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Apple iPod Touch 2019 Review: A music player for gamers

Still not grown up. The iPod was an important milestone on Apple's road to success with iTunes, but now all but the iPod Touch have been removed from sale. The anachronism is now in its 7th generation, but it can play more than just music.
Apple iPod Touch 2019 (7th generation)


Test mark: Good

While smartphones effectively killed off MP3 players, Apple keeps quietly updating the iPod Touch every so often. The little music player can do more than just play MP3s though, with it doubling as a game console, a digital assistant and a useful secondary camera. In short, the iPod Touch offers many of the core features that the iPhone does but at a fraction of the price.

The iPod Touch is now on its 7th generation, with Apple equipping it with an Apple A10 Fusion SoC along with 2 GB of RAM. The device comes pre-loaded with iOS 12 on its 32 GB of storage too. The core questions that we are seeking to answer in this review are as follows:

  • Can the iPod Touch 2019 play current games?
  • For whom is the iPod Touch an alternative to the iPhone?
  • What are the differences between the 7th and 6th generation iPod Touch devices?
  • Does the iPod Touch 2019 have usable cameras?
  • How fast is the Apple A10 Fusion in the iPod Touch 2019?

Naturally, we will cover other areas like its design, connectivity, display and speakers. We will compare the iPod Touch 2019 against its bigger iPhone siblings, along with some comparably priced Android smartphones.

Apple iPod Touch 2019
Processor
Apple A10 Fusion 4 x 2.3 GHz, APL1021 Hurricane / Zephyr
Memory
2048 MB 
Display
4.00 inch 14:8, 1136 x 640 pixel 326 PPI, capacitive touchscreen, IPS, Oleophobic coating, glossy: yes
Storage
32 GB SSD, 32 GB 
Connections
Audio Connections: 3.5 mm headphone jack, Sensors: Accelerometer, Gyroscope, Lightning port
Networking
802.11 a/b/g/n/ac (a/b/g/n = Wi-Fi 4/ac = Wi-Fi 5/), Bluetooth 4.1
Size
height x width x depth (in mm): 6.1 x 123.4 x 58.6 ( = 0.24 x 4.86 x 2.31 in)
Battery
1043 mAh Lithium-Ion
Operating System
Apple iOS 12
Camera
Primary Camera: 8 MPix Autofocus, ƒ/2.4 aperture, HDR, 1080p at 30 FPS
Secondary Camera: 1.2 MPix ƒ/2.2 Aperture, 720p videos
Additional features
Speakers: Mono speaker on the underside of the device, Keyboard: virtual keyboard, Headphones, Lightning cable, 24 Months Warranty, fanless
Weight
88 g ( = 3.1 oz / 0.19 pounds) ( = 0 oz / 0 pounds)
Price
229 Euro
Note: The manufacturer may use components from different suppliers including display panels, drives or memory sticks with similar specifications.

 

Case

The iPod Touch 2019 comes in an array of colours, unlike its iPhone siblings. Apple currently sells the device in blue, gold, pink, silver, space grey and red, the latter of which carries the (PRODUCT)RED branding. Apple still donates up to 50% of its profits from (PRODUCT)RED sales to the organisation of the same name, which seeks to help eliminate HIV/AIDS in eight African countries.

Visually, little appears to have changed between generations, with the iPod Touch 2019 losing some of the certification logos that adorned the back of its predecessor. The device has the same screen size, footprint and weight as the 6th generation iPod Touch, with its 4-inch display yielding a 62% screen-to-body ratio. This is woefully low by modern standards, with the home button of old iPhones reinforcing the iPod Touch’s outdated looks.

The matte aluminium back case still feels premium though, especially considering that the device starts at US$199. Few Android smartphones are as well-built at this price. The black plastic cut-out looks ugly though and somewhat ruins the premium aesthetic. The cover reminds us of a dual-camera array. However, it is for the Wi-Fi antenna, which would struggle to operate through the metal chassis. We still do not understand why Apple decided against colour matching the cover though.

Apple iPod Touch 2019 (7th generation)
Apple iPod Touch 2019 (7th generation)
Apple iPod Touch 2019 (7th generation)
Apple iPod Touch 2019 (7th generation)
Apple iPod Touch 2019 (7th generation)
Apple iPod Touch 2019 (7th generation)
Apple iPod Touch 2019 (7th generation)
Apple iPod Touch 2019 (7th generation)

Size Comparison

150.9 mm / 5.94 inch 75.7 mm / 2.98 inch 8.3 mm / 0.3268 inch 194 g0.4277 lbs138.4 mm / 5.45 inch 67.3 mm / 2.65 inch 7.3 mm / 0.2874 inch 148 g0.3263 lbs138.3 mm / 5.44 inch 67.1 mm / 2.64 inch 7.1 mm / 0.2795 inch 138 g0.3042 lbs123.4 mm / 4.86 inch 58.6 mm / 2.31 inch 6.1 mm / 0.2402 inch 88 g0.194 lbs148 mm / 5.83 inch 105 mm / 4.13 inch 1 mm / 0.03937 inch 1.5 g0.00331 lbs

Connectivity

The iPod Touch comes in a choice of three storage options. Apple includes 32 GB in the base model, with there being 128 GB of storage in the midrange variant and 256 GB in the US$399 version. Charging US$200 more for an additional 224 GB of storage is extortionate, especially as the device does not support expandable storage. The prices and storage options are as follows:

Model Storage Price
Entry-level 32 GB US$199
Midrange 128 GB US$299
Top of the range 256 GB US$399

iCloud is an alternative if you plan to only use your iPod Touch on a Wi-Fi network, but additional storage is pricey too. In short, the 32 GB model will run out of storage quickly if you install a few large games and store music locally.

Each model comes with 2 GB of RAM though. Apple includes a 3.5 mm jack too, a rarity among its current mobile offerings. The biggest difference between the iPod Touch 2019 and older iPhones is the lack of mobile connectivity. The iPod Touch does not have a SIM-card slot, which makes it incompatible with services that require a mobile number, like WhatsApp.

Software

The iPod Touch 2019 comes with iOS 12 preinstalled, currently the latest version of the OS at the time of writing. Apple will roll out iOS 13 to the device too, but this will not be extended to the last generation iPod Touch. The iPod Touch 2019 will be the only model to receive iOS 13.

Apple does not preinstall any bloatware, but it does include in-house apps like GarageBand, Keynote and its Health App. The iPod Touch 2019 comes with the Apple App Store too, giving it access to tens of thousands of apps and making it almost as versatile as an iPhone.

You can also use the iTunes Backup and Restore service to transfer your data from another iPod, iPhone or iPad to the iPod Touch 2019. The process works well and is one of the more impressive aspects of iOS in our opinion.

