The hardware in the 4th gen touch is pushing 4 years old as its the same as what's in the 3Gs aside from a 200mhz processor
Got a tip for us?
Let us know
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
iPod touch iPod Touch 4G still worth it ?
- Thread starter Dr. McKay
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
I'm pretty sure apple chose the strategy that would make them the most money. Choice is a good thing. You want apple to cut their margins because of one guy's situation, no way.
I doubt it is just one guy situation.
i have an Iphone 4, reason i dont get a 5 is because i prefer iphone 4 looks and materials. Also, i just use my phone for email, chats and light game so it is okay.
That doesn't mean i dont want Touch 5 for gaming and music. Its just that 299 would make no sense spending on sidekick device. Touch 5, 16GB is a possibility since people are opting for ipad mini instead of a 30 bucks cheaper itouch 5.
It's the way they always market the Touch. This fall, they will release a 16GB 5th gen Touch (the 32 / 64 GB Touch will only get minor changes).
Ipad mini is not an alternative to the touch. Just because it cost only $30 more. Some people need the touch and others the mini. Not the same market.
Get them the iPod Touch 5's, especially if they don't have their own computers yet. There is so much more to ios then games which makes it a much better investment. I don't recommend the Nexus 7. As a device it's fine for the money. I don't feel ripped off with mine at all, but the Play Store is just so terribly devoid of iOS quality apps that it makes the whole device seam like a disappointment.
It's only about $100 dollars more expensive for the 32GB 5G, get the 5G it's so worth it. Btw Don't buy Nintendo 3DS they're junk. I'd say if they deserve it, get them the 5G. Maybe if it's to expensive for you make them pay for part of it, it'll help teach them the value of money at the same time. 
----------
It's actually a good reference the iPod touch 5 has an A5 as well.
----------
It's actually a good reference the iPod touch 5 has an A5 as well.
Unfortunately I find myself lately playing the 3DS that I got on sale more than the iPod touch. The reason is that most of my touch games and iPad games need wifi to work. I can't afford a cellular data connection with huge monthly bills, so whenever I want to play the touch it seems that is the time when I am in a non wifi area. The iPad is even worse, which basically needs wifi for everything. However the touch more than meets my needs on other fronts. If you have a way to get always on internet with the touch, then go for it. If you are wondering how I own all this stuff and still can't afford cellular data I won my iPad in a contest and my 3DS was purchased for $99 on sale. The iPod touch 4 is very subpar, I wouldn't even consider it.
Also with the 3DS there is a huge library of cheaper, $10 and below DS games that can be played on it. You don't even have to buy the 3DS games. Of the games I have I have put hundreds and hundreds of hours into the Pokemon series, more than making my purchase worthwhile and that is only counting one series of games. You just have to stick with the games that you can put 60 hours or more per cartridge for it to be a worthwhile value. Also you can sell your used DS or 3DS games on eBay for close to what you paid for them when you are done. Be careful with the Pokemon games though because you can only have one save file per game and if you have 2 kids sharing games that could become a problem, you would have to buy 2 copies of the game, one for each kid.So do your research before you buy games because not every game is like that.
If you are going strictly for games and you don't own another version of the DS then I would say go with the 3DS, just keep in mind that the music, camera and Internet functions of the system are extremely sub-par compared with what Apple offers, if you buy the 3DS you will be using it strictly for games.
Also with the 3DS there is a huge library of cheaper, $10 and below DS games that can be played on it. You don't even have to buy the 3DS games. Of the games I have I have put hundreds and hundreds of hours into the Pokemon series, more than making my purchase worthwhile and that is only counting one series of games. You just have to stick with the games that you can put 60 hours or more per cartridge for it to be a worthwhile value. Also you can sell your used DS or 3DS games on eBay for close to what you paid for them when you are done. Be careful with the Pokemon games though because you can only have one save file per game and if you have 2 kids sharing games that could become a problem, you would have to buy 2 copies of the game, one for each kid.So do your research before you buy games because not every game is like that.
