Review: Apple iPhone 5

When we review a product, we're usually given a sample by the manufacturer that's been hand-picked just for us to test. The hardware has been examined for defects, every feature has been fully vetted and scrutinized, and the software has been triple-checked.

For most every high-profile iPhone 5 review you've read so far, this was the process – in particular, the dozen or so reviews that landed last week, before iOS 6 launched and before the phone was made available to everyone.

But we're bringing you the real deal. I stayed up past midnight to pre-order my iPhone 5 right when it went on sale. I chose a black 32GB iPhone 5 on AT&T. I spent my own money. My phone arrived via UPS the same day the iPhone went on sale at retail locations. My review unit didn't go through any extra inspection processes. It wasn't pampered or given any special treatment. I've tested exactly the same hardware you would get, straight out of the box.

And let me tell you, it's a gem. For all the talk of the new iPhone being boring, iterative, or lacking that trademark Apple flavor of cutting-edge innovation, it is undoubtedly the best handset you can buy. The iPhone 4S was also a fantastic phone, and it still is. But the subtle faults of the iPhone 4S have now been rendered visible by their absence on the more refined iPhone 5.

If you're considering an upgrade, I'd recommend one, especially if you skipped the last release. If you're just now jumping into the iPhone ecosystem, this is a device that's sure to make a killer first impression.

The look of the thing – especially the matte-black anodized aluminum rear plate – is slick, and sort of sinister. It wouldn't look out of place in Batman's tool belt. The Apple logo has been rendered in black, too. I miss the reflective silver Apple logo of the iPhone 4 and 4S, which I used as a mirror, but the new black logo better matches the black glass panels above and below the metal plate. (On the white version, the Apple logo is still silver.)

One of my favorite design features of the iPhone 5 is the chamfer at the edge of the front and rear faces. On the iPhone 4 and 4S, the edges of the bezel were harder, more like stair steps. On the 5, the edge has more of a jewel-like diagonal slice. This simultaneously gives the phone a smoother hand-feel and a more sophisticated, less-clunky look.

Also Read Our iOS 6 Review
When I held the iPhone 5 for the first time, however, the most dramatic change I noticed was the weight. It's 20 percent lighter than the 4S – 3.95 ounces (112 grams) compared to 4.9 ounces (140 grams) for the previous model.

After a few days of using it, though, I forgot about the extra heft my old phone had. In fact, when I pick up my old phone now, it feels too heavy. Why is it so heavy? Apple shaved off one pane of glass in the display using in-cell technology to get the weight down, and the new aluminum back that replaced the crack-prone glass eliminates some bulk.

Unfortunately, this attractive design feature may earn the distinction of becoming this iPhone's Achilles' heel when it comes to damage – particularly on the black model. Just a few days in, there are already numerous reports from users complaining that the anodized aluminum back is getting scratched and scuffed. (The white model, which uses a silver aluminum and keeps the silver Apple logo, is less susceptible to noticeable scratches.) Sure enough, after a few days of sliding my phone, caseless, in and out of the zippered pockets on my leather jacket, I've already developed a couple of small scratches.

I had my qualms, but I decided to stick with AT&T. I've thus far been more than happy with my coverage and data quality here in the San Francisco Bay Area. I've regularly gotten LTE speeds upward of 11 Mbps down and 8 Mbps up, which is better than my home Wi-Fi speeds. Take that, iPhone 4S and your "4G" speeds.

Battery life was another big concern when I purchased the iPhone 5. With that long, bright display and 4G LTE, I worried the 5 would fall to the same fate as big-screened, battery-sucking Android handsets. Not so. For a normal day's mixed usage, it can get by with battery life to spare. Using a variety of different apps, performing web searches, messaging, partaking in a little YouTube, and putting iOS 6's Maps through its paces, the iPhone 5 still managed to last me more than a day before it needed a charge.

The redesigned A6 processor is probably largely accountable for the device's power efficiency. The A6 also makes every action lightning-fast. Apps open instantaneously, and graphics are rendered smoothly in every case. The 3-D "Flyover" animations in the Maps app are impressive, and positively fun to play with (when it's not giving you acid-trip-esque images of wavy bridges, or incorrectly rendered landmarks).

The action of the camera shutter is much faster, too. I was actually surprised when I managed to snap some quick photos of my cat that I wouldn't have been able to capture using my slower 4S.

Siri is her charming old self, but with a much-improved knowledge of sports and movies, and the new ability to help craft and post tweets and Facebook updates. She still sometimes has trouble connecting to the servers and parsing unusually worded queries, though. Also of note, it's her lady-bot voice that guides you in the new turn-by-turn navigation feature in Maps, something the iPhone platform sorely needs since competitors are already offering it.

I experienced a few unusual quirks. When I was setting up my phone and updating all the apps I already own inside the App Store, tapping the update button repeatedly required multiple taps. Also, more than once, the screen glitched out for a moment – producing a thin band of jittery static that ran across the screen – mostly upon entering my password in the App Store. This is something I've not seen on any iOS device I've used before, but others are experiencing it too.