Disappointingly, Apple still restricts people to syncing the iPod Touch via iTunes. You can import photos via iPhoto on Mac but copying photos or music to the device requires using iTunes. The media player converts MP3 files to Apple’s AAC format too, of which we are not fans. You could use music-streaming services like Apple Music, Deezer or Spotify should you not have a desktop PC or laptop.

Device information
Device information
Default home screen
Default home screen
Apple News
Apple News

Communication & GPS

The iPod Touch 2019 supports all modern Wi-Fi standards up to 802.11ac. It also supports Bluetooth 4.1, which is now rather outdated. Our review unit could not match the iPhone 7 or Galaxy A40 in our iperf3 Client Wi-Fi tests with our Linksys EA8500 reference router, but it still averaged over 150 Mb/s in both the tests we conducted.

Networking
iperf3 transmit AX12
Apple iPhone 7
A10 Fusion GPU, A10 Fusion, 128 GB NVMe (Klaus I211)
485 MBit/s +217%
Samsung Galaxy A40
Mali-G71 MP2, Exynos 7904, 64 GB eMMC Flash
268 (244min - 288max) MBit/s +75%
Apple iPod Touch 2019
A10 Fusion GPU, A10 Fusion, 32 GB SSD
153 (47min - 195max) MBit/s
Nokia 4.2
Adreno 505, SD 439, 32 GB eMMC Flash
35.2 (24min - 40max) MBit/s -77%
iperf3 receive AX12
Apple iPhone 7
A10 Fusion GPU, A10 Fusion, 128 GB NVMe (Klaus I211)
532 MBit/s +171%
Average of class Smartphone
  (last 2 years)
376 MBit/s +92%
Samsung Galaxy A40
Mali-G71 MP2, Exynos 7904, 64 GB eMMC Flash
222 (203min - 243max) MBit/s +13%
Apple iPod Touch 2019
A10 Fusion GPU, A10 Fusion, 32 GB SSD
196 (189min - 199max) MBit/s
Nokia 4.2
Adreno 505, SD 439, 32 GB eMMC Flash
52.6 (35min - 52max) MBit/s -73%
0102030405060708090100110120130140150160170180190Tooltip
Apple iPod Touch 2019; iperf3 receive AX12; iperf 3.1.3: Ø196 (189-199)
Apple iPod Touch 2019; iperf3 transmit AX12; iperf 3.1.3: Ø153.2 (47-195)

Apple does not include a GPS module, but the iPod Touch can use Wi-Fi networks to approximate your location. The preinstalled Apple Maps app worked well during our tests, although the device will be unable to find you if there are no nearby Wi-Fi networks.

Correspondingly, our review unit could not plot our route accurately during our obligatory bike ride. The iPod Touch 2019 claimed we had cycled about 2 km less than our reference bike computer, the Garmin Edge 520, had recorded. As the screenshots below demonstrate, the iPod Touch 2019 cannot be relied on for providing accurate location data.

GPS test: Garmin Edge 520 - Overview
GPS test: Garmin Edge 520 - Overview
GPS test: Garmin Edge 520 - Loop
GPS test: Garmin Edge 520 - Loop
GPS test: Garmin Edge 520 - Bridge
GPS test: Garmin Edge 520 - Bridge
GPS test: Apple iPod Touch 2019 - Overview
GPS test: Apple iPod Touch 2019 - Overview
GPS test: Apple iPod Touch 2019 - Loop
GPS test: Apple iPod Touch 2019 - Loop
GPS test: Apple iPod Touch 2019 - Bridge
GPS test: Apple iPod Touch 2019 - Bridge

Cameras

Photographed with the front-facing camera
Photographed with the front-facing camera

We did not think we would ever be reviewing a device with a 1.2 MP camera again, but here we are. The iPod Touch 2019 has an 8 MP rear-facing camera too, but its front-facing sensor is surprisingly good considering its measly MP count. Photos look washed-out, but they are pleasingly sharp if you do not zoom in too far. Overall, the front-facing camera is good enough for using services like FaceTime.

The rear-facing camera will win no awards either, but its LED flash helps it in low-light shots. Naturally, the iPod Touch 2019 cannot compete with modern flagships, but the 8 MP sensor is not a complete potato. Incidentally, the iPod Touch 2019 can record videos in up to 1080p at 30 FPS.

Image Comparison

Choose a scene and navigate within the first image. One click changes the position on touchscreens. One click on the zoomed-in image opens the original in a new window. The first image shows the scaled photograph of the test device.

Scene 1Scene 2Scene 3

We also subjected the rear-facing sensor to further camera tests under controlled lighting conditions. Again, the iPod Touch 2019 impressed us, with it reproducing most ColorChecker Passport reference colours accurately. Our test chart looks sharp too, with details being preserved nicely.

A photo of our test chart
A photo of our test chart
Our test chart in detail
Our test chart in detail
ColorChecker Passport: The lower half of each area of colour displays the reference colour
ColorChecker Passport: The lower half of each area of colour displays the reference colour

Accessories & Warranty

Apple includes only a few accessories with the iPod Touch 2019. Our review unit arrived with a USB Type-A to Lightning cable and a set of wired 3.5 mm headphones, but no charger. The former sound rather good for bundled headphones though.

The iPod Touch 2019 supports other Apple accessories like its AirPods should you prefer using wireless headphones. The device comes with a 24-month limited warranty too. Please see our Guarantees, Return Policies & Warranties FAQ for country-specific information.

Input Devices & Operation

The iPod Touch 2019 has, as all recent Apple devices do, an accurate and precise touchscreen. We found it tricky to press some small UI buttons though, with the 4-inch display making them even tinier than they would be on something like an iPhone 7. We noticed this while typing in portrait mode, for instance, but we doubt it will bother most people in daily use.

The physical home button is back, but did it ever leave? You will probably identify with the former if you use a modern iPhone and the latter if you have a 6th generation iPod Touch, but it still provides clear acoustic and haptic feedback either way. There is no fingerprint scanner though.

The other physical buttons remain in the same place too, with the volume buttons adorning the top-left of the device. Meanwhile, the power button sits on the top edge of the frame, which is somewhat of a throwback. All three buttons are well-machined and provide pleasant feedback when pressed. There is no mute switch though.

Using the default keyboard in landscape mode
Using the default keyboard in landscape mode
Using the default keyboard in portrait mode
Using the default keyboard in portrait mode

Display

Sub-pixel array
Sub-pixel array

Apple is not known for using high-resolution displays in its smartphones, but the 640p panel in the iPod Touch 2019 is woefully low resolution by today’s standards. The display does get pleasingly bright though, with it achieving an average maximum luminosity of 559 cd/ m² according to X-Rite i1Pro 2. This makes the iPod Touch 2019 brighter than all but the iPhone XR and iPhone 8 of our comparison devices and streets ahead of comparably priced Android smartphones like the Nokia 4.2. The panel is 94% evenly lit too, which puts the iPod Touch 2019 ahead of all our Apple comparison devices.

