Apple iPhone 5C Reviews

Apple iPhone 5c Review at Engadget

With the iPhone 5c, Apple's crafted something that's more than just the sum of its parts. It's easy to be cynical and dismiss this handset as just an iPhone 5 in a colorful plastic shell, but that's missing the point. There's no doubt that the 5c looks gorgeous and feels wonderful in hand. It inherits tried-and-true features from the iPhone 5 and also gains a few new ones, like that improved 1.2MP front-facing camera. Still, that's only half the story. It's iOS 7 that truly sets the 5c (and the iPhone 5s) apart, thanks to a delightful redesign and a dash of new functionality. With the 5c, Apple achieves an unprecedented level of synergy between hardware and software. Like many of the company's other products, you have to experience the 5c in person to truly appreciate it.

Given the choice, there are only a few things we'd tweak. We're happy with the iPhone 5c in terms of performance and battery life, but we're longing for a better camera and a larger screen. The iPhone 5s addresses the former, but typing on any iPhone feels awfully cramped when you're used to displays that measure 4.3 inches (and bigger, even). Maybe next time? If you're using an iPhone 4s or anything older, you can't go wrong upgrading to either the 5c or the iPhone 5s. We think most buyers will pick the iPhone 5c for the price and color choices alone, while the iPhone 5s will appeal to power users and gamers. iPhone 5 owners are probably better off sticking with iOS 7 or picking up an iPhone 5s instead of getting an iPhone 5c. And, if all else fails, there are always next year's iPhones. Read more...

Apple iPhone 5c Review at TechCrunch

Apple’s iPhone 5c sparked a lot of debate prior to its launch, prompting observes to wonder what it might mean for Apple to build a “cheap” iPhone or target a new market segment. What Apple has delivered is far from a “cheap” device, in terms of both quality of experience and hardware, and in terms of price. The 5c is probably more broadly appealing than the iPhone 5s just by virtue of its lower cost of entry, but it’s still premium hardware and is likely better thought of as an analogue to the iPhone 4S relative to the iPhone 5 back when that device launched.

The iPhone 5c is an improvement, even if slight, to the smartphone I’d still call the best available if Apple hadn’t also released the iPhone 5s. I’ll say that with the caveat that I believe the iPhone is still the best smartphone available for the largest number of smartphone buyers, in terms of both usability and design, even with the dramatic changes wrought by iOS 7. Given the choice, I’d choose an iPhone 5c over an iPhone 5, based on design alone, and ignoring its other benefits. In other words, if you’re in the market for a new smartphone, Apple’s iPhone 5c should be right near the top of your list. Read more...

Apple iPhone 5c Review at Macworld

When the history of Apple’s 2013 iPhone-a-palooza is written, the iPhone 5c will inevitably be viewed as the opening act to the iPhone 5s’s headliner. But anyone who chooses the more colorful iPhone will hardly care. The iPhone 5c’s compelling mixture of features, performance, and price is likely to persuade people with older models to upgrade. And it’s an appealing, lower-cost option that should attract disaffected Android and Windows Phone users to the iOS fold. Read more...

Apple iPhone 5c Review at SlashGear

For a long time, we expected the 5c to stand for “cheap”. In actual fact, it’s “cheerful”; the iPhone 5c brings a welcome blast of playfulness to Apple’s line-up, and with the five bright colors on offer (not to mention the affordable cases) we can easily see some shoppers drawn more to the peacock hues than the relatively sober gray, white, or gold iPhone 5s.

Unfortunately, in doing so they’ll miss out on the 5s’ obvious advantages above its more affordable, plastic-bodied cousin. The combination of the clever A7 and M7 processor pairing, admirable camera, and workable biometric security mean the iPhone 5s remains our pick of the range, even with the promise of a $100 saving up-front. Frankly, we’d pay twice that for the enhancements the new flagship offers. Read more...

Apple iPhone 5c Review at Wired

There's no doubt about it -- the iPhone 5s is a smashing phone, but it sits in a funny place in Apple's product range. It feels very much like the iPhone 5 has been rebundled here for a specific set of customers. There's obviously little point in upgrading to the 5c from an iPhone 5, and even 4s users looking to upgrade might be happier with the future-proof specs and aluminium casing of the 5s, but if you're new to iPhone, this handset offers a high-end experience and a brand new design without the £500+ price tag.

For an extra £80 or so though you can get your hands on the iPhone 5s, which offers double the performance and a superior camera, all tucked inside a design that probably won't date as quickly with bonus fingerprint-scanning tech.

There is always the possibility of course that you'll be able to pick up a refurbished iPhone 5 for a good chunk less than the 5c for the time being, and while it might not quite measure up to its repackaged successor, it does offer the same standard of performance on iOS 7 and features the more classic iPhone design cues. Read more...

Apple iPhone 5c Review at PC Advisor

The iPhone 5C is a nice smartphone. However, we just can't see the need for it in the first place, unless it was cheaper. It's too expensive for what is effectively an iPhone 5 in a plastic shell with minor changes in hardware. There are better and cheaper Android devices on the market and those wishing to stick with iOS should pay the extra £80 for the iPhone 5S. Read more...

