With the recent launch of the new iPhone 5 last Sep12, the smartphone world now has a complete lineup of flagships from the three major brands: Apple, Samsung and Nokia. Other manufactures do have their own flagships like HTC, LG, Motorola, Sony and Blackberry but all of these phones with the exception of BB use Android and it is safe to assume that among these devices, Galaxy S3 is the leader of the droid pack. Therefore this comparison you will find below will not only be a hardware bout but also a competition between three major ecosystems: iOS, Android and Windows.
No doubt, these three amazing phones are the best the world can offer for smartphone users. But which one stands out of the rest and gets the bragging right as the best smartphone of 2012?
No doubt, these three amazing phones are the best the world can offer for smartphone users. But which one stands out of the rest and gets the bragging right as the best smartphone of 2012?
Now that you had a quick look at the spec sheet, it's time to discuss one by one those numbers and let's see which phone wins on what department. LET THE BATTLE BEGIN...
*****DESIGN*****
All 3 phones were made of diffrerent premium grade materials. It is a requirement for a flagship to carry a skin that
attracts users. The first thing you notice on a phone is it's overall design and feel and that alone comprises 30% of
your deciding factor when choosing a phone.
DIMENSIONS: Let's start with dimensions. At 123.8 x 58.6 x 7.6 mm, the iPhone5 may be the slimmest smartphone in the world. I'm not pretty sure how thin would companies go in designing their phones in the future because there's a bad side in having slim phones. One is handling and the other one is sturdiness. Slim phones tend to have ergonomic problems and high chances of slippage. On top of that, it has limitations to how far you can twist and bend it regardless of the material being used. In this case, having a slimmer phone is not always an advantage. No wonder why iPhones may also be the only phones in the world with the highest purchases of protective casing. About 82% of all iPhone users buy casing to protect their phones or for better handling, which actually defeats the purpose of having a slim phone. The Galaxy S3 is also slim but thanks to its Hyperglaze coating giving it a better grip on your hand. Unfortunately it's too big so I would score it last. I would still give the 1st score to the iPhone 5 for overall size and better fit in your hands.
WEIGHT: How about the weight? At 185 g, the Lumia 920 is somehow the heaviest among the three. But weight doesn't really matter at all as you wouldn't really notice or care about it on an entire day's use. After all, I wouldn't call any phone "heavy" unless you can't carry it with one hand. But I'll give the kudos to iPhone for slashing a good amount of pounds.
MATERIAL: On the material department, I'd give the Lumia 920 the highest score for sporting a combination of polycarbonate unibody casing and ceramic camera plate. Polycarbonate is NOT low grade plastic as some people thought it was. It is as tough as metal and has inherent color all throughout the layers. Although the iPhone5 comes with an anodized aluminum body which gives it incredible strength and premium looks, unfortunately metals affect radio signals and thus become a major reason for connectivity issues. That is a big let down. The S3 may have an improved finish but it still does look and feels plastic and that's a big minus too.
*****DISPLAY*****
Now this part is tricky but easy. All 3 phones use Corning Gorilla Glass so they are equal in that department. However, the Lumia 920's screen is curved giving it a better feel (when swiping) and amazing view as the image seems to float on the surface. All 3 phones come with superb screen resolutions with the exception of iP5 which fell below HD at 1136x640. It was only compensated by its Retina Display technology which gives it super crisp colors and fine finish. However, with its increased screen size from 3.5" to 4" comes the decrease of its PPI from 340 to 326. In the PPI department, Lumia stands out at 332. Both the iPhone and Lumia use IPS LCD technology while the S3 has Super AMOLED. Unfortunately, although Super AMOLEDs have less power usage, they trail behind viewing extreme angles because of slight changes in color. The best overall display goes to the Lumia 920 for having the PureMotion HD+ technology. At 1280x768 it breaks the HD barrier and is even considered by major reviews to have the best screen display to date on any gadget. Moreover, the PureMotion HD+ technology is a breakthrough of its own for 1.) its pixels update "up to 2.5x faster" than other LCD screens and is also the brightest screen on a smartphone, thus improving the clarity of the image while reducing scroll blurs; 2.) excellent visibility under direct sunlight (thanks to Nokia's Clearblack technology) and 3.) supersensitive touch panel. Now you can use your fingernail or any object to operate the screen. I call that a special treat.
*****CPU and GRAPHICS ENGINE*****
If the display part is tricky, this one is a bit trickier and is dependent on the operating system as well. The new iPhone 5 just got the latest Geekbench test and scored at 1601, definitely the highest among any device. Chech the results below.