546
cd/m²
553
cd/m²
555
cd/m²
550
cd/m²
581
cd/m²
560
cd/m²
563
cd/m²
572
cd/m²
549
cd/m²
Distribution of brightness
tested with X-Rite i1Pro 2
Maximum: 581 cd/m² (Nits) Average: 558.8 cd/m² Minimum: 4.97 cd/m²
Brightness Distribution: 94 %
Center on Battery: 581 cd/m²
Contrast: 908:1 (Black: 0.64 cd/m²)
ΔE Color 2.16 | 0.5-29.43 Ø5
ΔE Greyscale 2.5 | 0.57-98 Ø5.3
99% sRGB (Calman 2D)
Gamma: 2.237
Apple iPod Touch 2019
IPS, 1136x640, 4.00
Apple iPhone 7
IPS, 1334x750, 4.70
Apple iPhone XR
IPS, 1792x828, 6.10
Apple iPhone 8
IPS True Tone, 1334x750, 4.70
Samsung Galaxy A40
Super AMOLED, 2340x1080, 5.90
Nokia 4.2
IPS, 1520x720, 5.71
Screen
26%
33%
26%
-101%
-49%
Brightness middle
581
556
-4%
672
16%
604
4%
358
-38%
445
-23%
Brightness
559
519
-7%
641
15%
580
4%
370
-34%
424
-24%
Brightness Distribution
94
90
-4%
92
-2%
91
-3%
94
0%
91
-3%
Black Level *
0.64
0.34
47%
0.35
45%
0.44
31%
0.26
59%
Contrast
908
1635
80%
1920
111%
1373
51%
1712
89%
Colorchecker dE 2000 *
2.16
1.3
40%
1.3
40%
1.2
44%
7.4
-243%
5.9
-173%
Colorchecker dE 2000 max. *
3.81
2.6
32%
2.7
29%
2.3
40%
12.5
-228%
9.3
-144%
Greyscale dE 2000 *
2.5
1.9
24%
2.2
12%
1.6
36%
4
-60%
6.8
-172%
Gamma
2.237 98%
2.26 97%
2.3 96%
2.25 98%
2.084 106%
2.2 100%
CCT
6984 93%
6818 95%
6868 95%
6688 97%
7078 92%
8443 77%
Color Space (Percent of AdobeRGB 1998)
63.15
Color Space (Percent of sRGB)
99.71

* ... smaller is better

Screen Flickering / PWM (Pulse-Width Modulation)

To dim the screen, some notebooks will simply cycle the backlight on and off in rapid succession - a method called Pulse Width Modulation (PWM) . This cycling frequency should ideally be undetectable to the human eye. If said frequency is too low, users with sensitive eyes may experience strain or headaches or even notice the flickering altogether.
Screen flickering / PWM detected 100 Hz ≤ 20 % brightness setting

The display backlight flickers at 100 Hz (worst case, e.g., utilizing PWM) Flickering detected at a brightness setting of 20 % and below. There should be no flickering or PWM above this brightness setting.

The frequency of 100 Hz is very low, so the flickering may cause eyestrain and headaches after extended use.

In comparison: 53 % of all tested devices do not use PWM to dim the display. If PWM was detected, an average of 18110 (minimum: 5 - maximum: 3846000) Hz was measured.

The display also has decent colour accuracy, although its black value is a touch high at 0.64 cd/m², which negatively impacts its contrast ratio too. Our review unit’s DeltaE deviations are impressive though, as is the display’s colour temperature. The former are close to ideal and much better than what the Galaxy A40 or Nokia 4.2 achieve.

CalMAN: Grayscale
CalMAN: Grayscale
CalMAN: Colour Accuracy
CalMAN: Colour Accuracy
CalMAN: Colour Space
CalMAN: Colour Space
CalMAN: Colour Saturation
CalMAN: Colour Saturation

Display Response Times

Display response times show how fast the screen is able to change from one color to the next. Slow response times can lead to afterimages and can cause moving objects to appear blurry (ghosting). Gamers of fast-paced 3D titles should pay special attention to fast response times.
       Response Time Black to White
24 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined↗ 9 ms rise
↘ 13 ms fall
The screen shows good response rates in our tests, but may be too slow for competitive gamers.
In comparison, all tested devices range from 0.1 (minimum) to 240 (maximum) ms. » 48 % of all devices are better.
This means that the measured response time is worse than the average of all tested devices (21.6 ms).
       Response Time 50% Grey to 80% Grey
46 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined↗ 23 ms rise
↘ 23 ms fall
The screen shows slow response rates in our tests and will be unsatisfactory for gamers.
In comparison, all tested devices range from 0.2 (minimum) to 636 (maximum) ms. » 75 % of all devices are better.
This means that the measured response time is worse than the average of all tested devices (33.9 ms).

The iPod Touch 2019 has stable viewing angles and is easy to use outdoors. The display has a reflective glass finish that catches the light on sunny days, but its high maximum brightness means that it should remain readable even in bright sunlight.

Using the iPod Touch 2019 outside
Using the iPod Touch 2019 outside
Viewing angles
Viewing angles

Performance

Apple equips the iPod Touch 2019 with its in-house A10 Fusion SoC, a chipset we last saw in the iPhone 7. However, not all A10 Fusion SoCs are made equal, as Apple downclocks the one in the iPod Touch 2019 to 1.6 GHz. By contrast, the SoC in the iPhone 7 can reach up to 2.3 GHz, giving it a 30% performance advantage in synthetic benchmarks.

With that said, the iPod Touch 2019 consistently outperforms the Nokia 4.2 and Galaxy A40, underlining just how powerful the over two-year-old A10 Fusion is. The cheapest version of the iPod Touch is a bargain if one solely looks at performance.

