Not everyone upgrades to the latest model of a mobile device as soon as it’s released. In the case of Apple’s iPhone, users can currently choose between the iPhone 5 and earlier models like the 4S and the 4. Apple even lets you compare the specs of the various models. But sometimes you need someone’s actual experiences to make a decision. Readers in the Ars OpenForum have recently been talking about when it might make sense to get an iPhone 4S instead of an iPhone 5.
Two threads have discussed this topic before. The first thread “Would anyone choose an iPhone 4S over an iPhone 5,” talked about it, and so did the members in the thread “iPhone 4S v 5 opinion divided.” Susan Harris kicks off the latter: “Mad as it sounds, I may get a 4S instead of a 5, on upgrading. Advice from you guys always appreciated.”
In both threads you’ll find the experiences of users who have owned several generations of iPhones, as well as newbies who have chosen a particular model. We took a look at some of the major features users are talking about.
Size and feel
The iPhone 5 is definitely a longer and thinner phone, but for a user like Ge0Ph, that may not necessarily be best : “I upgraded from the 4 to a 5. While the 5 has outstanding hardware, I prefer the feel of the 4 much better. At times I wish I would have upgraded to the 4S instead but I convince myself I made the right choice because my hardware will be relevant longer.”
Iljitsch (an Ars contributing writer) adds, “The lightness of the 5 is a big plus and depending on your use, the bigger screen can be very helpful. I find that many Web pages that were on the edge of readability on the 4 in landscape are just fine on the 5 in landscape mode.”
Otto Pilot thinks ergonomics is a very important factor to consider if you’re choosing the 4S: “This right here is the one big problem I have with Apple’s continuing obsession with thin and light. I have the 4S now and really didn’t see any truly compelling reason to upgrade (ended up just getting an unlocked 4S for my wife so we can ride out our AT&T contracts) but I really am fine with the thickness of the 4S. I would prefer to forego shaving off a few more millimeters in favor of keeping (or lengthening) the battery life, especially with the move to LTE. As it is now, with push email, iCloud, iTunes match, GPS and Siri, I am hard-pressed to make it through a day on the 4S without needing to plug in.”
Performance
Sleepcountry thinks the iPhone 5 is a winner based on call quality: “The call quality is scary good on iPhone 5. Thanks to the noise canceling, I’ve been in crowded restaurants and easily had conversations without raising my voice or cranking the volume at all. It feels like a cone of silence descends around the ear you’re holding the phone up to [it]. It’s downright eerie at times… the call quality is so much obviously better than my iPhone 4”
Cateye provides a side-by-side comparison of the 4S and the 5 based on performance: “My wife has a 4S and, used side-by-side with my 5, I’m hard-pressed to tell any performance differences between the two. They both respond immediately with zero lag in the apps we commonly use (the 5 is, however, dramatically more responsive than my 4 was). Call sound quality is excellent on both, we have no complaints. Where the 5 leads is in cellular data speed: AT&T lit up its LTE network where we are a few weeks after I upgraded, so I was able to make a direct comparison in the places (like the gym) where I tend to use cellular data often. It’s really quite astonishing how LTE makes surfing or using streaming services like Google Music (I don’t have iTunes Match so I can’t compare) more pleasant compared to ‘4G’ or plain old 3G. I still think LTE is sort of a goofy feature (who truly needs data speeds that fast on a phone?), but it’s a nice luxury to have.”
Full Story: When it makes sense not to upgrade to iPhone 5 | Ars Technica.