Apple iPhone 5 review: Laws of attraction

28 September 2012
The iPhone 5. As in five million units sold over the course of a … weekend. Can't say no to that. This is the latest installment in the smartphone series that changed the mobile phone industry and we can understand people couldn't wait. Now, what is it they couldn't wait for?

Sort by:

  • ?
  • Anonymous
  • mp7
  • 30 Sep 2012

Krister, 30 Sep 2012"Apple dosent need that much of RAM" - because iO... morehaving too much features slow down the system. Since the day of mac, apple offer smooth UI without useless programs. Oops I need to restart my sgs 3now it just hang after opening email LOL

    • A
    • Alui
    • mSu
    • 30 Sep 2012

    AnonD-68204, 30 Sep 2012I still dont see an iPhone5, I do see an iPhone4S LTE. It i... moreYou just don't get it!
    Adding extra RAM has the effect that it will increase power consumption. For every processing system(including phones) there is a optimum size for cache/RAM. Adding too much, does not increase the speed of the system, (in might decrease it even) and increases the power consumption.
    A cache works by storing in a cache line main memory data corresponding to multiple sequential addresses(power of two). To access data in the cache you compare the address from the CPU(or other unit) to all the cache tags(a tag corresponds to a cache line and it includes the common MSB for the addresses of data allocated to a cache line).
    If a cache is too small, you get a lot of cache misses(that's when the requested data is not in the cache). So you used power to check the addreses in all tags and in top of that you need write back a cache line to the main memory(if the cache is full) and bring the data corresponding to a cache line including the data with the requested address. Cache misses are very "expensive" for processing device, if you have too many of them, the system with such a cache is in fact slower than a system without a cache.
    Now, if the cache(RAM) is too big, you'll have to continually power on the cache storing data to refresh it and when you compare the address you use more power to compare it with all the cache tags. You can find more data in the cache but you'll need more power accordingly to keep the data in the cache RAM through refreshing(Flash memory, used as main memory, does not need power to keep data).You can keep for example the number of tags, but double the cache line size. The problem with a long cache line is that you need to extract the requested data from it so you need more processing for that(shifting data) so you again use power and delay the system. If the new Android devices use 2 GB of RAM it means that the producers consider this size as optimal for their system. But for sure it will need at least twice the power compared to 1 GB of RAM. The optimum size of the cache is calculated so that you have the best compromise between power used and miss rates in the cache. If a system has high miss rates, it appears as slow running and this is not the case with the iPhone. So the cache/Ram size is enough.

      • ?
      • Anonymous
      • v0X
      • 30 Sep 2012

      I guess iphone5 is the perfect smarphone of the year much favored by the critics :)

        • K
        • Krister
        • J8J
        • 30 Sep 2012

        AnonD-73901, 30 Sep 2012A joke? A joke? Apple dosent need that much of RAM. The OS ... more"Apple dosent need that much of RAM" - because iOS is vintage and oudated. No widgets, no customization (except 3 new backrounds), not even special sms alert for each contact, which I had in Samsung U900 4 years ago.

          • D
          • AnonD-73901
          • u{E
          • 30 Sep 2012

          AnonD-68204, 30 Sep 2012I still dont see an iPhone5, I do see an iPhone4S LTE. It i... moreA joke? A joke? Apple dosent need that much of RAM. The OS is smoother than Android despite the fact that Abdroids flagships phones are 2GB of RAM.
          Not hitting on Android, but I like the LG Optimus G.

            • b
            • botsok3skelion
            • t7J
            • 30 Sep 2012

            iPhone 5: Loss of Attraction

            Should be the title of this review.
            Apple should focus in innovation and ditching out
            baby step upgrade in every device they release per year.

              • ?
              • Anonymous
              • nRH
              • 30 Sep 2012

              What I don't understand is why people (and media most of all) keep on repeating how beautiful and attractive this phone as well as other Apple gadgets are. The matter of fact is that in my and many other people's eyes Apple devices are dull and boring. How can a square black or white device be called beautiful???? I saw the iPhone 5 in the shop today and placed among the other flagships it looked like the ugly ducking. We have all listened to the story of the Emperor's new clothes but not many seem to remembered it or to have got the point. Well, the emperor is naked. Someone has to play the role of the little boy...

                • D
                • AnonD-882
                • PSx
                • 30 Sep 2012

                I never handled or seen an iphone....with all this hoopla it must be very good or too good.....

                But media also plays the role by hyping up iphone. One doesn't understand why.

                  • D
                  • AnonD-25790
                  • Hx2
                  • 30 Sep 2012

                  Thnx for making me stick with my 4s

                    • t
                    • thefearfulsilence
                    • mqT
                    • 30 Sep 2012

                    AnonD-68204, 30 Sep 2012I still dont see an iPhone5, I do see an iPhone4S LTE. It i... moreNot sure I'd quite use the same fanboy-ish language myself but I agree with your general point. The new iphone is more like a 4s S, rather than a handset deserving of a new numerical moniker of it's own.
                    I thought the iphone 5 was going to give me a ton of reasons to upgrade but I'm holding fire for now. I'm sure the maps will eventually be sorted out, after all Apple have stacks of money to throw at it, but I'm not going to upgrade just yet. My 4s is just fine ta :)

                      • D
                      • AnonD-55886
                      • nGp
                      • 30 Sep 2012

                      i have been waiting to read the review, i have an iPhone 4S and the new iPhone 5, both the 64 gig versions, and now i read this about worse Audio quality than my old iPhone 4S?? surely not???!!