Geekbench 4.4
64 Bit Single-Core Score (sort by value)
Apple iPod Touch 2019
Apple A10 Fusion, A10 Fusion GPU, 2048
2672 Points
Apple iPhone 7
Apple A10 Fusion, A10 Fusion GPU, 2048
3527 Points +32%
Apple iPhone XR
Apple A12 Bionic, A12 Bionic GPU, 3072
4750 Points +78%
Apple iPhone 8
Apple A11 Bionic, A11 Bionic GPU, 2048
4162 Points +56%
Samsung Galaxy A40
Samsung Exynos 7904, Mali-G71 MP2, 4096
1329 Points -50%
Nokia 4.2
Qualcomm Snapdragon 439, Adreno 505, 3072
891 Points -67%
Average Apple A10 Fusion
  (2672 - 3527, n=3)
3233 Points +21%
Average of class Smartphone
  (800 - 9574, n=90, last 2 years)
5063 Points +89%
64 Bit Multi-Core Score (sort by value)
Apple iPod Touch 2019
Apple A10 Fusion, A10 Fusion GPU, 2048
4508 Points
Apple iPhone 7
Apple A10 Fusion, A10 Fusion GPU, 2048
5922 Points +31%
Apple iPhone XR
Apple A12 Bionic, A12 Bionic GPU, 3072
11276 Points +150%
Apple iPhone 8
Apple A11 Bionic, A11 Bionic GPU, 2048
10380 Points +130%
Samsung Galaxy A40
Samsung Exynos 7904, Mali-G71 MP2, 4096
4105 Points -9%
Nokia 4.2
Qualcomm Snapdragon 439, Adreno 505, 3072
3267 Points -28%
Average Apple A10 Fusion
  (4508 - 5952, n=3)
5461 Points +21%
Average of class Smartphone
  (2630 - 26990, n=90, last 2 years)
13549 Points +201%
Compute Metal Score 4.4 (sort by value)
Apple iPod Touch 2019
Apple A10 Fusion, A10 Fusion GPU, 2048
10361 Points
Apple iPhone 7
Apple A10 Fusion, A10 Fusion GPU, 2048
13168 Points +27%
Average Apple A10 Fusion
  (10361 - 13168, n=3)
12095 Points +17%
3DMark
1280x720 offscreen Ice Storm Unlimited Score (sort by value)
Apple iPod Touch 2019
Apple A10 Fusion, A10 Fusion GPU, 2048
24847 Points
Apple iPhone 7
Apple A10 Fusion, A10 Fusion GPU, 2048
37676 Points +52%
Apple iPhone XR
Apple A12 Bionic, A12 Bionic GPU, 3072
77597 Points +212%
Apple iPhone 8
Apple A11 Bionic, A11 Bionic GPU, 2048
62006 Points +150%
Samsung Galaxy A40
Samsung Exynos 7904, Mali-G71 MP2, 4096
13457 Points -46%
Nokia 4.2
Qualcomm Snapdragon 439, Adreno 505, 3072
13192 Points -47%
Average Apple A10 Fusion
  (24847 - 38138, n=5)
35156 Points +41%
1280x720 offscreen Ice Storm Unlimited Graphics Score (sort by value)
Apple iPod Touch 2019
Apple A10 Fusion, A10 Fusion GPU, 2048
48421 Points
Apple iPhone 7
Apple A10 Fusion, A10 Fusion GPU, 2048
63974 Points +32%
Apple iPhone XR
Apple A12 Bionic, A12 Bionic GPU, 3072
162695 Points +236%
Apple iPhone 8
Apple A11 Bionic, A11 Bionic GPU, 2048
112424 Points +132%
Samsung Galaxy A40
Samsung Exynos 7904, Mali-G71 MP2, 4096
13821 Points -71%
Nokia 4.2
Qualcomm Snapdragon 439, Adreno 505, 3072
13440 Points -72%
Average Apple A10 Fusion
  (48421 - 65558, n=5)
60793 Points +26%
1280x720 offscreen Ice Storm Unlimited Physics (sort by value)
Apple iPod Touch 2019
Apple A10 Fusion, A10 Fusion GPU, 2048
9189 Points
Apple iPhone 7
Apple A10 Fusion, A10 Fusion GPU, 2048
15450 Points +68%
Apple iPhone XR
Apple A12 Bionic, A12 Bionic GPU, 3072
27413 Points +198%
Apple iPhone 8
Apple A11 Bionic, A11 Bionic GPU, 2048
24131 Points +163%
Samsung Galaxy A40
Samsung Exynos 7904, Mali-G71 MP2, 4096
12321 Points +34%
Nokia 4.2
Qualcomm Snapdragon 439, Adreno 505, 3072
12390 Points +35%
Average Apple A10 Fusion
  (9189 - 15626, n=5)
14249 Points +55%
2560x1440 Sling Shot OpenGL ES 3.0 (sort by value)
Apple iPod Touch 2019
Apple A10 Fusion, A10 Fusion GPU, 2048
3011 Points
Apple iPhone 7
Apple A10 Fusion, A10 Fusion GPU, 2048
2964 Points -2%
Apple iPhone XR
Apple A12 Bionic, A12 Bionic GPU, 3072
5724 Points +90%
Samsung Galaxy A40
Samsung Exynos 7904, Mali-G71 MP2, 4096
807 Points -73%
Nokia 4.2
Qualcomm Snapdragon 439, Adreno 505, 3072
802 Points -73%
Average Apple A10 Fusion
  (2964 - 3672, n=5)
3227 Points +7%
Average of class Smartphone
  (712 - 7285, n=52, last 2 years)
3548 Points +18%
2560x1440 Sling Shot OpenGL ES 3.0 Graphics (sort by value)
Apple iPod Touch 2019
Apple A10 Fusion, A10 Fusion GPU, 2048
5030 Points
Apple iPhone 7
Apple A10 Fusion, A10 Fusion GPU, 2048
4057 Points -19%
Apple iPhone XR
Apple A12 Bionic, A12 Bionic GPU, 3072
7806 Points +55%
Samsung Galaxy A40
Samsung Exynos 7904, Mali-G71 MP2, 4096
702 Points -86%
Nokia 4.2
Qualcomm Snapdragon 439, Adreno 505, 3072
704 Points -86%
Average Apple A10 Fusion
  (4057 - 6095, n=5)
4991 Points -1%
Average of class Smartphone
  (618 - 9451, n=52, last 2 years)
3905 Points -22%
2560x1440 Sling Shot OpenGL ES 3.0 Physics (sort by value)
Apple iPod Touch 2019
Apple A10 Fusion, A10 Fusion GPU, 2048
1251 Points
Apple iPhone 7
Apple A10 Fusion, A10 Fusion GPU, 2048
1525 Points +22%
Apple iPhone XR
Apple A12 Bionic, A12 Bionic GPU, 3072
2960 Points +137%
Apple iPhone 8
Apple A11 Bionic, A11 Bionic GPU, 2048
1774 Points +42%
Samsung Galaxy A40
Samsung Exynos 7904, Mali-G71 MP2, 4096
1687 Points +35%
Nokia 4.2
Qualcomm Snapdragon 439, Adreno 505, 3072
1568 Points +25%
Average Apple A10 Fusion
  (1251 - 1535, n=5)
1465 Points +17%
Average of class Smartphone
  (1093 - 4525, n=52, last 2 years)
3005 Points +140%
2560x1440 Sling Shot OpenGL ES 3.0 Unlimited (sort by value)
Apple iPod Touch 2019
Apple A10 Fusion, A10 Fusion GPU, 2048
3293 Points
Apple iPhone 7
Apple A10 Fusion, A10 Fusion GPU, 2048
3584 Points +9%
Apple iPhone XR
Apple A12 Bionic, A12 Bionic GPU, 3072
7555 Points +129%
Samsung Galaxy A40
Samsung Exynos 7904, Mali-G71 MP2, 4096
930 Points -72%
Nokia 4.2
Qualcomm Snapdragon 439, Adreno 505, 3072
807 Points -75%
Average Apple A10 Fusion
  (3293 - 4190, n=5)
3639 Points +11%
Average of class Smartphone
  (704 - 23024, n=115, last 2 years)
9038 Points +174%
2560x1440 Sling Shot OpenGL ES 3.0 Unlimited Graphics (sort by value)
Apple iPod Touch 2019
Apple A10 Fusion, A10 Fusion GPU, 2048
5331 Points
Apple iPhone 7
Apple A10 Fusion, A10 Fusion GPU, 2048
5859 Points +10%
Apple iPhone XR
Apple A12 Bionic, A12 Bionic GPU, 3072
14085 Points +164%
Samsung Galaxy A40
Samsung Exynos 7904, Mali-G71 MP2, 4096
823 Points -85%
Nokia 4.2
Qualcomm Snapdragon 439, Adreno 505, 3072
712 Points -87%
Average Apple A10 Fusion
  (5141 - 7253, n=5)
6059 Points +14%
Average of class Smartphone
  (607 - 45492, n=114, last 2 years)
15757 Points +196%
2560x1440 Sling Shot OpenGL ES 3.0 Unlimited Physics (sort by value)
Apple iPod Touch 2019
Apple A10 Fusion, A10 Fusion GPU, 2048
1408 Points
Apple iPhone 7
Apple A10 Fusion, A10 Fusion GPU, 2048
1518 Points +8%
Apple iPhone XR
Apple A12 Bionic, A12 Bionic GPU, 3072
2880 Points +105%
Samsung Galaxy A40
Samsung Exynos 7904, Mali-G71 MP2, 4096
1710 Points +21%
Nokia 4.2
Qualcomm Snapdragon 439, Adreno 505, 3072
1516 Points +8%
Average Apple A10 Fusion
  (1408 - 1690, n=5)
1525 Points +8%
Average of class Smartphone
  (1075 - 8749, n=114, last 2 years)
4335 Points +208%
2560x1440 Sling Shot Extreme (ES 3.1) (sort by value)
Apple iPod Touch 2019
Apple A10 Fusion, A10 Fusion GPU, 2048
2367 Points
Apple iPhone XR
Apple A12 Bionic, A12 Bionic GPU, 3072
3629 Points +53%
Apple iPhone 8
Apple A11 Bionic, A11 Bionic GPU, 2048
2421 Points +2%
Samsung Galaxy A40
Samsung Exynos 7904, Mali-G71 MP2, 4096
