Apple iPhone 5 vs Samsung Galaxy S3
Apple iPhone 5 vs Samsung Galaxy S3 – fight
The Samsung Galaxy S3 has enjoyed its time atop our Top 10 Smartphone list, but it always knew this day would come. Now that the dust has settled from our liveblog, we can pit the King of Android against the mightiest iPhone yet. Let's see how they fare.
Read our iPhone 5 in depth review
Apple iPhone 5 vs Samsung Galaxy S3 – design and build
The iPhone 5 has been given a stretch to accommodate its larger screen (more on that below), but counters that by reducing its thickness by some 18 percent to an After Eight-rivalling 7.6mm. It’s also 20 percent lighter at 112g. The Samsung Galaxy S3 is exactly a millimetre thicker than the iPhone 5 and weighs 21g more, although in its defence it should be said the screen is almost a diagonal inch larger.
Looks-wise the iPhone 5 is similar to the 4 and 4S, but the all-glass back has been given a metal centre: on the black model it’s anodised aluminium; on the white it’s raw aluminium. Other changes? The dock is now the smaller Lightning, the headphone jack has moved from the top to the bottom and the speakers are larger (and better quality, according to Apple).
Obviously which of these is the better looking phone is wholly subjective, but personally we’d sway towards the iPhone 5 based on it's insanely solid and precise build quality, which surpasses any phone we've ever had the pleasure of fondling. That's not to say that the Samsung Galaxy S3 is ugly, but it's polycarbonate body just can't compete with premium anodised aluminium and glass materials.
Apple iPhone 5 vs Samsung Galaxy S3 – screen
The iPhone 5 has the biggest, best screen of any iPhone yet: 4-inch as opposed to 3.5-inch, still retaining the same 326 pixels-per-inch density and now with 44 percent better colour saturation. It’s also possessed of a more movie-friendly 16:9 aspect ratio.
The Samsung Galaxy S3’s 4.8-inch Super AMOLED screen (also 16:9) looks wondrous indeed: bursting with deep contrast, vibrant colours and true blacks. The pixel density is slightly lower at around 306ppi, so if sheer sharpness is your goal the iPhone 5 has it beat. But overall we’re inclined to believe this one is simply too close to call – both are superb screens.
Apple iPhone 5 vs Samsung Galaxy S3 – OS and power
The iPhone 5 will ship with sparkling new iOS 6, which builds on previous, er, builds with improved Siri, FaceTime over 3G, Safari tab syncing over different devices and slicker Facebook integration. Google Maps has been tossed out in favour of Apple’s own map solution which offers super slick panning and zooming as well as a fancy new 3D building Flyover mode and turn-by-turn navigation.
The Galaxy S3 currently rocks Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich, which isn’t the newest version of the OS (Jelly Bean is expected to be available on the S3 soon), and has Samsung’s own TouchWiz UI laid over the top. Which OS you prefer is largely a matter of personal choice, but iOS is likely to benefit from its focus on a handful of devices (i.e. a lack of fragmentation) with smoother, less bug-addled performance.
UPDATE: The iPhone 5's A6 processor has been benchmarked online and has shown to beat all the competition including the Samsung Galaxy S3 and HTC One X. Not by a massive margin mind, but enough to prove that more cores aren't always the answer. Tight software/hardware control as seen with Apple and the iPhone/iOS combo does also make a difference. Watch this space for a full review.
The iPhone 5 sports an ARM A6 chip which keeps everything moving swiftly and smoothly (at least it did in our hands-on). The S3’s quad-core 1.4GHz processor is certainly no slouch, providing the slickest Android experience we’ve seen to date and rivalling iOS for stability. This could well prove a draw.
There’s no NFC on the iPhone 5, which is disappointing. The S3 certainly has one over on it there.
In terms of built-in storage, both phones offer 16GB, 32GB and 64GB options. But the Galaxy S3’s microSD slot means you can boost that by up to 64GB.
Apple iPhone 5 vs Samsung Galaxy S3 – camera
Both smartphones sport 8MP main cameras capable of 1080p video, and front cameras capable of 720p video. Both can take stills while shooting video.
