Samsung had huge success with its previous flagship handsets, but is the Galaxy S5 worth the money? Has Samsung provided with any relevant upgrades since the Galaxy S4 that make the extra money worth it? Let’s compare and see.
In size, the Galaxy S5 is a little bit larger than the Galaxy S4. It measures 142 x 73 x 8.1 mm (long, across, deep) vs. the Galaxy S4 that has 137 x 70 x 7.9 mm. Not much of a difference between the two, but still noticeable. In terms of weight the Galaxy S5 is 12 % heavier than its predecessor, 145 g vs. the S4’s 130 g. The build on both devices is plastic, with the only difference being that the S5 has a faux leather coating. which doesn’t look as amazing as Samsung had probably pictured it.
The displays on both devices have little to no difference between them. To be honest, the S4 has a slight edge in terms of ppi, 441 over the S5’s 432, while the S5 is 0.1 inches wider. Both devices feature a resolution of 1920 x 1080 and an aspect ratio of 16:9.
The Galaxy S5 features a brand new fingerprint scanner for enhanced security. It is similar to Apple’s Touch ID, but instead of resting your finger on the home button you are required to swipe it. Samsung went a step further, integrating this feature with PayPal payments. Another improvement of the Galaxy S5 is the heart rate monitor. It connects to TouchWiz’s Health app and the sensor is located below the phone’s rear snapper.
The processor of the new Galaxy S5 doesn’t differ much from the S4. It features a Snapdragon 801, quad-core at 2.5 GHz, while its older brother packs a Snapdragon 600, quad-core at 1.9 GHz. The memory on both devices equals at 2 GB of RAM. Storage wise, the Galaxy S5 goes down a tier. It only features two options, a 16 GB and 32 GB, while its predecessor has three options, 16/32/64 GB. Both of the handsets provide with a microSD card slot that can balance out the lack of internal storage.
The battery capacity is not too different either. The Galaxy S5 features a 2.800 mAh battery, while the S4 has a 2.600 mAh piece. What makes the Galaxy S5 shine in this aspect is its Ultra Power Saving Mode. When turned on it makes the display go black and white, while also shutting down any extra background processes. According to Samsung, using this feature will render the phone usable for up to 24 hours with just 10 % battery life.
The rear snapper on the Galaxy S5 features a small upgrade, 16 MP opposed to 13 MP on the old model and can record 4k videos, while the front camera is the same for both, 2 MP. Both phones feature Infrared blasters, just in case you make use of them as remote controls for whatever devices you have lying around your home. Both handsets are compatible with Samsung Gear.
Considering the upgrades, is it really worth it to buy the new Galaxy S5? Sure the upgrades are there, but some are not very convincing, like the display size and fingerprint sensor for example. The extra features of the Galaxy S5 weigh in the balance, but to what extent? Ultimately it’s up to you if you think the change has any worth. Currently, you can get your hands on the Galaxy S5 for around $500, while last year’s Samsung flagship will set you back $350. Your choice.