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lugworm

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Apr 4, 2011
446
451
UK
Not many differences.. mainly better battery performance, more LTE bands, and some camera improvements. But that's enough to make it a better choice over the 5 IMO.
Thanks. I'm grateful your advice.
 

Retired Cat

macrumors 65816
Jun 12, 2013
1,210
380
The iPhone 5 is not even on the market anymore, so he would get a used one.



The iPhone 5 (or the 5c) is not a wise choice, today.



It has poor battery life with iOS 8, lags (even if performance's good on 8.3), bad compatibility with iOS 9 (90% sure), ecc... And it's the same price of a top of the range Android phone (lollipop buttery smooth).


I strongly disagree with most of the above.

I'm running a 2 year old iPhone 5. The battery life on iOS 8 is much better than it was on iOS 7. I could easily get 2 days use per charge cycle. I do not notice any slowdowns or lag compared to previous iOS releases.

There is no way to know how well iOS 9 will work at this time. However, if iOS 9 is more of an "OS X Snow Leopard" type of release, it may actually work better than 8.
 

Ultra AleM

macrumors 6502a
Jun 22, 2012
673
66
Italy
I strongly disagree with most of the above.

I'm running a 2 year old iPhone 5. The battery life on iOS 8 is much better than it was on iOS 7. I could easily get 2 days use per charge cycle. I do not notice any slowdowns or lag compared to previous iOS releases.

There is no way to know how well iOS 9 will work at this time. However, if iOS 9 is more of an "OS X Snow Leopard" type of release, it may actually work better than 8.
2 days of battery life with an iPhone 5 on iOS 8.3? I hardly believe that. Post a screenshot of your usage statistics to prove it.

As for the lags, they are present. In YouTube you can find comparisons between iOS 7 and iOS 8 on iPhone 4S and iPhone 5: you will notice the difference in terms of smoothness and speed.
 

CE3

macrumors 68000
Nov 26, 2014
1,808
3,146
As for the lags, they are present. In YouTube you can find comparisons between iOS 7 and iOS 8 on iPhone 4S and iPhone 5: you will notice the difference in terms of smoothness and speed.

Present for some. I'm sure there are iPhone 6 owners out there who experience lag too. I don't know why you wouldn't believe people when they say they have no issues with their phones. People use their phones and handle the operating systems they run on differently.

The only problem I've ever had with my 5C is my voice being occasionally muffled during calls, and that's partly due to the way I sometimes hold my phone when I talk. That's it. I've had no other issues, and I've owned this phone since Sept/Oct 2013.
 
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Ultra AleM

macrumors 6502a
Jun 22, 2012
673
66
Italy
Present for some. I'm sure there are iPhone 6 owners out there who experience lag too. I don't know why you wouldn't believe people when they say they have no issues with their phones. People use their phones and handle the operating systems they run on differently.

The only problem I've ever had with my 5C is my voice being occasionally muffled during calls, and that's partly due to the way I sometimes hold my phone when I talk. That's it. I've had no other issues, and I've owned this phone since Sept/Oct 2013.
Notice that I am not talking about frame rate lag, but INPUT lag (taps are not always registered immediately during a loading).
 

nordique

macrumors 68000
Oct 12, 2014
1,976
1,600
OP, did you look into the 5S? That would be a very nice upgrade from your 4S without breaking the bank with a 6 or 6+ if you are looking for a new phone, and likely have more future longevity being a 64 bit architecture phone and a large jump in power over the 5.

Otherwise, with a 5 vs 5C, try holding the devices and see which one suits you best. I would recommend going to a phone display and holding the 5C and 5S (same case as 5) and seeing which one is more comfortable to you.

I am a fan of the original 5, but the 5C has a very nice feel to it (the curved body) and is very comfortable to hold. I find the 5 to look higher quality though. Also the black & slate 5 is, in my opinion, the best looking iPhone. The only problem with that phone though is the colour degrades quickly unless you have a case.
 

