IPhone 5 vs Samsung Galaxy S III?

fredlove

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I can get a 16 GB iPhone 5 for $200 or a 16 GB Samsung Galaxy S III for $100. I already have an iPad 2 and an iPod 3, which is why I'm considering the Samsung Galaxy S III. Which one should I get? I love apple devices, but I heard that the Galaxy is really cool and I could save some money. Any opinions are appreciated. Please give a reason why you pick what you picked.
 
I wouldn't pick either when you're this close to new phones being released this year. The Galaxy S IV is just around the corner.
 
Go to a store, try them both for 30 minutes (and simultaneously annoy the customer service reps) and then make your decision based off of that.

Anything that anyone tells you will be 100% opinion. It'd really suck if you bought something based upon someone else's opinion only to find out you don't like it.

Both devices are close in terms of performance and capabilities. Everything else is flavor... iOS vs Android... which if I have to state it, is user preference.
 
Go to a store, try them both for 30 minutes (and simultaneously annoy the customer service reps) and then make your decision based off of that.

Anything that anyone tells you will be 100% opinion. It'd really suck if you bought something based upon someone else's opinion only to find out you don't like it.

Both devices are close in terms of performance and capabilities. Everything else is flavor... iOS vs Android... which if I have to state it, is user preference.

Well, from a performance standpoint the iPhone 5 is measureably / objectively faster then the S3. This is mostly due to the GPU. So if gaming is a concern the iPhone 5 is the better choice. (Not to mention all the titles available on iOS)

One should also keep in mind that iOS 7 will likely contain some substantial updates compared to any prior iOS release, and the iPhone 5 will be able to accept these updates without issue. So if the user preference is to not buy the iPhone because they are 'bored with iOS' it is worth remembering that.

Other then that, yes, it should be based on what the user likes.
 
Well, from a performance standpoint the iPhone 5 is measureably / objectively faster then the S3. This is mostly due to the GPU. So if gaming is a concern the iPhone 5 is the better choice. (Not to mention all the titles available on iOS)

One should also keep in mind that iOS 7 will likely contain some substantial updates compared to any prior iOS release, and the iPhone 5 will be able to accept these updates without issue. So if the user preference is to not buy the iPhone because they are 'bored with iOS' it is worth remembering that.

Other then that, yes, it should be based on what the user likes.
Thanks. Comes to my heart.
 
Well, from a performance standpoint the iPhone 5 is measureably / objectively faster then the S3. This is mostly due to the GPU. So if gaming is a concern the iPhone 5 is the better choice. (Not to mention all the titles available on iOS)

One should also keep in mind that iOS 7 will likely contain some substantial updates compared to any prior iOS release, and the iPhone 5 will be able to accept these updates without issue. So if the user preference is to not buy the iPhone because they are 'bored with iOS' it is worth remembering that.

Other then that, yes, it should be based on what the user likes.

^^^
I totally agree.
 
Unless you have a pressing need to have iOS and Android, I would recommend sticking to one. Your app purchases will go from device to device and they will all work together.

By no means am I recommending either system.
 
Unless you have a pressing need to have iOS and Android, I would recommend sticking to one. Your app purchases will go from device to device and they will all work together.

By no means am I recommending either system.

this is very valid, but from my perspective i plan to stay with ipad and droid phones. i like the ability to customize my phone's look, in that i can set calculator, quick contact phone calls, and my calendar without having to open apps. i have tons of apps for ipad and i don't have to tweak android OS for better battery life, the apple store i like more than the Play store, etc.

its all preference. if i had an iphone first, i think i'd get an android tablet so i can do my customization on it and use my phone for just basic phone calls and camera
 
this is very valid, but from my perspective i plan to stay with ipad and droid phones. i like the ability to customize my phone's look, in that i can set calculator, quick contact phone calls, and my calendar without having to open apps. i have tons of apps for ipad and i don't have to tweak android OS for better battery life, the apple store i like more than the Play store, etc.

its all preference. if i had an iphone first, i think i'd get an android tablet so i can do my customization on it and use my phone for just basic phone calls and camera

Quite valid. I have an iPhone, iPad and Macbook. Everything plays well together. I also have a Nexus 7 for portability. Its nice, but does not play well with all my devices. Of course I knew that before. It is a nice size. Most likely will replace that with the small iPad once the resolution improves.
 
