Apple recently began quietly shipping the fifth-generation iPod touch, and reviews of its performance have started to surface. The verdict: It’s pretty impressive.
The latest iPod touch uses the same processor as the iPhone 4S, and its performance is roughly equivalent, according to several reports. The device has all the functions of iOS 6, including Siri and Apple’s Maps app, lacking only the ability to make calls.
“I’ve been saying for years that the iPod touch is just the iPhone minus the phone parts,” wrote The Verge’s David Pierce. “That’s never been more true.”
The iPod touch might also offer some competition on the point-and-shoot camera market, with an updated 5-megapixel camera roughly equivalent to the iPhone 4’s – although with better parts and software.
In Geekbench benchmark tests, the new iPod touch scored a 625, nearly double the previous generation and almost exactly on par with the iPhone 4S. On the same scale, the iPhone 4 scores a 379, the third-generation iPad scores a 761 and the iPhone 5 comes in at 1649.
While it offers great functionality, the new iPod touch’s larger screen and thinner design can make it more susceptible to accidents. Fortunately, if your iPod touch breaks, iResQ’s iPod repair service makes it easy to get back to enjoying your favorite songs, apps and photos.