If you were around in late 2012, you remember the vibe. The iPhone 5 had just dropped, everyone was obsessed with the new "Lightning" connector, and Apple decided to turn the iPod into a neon-colored fashion statement. Honestly, the apple ipod touch fifth generation was a weird, beautiful turning point for the brand. It was the first time an iPod felt like it was trying to be more than just a "phone without the phone." It had that weird little pop-out button on the back for a wrist strap. Remember the Loop? Yeah, we’ll get into that.
Most people look back at this era and just see a skinny screen. But there’s a lot more under the hood—and a few quirks that still drive collectors crazy today in 2026.
The Design That Changed Everything (and stayed forever)
Before this model, the iPod touch was basically a polished chrome pebble. It was pretty, but it scratched if you even looked at it wrong. Then came the fifth gen. Suddenly, we had anodized aluminum in colors that actually popped: electric blue, bright yellow, and that iconic Product Red.
It was thin. Like, 6.1mm thin.
Holding one today feels like holding a piece of cardboard. It’s light. 88 grams light. For comparison, a modern iPhone is practically a brick. Apple used the same 4-inch Retina display from the iPhone 5, which gave us that 16:9 aspect ratio. It was the "tall" iPod. People made jokes about it, but man, it made watching movies in the back of a car way better.
That Weird Little Button
Okay, let’s talk about the "iPod touch Loop." On the bottom left of the back casing, there was a circular, spring-loaded button. You’d press it, and it would pop out just enough for you to hook a color-matched leatherette strap onto it.
Apple marketed it for photography. They wanted you to treat this thing like a point-and-shoot camera. Did anyone actually use the strap? Kinda. It was great for kids who were prone to dropping things, but for most of us, it was just a satisfying fidget toy before fidget toys were a thing.
What’s Inside: The A5 Chip Struggle
Under that colorful shell sat the Apple A5 chip. This is where things get a bit complicated. See, the A5 was the same silicon used in the iPhone 4S and the iPad 2. By 2012, it was already starting to show its age just a little bit.
- Dual-core 1000 MHz processor (clocked down to 800 MHz to save battery).
- 512MB of RAM. (Yes, megabytes. Wild, right?)
- PowerVR SGX543MP2 GPU.
Performance was... fine. At launch. It handled iOS 6 like a champ. It was the first iPod touch to get Siri, which felt like magic at the time. But as the years went on and Apple kept pushing updates, the apple ipod touch fifth generation started to chug. By the time iOS 9.3.5 rolled around (the final version it supports), the poor thing was gasping for air.
If you’re buying one today for a nostalgia trip, do yourself a favor: try to find one still running iOS 6 or 7. It’s a night-and-day difference in speed.
The Camera: A Protruding Problem
This was the first time we saw the "camera bump" on an Apple mobile device. Because the body was so incredibly thin, the 5-megapixel iSight camera couldn't sit flush. It poked out with a little silver ring around it.
The quality was a massive jump over the fourth generation, which basically took photos that looked like they were shot through a screen door. The 5th gen gave us 1080p video, autofocus, and a real LED flash. It wasn't iPhone 5 quality—that had an 8-megapixel sensor—but for a pocket media player, it was legit.
The front camera got a bump too. 1.2 megapixels for FaceTime HD. Perfect for those grainy 2013 selfies.
The 16GB Model Confusion
Apple did something super confusing halfway through the lifecycle. In 2013, they released a budget 16GB version. But here’s the kicker: they stripped it of the rear camera and the Loop button. It only came in silver.
It was basically a "student" model. If you’re hunting on eBay or Facebook Marketplace, watch out for this one. You’ll see a listing for an apple ipod touch fifth generation and wonder why the back looks so plain. That’s the "budget" one. Later, in 2014, they replaced it with a 16GB model that did have the camera and colors, just to make things even more confusing.
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Why People Are Still Buying Them in 2026
You’d think a device that can’t run Spotify or TikTok properly would be e-waste by now. Nope. There’s a massive community of "iPod modders" and purists who love this thing.
- Distraction-Free Listening: People are tired of notifications. Loading up an iPod with 64GB of FLAC or ALAC files and just... listening? It’s a vibe.
- The Form Factor: There hasn’t been a device this thin or light since. It fits in the tiny "coin pocket" of your jeans.
- The Display: The 4-inch Retina screen is still surprisingly sharp. 326 pixels per inch is the same density as much newer iPhones.
- Retro Gaming: There are thousands of old 32-bit apps and games that won't run on modern 64-bit iPhones. This iPod is a portal to the "Flappy Bird" era.
Real Talk: The Battery Nightmare
If you find one in a drawer, don't expect it to last more than twenty minutes. These batteries are over a decade old. They’re tiny (1030 mAh) and they've likely chemically degraded.
Replacing the battery in a 5th gen is a nightmare. Unlike the older "Classic" iPods that you could pry open with a metal tool, the Touch is held together with clips and a massive amount of adhesive. You have to go through the front, which means you’re almost guaranteed to break the screen if you aren't a pro.
Most people just keep them plugged into a speaker dock or a power bank now. It’s basically a stationary music server at this point.
What Most People Get Wrong
A common misconception is that the 5th gen is the same as the 6th gen because they look identical. They aren't. Not even close.
The 6th gen (released in 2015) dropped the Loop button and upgraded to the A8 chip (from the iPhone 6). If you want a device that actually works for modern basic tasks, you want the 6th or 7th gen. But if you want the "true" iPod experience with the funky strap and the specific color palette of the early 2010s, the 5th gen is the one.
Finding Value in the Obsolete
Is the apple ipod touch fifth generation worth it today?
Prices in 2026 are weirdly high. You’ll see "Mint in Box" units going for $200+, which is insane considering what they can't do. But a used, beat-up 32GB model can be found for $30-$50.
For that price, it’s a great dedicated music player for the gym or a car that doesn’t have CarPlay. It has a headphone jack. Remember those? No dongles, no Bluetooth pairing headaches. Just plug in and play.
How to use one in 2026:
- Don't use Safari: It'll crash on modern, script-heavy websites.
- Side-load apps: Use tools like Legacy iOS Kit to get older versions of apps that still work.
- Manage your library: Use a computer. Trying to download music directly via the iTunes Store on the device is an exercise in frustration.
- Check the model number: A1421 is the "full" version. A1509 is the camera-less budget version.
If you’re looking to pick one up, check the screen for "yellowing" around the edges—a common age-related issue with these IPS panels. Also, test the home button. They tend to get mushy after millions of clicks.
The 5th gen wasn't just a gadget. It was the last time the iPod felt like it had its own personality before it eventually got swallowed by the iPhone. It’s a skinny, colorful piece of tech history that still feels remarkably premium in the hand, even if it’s a bit slow to catch up to the world.
Next Steps for Collectors and Users
If you've just dug one out of a drawer or bought one online, start by checking the battery health with a tool like iMazing on your PC or Mac. Since the internal battery is likely shot, look for a vintage 30-pin to Lightning adapter if you have an old speaker dock, as these provide the most stable power for "stationary" use. For music, skip the streaming apps and sync high-quality local files through iTunes or Retroactive to ensure the smoothest playback experience without taxing the A5 chip.