Quite valid. I have an iPhone, iPad and Macbook. Everything plays well together. I also have a Nexus 7 for portability. Its nice, but does not play well with all my devices. Of course I knew that before. It is a nice size. Most likely will replace that with the small iPad once the resolution improves.

I think Galaxy series is also cool.
 
well, the Samsung s4 is a good choice, and maybe you can also wait to see the new HTC one.
 
If you had to go between the 2 listed, I'd go for the Galaxy Slll. It's what I got about 8 months ago and I couldn't be happier with it; it's the first (smart)phone I've had that I've not installed an aftermarket ROM on simply because what comes on it is that good; the unlock screen is beautiful, task switched is quick, efficent kernal (I never charge more than once a day at bedtime). All Iv'e done to it is root and call it a day.

That being said, I want a Galaxy Sllll like no other; the thing looks beautiful; the 8 core processor and 1920x1280 screen alone make me want to ditch what I've got for it.
 
iphone 5 is better then Samsung Galaxy S III but you can need money so Galaxy S III is better.
 
iphone 5 is better then Samsung Galaxy S III but you can need money so Galaxy S III is better.

Uhh fanboy? I could see how you would say that they compete, but spec for spec, the Slll is the superior product; higher res screen (1280x720 306ppi vs 640 x 1136 326ppi), faster SoC (1.5ghz vs 1.3ghz, both respective dual core unless you get the international version, that's a quad core), both have 8mp cameras in back, but in front the S3 has a 1.9mp vs the iPhones 1.3mp, both rated at 1gb of RAM, but looking at mine, it shows 1.5 (2gb total, 512mb reserved for system), S3 batter is 2100mAh vs the iPhones 1440mAh, and so forth.

iPhone 5

http://www.phonearena.com/phones/Apple-iPhone-5_id7378

Galaxy Slll

http://www.phonearena.com/phones/Samsung-Galaxy-S-III_id6330
 
I have had an iPhone 5 since release now. Its a good phone. I actually wish I'd gone down the Android path now. I've always had the iPhone and iPad, end of last year I picked up an Asus Transformer Infinity TF700 to give Android a go. For a tablet, it really impressed me, and made me realise how limited the iPad was. So I ditched the iPad and went with Android on the tablet front.

For a phone, I've always prioritised that the thing just works, can browse the web well, and make calls. Whilst I use apps everyday, I wouldn't call myself an app addict! For this reason I went with the iPhone 5 when it was time to upgrade from the iPhone 4. The phone is a good phone. Then I tried a friends SIII, and realised how lacking the iPhone 5 is now...

If you want something that works well, and is simple to use. Get the iPhone 5. If you want something that doesn't restrict you, has heaps of options, and can do a lot more, get the SIII. Either way I don't think you'll be disappointed.

If it were me, I'd wait for the next gen to be released though. Some very nice phones being released...
 
Specs mean nothing, just numbers on a sheet if you ask me. Real world performance is key, especially on a smartphone. It's a phone.... Remember that.

Take the two devices and compare the features you want in a phone. They're both flagship. Battery life is about the same on both models. Figure out which OS you want to have. If you have any other apple products and want to pair them up and us iCloud, or you have a large iTunes library and want that kind of integration then a iPhone is going to be a good choice for you. If you want a larger screen, and have a lot of ties with google and a bit more open development, then android is going to be the phone for you probably. Fanboys will side their arguments, you can call off processor speed and ram in a phone but it hardly matters in a smartphone as long as everything is smooth and responsive, despite the GS3's superior specs on paper, the iPhone 5 has absolutely no problem with speed and responsiveness.

Just look over the features of the OS and determine which one you will enjoy using more.
 
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Specs mean nothing, just numbers on a sheet if you ask me. Real world performance is key, especially on a smartphone. It's a phone.... Remember that.

