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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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  • 10.0
    Show all User reviews

    Reviewed by danrigby95 (Currently owns)

    September 25, 2012 02:30 pm

    Excellent phone! Extremely light and thin, a great design, and unbelievably FAST! iOS 6 is a great addition, and I really cannot fault a thing about the phone. Battery life is great compared to other phones, and especially for how thin the iPhone 5 is.
    The bigger screen is a welcome addition, and doesn't feel too big in your hands, and the EarPods are definitely much better than the previous, headphones, not perfect, but much better.

    Would definitely recommend!

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    • 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
  • 9.0
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    Reviewed by TheJediRevan (Currently owns)

    September 25, 2012 11:00 am

    The iPhone 5 is another example of Apple's exemplary industrial design. This is the best iPhone yet with a stunning display and super light body that I am sure the other guys will try to imitate. iOS 6 is a great OS but feels dated compared to the feature set that Android is providing but there isn't a more stable OS that iOS. I am very happy with my purchase even though I do not have LTE in my area with my provider. Can't wait to see LTE in action!

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    • Reception / call quality 8
    • Performance 10
    • Software 9
    • Battery life 8
    • Ecosystem 10
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  • 9.0
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    Reviewed by Vols_20 (Currently owns)

    September 24, 2012 09:15 pm

    The iPhone 5 is thin and light. My first thought when I took the phone out of the box was "Did they send me a phone without a battery in it?". The screen is a step up from the iPhone 4S due to the colors being more saturated. Also, the 4 inch screen is a great addition. It fits in my hands perfectly. iOS is a little dated but overall, I like some of the new features. Overall, I love the new iPhone 5, it's the best iPhone I've owned.

    The Breakdown

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    • Design 10
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    • Camera(s) 9
    • Reception / call quality 9
    • Performance 10
    • Software 8
    • Battery life 9
    • Ecosystem 10
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  • 10.0
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    Reviewed by rui.almazan (Currently owns)

    September 24, 2012 04:48 pm

    Hands down, the best iPhone ever made. Going from iPhone 4 to 5 was a no brainer. It definitely lives up to the iPhone we always wanted. I would never get any reception at my work with my old 4 (usually 3G or Edge if I'm lucky, and maybe 1 or 2 bars). Now I get 5 bars and LTE, to go along with grandfathering with unlimited data! The camera is also amazing and videos look even better than before. The displays looks even better than my old 4. I did a comparison and the 5 looks more crisp and deeper blacks show off nicely. That was one area I did not think Apple could top. Just overall, impressed with speed and response of the new phone.

    The Breakdown

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    • Camera(s) 10
    • Reception / call quality 10
    • Performance 10
    • Software 9
    • Battery life 8
    • Ecosystem 10
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  • 10.0
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    Reviewed by Mihail (Currently owns)

    September 24, 2012 03:39 am

    Thinner, lighter, metal back AND a bigger display? Yes please. Twice as fast in REAL usage as the 4S which... is no slouch. And the cherry on top a HD facetime camera. Hardware wise the iPhone 5 is everything I wanted. iOS on the other hand is getting a bit left behind. Its very well polished but nothing to wow us this year.
    Overall the hardware is a big TEN for me, and iOS is an EIGHT.

    The Breakdown

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    • Camera(s) 10
    • Reception / call quality 10
    • Performance 10
    • Software 8
    • Battery life 10
    • Ecosystem 10
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  • 9.0
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    Reviewed by thepcguy (Previously owned)

    September 24, 2012 12:16 am

    I would like to see live (not dull) icons, quicker access to wifi and bluetooth settings, better maps and would sacrifice thinness for better camera. Other than that... Wow, best phone ever but that's not news the iphones performance, ecosystem and app variety are unmatched by anyone, not even close...

    The Breakdown

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    • Design 10
    • Display 10
    • Camera(s) 9
    • Reception / call quality 9
    • Performance 9
    • Software 8
    • Battery life 7
    • Ecosystem 10
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  • 10.0
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    Reviewed by looey94 (Currently owns)

    September 24, 2012 12:15 am

    The phone is amazing, the only flaws are the native maps app, and the letter-boxed apps, and the black iPhone scratches are ugly, but most of those things will be fixed eventually. I love the camera it is among the best I have used on a smartphone, Siri is improved a whole lot.

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    • Display 10
    • Camera(s) 10
    • Reception / call quality 10
    • Performance 10
    • Software 9
    • Battery life 10
    • Ecosystem 10
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  • 9.0
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    Reviewed by gjac0m (Currently owns)

    September 23, 2012 11:05 pm

    Excellent builded device with solid materials, awesome and very clear display and smoking fast performances with great battery life. Nothing else to say except that it's the best iPhone ever made and it will give solid competition to Samsung, HTC, Motorola, LG.

    Buyers will be satisfied with this excellent device.

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    • Camera(s) 9
    • Reception / call quality 9
    • Performance 10
    • Software 9
    • Battery life 8
    • Ecosystem 10
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  • 10.0
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    Reviewed by badjokes (Currently owns)

    September 23, 2012 10:00 pm

    Vastly better then 4s on iOS 5. maps app is absolutely 100% better then google maps, i was constantly getting lost when driving places but turn by turn is great. I only use maps for 2 things, finding places and navigation, so its perfect for me. overall speed is noticeably better. I can say now having owned 5 different smartphones since 2008, the iPhone 5 is the very first smartphone that I can truly say i am happy with as far as performance/speed goes.

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    • Performance 10
    • Software 10
    • Battery life 10
    • Ecosystem 10
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  • 10.0
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    Reviewed by Daws001 (Currently owns)

    September 23, 2012 08:55 pm

    Physically, this phone is sublime. I love the iPhone 4/4S design so I'm glad Apple didn't sway far from it. The aluminum back is a very welcome update as I cracked the 4S' glass back twice. The larger screen is great while still being comfortable to hold and operate one-handed.

    The most surprising thing, however, is how light it is. I still haven't gotten used to but my pockets say thank you! The battery looks to be much improved over the 4S. Also, LTE! It's like night and day from the creepy crawling 3G speeds.

    The only knock I would give the phone is that I desperately want a shortcut for bluetooth, wifi, and hotspot controls. Having to go through Setting to toggle them is a hassle. Otherwise, the iPhone 5 is a worthy successor to the 4S and a great phone!

    The Breakdown

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    • Battery life 9
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