natural aluminum oxidation, but done to enhance (since many colors can be used) the beauty of Al and to increase wear. It normally takes years or really tough use to wear through. It's not paint that flecks off.

I've seen evidence of scuff gate in the store. Apple has years experience with anodizing Al. My 2009 MacBook Pro has NO worn sharp edges. It is Al anodized silver ( we call white here: it's a white phone and silver back side). Wasn't the iPhone 1 aluminum on the back? The iPad is the same anodized silver too. They have experience.

I've also have seen mistakes or bad anodization in my own professional experience that wear early. Kind of thinking this may be the case here, especially for the out of the box problems. I hope apple sorts this out. Could be a bad batch.

HOWEVER, I've seen marks on both black and white phones, mostly on the bevels. Whether due to wear or scratches, it's less apparent on the white, BUT on the black, I can cover it up with a black sharpie. What will I do with the silver? Not much.

So I will go black, and wait a tat for Apple to figure this out. I like black better. The scuff gates I've seen, well most all of them feel rough to my finger, so that is a scratch, not a chemical problem. Other scuffs are not so clearly understood to me.

It is curious. Some hated the glass back due to scratching. Well aluminum is softer than glass. But glass will shatter, Al will dent and scratch. Steel is too heavy and has RF problems. The macs are made from Al, but they all have feet on the bottom so they don't scrape on the desk; phones don't have feet. I think what is needed on the phone is just a screen protector on the metal back, or slim bumper feet to raise it off of surfaces. That would protect the matte back, the glass, and the bottom bevel edge from normal wear when laying on various table surfaces ( that are metal or have sand on them). The iPads could use the same.

Just a thought. A good anodization will last a reasonably long time, if no mgfr for errors are found. But scratches are something else and a fact of life. At least a black matte sharpie on the metal back will cover them up well. I like character but not on my phones. I would go white but I like the display better with a black border.
Click to expand...
 
C

CEmajr

macrumors 601
Dec 18, 2012
4,450
1,230
Charlotte, NC
I always bought white iPhones but went black this time because the silver back on the white one is ugly and the black metal band around the black 5 is sexy.
 
C

Chris092881

macrumors 6502
Dec 26, 2012
409
3
Apple replaced my iPhone 5 (black/slate) recently with a sealed retail box via FedEx. It's a mid January 2013 model. It came with three scuffs. Albeit minor scuffing. One on the back near where the aluminum and glass meet at the top, on the lock button, and on the beveled edge on top of the device. Other than that the phone works flawlessly. It's really only minor cosmetic stuff. Looking at the very first Phone 5 I got and others I've seen online, I think I'm doing pretty good. At some point you realize it's no big deal and that life goes on. The important thing is I no longer have the physical defects the other 5's Apple sent me did. I bought AppleCare+ just in case. Love the phone overall. But the exchange game is a real pain.
 
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