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Apple iPhone 5 (GSM)

8.8 Verge Score 8.7 User Score Write Review
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Verge Review

Ah, to review the iPhone 5; what a blessing, and what a curse. It's actually funny to think that there was a time not that long ago that the iPhone wasn't even a thing, let alone an iconic part of pop culture. A time when an Apple-made phone was just a fantasy; a blogger's fever-dream; a secret glimmer in the eye of Steve Jobs and his team of engineers and designers. But the iPhone has become very real. In fact, it's grown up, moved out, and taken over the world. Well, half the world anyhow....

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Basic Specs

Thickness 0.3 inches
Weight 0.25 pounds
Form factor Slab
Screen size (diagonal) 4 inches
Carriers AT&T
Operating system iOS
Launch OS version 6.0

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Tech Specs

Hardware

Height 4.87 inches
Width 2.31 inches
Thickness 0.3 inches
Weight 0.25 pounds
Form factor Slab
Color White / Silver, Black / Gray
Loudspeaker Mono
Noise cancellation Hardware (multi-mic)

Display

Screen size (diagonal) 4 inches
Technology IPS LCD
Pixel arrangement RGB
Resolution (Y) 1136 px
Resolution (X) 640 px
PPI 326
Touchscreen type Capacitive

Connectivity

Carriers AT&T
GSM Yes
GSM frequencies supported 1900, 900, 850
UMTS / HSPA Yes
UMTS frequencies supported 900, 2100, 1900, 850
LTE Yes
WWAN data standards supported UMTS, LTE, EDGE, HSPA+, HSUPA, HSDPA, GPRS, DC-HSDPA
Wi-Fi Yes
Wi-Fi support 802.11n, 802.11g, 802.11b, 802.11a
802.11n frequencies 5GHz, 2.4GHz
GPS Yes
Bluetooth Yes
Bluetooth version Bluetooth 4.0
Tethering / mobile hotspot Yes
Media streaming AirPlay

Processor

Manufacturer Apple
Model A6
Clock speed 1 GHz
Number of cores 2

Memory

RAM size 1 GB

Storage

Internal size 64 GB, 32 GB, 16 GB
External No

Front Camera

Resolution 1.2 megapixels
Video resolution 720p

Rear Camera

Resolution 8 megapixels
Flash LED
Focus type Autofocus
Video resolution 1080p
Video framerate 30

Software

Operating system iOS
Launch OS version 6.0

Interface

Video out Yes
Headphone jack 3.5mm
Other ports Lightning

Sensors

Sensors Compass (Magnetometer), Proximity, Ambient light, Gyroscope, Accelerometer

Battery

Quoted use time 8 hr
Removable No

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8.7

Average User Review

of 80 total reviews
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  • Design 9
  • Display 9
  • Camera(s) 9
  • Reception / call quality 9
  • Performance 9
  • Software 8
  • Battery life 8
  • Ecosystem 9

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  • 9.0
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    Reviewed by engelhardtdaniel (Currently owns)

    June 4, 2013 06:24 am

    I have to mention, that this is my first iPhone I ever owned, but not the first I've ever used. First of all I really like the design of the new iPhone 5, it looks gorgeous! But there are also some things I don't like at the new iPhone, but I'm going to start with the things I really like at my new baby.

    I'm going to give my opinion in the "Verge Order" (Design, Display, Camera, Reception...)

    As I mentioned before I really love the way the iPhone looks, it feels and it is. The aluminium body looks really good and the glass panels on the back give the phone this special look. After the first few leaks over a year ago I was really disappointet about the design of the iPhone 5. It was really ugly and akward, that silver body frame to the black glass panels on the back looked soooo ugly... At September 21st the iPhone 5 was announced in San Francisco and I really thougt this is going to be a total flop. The iPhone is dead and Apple will soon follow.

    The Display on the iPhone 5 is really really good, also I like the fact, that it is "only" 4 inches in size. I'm not the biggest fan of supersized Displays on Smartphones, also caused by the fact, that I have really small hands.

    Next point is the Camera, I think the iPhone 5 take some really good looking pictures. I don't have a extra Camera with me, so I always use my iPhone to take my pictures. The only thing I don't like about the camera is the sapphire lens an the fact, that it is easy to get dust or dirt behind the lens. I often have the purple lens flare effects in my pictures caused by the sapphire lens. Also I have some dirt behind the sapphire lens and the bad thing is, you can see the dirt on the pictures as white or grey dots. That's really annoying...

