Samsung Galaxy S3 vs Apple iPhone 5 Comparison and Differences

Smartphone 1

Samsung Galaxy S3

Samsung Galaxy S3

Smartphone 2

Apple iPhone 5

Apple iPhone 5

Smartphone 3

Differences between Samsung Galaxy S3 and Apple iPhone 5 - Which to Choose?

Reasons to consider the Samsung Galaxy S3:

  • Larger display size: 4.8 inches vs. 4.0 inches, which might offer a better viewing experience for media consumption and gaming.
  • Higher battery capacity: 2100 mAh vs. 1440 mAh, which may lead to longer battery life depending on usage.
  • Expandable storage with a microSD card slot, allowing for more flexibility in managing data and media files.
  • Comes with a removable battery, making it easier to replace in case of battery wear-out.
  • Has an NFC chip, enabling mobile payment options and easy pairing with compatible devices.

Reasons to consider the Apple iPhone 5:

  • Lighter weight: 112 g vs. 133 g, making it more comfortable to carry around.
  • Higher screen resolution: 640 x 1136 pixels vs. 720 x 1280 pixels, which results in a higher pixel density (PPI) for crisper text and images.
  • A more premium build with front glass and aluminum body, which might offer a better feel in hand and durability.
  • Support for a wider range of network technologies, including CDMA and LTE, providing better potential coverage and data speeds.
  • Upgradable to iOS 10.3.3 which might offer better long-term software support and compatibility with apps.

Both the Samsung Galaxy S3 and iPhone 5 were flagship devices of their time, and each presents its own advantages. The Galaxy S3 offers a larger display, expandable storage, and a removable battery, while the iPhone 5 provides a higher screen resolution, premium build quality, and potentially better software support.


Samsung Galaxy S3 or Apple iPhone 5 Specs Comparison

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Common specs

Brand and model Samsung Galaxy S3 Apple iPhone 5
Rating (+0) (+0)
Release date 2012, May 2012, September
Dimensions (HxWxD) 136.6 x 70.6 x 8.6 mm | 5.38 x 5.38 x 2.78 in 123.8 x 58.6 x 7.6 mm | 4.87 x 4.87 x 2.31 in
Weight 133 g | 4.69 oz 112 g | 3.95 oz
Body Build Plastic body Front glass, aluminum body
Case buy from Amazon

buy from Amazon

Colors Pebble blue, Marble white, Amber brown, Garnet red, Sapphire black, Titanium grey, La Fleur Black/Slate, White/Silver
Battery 2100 mAh,  Removable Li-Ion 1440 mAh,  Non-removable Li-Po
Battery life Stand by time - Up to 590 h (2G) / Up to 790 h (3G)
Talking time - Up to 21 h 40 min (2G) / Up to 11 h 40 min (3G)
Stand by time - Up to 225 h (2G) / Up to 225 h (3G)
Talking time - Up to 8 h (2G) / Up to 8 h (3G)
Music play - Up to 40 h
Approximate price 190 EUR 340 EUR
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from Amazon

Screen

Technology Super AMOLED LED-backlit IPS LCD
Touchscreen capacitive touchscreen capacitive touchscreen
Display colors 16M 16M
Screen size 4.8" in 4" in
Screen area 63.5 cm2 44.1 cm2
Screen format 16:9 (height:width) 16:9 (height:width)
Screen to body ratio 65.9% 60.8%
Screen resolution 720 x 1280 px 640 x 1136 px
Screen PPI /points per inch/ 306 PPI 326 PPI
Screen protection Corning Gorilla Glass 2 Corning Gorilla Glass, oleophobic coating
Screen protector buy from Amazon buy from Amazon

Camera and Video

Rear camera, main 8 MP, Single 8 MP, Single
Camera specs -8 MP, f/2.6, 1/3'', AF -8 MP, f/2.4, 33mm (standard), 1/3.2'', 1.4µm, AF
Functions LED flash LED flash, panorama, HDR
Video 1080p@30fps 1080p@30fps
Front camera, selfie 1.9 MP, Single 1.2 MP, Single
Specifications 1.9 MP, f/2.6 1.2 MP, f/2.4, 35mm (standard)
Functions face detection, FaceTime over Wi-Fi or Cellular
Video 720p@30fps 720p@30fps

Performance

Operating system - OS Android 4.0.4 (Ice Cream Sandwich), 4.3 (Jelly Bean); TouchWiz UI iOS 6, upgradable to iOS 10.3.3
Chipset - Exynos 4412 Quad (32 nm) - Apple A6 (32 nm)
CPU - Quad-core 1.4 GHz Cortex-A9 - Dual-core 1.3 GHz Swift (ARM v7-based)
GPU Mali-400MP4 PowerVR SGX 543MP3 (triple-core graphics)
External memory microSD, up to 64 GB (dedicated slot) No
Internal memory 16/32/64 GB, 1 GB RAM 16/32/64 GB, 1 GB RAM DDR2

Benchmark

Antutu 7 Total
GeekBench 5 Single Core 60
GeekBench 5 Multi-Core 117
GeekBench 4 Single Core 505
GeekBench 4 Multi-Core 1253
GeekBench 4 RenderScript 726
GeekBench 4 Battery 787

Communication and Connectivity

SIM card Micro-SIM Nano-SIM
Network GSM / HSPA GSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE
Bands -2G - GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900
-2G - GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 - GSM A1428 
CDMA 800 / 1900 / 2100 - CDMA A1429
-3G - HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1700 / 1900 / 2100 - GSM A1428 
CDMA2000 1xEV-DO - CDMA A1429
-4G - LTE band 4(1700/2100), 17(700) - GSM A1428 
LTE 700 / 850 / 1800 / 1900 / 2100 - CDMA A1429 
LTE 850 / 1800 / 2100 - GSM A1429
Speed HSPA 21.1/5.76 Mbps HSPA 42.2/5.76 Mbps, LTE Cat3 100/50 Mbps, EV-DO Rev.A 3.1 Mbps
GPRS Class 12 Yes
Edge Yes Yes
Wi-Fi Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct, DLNA, hotspot Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n, dual-band, hotspot
GPS Yes, with A-GPS, GLONASS Yes, with A-GPS, GLONASS
NFC Yes
USB microUSB 2.0 (MHL TV-out), USB Host 2.0, proprietary reversible connector
Bluetooth 4.0, A2DP, EDR, aptX 4.0, A2DP, LE
Harmful irradiation SAR - 0.55 W/kg (head)     1.49 W/kg (body)    
SAR EU - 0.21 W/kg (head)    
SAR - 1.18 W/kg (head)     1.18 W/kg (body)    
SAR EU - 0.95 W/kg (head)     0.90 W/kg (body)    

Music and Audio

Radio Stereo FM radio, RDS No
Headphone jack Yes Yes
Others - Active noise cancellation with dedicated mic - 16-bit/44.1kHz audio
-Active noise cancellation with dedicated mic

Other features

Sensors - Accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer - Accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass
Other extras
- S-Voice natural language commands and dictation

- Siri natural language commands and dictation
Versions
- Supported LTE Networks

Compare Samsung Galaxy S3 with other models:

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Reviews and Opinions on Samsung Galaxy S3 and Apple iPhone 5

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