*****DESIGN*****
All 3 phones were made of diffrerent premium grade materials. It is a requirement for a flagship to carry a skin that
attracts users. The first thing you notice on a phone is it's overall design and feel and that alone comprises 30% of
your deciding factor when choosing a phone.
DIMENSIONS: Let's start with dimensions. At 123.8 x 58.6 x 7.6 mm, the iPhone5 may be the slimmest smartphone in the world. I'm not pretty sure how thin would companies go in designing their phones in the future because there's a bad side in having slim phones. One is handling and the other one is sturdiness. Slim phones tend to have ergonomic problems and high chances of slippage. On top of that, it has limitations to how far you can twist and bend it regardless of the material being used. In this case, having a slimmer phone is not always an advantage. No wonder why iPhones may also be the only phones in the world with the highest purchases of protective casing. About 82% of all iPhone users buy casing to protect their phones or for better handling, which actually defeats the purpose of having a slim phone. The Galaxy S3 is also slim but thanks to its Hyperglaze coating giving it a better grip on your hand. Unfortunately it's too big so I would score it last. I would still give the 1st score to the iPhone 5 for overall size and better fit in your hands.
WEIGHT: How about the weight? At 185 g, the Lumia 920 is somehow the heaviest among the three. But weight doesn't really matter at all as you wouldn't really notice or care about it on an entire day's use. After all, I wouldn't call any phone "heavy" unless you can't carry it with one hand. But I'll give the kudos to iPhone for slashing a good amount of pounds.
MATERIAL: On the material department, I'd give the Lumia 920 the highest score for sporting a combination of polycarbonate unibody casing and ceramic camera plate. Polycarbonate is NOT low grade plastic as some people thought it was. It is as tough as metal and has inherent color all throughout the layers. Although the iPhone5 comes with an anodized aluminum body which gives it incredible strength and premium looks, unfortunately metals affect radio signals and thus become a major reason for connectivity issues. That is a big let down. The S3 may have an improved finish but it still does look and feels plastic and that's a big minus too.
*****DISPLAY*****
Now this part is tricky but easy. All 3 phones use Corning Gorilla Glass so they are equal in that department. However, the Lumia 920's screen is curved giving it a better feel (when swiping) and amazing view as the image seems to float on the surface. All 3 phones come with superb screen resolutions with the exception of iP5 which fell below HD at 1136x640. It was only compensated by its Retina Display technology which gives it super crisp colors and fine finish. However, with its increased screen size from 3.5" to 4" comes the decrease of its PPI from 340 to 326. In the PPI department, Lumia stands out at 332. Both the iPhone and Lumia use IPS LCD technology while the S3 has Super AMOLED. Unfortunately, although Super AMOLEDs have less power usage, they trail behind viewing extreme angles because of slight changes in color. The best overall display goes to the Lumia 920 for having the PureMotion HD+ technology. At 1280x768 it breaks the HD barrier and is even considered by major reviews to have the best screen display to date on any gadget. Moreover, the PureMotion HD+ technology is a breakthrough of its own for 1.) its pixels update "up to 2.5x faster" than other LCD screens and is also the brightest screen on a smartphone, thus improving the clarity of the image while reducing scroll blurs; 2.) excellent visibility under direct sunlight (thanks to Nokia's Clearblack technology) and 3.) supersensitive touch panel. Now you can use your fingernail or any object to operate the screen. I call that a special treat.
*****CPU and GRAPHICS ENGINE*****
If the display part is tricky, this one is a bit trickier and is dependent on the operating system as well. The new iPhone 5 just got the latest Geekbench test and scored at 1601, definitely the highest among any device. Chech the results below.
Compared to previous iOS devices:
Compared to fastest devices on the market:
The charts may tell you that indeed iPhone5 is the fastest in the market but I would call this result a two-sided comparison. Here's why. 1.) iPhone5 was only compared to older Apple products and Android products (No Windows8 device was even mentioned) and that is just bias. 2.) Speed by speed tests also depend on the actual OS operation against the CPU processor.
If you take a look at it, the Apple A6 processor is not even a quad-core processor but why does it seem faster than the Exynos 4212 Quad used in S3? The answer is, the ACTUAL speed of the processor is dependent on the operating system. If we base the speed on the TECHNICAL speed, the Exynos 4212 Quad may be the most powerful processor on any mobile device. So whats going on here???
