Samsung Galaxy Alpha vs Samsung Galaxy S5 - Comparison. Samsung Galaxy Alpha vs Samsung Galaxy S5 - Comparison Software and Unusual Features

Detailed testing one of the most anticipated smartphones of the new season

Of course, one of the most long-awaited and expected new products among mobile devices of the coming year should be considered next update flagship line Samsung smartphones— Galaxy S5. The new product does not need any special introduction - in recent years, the Korean company Samsung Electronics has managed not only to become scandalously famous due to countless lawsuits with rival American Apple, but also to occupy, along with it, one of the leading places in the world market for the sale of tablets and, of course , smartphones.

From left to right: Samsung Galaxy Note 3, Galaxy S5, Galaxy S4, Apple iPhone 5s

By the way, in recent years the Koreans have firmly accustomed users to the idea that Samsung always has two flagship smartphones on the market at the same time. They are representatives of two top product lines moving in parallel courses - Galaxy Note and Galaxy S. Not so long ago there was another update to the line of tablet phones - a smartphone went on sale Samsung Note 3, about which we wrote so much at one time. Now it’s time for a series of smartphones to be updated with a more “civilized” design.

Samsung Galaxy S5 and Galaxy S4

The Galaxy S series smartphones have always been very different from their semi-tablet counterparts from the Note line precisely in size - they were quite elegant devices in terms of dimensions. However, with the release of the Galaxy S5, it must be admitted that the distance separating them is shrinking more and more. Moreover, not only the sizes of each successive representative of the Galaxy S line are becoming larger, but also in the Note line they are consistently decreasing. Galaxy Note 3 has become the smallest among its brothers, and the Galaxy S5, on the contrary, has acquired such large dimensions that it’s time to think: what, exactly, is the difference between the modern representatives of the two lines? Their performance is absolutely the same, the design is similar, the price is the same, and we have already said about the sizes. Is the whole difference now just the presence or absence of an electronic pen?

Samsung Galaxy S5 and Galaxy Note 3

In any case, you shouldn’t expect a special technological breakthrough from the new flagship of the Galaxy S line. New technological discoveries have not yet been made, but everything discovered has already been put into practice, and now they are sharpening, finishing, polishing - improving functionality. And we’re not just talking about Samsung devices - the entire market as a whole is now waiting for something new. This, by the way, is clearly visible in the example of the last two world IT exhibitions, held at the beginning of the year in Las Vegas and Barcelona. The products of the Korean company are no exception: hardware and technically new flagship not much different from the previous one (Samsung Galaxy S4) - now the focus is on improving functionality. Ultra-fast data transfer capabilities, an updated camera control program interface, a wide selection of fitness applications, a heart rate monitor, a fingerprint scanner, as well as agreements with the world's leading content and service providers to pre-install a host of various applications with a long-term prepaid subscription - that's what , which is what Samsung is now working on. Gigabytes and gigahertz somehow suddenly faded into the background, which is probably for the best. Surprisingly, the Koreans didn’t even add RAM to their new flagship - the Galaxy S5 still has 2 GB of RAM, although the new product still has some changes in hardware.

Main characteristics of Samsung Galaxy S5 (model SM-G900F)