Take the two devices and compare the features you want in a phone. They're both flagship. Battery life is about the same on both models. Figure out which OS you want to have. If you have any other apple products and want to pair them up and us iCloud, or you have a large iTunes library and want that kind of integration then a iPhone is going to be a good choice for you. If you want a larger screen, and have a lot of ties with google and a bit more open development, then android is going to be the phone for you probably. Fanboys will side their arguments, you can call off processor speed and ram in a phone but it hardly matters in a smartphone as long as everything is smooth and responsive, despite the GS3's superior specs on paper, the iPhone 5 has absolutely no problem with speed and responsiveness.

Just look over the features of the OS and determine which one you will enjoy using more.

I agree it's all about real world responsiveness and use, from the post I quoted I felt you were coming across Apple biased haha

But I agree, it's all about what you want/like. If you're an Apple fan or have other Apple products, but all means, go Apple. If you prefer customization, or like Android, by all means, go Android.
 
The iPhone 5 has a higher quality screen, faster performance, and better applications.

The GS3 has a larger screen, SDCard expansion, and swappable batteries. Get your hands on one and see which one you prefer.
 
Uhh fanboy? I could see how you would say that they compete, but spec for spec, the Slll is the superior product; higher res screen (1280x720 306ppi vs 640 x 1136 326ppi), faster SoC (1.5ghz vs 1.3ghz, both respective dual core unless you get the international version, that's a quad core), both have 8mp cameras in back, but in front the S3 has a 1.9mp vs the iPhones 1.3mp, both rated at 1gb of RAM, but looking at mine, it shows 1.5 (2gb total, 512mb reserved for system), S3 batter is 2100mAh vs the iPhones 1440mAh, and so forth.

iPhone 5

http://www.phonearena.com/phones/Apple-iPhone-5_id7378

Galaxy Slll

http://www.phonearena.com/phones/Samsung-Galaxy-S-III_id6330

Paper specs mean little. I thought we were almost a decade past the point when it was assumed that clock speed was the only factor in performance.

50942.png


50943.png


50941.png


The iPad 4 gives a preview of GPU performance in the next iPhone.

51763.png


As for resolution, the Pentile screen in the GS3 is a liability. It has fewer subpixels than even the iPhone 4S. The rendering of fine details and small text is funny, not nearly as sharp as an IPS LCD like you see in the iPhone, Nexus 4, or HTC devices. Samsung's color calibration is also very bad, too much contrast and too much saturation. The GS3 ranks among the least accurate mobile displays out there.
 
As for resolution, the Pentile screen in the GS3 is a liability. It has fewer subpixels than even the iPhone 4S. The rendering of fine details and small text is funny, not nearly as sharp as an IPS LCD like you see in the iPhone, Nexus 4, or HTC devices. Samsung's color calibration is also very bad, too much contrast and too much saturation. The GS3 ranks among the least accurate mobile displays out there.

OMG, you just saved me from a foolish mistake. I planned on executing my photography and digital graphics career on my phone. :p I get your point, but first glance and nominal use tests put the screens on par with each other.

Put it this way...I have a 4S for work and GS2 for personal...and I much prefer my GS2 over the 4S over a litany of things that reviews (including those lovely graphics from Anand) never cover.

Simply put...Apple, HTC, and Samsung all make good phones. It is how YOU use it that will finally determine which is the better for YOU.
 
I honestly loved my 4S, it was probably my favorite smartphone I've ever had, I loved the robust build, despite is being made out of glass, it has some weight to it and felt quality in your palm. I cased it up with a Acase 2 piece and it was awesome. Even today, I bet the 4S would still feel a lot more responsive then a number of the current phones. I never have a problem with screen size if the text is bright and clear to read, but anything smaller then the 4S would of probably been pushing it. I only switched to the 5 because of LTE. LTE is really, really nice.
 
I tried both both as well and fell in love with the iPhone 5. Android needs to get their battery situation up to par with their O.S. I also hate the redundant apps in both but more so in Android.

Also the Galaxy SIII is a borderline tablet for my liking...
 
Paper specs mean little. I thought we were almost a decade past the point when it was assumed that clock speed was the only factor in performance.

50942.png


50943.png


50941.png


The iPad 4 gives a preview of GPU performance in the next iPhone.

