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Why The 5C is Better Than The 5 And 5S

ghsNick said:
Yes - The 5C is basically the 5 with a plastic shell. But in my opinion it's much more than that. I believe the iPhone 5C has 5 main reasons for why it's better than the iPhone 5

1) Better battery life
2) Better LTE bands (as a Verizon customer who travels internationally, this is big)
3) Better FaceTime camera (front camera)
4) More durable (without a case) and won't scuff
5) The front is always black (which looks better when using your phone over long periods of time [I hated my White 4S compared to my Black 5])
Click to expand...

Let's see...

Better battery life? Doubt it. Will probably be the same.
Better LTE bands? From what I've seen, the difference is very small. One can take the 5s anywhere internationally be fine.
Better FaceTime camera? If it does, so what? Minimal difference.
More durable? I agree, but it looks as if scuffgate is gone.
Front is always black? Get a black/grey 5s if you want black. That's obvious.

I don't hate the 5c like most people do, but suggesting that the 5c is better than the 5s is absolutely ridiculous.
 
I have to agree with the OP, the 5c is definitely the better phone (no matter what the specs show on paper).

Everyone should buy it, anyone who wants a 5s when they could have a 5c is just plain stupid.


Now please leave stupid old me alone to go and buy a 5s next week Friday and I don't want to be in a long queue, you can all preorder your 5c's later today :rolleyes:.


;)
 
I wish the 5S was the 5C for a couple of points:

1. The 5C is designed much better. The overall amount of thought with the steel reinforcement and the hard poly exterior was right on the money. It also won't have the issues that exist on the 5 and 5S due to multiple materials being bookmatched.

2. The engineering is much better on the 5C. The materials that they are using are cheaper and more flexible. It's much easier to engineer the 5C and create it without extraneous parts like the 5 and 5S. The screen purposely sticks out a slight bit in order to form a bevel between the plastic housing and the gorilla glass screen. The 5 and 5S design should have had a flush screen to the chamfered edge like they did on the iPad mini.

3. built-in case. The 5C is essentially a phone with a built in case. The hardened poly is excellently durable.
 
In torn between the two.

5C

- like the case. Less worry about scratching
- basically a 5 with better battery and front camera


5S

- better camera but I use a dslr so don't really care
- better processor but i don't game hardcore so for what I do can't be too big of a deal

Price

- $100 difference. What it do what to do
 
OneMike said:
In torn between the two.

5C

- like the case. Less worry about scratching
- basically a 5 with better battery and front camera


5S

- better camera but I use a dslr so don't really care
- better processor but i don't game hardcore so for what I do can't be too big of a deal

Price

- $100 difference. What it do what to do
Click to expand...

I am in the exact same position. I really love the 5c look and just like you I wouldn't be taking advantage of all the new specs from the 5s. But I am still torn I just don't quite know what to do yet. But I am leaning on saving 100 bucks and putting that towards a new iPad for the rumored October launch.
 
OneMike said:
5S

- better camera but I use a dslr so don't really care
-
Click to expand...

I also have a DSLR, and a micro4/3rds CSC and a decent compact, but how many times are you out without the DSLR and decide to take a photo.

I think I've taken more spontaneous photos with the iPhone then the other 3 combined.

If the price difference was bigger, then maybe the 5c would be worth considering.
 
d123 said:
I also have a DSLR, and a micro4/3rds CSC and a decent compact, but how many times are you out without the DSLR and decide to take a photo.

I think I've taken more spontaneous photos with the iPhone then the other 3 combined.

If the price difference was bigger, then maybe the 5c would be worth considering.
Click to expand...


For me the answer would be rare. We all have different lifestyles and routines though.
 
I would probably buy the 5C over the 5S. Saving $100, and getting a more durable exterior is a good deal to me.
 
i was glad that apple followed through with releasing 2 "new" iPhones (new is relative i guess to people here but they are new products) solely b/c i wanted to buy a used iPhone 5 64GB on iOS 6.1.2 from someone so i can keep unlimited LTE on my verizon data plan and jailbreak it for wifi tethering.

as a result of releasing 2 new phones, they have actually tanked the iPhone 5 resale value even further by essentially making it a discontinued device. i saw within a matter of days on eBay as the "Completed Sales" prices plummeted...from the high $600's...to mid $600's...to $600...to the high $500's...then when i saw one that was about to end in 6 mins for $508 w/ free shipping in mint condition + 2 cases + unused headphones and extra lighning cable.....i pounced. i sniped bid on it and got it for $528. pretty damn good deal for a 64GB model w/ a used case, a brand new otterbox, new headphones, used charger, 2 used lightning cables. also it's very difficult to find an iPhone 5 with anything below iOS 6.1.3 so the fact that i was able to find a seller with iOS 6.1.2 was perfect. he likely kept it on iOS 6.1.2 to keep the jailbreak. the plummet in resale value for the iPhone 5 after the release of the 5C and 5S was substantially greater than the plummet in resale value for the iPhone 4S when the iPhone 5 came out. i attribute that to the fact that apple release 2 new iphones.

i have been browsing the 5C vs 5S discussion on here and i agree with points on both sides. if i didn't need unlimited data and i could get away with a 16GB phone, heck the $99 5C is probably the best value out there. however i don't see many 5 vs 5C vs 5S discussions, likely due to the reason that carriers have already dropped the 5. the ones who haven't already, have discounted them by a lot. when i mean a lot, i mean i'm seeing the 32GB iPhone 5 for $99 w/ 2-yr commitment which is the same price as the 5C but the 16GB model. that decision is a no-brainer to me for that particular scenario.

all in all, i didn't expect anything substantial and i certainly didn't expect the iPhone 5 resale value to drop so much. but like i said above, i'm not surprised and also glad from a selfish standpoint as a buyer
 
Synaesthesia242 said:
The 5S will be twice as fast in CPU and GPU performance. Quite an amazing feat from the iPhone 5!
Click to expand...

