Which is the toughest iPhone?

[StressedSnowCat]

My phone is failing and I need a new Phone. I'd like it to be an iPhone because of the music experience and the simplicity of transferring music from my mac but I'm the kind of guy who kept his previous phone for nearly ten years and only gave it up because there were no replacement batteries available and the company had gone broke. Therefore the question for me is this: Which phone is more durable in the long run?

I'm on the phone almost every hour with clients calling me, boutiques, designers, angry photographers, dry cleaning etc... So my phone is quite important for me.

From googling all over it's hard to tell which phone is really best. The iPhone 4 with its stainless steel frame but the back glass that we often see people break? Or the iPhone 5 in white with the aluminium which some people say bends?

It's a tough choice. Thing is I can't wait for the iPhone 6 to come out as I need a phone now. I can't wait for the 5s either (Though I doubt construction will be different than the 5 anyway, right?).

I will also be paying full retail as my phone provider only sells phones unlocked at the full price. That means 392 Euros for the iPhone 4 or 649 Euros for the iPhone 5!

Now the price is not so much of an issue -IF- I get a phone that will last me a really long time. I'm not brutal with my phones. I'm a Fashion Stylist and work on Photoshoots and the like, it can get hectic but I don't bike or do any kinds of sports that would get me into awkward or dangerous situations where I might fall down. Sometimes I do wear tight fitting jeans but I never put anything in my back pocket.

What do you guys recommend? Which is tougher? 4 or 5?

 

[Grmnracing]

The iPhone 5 seems tougher. The aluminum back on the 5 is less prone to break than the 4/4s full glass back. Why not buy a used iPhone 4 to hold you over? That could save you $$ maybe even $$$. With the money you save you can even buy a replacement battery and install it yourself. It's not hard. There are tutorials all over the Internet!

 

[StressedSnowCat]

The iPhone 5 seems tougher. The aluminum back on the 5 is less prone to break than the 4/4s full glass back. Why not buy a used iPhone 4 to hold you over? That could save you $$ maybe even $$$. With the money you save you can even buy a replacement battery and install it yourself. It's not hard. There are tutorials all over the Internet!

I don't really like buying used stuff, I like to be the one to scratch the phone in the end.

What about the "iPhone 5 bends" rumor, is that only when you apply great force like when you somehow sit on it or some kind of big force is applied to it? Will I be fine if it's in a tight jeans side pocket? Or better put it in my jacket pocket?

I'm not really into cases, if you have a nice iPhone, why hide it in a case? I couldn't care less about scratches, but I would care if my phone bends if it never fell down.

 

[Lucille Carter]

I don't really like buying used stuff, I like to be the one to scratch the phone in the end.

What about the "iPhone 5 bends" rumor, is that only when you apply great force like when you somehow sit on it or some kind of big force is applied to it? Will I be fine if it's in a tight jeans side pocket? Or better put it in my jacket pocket?

I'm not really into cases, if you have a nice iPhone, why hide it in a case? I couldn't care less about scratches, but I would care if my phone bends if it never fell down.

It is no rumor. Apple's attempt to give us a slimmer and lighter phone HAS sacrificed some structural integrity and just a little too much force on your 5 "could" cause it to bend. There are many threads to read and no matter what anyone say the 5 will bend

 

[StressedSnowCat]

It is no rumor. Apple's attempt to give us a slimmer and lighter phone HAS sacrificed some structural integrity and just a little too much force on your 5 "could" cause it to bend. There are many threads to read and no matter what anyone say the 5 will bend

The question is, how tough is it really? Did they bend because they were under a lot of pressure or did they bend from just being pulled out of a tight jeans pocket?

I'm the kind of guy who has zero scratches on his Macbook Pro after three years. I kinda baby my stuff but then again a phone is more prone to fall down or travel around all day than a laptop is.

 

[Dalton63841]

My girlfriend and I have been rocking iPhone 4 for 2.5 years and neither of us has had any cracking issues despite multiple drops. She uses a charging case, but I keep mine naked. The glass is stronger than most people realize. For that matter you can replace the glass back with a 3rd party back in less than 5 minutes if you are just really worried about it.