If you are going strictly for games and you don't own another version of the DS then I would say go with the 3DS, just keep in mind that the music, camera and Internet functions of the system are extremely sub-par compared with what Apple offers, if you buy the 3DS you will be using it strictly for games.
Plus iPod touch has thousands of free games and thousands of games under $3, that once purchased and downloaded can be stored and played on both devices.
The 3DS (Or other systems) have a very limited supply of games and have to be purchased for over $20 a piece from retailers.
A few more reasons why iPod is better.
-Easy to charge/long battery life
-Apps, not just games
-There are over 900,000 apps on the app store, most are free or very cheap
-Can store a lot (32 or 64GB)
-5MP iSight camera
-1080p HD video recording
-Siri
-AirPlay Mirroring
-Music
-Widescreen video
-iMessage
-FaceTime
-Game Center
-Email
-Safari web browser
-Facebook and Twitter integration
-Passbook
-Maps
-Mobile iLife (GarageBand, iPhoto, iMovie)
-Looks cooler
-Calendar
-Weather
-Notes
-Download new app right on the device via the App store
-Thin/light
-Wi-fi
-The best touch screen in the world (imo)
-Very nice graphics with A5 chip and 512MB RAM
-Alarm Clock/stopwatch
-Calculator
-Contacts
-Flash/Flashlight
-Voice Memos
-Reminders
This device will teach your kids to be creative and not only play games.
Example: Why not film and edit a movie trailer in iMovie? Read a book in iBooks? Watch a documentary with the videos app, (Or a movie when on a long trip) or help remind them about something important with Reminders (School.)
I think however you should not get them any device, they are 7, I didn't get my first iPod until I was 14, before that I was playing board games. Even now I own a 64GB iPod touch 5, and even though I have over 150 games on it (750 apps total) I have them on the last page and I hardly ever play them. Maybe get them Monopoly or Chess and teach them how to play that, and tell them that if they want a device they have to earn it and pay for it themselves.
The 3DS (Or other systems) have a very limited supply of games and have to be purchased for over $20 a piece from retailers.
A few more reasons why iPod is better.
-Easy to charge/long battery life
-Apps, not just games
-There are over 900,000 apps on the app store, most are free or very cheap
-Can store a lot (32 or 64GB)
-5MP iSight camera
-1080p HD video recording
-Siri
-AirPlay Mirroring
-Music
-Widescreen video
-iMessage
-FaceTime
-Game Center
-Safari web browser
-Facebook and Twitter integration
-Passbook
-Maps
-Mobile iLife (GarageBand, iPhoto, iMovie)
-Looks cooler
-Calendar
-Weather
-Notes
-Download new app right on the device via the App store
-Thin/light
-Wi-fi
-The best touch screen in the world (imo)
-Very nice graphics with A5 chip and 512MB RAM
-Alarm Clock/stopwatch
-Calculator
-Contacts
-Flash/Flashlight
-Voice Memos
-Reminders
This device will teach your kids to be creative and not only play games.
Example: Why not film and edit a movie trailer in iMovie? Read a book in iBooks? Watch a documentary with the videos app, (Or a movie when on a long trip) or help remind them about something important with Reminders (School.)
I think however you should not get them any device, they are 7, I didn't get my first iPod until I was 14, before that I was playing board games. Even now I own a 64GB iPod touch 5, and even though I have over 150 games on it (750 apps total) I have them on the last page and I hardly ever play them. Maybe get them Monopoly or Chess and teach them how to play that, and tell them that if they want a device they have to earn it and pay for it themselves.