51763.png


As for resolution, the Pentile screen in the GS3 is a liability. It has fewer subpixels than even the iPhone 4S. The rendering of fine details and small text is funny, not nearly as sharp as an IPS LCD like you see in the iPhone, Nexus 4, or HTC devices. Samsung's color calibration is also very bad, too much contrast and too much saturation. The GS3 ranks among the least accurate mobile displays out there.

You can find benchmarks to support whatever side you want

galaxy-s3-vs-galaxy-S2-performance.jpg


20120917_iphone5geekbenchchart.jpg


The point is, I took what you said originally (iPhone 5 is better than the Galaxy S3) too seriously, sounded to me like you were outright putting the Apple above everything else without giving it a fair shake.

P.S. And believe me, I know that mhz/ghz is not the end all be all factor in performance, now software, core architecture, specific optimizations, QPI, memory controller, etc, etc all play into it.
 
Synthetic benchmarks like Geekbench don't take things into account like efficiency, optimization of the OS, GPU, etc etc. I didn't use Geekbench because it isn't a practical benchmark, not because it showed the GS3 as faster.

It is like picking expensive RAM based on SiSoftSandra scores when practical benchmarks show no real difference. A high Geekbench score means very little when practical browser speed, UI responsiveness and smoothness, and graphics performance are all objectively worse in real situations.
 
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OMG, you just saved me from a foolish mistake. I planned on executing my photography and digital graphics career on my phone. :p I get your point, but first glance and nominal use tests put the screens on par with each other.

Put it this way...I have a 4S for work and GS2 for personal...and I much prefer my GS2 over the 4S over a litany of things that reviews (including those lovely graphics from Anand) never cover.

I look at an iPhone and a GS3 side by side and the differences are night and day. Color, rendering of fine detail, contrast, the GS3 just doesn't do very well in comparison. Then again, I'm a display freak and I work in the film industry. All of my monitors including my Elite Kuro are calibrated, so I'm pretty picky when it comes to that sort of thing. I believe it is important though.

Pentile is not very good, and I reckon it might be one reason why Google switched from Samsung to LG when it came time to make the Nexus 4. If color isn't a plausible reason then rendering of fine detail and the pentile pattern is. At least the GS4 has such a high pixel density (441 PPI) that it might not even matter anymore.

Anandtech's tests with the iPhone 5 nailing sRGB gamut almost perfectly while the GS3 is all over the place corroborates what I can see with my own eyes.

Fortunately there are other companies like HTC that also don't use Pentile screens and do a reasonable job with their calibration.

Simply put...Apple, HTC, and Samsung all make good phones. It is how YOU use it that will finally determine which is the better for YOU.

Of course. I value excellent screens and better apps so it is the iPhone for me. If someone wants bigger screens, SD cards, removable batteries, there are lots of other choices.
 
I swap between both Apple and Android, I am currently trying to go back to Apple (Iphone 5) from the Samsung S3 , don't get me wrong I absolutely love the phone but I have grown to hate bringing both my phone and my Ipod into the gym. Also the size with my case is kinda huge, I'm not all for big screens.
 
You can find benchmarks to support whatever side you want

galaxy-s3-vs-galaxy-S2-performance.jpg


20120917_iphone5geekbenchchart.jpg


The point is, I took what you said originally (iPhone 5 is better than the Galaxy S3) too seriously, sounded to me like you were outright putting the Apple above everything else without giving it a fair shake.

P.S. And believe me, I know that mhz/ghz is not the end all be all factor in performance, now software, core architecture, specific optimizations, QPI, memory controller, etc, etc all play into it.

My friend recommended to me also the s3 at first.
Thanks for the data.
 
Its really not about the hardware or benchmarks. Its do you want android or iOS.

Benchmarks and stuff are almost completely meaningless cross platform for what it will be like day to day.
 
My friend recommended to me also the s3 at first.
Thanks for the data.

He linked GPU benchmarks comparing the GS3 to a much older iPhone (the iPhone 5 that came out only a few months later benches nearly twice as fast as the GS3) and synthetic benchmarks that don't line up with practical browser or UI performance.

How is that useful?
 
Its really not about the hardware or benchmarks. Its do you want android or iOS.

