What’s New?
The Samsung Galaxy S5, though not a killer device, does offer some new high-end features, such as a fingerprint scanner, a new dashboard that monitors heart rate and an improved camera with new features, such as HDR video.
The device is also a little bigger, with fingerprint scanning available on the home screen, but in all other respects it is similar to the Samsung Galaxy S4.
Specifications – A Comparison
As far as specs of both the devices are concerned, the S5 operates on the latest Android 4.4 KitKat, whereas the S4 runs on Android 4.2.2. The S5 is slightly bigger and weighs more as well at 5.1 ounces compared to 4.6 ounces in case of the S4. The S5 offers a 5.1 inches screen, which is a HD AMOLED display with a resolution of 1080p. The S4 is a 5-inch display screen with HD Super AMOLED and resolution of 1920 x 1080 p. Both offer features supporting 4G LTE and NFC. The S5 has a camera and video of 1080 HD with 16 MP, whereas the S4 is 13 MP with a high definition video of 1080p. Both the devices also have front cameras. A quad core Snapdragon 800 chipset of 2.5GHz powers the Samsung Galaxy S5, whereas Snapdragon 600 with 1.9 GHz powers the S4. Both are offered in capacities of 16GB and 32 GB but the S4 also comes in 64GB. The S5 is expandable up to 126GB whereas 64GB is the maximum in case of the S4. Battery power of the S5 is slightly higher at 2,800 mAh, compared to 2,600 mAh for S4.
Over Hyped
There were a lot of rumors and hype about the Samsung Galaxy S5 after it was finally revealed. It seems to be only a repetition of the Galaxy S line and not a fresh new package that everyone was expecting. Of course, the heart rate sensor and the fingerprint scanner are noteworthy features, in addition to the Android 4.4 KitKat as well as many other special specifications. It is surely an excellent device and manages to keep Samsung on top of the mobile device heap. Yet, the design is not novel enough to beat the competition.
Slight Changes
The design is very similar to the Galaxy S4, with a slight difference in the motif found in the back panel. The color palette has been expanded slightly to bright blue and copper colored phones. The phone still, however, feels plasticky. The Micro USB has now got a cover and the IR blaster has come back. The feature of heart rate monitoring is integrated with the LED flash of the camera. Considering size, the S5 is slightly bigger and due to the additional hardware, it is also bigger and heavier than the S4. One good aspect, however, is that it is waterproof as well as dust proof, so you can go ahead and give it a bath.
Improved TouchWiz
The TouchWiz has been overhauled riding above Android. Though there aren’t any sweeping changes, it has been freshened up with the visuals being redone. It still performs all the functionalities of the Android Operating System and has the quick access features available in the notifications. There are some additional new icons, such as those for Quick Connect and for S Finder.
Verdict
When compared to the S4, the S5 does have some new features with high-end specs. The hardware and the software also seem to be changed. It seems to be worthy of an upgrade. However, the design and the look are the same. If you are interested in the fingerprint scanner or the heart rate monitor features, this device is for you.
