If you checked the internet today, then you probably noticed that the iPhone 5 was announced. The iPhone 5 isn’t a big upgrade over its predecessors, and aside from a flashy screen, a thinner case, and iOS 6 (which is available on previous iPhone versions anyway), the iPhone 5 is impressive, but not ground-breaking.
Nevertheless, many users will still be debating between purchasing the current king of the Android world – the Samsung Galaxy S III – or the iPhone 5. To help make your decision as easy as possible, here’s a comparison between the iPhone 5 and the Samsung Galaxy S III on a number of important factors:
Screen size – Winner: Samsung Galaxy S III
The iPhone 5 has the largest screen size of any iPhone to date. While previous iPhones all featured 3.5-inch screens, the iPhone 5 will have a 4-inch Retina display. Nevertheless, that’s still significantly smaller than the 4.8” HD Super AMOLED screen found on the S III.
Screen resolution – Winner: Samsung Galaxy S III
Screen resolution is often more important than screen size. It dictates how much information can be displayed on screen at any one time. The S III has a screen resolution of 1280×720, which is comparable to most laptops. The iPhone 5 features a smaller, more unique resolution of 1136×640.
RAM – Winner: Samsung Galaxy S III
The iPhone 5 will come with just 1GB of RAM, while the S III has a whopping 2GB.
Storage space – Tie
The iPhone 5 will feature 16GB, 32GB, and 64GB models. The S III, meanwhile, only has 16GB and 32GB models. However, since the iPhone 5 doesn’t give users the ability to add any additional storage devices, we’ll have to call this category a tie.
Additional storage space – Winner: Samsung Galaxy S III
There is no way to add additional space onto your iPhone. You’re stuck with whatever amount of storage space your iPhone has built into it (16GB, 32GB, or 64GB). Meanwhile, the memory of the S III can be expanded by up to 64GB thanks to its microSD slot.
Camera – Winner: iPhone 5
One of the most popular features on the iPhone is the camera. The iPhone 4 featured a decent front camera and an 8MP main camera. The iPhone 5, meanwhile, has the same 8MP main camera but it also has a front with 2.4MP resolution. The S III also has an 8MP main camera, although the front camera has a resolution of 1.9MP. We’ll narrowly give this category to the iPhone 5.
Weight and thickness – Winner: iPhone 5
The iPhone 5 is surprisingly thin and light. Apple incorporated a new technology that allowed it to streamline the size of the device, which means the iPhone 5 weighs exactly 21g less than the S III. It’s also a full 1mm thinner, if that kind of stuff matters to you.
Network capabilities – Tie
Both the iPhone 5 and the Samsung Galaxy S III have the same network capabilities. Both can connect to 3G CDMA, HSPA+ and LTE networks.
Price – Winner: Samsung Galaxy S III
The iPhone 5 will start at $199 for the 16GB version, $299 for the 32GB version, and $399 for the 64GB version. The S III costs $199 for the 16GB version but only $249 for the 32GB version, which means the S III narrowly beats the iPhone 5 in this category.
Battery – Yet to be decided
Apple promises that the iPhone 5 will last for about 10 hours on a full charge when talking or using data. The S III generally lasts for about 9 hours of talk time. However, the S III has one major advantage in terms of battery – the battery can easily be replaced by the user, whereas with the iPhone 5, users have to visit a special Apple store to get their battery serviced. Until the iPhone 5 is in the hands of consumers, it will be difficult to say which battery is better.
Durability – Samsung Galaxy S III
The Samsung Galaxy S III is surprisingly durable. In one stress test, the S III was fully submerged in water for several minutes, only to turn on immediately after and continue working several days later. The phone was also thrown onto a hard floor, scratched with keys, and attacked with all sorts of other stress tests, and it help up amazingly well. Check out that “torture test” here:
iPhones are not well-known for their durability. Screen cracks are common and dropping the iPhone on the floor can often be enough to crack it (provided you’re not using a case). Until the iPhone 5 is released, we won’t know exactly how durable it is. However, this is what happens when you drop an iPhone 4:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=elKxgsrJFhw
Since Apple didn’t announce any new durability features as part of its address today, we have to assume that the iPhone 5 will be built with the same breakable components as the iPhone 4. In any case, it will be tough for any other smartphone to go through the torture test that the Galaxy S III went through above and still survive.
Conclusion – Winner: Samsung Galaxy S III
Obviously, we’re an Android root site, so we might be a bit biased when it comes to choosing between an Android smartphone and an iPhone. However, the specifications we’ve listed above are the cold, hard facts that say the Samsung Galaxy S III is a superior smartphone to the iPhone 5, in spite of the fact that the iPhone 5 being released several months later than the S III.
Note: we used the Samsung Galaxy S III because it’s the most popular Android smartphone on the market today. However, smartphones like the HTC One X and Droid Razr HD feature similar specs to the S III, often at a lower price.