The iPhone 5 features a new integrated panoramic shooting mode and what Apple claims is improved performance due to the sapphire crystal lens cover, improved image stabilisation and A6 CPU offering better photo processing.
The Galaxy S3 is a certified camera heavyweight, offering excellent quality, crisp detail and rich colours. This is destined to be another very close run thing, and we’ll only be able to call it when we’ve compared the two thoroughly.
Apple iPhone 5 vs Samsung Galaxy S3 – initial verdict
It’s a close thing here, it really is. The Galaxy S3 is a fantastically powerful and well-equipped phone – the finest Android has to offer. While the iPhone 5 feels sturdier and more “premium” in your hand, there are other areas (NFC, storage, screen size) where many would gladly choose the Samsung, inferior build or no. In many areas, performance is likely to be extremely similar, or things will come down to personal preference. We’ll give you our full verdict on the iPhone 5 as soon as Apple sends us a review sample – in the meantime, read our initial impression in our hands-on article.
UPDATE: The full iPhone 5 review is now live – and it's not short.
Stuff.tv's Top Ten Smartphones
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Comments
LCR776
35 weeks ago
My Galaxy S3 has the panoramic function - it's the 7th option under "shooting mode" in the Camera app, you just need to scroll down... It works extremely well too!
rosstheboss
35 weeks ago
What about the HTC One X?
charliewoodall
35 weeks ago
Basically the S3 is better at everything, but as there is a nice picture of some fruit on the back of the iPhone 5 people will love it.
Biosleeve
35 weeks ago
I was wondering the same thing as LCR776, as my S3 has the panoramic function built in too. You did actually compare it to an S3 didn't you Stuff?
Besides that, I've seen nothing about the iPhone 5 that would make me want one over my S3, especially for the ridiculously high price Apple are asking for. And rosstheboss is right, the One X should also be included in the comparison as it's comparable to the S3 and also looks like a better piece of kit than the iPhone.
Esat Dedezade
35 weeks ago
Thanks for the comments. Sorry about the panorama mix-up. Our brains have been significantly frazzled over the past 24 hours trying to keep up with all the news, it's been rectified.
As for the One X comparison, it should be going up as we speak!
Kevinfoot
35 weeks ago
Oh come on Stuff please. You know the S3 kicks the iPhone's butt in every way. There is no way it deserves to knock it off the top of the charts.
Esat Dedezade
35 weeks ago
It's only fair to reserve the final judgement between any two devices once they've both been given the full review treatment.
sauspud
35 weeks ago
What stuff fail to mention is
A - iPhone 5 is only dual core, S3 is Quad.
B - panorama mode on iPhone is portrait only. S3 is both landscape and portrait.
C - most of the bigger screen on the iPhone isn't used on most apps hence black bars. So most of the time I.e. facebook, you still have the old 3.5 screen.
This iPhone 5 should be fifth at least in the charts.
davemacias
35 weeks ago
LOOK EVERYONE!
yes i know that others phones have had this & that feature before apple, SO WHY THE HELL IS IPHONE HELD AS THE ALL MIGHTY CHOSEN ONE!
it is due to apple always has been about there quality of there device & and there software. usually the ppl that don't understand this are the same idiot ppl who think if there camera has more mega pix than it must be better. or if there screen is bigger it must be better.lol
to give you a example so most of you on the opposite side of iPhone will under stand, is Samsung is like a brand new Toyota or Honda. It will probably have some really cool features, some features that even a new BMW or Mercedes wont have. but yet BMW & Mercedes are still hailed as a luxury premium product. that is exactly what iPhone is.
Just to be stupid,... has anyone ever wondered why the rich or famous ppl have iPhones, you would think with there money they would only purchase the best phone available.