635 Points -73%
Nokia 4.2
Qualcomm Snapdragon 439, Adreno 505, 3072
441 Points -81%
Average Apple A10 Fusion
  (2367 - 2735, n=3)
2574 Points +9%
Average of class Smartphone
  (286 - 7890, n=102, last 2 years)
2685 Points +13%
2560x1440 Sling Shot Extreme (ES 3.1) Graphics (sort by value)
Apple iPod Touch 2019
Apple A10 Fusion, A10 Fusion GPU, 2048
2949 Points
Apple iPhone XR
Apple A12 Bionic, A12 Bionic GPU, 3072
3806 Points +29%
Apple iPhone 8
Apple A11 Bionic, A11 Bionic GPU, 2048
2581 Points -12%
Samsung Galaxy A40
Samsung Exynos 7904, Mali-G71 MP2, 4096
539 Points -82%
Nokia 4.2
Qualcomm Snapdragon 439, Adreno 505, 3072
366 Points -88%
Average Apple A10 Fusion
  (2949 - 3682, n=3)
3316 Points +12%
Average of class Smartphone
  (240 - 9814, n=102, last 2 years)
2675 Points -9%
2560x1440 Sling Shot Extreme (ES 3.1) Physics (sort by value)
Apple iPod Touch 2019
Apple A10 Fusion, A10 Fusion GPU, 2048
1399 Points
Apple iPhone XR
Apple A12 Bionic, A12 Bionic GPU, 3072
3121 Points +123%
Apple iPhone 8
Apple A11 Bionic, A11 Bionic GPU, 2048
1989 Points +42%
Samsung Galaxy A40
Samsung Exynos 7904, Mali-G71 MP2, 4096
1675 Points +20%
Nokia 4.2
Qualcomm Snapdragon 439, Adreno 505, 3072
1575 Points +13%
Average Apple A10 Fusion
  (1399 - 1509, n=3)
1449 Points +4%
Average of class Smartphone
  (858 - 4679, n=102, last 2 years)
3127 Points +124%
2560x1440 Sling Shot Extreme (ES 3.1) Unlimited (sort by value)
Apple iPod Touch 2019
Apple A10 Fusion, A10 Fusion GPU, 2048
2317 Points
Apple iPhone 7
Apple A10 Fusion, A10 Fusion GPU, 2048
2379 Points +3%
Apple iPhone XR
Apple A12 Bionic, A12 Bionic GPU, 3072
4405 Points +90%
Apple iPhone 8
Apple A11 Bionic, A11 Bionic GPU, 2048
2505 Points +8%
Samsung Galaxy A40
Samsung Exynos 7904, Mali-G71 MP2, 4096
646 Points -72%
Nokia 4.2
Qualcomm Snapdragon 439, Adreno 505, 3072
492 Points -79%
Average Apple A10 Fusion
  (2317 - 2955, n=4)
2626 Points +13%
Average of class Smartphone
  (317 - 20131, n=174, last 2 years)
6545 Points +182%
2560x1440 Sling Shot Extreme (ES 3.1) Unlimited Graphics (sort by value)
Apple iPod Touch 2019
Apple A10 Fusion, A10 Fusion GPU, 2048
2919 Points
Apple iPhone 7
Apple A10 Fusion, A10 Fusion GPU, 2048
3201 Points +10%
Apple iPhone XR
Apple A12 Bionic, A12 Bionic GPU, 3072
5061 Points +73%
Apple iPhone 8
Apple A11 Bionic, A11 Bionic GPU, 2048
2783 Points -5%
Samsung Galaxy A40
Samsung Exynos 7904, Mali-G71 MP2, 4096
549 Points -81%
Nokia 4.2
Qualcomm Snapdragon 439, Adreno 505, 3072
413 Points -86%
Average Apple A10 Fusion
  (2919 - 3852, n=4)
3443 Points +18%
Average of class Smartphone
  (267 - 33376, n=173, last 2 years)
9330 Points +220%
2560x1440 Sling Shot Extreme (ES 3.1) Unlimited Physics (sort by value)
Apple iPod Touch 2019
Apple A10 Fusion, A10 Fusion GPU, 2048
1345 Points
Apple iPhone 7
Apple A10 Fusion, A10 Fusion GPU, 2048
1252 Points -7%
Apple iPhone XR
Apple A12 Bionic, A12 Bionic GPU, 3072
3030 Points +125%
Apple iPhone 8
Apple A11 Bionic, A11 Bionic GPU, 2048
1854 Points +38%
Samsung Galaxy A40
Samsung Exynos 7904, Mali-G71 MP2, 4096
1691 Points +26%
Nokia 4.2
Qualcomm Snapdragon 439, Adreno 505, 3072
1500 Points +12%
Average Apple A10 Fusion
  (1252 - 1627, n=4)
1437 Points +7%
Average of class Smartphone
  (938 - 8480, n=173, last 2 years)
4158 Points +209%
AnTuTu v7 - Total Score (sort by value)
Apple iPod Touch 2019
Apple A10 Fusion, A10 Fusion GPU, 2048
160578 Points
Apple iPhone 7
Apple A10 Fusion, A10 Fusion GPU, 2048
160682 Points 0%
Samsung Galaxy A40
Samsung Exynos 7904, Mali-G71 MP2, 4096
103205 Points -36%
Nokia 4.2
Qualcomm Snapdragon 439, Adreno 505, 3072
77652 Points -52%
Average Apple A10 Fusion
  (160578 - 210596, n=4)
175694 Points +9%
BaseMark OS II
Overall (sort by value)
Apple iPod Touch 2019
Apple A10 Fusion, A10 Fusion GPU, 2048
2747 Points
Apple iPhone 7
Apple A10 Fusion, A10 Fusion GPU, 2048
2999 Points +9%
Apple iPhone XR
Apple A12 Bionic, A12 Bionic GPU, 3072
5721 Points +108%
Samsung Galaxy A40
Samsung Exynos 7904, Mali-G71 MP2, 4096
1679 Points -39%
Nokia 4.2
Qualcomm Snapdragon 439, Adreno 505, 3072
1310 Points -52%
Average Apple A10 Fusion
  (2747 - 3163, n=4)
3002 Points +9%
Average of class Smartphone
  (411 - 11438, n=158, last 2 years)
5704 Points +108%
System (sort by value)
Apple iPod Touch 2019
Apple A10 Fusion, A10 Fusion GPU, 2048
4874 Points
Apple iPhone 7
Apple A10 Fusion, A10 Fusion GPU, 2048
6097 Points +25%
Apple iPhone XR
Apple A12 Bionic, A12 Bionic GPU, 3072
11946 Points +145%
Samsung Galaxy A40
Samsung Exynos 7904, Mali-G71 MP2, 4096
3788 Points -22%
Nokia 4.2
Qualcomm Snapdragon 439, Adreno 505, 3072
2687 Points -45%
Average Apple A10 Fusion
  (4874 - 6820, n=4)
6093 Points +25%
Average of class Smartphone
  (2376 - 16475, n=158, last 2 years)
9621 Points +97%
Memory (sort by value)
Apple iPod Touch 2019
Apple A10 Fusion, A10 Fusion GPU, 2048
1463 Points
Apple iPhone 7
Apple A10 Fusion, A10 Fusion GPU, 2048
1257 Points -14%
Apple iPhone XR
Apple A12 Bionic, A12 Bionic GPU, 3072
3263 Points +123%
Samsung Galaxy A40
Samsung Exynos 7904, Mali-G71 MP2, 4096
1935 Points +32%
Nokia 4.2
Qualcomm Snapdragon 439, Adreno 505, 3072
1316 Points -10%
Average Apple A10 Fusion
  (1257 - 1463, n=4)
1343 Points -8%
Average of class Smartphone
  (670 - 12306, n=158, last 2 years)
6230 Points +326%
Graphics (sort by value)
Apple iPod Touch 2019
Apple A10 Fusion, A10 Fusion GPU, 2048
5111 Points
Apple iPhone 7
Apple A10 Fusion, A10 Fusion GPU, 2048
6896 Points +35%
Apple iPhone XR
Apple A12 Bionic, A12 Bionic GPU, 3072
15969 Points +212%
Samsung Galaxy A40
Samsung Exynos 7904, Mali-G71 MP2, 4096
1114 Points -78%
Nokia 4.2
Qualcomm Snapdragon 439, Adreno 505, 3072
1000 Points -80%
Average Apple A10 Fusion
  (5111 - 6896, n=4)
6411 Points +25%
Average of class Smartphone
  (697 - 58651, n=158, last 2 years)
13900 Points +172%
Web (sort by value)
Apple iPod Touch 2019
Apple A10 Fusion, A10 Fusion GPU, 2048
1562 Points
Apple iPhone 7
Apple A10 Fusion, A10 Fusion GPU, 2048
1531 Points -2%
Apple iPhone XR
Apple A12 Bionic, A12 Bionic GPU, 3072
1722 Points +10%
Samsung Galaxy A40
Samsung Exynos 7904, Mali-G71 MP2, 4096
974 Points -38%
Nokia 4.2
Qualcomm Snapdragon 439, Adreno 505, 3072
834 Points -47%
Average Apple A10 Fusion
  (1531 - 1628, n=4)
1566 Points 0%
Average of class Smartphone
  (10 - 2145, n=158, last 2 years)
1487 Points -5%
Basemark ES 3.1 / Metal - offscreen Overall Score (sort by value)
Apple iPod Touch 2019
Apple A10 Fusion, A10 Fusion GPU, 2048
1353 Points
Apple iPhone 7
Apple A10 Fusion, A10 Fusion GPU, 2048
1322 Points -2%
Apple iPhone 7
Apple A10 Fusion, A10 Fusion GPU, 2048
1059 Points -22%
Apple iPhone XR
Apple A12 Bionic, A12 Bionic GPU, 3072
2754 Points +104%
Samsung Galaxy A40
Samsung Exynos 7904, Mali-G71 MP2, 4096
241 Points -82%
Nokia 4.2
Qualcomm Snapdragon 439, Adreno 505, 3072
133 Points -90%
Average Apple A10 Fusion
  (1059 - 1693, n=5)
1321 Points -2%
Average of class Smartphone
  (177 - 6114, n=61, last 2 years)
2145 Points +59%