"Up to 2x". I love how people actually believe that marketing hype. There have already been benchmark leaks that said around 30% improvement over the 5.

----------
PDFierro said:
Let's see...

Better battery life? Doubt it. Will probably be the same.
Click to expand...
2 hours longer of talk time is not the same. Apple has the specs on their site.

PDFierro said:
Better LTE bands? From what I've seen, the difference is very small. One can take the 5s anywhere internationally be fine.
Click to expand...

Small? The GSM unlocked iPhone 5 (AT&T) only supports bands 4 and 17. The 5c/5s support 11 bands. Good luck getting bands 4 and 17 to work around the world.
 
Retired Cat said:
I would probably buy the 5C over the 5S. Saving $100, and getting a more durable exterior is a good deal to me.
Click to expand...



U really want to save $100 over a two year investment on a device which will be by your side 365 days a year times two?
 
OneMike said:
In torn between the two.

5C

- like the case. Less worry about scratching
- basically a 5 with better battery and front camera


5S

- better camera but I use a dslr so don't really care
- better processor but i don't game hardcore so for what I do can't be too big of a deal

Price

- $100 difference. What it do what to do
Click to expand...


Spend the extra $100.

----------
Primejimbo said:
I hate these posts because it just seems like you're trying to justify you buying something.
Click to expand...


Well, they ARE considering saving $100 which is exactly what Apple has in mind when releasing phones that are so similar but one is geared toward the economical.


It's supposed to spur economic debate. A hundred bucks. hmmm.

But on the other hand, you save 100 USD now, but the 2 year contract and monthly payments are the SAME. So for wireless carries, they win!!

A hundred bucks!! what to do what to do.

LOL
 
Before the announcement I planned on getting the 5C because I want a plastic iPhone. Im not now though. If the 5C had the same A7 chip it would be a huge seller, but it is a iPhone 5 with plastic. No thanks. Might buy a 5S or go to Android. 5c is a such a letdown for me. Why couldnt they include the better chip? Its only a $100 less. Ripoff.
 
bozzykid said:
Small? The GSM unlocked iPhone 5 (AT&T) only supports bands 4 and 17. The 5c/5s support 11 bands. Good luck getting bands 4 and 17 to work around the world.
Click to expand...

I'm on Verizon, which already supports plenty of bands. Had no idea about the AT&T model, though.

But I do agree with all the comments saying that the design of the 5c is a major plus. Much more durable. Although scuffgate does appear to be fixed or at least majorly reduced.

Either way, I'm not against the 5c. Just pointing out the facts.
 
ghsNick said:
Where are you getting this information?
Click to expand...

Just speculating like many others are, since Apple dropped black for grey. Why wouldn't Apple fix this in the S version?

But regardless, 5C better than 5? Yes, in the areas you mentioned. But no way is it better than the 5s, hardware wise.
 
Michael CM1 said:
A larger aperture and the two-tone flash, and the OP thinks there will be NO DIFFERENCE in pictures taken? Even with all the software enhancements to the camera, like motion stabilization? You could maybe make this argument for a shot outdoors in the sunlight, but I'm willing to be there will be a big low-light improvement. Also, the 5S has slow-mo video.
Click to expand...

But at the end of the day, it's still a crappy camera. Just because it's attached to an iPhone doesn't change this fact. I have an iPhone 5 and I can just forget about taking any photos of a moving object. I want to document my kid growing up? Forget it. My dogs? Forget it. The iPhone is best when the subject is posing right in front of you in a well lit area. Half of the pics I take otherwise are blurry.

So, if someone really cares about its camera enough to pay attention to all the "improvements", why wouldn't they just go out any buy a real camera? DSLRs can be had at reasonable prices nowadays.

The camera is a selling point Apple uses to get people to buy the new iPhone. Imagine if they made no camera improvements to speak of? Would be a pretty dismal upgrade, but it doesn't change the fact that Apple's just polishing a turd.
 
PDFierro said:
Just speculating like many others are, since Apple dropped black for grey. Why wouldn't Apple fix this in the S version?

But regardless, 5C better than 5? Yes, in the areas you mentioned. But no way is it better than the 5s, hardware wise.
Click to expand...

I guess I think it's better than the 5S in durability type way.

I have a minimal case on my iPhone 5 and I hate it. I removed the case for 1 days and got two minor nicks on the side of my phone.

Without a case I believe the 5C is superior than the 5S right now.

Next year the A6 could hurt (since it'll be two generations behind the A8) so that's my only concern. But I'm living for now, not the future.
 
ghsNick said:
I guess I think it's better than the 5S in durability type way.

I have a minimal case on my iPhone 5 and I hate it. I removed the case for 1 days and got two minor nicks on the side of my phone.

Without a case I believe the 5C is superior than the 5S right now.

Next year the A6 could hurt (since it'll be two generations behind the A8) so that's my only concern. But I'm living for now, not the future.
Click to expand...

Durability-wise, absolutely. But the 5S is more like the Pro model. I've actually been considering the 5C until recently, but now I am leaning towards the 5S as I could actually benefit from the upgrades you describe. But you never know.

But I do like a more durable phone. However I'm not about to say that the 5C is a better phone because of that. The 5S is clearly better, but the 5C does have its advantages.

In my opinion, the 5S is a huge uograde from the 5. Not small. But I know not everyone thinks that way.
 
Why do you think the 5C will have a better FaceTime camera than the 5S? It shows that they're the exact same.
 
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