The iPhone 5 Review
by Anand Lal Shimpi, Brian Klug & Vivek Gowri on October 16, 2012 11:33 AM EST- Posted in
- Smartphones
- Apple
- Mobile
- iPhone 5
General Purpose Performance
Section by Anand Shimpi
Apple's philosophy on increasing iPhone performance is sort of a mix between what Microsoft is doing with Windows Phone 7/8 and what the high-end Android smartphone makers have been doing. On the software side Apple does as much as possible to ensure its devices feel fast, although I notice a clear tendency for newer iOS releases to pretty much require the latest iPhone hardware in order to maintain that speedy feel over the long haul. When it comes to hardware, Apple behaves very much like a high-end Android smartphone vendor by putting the absolute fastest silicon on the market in each generation of iPhone. The main difference here is that Apple controls both the software stack and silicon, so it's able to deliver a fairly well bundled package each year. It's a costly operation to run, one that is enabled by Apple's very high profit margins. Ironically enough, if Apple's competitors would significantly undercut Apple (it doesn't cost $599 - $799 to build a modern smartphone) I don't know that the formula would be able to work for Apple in the long run (Apple needs high margins to pay for OS, software and silicon development, all of which are internalized by Apple and none of which burden most of its competitors).
Good cross platform benchmarks still don't really exist on smartphones these days. We're left describing experience with words and trying to quantify performance differences using web based benchmarks, neither of which is ideal but both of which will have to do for now. The iPhone 5 experience compared to the 4S is best explained as just being snappier. Apps launch faster, scrolling around iOS Maps is smoother, web pages take less time to load and the occasional CPU/ISP bound task (e.g. HDR image processing) is significantly quicker. If you're the type of person who appreciates improvements in response time, the iPhone 5 delivers.
How does it compare to the current crop of high-end Android smartphones? I would say that the 5 generally brings CPU performance up to par with the latest and greatest in the Android camp, and in some cases surprasses them slightly. It's difficult making cross platform comparisons because of huge differences in the OSes as well as separating out tasks that are CPU bound from those that simply benefit from a higher rendered frame rate.
I took a cross section of various web based benchmarks and looked at their performance to help quantify where the iPhone 5 stands in the world. First up are the RIABench focus tests, these are javascript benchmarks that focus on various compute bound tasks. I used Chrome for all Android devices to put their best foot forward.
This first test shows just how slow the 800MHz Cortex A9s in the iPhone 4S were compared to the latest and greatest from Qualcomm and NVIDIA. At roughly half the clock speed of those competitors, the 4S was just much slower at compute bound tasks. Apple was able to mask as much of that as possible with smooth UI rendering performance, but there was obviously room for improvement. The iPhone 5 delivers just that. It modernizes the iPhone's performance and inches ahead of the Tegra 3/Snapdragon S4 platforms. Only Intel's Atom Z2460 in the Motorola RAZR i is able to outperform it.
Next up is Kraken, a seriously heavy javascript benchmark built by Mozilla. Kraken focuses on forward looking applications that are potentially too slow to run in modern browsers today. The result is much longer run times than anything we've seen thus far, and a very CPU heavy benchmark:
The standings don't change much here. The iPhone 4S is left in the dust by the iPhone 5, which steps ahead of the latest NVIDIA/Qualcomm based Android devices. The Apple advantage here is just over 10%. Once again, Intel's Atom Z2460 pulls ahead with the clear lead.
In our iPhone 5 Performance Preview we looked at Google's V8 javascript test as an alternative to SunSpider. The more data points the merrier:
Here the iPhone 5 manages to hold onto its second place position, but just barely. Once more, the Atom based RAZR i maintains the performance lead.
Google's Octane benchmark includes all 8 of the V8 tests but adds 5 new ones including a PDF reader, 3D bullet physics engine and portable 3D game console emulator all built in javascript.
The 5 pulls ahead of the HTC One X here and maintains a healthy 31% lead, but once again falls short of the RAZR i.
We of course included our SunSpider and BrowserMark tests, both of which show the iPhone 5 very favorably:
Performance obviously depends on workload, but it's clear the iPhone 5 is a big step forward from the 4S and tends to outperform the latest ARM based Android smartphones. As the rest of the ARM based SoC players move to Cortex A15 designs they should be able to deliver faster devices in the first half of 2013.
Intel's current position when it comes to CPU performance is interesting. A move to a dual-core design could be enough to remain performance competitive with 2013 ARM based SoCs. Remembering that Atom is a 5 year old CPU core that performs at the level of a 10 year old mainstream notebook CPU puts all of this progress in perspective. Intel's biggest issue going forward (other than getting Atom into more tier 1 phone designs) is going to be improving GPU performance. Luckily it seems as if it has the roadmap to do just that with the Atom Z2580.
Facebook
Twitter
RSS
276 Comments
View All Comments
rarson - Thursday, October 18, 2012 - link
Me too, other than the stupid proprietary connection that jacks the price of everything up.Spunjji - Friday, October 19, 2012 - link
I sit pretty firmly in this camp, too. Despite the physical durability flaws, I do find the overall package of the iPhone 4/4S/5 to be superior to most comparable 'Droid handset. I just find the software to be unbearably obstructive to my desired use patterns.steven75 - Wednesday, October 17, 2012 - link
Maybe some people want a still larger display but keep the industry leading app support, industry leading hardware ecosystem, airplay, apple store support, industry leading resale value, industry leading OS upgrade support, and without any carrier bloatware?Seems pretty possible to me.
