Apple iPhone 4 vs Apple iPhone 5
A spec-by-spec comparison of the Apple iPhone 4 and the Apple iPhone 5, taken from their full specification sheets. Green marks the better value in each measured row.
Head to head
| Apple iPhone 4 | Apple iPhone 5 |
|---|
| Price | $65 | $39 |
| Our rating | 8/10 | 4/10 |
| Battery | 1,420 mAh | 1,440 mAh |
| Storage (max) | 32 GB | 64 GB |
| Screen size | 3.5 in | 4 in |
| Main camera | 5 MP | 8 MP |
| Weight (lower is lighter) | 137 g | 112 g |
| Released | Jun 2010 | Sep 2012 |
Summary: Apple iPhone 4 is ahead on our rating. Apple iPhone 5 is ahead on battery, storage (max), screen size, main camera.
★ Which should you buy? Apple iPhone 5 is the stronger overall pick on the measured specs.
Researched with AI assistance by infozme.com from manufacturer and retailer sources — see how we research & rate phones.
Display
| Apple iPhone 4 | Apple iPhone 5 |
|---|
| Type | IPS LCD, LED-backlit, capacitive touchscreen | IPS LCD |
| Size | 3.5 inches | 4.0 inches |
| Resolution | 640 x 960 pixels | 640 x 1136 pixels |
| Protection | Scratch-resistant glass, oleophobic coating | Scratch-resistant glass, oleophobic coating |
| Pixel Density | ~326 ppi (Retina display) | 326 ppi |
| Aspect Ratio | — | 16:9 |
Platform
| Apple iPhone 4 | Apple iPhone 5 |
|---|
| OS | iOS 4, upgradable to iOS 7.1.2 | iOS 6, upgradable to iOS 10.3.4 |
| Chipset | Apple A4 | Apple A6 |
| CPU | 1.0 GHz Cortex-A8 (800 MHz underclocked) | Dual-core 1.3 GHz Swift (ARM v7-based) |
| GPU | PowerVR SGX535 | PowerVR SGX 543MP3 (triple-core graphics) |
Memory
| Apple iPhone 4 | Apple iPhone 5 |
|---|
| RAM | 512MB | 1GB LPDDR2 RAM |
| Internal Storage | 8GB, 16GB, 32GB | — |
| Card Slot | No | — |
| Card slot | — | No |
| Internal | — | 16GB, 32GB, 64GB |
Main Camera
| Apple iPhone 4 | Apple iPhone 5 |
|---|
| Single | 5 MP, f/2.8, autofocus | 8 MP, f/2.4, 33mm (standard), 1/3.2", 1.4µm, AF |
| Features | LED flash, geo-tagging, touch focus, HDR | LED flash, panorama, HDR |
| Video | 720p@30fps | 1080p@30fps |
Selfie Camera
| Apple iPhone 4 | Apple iPhone 5 |
|---|
| Single | 0.3 MP (VGA) | 1.2 MP, f/2.4 |
| Features | FaceTime over Wi-Fi | — |
| Video | 480p@30fps | 720p@30fps |
Battery
| Apple iPhone 4 | Apple iPhone 5 |
|---|
| Type | Li-Po 1420 mAh, non-removable | Li-Po 1440 mAh, non-removable |
| Stand-by | Up to 300 h (2G) / Up to 300 h (3G) | — |
| Talk time | Up to 14 h (2G) / Up to 7 h (3G) | Up to 8 h (3G) |
| Music play | Up to 40 h | Up to 40 h |
Body
| Apple iPhone 4 | Apple iPhone 5 |
|---|
| Dimensions | 115.2 x 58.6 x 9.3 mm (4.5 x 2.31 x 0.37 in) | 123.8 x 58.6 x 7.6 mm (4.87 x 2.31 x 0.30 in) |
| Weight | 137 g (4.8 oz) | 112 g (3.95 oz) |
| Build | Glass front (Corning Gorilla Glass), glass back, stainless steel frame | Glass front (Gorilla Glass), aluminum back, aluminum frame |
| SIM | Micro-SIM | Nano-SIM |
Comms
| Apple iPhone 4 | Apple iPhone 5 |
|---|
| WLAN | Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n (2.4GHz only) | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n, dual-band, hotspot |
| Bluetooth | 2.1 + EDR | 4.0, A2DP |
| GPS | A-GPS | Yes, with A-GPS, GLONASS |
| Radio | No | No |
| USB | 30-pin dock connector | Lightning, USB 2.0 |
| NFC | — | No |
Launch
| Apple iPhone 4 | Apple iPhone 5 |
|---|
| Announced | June 7, 2010 | 2012, September 12 |
| Released | June 24, 2010 (GSM model); February 2011 (CDMA model) | 2012, September 21 |
| OS at Launch | iOS 4 | — |
| Discontinued | — | 2013, September 10 |
Frequently asked questions
Which has the better battery, Apple iPhone 4 or Apple iPhone 5?
Apple iPhone 5 — 1,420 mAh for the Apple iPhone 4 versus 1,440 mAh for the Apple iPhone 5.
Which is lighter, Apple iPhone 4 or Apple iPhone 5?
Apple iPhone 5 — 137 g for the Apple iPhone 4 versus 112 g for the Apple iPhone 5.
Which is newer, Apple iPhone 4 or Apple iPhone 5?
Apple iPhone 5 — Jun 2010 for the Apple iPhone 4 versus Sep 2012 for the Apple iPhone 5.
Is the Apple iPhone 4 or the Apple iPhone 5 rated higher?
We rate the Apple iPhone 4 8/10 and the Apple iPhone 5 4/10.
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