Benchmarks and stuff are almost completely meaningless cross platform for what it will be like day to day.
I think the landlord have idea in mind before this post.
 
This is really what I knew and what I want to say.

Practically speaking you're still looking at smoother performance on the iOS side, things like scrolling webpages, UI, etc. Benchmarks on page loads and FPS kind of solidify that.

On the one hand people are defending synthetic benchmarks that have little relfection on practical performance, and on the other they say that practical benchmarks don't matter but then ignore objectively better performance anyway.

I don't understand people making excuses like that. If you want a GS3 for a big screen or SD card expansion, I totally respect that. Making excuses around the subject of performance, battery life, or applications, not so much.
 
I chose the Iphone 5 over the S3 simply because of the battery life and the fact that I dont have to mess with it to get it to a acceptable level. The Note 2 I have from work though I would say blows the iPhone 5 out of the water in everything except for STOCK stability.
 
I chose the Iphone 5 over the S3 simply because of the battery life and the fact that I dont have to mess with it to get it to a acceptable level. The Note 2 I have from work though I would say blows the iPhone 5 out of the water in everything except for STOCK stability.

This is why I chose the iPhone 5 over the S3 as well. Although recently I've been kind of confused. The battery life while better, hasn't been that much better that it really wows me. Also, I've been getting some freezing/glitching lately, especially when I use FB messenger and the regular messenger(for texts) at the same time. FB also seems to crash quite a bit, and some apps that require internet connections are slow sometimes. I kinda hope iOS7 can fix some of these issues, it's actually getting slightly frustrating because I wanted iOS to not have to worry about stupid crashes/freezes.
 
Why whenever comparing and iPhone to an Android phone people always spout off that the iPhone has a slower processor. Comparing these is like comparing apples to oranges. They're two completely different operating systems, and Android is more power hungry which is why it requires a faster processor, but that processor does not equal "faster than an iPhone".

iOS is a much smoother experience than Android, and that is something that Android has always had trouble with up until the release of Project Butter. Its all relative to device, you can't really compare them based on their specifications, it just doesn't work like that.
 
Why whenever comparing and iPhone to an Android phone people always spout off that the iPhone has a slower processor. Comparing these is like comparing apples to oranges. They're two completely different operating systems, and Android is more power hungry which is why it requires a faster processor, but that processor does not equal "faster than an iPhone".

iOS is a much smoother experience than Android, and that is something that Android has always had trouble with up until the release of Project Butter. Its all relative to device, you can't really compare them based on their specifications, it just doesn't work like that.
Thanks ChwyNiblet. Problem to upgrade to another level.
iPhone Users are Slightly Younger and More Affluent. And the number of android users is more than that iOS.

Android and iPhone offer the two leading platforms today, and each one possesses its own unique characteristics and advantages. Android’s lead in market share often means the potential for app developers to reach a larger audience, but iPhone makes up for this by boasting an attractive audience to marketers that tends to reflect more highly engaged mobile media users with higher income. Their strong platform loyalty also bodes well for their ability to retain and expand market share over the long term. Understanding and quantifying the differences between the users of each device can help developers make smarter decisions about which audiences and platforms to focus on in order to attract users, drive engagement, generate sales, and ultimately achieve their strategic business objectives.
http://www.comscore.com/Insights/Blog/Android_vs_iOS_User_Differences_Every_Developer_Should_Know
 
This is why I chose the iPhone 5 over the S3 as well. Although recently I've been kind of confused. The battery life while better, hasn't been that much better that it really wows me. Also, I've been getting some freezing/glitching lately, especially when I use FB messenger and the regular messenger(for texts) at the same time. FB also seems to crash quite a bit, and some apps that require internet connections are slow sometimes. I kinda hope iOS7 can fix some of these issues, it's actually getting slightly frustrating because I wanted iOS to not have to worry about stupid crashes/freezes.

The facebook app is a pos. Even with their updated core (The original version was even more horrible then the one now) it crashes a lot and has issues. It's more of an issue of a shitty app not the OS. Even iOS can have shitty running apps. The approval process just removes the ones that outright hardlock the device or crash 100% of the time.
 
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