Our review unit performed well in browser benchmarks, although it falls well short of the iPhone 7 and its successors. Again, the iPod Touch 2019 holds its own against comparably priced Android smartphones.

Jetstream 2 - Total Score
Average of class Smartphone (13.8 - 351, n=167, last 2 years)
104 Points +92%
Average Apple A10 Fusion (54.2 - 76.2, n=2)
65.2 Points +20%
Apple iPod Touch 2019 (Safari 12)
54.2 Points
Samsung Galaxy A40 (Chrome 73)
22.65 Points -58%
Nokia 4.2 (Chrome 74)
15.92 Points -71%
Octane V2 - Total Score
Apple iPhone XR (Safari Mobile 12.0)
42897 Points +117%
Apple iPhone 8
34163 Points +73%
Average of class Smartphone (4633 - 89112, n=202, last 2 years)
33355 Points +69%
Average Apple A10 Fusion (19783 - 27967, n=5)
25316 Points +28%
Apple iPhone 7 (Safari Mobile 10.0)
24875 Points +26%
Apple iPod Touch 2019 (Safari 12)
19783 Points
Samsung Galaxy A40 (Chrome 73)
7798 Points -61%
Nokia 4.2 (Chrome 74)
4810 Points -76%
Mozilla Kraken 1.1 - Total
Nokia 4.2 (Chrome 74)
9768 ms * -538%
Samsung Galaxy A40 (Chrome 73)
4976 ms * -225%
Average of class Smartphone (388 - 9999, n=165, last 2 years)
1658 ms * -8%
Apple iPod Touch 2019 (Safari 12)
1531 ms *
Average Apple A10 Fusion (1026 - 1531, n=5)
1178 ms * +23%
Apple iPhone 7 (Safari Mobile 10.0)
1113 ms * +27%
Apple iPhone 8
731 ms * +52%
Apple iPhone XR (Safari Mobile 12.0)
610 ms * +60%

