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Build quality of iPhone 5

baypharm

baypharm

macrumors 68000
Original poster
Nov 15, 2007
1,951
973
I got to see/handle a new iPhone 5 in BestBuy today. As much as I love Apple products, I admittedly don't like the build quality of the new phone. Feels cheap and seems to lack substance: a feeling of solidity. Just feels like a cheap plastic toy. I may be equating heft and weight with quality but I liked the "feel" of the previous iPhone 4 better.

Anyone disagree or agree?
 
i couldnt disagree more. clearly you have no taste for the finer things in life
 
baypharm said:
I got to see/handle a new iPhone 5 in BestBuy today. As much as I love Apple products, I admittedly don't like the build quality of the new phone. Feels cheap and seems to lack substance: a feeling of solidity. Just feels like a cheap plastic toy. I may be equating heft and weight with quality but I liked the "feel" of the previous iPhone 4 better.

Anyone disagree or agree?
Click to expand...
Yes, I feel you.

Obviously you'll get a lot of retaliation, since this forum is a fanboy fest.
 
i used to think the same. it was so light that it felt so fake.
but when i got used to it, the ip4/4s felt too heavy (and short and thick)

and weight does not equate to quality. that's just plain ahem.
 
I don't think it was an iPhone you were holding. The iPhone 5 is made out of glass and aluminum, it's solid with no plastic. Not sure what you were holding, but if it felt like plastic you were holding the wrong phone :)
 
It sounds like you got high, walked into your living room (thinking it was best buy), picked up your plastic TV remote control, and pretended your were playing with an iPhone...

But seriously, the LAST thing this phone build quality screams is "cheap"... But you are entitled to your opinion.
 
That's why I like the SG3. Plastic, surrounded by plastic which is then encased in plastic. Can't beat that. :rolleyes:
 
I think you're equating weight with quality. If its heavier you'd feel safer. But this is not true.
With the aluminum backing, obviously this is more shock resistant than glass. Much of the iPhone 4 weight is from the front and back glass.
I think your mind is playing a trick on you with the weight and thickness of the new phone.
 
baypharm said:
I got to see/handle a new iPhone 5 in BestBuy today. As much as I love Apple products, I admittedly don't like the build quality of the new phone. Feels cheap and seems to lack substance: a feeling of solidity. Just feels like a cheap plastic toy. I may be equating heft and weight with quality but I liked the "feel" of the previous iPhone 4 better.

Anyone disagree or agree?
Click to expand...

Are you on crack or something? I can understand it feeling extremely light compared to the 4 & 4S, but cheap and plasticky? Now that's foolish.
 
baypharm said:
I got to see/handle a new iPhone 5 in BestBuy today. As much as I love Apple products, I admittedly don't like the build quality of the new phone. Feels cheap and seems to lack substance: a feeling of solidity. Just feels like a cheap plastic toy. I may be equating heft and weight with quality but I liked the "feel" of the previous iPhone 4 better.

Anyone disagree or agree?
Click to expand...

Personally, I feel that the ip5 is the best iPhone to date. YMMV
 
This is no slam on the OP at all, but I just think people are used to a certain 'feel' with the iPhone. The 3 and 4 models weighed in a certain way that gave them a feeling of substance.
The 5 is different. It is feather light by comparison and some people DO equate that with build quality. But once you get used to it, i think it's a pretty amazing phone! As always, YMMV.
 
I would agree with you, but I think that a lot of people like to use cases on their iPhones. The decreased weight in the actual phone helps alleviate the added density of the plastic, silicon, rubber case.

That's how I look at it at least. My iPhone 5 weighs the same with my case that my 4 weighed naked. just my opinion
 
bigred7078 said:
It sounds like you got high, walked into your living room (thinking it was best buy), picked up your plastic TV remote control, and pretended your were playing with an iPhone...

But seriously, the LAST thing this phone build quality screams is "cheap"... But you are entitled to your opinion.
Click to expand...