The iPhone 5's display is noticeably brighter and more vibrant than that of the iPhone 4 or 4S. Yellows in particular looked a little grayer on the iPhone 4/4S display than on the iPhone 5.

The display is bigger, too. It now measures 4 inches diagonally, up from 3.5 inches, with a 1136 x 640 resolution. The display is the same width as the 4 and 4S, but it's taller. This adds to the overall length of the phone, which admittedly makes it slightly less pocket-friendly, but it gives you enough screen real estate for one more row of apps on the homescreen, which I think is terrific. There are a few apps I've always liked, but that I had forgotten about because they were tucked away on the second page of the home screen. Those are now visible on the default screen, and I'm using them more. On a regular basis, I'm using more apps than I was on the 3.5-inch iPhone screen, and it's because I have more flexibility in arranging the icons. This I think is truly exciting, and something both Apple and app developers can benefit from.

I also appreciate that the 5 is the same width as its predecessors, leaving the app experience largely unchanged – anything not updated for its larger display is sandwiched between black bars that are virtually unnoticeable, particularly on the black model. Also, from what I've seen, developers are updating their apps for this longer display at record speed. The added length makes hitting the power button more of a reach – scooting the phone a bit downward in your hand at most – but those with larger hands may not even need to do that. Increasing the display size this way was a smart move ergonomically.

Apple has improved the front-facing FaceTime camera enough so that MySpace-style self-portraits are actually worth using. Video quality is now 720p, which makes for a dramatic improvement in FaceTime quality over the 4S. The rear-facing camera, while still 8-megapixels, has a sapphire crystal lens cover that's supposedly more scratch-resistant (time will tell), and it includes a better image-processing engine that particularly improves low-light performance. When shooting in situations that produced pixelated and darkened photos on earlier iPhones, I got brighter and more clear results. I'm so happy with the camera's pictures, it feels almost sacrilegious to mar them with an Instagram filter.

The redesigned dock connector, a tiny 8-pin creation called Lightning, replaces the clunky 30-pin connector of iDevices past – a change famously greeted with riotous discontent. In truth, the Lightning plug has its pros and cons. It's reversible, ending the awkward fumbling when shoving the connector the "correct" way into your iPhone's port. The pins are also merely contacts, and thus can't get bent out of place like those on the old connector. However, it means no compatibility with existing docks and connector-based accessories without a $30 adaptor (which is currently on back-order until October, by the way). For some who've invested heavily in the Apple accessory ecosystem, this could be a deal-breaker. For me, while getting accustomed to its battery life, it simply meant toting the new charger cable with me to and from work "just in case."

One note: The Lightning connector plugs into your iPhone really securely. So much so that on two occasions, as I was drowsily trying to turn off my alarm in the morning and yanked the cord too hard, the entire assembly came out of the wall socket. Instead of detaching at the connector, or even at the USB plug, the force of the tug pulled the whole charger out.

I was also impressed with the speakers, which are behind the machined grilles that sit elegantly flush on either side of the Lightning port. You shouldn't ever expect much from phone speakers, but these do have some oomph at high volume. I'd still recommend something like a Jambox if you really want to play tunes from your iPhone at any sort of social gathering, but the phone does remarkably well on its own.

Apple's new retro-space-age EarPods (included with each iPhone 5) offer an audio experience that's drastically better than the older earbuds. Clarity is improved, with each instrument distinctly represented, and bass response is much better with the new chambered earbud design. The in-ear shape blocks out background noise quite well, and generally fits comfortably, too.

There are multiple microphones on the EarPods as well that help cancel out unwanted street noise when you're using them to talk on the phone. In fact, the silence in between spoken words was jarring during my tests – a few times, the caller wondered if I was still on the line.

The headphone jack is now situated on the bottom of the device, just like the iPod touch. It seems weird at first. But when you have the phone in your pocket with the earbuds in, it's now upside down. When you pull it out to touch the screen, you don't have to flip the phone right-side-up first. It's a nice detail.

Overall, the iPhone 5 feels like the logical next step, an extension of an ecosystem that's already in full flight. Though it will inevitably happen, I can't imagine Apple improving the hardware any further. Everything just feels right, from the screen to the performance to the phone's physical presence. The only real things to complain about are the problems with iOS 6.

WIRED Elongated display provides easy access to more apps, and makes for pleasant, un-letterboxed widescreen viewing. Lots of iPhone 5-ready apps to choose from already. Apple-engineered A6 processor is wicked-fast. Cameras, both rear- and front-facing, are much improved, particularly regarding low light performance.

TIRED Anodized aluminum rear plate, particularly in black, has a reported propensity for scratches. Video recording picks up a surprising amount of audio interference, even in a quiet room. Updates, while all worthwhile and technologically impressive, won't make your jaw drop with awe.