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The highly-anticipated Samsung Galaxy S5 has been on the market for a couple of months now, and it is a far cry from what its early predecessors brought to the table. The ever-evolving Galaxy S series has changed what users want in an Android phone and set a new smartphone standard among its competitors.
As the top-of-the-line phone for Android users, the Galaxy S5 is sure to be a best-seller. Samsung is so confident in the Galaxy S5 that it expects to sell as many as 35 million phones its first three months. But how does the S5 compare to the iPhone 5s and the HTC One M8? Let’s take a look at some of the new features in this Samsung Galaxy S5 Review.
Samsung Galaxy S5 Screen Size
Samsung set the trend in smartphone display sizes by increasing the original 4-inch Galaxy S to the current 5.1-inch Galaxy S5. Even Apple followed this trend and increased their display sizes with the iPhone 5.
Specifications & Features
While the Galaxy S5 still feels like a plastic phone, it comes with some great features such as a heart rate monitor, a fingerprint scanner and a new version of TouchWiz UI. The basic specifications and features, however, include:
- 5.1-inch, 1920×1080, 432 PPI display
- Quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 2.5GHz processor
- 16GB or 32GB storage with 128GB expandable via microSD
- 2MP front-facing and 16MP rear-facing camera
- 2GB RAM
- 2,800mAh battery life
- Ultra power-saving mode
- Water- and dust-resistant
- Features Milk Music streaming (U.S. customers only)
The Galaxy S5 also comes with a few secret features:
- Can’t find a stylus? No problem. Use a sharp No. 2 pencil and draw on the screen. Don’t worry, it won’t scratch it.
- Change the display color temperature of the S5’s AMOLED screen by changing its screen mode (in Settings) to “Professional Photo.” This will give you truer whites while lessening the intensity of some colors.
- Make your photos password-protected private by long-pressing an image, hitting the menu button and choosing “Move to Private.” A great feature for anyone who has ever lost their phone before.
- Coupon clippers can download the Samsung Wallet app with loads of coupons that can be scanned and used at grocery stores.
Revolutionary Design
Today’s smartphones typically don’t come out with features so new or revolutionary that it makes consumers stop and stare. But with the Samsung Galaxy S5’s thinner profile, faster processor, longer battery life, higher camera megapixel and native software feature including a heart rate monitor, you can’t help but giving the S5 a second look.
It’s even water-resistant. For those who have a habit of dropping their phones into a sink of water (or the toilet — yuck), the S5’s water-resistant case allows the phone to be immersed for 30 minutes in up to one meter of water.
Like its predecessors, though, the S5 has a removable back cover and exchangeable battery. Visually, the core apps have been redesigned to be more appealing, and there’s a fresh look to the apps menu.
Price-wise, the S5 is about $200 cheaper than previous models. As with most smartphones in the US, you can save a ton of money by signing a multi-year contract. All major US-based mobile phone carriers, like AT&T, Sprint, Verizon, and T-Mobile, will carry the S5. Shop around. You might want to switch carriers or use a deal from another carrier as leverage against your current carrier. Otherwise, the S5 will cost you around $650 off-contract.
Samsung Galaxy S5 Review: Final Thoughts
So what do you think? Is the S5 an exciting update to the Galaxy series? Are you currently an iPhone user? Would you ever switch to Android? Please tell us about it in the comments below.
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