It's ok to get them a device at 7 years old its just that they shouldn't be on it all the time especially when in public. I love my electronics like everyone else but it's unnecessary when I see things like 1-2 year olds in strollers holding iPads and watching videos on them and kids playing DS systems at restaurants while eating their meals with the sound turned up so loud that the whole place can hear it. A 1 year old in the stroller should be able to be entertained in public just by looking around at everything and taking in the sights and sounds. Kids really don't need to have a device in their hands while eating food, the food should be enough to occupy them. I am not telling anyone how to parent but this stuff is getting a bit annoying even for someone who is extremely into electronics like myself. It's fine to keep a kid occupied while there is excessive waiting ( can be a godsend in these situations actually) like in a doctors office, or on an airplane, or perhaps in a restaurant before you are seated at a table but they don't need it in their hands 24/7 especially when they are not even a toddler. I actually find it a hassle to pull a device out in public since I am usually busy doing something else and since that occupies my time I don't really need the device.
I am also seeing more 9 year olds climbing into strollers and using their devices while being pushed of around the mall, not sure where this trend came from but now I know why America has a problem with childhood obesity, our kids don't walk, although the parents allowing this is a much larger problem in its own.... If I was 9 years old I definitely would not want to be seen in a stroller.... Would be much too embarrassing.
As far as the value goes I am not sure which is better, the App Store has free and cheap games however most of the time you can take a 3DS game and flip it on eBay for almost the same cost you paid for it even if it has been played provided you keep it in good condition with the box and manual intact. You can play for very cheap prices by doing this especially if you beat games quickly but usually 3DS games hold their value for at least 6-8 months and sometimes even years for the quality games. This of course requires you to be set up with an active eBay account.
I am also seeing more 9 year olds climbing into strollers and using their devices while being pushed of around the mall, not sure where this trend came from but now I know why America has a problem with childhood obesity, our kids don't walk, although the parents allowing this is a much larger problem in its own.... If I was 9 years old I definitely would not want to be seen in a stroller.... Would be much too embarrassing.
As far as the value goes I am not sure which is better, the App Store has free and cheap games however most of the time you can take a 3DS game and flip it on eBay for almost the same cost you paid for it even if it has been played provided you keep it in good condition with the box and manual intact. You can play for very cheap prices by doing this especially if you beat games quickly but usually 3DS games hold their value for at least 6-8 months and sometimes even years for the quality games. This of course requires you to be set up with an active eBay account.
Well
I was cruising round the web looking for thrifty deals, being a coder doesnt pay well mate, and I stumbled across a great website called glyde, where you can get your kids a used 5th gen for 170, which is really cheap, or you can get them a psp vita, i really recommend it or a wii u
I was cruising round the web looking for thrifty deals, being a coder doesnt pay well mate, and I stumbled across a great website called glyde, where you can get your kids a used 5th gen for 170, which is really cheap, or you can get them a psp vita, i really recommend it or a wii u
I know this an old thread but i was in a similar dilemma very recently with my junior age kids and I opted for the ipod touch 5th gen. They actually had 4th gens before but I sold them with the purpose of upgrading them to newer tech as the 4g was showing its age in performance. The reason the 3ds came into the equation was because a couple of their relatives have one and I noticed my kids showed an interest in playing them. You can't dispute nintendo titles, they make great games, just not enough of them. But in the end it just made more sense to go for the touch 5 because I see it as more value for money.
@OP
I've used an IpT3, IpT4, and currently on a IpT5. For the most part, some folks may be able to rough out and laggings and slowdowns on the IpT4's older hardware, but even if you can, it is noticeable. I was going to stick with an IpT4, but decided to reward myself for a milestone, and got the IpT5 last year, so I've had it for just over a year now. I'm kind of glad I did, as I just played Plants Vs. Zombies 2 on my IpT5, and when it gets to those levels where there are a huge horde of zombies coming in (dunno.. 20+ or so), the animation slows down somewhat (if you're played on NES and 8-bit days, it's like when things go to a quasi-Matrix slowdown for the hardware to catch up), and I shutter to think how such a slowdown would be on an IpT4. AFAIK, unlike the IpT5 where it was OK, it'd probably be unpleasant on an IpT4.
Ohh, late to the thread of course, but I saw IpT5's (32GB IIRC) being sold online and at places like Walmart for $230 or so. $70 cheaper than the $300 list price when it first came out. Do let us know what you went with!
