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The Differences between iPhone 5S A1533, A1453, A1457 and A1530

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Now you can grab the new iPhone 5S at an Apple Store or on its online store, however, that’s not the end of the story. Probably you are choosing the wrong iPhone 5S.

I say that because this is the most complicated iPhone’s launch ever. If you choose the wrong iPhone 5S unit, you probably can’t use it on your network. Therefore, you will need to do some research before going to the store.

Apple is offering six iPhone 5S models at the moment. They have similar tech specs and you can’t distinguish them with your eyes. They all have the Retina display, fingerprint identity sensor, dual LED-flash and also include all three color options, which are Space Gray, Gold and Silver.

Real also: The Difference between Apple’s iPhone 5S A7 64-bit Processor and Other 32-bit Processors

The differences come from initial carrier distribution and network support because Apple designs them for different region and mobile operators.

iphone-5s-model-box

Let’s check out those models:

  • Model A1453: This model works on CDMA EV-DO Rev. A and Rev. B system (with 800, 1700/2100, 1900, 2100 MHz bands), it supports 13 LTE bands (Bands 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 8, 13, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26); UMTS/HSPA+/DC-HSDPA (850, 900, 1700/2100, 1900, 2100 MHz) and GSM/EDGE (850, 900, 1800, 1900 MHz). This is the most universal model as it could work on major LTE networks in the U.S., however, it is sold locked on Sprint.
  • Model A1533 (GSM): This is the GSM version of model A1533 which is being sold locked and unlocked for AT&T and T-Mobile. This is also the SIM-free international version of iPhone 5S, which doesn’t include a nano-SIM card. It supports 11 LTE bands LTE (Bands 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 8, 13, 17, 19, 20, 25), UMTS/HSPA+/DC-HSDPA (850, 900, 1700/2100, 1900, 2100 MHz) and GSM/EDGE (850, 900, 1800, 1900 MHz).
  • Model A1533 (CDMA): This is the CDMA version of A1533. It works on CDMA EV-DO Rev. A and Rev. B (800, 1700/2100, 1900, 2100 MHz) and is being sold for Verizon’s customers. It supports 11 LTE Bands (Bands 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 8, 13, 17, 19, 20, 25), UMTS/HSPA+/DC-HSDPA (850, 900, 1700/2100, 1900, 2100 MHz) and GSM/EDGE (850, 900, 1800, 1900 MHz).
  • Model A1457: This is the model for European markets. It supports 7 LTE bands (Bands 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 20) which can work on EE, Vodafone and O2 in the U.K., it also supports UMTS/HSPA+/DC-HSDPA (850, 900, 1900, 2100 MHz) and GSM/EDGE (850, 900, 1800, 1900 MHz).
  • Model A1530: The model is tailored for Asian markets. It supports the 3 TD-LTE bands 38, 39, 40 and 7 FDD-LTE bands 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 20, therefore, it can work well on TD-LTE network of China Mobile, the largest mobile operator in the world. It also supports UMTS/HSPA+/DC-HSDPA (850, 900, 1900, 2100 MHz) and GSM/EDGE (850, 900, 1800, 1900 MHz).
  • Model A1528: This is the unlocked model being sold in China. It is just like the simplified GSM version of A1530 as it doesn’t have LTE bands. It only supports UMTS/HSPA+/DC-HSDPA (850, 900, 1900, 2100 MHz) and GSM/EDGE (850, 900, 1800, 1900 MHz).

iphone-5s-model-number

The model numbers could be confusing but you must be extremely cautious. Make sure to check the model number printed outside the box before buying. Enjoy your iPhone 5S.

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  2. Awwad says

    Hello,here in Europe the model number that being on sale is A1457, I checked LTE support on apple website, and the asian model A1530 includes all the channels being used on the A1457, If I purchase an asian model , it will be compatibil with the European LTE networks? Thanks

    • Tuan Do says

      Hi Awwad,
      If the LTE bands are compatible, there should be no problem.
      I purchased an European model and used it without any problem in Asia.