	Samsung Galaxy S5	LG G2	TCL Idol X+	Lenovo Vibe Z (K910)	Samsung Galaxy Note 3 (N9005)
Screen	5.1″, Super AMOLED	5.2″, IPS	5″, IPS	5.5″, IPS	5.7″ Super AMOLED
Permission	1920×1080, 432 ppi	1920×1080, 424 ppi	1920×1080, 440 ppi	1920×1080, 400 ppi	1920×1080, 386 ppi
SoC	Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 (4 Krait 400 cores) @2.5 GHz		MediaTek MT6592 (8 cores ARM Cortex-A7) @2.0 GHz	Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 (4 Krait 400 cores) @2.2 GHz	Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 (4 Krait 400 cores) @2.2 GHz
GPU	Adreno 330	Adreno 330	Mali 450MP4	Adreno 330	Adreno 330
RAM	2 GB	2 GB	2 GB	2 GB	3 GB
Flash memory	16 GB	16/32 GB	16 GB	16 GB	16—64 GB
Memory card support	microSD	—	—	—	microSD
operating system	Google Android 4.4	Google Android 4.2	Google Android 4.2	Google Android 4.2	Google Android 4.3
Battery	removable, 2800 mAh	non-removable, 3000 mAh	non-removable, 2500 mAh	non-removable, 3050 mAh	removable, 3200 mAh
Cameras	rear (16 MP; 4K video), front (2 MP)		rear (13 MP; video 1080p), front (2 MP)	rear (13 MP; video 1080p), front (5 MP, video 1080p)	rear (13 MP; 4K video), front (2 MP, 1080p video)
Dimensions	142×73×8.1 mm, 145 g	139×71×8.9 mm, 143 g	140×69×7.9 mm, 120 g	149×77×7.9 mm, 147 g	151×79×8.3 mm, 168 g
average price	T-10725078	T-10505130	T-10632117	T-10516952	T-10545574
Samsung Galaxy S5 offers	L-10725078-10

• SoC Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 (MSM8974AC), 4 Krait 400 cores, 2.5 GHz
• GPU Adreno 330, 578 MHz
• operating room Android system 4.4.2 Kitkat
• Touch display Super AMOLED, 5.1″, 1920×1080, 432 ppi
• RAM(RAM) 2 GB, inner memory 16 GB
• Map support microSD memory up to 128 GB
• Networks 2G, 3G, 4G (LTE Cat.4, up to 150/50 Mbit/s)
• Bluetooth 4.0 BLE/ANT+
• USB 3.0, OTG, MHL
• Wi-Fi 802.11a/b/g/n/ac HT80, MIMO (2x2), point Wi-Fi access
• NFC, infrared
• GPS (A-GPS), Glonass
• 16 MP camera, autofocus, LED flash, UHD video (4K) 30 fps
• Camera 2 MP (front)
• Accelerometer, gyroscope, distance sensor, compass, barometer, Hall sensor (magnetic field), light sensor, gesture sensor (infrared), fingerprint scanner, heart rate sensor
• Dust and moisture protection according to IP67 standard
• Li-ion battery 2800 mAh
• Dimensions 142×72.5×8.1 mm
• Weight 145 g

Appearance and ease of use

As already mentioned, the new model of the Galaxy S series has become significantly larger in size than the previous one. It feels like the smartphone in your hand has finally crossed that invisible line called “a little more and it will be too much”: now the device has become really bulky and surprisingly heavy. For the breast pocket of a shirt, for example, this is now certainly an inaccessible guest, although, of course, people who are determined to follow the path of life with a “shovel” at the ready will not feel anything unusual in the size of the new Galaxy S. Still, it is smaller than the Galaxy Note 3, although the difference is already minimal. And yet, it is still not clear why it was necessary, with almost identical screens, to make the new model so much larger than the previous one. On the Galaxy S4, for example, the side frames are only 3 mm wide, but on the Galaxy S5 they suddenly grew to 4 mm, the same goes for the top and bottom parts of the frame - they also suddenly became much wider, although the screen itself is practically the same size. changed.

Concerning appearance, then here the developers clearly adhere to a single design line: metal and leather, leather and metal - they are now used in all mobile devices companies (including numerous wearable gadgets). It’s just a pity that at the exorbitant prices at which current flagships are sold, the company was greedy to provide real leather - maybe then these devices would look truly stylish. But no, as in previous times, ordinary molded plastic is used here to create the appearance that the back wall of the smartphone is made of leather. The texture on the plastic is different from that of the Galaxy Note 3: here they used a kind of pseudo-embossing, as if a pattern of numerous dots was pressed into the leather. Looks nice and fresh, at least better than glossy plastic, for a long time adorning the surfaces of all Galaxy S and Galaxy Notes.

As for metal, there is none here either: the shiny “chrome” rim around the entire perimeter of the case (exactly the same as on previous models, only with a different pattern) is a coating on plastic, not real metal. This bezel, by the way, has also become much wider and even thicker, adding bulk to the smartphone as a whole.