* ... smaller is better

Unfortunately, we were unable to objectively assess the speed of our review unit’s internal storage. All our usual benchmarks proved incompatible for some reason, but subjectively the device always handled tasks well and loaded apps without delay. We never experienced any lags or slowdowns either.

Games

The A10 Fusion GPU still proved competent in our gaming tests, with the iPod Touch 2019 averaging around 30 FPS in Asphalt 9: Legends and Arena of Valor. The small display can make some small in-game objects difficult to spot if you are acclimatised to using a modern smartphone, with our review unit feeling cramped in our hands. People with large hands may struggle to see the display through their fingers too.

The touchscreen and associated sensors worked well during our Temple Run 2 tests. The former offers too much resistance for our tastes, but this is only a minor gripe. Overall, the iPod Touch 2019 is a surprisingly good mobile gaming device.

Arena of Valor
Arena of Valor
Asphalt 9: Legends
Asphalt 9: Legends
Temple Run 2
Temple Run 2
05101520253035Tooltip
Apple iPod Touch 2019; Arena of Valor; high HD; 1.29.1307924: Ø29.3 (28-31)
Apple iPod Touch 2019; Arena of Valor; min; 1.29.1307924: Ø29.3 (19-30)
Apple iPod Touch 2019; Asphalt 9: Legends; 1.6.2: Ø29.1 (26-38)

Emissions

Temperature

GFXBench battery test
GFXBench battery test

Most of our review unit runs coolly when idling, although the top third of the display averages around 35 °C, which is a touch hot. The same area exceeds 45°C under load with two areas exceeding 48 °C, temperatures we would typically expect from a gaming laptop and not a multimedia player. This makes the iPod Touch 2019 uncomfortable to hold during prolonged gaming sessions or when using resource-heavy apps.

You should not experience these surface temperatures while playing videos or listening to music though. Likewise, GFXBench battery tests demonstrate that the SoC does not throttle even under sustained load.

Max. Load
 48.4 °C
119 F
38.1 °C
101 F
35 °C
95 F
 
 48.2 °C
119 F
37.1 °C
99 F
35.2 °C
95 F
 
 46.1 °C
115 F
37.3 °C
99 F
35.6 °C
96 F
 
Maximum: 48.4 °C = 119 F
Average: 40.1 °C = 104 F
36.1 °C
97 F
38.7 °C
102 F
42.8 °C
109 F
36.4 °C
98 F
39.2 °C
103 F
43.8 °C
111 F
37.4 °C
99 F
40 °C
104 F
44.7 °C
112 F
Maximum: 44.7 °C = 112 F
Average: 39.9 °C = 104 F
Power Supply (max.)  39.9 °C = 104 F | Room Temperature 21.6 °C = 71 F | Voltcraft IR-260
(-) The average temperature for the upper side under maximal load is 40.1 °C / 104 F, compared to the average of 32.7 °C / 91 F for the devices in the class Smartphone.
(-) The maximum temperature on the upper side is 48.4 °C / 119 F, compared to the average of 35 °C / 95 F, ranging from 21.9 to 56 °C for the class Smartphone.
(±) The bottom heats up to a maximum of 44.7 °C / 112 F, compared to the average of 33.8 °C / 93 F
(+) In idle usage, the average temperature for the upper side is 31.7 °C / 89 F, compared to the device average of 32.7 °C / 91 F.
Heat map of the front of the device under load
Heat map of the front of the device under load
Heat map of the back of the device under load
Heat map of the back of the device under load

Speakers

Pink Noise speaker test
Pink Noise speaker test

The iPod Touch 2019 has a mono speaker, which gets surprisingly loud. The one in our review unit reached a maximum of 81.8 dB(A) in our tests, although it sounds a little thin. The speaker in the iPhone 7, for example, does a better job at reproducing bass tones than the one in the iPod Touch 2019 can, but the latter’s speaker is still listenable. It is not enjoyable to our ears, but it is good enough for occasional use.

Ultimately, external audio equipment will deliver a better listening experience than the mono speaker ever could. The iPod Touch 2019 has a 3.5 mm jack, a Lightning port and Bluetooth for connecting headphones or speakers, all of which worked perfectly during our tests.

dB(A) 0102030405060708090Deep BassMiddle BassHigh BassLower RangeMidsHigher MidsLower HighsMid HighsUpper HighsSuper Highs2043.9492543.641.73138.335.34038.3375041.240.86334.136.7802731.110028.629.412527.930.316026.135.120025.134.4250223631520.541.940020.549.150020.658.863018.659.480018.164.6100018.567125017.968.8160018.671.5200017.873.5250017.573315016.968.4400016.860.750001764.863001769.8800017.273.71000017.172.71250017.164.51600017.356.1SPL66.430.381.8N18.71.447.9median 18.5median 60.7median 64.9Delta4.215.81729.635.529.628.529.528.526.328.226.329.631.529.627.927.427.925.125.725.124.729.424.733.831.333.843.732.143.742.620.442.64620.84647.920.247.950.419.750.451.922.351.960.820.160.866.318.966.367.517.767.567.116.767.166.91766.97014.87072.915.972.965.914.665.971.514.471.574.714.174.774.813.874.873.413.773.472.613.872.662.313.762.355.213.755.255.113.655.183.128.683.154.11.254.1median 65.9median 16.7median 65.910.53.610.5hearing rangehide median Pink NoiseApple iPod Touch 2019Apple iPhone 7
Frequency diagram (checkboxes can be checked and unchecked to compare devices)
Apple iPod Touch 2019 audio analysis

(±) | speaker loudness is average but good (81.8 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(-) | nearly no bass - on average 64.9% lower than median
(+) | bass is linear (0% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(-) | nearly no mids - on average 64.9% lower than median
(+) | mids are linear (0% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(-) | nearly no highs - on average 64.9% lower than median
(+) | highs are linear (0% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(-) | overall sound is not linear (131.6% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 99% of all tested devices in this class were better, 1% similar, 0% worse
» The best had a delta of 12%, average was 38%, worst was 134%
Compared to all devices tested
» 100% of all tested devices were better, 0% similar, 0% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 25%, worst was 134%

