All familiar colors, except for gold: Apple has traditionally eschewed flashiness for clean aesthetics.

The iPhone 5S, while lighter than its new sister, the 5c, is not any different in size or weight than the original iPhone 5! The lack of difference hides some astounding engineering: Apple managed to radically upgrade the processor and add an additional processor, all without changing the size.

Perhaps the most radical change from the iPhone 5 and the biggest difference between the iPhone 5 and 5S are the colors. Never before has Apple ventured outside of the black, white, and gold color range. With the 5c, you will be able to pick from a range of colors more like the Nokia Lumia, focusing not on aesthetics but flashiness.

This could, however, backfire: having an iPhone 5c, part of the Apple family that is generally a status symbol, in any color but white will automatically signify that you have the cheaper model.

The continued lack of NFC, Near Field Communication, support on the iPhone, in any model, is telling about the fate of the technology. Designed to enable touchless communication with things like payment terminals, doors, and music, NFC is mostly found in rival models, like Samsung’s offerings, and other Android-based phones.

The lack of a specific carrier, while a good thing, suggests something interesting: it does not appear that Verizon, AT&T, or others will carry the phone. Instead, it will likely be purchased directly from Apple, already unlocked to use any network around the world, and marketed chiefly to regional carriers. Like the iPod, this means less flexibility with price, but more freedom of choice with use.

While the older iPhone 5 will receive the iOS7 update, it is not standard. This sets the 5c slightly above the older model.

iOS7 brings a complete redesign to iOS, featuring cleaner screens, new apps, and a refreshed look. It also more seamlessly blends apps, making it more like a computer than a typical phone.

The screen is one place that the iPhone 5, 5c, and 5S are identical: all feature a rich, but at this point, slightly dated 1,136x640 pixel screen, with a pixel density of 326 ppi. That means crisp, retina-level graphics that remain near top-notch.

This is where Apple makes its mark: the 5c comes in a cool $100 cheaper than the 5S, without sacrificing any improvements made on the 5. The differences are relatively minimal, but the price is more palatable, closer to a middle-range smartphone than any other offering from Apple.

The 5c, the cheaper model, sacrifices the iPhone 5’s impressive 3.95 ounces and 0.3 inch thickness for price. While still relatively thin, in ends the forced flattening of phones that has become a staple of Apple’s design.