Ponokyo
35 weeks ago
All of the rich and famous have iPhones? Where did you get that statistic? And what about the iPhone 5 can you say is better than the Galaxy S3? You can't say anything about screen size because the GS3 has it beat. But you probably think that a 4" screen is the perfect size now that Apple has said so. Oh wait, you obviously don't think a bigger screen is better. How about NFC? Let me guess, you don't feel its important because Apple doesn't. I have more examples but I am short on time so thats all I'll give right now. You know the rest. I do have to give it to Apple though. It is pretty. I guess thats where the Honda/Mercedes comparison comes in. I have a Galaxy S3 and my wife has an iPhone 4s. She hates it and wishes that she had gotten the Galaxy S3. But being rich and famous, I guess she has no choice but to have it.
peter0q
35 weeks ago
are you missing the point to this article, and the other comments? it was comparing the Galaxy S3 to the iPhone 5.. not yours and your wife's S3 and 4S..
pnett
35 weeks ago
why does anyone try or care to discuss iphone vs anything. iphone fans are rabbid creatures with little to no ability to understand reality. I have owned Blackberry, iphones, and android. Android caters to the people that want to modify and play with there phones, Blackberry really caters to no one anymore, and iphone caters to the people that like shiny objects and like to be herded like sheep to the next BIG thing.
I mean really S3 vs iphone 5...... one has been out for a little while, the other isn't in stores yet. the simple fact that there is a discussion at all is a big giant fail by apple. If there phone is not obviously superior before testing, then they have missed the boat and will be once again way down the top 10 list a couple months after its out.
Android rules now and the margin they have will only grow over apple.
jeffstr
35 weeks ago
Lol loving the Apple hatists but the fact of the matter is - Apple own... seriously, if you have ever used an iphone "in anger", then like me, with the investment I've made on Apps shared with my iPad(s), Nano(s) and AppleTV... I'm totally locked in... and I like my easy life.
I'm just happy that the new iPhone has kept up! S3 vs iPhone 5? thats only a choice for those still coming off old analogue phones, HTCs or Blackberries. :)
akzim
35 weeks ago
Oh Come off it Stuff.tv this is ridiculous. You must be high on "Apple Juice". You should be ashamed of yourselves for failing to produce an objective review between these 2 phones. Your job here was to provide your audience with an unbiased review that could be helpful to everyone.
as1cd1c107
35 weeks ago
i think apple lovers need to look back into recent events where Apple have been struggling to find hardware manufacturers that can gaurantee the product and supply, these were companies in China as well as Sony and LG to name a couple of bigwigs but to the dispair of Apple no one could gaurantee this except for Samsung, whom was still willing to do business with Apple even during the stupidly ludicrous law suits they were battling, so tell me now Apple lovers whom speak of Inferiority and superiority when you look deep inside of your Apple products whos name is it on some of those hardwares? Rich and Famous lol
yeah right!!!! oh yeah going from a VGA camera to a 1.2mp camera? still jurassic.
as1cd1c107
35 weeks ago
just in case some of you Apple followers are unsure of what i was implying, Samsung have been the producers of some of the hardware that goes into Apple products and have done so for years, ever wondered why you can't open the back side of an Apple iphone? they dont really want Apple followers that are blinded by the fancy advertising of clear photos and retina display mumbo to know the truth ever wondered why they havn't been advertising about anyting else but picture quality lately? because they lack in most other areas,or has everyone forgotten about the children slaves working in that factory in china that Apple apparently knew nothing about, All those billions and for what?
charliewoodall
35 weeks ago
deleted
riddaz
35 weeks ago
Reminds me of this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7FpXfw0M-YI
Rev Aardvark
35 weeks ago
Oh children, please! I remember growing up in the 70s and arguing with my friends about who was better ' Zeppelin' or 'Purple'. It is all about personal choice and what you want from a device. That said, I do think Stuff have their collective heads stuck where the sun don't shine.
To let you know where I am coming from, I have an iPhone 4S but will not be upgrading. Now let the iPhone 6 rumours begin....not.
isheep2012
35 weeks ago
To who ever spoke about specs....specs don't mean s***. Its performance within their OS that mater. Android has better hardware specs, but their software optimization is terrible and they need the extra horse power to compensate. Apple software is far more resource efficient and thus does not need unnecessary hardware epeen boost.
