Not everyone upgrades to the latest model of a mobile device as soon as it’s released. In the case of Apple’s iPhone, users can currently choose between the iPhone 5 and earlier models like the 4S and the 4. Apple even lets you compare the specs of the various models. But sometimes you need someone’s actual experiences to make a decision. Readers in the Ars OpenForum have recently been talking about when it might make sense to get an iPhone 4S instead of an iPhone 5.

Two threads have discussed this topic before. The first thread “Would anyone choose an iPhone 4S over an iPhone 5,” talked about it, and so did the members in the thread “iPhone 4S v 5 opinion divided.” Susan Harris kicks off the latter: “Mad as it sounds, I may get a 4S instead of a 5, on upgrading. Advice from you guys always appreciated.”

In both threads you’ll find the experiences of users who have owned several generations of iPhones, as well as newbies who have chosen a particular model. We took a look at some of the major features users are talking about.

Size and feel

The iPhone 5 is definitely a longer and thinner phone, but for a user like Ge0Ph, that may not necessarily be best : “I upgraded from the 4 to a 5. While the 5 has outstanding hardware, I prefer the feel of the 4 much better. At times I wish I would have upgraded to the 4S instead but I convince myself I made the right choice because my hardware will be relevant longer.”

Iljitsch (an Ars contributing writer) adds, “The lightness of the 5 is a big plus and depending on your use, the bigger screen can be very helpful. I find that many Web pages that were on the edge of readability on the 4 in landscape are just fine on the 5 in landscape mode.”

Otto Pilot thinks ergonomics is a very important factor to consider if you’re choosing the 4S: “This right here is the one big problem I have with Apple's continuing obsession with thin and light. I have the 4S now and really didn't see any truly compelling reason to upgrade (ended up just getting an unlocked 4S for my wife so we can ride out our AT&T contracts) but I really am fine with the thickness of the 4S. I would prefer to forego shaving off a few more millimeters in favor of keeping (or lengthening) the battery life, especially with the move to LTE. As it is now, with push email, iCloud, iTunes match, GPS and Siri, I am hard-pressed to make it through a day on the 4S without needing to plug in.”

Performance

Sleepcountry thinks the iPhone 5 is a winner based on call quality: “The call quality is scary good on iPhone 5. Thanks to the noise canceling, I've been in crowded restaurants and easily had conversations without raising my voice or cranking the volume at all. It feels like a cone of silence descends around the ear you're holding the phone up to [it]. It's downright eerie at times... the call quality is so much obviously better than my iPhone 4”

Cateye provides a side-by-side comparison of the 4S and the 5 based on performance: “My wife has a 4S and, used side-by-side with my 5, I'm hard-pressed to tell any performance differences between the two. They both respond immediately with zero lag in the apps we commonly use (the 5 is, however, dramatically more responsive than my 4 was). Call sound quality is excellent on both, we have no complaints. Where the 5 leads is in cellular data speed: AT&T lit up its LTE network where we are a few weeks after I upgraded, so I was able to make a direct comparison in the places (like the gym) where I tend to use cellular data often. It's really quite astonishing how LTE makes surfing or using streaming services like Google Music (I don't have iTunes Match so I can't compare) more pleasant compared to '4G' or plain old 3G. I still think LTE is sort of a goofy feature (who truly needs data speeds that fast on a phone?), but it's a nice luxury to have.”

The battery-life comparison

LTE is going to drain the battery a little faster, but Iljitsch reports: “I still make it to the end of the second day on a charge most of the time with my iPhone 5, like with the iPhone 4, but with somewhat less of a safety margin. I've had it happen once or twice that I was in the red at the end of a particularly iPhone-intense day once or twice, but it's rare.”

On the other hand, Sleepcountry is not pleased with the performance of the iPhone 5’s battery life: “I've always been curious about how all these reviewers eked out these crazy high numbers on battery life. Like did they actually use their iPhones 5?”

Japtor also has experienced good battery life, like Iljitsch: “Battery life has been pretty awesome for me actually, about the only times I've run it down is playing Need for Speed at night while streaming Bluetooth audio before bed. I've done all-nighters at work and still end up with like 30-40 percent battery left in the morning, used it all day at Disneyland while streaming (apparently inappropriate) Simpsons clips in line for my nephew (if anything I was more worried about data usage), pretty much never have had to think about it other than unfounded paranoia in my case.”

About those nicks and scratches

Cateye notes that performance wise, both the 4S and the 5 are similar, but the 5 brings along some new problems, “Within a couple weeks of owning it, my 5 already had a bunch of silver dings/scratches along the anodized black aluminum edge and on the back panel, so into a case it went and where it will have to stay if I want to keep it looking nice. Secondly, battery life is noticeably worse. I think I was spoiled by the 4, however, since as a smartphone, it really does have pretty legendary battery life. The 5 is no worse or no better than any modern LTE smartphone.“

When it comes to durability, the iPhone 4S also wins that battle, based on Cateye’s opinions about the materials: “The band around the edge of the iPhone 4/4S is made of steel. The band around the edge of the iPhone 5, along with the metal portion of the back, is made of aluminum. Aluminum is lighter, but it's also softer, and malforms from impact more easily. In addition, the aluminum surfaces of the black 5 are anodized with a slate-black color. But that's just a micro-thin layer of color over bare, silver aluminum. The moment it gets scraped off (after spending some time in your pocket with your car keys, for example) it sticks out like a sore thumb since it's these little silver nicks on a field of matte black.”

How good is the LTE?

And then there is data speed. The iPhone 5 moves up to the LTE standard and melk, who ran some quick tests on his own iPhone, was able to get 32Mbps on download and 10Mbps upload speeds. He adds “Larger screen, lighter/slimmer body, lightning connector is just better in every way. No question really, in my mind.”

So what should you do?

The choice you make with your phone upgrade will depend on what matters to you. If price comes first, then the choice is clear. But taking time to think about the highest-priority features you need in your phone, and comparing them to what other users are saying about them can be a great help.

Arasirsul actually upgraded to an iPhone 5 but wishes for a return to the 4S: “While the 5's better in every way—lighter, bigger screen, faster wireless performance, etc, no piece of it (with the exception of playing videos on the bigger screen that better matches the videos' aspect ratio) really screams, ‘Hey! I'm BETTER!’ It's a good device. It's certainly a better device. But I'm not sure it was worth the extra money, particularly when I couple the original outlay with the cost of having to replace all the 30-pin devices I'd been using (the big problem being the ANT+ dongle for fitness hardware that I feared wouldn't attach through an adapter very well at all, and my bike rig where it wouldn't physically fit). Sure, I'm going to have to replace all that 30-pin stuff eventually either way, but I probably could have put it off two years. “

Have you chosen an older model of the iPhone for yourself or are you going with the 5? How do you feel about the iPhone 5? Register for an account to participate in the discussion, or share your thoughts in the comments below.