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The reviews are in: Is the 5s the best iPhone ever made? Yes [MERGED]

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Anandtech review: iPhone 5s is quite possibly the biggest S-update we've ever seen

http://www.anandtech.com/show/7335/the-iphone-5s-review
From a CPU and GPU standpoint, the 5s is probably the most futureproof of any iPhone ever launched. As much as it pains me to use the word futureproof, if you are one of those people who likes to hold onto their device for a while - the 5s is as good a starting point as any.
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There’s as much CPU power here as the first 11-inch MacBook Air, and more GPU power than an iPad 4.
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Then next we will hear the 6s is the biggest upgrade ever then the 7s and so on.

It's like movie sequels. They always say its the best yet, like they would ever say its not as good as the last movie but please watch it anyways.
 
Just finished reading it. I agree with it, a worthy upgrade for older gen phones but probably not from an iPhone 5. I will be going from a 5 to 5S but only because my kid is ready for a phone and until she can pay for it she will be getting hand me downs. Glad to see a speed boost even without 64bit compiled applications.
 
Techcrunch: 5s- Apple once again wins the right to claim the title of best smartphone

http://techcrunch.com/2013/09/17/iphone-5s-review-apple/
With the iPhone 5s, Apple once again wins the right to claim the title of best smartphone available. The hardware may resemble its predecessor in many key ways, as with the 4-inch Retina display, but it improves dramatically in areas like the camera where it makes the most difference to every day users, and in the addition of the fingerprint sensor, which is already a feature I miss when I switch back to older generation devices or the iPhone 5c. And thanks to the 64-bit A7 processor, this phone, more than any iPhone before it, is likely to be the device that grows more appealing as the software ecosystem catches up, which is great news for buyers looking for something that isn’t so easily replaced by the next big thing that comes along.
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They don't need to win it. They've got plenty of hangers on that know if they promote Apple they'll benefit.
 
I can't lie I used to be an apple hater but I still always had those "it probably is one of the best smartphones" moments lol. Now I am just really into it. I know there may be something better if you like screen size or a brick phone but I prefer simple things not giant notepads on my face. ijs
 
I may be missing out on this fingerprint sensor by going with the 5C... I will likely head to an Apple Store on Friday evening just to check the sensor out if possible
 
Pocket Lint: "The iPhone 5C is a lovely phone..."

http://www.pocket-lint.com/review/123702-apple-iphone-5c-review

The iPhone 5C is a lovely phone that is solid in its performance and playful it its approach. The combination of the colourful exterior sits beautifully against the latest iOS 7 operating system and it's good to see Apple ditching the ode to faux leather and yellow legal paper shtick. New Apple is an embrace of a modern future.

As an upgrade to the iPhone 4S, the 5C is a perfect option, and it refreshes the iPhone 5 in a way that makes it a lot more fun than the iPhone 5 ever was.

But there is no denying that the 5C is merely a lick of paint on a year-old device, a non-upgrade to the iPhone 5. Some will see that as regressive, treading water. Yet, somehow, that still works in today's world. For all the phones we spend our time using, when we come back to Apple there's just something eminently usable about it.

The phone's selection of apps, camera capabilities, and no fuss approach still means that it holds its own against the HTC One Mini devices of this world, for the right users. Even more so when you put the 5C up against the mid-range offering Android brings in the guise of the Motorola X, or the Nexus 4. But then Apple is charging a fair whack of cash more for the 5C.

However this is still last year's tech. There is no NFC, no clever trickery that we are seeing on the new Nokias, new LGs, or new Samsung devices and that will be a huge turn off to many. This is a phone that is designed to appeal to the iPhone 4S crowd who can't afford an iPhone 5S and who don't want to go to a different brand.

The iPhone 5C is not a flagship product - Apple's iPhone 5S is for that - nor does it fix any of the annoying niggles you've perhaps started to feel with your current iPhone, but if you are looking to upgrade from the 4 or the 4S, want to stick with Apple, but can't justify the 5S and its price, then this colourful option is could to be perfect for you.

Despite initial reservations we love the iPhone 5C - it's colourful, joyful, capable, and just works.
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user-name-here said:
Ouch :eek:
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I think, given the price drop, this isn't really unexpected. Usually, Apple would drop the price of the previous year's model...this year they have given a few updated internals, changed the casing to appeal to a younger/more price-conscious demographic, and lowered the price. I think it's a smart move. The iPhone 5 is/was a fantastic phone! Bringing that power and capability at a lower price-point will likely help drive sales.
 
Not too impressed with the 5S, either.
Verdict

The iPhone 5S fulfils the pre-determined destiny of all Apple "S" devices - it's the one that's normally met by the baiting crowd as "meh". At the start of this review someone asked us what we thought of the iPhone 5S in two words and we replied: "same as".

In many ways Apple has released a phone for tomorrow rather than today. That's a hard sell, in truth. The Touch ID scanner is yet to be fully realised, as are the A7 and M7 processors and the 64-bit support. It's all a bit "what if" at the moment.

We have a shopping list of wants too: we would like a bigger screen, there is still no NFC (even though we believe iBeacons will destroy the need for that) and the software, despite looking cleaner, doesn't really move anything on from where the iPhone 5 was. iCloud still needs to be overhauled to be more fluid, while the social aspects of the phone such as helping you join the dots in your contacts book still need to be addressed and improved.

What Apple has created here is a phone that is as exciting as it is dull. Apple has made it look effortless which is no simple task, but in doing so, by making it look too easy, you can sometime miss the beauty and power in your hand.

If you want a phone that just works, then this is a very good place to start. But we can't help but feel Apple started here a year ago and while the rest of the smartphone world moves on, Apple is chugging forward at a different pace. Some might argue that much of Android of Windows Phone 8 offers up gimmicky features, but those are the devices delivering larger screens, higher resolutions and power in the here and now.

And so it will come down to personal preference. The iPhone 5S is without gimmicks and it's a nod to the future. There's a lot to admire about that.
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Frankly, though, if you currently own a 5, it's hard to justify coughing up the extra cash for an early upgrade to get either one.
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http://www.engadget.com/2013/09/17/iphone-5s-review/
 
Only Apple brings in enough traffic, there's nothing else to write about tbh.
 
1. It's engadget. They are more Apple fanboys than the people on this site :) (take it easy, I smiled didn't I?)

2. It's... the successor to the previous iPhone. If it wasn't the BEST iPhone, well, what would the point be?
 
iPhone 5S first benchmarks, spanking the GS4

http://www.anandtech.com/show/7335/the-iphone-5s-review/5

537.gif


Apple wasn't kidding when they meant power.
 
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