You are one of those tech wanna be idiots that goes into a best buy and looks for the biggest numbers on your TVs, video cards, etc and has no clue about what benchmarks mean. Do yourself a favor and educate yourself properly instead of being a ignorant fool!
we iSheep love you tears of hatred.
Sent from my iPad
isheep2012
35 weeks ago
To who ever spoke about specs....specs don't mean s***. Its performance within their OS that mater. Android has better hardware specs, but their software optimization is terrible and they need the extra horse power to compensate. Apple software is far more resource efficient and thus does not need unnecessary hardware epeen boost.
You are one of those tech wanna be idiots that goes into a best buy and looks for the biggest numbers on your TVs, video cards, etc and has no clue about what benchmarks mean. Do yourself a favor and educate yourself properly instead of being a ignorant fool!,
we iSheep love you tears of hatred.
Sent from my iPad
as1cd1c107
35 weeks ago
Okay apparently specs dont mean anything! Fine whatever helps u sleep. For all those ppl that are trying to decide what phone to buy, i have one very important question that u should ask the mobile retailers which will help u decide, hopefully that would be enough of an unbiased opinion because it will be based on the facts, this one important question is what i asked to 12 different retailers b4 deciding, (ask them how many phones of each brand have been returned for repairs within the first 3 months of purchase) and i will tell u that what i found out is that 9 of these retailers only had iphones returned for repairs and ranging from 15% to 19% of total sales within those 3 months, that is almost 1 in 5 being returned, but most of this is due to the iphone crashing because it fails from having to much background processing, so if specs dont mean s*&t, im afraid u are terribly delusional, but hey dont take my word for it just go out there in to the real world and ask the local phone retailers for the facts that they have! Sadly u seem to need to educate urself more and stop being ignorant too, and get out from that fruit basket u live in because eventually even apples will go rotten,
Rev Aardvark
35 weeks ago
@ as1cd1c107 - 'u seem to need to educate urself'
Pots and kettles springs to mind. Have you ever tried writing a coherent sentence?
Brawl3r
35 weeks ago
All i can say is where is the innovation here, apple says they thrive on innovation but they have done it again iPhone 4 ,4s and now 5 same old shitting GUI.
And isheep i would agree to some degree that it ain't just about the specs but you seem to be quoting apple 6 years ago with windows, how they are better optimized in their OS just remember who owns most of the corp rights in the business world its windows, and now android is taking over so they go after the manufactures like Samsung to get the losses back.
I used to have a iPhone 3gs and 4 and used to think it was the best thing since sliced bread and it was at the time, but then came along android with the features as standard that i used to have to jailbreak my iPhone to do.
Apple is the neo-nazi of the tech world and once you start looking at it in that way you will see that the apple is not as fresh as it once was Rotten.
LowFi
35 weeks ago
I would just simply say it will always boil down to what the individual feels they want from a device, in other words good old fashioned choice. We all have and like the freedom to choose what we want. Nothing wrong with differing opinions either however these can be aired with respect so easily. I personally don't think there is a problem with the phones by any brand if it does what you want and is in your budget, they seem to be getting more refined. What I question is the inability of certain people to be able to post a comment without resorting to name calling or insults, no evolution there eh just regression !
TheBIGMan
35 weeks ago
Stufftv lost all credibility in unbiased technology reporting years ago. Along with another well known tech site stufftv are converts to the Apple religion.
Anything negative on an iDevice is either "not necessary" or "Inconsequential" or worse still they will try and defend it, just look at the article on the lightning dock connector. However on an Android device, they will make out any deficit to be a huge downside.
I actually used to but the print version of stuff magazine for years until 2 years ago, then I gave up as every month their beloved iDevice would be top of the pile.
jaf78
35 weeks ago
I had an iPhone 3GS and now have a 4S and although I love my phone I wouldn't exactly call myself a fanboy. It's a bit worrying reading some of the pathetic, defensive comments from people as soon as Apple bring out a new phone (sauspud's comment about how the iPhone 5 should be 5th in the charts springs to mind).
