Sidebar Sidebar
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

which is tougher iPhone5s or iPhone5c?

O

olly555

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Oct 1, 2013
5
2
I'm looking for anyone with personal experience; which is tougher the 5s or 5c?
Tried googling it but not really come up with anything definitive.
I'm a pretty clumsy person so want to take all the precautions I can.

I have thought about getting a 5s with a tough case... but where I live in the world most of the year it's well over 30C (I think that's around 85F for the Americans out there) and last February it was over 45C (115F) for a while, and my wife's 4s the last 2 summers (which has the thinest flimsiest case ever) regularly had the "phone too hot, please place somewhere cooler" error message so I think a thick tough case is out of the question.

Any help appreciated. Cheers
 
Well, the screens are likely identical. The casing on the 5c is probably tougher. Polycarbonate is used in the manufacture of crash helmets for motorcycling, cycling and winter sports for a reason, after all.
 
which is tougher iPhone5s or iPhone5c?

Use a good quality bumper case with the 5S. It will allow the metal back to dissipate heat as designed.

Your concern is real.

I use the Neo Hybrid EX Slim by Spigen. It comes with back and fronts screen protectors. I don't use them however. But the screens are thin and better than a thick case

The 5C polycarbonate should be tough. But being super shiny I think it will be like iPods or the 3G and eventually scratch over time. The apple case for the 5C has holes, probably to allow heat to dissipate.
 
Last edited:
Tthomas612 said:
Should have known someone was going to go to that unscientific neither phone is dropped the same drop test. One that proves nothing btw
Click to expand...

To me it proved that they both have similar levels of durability and are both very solid handsets. I (and most other folks with at least half a brain) didn't read anything into the fact that one broke earlier than the other (too many variables as you said)..
 
Tthomas612 said:
Should have known someone was going to go to that unscientific neither phone is dropped the same drop test. One that proves nothing btw
Click to expand...

See I'm the exact opposite. I think the scientific tests are cool and informative, but rarely indicative of everyday use. You're never going to drop your phone from the exact same height or angle more than once, as those tests tend to do. Instead, watching a few of those casual dropping videos in conjunction with some actual scientific testing can help give you an idea of how a phone will hold up. Not just in lab conditions.

Edit: Since I didn't contribute to the topic at hand, let me do so now: the 5S seems to hold up to drop tests a little better judging by the videos I've seen, but the 5C definitely can withstand scratches better. If you put a screen protector on your phone and just like to jam it into your pocket, go with the 5C. If you would like a little more drop protection, the 5S would be your friend. Beer cans bounce better, I guess.
 
Last edited:
smacman said:
To me it proved that they both have similar levels of durability and are both very solid handsets. I (and most other folks with at least half a brain) didn't read anything into the fact that one broke earlier than the other (too many variables as you said)..
Click to expand...

The fact is they are both made by Apple therefore it's a quality product. That's the way I look at it. I like both phones... I just don't like the design of the 5/5s. The drop test by Android Authority proved absolutely nothing. It showed both phones are durable and when dropped on its face the 5c's screen will crack.

----------
monkor said:
See I'm the exact opposite. I think the scientific tests are cool and informative, but rarely indicative of everyday use. You're never going to drop your phone from the exact same height or angle more than once, as those tests tend to do. Instead, watching a few of those casual dropping videos in conjunction with some actual scientific testing can help give you an idea of how a phone will hold up. Not just in lab conditions.

Edit: Since I didn't contribute to the topic at hand, let me do so now: the 5S seems to hold up to drop tests a little better judging by the videos I've seen, but the 5C definitely can withstand scratches better. If you put a screen protector on your phone and just like to jam it into your pocket, go with the 5C. If you would like a little more drop protection, the 5S would be your friend. Beer cans bounce better, I guess.
Click to expand...

Lol good analogy
 
In terms of the shell, all of these bent iphone 5s leads me to believe that the 5c shell must be more durable, being made from a stiffer material. With regards to drop protection however, they both dent equally easy and if hit at the right angle, both screens should shatter just the same.

If I'm getting a new phone with the concern of durability, I'd go with the C.
 
The 5C is actually tougher since it has a reinforced steel frame under the poly. Unfortunately, both are not made to be super resistant to stuff. If you drop the phones, both will probably have the same result which is something damaged on the shell. The worst case scenario in a drop would be a shattered screen. This is why we have cases on the market. The iPhone is not meant to be a rugged phone, there are specialty phones specifically made for that purpose.
 
All the drop tests I've seen have shown the 5c breaking from lower heights onto the same surface. The metal of the 5s probably scratches easier, but it seems to take impacts better.
 
Hi
thanks all for everything... decided to go with the 5C but got to the local store and realised that if I wanted 64GB (I have a long commute and like to watch TV) I would have to get the 5S.... In the end decided to go for a 5C but all they had left was the pink so got a bit of a wait on my hands!
 
Long story, but I've got both

. . used the 5c for about a week, then moved to the 5S.

The 5C just FEELS much more durable. The polycarbonate coating feels almost indestructible. My bets are if I dropped both, which I don't intend to do 'cause I'm not an idiot, that the 5S would be the first to go pop.

The home button on the 5S, with its slightly cheap clicking noise, also feels much more flaky and liable to damage if it was dropped.
 
5C hands down. Polycarbonate is much less dent/scratch/bend resistant than the non-tempered 6061 aluminum used on the 5S.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.
Top Bottom
Back