Some nice things about IpT for your situation:
-if you already have games on the Ipad, they'll transfer over for free (on the same account)
-can you just buy a game once and have it played twice on 2 different IpT of the same account? If so, that'll sort of halve your costs there
-many are indeed free, or cheap enough
-can use it for other things too, making them more technical
-go onto AppShopper, select games, and check the setting to notify you when a game goes on sale.
-don't have to worry about losing digital games
3/DS
-I personally am a big fan of Nintendo. Love their games, and you need their hardware for that
-depending on preferences, they may prefer this more... actual, hard buttons for more precise gaming, more screen real estate, and many of the games here are more satisfying, as opposed to fillers you play on iOS for a few days, or beat sooner than later. There are AAA titles and some innovative stuff for iOS, but those typically want $5 to $10 a pop
-if your kids are going to just end up doing nothing but vid games, then you may as well get them a DS
-It's possible to snag some of the AAA titles and first party games since DS has been out a while. Many of the "lesser" titles are discounted even cheaper
-with physical cartridges, you can lose them, but you always have the option to resell them to recoup costs
-DS are cheaper to replace if it gets lost, stolen, or broken
-not as much reliance on wifi here
I've used an IpT3, IpT4, and currently on a IpT5. For the most part, some folks may be able to rough out and laggings and slowdowns on the IpT4's older hardware, but even if you can, it is noticeable. I was going to stick with an IpT4, but decided to reward myself for a milestone, and got the IpT5 last year, so I've had it for just over a year now. I'm kind of glad I did, as I just played Plants Vs. Zombies 2 on my IpT5, and when it gets to those levels where there are a huge horde of zombies coming in (dunno.. 20+ or so), the animation slows down somewhat (if you're played on NES and 8-bit days, it's like when things go to a quasi-Matrix slowdown for the hardware to catch up), and I shutter to think how such a slowdown would be on an IpT4. AFAIK, unlike the IpT5 where it was OK, it'd probably be unpleasant on an IpT4.
Ohh, late to the thread of course, but I saw IpT5's (32GB IIRC) being sold online and at places like Walmart for $230 or so. $70 cheaper than the $300 list price when it first came out. Do let us know what you went with!
Some nice things about IpT for your situation:
-if you already have games on the Ipad, they'll transfer over for free (on the same account)
-can you just buy a game once and have it played twice on 2 different IpT of the same account? If so, that'll sort of halve your costs there
-many are indeed free, or cheap enough
-can use it for other things too, making them more technical
-go onto AppShopper, select games, and check the setting to notify you when a game goes on sale.
-don't have to worry about losing digital games
3/DS
-I personally am a big fan of Nintendo. Love their games, and you need their hardware for that
-depending on preferences, they may prefer this more... actual, hard buttons for more precise gaming, more screen real estate, and many of the games here are more satisfying, as opposed to fillers you play on iOS for a few days, or beat sooner than later. There are AAA titles and some innovative stuff for iOS, but those typically want $5 to $10 a pop
-if your kids are going to just end up doing nothing but vid games, then you may as well get them a DS
-It's possible to snag some of the AAA titles and first party games since DS has been out a while. Many of the "lesser" titles are discounted even cheaper
-with physical cartridges, you can lose them, but you always have the option to resell them to recoup costs
-DS are cheaper to replace if it gets lost, stolen, or broken
-not as much reliance on wifi here
Last edited:
Try telling that to the hordes of adult Apple fans who lined up the night before launch day or earlier for their 4" Retina goodness
[/COLOR][/COLOR]
Concur. You can fit an IpT in most pockets. Ipad Mini's too big unless you've got some odd cargo pants with large pockets. Main reason I never sprung for an Ipad.
I have a feeling with all those games, they won't do it for much of anything else anyways
Eek! That's a shame on the wifi! While I do wish at time I could get internet on the go (like an iphone), I find that having a home wifi set up is sufficient for my needs. I need internet via Ethernet anyways, so hooking up a wireless router (which I got as a gift, even though it' has last generation of download and upload speeds) was a minimal cost to add wifi capability.
