With the Apple iPhone 5s, Apple is clearly aiming at buyers who want a well-rounded phone without too many compromises. Here is our take on what it brings to the table. Announced in 2013, September 10. Released 2013, September 20, it arrives at a time when the competition is as tight as ever.
Design & Display
On the front you get a 4.0 inches, 44.1 cm 2 (~60.8% screen-to-body ratio) panel, pushing a resolution of 640 x 1136 pixels, 16:9 ratio (~326 ppi density). Colours look punchy and text stays clean, so you will not have much to complain about here. It is not trying to reinvent the wheel with its design, but it does look the part. You can pick it up in a few finishes, including Space Gray.
Performance & Software
Under the hood you will find the Apple A7 (28 nm), paired with 1GB of RAM. That combination should handle day-to-day multitasking and most games without breaking a sweat. It runs iOS 7, upgradable to iOS 12.5.8 out of the box, so the software experience feels current.
Camera
Photography is handled by a main 8 MP shooter that should cover most situations, from daylight shots to the occasional low-light frame. Expect solid detail in good light, with the usual softness creeping in once the sun goes down.
Battery
Keeping the lights on is a Li-Po 1560 mAh, non-removable (5.92 Wh) cell. With moderate use you can expect to end the day with charge to spare.
Our Opinion
Coming to the important bit, our opinion on the Apple iPhone 5s. Apple has clearly gone for substance over gimmicks here, and we respect that approach. It gets the basics right, offering a dependable main camera, a crisp display, which is exactly what most buyers are really after. For someone who simply wants a dependable daily driver that will not let them down halfway through the day, this ticks a lot of boxes. You could nitpick a few things, as you can with any phone in this bracket. Overall though, the Apple iPhone 5s is easy to recommend to the right buyer. If you have used this device or are planning to pick one up, do let us know your thoughts in the comments section below.