Ultra AleM

macrumors 6502a
Jun 22, 2012
673
66
Italy
OP, did you look into the 5S? That would be a very nice upgrade from your 4S without breaking the bank with a 6 or 6+ if you are looking for a new phone, and likely have more future longevity being a 64 bit architecture phone and a large jump in power over the 5.

Otherwise, with a 5 vs 5C, try holding the devices and see which one suits you best. I would recommend going to a phone display and holding the 5C and 5S (same case as 5) and seeing which one is more comfortable to you.

I am a fan of the original 5, but the 5C has a very nice feel to it (the curved body) and is very comfortable to hold. I find the 5 to look higher quality though. Also the black & slate 5 is, in my opinion, the best looking iPhone. The only problem with that phone though is the colour degrades quickly unless you have a case.
The 5c is recommended over the 5, because of better battery life, better connectivity and better front facing camera.
 

thedeejay

macrumors 65816
Aug 16, 2012
1,338
51
Toronto, Canada.
I'd say go for the 5. My brother has one and has no problems or complaints with it. Lasts him just under a day with full day of use and you can't beat that Slate color :cool:
 

phillymacuser

macrumors regular
Dec 5, 2008
115
13
I think the 5c is a perfectly good working phone. I have a 32gb I gave it to my mom when the 6 was released and it is functioning flawlessly. If you are using it for pictures, web surfing, streaming and of course phone calls it will handle perfectly. I have the iphone 6 and while its a great demonstration of technology for my uses I do not notice a difference in daily use. I do agree that 8gb is the only limiting factor. I have a ton of music,apps and take a great deal of pictures so I always need 32gb or better of memory.

Enjoy what fits your needs! The price difference is nominal between iphones at this point.
 

oldmacs

macrumors 601
Sep 14, 2010
4,924
7,122
Australia
Yes, but you will agree that buying a 2012 phone is just nonsense (you can't even update to iOS 9 without turning it into a brick like happened to the iPhone 4s). For the same (or less) price you can get a top of the range 2015 phone which runs Lollipop buttery smooth.

Nothing wrong with the 5!

iOS 9 is not out yet but is predicted to be a performance update so hopefully we can expect similar levels of performance. Also the iPhone 4S runs fine with iOS 8.
 

Retired Cat

macrumors 65816
Jun 12, 2013
1,210
380
2 days of battery life with an iPhone 5 on iOS 8.3? I hardly believe that. Post a screenshot of your usage statistics to prove it.



As for the lags, they are present. In YouTube you can find comparisons between iOS 7 and iOS 8 on iPhone 4S and iPhone 5: you will notice the difference in terms of smoothness and speed.


I am typically down to 50-60% at the end of the day. My usage pattern is not that heavy though. I check news and email about once an hour, listen to music, and read some web pages.

Even assuming that there is lag, why should I care if I don't notice it?
 

Anonymous Freak

macrumors 603
Dec 12, 2002
5,561
1,252
Cascadia
Yes, but you will agree that buying a 2012 phone is just nonsense (you can't even update to iOS 9 without turning it into a brick like happened to the iPhone 4s). For the same (or less) price you can get a top of the range 2015 phone which runs Lollipop buttery smooth.

This post is full of odd assumptions:

1. "buying a 2012 phone is just nonsense"? To whom? To you, certainly, but not to many people.

2. "you can't even update to iOS 9 without turning it into a brick..." Uh, we have *zero* idea of this. None. iOS 7 on an iPhone 4 is slow, yes, but it is usable. iOS 8 on an iPhone 4s does not "turn it into a brick," it is perfectly usable to many people.

3. "For the same (or less) price you can get a top of the range 2015 phone..." Really? Where can you get a top of the range 2015 phone for $200? Without a 2-year contract. Because "price with contract" is *NOT* the same as price without contract. Many people like to have no contract, or use carriers that are cheaper because they lack a contract.

4. "which runs Lollipop buttery smooth" - again, discounting the whole price difference, odds are if someone is happy with iOS, they want an iOS device, not to switch platforms.

