What are all the differences between the iPhone 5c and the iPhone 5s? What are all the differences between these devices and the iPhone 5 replaced? Which is best for me?
There are twenty one distinct iPhone 5, iPhone 5c, and iPhone 5s models and EveryiPhone.com has diligently documented each one as always. This Q&A primarily addresses collective differences for the sake of simplicity.
With a quick glance at the front of an iPhone from each line, it would be easy to mistake them for one another, but with more detailed evaluation, some differences become readily apparent. Other differences are not obvious but still are quite important.
Photo Credit: Apple, Inc. (iPhone 5 - Left, iPhone 5c - Center, iPhone 5s - Right)
External Differences
Perhaps the most immediately noticeable difference is that the iPhone 5s does not have a rounded square icon on the home button like the other two devices. Instead, it has a icon-free and less concave button with an embedded "Touch ID" fingerprint sensor. Consequently, the iPhone 5s can be configured with biometric identification rather than just a passcode.
Although the specific parts are different, the iPhone 5, iPhone 5c, and iPhone 5s all have a 4" multi-touch IPS LED-backlit 1136x640 (326 ppi) "Retina" display, and the front of each is glass. Otherwise, the housing is quite different, particularly for the iPhone 5c compared to the other two models.
The iPhone 5 and iPhone 5s both have a largely aluminum 0.30 of an inch thick case with a "chamfered cut" band around the edge, but the matte color options are different.
Specifically, the iPhone 5 has either a black glass front and a mostly black aluminum back or a white glass front and a mostly silver aluminum back.
The iPhone 5s models also are offered with a white glass front and a mostly silver aluminum back, but Apple replaced the black glass and black aluminum option with a black glass and medium colored gunmetal gray aluminum option that the company refers to as "Space Gray." Apple also has added an all new "Gold" option with a white glass front and a mostly gold colored aluminum back.
Photo Credit: Apple, Inc. (iPhone 5s Colors -- Silver, Gold, & Space Gray)
The iPhone 5c models, by contrast, are offered with a new polycarbonate over steel body design in five glossy colors -- white, pink, yellow, blue, and green.
Photo Credit: Apple, Inc. (iPhone 5c Colors)
The iPhone 5c also is a bit thicker and heavier than the iPhone 5 and iPhone 5s. Most notably, the iPhone 5c is an extra 0.05 of an inch thick (1.37 mm) and weighs an extra 0.7 of an ounce (20 grams). Inconsequential differences to some, but worth mentioning nevertheless.
All iPhone 5, iPhone 5c, and iPhone 5s models additionally have a bottom mounted headphone jack, microphone, Lightning connector, and a single built-in speaker. They all have "EarPod" headphones that include the integrated Remote and Mic, too.
Camera Differences
The iPhone 5, iPhone 5c, and iPhone 5s all have dual cameras, but there are notable quality differences between them.
The front "FaceTime" cameras are similar in all three devices, and all have 1.2 megapixel sensors and shoot 720p video, but the iPhone 5 has 1.75µm pixels whereas the iPhone 5c and iPhone 5s have 1.9µm pixels, which as well documented by iLounge, means that in the real world the later models have improved low light performance, even if it can be subtle.
The back "iSight" cameras for the iPhone 5 and iPhone 5c are the same. Both shoot 1080p video and have an 8 megapixel sensor with an f/2.4 aperture, 1.4µm pixels, a five-element lens, a sapphire crystal lens cover, a single LED flash, and a hybrid IR filter. They both also support autofocus, tap to focus, face detection, Panorama mode, and photo geotagging.
The back camera for the iPhone 5s, however, is of significantly better quality even though Apple still dubs it "iSight" like the lesser models. It also has an 8 megapixel sensor, but it has 1.5µm pixels, for more detail and clarity. It also has an f/2.2 aperture (for more light) and a dual LED flash that Apple refers to as "True Tone." Apple claims that the True Tone flash provides more natural light than a traditional flash by variably adjusting "color and intensity for over 1,000 combinations."
The iPhone 5s has all of the other hardware and software features of the iPhone 5 and iPhone 5c camera, but also adds a "Burst mode" for still photos and a "Slo-mo" mode for video.
Identification Differences
At the moment, it is simple to visually identify the iPhone 5, iPhone 5c, and iPhone 5s when all are side-by-side. The iPhone 5c is the only colorful polycarbonate one and although the iPhone 5 and iPhone 5s share very similar cases, the iPhone 5s can be spotted quickly by the distinctive "Touch ID" home button.
However, visual identification may be more challenging in the future, and particularly when the devices are not next to one another.
Many of the devices can be identified by Model Number, which is listed on the back of each phone in tiny type, but not all can be individually identified in this way.