Apple iPhone 7 audio analysis

(+) | speakers can play relatively loud (83.1 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(-) | nearly no bass - on average 21.8% lower than median
(±) | linearity of bass is average (9.5% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(+) | balanced mids - only 4.3% away from median
(+) | mids are linear (6% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(±) | higher highs - on average 5.9% higher than median
(±) | linearity of highs is average (8.2% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(±) | linearity of overall sound is average (20.9% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 31% of all tested devices in this class were better, 8% similar, 60% worse
» The best had a delta of 12%, average was 38%, worst was 134%
Compared to all devices tested
» 51% of all tested devices were better, 8% similar, 41% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 25%, worst was 134%

Power Management

Power Consumption

The iPod Touch 2019 is a comparatively economic device with its down-clocked A10 Fusion SoC consuming around 20% less than it does in the iPhone 7. None of our comparison devices hold a candle to the iPod Touch 2019 here, with Android smartphones like the Nokia 4.2 and Galaxy A40 averaging 38% and 79% higher power consumption than our review unit.

Power Consumption
Off / Standbydarklight 0 / 0.07 Watt
Idledarkmidlight 0.7 / 0.9 / 1.2 Watt
Load midlight 2.6 / 5.9 Watt
 color bar
Key: min: dark, med: mid, max: light        Metrahit Energy
Currently we use the Metrahit Energy, a professional single phase power quality and energy measurement digital multimeter, for our measurements. Find out more about it here. All of our test methods can be found here.
Apple iPod Touch 2019
1043 mAh
Apple iPhone 7
1960 mAh
Apple iPhone XR
2942 mAh
Apple iPhone 8
1821 mAh
Samsung Galaxy A40
3100 mAh
Nokia 4.2
3000 mAh
Average Apple A10 Fusion
 
Average of class Smartphone
 
Power Consumption
-20%
-74%
-27%
-79%
-38%
-175%
-55%
Idle Minimum *
0.7
0.54
23%
0.61
13%
0.54
23%
0.8
-14%
0.74
-6%
1.282 ?(0.54 - 2.2, n=5)
-83%
0.894 ?(0.42 - 2.37, n=157, last 2 years)
-28%
Idle Average *
0.9
1.51
-68%
2.67
-197%
1.63
-81%
1.4
-56%
1.9
-111%
3.79 ?(0.9 - 7.8, n=5)
-321%
1.452 ?(0.69 - 4.26, n=157, last 2 years)
-61%
Idle Maximum *
1.2
1.54
-28%
2.69
-124%
1.67
-39%
2.3
-92%
2.21
-84%
4.22 ?(1.2 - 8.2, n=5)
-252%
1.632 ?(0.79 - 4.45, n=157, last 2 years)
-36%
Load Average *
2.6
3.75
-44%
4.34
-67%
2.74
-5%
7.4
-185%
3.04
-17%
6.99 ?(2.6 - 12.6, n=5)
-169%
5.55 ?(2.4 - 16.5, n=157, last 2 years)
-113%
Load Maximum *
5.9
5.01
15%
5.66
4%
7.78
-32%
8.6
-46%
4.15
30%
8.97 ?(5.01 - 12.8, n=5)
-52%
8.23 ?(4.32 - 20.8, n=157, last 2 years)
-39%

* ... smaller is better

Battery Life

Apple promises that the iPod Touch 2019 can get up to 40 hours of music playback and 8 hours of video playback from its tiny 1,043 mAh battery. These estimates usually do not reflect real-world usage, but our review unit achieved a runtime of 8:04 hours in our practical Wi-Fi battery life, so 8 hours of video playback is plausible. We conduct this test by running a script that simulates the load required to render websites while leaving the display at 150 cd/m².

Apple’s decision to throttle the SoC is a blessing for battery life, with the iPod Touch 2019 needing recharging just 33 minutes sooner than the iPhone 7 despite having almost a 50% smaller battery. None of our other comparison devices come close to the iPod Touch here.

Our review unit takes a few hours to charge, for reference. Unfortunately, it does not support quick charging like newer iPhones and Android smartphones do.

Battery Runtime
WiFi Websurfing
8h 04min
Apple iPod Touch 2019
1043 mAh
Apple iPhone 7
1960 mAh
Apple iPhone XR
2942 mAh
Samsung Galaxy A40
3100 mAh
Nokia 4.2
3000 mAh
Battery Runtime
7%
88%
33%
44%
WiFi v1.3
484
517
7%
910
88%
643
33%
696
44%
Reader / Idle
1770
2969
1689
H.264
722
1011
825
Load
126
270
277

Pros

+ decent battery life
+ good performance
+ digital and analogue audio
+ light
+ compact
+ passable rear-facing camera

Cons

- the touchscreen does not always respond well to large hands
- rudimentary navigation controls
- outdated design
- runs warm under load

Verdict

The Apple iPod Touch 2019 (7th generation) review.
The Apple iPod Touch 2019 (7th generation) review.

The iPod Touch is much more than just a music player. Its Wi-Fi connectivity and App Store support make it almost as flexible in many areas as an iPhone or another smartphone. You can check emails, stream movies, take decent photos and download the latest apps or games, which suits some people perfectly.

Of course, the iPod Touch has no LTE modem, which restricts it to connecting to just Wi-Fi networks. Likewise, it has no earpiece, so it cannot make VoIP calls unless you have headphones with an inline microphone connected. The former may not be any issue for many people, as most streaming services let you download content in advance. It is frustrating that services like WhatsApp will not work as you need a mobile phone number.

More than just music: The Apple iPod Touch 2019 (7th generation) is a flexible device but only for people who prefer small devices and do not need mobile connectivity.

The iPod Touch has other drawbacks too. Its small touchscreen does not respond well with big fingers, while the inclusion of just a home button and no gesture controls feels outdated after having used modern iPhones, iPads or Android devices. Moreover, we are not fans of Apple charging up to US$200 more for additional storage.

The US$399 256 GB model offers poor value for money in our opinion with the US$299 128 GB model being a hard sell too. However, the US$199 32 GB model could be a good choice for some people, with it running an up-to-date version of iOS and having more power than many comparably priced Android smartphones. The device even handles gaming well and achieved decent runtimes in our battery life tests. Overall, the iPod Touch 2019 7th generation would be well suited for someone who prefers small devices and can overlook its several shortcomings.

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> Expert Reviews and News on Laptops, Smartphones and Tech Innovations > Reviews > Apple iPod Touch 2019 Review: A music player for gamers
Florian Schmitt, 2019-07-12 (Update: 2019-07-13)