This made my night....thanks
 
I understand where you're coming from. The light weight does feel a bit different at first. After a couple days, though, my old iPhone 4 started to feel like a brick in comparison. Love my i5. :)
 
baypharm said:
I got to see/handle a new iPhone 5 in BestBuy today. As much as I love Apple products, I admittedly don't like the build quality of the new phone. Feels cheap and seems to lack substance: a feeling of solidity. Just feels like a cheap plastic toy. I may be equating heft and weight with quality but I liked the "feel" of the previous iPhone 4 better.

Anyone disagree or agree?
Click to expand...

Feels like a plastic toy? Where do you see the plastic? its made out of metal and glass. Maybe you were holding an android:D
 
baypharm said:
I got to see/handle a new iPhone 5 in BestBuy today. As much as I love Apple products, I admittedly don't like the build quality of the new phone. Feels cheap and seems to lack substance: a feeling of solidity. Just feels like a cheap plastic toy. I may be equating heft and weight with quality but I liked the "feel" of the previous iPhone 4 better.

Anyone disagree or agree?
Click to expand...

I can only assume you've never handled the iPhone 3G/3GS. Spend a day with the 3G/3GS and you'll change your mind. The plasticky 3G/3GS felt way cheaper than the iPhone 5 despite being 20 grams heavier.
 
Gooberton said:
i couldnt disagree more. clearly you have no taste for the finer things in life
Click to expand...

finer things in life?

dude it's a cellphone get over yourself :rolleyes:

iDom74 said:
I don't think the iPhone 5 feels cheap, but it does feel fragile.
Click to expand...

agreed. it's a bit too light.

apple continues to make it lighter - not sure who is asking for that lol

Mrg02d said:
Well I also think it feels cheap. How bout that?
Click to expand...

i wouldn't say cheap but not substantially strong./
 
bigred7078 said:
It sounds like you got high, walked into your living room (thinking it was best buy), picked up your plastic TV remote control, and pretended your were playing with an iPhone...

But seriously, the LAST thing this phone build quality screams is "cheap"... But you are entitled to your opinion.
Click to expand...

Best comment on macrumors ever!
 
wharzhee said:
but when i got used to it, the ip4/4s felt too heavy (and short and thick)

and weight does not equate to quality. that's just plain ahem.
Click to expand...
I never get tired of a good laugh.

The famous Apple Hypocrisy is alive, well, and growing stronger with each new iDevotee.

Funny how it goes, some take great pains to bash Samsungs Galaxy S III because it's light. Then suddenly Apple builds the iPhone 5 which weighs in at nearly the exact same weight, and people fawn over what a brilliant phone it is.

Oh... Facts? Here you go:

136g - iP5
133g - SGS 3

Link? www.google.com :)
 
ixodes said:
I never get tired of a good laugh.

The famous Apple Hypocrisy is alive, well, and growing stronger with each new iDevotee.

Funny how it goes, some take great pains to bash Samsungs Galaxy S III because it's light. Then suddenly Apple builds the iPhone 5 which weighs in at nearly the exact same weight, and people fawn over what a brilliant phone it is.

Oh... Facts? Here you go:

136g - iP5
133g - SGS 3

Link? www.google.com :)
Click to expand...

Damn. Stuck it to him.
 
ixodes said:
I never get tired of a good laugh.

The famous Apple Hypocrisy is alive, well, and growing stronger with each new iDevotee.

Funny how it goes, some take great pains to bash Samsungs Galaxy S III because it's light. Then suddenly Apple builds the iPhone 5 which weighs in at nearly the exact same weight, and people fawn over what a brilliant phone it is.

Oh... Facts? Here you go:

136g - iP5
133g - SGS 3

Link? www.google.com :)
Click to expand...

Most of the anti- Galaxy SIII sentiment I've seen had NOTHING to do with the weight of the device. It had to do with the physical size and the feel of the device, as well as the UI of the OS.
 
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