'Real world' differences between iPhone 3GS &...

Bev._2

My partner & i both have these iPhones & time has come to replace. Phone's in the frame are:

* Samsung Galaxy S3
* iPhone 4S
* iPhone 5

Now it's all fantastic that you can look up online the processor speeds etc but to us, it's just some numbers on a page.

It's great that you can go to your local mobile phone store & have a play on their iPhone 4S that isn't packed with apps & marvel at how fast it is & is running on full wifi connection.


So the question is this: in 'real world' terms, what's the difference between the iPhone 3GS & the above phones? In terms of performance - speed etc. How it can load pages & apps smoothly etc.

Looking at the paper stats, i didn't think the iPhone 4S was massively better than the 3GS, but then it's pretty Greek to me anyway.

Are we talking Ferrari vs a Punto, or is it going to be like upgrading your 1.6 to a 1.8 & just getting an extra second on your 0-60?

societys_child

Depends which side of the fence you sit, an iFan will tell you it HAS to be an iAnything because "it just works" they know this because apple told 'em . . . .

grumbler

The OP is obviously not on either side of the fence.
I think the difference between iP5 and Galaxy S3 is very small in terms of performance.

If so, the question has to be rephrased to the difference between iP3gs and iP5. At least this will keep the thread away from Apple vs Android fight.

Bev._2

Sorry, i don't feel you've read/understood the question.

I'm not asking "what is better", i'm not asking "which looks nicer" etc etc

I'm asking what is faster - performance.

It's like when you get, let's say, a Golf GT TDI 150bhp & an Astra CDTI 150bhp & you ask what is faster. Yes you'll get those who say "if you do XYZ" then this one is faster. If you give the other a 10 second head start then it will win etc, but all things being equal & standard there's no disputing - one will be faster, one will be slower, end of.



Even for the fan boys - even just simply comparing the 3GS to the 4S & 5 would be helpful (unless the reply was something like "4S is faster innit" as yes, i've no doubt it is faster, but how much are we talking? Leaps & bounds or a fraction?).

The next phone will be being kept for a couple of years at least. I don't necessarily need the fastest thing on the market, but if i'm shelling out, i don't want something if it's only a minor upgrade either.

Bev._2

grumbler wrote: »

If so, the question has to be rephrased to the difference between iP3gs and iP5. At least this will keep the thread away from Apple vs Android fight.

It's a sad fact that the thread will no doubt go down that path as anything where you put the 2 together seems to go that way. :mad:

If it keeps the nonsense out of the thread, then let's do that - let's keep it about the 3GS -vs- the 4S -vs- the 5.

As i say, i've no doubt each is faster than the previous one, but how much are we talking here?





Also the question is better aimed to those who've made the jump from a 3GS>4S or even a 3GS>5. If you progress through them then by the time you've got the 4S, you've already had the 4, so you'll likely forget how the 3GS faired.

chunkychocky

I've just gone from an iPhone 3GS to an iPhone 5 with all the same settings and apps running. I had upgraded my 3GS to the iOS6 software so it is a true comparison. The difference is astounding. The iPhone 5 is like lightening compared to the sluggishness of my 3GS. Everything is quicker and I even have a 3G signal where I could barely get a signal at all before so presumably the antenna or whatever has improved considerably since the 3GS too.

My DH has an iPhone 4S and the iPhone 5 is faster, but not the noticeable amazing difference between the 3GS and the 5. Some apps open twice as fast on the 5 compared to the 4S but then while they are running the speed isn't that much faster. Whereas apps open 20 times faster on the 5 compared to the 3GS and run 20 times faster (I'm not exaggerating!).

No idea about other phones but at least that gives you an idea of iPhones.

Bev._2

chunkychocky wrote: »

I've just gone from an iPhone 3GS to an iPhone 5 with all the same settings and apps running. I had upgraded my 3GS to the iOS6 software so it is a true comparison. The difference is astounding. The iPhone 5 is like lightening compared to the sluggishness of my 3GS. Everything is quicker and I even have a 3G signal where I could barely get a signal at all before so presumably the antenna or whatever has improved considerably since the 3GS too.

My DH has an iPhone 4S and the iPhone 5 is faster, but not the noticeable amazing difference between the 3GS and the 5. Some apps open twice as fast on the 5 compared to the 4S but then while they are running the speed isn't that much faster. Whereas apps open 20 times faster on the 5 compared to the 3GS and run 20 times faster (I'm not exaggerating!).

No idea about other phones but at least that gives you an idea of iPhones.

Exactly the sort of comparison i was looking for. Thanks for that.

It doesn't make my selecting any easier :rotfl: but at least i know how the performances match up.

otester

Really depends what you want out of a phone, so until you tell us, can't help much.

jimjames

The iPhone 5 is 3 generations ahead of the 3GS so the performance will be miles better. I seem to recall that with each upgrade the claim has been that the performance is double the previous phone so in theory you'll be looking at 2x2x2 so 8x faster performance. My 3GS is getting very slow & laggy now for opening apps, text messages etc so in practical terms I'd expect the 5 to be instant and very noticeably faster.

http://www.redmondpie.com/iphone-4s-vs-iphone-4-vs-iphone-3gs-speed-test-comparison-video/

Bingolingo

Are either of you fashion conscious? If so then get the iPhone because big plastic phablets are definitely not for you.

If either of you favour customisation and technical jiggery pockery then get the S3.

They both do the same thing. Get the phone you like the look and feel of the best.

jb66

The 4s screen is so much sharper than the 3GS. Personally the speed difference between the iPhone 5 and s3 is probably 0.1seconds depending on what your doing. The price difference between an s3 and an iphone5 is huge, that's why a true moneysavingexpert would use a s3