Here's my take on that based on facts:
1. Android OS is a just a power-hungry system and therefore it needs more horsepower to run it. It's the way it was originally written and they can't do anything about it so far. Haven't you noticed how quick Samsung developed a Quad-core processor in less than a year? That is because they are very much aware that the primary OS they used on 85-90% of their devices is Android and its just a heavy OS. At dual core, Gingerbread is okay but when updated to Icecream sandwich, visible lags and sluggish responses are noticeable. Thus a quad-core machine is needed to run higher updates like ICS and Jellybean and so on.
2. Not all operating systems need a dual core or a higher core processor. Take for example Symbian. Symbian is a very light OS that only needs single core processors at 256 or 512MB RAM. Windows OS is on this same level. At single core, it runs smooth and effortless. In fact a Windows phone running on a single core is more zippy than a dual core Android. On the other hand, iOS ranks next to Android in terms of CPU consumption and Apple knows that and that is why they have to develop their dual core processors. Apple A6 processor is the latest dual-core processor Apple can offer us. Is it enough? Definitely yes. It eventually eliminated minor lags in the previous A5 processors.
3. Not all processors run the same speeds. An Apple A6 may be a dual core but it is equivalent to the leading quad-core processors in the market today. Moreover, a dual-core Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 Plus MSM8960 used on the Lumia 920 is the equivalent of the quad-core Exynos 4212.
Therefore, phones with Quad core processors doesn't always mean they are faster. In the same way, the iOS operating system is not always the faster OS just because it's an iOS. Both OS and processor need to work together as one. Do all OS's need a quad core? Ridiculously NO!! If I put a quad-core on a Windows device, it's like putting a Ferrari engine on a motorbike. It would be an overkill.
So again 3 points to remember:
1. Android is a power-hungry OS that constantly needs higher core speed processors.
2. Not all operating systems need higher core processors.
3. For God sake stop asking why Windows and iOS only has dual core and bragging that Android has a quad! Argument is over.
The verdict:
1. If based on technical speed, I'd give the Exynos 4212 Quad the highest score. This processor is just mad crazy!
2. If based on actual speed (OS on CPU), I'd give the highest score to Lumia 920 running on Snapdragon S4. This is an overkill.
3. Graphics wise, although Apple didn't have any word on the GPU they used on the iPhone5, I'd give the highest score to them for excellent graphics and rendering.
*****CAMERA*****
Oh this part doesn't need a genius to tell which one is the best. Take a look at a couple of youtube vids below and find it out yourselves.
If you take a look at it, the Apple A6 processor is not even a quad-core processor but why does it seem faster than the Exynos 4212 Quad used in S3? The answer is, the ACTUAL speed of the processor is dependent on the operating system. If we base the speed on the TECHNICAL speed, the Exynos 4212 Quad may be the most powerful processor on any mobile device. So whats going on here???
Here's my take on that based on facts:
1. Android OS is a just a power-hungry system and therefore it needs more horsepower to run it. It's the way it was originally written and they can't do anything about it so far. Haven't you noticed how quick Samsung developed a Quad-core processor in less than a year? That is because they are very much aware that the primary OS they used on 85-90% of their devices is Android and its just a heavy OS. At dual core, Gingerbread is okay but when updated to Icecream sandwich, visible lags and sluggish responses are noticeable. Thus a quad-core machine is needed to run higher updates like ICS and Jellybean and so on.
2. Not all operating systems need a dual core or a higher core processor. Take for example Symbian. Symbian is a very light OS that only needs single core processors at 256 or 512MB RAM. Windows OS is on this same level. At single core, it runs smooth and effortless. In fact a Windows phone running on a single core is more zippy than a dual core Android. On the other hand, iOS ranks next to Android in terms of CPU consumption and Apple knows that and that is why they have to develop their dual core processors. Apple A6 processor is the latest dual-core processor Apple can offer us. Is it enough? Definitely yes. It eventually eliminated minor lags in the previous A5 processors.
3. Not all processors run the same speeds. An Apple A6 may be a dual core but it is equivalent to the leading quad-core processors in the market today. Moreover, a dual-core Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 Plus MSM8960 used on the Lumia 920 is the equivalent of the quad-core Exynos 4212.
Therefore, phones with Quad core processors doesn't always mean they are faster. In the same way, the iOS operating system is not always the faster OS just because it's an iOS. Both OS and processor need to work together as one. Do all OS's need a quad core? Ridiculously NO!! If I put a quad-core on a Windows device, it's like putting a Ferrari engine on a motorbike. It would be an overkill.