    The Breakdown

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    • Design 10
    • Display 9
    • Camera(s) 8
    • Reception / call quality 8
    • Performance 9
    • Software 9
    • Battery life 8
    • Ecosystem 10
    Show the rest of this review and the breakdown
  • 10.0
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    Reviewed by ro0nilwazlib (Currently owns)

    May 28, 2013 05:42 am

    Having been an avid Android enthusiast from the HTC Hero and onto the Galaxy S II, I turned "to the dark side" in the form of a Retina iPad last year (my boyfriend works for Apple, so I got *quite* a nice discount) and I pretty much haven't looked back since then, getting the iPhone 5 on release day.

    I was heavily into modding my Galaxy S II, just to get the latest features, and the lack of stability was a nuisance. Now I'm jailbroken, I get the same level of customisation with an amazingly stable OS. That's not even mentioning the jump in battery life!

    That said, I was tempted by the low price of the Nexus 4 as a second phone to have, so I could keep playing around with the latest Android software. I think Nexus is the only choice with Android.

    This is the best, and prettiest, phone I have ever owned. Only downside is the "halo effect" - I now have a MacBook Air, Apple TV etc. and also want an iPad Mini! I am a consumerist whore.

    The Breakdown

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    • Design 10
    • Display 10
    • Camera(s) 9
    • Reception / call quality 9
    • Performance 10
    • Software 9
    • Battery life 10
    • Ecosystem 10
    Show the rest of this review and the breakdown
  • 9.0
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    Reviewed by aleonell (Currently owns)

    May 12, 2013 07:05 am

    The iPhone remains the flagship of Apple’s entire product line, proof of Apple’s known obsession over details; both hardware and software. It exhibits not merely the highest degree of fit and finish of any smartphone, but the result of a single, coherently designed whole at the highest degree of fit and finish for anything Apple has ever made.

    The Breakdown

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    • Design 10
    • Display 9
    • Camera(s) 9
    • Reception / call quality 8
    • Performance 9
    • Software 7
    • Battery life 7
    • Ecosystem 10
    Show the rest of this review and the breakdown
  • 9.0
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    Reviewed by toni.paneto (Currently owns)

    April 30, 2013 10:40 am

    3 Months with my new iPhone 5 and i always enjoy the sound quality when I capture videos or sound.
    The only problem is that everyone walking around with the same iPhone after 3GS.. I purchased a carbon sticker from http://www.coolcasing.com
    and i don't get bored from the same exactly design over and over.

    The Breakdown

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    • Design 8
    • Display 9
    • Camera(s) 8
    • Reception / call quality 10
    • Performance 9
    • Software 9
    • Battery life 8
    • Ecosystem 7
    Show the rest of this review and the breakdown
  • 8.0
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    Reviewed by Jimbo99 (Previously owned)

    April 21, 2013 05:26 pm

    I took 3 points right off the bat for software, Apple's iOS had a lead on Android, but Apple maps was a total fail that was 2 of the 3 points. Siri, well the Siri demo and what it really does in the real world one comes away with totally different impressions from the keynote and real world experience. I kept wanting to really give Apple a 4 or less for the fails of maps & the rigged Siri demo. If iOS wasn't as good as it is, I'd have no problems going lower than 7. Anyway, the apps also keep the software from going below a 7. Apple owes it's 3rd party developers a big thanks for that. Although I fail to see anything much better for Apple than I do for Android these days.

    Any of my ratings of products is really intended for what I was able to compare product for product rather than whether the product was a true 10. Let's face it if the two finalists of a beauty pageant are a 4 and a 5 on a scale of 1-10, the 5 is going to get 9's & 10's, and the 4 will get 8's & 9's. The new HTC One and the Samsung S4 are simply better hardware today. The software's base systems and for the most part the apps are a push at this point. Apple edges Android for Siri, Google voice search isn't quite the same. Android edges iOS with google maps vs Apple maps. Yeah, I know Apple finally was able to get google maps, but that was google bailing Apple out in the end because Apple wasn't going to admit they were trying to get rid of google. To be honest, I would've let Apple eat that one, but google has an implied obligation to support even Apple users.

    That's what skews these scores I guess, the difference in reviews dates. My iPhone5 review is 7 months after introduction, 7 months ago the Apple was probably 9's & 10's, but things change in 7 months and Apple even knows it.

    Anyway, the new champion is the HTC One aluminum, The S4 is around the corner, but Apple made sure they made it harder on Samsung by suing them so often.

