A month with the iPhone 5

Most of the opinions I formed after just a few minutes of using the iPhone 5 remain unchanged now, a month later. The build is incredible, the feel is remarkable, the performance is class-leading, the look of the white model is gorgeous, the look of the black model is peculiar, and the taller screen is awkward.

In terms of hardware, Apple is not exaggerating: The iPhone 5 represents the most significant physical change to Apple's smartphone so far. In terms of software, iOS 6 moves in the right direction, but Apple still has a lot of work to do.

The complete package is what matters most, and the iPhone 5 delivers an experience out of the box that is exactly what Apple envisioned. It's an elegant device with no stuttering, stammering, skipping, crashing or freezing.

While a jitter or freeze here and there on Android or Windows Phone isn't a huge, not having to suffer through those performance issues makes interacting with the iPhone unique. Install one poorly made third-party app and you're knocked back down to reality, but the iPhone experience at its core is a cut above the competition.

The iPhone 5 is the most impressive iPhone Apple has launched to date, but it's more than that: It separates Apple from its rivals by a wider margin than ever before. In terms of hardware quality and core software performance, the new iPhone has no peers.

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