Samsung at the Mobile World Congress last month unveiled the Galaxy S5, the company’s next highly anticipated flagship smartphone. When the S5 was announced, the company had very little to show to the world because almost everything was already known about it, all thanks to the numerous rumors related to the smartphone. Some people also regarded the Galaxy S5 as boring, and lacking innovation. But what if you already own a Galaxy S4? In such a case, should you upgrade to the Galaxy S5? Does it makes sense? Well, let’s compare the Galaxy S4 with the newer Galaxy S5 and find out how much Samsung has improved over its predecessor.
Both the Galaxy S4 and the Galaxy S5 are made of polycarbonate plastic, but the S4 has a glossy plastic look while the S5 has matte and rubberized plastic on the back, with a band-aid type texture. Talking about the dimensions, then the Galaxy S5 is only 0.1 inch bigger and also heavier compared to the Galaxy S4.
The Galaxy S5 does come with some unique features such as it is water resistant (IP67 certification), dust proof and also comes with a fingerprint sensor and heart rate monitor.
Tech specs compared: Galaxy S5 vs Galaxy S4
[table] Specs, Samsung Galaxy S5, Samsung Galaxy S4Size, 5.5 x 2.9 x 0.31 in, 5.38 x 2.75 x 0.31 in
Weight, 145 g (5.11 oz), 130 g (4.59 oz)
Screen, 5.1-inch; 1920 x 1080, 5-inch; 1920 x 1080
PPI, 431 ppi,441 ppi
OS, Android 4.4 KitKat, Android 4.4 KitKat
Processor, Qualcomm Snapdragon 801, Quad-core 1.6 GHz
RAM, 2GB, 2GB
4G LTE, Yes, Yes
Rear camera, 16-megapixel, 13-megapixel
Front camera, 2-megapixel, 2-megapixel
Video recording, 1080p HD, 1080p HD
Internal storage, 16GB/32GB, 16GB/32GB/64GB
Expandable storage, Up to 128GB, Up to 64GB
WiFi, 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac
Bluetooth, Yes, Yes
NFC, Yes, Yes
IR Blaster, Yes, Yes
Fingerprint scanner, Yes, No
GPS, “Yes, with GLONASS”, “Yes, with GLONASS”
Battery, Li-Ion 2800mAh, Li-Ion 2600 mAh
[/table]
Conclusion
So if you own a Galaxy S4, then is it really worth upgrading to the Galaxy S5? Well, the hardware is definitely more powerful than its predecessor, but that alone doesn’t mean you should get a S5. The hardware even on the S4 is powerful enough to handle the latest games and apps, plus Samsung will provide the latest Android updates even on the S4. Those who crave the rubberized back can simply get a case with a similar rubberized look which makes the phone less slippery.
Also Read: HTC One M8 vs. Galaxy S5 vs. iPhone 5S: Specs Showdown
The two notable additions like the fingerprint sensor and heart rate monitor are not something you couldn’t live without. If you want to save some bucks, then skip buying the S5 and instead wait for the S6 (or other high-end smartphone) which will be released next year.
