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Is the iPhone 5c Still Worth Buying?

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The iPhone 6 is now out in full force after over a month of being on the market. It’s Apple’s latest flagship smartphone and while many consumers are looking to buy the latest and greatest, other buyers are looking at older iPhones for a cheaper deal.

Apple still sells the iPhone 5c, and you can grab one at no cost if you sign a two-year contract. This is a big deal if you don’t want to spend any money up front, but is the iPhone 5c still worth buying?

The iPhone 5c hasn’t been Apple’s most popular iPhone, but it does provide frugal users with the opportunity to get the iPhone experience without spending a lot of money. The device was originally released last year alongside the launch of the iPhone 5s and was meant as Apple’s cheaper option, sporting a plastic body and a lower cost of $99 after contract.

However, the iPhone 5s still proved to be the better model, since it was only $199 after contract and came with way more features that justified the higher cost. Many buyers saw that and took advantage of the iPhone 5s, leaving the iPhone 5c behind.

iPhone 5c

However, now that the device is a year older and there’s a newer iPhone out, should consumers completely dismiss the iPhone 5c, or is it still a viable option for frugal consumers?

Comparing iPhone Models

Before we can really see if the iPhone 5c is still worth buying to this day, we have to compare all of the options that Apple has available.

Currently, the iPhone 6 leads the pack, and it starts at $199 after signing a two-year contract. The iPhone 5s is the mid-tier option starting at $99, and the iPhone 5c is free after contract. However, the iPhone 5c only comes in an 8GB storage flavor, whereas the iPhone 5s comes in 16GB and 32GB storage sizes.

The way we see it, 8GB might not be enough for some users, but if you’re thinking about grabbing the iPhone 5c, you most likely aren’t a heavy smartphone user anyway. Thus, 8GB might actually be enough for you if you don’t plan on storing a lot of files on your phone (like music, apps, games, etc.).

iPhone 5c

However, one thing to be aware of is that the iPhone 5c is essentially two years old, even though it was released a year ago. It’s essentially an iPhone 5 wrapped in a new design with a slightly better camera. If you remember the iPhone 5, it was released back in 2012 and is the predecessor to the iPhone 5s.

The iPhone 5c comes with a slower (but still capable) processor, and it also comes with an inferior camera when compared to the iPhone 5s. It also doesn’t come with a fingerprint sensor and just sticks with the regular home button that we’ve grown to love over the years.

Is the iPhone 5c Worth It?

What’s perhaps the biggest selling point of the iPhone 5c is the different color options you can choose from. It comes in white, blue, green, red or yellow, and it adds a bit of character to your iPhone, which is great for the younger crowd or those who simply like to be festive. However, the shell that encloses the iPhone 5c is plastic, so if you prefer a metal and glass design, the iPhone 5c may not be the device for you.

Screen Shot 2014-10-28 at 11.39.58 AM

However, you’ll pay a bit less for the iPhone 5c, priced at $0 when you sign a two-year contract, or $450 when you buy the device without a contract. Plus, you can usually find used iPhone 5c units on eBay for around $200, including 16GB models that Apple currently doesn’t sell.

The iPhone 5s, on the other hand, usually goes for around $350 on eBay. Still, though, if you’re looking for low-cost iPhone, the iPhone 5c is great and all, but you’d actually be better off spending $100 extra dollars in order to get the iPhone 5s. It comes with a metal design, Touch ID, a way better camera, and a faster processor.

At the end of the day, you get what you pay for, but that’s not a slight to the iPhone 5c by any means. You still get a decent smartphone at no cost, but the iPhone 5s will offer a much better experience if you think the iPhone 5c won’t fulfill your wants and needs.

7 Comments

7 Comments

  1. CZ

    10/28/2014 at 2:54 pm

    Thank you for saying absolutely nothing.

  2. Nasman

    10/28/2014 at 3:59 pm

    It’s 9.58am, and my battery is already at 38%. I’ve just put my 2 week old iPhone 6 on EBay and I’m going back to Android after 6 years! Thanks for killing the iPhone Apple!!

  3. matt

    10/29/2014 at 12:40 am

    i would agree that 8gb is too small. but you guys gotta start being completely accurate about the iPhone 5c. its not just the plastic shell and the camera, but its also the LTE Chip set. it has the same LTE radio as the 5s, ipad air and ipad mini retina. its capable of connecting to 11-13 LTE channels. when the ipad air came out, people were excited when they found out you can connect to Verizon – t mobile and at&t, all at 4G LTE speeds. the iPhone 5c is capable of the same feat. but everyone hates it, because the bloggers won’t tell them this. they try to pass it off as a iPhone 5 in a plastic shell. and its a little bit more then a 5. the 5 came in different versions, an at&t LTE version and a Verizon LTE version. the 5c, 5s, ipad air ,i pad mini retina changed all this. and made a device capable of connecting to up to 13 lte channels. something that no other phone on the market can do. not even a Google nexus or its cousin the amazon fire phone has so many channels. if i was in the market for a 5 or a 5c with 32 to 64 gb and i wanted to save the $100 or so , i would definitely buy the 5c because i wouldn’t be stuck to at&t’s lte speeds.

  4. erikstenson

    10/29/2014 at 11:48 am

    i am so against touch id and iphone 6 is too big so if i needed to replace my iphone 5 i would get a 5c

  5. PK

    10/29/2014 at 1:08 pm

    I’ve been noticing this as well on my 6 Plus on 8.1. I see a lot of jetsam event issues on the diagnostic and usage section. I hope Apple will release the 8.1.1 soon.

  6. Nettie

    10/29/2014 at 5:09 pm

    Right now I have the 5 and I want to get a reasonable priced upgrade
    But I still can’t decide between the 5c or the 6

    I like the color, but I like to take clean pics

    I don’t know if a big phone will be good for me, cause I’m only 10
    I want something up to date, and “in”
    I like color, but I want good quality too

    Should I go for small and petite or medium sized and advanced??????😩😩😩📱📱📱

  7. Hamood harthi

    10/29/2014 at 9:14 pm

    Yes, it seems Apple has now challenges that was not counted before. My wife has Iphone 5 and i advised her not to upgrade, she is still using IOS7 and the phone is excellent. will make a decision of continuing with my current Iphone or not soon. i have had enough troubles since i bought it.

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