Apple iPhone 5c Review at LaptopMag

The $99 iPhone 5c represents a shift in strategy for Apple. Before now, the company released just one new phone a year. Now, you can choose from the higher-end iPhone 5s, which costs $100 more up front, but features a much faster processor and better camera. Or you can choose the iPhone 5c, which comes with the same screen and processor, and at the same price, as the iPhone 5 -- also still available on Verizon for $99 (at least for now).

Like last year's model, the iPhone 5c is an excellent smartphone. And while its display is not as high-res as the Droid Mini's or HTC One Mini's, the new iPhone outlasted both those phones on our battery test. Overall, the iPhone 5c is a smartphone that combines good looks, a slick OS and a top-notch app selection, making it one of our favorite sub-$100 smartphones. Read more...

Apple iPhone 5c Review at Pocket-lint

The iPhone 5C is a lovely phone that is solid in its performance and playful it its approach. The combination of the colourful exterior sits beautifully against the latest iOS 7 operating system and it's good to see Apple ditching the ode to faux leather and yellow legal paper shtick. New Apple is an embrace of a modern future. 

As an upgrade to the iPhone 4S, the 5C is a perfect option, and it refreshes the iPhone 5 in a way that makes it a lot more fun than the iPhone 5 ever was.

But there is no denying that the 5C is merely a lick of paint on a year-old device, a non-upgrade to the iPhone 5. Some will see that as regressive, treading water. Yet, somehow, that still works in today's world. For all the phones we spend our time using, when we come back to Apple there's just something eminently usable about it. Read more...

Apple iPhone 5c Review at TechRadar

We should be comparing the iPhone 5C against the Samsung Galaxy S4 Mini and HTC One Mini, but thanks to that hefty price tag Apple has slapped on its plastic clad handset we can't as it's already priced itself out of that market. Instead the iPhone 5C is stuck rubbing shoulders with the big guns of 2013, a lot of which have witnessed slight price drops since launch making them cheaper than this Apple offering, and along with sporting better specs and more compelling features, it makes things difficult for the 5C.

Pricing has always been less of an issue for Apple products as people are prepared to pay a premium for what are generally excellent devices, thoughtfully put together and cleverly engineered. The iPhone 5C is still all these things, but Apple hasn't pushed the boundaries and thus there's no real incentive for consumers to make the leap - unless they are dead set on owning an iPhone but really can't stretch that extra bit to the iPhone 5S.

In summary the iPhone 5C is a great phone, it's just a shame it's last year's great phone wrapped in a less appealing shiny plastic body and slapped with a still-premium price tag.. Read more...

Apple iPhone 5c Review at PCMag

Exactly who is the iPhone 5c for? On the one hand, it's tough to get excited about, since it's basically last year's iPhone in a colorful case. The real action, hardware-wise, is happening with the iPhone 5s. But Apple is clearly angling for new customers looking for a new phone at the $100 price point. To these folks, the iPhone 5c will be new, and it won't matter so much what's underneath the surface. The other thing is that the iPhone 5 hardware still holds up well. The faster CPU, quick-acting fingerprint sensor, and improved camera in the 5s are considerable upgrades, but the iPhone 5c is no worse for not having them, and it's half the price. Read more...

Apple iPhone 5c Review at BGR

Even though the 5c is really just an iPhone 5 in a new case, most will perceive it as “new.” A buyer in the mindset of purchasing a “new” iPhone this year now has a $99 option. In the past, he or she would have had to climb up to the $199+ range. Apple’s iPhone 5c is a great phone that few others can touch at $99 on contract. It is most certainly not an affordable device that will be the company’s savior in emerging markets, however. It’s the other high-end iPhone.

The 5c is also the start of a new chapter in the story of the iPhone. Following the same path it took with the Mac and then with the iPod, Apple is branching out. Will it continue down this road and someday carry three or even more different iPhone models simultaneously? If and when it does, it shouldn’t surprise you — this is the Apple formula. Read more...

Apple iPhone 5c Review at CNET

There are a lot of very good phones falling into the $99-with-a-new-contract territory. The Motorola Droid Mini and HTC One Mini are prime competitors. Lining their specs up side by side, despite being built from the guts of last year's iPhone model, the iPhone 5C remains quite a potent little mobile number. In fact, even when you compare it with its current high-end Android competition, this candy-colored handset may have a playful exterior but is all business when it comes to performance. The iPhone 5C can hold its own in terms of processing prowess with the likes of the more expensive HTC One ($199.99), Samsung Galaxy S4 ($199.99), and Moto X ($199.99) flagship models.

The iPhone 5C, equipped one of the best digital imaging systems to ever grace a smartphone (at least until the iPhone 5S), can also capture photos and video of comparable quality with Android's heavy hitters from Samsung, HTC, and Motorola. Now factor in the 5C's low $99 price and that's when things really get interesting. Its closest competitors -- namely the Droid Mini ($99.99, Verizon) and the One Mini ($99.99, AT&T) -- make more compromises than the 5C to reach the same price. For instance, while the 5C has the same Retina display as the 5S, both the One Mini and Droid Mini have inferior displays when compared with their full-size counterparts. At least the One Mini flaunts an aluminum-build quality, arguably better than the iPhone 5C's premium polycarbonate chassis, but the Droid Mini's cheap plastic design wouldn't impress anyone. Read more...