With the Samsung Galaxy S5 Sport, Samsung is clearly aiming at buyers who want a well-rounded phone without too many compromises. Here is our take on what it brings to the table. Announced in 2014, June. Released 2014, June, it arrives at a time when the competition is as tight as ever.
Design & Display
The Samsung Galaxy S5 Sport comes with a 5.1 inches, 71.7 cm 2 (~67.3% screen-to-body ratio) display, pushing a resolution of 1080 x 1920 pixels, 16:9 ratio (~432 ppi density). Colours look punchy and text stays clean, so you will not have much to complain about here. In terms of design, the Samsung Galaxy S5 Sport keeps things modern and comfortable to hold. You can pick it up in a few finishes, including Electric Blue.
Performance & Software
At the heart of it sits the Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 (28 nm), paired with 2GB of RAM, which means smooth scrolling, quick app switching and no real hiccups in normal use. It runs Android 4.4.2 (KitKat), upgradable to 6.0 (Marshmallow), TouchWiz UI out of the box, so the software experience feels current.
Camera
Photography is handled by a main 16 MP shooter that should cover most situations, from daylight shots to the occasional low-light frame. It is not a pro camera rig, but for everyday memories it gets the job done nicely.
Battery
Keeping the lights on is a Li-Ion 2800 mAh, removable cell, and that is a healthy number that keeps range anxiety at bay.
Our Opinion
So, what do we actually make of the Samsung Galaxy S5 Sport? This is a phone that does not try to be the flashiest option on the shelf, and honestly that works in its favour. It gets the basics right, offering a dependable main camera, a crisp display, which is exactly what most buyers are really after. In day-to-day use it feels like the kind of device you can rely on, whether you are replying to messages, scrolling through social media, watching videos or taking the odd photo. You could nitpick a few things, as you can with any phone in this bracket. But taken as a whole, the Samsung Galaxy S5 Sport is a sensible, well-judged choice that should keep most users happy for a good while. If you have used this device or are planning to pick one up, do let us know your thoughts in the comments section below.