 

[Zaft]

I would say iphone 4S. if the back cracks its easily replaceable. like $15

 

[aPple nErd]

3g-3gs, or 5

 

[StressedSnowCat]

I want to get a 5 but all this talk about bending scares me. I know that I never put my phone in my back pocket nor will I ever sit on it. Can anyone tell me how much strength is needed to bend one? Obviously if a grown man sits on any phone it will be damaged. But what I'm trying to figure out is whether it will deform under normal usage.

 

[scott182]

I have a white iPhone 5 and this is the first time I've ever heard anything anywhere about the back bending. I don't use a case and have dropped it multiple times and aside from scuff marks where I've dropped it, I see no other problems with it...no sign of bending whatsoever. I keep mine in my pants pocket or on my desk when I'm at work.

 

[flashflooder]

the iPhone 5 is easily the toughest. It's not going to bend on you unless you subject it to extreme stress.

 

[GodWhomIsMike]

A tough iPhone? What is this sorcery?

 

[Synaesthesia242]

The iPhone 5 is much lighter than the iPhone 4/4S, and doesn't suffer from having a glass back. The overall construction is tighter than the 4S, it's so solid. It beat the Galaxy S3 in a drop test while the 4S lost. The display is also much easier to replace. So yeah 5

 

[StressedSnowCat]

What about the two ceramic plates on the back of the white iPhone 5. Weak spot or is ceramic glass tougher than regular glass?

 

[flashflooder]

you're overthinking it.

The 5 is tougher than the 4/4S. Period.

 

[stormchaser]

3g-3gs, or 5

Agree with this too.
My 3GS has taken a good battering and withstands anything. My 5 so far has been great too. The wife's 4 is too fragile for my liking.

 

[Retired Cat]

I think the 5 is more damage resistant when it comes to impacts, while the 4/4S is more scratch resistant.

I picked the 5 because I didn't want to deal with the glass back on the 4/4S. I avoided the Nexus 4 for the same reason.

If the budget plastic iPhone was out when I was buying a new phone, I might have picked that one. Plastic generally doesn't shatter, and it can be fairly scratch resistant too.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk 2

 

[maxosx]

I've had everyone so far, but all were just average which isn't bad.

The toughest iPhone is the one Apple has has yet to build

 

[cynics]

None of them. Just get the one you like and put a case on it.

 

[InsideBoxer]

The glass is just glass actually. It looks strong because it's attached to another material.

 

[Voodoofreak]

Although iPhone 5 feels tougher than the previous...i find it can easily scratch on the sides. I went through two different iPhone 4s and without any cases, i had them in pristine condition. iPhone 5 however, i had to put a case 3rd week as i started noticing dings on the side.

 

[Lucille Carter]

The question is, how tough is it really? Did they bend because they were under a lot of pressure or did they bend from just being pulled out of a tight jeans pocket?

I'm the kind of guy who has zero scratches on his Macbook Pro after three years. I kinda baby my stuff but then again a phone is more prone to fall down or travel around all day than a laptop is.

The fact is that it is MORE prone to bending than past iPhones. Making the 5 thinner. lighter AND taller will decrease its durability as proven by many of it's users.

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I've had everyone so far, but all were just average which isn't bad.

The toughest iPhone is the one Apple has has yet to build

and I hope this new tougher phone will be slightly thicker.

 

[sulpfiction]

I want to get a 5 but all this talk about bending scares me. I know that I never put my phone in my back pocket nor will I ever sit on it. Can anyone tell me how much strength is needed to bend one? Obviously if a grown man sits on any phone it will be damaged. But what I'm trying to figure out is whether it will deform under normal usage.

The 5 doesn't bend easily. It's not even a concern. Period.

 

[cynics]

The 5 doesn't bend easily. It's not even a concern. Period.

Depend on your definition of easier. Easy in general, and you are correct. Easier then the 4/4S then yes, it bends very easily.

I have a buddy with a bent 5. You can't notice until you lay it on a flat surface. He never had an issue with his 4.

 

[StressedSnowCat]

Does the iPhone 4s have a sort of soft rubber seal/thing alongside the edges of the screen where it meets the steel?