Samsung Galaxy S5 is finally here and that means the Samsung Galaxy S4 is already old news... or so we think. After its successful launch at MWC 2014, all eyes are now on the fifth installment of Samsung's Galaxy S series. But is it really worth the upgrade? Read on as we reveal the features, specs, design and all of the other things you need to know before you even make that purchase.
Samsung Galaxy S5 Design
The Samsung Galaxy S5 didn't really deviate from the Galaxy S3 and S4 in terms of design. The styling elements are almost the same. Technically speaking, the handset comes with the same front design found on its predecessors with only minimal changes on its back. Although we can say that Samsung has finally got rid of its shiny plastic back cover, we can't really tell if the new one is a major upgrade or not. It is basically a rip-off of the back cover of the Note 3. It also has this faux leather feel to it minus the stitches on the side. The physical design is combination of a golf ball and band-aid that gives the handset a "grippable" feel and at the same time that rather awkward look. The metal surround of the device is very similar to the one found on the Samsung Galaxy Note 3. What's good about the design of this device though is the fact that Samsung has made is water-resistant, making it a rival to its predecessor the Samsung Galaxy S4 Active and the Sony Xperia Z1.
Samsung Galaxy S5 Release Date
It's a bit sickening that mobile companies are now making it a trend to release new smartphones on an annual basis, so we were not really that surprised that the Samsung Galaxy S5 has already been launched. Nevertheless, it seems that Samsung is tired of thinking of new tricks for its launching strategy instead it silently introduced its newest flagship device at Samsung's "Unpacked 5" event on February 24. Now, Samsung fans can only wait for the handset to land supply chains and stores for their convenience. According to TechRadar, the Samsung Galaxy S5 "won't be ready until the end of March" at the earliest, but the Korean company has already announced that the official release date for the device is actually on April.
Samsung Galaxy S5 Display
While many of us were expecting a major leap from the screen size of the Galaxy S4, it seems that Samsung couldn't think of better screen size options than adding .1 inch to its 5' screen. Then there is the disappointing display quality. Prior to its launching, Galaxy S5 rumors claim that the all-new device is going to flaunt a 2K QHD display, but as it turns out, Samsung is keeping the Full HD Super AMOLED. Although this not a downgrading as it sounds, this translates to 415ppi, which is slightly lower than the 441ppi screen resolution of the Samsung Galaxy S4. The redeeming quality of the display however is the fact that it is dust and water resistant.
Samsung Galaxy S5 Processor
Apple's latest installment has absolutely slammed all other smartphones on benchmarking tests with its 64-bit A7 processor. Thus, Samsung fans were very eager to find out what the company is planning to stuff into its newest Android smartphone. The Samsung Galaxy Note 3 was very successful with its 2.3GHz quad-core processor and 3GB of RAM, so anything less would be disappointing. According to International Business Times, Samsung has propose a number of high-end chipsets including Qualcomm Snapdragon 800, the Qualcomm Snapdragon 805, and the Samsung Exynos 5422. However, Samsung has decided to stick to 2GB of RAM, which is not really a big issue but could be a major setback given the fact that the handset has a new TouchWiz UI.
Samsung Galaxy S5 OS
And yes! The Samsung Galaxy S5 will come with Android 4.4.2 Kitkat, the newest Android version that was launched last October 2013. However, as expected, Samsung has placed its TouchWiz interface on top of the Android 4.4.2 Kitkat OS. The biggest change on the interface can be found on the notifications bar, which now looks far different from any other standard Android-running smartphone. Additionally, the icons on the Samsung Galaxy S5 are believed to be inspired from the Tizen OS, which is obviously something new for Samsung.
Samsung Galaxy S5 Camera Technology
The Samsung Galaxy S5 is obviously packing better camera technology compared to its predecessors. The Galaxy S4 became more remarkable all thanks to its 13MP shooter, but the S5 is said to soar higher with its 16MP snapper. As of late, fans can expect that the newest handset from the Korean smartphone company is going to sport a 16MP rear-facing camera and a 2MP front-facing shooter. Similar to LG G2's camera, the Galaxy S5 will have HDR and selective focus. It will be capable of shooting 4K video at 30fps. Furthermore, the device will come with the new "reflector-integrated flash LED," which simply means a wider field of view and better daylight and night-time photos.
Samsung Galaxy S5 Fingerprint Scanner Technology
Apple undeniably ruled the smartphone market with its latest release, which received much hype because of its fingerprint scanner technology. Samsung is now gearing to match Apple by incorporating the fingerprint scanner technology to its newest Galaxy S installment. Several sources including PhoneArena claim that aside from the physical home button, part of the screen will serve as an extension of the fingerprint scanner. The scanner allows users to log into the device without much effort. It is also a convenient way to wake the phone up. While it is far from Apple's TouchID, it gives the Samsung Galaxy S5 an identity of its own.
Samsung Galaxy S5 Battery
Finally, the last thing and sometimes the first thing that consumers look at in a smartphone is obviously the battery. While the rumor mill was filled with statements claiming that the newest device will sport a 3000 mAh battery, Samsung has actually decided to have a 2800mAh battery, which is not that impressive but is quite decent enough since the company claims that it can support 390 hrs of standby time or 21 hrs of talk time.