Interestingly, you skipped what is probably the biggest reason to *NOT* go for a 5 or 5c - not the imminent iOS 9 change, but a future change when iOS becomes 64-bit only, so only the iPhone 5s and newer will be supported. That would be my biggest reason to recommend against anything older than the 5s right now.

But even then, if you're looking for inexpensive used, the 5 or 5c would be a good choice. The 5c has the benefit of a better front-facing camera and better LTE support. Plus the 5c has a slightly bigger battery - and is newer, even a used one is almost guaranteed to have fewer charge/discharge cycles than any iPhone 5, so better remaining battery lifetime.
 

lugworm

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Apr 4, 2011
446
451
UK
Well....I splashed out on an almost new 5s, 16gb gold, completely unmarked condition.
Very nice phone to use, and such a good size.

Think I've made the right decision.

Just need a nice cover for it now. I have a tempered glass protector on the front and was toying with putting glass on the back too, but that would leave the edges exposed, so I think a leather or silicon back cover is the way to go.
 

Beeplance

macrumors 68000
Jul 29, 2012
1,564
500
Well....I splashed out on an almost new 5s, 16gb gold, completely unmarked condition.
Very nice phone to use, and such a good size.

Think I've made the right decision.

Just need a nice cover for it now. I have a tempered glass protector on the front and was toying with putting glass on the back too, but that would leave the edges exposed, so I think a leather or silicon back cover is the way to go.

Good choice and nice to know that you enjoy your purchase - the 5S offers many improvements over its predecessor (ok mainly the performance improvement, touch ID and the better camera..)! 64 bit support will go a long way to ensure its relevance in the coming years.

iOS 9 being a rumored major optimization update, will perhaps bring better performance to the 5S, as compared to the current iOS8.

Are there any issues you are facing with iOS 8 on the 5S now?
 

lugworm

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Apr 4, 2011
446
451
UK
Good choice and nice to know that you enjoy your purchase - the 5S offers many improvements over its predecessor (ok mainly the performance improvement, touch ID and the better camera..)! 64 bit support will go a long way to ensure its relevance in the coming years.

iOS 9 being a rumored major optimization update, will perhaps bring better performance to the 5S, as compared to the current iOS8.

Are there any issues you are facing with iOS 8 on the 5S now?

No issues so far, everything seems to smooth and fast.
 

Indian Devil

macrumors regular
Mar 3, 2014
121
37
Well....I splashed out on an almost new 5s, 16gb gold, completely unmarked condition.
Very nice phone to use, and such a good size.

Think I've made the right decision.

Just need a nice cover for it now. I have a tempered glass protector on the front and was toying with putting glass on the back too, but that would leave the edges exposed, so I think a leather or silicon back cover is the way to go.
How much did it cost?
 

geoff5093

macrumors 68020
Sep 16, 2014
2,251
2,564
Dover, NH
The 5S would be a good choice. The difference in price likely isn't that much higher, yet it will last you at least another year.
 

nordique

macrumors 68000
Oct 12, 2014
1,976
1,600
Happy to hear you are satisfied with your decision, OP, to choose a 5s over a 5 or 5c

hopefully this thread helps others with the same dilemma you faced - the 5s is a great deal faster than the 5 or 5c, and with its 64bit architecture, should be able to have more longevity vs. had you purchased a 5 or 5c
 

mofunk

macrumors 68020
Aug 26, 2009
2,421
161
Americas
Not everyone can afford the latest and greatest !
I only want a pay as you go phone, without any contract, so can't justify paying over £500 for a phone.

If it's only a question of cosmetics, the iPhone 5 wins every time. Thanks for your help!

----------



My 4s is running 8.3 just fine.


A few of my friends upgraded from the 4/4s to the 5c and they love it. Some of them didn't like the colors that the mobile carrier had in stock so they basically found a nice case for the 5c and just with a quick glance you can't really tell if you have a 5 or 5c. Go with the 5c.
 

mpavilion

macrumors 65816
Aug 4, 2014
1,460
1,072
SFV, CA, USA
I see that the book has already been closed on this question; but for the record, the 5c also supports wifi calling, while the 5 does not (at least on TMO).
 
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