      • khaled says

        Hi awwad
        dose your iPhone A 1430 work in Europe with LTE network???
        I bought A 1530 and next month i will move to France but i don’t know whether this model will support LTE in Europe or i have to buy A1457???!!!!

  3. Suresh says

    Hi Awwad, can i know, which model(1533 or 1530) is best for srilanka & middle-east ?

    • Ashutosh says

      A1530 is best among all the models, since it works with 3G/4G LTE and works with 2G network also.
      But works for GSM only not CDMA,
      But A1533 works for CDMA only.

      So if the network you are using is CDMA then go for A1533 and if network is GSM then go for A1530.

  4. Marie says

    Hi Tuan, will unlocked iPhone model A1530 from Asia work in the US for AT&T on LTE?

      • Nick says

        I just spent hours trying to figure this all out. I do believe that the A1530 model will get AT&Ts 3G and 4G. Seems like the A1530 is the best bet for those of us who go back and forth. My conclusion is: AT&T (3G or maybe 4G), China Mobile TD-LTE (where it exists)…does that sounds correct to all of you?

      • Tuan Do says

        Yes, Nick.
        That’s correct. AT&T is using the 850/1900MHz bands for HSPA+, so the iPhone A1530 will work great except LTE.

      • Julie says

        Do you possibly know which carriers LTE will work with this model? I’m currently using A1530 in the US with AT&T but I’m searching to see if other carriers would support LTE!

      • Kishan says

        Can i purchase iPhone5s A1530 from apple online store or any apple retail store in Los Angeles, USA ?

  6. Hassi says

    Hello Tuan …..is there any major differences between A1530

    and A1457 ? if not then which model is using in best and feature wise ?

    • Tuan Do says

      Hi Hassi,
      They have the same features, there are just differences in network bands like I mentioned. Which one should you choose? It depends on your carrier.

  7. Middle East says

    Hi

    I need IPhone version which will work on Middle East and in UK.
    Please can you suggest me which version I need to get?

    Thank you

    • Tuan Do says

      I’d suggest iPhone A1457 in the U.K. I’m not really sure about Middle East.
      Someone here could help?

      • Preju says

        Yes, it is working in the middle east region. I have A1457 working perfectly in Bahrain with LTE network.

  9. Ptr says

    Hi! i ve got the A1457, but im little bit confused. obviously its going to work without any problems in Europe. but what if i want to use it with mexican/cuban/morrocan/etc sim card? is it going to work? (i travel a lot in my job)
    as well, dont you know about some dual sim extention for 5S?

    thank you

  10. John says

    So, if I buy the A1457 in the U.S. and use it with, say, Net10 while I am here, will I have LTE when I take it Italy (moving there this spring) and use a Vodafone SIM? This is my first time thinking of a smartphone and I want to get it right. Thanks in advance for your help.

  11. Laleh says

    Hi, i bought an iphone 5s A1533 (GSM) that after several blue screen errors is now freezed. Is there any solution? And if there is any need to change , which countries are reference in middle east?

  12. Sue Ferreira says

    Hi can you tell me which model will work on straight talk in Unity Maine? We run off Verizon and US Cellular towers. T Mobile, Sprint and ATT don’t work here.

  14. Palle says

    Hi Tuan Do..

    Thank you… Great info..

    Living in China I would need to get the A1530 to use China Mobile’s TD-LTE 4G network.

    As I read your informative thread this phone will not be able to support 4G in Europe, as my A1457 does now. Correct?

    My question is therefore if this phone would support normal 3G usage in Europe using my European sim, since both of them supports the same DC-HSDPA frequencies? (Carrier is “Telenor”, Denmark)

    Thanks.

    / Palle

  15. Palle says

    hi Tuan Do..

    Thank you for this great info..

    Obviously I will have to get the A1530 to get access to China Mobile’s TD-LTE 4G New work..

    I currently have a A1457 bought in Europe.. My question is, will the A1530 be able to run 3G in Europe since they share the same DC-HSDPA frequencies.?

    Thanks again.