    The Breakdown

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    • Design 8
    • Display 8
    • Camera(s) 8
    • Reception / call quality 7
    • Performance 8
    • Software 7
    • Battery life 7
    • Ecosystem 8
    Show the rest of this review and the breakdown
  • 8.0
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    Reviewed by alldaysays (Currently owns)

    March 28, 2013 04:21 pm

    Design is amazing, as it always is with Apple and Jony Ive. However, battery life is not enough to get me through a day, (I'm a medium user) but close. The aluminum back is beautiful, but too sensitive to use without some form of case or bumper. The thinness of the phone compared to iPhones of old is second to none. It does have a tendency to feel cheap because it is so light, but one can get past that. In the iPhone 4 and 4S, the home button did not have a "click" sound and feel. This sounds petty, but hear me out. In the iPhone 4, the button went down cleanly and did not resist much. The home button in the iPhone 5 seems to be a downgrade. I hope that makes sense. A friend of mine who also has an iPhone 5, has reported lock button issues to me with her phone. Her lock button goes down and back up like normal. However, it does not do anything. So as a result, she is stuck using AssistiveTouch. As a precaution, I have begun doing the same. Overall, I would recommend the iPhone 5, but only if iOS is your thing. iOS has somewhat expired, and needs a refresh which we will hopefully see at WWDC in June.

    The Breakdown

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    • Design 9
    • Display 8
    • Camera(s) 8
    • Reception / call quality 8
    • Performance 10
    • Software 7
    • Battery life 7
    • Ecosystem 9
    Show the rest of this review and the breakdown
  • 9.0
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    Reviewed by Color9 (Previously owned)

    March 12, 2013 03:23 pm

    Great Phone, i love the design, the ecosystem, i would recommend to anyone. great competition with the nexus and gs3. The performance is great. battery last a long time for me. i suggest you get it. easy to use. get a nice case for it. both colors look great, though white is my favorite.

    The Breakdown

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    • Design 9
    • Display 9
    • Camera(s) 9
    • Reception / call quality 9
    • Performance 10
    • Software 10
    • Battery life 9
    • Ecosystem 10
    Show the rest of this review and the breakdown
  • 9.0
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    Reviewed by spanev (Currently owns)

    March 9, 2013 03:54 pm

    The best smartphone I ever had ( and still have ). The design, the display, the performance, everything works perfectly. I bought my iPhone 5 two months ago and I'm still very pleased and surprised by its power. In short I highly recommand you this smartphone which is (I think and I'm pretty sure ;-)) the best on the market ! :-)

    The Breakdown

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    • Design 10
    • Display 10
    • Camera(s) 10
    • Reception / call quality 8
    • Performance 10
    • Software 8
    • Battery life 6
    • Ecosystem 10
    Show the rest of this review and the breakdown
  • 7.0
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    Reviewed by mkuntsal (Currently owns)

    March 6, 2013 02:54 pm

    iPhone 5 is a solid phone, that's for sure. However, it brings to the table not much more than iPhone 4S. Even though Nexus 4 didn't come to my country officially, I looked for a Nexus 4 for weeks. (In foreign countries, black market, etc...) Still couldn't get my hands on one. Finally, in early January I gave up and bought an iPhone 5. Overall, it is a GREAT phone. But as a nerd and power user, two things bother me the most:
    - Outdated OS (the same since 2007)
    - Tiny tiny screen with a low resolution (the resolution is phenomenal for that screen size but still gives you little space for browsing and general workflow)

    The Breakdown

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    • Design 9
    • Display 7
    • Camera(s) 8
    • Reception / call quality 8
    • Performance 9
    • Software 5
    • Battery life 6
    • Ecosystem 7
    Show the rest of this review and the breakdown
  • 10.0
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    Reviewed by WT_Rudi (Currently owns)

    March 3, 2013 02:40 pm

    A really perfect phone! Awesome!

    It looks awesome, it feels awesome and it performs awesome! I´m happy with every single part of this genius phone! It does get some scratches, but that´s not such an issue - I only have 2 very tiny ones after using it since October without a case.

    All in all, the iPhone 5 is a big step forward.

    The Breakdown

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    • Design 10
    • Display 10
    • Camera(s) 10
    • Reception / call quality 10
    • Performance 10
    • Software 10
    • Battery life 9
    • Ecosystem 10
    Show the rest of this review and the breakdown
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