So again 3 points to remember:
1. Android is a power-hungry OS that constantly needs higher core speed processors.
2. Not all operating systems need higher core processors.
3. For God sake stop asking why Windows and iOS only has dual core and bragging that Android has a quad! Argument is over.
The verdict:
1. If based on technical speed, I'd give the Exynos 4212 Quad the highest score. This processor is just mad crazy!
2. If based on actual speed (OS on CPU), I'd give the highest score to Lumia 920 running on Snapdragon S4. This is an overkill.
3. Graphics wise, although Apple didn't have any word on the GPU they used on the iPhone5, I'd give the highest score to them for excellent graphics and rendering.
*****CAMERA*****
Oh this part doesn't need a genius to tell which one is the best. Take a look at a couple of youtube vids below and find it out yourselves.
Verge Exclusive: The real Lumia 920 camera test
Nokia photo challenge with the Lumia 920 and PureView camera
OIS on Nokia Lumia 920
The video above sponsored by Verge was a response video after the marketing video of the new Lumia 920 was found to be faked. Yes it was a big blow on Nokia's image but later on it was found out that it was the fault of the Ad agency they hired. Not surprisingly all Ad agencies manipulate their commercials so they will have an appeal to the audience, and this is true with other mobile manufacturers as well, may it be Apple or Samsung. But who complained? We didn't even bother why the actual burger we get from McDonalds doesn't look as tasty as the one on their poster. Okay so much for that.
On the first two videos it is very clear that the Lumia 920 stands out with its image quality in low light and take note, at "Automatic Mode". Other leading competitors got close only when switched to the Night Mode. On the second video, the right side shows an actual OIS working on the Lumia 920 while the left side shows the shaky shot from a leading competition. I couldn't find a video on youtube showing comparison with the iPhone5 in it but since iP5 and iP4S use the same camera technology with the same pixels, it's safe to assume that the actual shots of the iP5 will be more likely the same with the iP4S on these videos.
Nokia has always excelled in the camera department and their latest innovation called Pureview + OIS (Optical Image Stabilization) proved to be unmatched. They managed to eliminate the two main problems in taking pictures using your mobile phone. The first one is lighting and the second one is stabilization. The problem with other phones is that when you take a picture the shutter cannot stay open too long because it will capture slight hand movements, thus giving you a blurry image. With the Lumia 920 and its so called "floating lens" technology, which literally means suspending the entire camera structure with using springs inside the device, they finally have counter-balanced unnecessary hand movements and therefore it is now possible to keep the shutter open longer in order to capture more light . On top of that, the Lumia 920 has the larger aperture at f/2.0 compared to iP5 at f/2.4 and S3 at f/2.6. This means, more light passes through the lens and that explains why it gives a more natural and brighter image in low light conditions. OIS is even more noticeable when taking videos. You've seen the video and that's exactly how it works.
So, In the camera department, it's very clear that there's no competition between Lumia 920 versus S3 and iP5. In fact the competition should be between the Lumia 920, PureView 808 and HTC One X. The PureView 808 wins in the resolution department and lossless quality because of its enormous 41Megapixel sensor while the Lumia 920 wins when it comes to low light and image stabilization.
*****FEATURES / INNOVATIONS*****
I would give the overall Innovation score to the Lumia 920 for sporting brand new technologies and features all packed in one device. Things like wireless charging, Nokia Drive, Nokia City Lens (an augmented reality location based application), supersentive touchscreen, Pureview OIS camera technology and NFC capabalities (which is absent in iP5). The 3 phones all come in equal to Wifi connectivity and LTE features. Siri, S-Voice and TellMe don't count as they don't really have any effect to the usability of the phone. I also don't give any points to the number of Apps because they are not exclusive to the device but to the ecosystem. Also, even if iOS apps tops the list at more than 700,000... 400,000 of these apps doesn't even have a single download according to latest surveys. It only goes to show that having more available apps to download is not a factor in the smartphone battle. Besides who has more than a hundred apps in their phone? I barely even have 20. Which is also why I didn't include the OS itself in comparing these three phones because the OS is more of a personal preference. People who prefer straightforward interface can choose iOS or Windows 8. If you want more flexibility and customization then go with Android.
On the first two videos it is very clear that the Lumia 920 stands out with its image quality in low light and take note, at "Automatic Mode". Other leading competitors got close only when switched to the Night Mode. On the second video, the right side shows an actual OIS working on the Lumia 920 while the left side shows the shaky shot from a leading competition. I couldn't find a video on youtube showing comparison with the iPhone5 in it but since iP5 and iP4S use the same camera technology with the same pixels, it's safe to assume that the actual shots of the iP5 will be more likely the same with the iP4S on these videos.