Whilst the S3 (which I have used) and HTC One X are great phones, just having better specs on paper doesnt mean they're infinitely (or any) better. In the 3 years since I first got my 3GS then 4S I haven't had a single problem with either of my phones and each one has always worked as well as the day I bought it. That's why for the foreseeable future i'll likely stick to Apple phones, which is not to say there's anything wrong with Android (i'm currently thinking about getting a Nexus 7 Tablet).
People get very defensive, bordering on hysterical, when it comes to Apple bashing and bigging-up their own phones. There also seems to be this notion that choosing an Android phone means limitless freedom to do a multitude of wondrous things with your phone that big brother Apple won't let you do. Whilst I freely admit it took far too long on iPhone to do basic things like choosing your own wallpapers, ringtones, message alerts etc (which I could do with my old Sony Ericsson T610 about 6 or 7 years ago) there's not a whole hell of a lot you can't do these days.
Some people need to chill out and accept that everyone is entitled to their own opinion.
jaf78
35 weeks ago
And to add to the above, any website I go on to which gives a favourable review or opinion of an iPhone is automatically accused of being run by Apple fanboys, which is paranoid in the extreme.
sauspud
35 weeks ago
I point out the missing facts in the report (which a biased fanboy or Apple person will do to bend the truth ie the keynote speech) and you make it seem like I am being defensive over a new phone in the competition.
You need to read my post again without Apple vision.
I just stated facts not making claims.
The S3 doesn't have the best specs on the page, but put it side by side and it does a better job.
Example the camera. Should be the same but isnt. Just facts so get yours right first!
as1cd1c107
35 weeks ago
Okay let's get this correct, firstly im not rubbishing any manufacturers out of steam, im just regurgitating news i've heard and facts i have found out myself by asking obvious questions, but if ppl feel the need to get personal over matters as small as grammer and composition then so be it, i was looking forward to statistic based comments as rebuttal to help those out there whom are indecisive about what to purchase but obviously we are not civilised enough for this. People should just get what they want and live with it, whether it's an Apple, Banana or Lemon.
Lb4292
34 weeks ago
Comment removed
as1cd1c107
35 weeks ago
Here is something else for Apple fans to contemplate about, if i remember correctly, a qoute from Steve Jobs " i believe a phone should never have a screen size bigger than 3.7 inches" How do you feel now that upon the sad loss of Steve Jobs Apple releases a phone that goes against what he once believed, Mr Jobs in my opinion was one of the greatest at what he does and i had the utmost respect for him and his company, but sadly it seems that his vision and direction is lost with him, i think those of you that call yourselves fans but do not feel some sort of loss for the future of Apple are only fans of the brand and not actually fans of the creation or creator.
pnett
35 weeks ago
i agree everything is not about specs, i personally got the samsung galaxy nexus because i like some of the features it had over the s2 and i thought the Note was too big.
my biggest problem is the lies that apple has feed the fanboys and they just eat it up.
first lie apples is a "premium" build because it is made with an aluminum back. ummmm aluminum has the same tensile strength as human hair, aluminum is not "premium" it is a cheap material that is shiny and doesn't tarnish.
if you were to drop any android or iphone both will break if dropped hard enough. electronic and glass are not a big fan of physical hits. if you were to remove the back cover of an iphone i Guarantee that the aluminum will bend before the cheap plastic will break.
another untruth is that android has to have so many phones to sell more then iphone and their 1 model. wrong again android sells that many cause people like them, the number of models is for consumer choice. if iphone made 2 different sizes of phone they might make people happy with choice, but no they tell people what is best for them and the fanboys eat it up.
cgfw201
35 weeks ago
I’ve got an iPad and a Galaxy S3. Should I feel dirty?
Had iPhones for 4 years, got bored of them basically. Jumped ship to GS3 2 months ago and it’s a whole new world, so much better than my former i4S and the new i5.
People talk about the syncing benefits of having 1+ apple products which sounds lovely in theory. However when you realise iCloud is capped at 500mb and Android devices come with 16gb of universal Dropbox cross-platform storage, you see what works more effectively. Not to mention that Chrome syncs between all devices, so my (android) phone knows what I’ve been searching for and accessing on my (Windows) computer and (apple) iPad.