    Btw.. I found this: apple.com/iphone/LTE/

    This will answer a lot of people’s questions I guess..

    / Palle

  16. Scott Larson says

    I live in India and spend summers in USA. Which model should I purchase? In India I use Airtel and in US i could use T-Mobile or ATT.

  18. khaled says

    Hello Tuan
    I bought A 1530 and next month i will move to France but i don’t know whether this model will support LTE in Europe or i have to buy A1457???!!!!

    • Tuan Do says

      Don’t worry, your iPhone A1530 is perfectly compatible, at least in UK. I’m not sure about LTE in France.

      • khaled says

        Thank you for your quick replay..

        According to Apple most of EU share the same LTE – bands.

      • Tze Wei says

        Hi, have you personally tested A1530 in the UK? I am planning to get a Malaysian version of A1530 to use it on Three mobile which is rolling out 4G in the UK. I just want to be absolutely sure to prevent any inconveniences in the future.

  20. rens says

    Hi Tuan Do,

    Reading your thread and it clarifies a lot, however I still have a question that I can’t seem to figure out

    Will the 5s unlocked model A1435 work on 4G in Europe as well as on China Mobile in China?

    Thanks for your advice!!

  21. Elena says

    Dear all,

    If I buy iphone 5s A1533 will it work with LTE in Europe (UK)?

    Regards,
    Lena

    • Tuan Do says

      Hi Lena,
      Theoretically the A1533 should be compatible with LTE in UK, however, many people reported that it is not. I contacted Vodafone but they haven’t had any comment.

  22. Achilles says

    Hello!
    I am a Greek citizen, i am interested in buying an iphone 5s.
    i was wondering if a friend of mine buy it from a apple.com(american) or apple.ca(canadian)
    and choose the free-sim model- will it be functional for europian use?
    i read your article and this:

    model A1533 (GSM): This is the GSM version of model A1533 which is being sold locked and unlocked for AT&T and T-Mobile. This is also the SIM-free international version of iPhone 5S, which doesn’t include a nano-SIM card. It supports 11 LTE bands LTE (Bands 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 8, 13, 17, 19, 20, 25), UMTS/HSPA+/DC-HSDPA (850, 900, 1700/2100, 1900, 2100 MHz) and GSM/EDGE (850, 900, 1800, 1900 MHz).

    …has pretty much everything a european use model has and maybe even more! since it says sim free the common logic is to go to a local greek carrier and buy a sim card right?
    so if a sim free international is bought will it be fully operational???

    • Tuan Do says

      Yes, it should be fully operational if the A1533 covers all bands of your carrier like you mentioned. Just make sure to get a sim-free unlocked version.

  24. Maximus Flame says

    How do I distinguish which A1533 iPhone I have?
    It’s unlocked but I feel like it could be verizon?

  25. Rishabh says

    Will a A1453 model work in India provided it is unlocked by Sprint for International Use/Turbo sim unlock?

    My Indian carriers are Airtel and Vodafone.

    • Tuan Do says

      Hi Rishabh,
      According to my quick research, there should be no problem if you can unlock the CDMA A1453. However, 4G LTE network won’t work on this phone. You will need to get the A1530 then.

      • Sinvaldo Moreno says

        Hello,

        I was wondering if the A1533 or A1530 is the appropriated to use in Brazil, could you tell me please ? Or there other specific model ?

  27. Rachid says

    Hi all,

    Iam at this moment at the USA for a bussinestrip. During my visit i want to buy an iphone 5s which i want to use in the Netherlands. I know the A1457 model is the one you need for Netherlands (Europe) however that one is not be sold at the US.
    The closest one is the :
    model A1533 (GSM): This is the GSM version of model A1533 which is being sold locked and unlocked for AT&T and T-Mobile. This is also the SIM-free international version of iPhone 5S, which doesn’t include a nano-SIM card. It supports 11 LTE bands LTE (Bands 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 8, 13, 17, 19, 20, 25), UMTS/HSPA+/DC-HSDPA (850, 900, 1700/2100, 1900, 2100 MHz) and GSM/EDGE (850, 900, 1800, 1900 MHz).