Nokia has always excelled in the camera department and their latest innovation called Pureview + OIS (Optical Image Stabilization) proved to be unmatched. They managed to eliminate the two main problems in taking pictures using your mobile phone. The first one is lighting and the second one is stabilization. The problem with other phones is that when you take a picture the shutter cannot stay open too long because it will capture slight hand movements, thus giving you a blurry image. With the Lumia 920 and its so called "floating lens" technology, which literally means suspending the entire camera structure with using springs inside the device, they finally have counter-balanced unnecessary hand movements and therefore it is now possible to keep the shutter open longer in order to capture more light . On top of that, the Lumia 920 has the larger aperture at f/2.0 compared to iP5 at f/2.4 and S3 at f/2.6. This means, more light passes through the lens and that explains why it gives a more natural and brighter image in low light conditions. OIS is even more noticeable when taking videos. You've seen the video and that's exactly how it works.
So, In the camera department, it's very clear that there's no competition between Lumia 920 versus S3 and iP5. In fact the competition should be between the Lumia 920, PureView 808 and HTC One X. The PureView 808 wins in the resolution department and lossless quality because of its enormous 41Megapixel sensor while the Lumia 920 wins when it comes to low light and image stabilization.
*****FEATURES / INNOVATIONS*****
I would give the overall Innovation score to the Lumia 920 for sporting brand new technologies and features all packed in one device. Things like wireless charging, Nokia Drive, Nokia City Lens (an augmented reality location based application), supersentive touchscreen, Pureview OIS camera technology and NFC capabalities (which is absent in iP5). The 3 phones all come in equal to Wifi connectivity and LTE features. Siri, S-Voice and TellMe don't count as they don't really have any effect to the usability of the phone. I also don't give any points to the number of Apps because they are not exclusive to the device but to the ecosystem. Also, even if iOS apps tops the list at more than 700,000... 400,000 of these apps doesn't even have a single download according to latest surveys. It only goes to show that having more available apps to download is not a factor in the smartphone battle. Besides who has more than a hundred apps in their phone? I barely even have 20. Which is also why I didn't include the OS itself in comparing these three phones because the OS is more of a personal preference. People who prefer straightforward interface can choose iOS or Windows 8. If you want more flexibility and customization then go with Android.
SCORES SUMMARY
*****CONCLUSION*****
The buying trend today has changed when it was 5 years ago. Today, the factors when choosing a smartphone depends on:
1. Loyalty - a staggering 70%
2. Specs - at 20%
3. Influence - at 10%
People choose to buy a specific lineup of device or brand because they are loyal to them. Apple users will be most likely be Apple users for the next 5 years because they are already comfortable with the ecosystem and they trust the brand. This is evident on the year to year percentage increase of Apple's sales. This is true with other products as well. You buy more what you trust more. You buy more what you've been using all throughout the years. If we change the game and base everything on quality and innovation, the buying trend will drastically change.
So if we base it on the sales numbers, it is undeniable that most likely iPhone5 will win this game. It will eventually surpass the 20 million record of the Galaxy S3 before the year ends. The Nokia Lumia 920 will not even come close to a quarter of that number. But my final verdict, specs-wise and looking at the innovation standpoint, no doubt the Nokia Lumia 920 wins this game by a mile and may be considered the best phone of 2012 and the most innovative phone ever made.
The buying trend today has changed when it was 5 years ago. Today, the factors when choosing a smartphone depends on:
1. Loyalty - a staggering 70%
2. Specs - at 20%
3. Influence - at 10%
People choose to buy a specific lineup of device or brand because they are loyal to them. Apple users will be most likely be Apple users for the next 5 years because they are already comfortable with the ecosystem and they trust the brand. This is evident on the year to year percentage increase of Apple's sales. This is true with other products as well. You buy more what you trust more. You buy more what you've been using all throughout the years. If we change the game and base everything on quality and innovation, the buying trend will drastically change.
So if we base it on the sales numbers, it is undeniable that most likely iPhone5 will win this game. It will eventually surpass the 20 million record of the Galaxy S3 before the year ends. The Nokia Lumia 920 will not even come close to a quarter of that number. But my final verdict, specs-wise and looking at the innovation standpoint, no doubt the Nokia Lumia 920 wins this game by a mile and may be considered the best phone of 2012 and the most innovative phone ever made.
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