GotThumbs - Tuesday, October 16, 2012 - link
"we've just got to deal with it." Wrong. You have to "deal with it".Believe it or not....everyone does NOT own one of these phones. The idea of getting a brand new item, be it a car, camera, laptop, tablet or phone and having to deal with the fact that that the companies quality controls are sub-standard is one of the lamest things I've heard....Oh! besides the number one example...... "You're holding if wrong" - Steve Jobs.
I try to not let this kind of monologue that reeks of Apple fanism not bother me...but come on! Talk about romancing about a freaking phone. Please keep it to a level of unemotional comparisons and the feel free to give your personal thoughts and not assume to speak for everyone else.
The fact that you felt compelled to write 5 or more paragraphs on the anodizing process is just pathetic. I stopped reading about it after the first paragraph and skipped to the bottom. I thought this is supposed to be a phone review, not a discovery channel episode on the anodizing process. I can't speak for you or anyone else, but I'm pretty comfortable telling you most consumers probably don't care about the process of anodizing, they just expect a quality product for their money.
People are paying good money...in a bad economy and your saying all they can do is "deal with it"? How about having an open mind and mention they have the choice to buy a different phone or wait for Apple to fix it in their next generation. Your only position appears to be....suck it up, its Apple and thats just part of being in the collective.
Again,,,,, YOU do not speak for everyone so please drop the "WE".
Rant done.
Best wishes to all on your choices in life.
crankerchick - Tuesday, October 16, 2012 - link
Talk about overreaction. Keep the statement within the context of the article. iPhone users have to deal with it if they want to remain iPhone users. Anand is an iPhone user as well are more than a few people reading his review--thus the use of the word "we" instead of the use of the term "iPhone users."That said, he should take care lose the "we" but wow, what a rant for something that one can easily use common sense and say, "No I'm not stuck with it." Other bloggers and review sites do the same thing.
LOL, everyone is always looking for someone to point the fanboy finger at.
KPOM - Tuesday, October 16, 2012 - link
Apparently you have never read an AnandTech review. They go into that kind of detail all the time. That's what people like about them. You aren't going to read that in a CNet, The Verge, or Engadget article. You might get some of that at Ars Technica. But AnandTech goes into excruciating detail.VivekGowri - Tuesday, October 16, 2012 - link
I mean, it's not like Apple is going to radically alter it a month after production starts, so if you want an iPhone 5, your options are to either put a case on it, or suck it up and live with the scratches. Alternatively, you could buy a 4S (if you want iOS) or any other phone that floats your boat.I'm a guy that daily drives a Galaxy Nexus, so accusing me of iOS fanboyism isn't necessarily the most productive way of going about your day.
phillyry - Sunday, October 21, 2012 - link
Yes!Well said Vivek.
But ya, Apple should still have the pressure put on them. So, I could see how people might take it the wrong way. 'Cause it could seem like you're just like, "It's all good Apple, we'll just suck it up." When, in actuality, your ideas are as you stated here. As per the OP's rant, I definitely thought it was off-base but could see where he would draw that conclusion, as it came across that way to me too. And, perhaps like me, he has a hard time keeping track of who uses which phone from the podcasts.
Again, well retorted though.
jiffylube1024 - Tuesday, October 16, 2012 - link
You are seriously complaining about the depth the review went into on the anodizingprocess? You're reading a review of a product and you're complaining that you're being given more information? How about you just skip over that section if it doesn't interest you.
I lol'ed that you called that kind of serious scientific investigation into the anodizing process (which I found incredibly informative) "pathetic". Real, fact-based journalism apparently bores you; you'd just rather read opinion pieces and pass judgment on them. How high minded of you!
Other reviews don't even mention anything about the anodizing process other than that it's there. I don't get why you'd even bother reading a review on AnandTECH if you don't care about the technology...
As for the author's position to "deal with it" (the anodization scratch issue) -- what more can the author do? He can't fix the problem or even address it from a manufacturing standpoint. The review points out the issues with it; the decision making process is up to the consumer and the fixing of the problem is up to the manufacturer.
GotThumbs - Wednesday, October 17, 2012 - link
"Other reviews don't even mention anything about the anodizing process other than that it's there. I don't get why you'd even bother reading a review on AnandTECH if you don't care about the technology..."Anodizing a piece of aluminum does not constitute "technology" when compared to the design of a SoC or camera, at least in my opinion. I see it as a finishing process. My point is that a side link to more detailed information on the anodizing process would have sufficed and kept the reader on track with the hardware review.
I visit Anandtech on a daily basis and have been reading/visiting this site from the early years when Anand was still in High School. I thoroughly enjoy reading/learning about how new technologies in hardware are evolving and when they are compared to other current hardware available in the marketplace. But I feel there has been a growing tendency in Apple product reviews to have a hint of personal/emotional input rather than sticking to an analytical/technical assessment and let each reader digest the information without the personal emotional spin. It's like todays "News" casters interjecting thier personal thoughts/opinions on a news story. I prefer to get the facts and come to my own conclusion.
In case you haven't realized, more and more in todays society, we are "Marketed to" in ways that are growing exponentially. Todays marketing companies continue to market to us using methods not just like Product Placement in TV shows, Reality shows, Movies, Red Carpet runways. etc., but on FB, Twitter, blogs, and weak "tech reviews" like CNN's (Read more like product ads than a review) etc. Because of this bombardment of marketing from every possible source imaginable and newly evolving, I don't think its wrong to call out a reviewer when I feel there is even a whiff of non-neutrality. They can take it with a grain of salt or ponder on their next review to be sure they are approaching it in a clear and unbiased manner.
Complacency in a society and lowering on one's expectations is not something to embrace, its to be challenged and called out.
Listen, no one is perfect and yes I may have been a little high strung in my post, but it was fueled by emotion and passion and I won't apologize for that.
I do apologize to Vivek Gowri if I offended him in any way. It was not my intent.
Best wishes