    When i compare and look to the delta’s (A1533 vs A1457) then the A1533 is only missing the Band: 7 (2600Mhz). But that band is only used by 1 provider (Tele2) at the Netherlands which is not the common one. Cause i will more operate with the following dutch providers :
    KPN
    Telfort
    T-Mobile
    Vodafone

    So my question is: Will the A1533 work fine for me at the Netherlands?

    Thanks in Advance

    • Bo says

      I’ve the same question. Did you buy the 5s A1533 and did it work out in the Netherlands?

  28. Rachid says

    Hi All,

    Found another type which is also prefered and thats the A1453 model. Does someone have expierience with this model bu using it in Europe?. According to local information this model should also replace the A1457 with only missing of band 7 (2600Mhz)

  29. harold reyes says

    good day sir,what is the right firmware for iphone 5s model A1530? CDMA or GSM ?

  30. Nikola says

    Hi, I’ve just received an IPhone 5s model A1533 (ME296LL/A). I am currently on uk 3 network. I’m asking if this phone I have will def work on my network? and will it still work later this year when they go 4g?
    Thanks

  31. Ruben says

    Hi,
    I just received from my cousin in America an iPhone 5s model A1453, locked with Sprint. He told me to proceed with the factory unlock via the web (cost about 100€) and then I can use it in Europe. It ‘s true?

    • Tuan Do says

      Yes Ruben.
      After unlocking your A1453, you can’t use it on GSM carriers in the US, but it is totally fine overseas.

  32. maziyar says

    Hi, thanks for your great review. it seems the best iphone 5s model is Model A1533 (CDMA) ,
    it supports all the lte bands. its unlocked to gsm , it has cdma, and it would work in USA, Europe and The middle east no problem.
    they only downside is it wont work in china.

    is all above right ?

  33. Manoj Sharma says

    Hi,
    I’m from India where A1530 will work. However, my cousin is visiting US & I want help with which is the best way to get an unlocked iPhone 5S from there? Is it possible to buy a locked one but get it unlocked there itself?? I’ll be using it on GSM network offered by Vodafone (even 3G is erratic here-forget LTE). So, pratically- 2G-3G operations are the norm….Plz suggest the cheapest way ;) Thanks in advance !!!

  34. tameem says

    hi Tuan Do..

    which model if Iphone 5s support GSM and CDMA in middle east (Yemen) please ?

  35. Alik says

    hello, to me sold iphone 5s ME337LL\A model A1453. phone doesn’t see the Russian operators of a cellular network. as to untie it from the American operator and to use

  36. agmyat says

    want to know which iphone 5s can be used in myanmar cdma network?
    if anyone know,help me please?

  37. Joss Acosta says

    Hello I have an a1453 iPhone 5s unlocked, I can’t use 3G gsm either 4g lte, I’m in china and I tried with China mobile and China Unicom and is the same I just can use Edge, why this happens?

    • Tuan Do says

      Yeah that’s right. Your model doesn’t support TD-LTE bands of China Mobile. You should have purchased A1530 instead.

  38. Jennifer G says

    This has been the most useful information I have found on this subject, thank you! So my question:
    I received an A1453 model from a friend who switched to Android. He used the phone on a local Alaska carrier (MTA Wireless), which is a CDMA network. Can I take this phone to AT&T?

    • Tuan Do says

      Hi Jennifer,
      From my knowledge, the A1453 is locked to CDMA network and you won’t be able to use it on AT&T even after it is unlocked.

      • pal says

        Hi,I buy I phone 5s A1453sprint from USA,pls tell me can I use in India,without unlocking,thanks

  39. Memed says

    Hello I’m from Iraq, I have a simple question: – I want to buy iphone 5s model A1530 Is there in this release program face time or not, and I want to recommend whether there is a difference between him and the model A1530………. And thanx

  40. Firdous says

    i would like to know which model number i have to buy to use in RUSSIA ?
    it should work facetime and must support 4g… so pls advise me to buy which model?