I had hundreds of apps on my iPhones. The real sunk costs of this are only a couple of quid though. Realistically, there were probably 4/5 paid for apps which were of use on it.
My phone is mainly used for the web, social media, Maps, Sky Go, Tunein Radio, camera and Whatsapp, all of which are far better experiences on the GS3.
Sure, I’ve still got the iPad and it’s great for reading newspapers, browsing the web and gaming, but it syncs just as well, if not better with my life than when i had the apple phone.
cgfw201
35 weeks ago
...and I just paid for my breakfast with my Galaxy s3's NFC abilities. People buying iPhone 5 on a contract won't be able to do this for 2 years!
Lb4292
34 weeks ago
Comment removed
LowFi
35 weeks ago
Wow , that's some statement and I wouldn't have thought you would be so unwise giving away such a lucrative scheme and would be far too busy making vast sums of money rather than spending time posting on here. Of course the beauty of such fanciful claims is that they are real to those that believe them . It would be cruel in the extreme not to go along with this account of such fiscal brilliance;)
Lb4292
35 weeks ago
hey apple fans, i just used a galaxy s3 NFC to send my friend a video, i may even use Bluetooth to send him an amazing song. wouldn't it be good if apple could do anything like that :)
LowFi
34 weeks ago
Shouldn't this be on facebook !!
sauspud
34 weeks ago
Check the topten. The people have spoken. Stuff have listened to the masses and masses and changed their opinion.
annu.ve28
33 weeks ago
Samsung Galaxy S3 is a Good Option..But beware Samsung Galaxy S3 users,As there can be major attack by Hackers.
Check out Major Vulnerably on Samsung Galaxy S3-A line of Code may Wipe out all of Your Data-------------
http://www.etechplanet.com/blog/malicious-code-can-remotely-wipe-out-data-in-samsung-galaxy-s-iii-(major-security-vulnerability-resolved-by-samsung).aspx
MJrolla07
32 weeks ago
Although i agree with some of your points, some of your points are not thought through. The iPhone is the most expensive phone on the market. Of course rich and famous people are going to have one, they would go for prestige over actual power. Rich people dont go for expensive cars because they are fast, but because they are expensive. The Nissan GT-R could smoke most prestigious cars (although it is still quite expensive), but they wouldn't buy it because of the name badge.
Most people seem to think the more expensive it is, the better, and that is not the case. The iPhone is a brilliant phone, without a doubt has the best build quality on the market, and very well put together OS, but that is it. Feature , capability, innovation, hardware and to some extent software wise, the Galaxy S 3 wins hands down. Most things Apple have touted as being new, (like siri, notifications, facebook integration etc) have been available to android users for the longest time.
I love apple, but there phones are not the best on the market.
Kil4u2
30 weeks ago
The is one thing,
Even though I prefer the Samsung I have to say that the iPhone is less likely to smash even though its predecessor would smash under the weight of a feather.
sickymicky
24 weeks ago
to be honest both phones seem to have great capabilities but to say one is better is wrong. for example the iphone 5 will have their fans and the galaxy s3 will have their fans. so everyone needs to give it a rest and just admire both phones. because next year it will be the s4 vs the iphone 5s. stop arguing amongst yourselves and embrace the smartphones. the iphone 5 has exactly the same camera as the galaxy s3, if anything there could be a little difference in favour of either one. personally there the two top phones at the moment with htc a close third or arguably first or second.
sickymicky
24 weeks ago
to be honest both phones seem to have great capabilities but to say one is better is wrong. for example the iphone 5 will have their fans and the galaxy s3 will have their fans. so everyone needs to give it a rest and just admire both phones. because next year it will be the s4 vs the iphone 5s. stop arguing amongst yourselves and embrace the smartphones. the iphone 5 has exactly the same camera as the galaxy s3, if anything there could be a little difference in favour of either one. personally there the two top phones at the moment with htc a close third or arguably first or second.