The Samsung Galaxy S5 is Samsung's latest attempt to grab your attention, and after going through the spec sheet, there is a fair bit here worth talking about. Announced in 2014, February. Released 2014, April, it arrives at a time when the competition is as tight as ever.
Design & Display
The Samsung Galaxy S5 comes with a 5.1 inches, 71.7 cm 2 (~69.6% screen-to-body ratio) display, pushing a resolution of 1080 x 1920 pixels, 16:9 ratio (~432 ppi density), which is more than sharp enough for everyday use, streaming and a bit of gaming. The build feels well put together, and Samsung has clearly paid attention to the in-hand feel. You can pick it up in a few finishes, including Charcoal Black.
Performance & Software
Powering the Samsung Galaxy S5 is the Qualcomm MSM8974AC Snapdragon 801 (28 nm), paired with 2GB of RAM. That combination should handle day-to-day multitasking and most games without breaking a sweat. 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
There is a Li-Ion 2800 mAh, removable battery inside. With moderate use you can expect to end the day with charge to spare.
Our Opinion
So, what do we actually make of the Samsung Galaxy S5? Samsung has clearly gone for substance over gimmicks here, and we respect that approach. It gets the basics right, offering a dependable main camera, a crisp display, which is exactly what most buyers are really after. For someone who simply wants a dependable daily driver that will not let them down halfway through the day, this ticks a lot of boxes. You could nitpick a few things, as you can with any phone in this bracket. But taken as a whole, the Samsung Galaxy S5 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.