In the past, and I still do to some extent... games that required wifi got much less plays by me. It wasn't as nice missing out on achievements that required wifi and connection to the internet.
I remember back around 2004, someone bought a Palm OS handheld PDA. Nearly all of the games required downloading them from the internet. No direct downloading... you DL to a PC/desktop, then transfer/hotsync the files over. Problem was, this person didn't have a PC! She got one just for the sole purposing of explain apps, as an accessory to the PDA!
I would assume that when I want to play a game it is for the reason that there is no wifi hotspot in range so the touch became useless for that pretty quickly. If there is wifi I will do things like Facebook or Twitter instead of a game. Most games if they start up without an Internet connection don't save scores or anything so it becomes pointless to play them. Most iOS games won't start up without an Internet connection. Games also suck the iPod's battery down so badly and quickly that it isn't worth it.
The 3ds handles wifi perfectly, almost all aspects of the games are available without wifi at the very least the entire main games will be available without wifi. There are many good DS games that can be purchased for less than $10 each and these games will last hours and hours each. The only drawback is Nintendo discontinued the online service for the original DS so no DS games can go online now. The DS is of course a separate platform from the 3ds so of course 3ds games have online play. Heck even if you purchased a now super cheap DS you would still have access to a ton of games, though I do highly recommend buying a 3ds instead as it plays all DS games. I also recommend at this point waiting for the new 3ds to come out in the US so you don't spend money on outdated hardware because the new 3ds will play games the current 3ds cannot.
The 3ds handles wifi perfectly, almost all aspects of the games are available without wifi at the very least the entire main games will be available without wifi. There are many good DS games that can be purchased for less than $10 each and these games will last hours and hours each. The only drawback is Nintendo discontinued the online service for the original DS so no DS games can go online now. The DS is of course a separate platform from the 3ds so of course 3ds games have online play. Heck even if you purchased a now super cheap DS you would still have access to a ton of games, though I do highly recommend buying a 3ds instead as it plays all DS games. I also recommend at this point waiting for the new 3ds to come out in the US so you don't spend money on outdated hardware because the new 3ds will play games the current 3ds cannot.
I have an iPod Touch 4 th generation. When I got my iPad mini I discontinued playing games on my Touch. Now, I just use my Touch for music, a few old games, email and web browsing. It's beside my bed to check email and web on the fly.
My only problem is the battery. Soon I will need to replace it.
Happy Holidays to All!
My only problem is the battery. Soon I will need to replace it.
Happy Holidays to All!
Nor the 4G nor the 5G is worth getting for games alone.
3DS wipes the floor with ios when it comes to gaming. 3DS has amazing games not to mention the massive amount of DS games also playable. Get two 3DS or 2DS and make your kids happy this Christmas.
3DS wipes the floor with ios when it comes to gaming. 3DS has amazing games not to mention the massive amount of DS games also playable. Get two 3DS or 2DS and make your kids happy this Christmas.
absolutely not
it runs the comparatively prehistoric A4, 256gb of RAM and it still runs iOS 6 and so is unsupported by half apps
it runs the comparatively prehistoric A4, 256gb of RAM and it still runs iOS 6 and so is unsupported by half apps
I know I'm late, but don't get the 4G. If you want great fun at a low price go for the 2DS. It's cheap, comes with a game (depending on which bundle you pick) and you can pick up dirt cheap titles on the eShop. The 5G is also a bad idea, as it's outdated now.
I hope I helped (even if it's too late)
I hope I helped (even if it's too late)
I have to agree neither the 4th or 5th gen iPod touches are worth it at this point. The only solution is to buy an iPad mini 2 or higher or get a used iPhone I recommend 5c or higher and set it up as a phone less phone.
For me, Ipad Mini's too big to carry around. The convenience of an IpT being able to fit in my pocket was a big draw for me. The Iph5c could work out, but aren't they still expensive? I'm seeing them as $400 to $450+ without contract, which is still more than the $200 for a 16GB IpT5