                        • D
                        • AnonD-68204
                        • 8Lj
                        • 30 Sep 2012

                        I still dont see an iPhone5, I do see an iPhone4S LTE. It is very sad when Apple gives a name to that product like it was the new generation, completely remade, and look at that:
                        - One more core to the same GPU
                        - Custom made CPU, what is custom about it? Is the same dualcore 1ghz bullshit as before but with 28nm, the only thing that was changed was the power economy.
                        - And 1gb of ram, what a joke. All other smartphones lauched on the end of 2012 are with 2gb of ram.

                        Oh but they did add something...
                        - LTE suporte
                        - And a taller design :( Really?

                        Iphone5, so you can pay again for iphone4s with a diferent name... What a joke.

                          • ?
                          • Anonymous
                          • Rbq
                          • 29 Sep 2012

                          If you want your data to be wiped out and lost buy an Android if you want something to just work out of the box buy an iPhone

                            • ?
                            • Anonymous
                            • Rbq
                            • 29 Sep 2012

                            Iphone 5 rules!!!!

                              • ?
                              • Anonymous
                              • sp3
                              • 29 Sep 2012

                              Alui, 29 Sep 2012I meant to give me examples of better looking phones that c... moreI know it's off topic, but if you think the N9 is a phone for girls and the like, please visit sites such as talk.maemo.org to get a grip on reality.
                              On-topic: the 5 seems attractive but it's not really trend-setting any more. But that's how this industry works, each player goes through ups and downs.

                                • D
                                • AnonD-54125
                                • jxX
                                • 29 Sep 2012

                                Key features
                                •Quad-band GSM and quad-band 3G support with 14.4 Mbps HSDPA and 5.76 Mbps HSUPA - ok
                                •LTE support where carriers support it and CDMA support when sold by CDMA carriers - this sucks...
                                •4" 16M-color LED-backlit IPS TFT capacitive touchscreen of 640 x 1136px resolution -ok
                                •Scratch-resistant screen glass, fingerprint-resistant coating -ok
                                •1.2GHz dual-core custom-designed CPU, PowerVR SGX543MP3 GPU, 1GB of RAM, Apple A6 SoC -very good
                                •iOS 6 and iCloud integration -this sucks
                                •8 MP autofocus camera with LED flash and touch focus -very good
                                •1080p video recording at 30fps -awesome
                                •1.2MP secondary front-facing camera -great
                                •Wi-Fi 802.11b/g/n, Wi-Fi hotspot -great
                                •GPS with A-GPS connectivity; digital compass -super
                                •16/32/64GB storage options -major
                                •Accelerometer, proximity sensor and a three-axis gyro sensor -great
                                •Active noise cancellation with a dedicated secondary microphone -nice
                                •Standard 3.5 mm audio jack, stereo Bluetooth v4.0 -ok
                                •Excellent audio output quality (though worse than 4S) - this is a joke right
                                •Apple Maps with free voice-guided navigation in 56 countries -come on.... :-/
                                •Voice recognition, Siri virtual assistant -bleh
                                •Supports HD Voice (needs carrier support too) -meh
                                •FaceTime video calls over Wi-Fi and cellular -good
                                •Impressively slim and light -meh
                                •Great battery life -biggest joke of anything

                                besides that it was an awesome review....

                                if you own an iphone4/4s(my girlfriend) there is no reason to buy the iphone 5(that's right, I am not buying it for her)

                                it is basically a lighter slimmer taller faster 4s... big whoop

                                  • N
                                  • Neutral
                                  • 3a4
                                  • 29 Sep 2012

                                  iPhone 5 may not be perfect in every department, I think the Maps decision was hasty, but it is not for the Androideans to trade measures with in any respect. iPhone has got good measures going for it and it would wake up wherever its been caught sleeping. Windows phone is a veritable alternative, not fragmented Android, and it is a matter of time for Nokia to put its act together to lead the pack.

                                  Slim and light may have its attraction, but it is not a singularly solid ground to win all hearts, it feels FRAGILE and LOST on the palm. Believe, one can easily lose it without noticing. It would have been great if though slim, it maintains its presence in weight, just like the iphone 4s. In short, iPhone 5 looks and feels feminine.

                                  Admittedly, iPhone 5 could have been great to have had some flesh to take the viewable screen to 4.5", but no one is perfect ALL THE TIME. That the lion was found sleeping should not encourage the buffalo to feel comfortable around. There is DANGER round the corner.

                                  IS APPLE MISSING STEVE?

                                    • D
                                    • Dan
                                    • sp3
                                    • 29 Sep 2012

                                    the floating car in the second panorama is absolutely priceless !
                                    great phone it seems ... freakin' expensive too starting at 800Euro in romania :)

                                      • s
                                      • sham
                                      • n2K
                                      • 29 Sep 2012

                                      Its nice phone but what is HTE...?

                                        • ?
                                        • Anonymous
                                        • 3p9
                                        • 29 Sep 2012

                                        Thanks for the good quality review, all measurements covered.

                                        Overall, I agree with main conclusion - top-notch hardware, let down by somewhat sub-par iOS 6.

                                        BTW, if you don't want scratches, get the white one, with bare-metal finish it should be fine.