The surface of the rim is quite slippery - due to it, as well as due to its considerable mass, it is rather inconvenient to lift the device from the table surface, since the fingers do not feel a confident grip.

The back cover is easily removed from the case and just as easily put on - it is traditionally attached to several plastic latches, with a barely noticeable ledge for hooking with a fingernail. Under the cover are hidden slots for SIM cards and memory cards, located in a “sandwich” one above the other.

Below there is a compartment for a removable battery- it supports the cards, but the memory card can still be replaced “hot”. The device uses only one SIM card, Micro-SIM format; a microSD memory card can be used here with a capacity of up to 128 GB.

On the back of the smartphone there is a square window for the camera module, it is quite large in size, and there is an LED flash next to it. Below in the recess you can see the eyes of the sensor for measuring the pulse. The heart rate sensor chamber is recessed into the body, and it also has its own backlight - a small LED element illuminates the blood vessels of the finger applied to the camera, while it counts heartbeats. Even lower is a hole for sound output from the ringing speaker with a slightly curved rod, and the whole thing is decorated with a silver chrome-plated company logo.

The front panel has not undergone significant changes - this is a completely recognizable element of all Samsung mobile devices. It stands out, first of all, for its elongated mechanical key under the screen, which this time has received additional functionality. This button is also responsible for scanning a fingerprint - now no one can blame Koreans for not having golden smartphone with fingerprint scanner. Unlike the iPhone scanner, here you can’t just put your finger on it: you need to move it along the key, and even at the right speed - if you rush, you can fail. In this regard, the iPhone scanner looks preferable: not only do you not need to move your finger, but you can also place your finger on the button at any angle, which allows you to hold the device with any comfortable grip. In the case of the Samsung Galaxy S5 scanner, you will have to hold the device with one hand and swipe the sensor with the other, which is very tedious, and most users will most likely simply disable this function.

The touch buttons next to the mechanical ones have a bright white backlight with an adjustable glow time, which is commendable. Above, above the screen, you can see a longitudinal slot in the protective glass for sound output from the earpiece, with little eyes visible next to it front camera and sensors. There is also led indicator notification, which lights up in different colors depending on the charging status and incoming events - its functions can be configured: disabled or enabled individually.

There are two buttons on the side faces of the device: on the left - volume control, on the right - power and lock. The large metallic keys of all Samsung smartphones have a soft stroke and distinct pressing, they are perfectly located blindly, and in general, in this regard, the products of the Korean company are one of the best on the market.

At the top end, a headphone jack (3.5 mm) and an infrared transmitter eye, which serves to control various equipment as a remote control, are comfortably located next to each other. The corresponding proprietary software called Smart Remote passes from model to model - naturally, it is there too. Functionality Smart programs Remote is at its best: it is not only capable of connecting a smartphone using infrared port with any technology, but can also act as an interactive program guide.

At the bottom end, the USB 3.0 connector is covered with a metalized cover with a rubber gasket - it protects the smartphone from dust and moisture getting inside. Yes, yes, the new flagship of the Galaxy S line has finally acquired dust and moisture protection according to the IP67 standard. In principle, the previous model also had it, but there it was a separate branch of the line called Galaxy Active. The protection in the Galaxy S5 is arranged in the same way as there: a rubber gasket is glued to the inner surface of the back cover, and the connectors are closed with special plugs. It's nice that every time you put it on back cover or the plug is removed from the Micro-USB connector, the smartphone itself reminds you to close the protective covers (the reminder can be turned off).

And finally, about the best part: now the Galaxy S line has a new color - gold. In addition to this, there are three more colors on sale that have previously graced Samsung’s flagship devices (for example, the Galaxy S3). By tradition, they were given romantic names: Charcoal Black (black), Sparkling White (white), Electric Blue (light blue) and Copper Gold (golden). For additional jewelry, in particular a keychain or strap, no fastenings are provided.

Screen

The Samsung Galaxy S5 smartphone is equipped with a Super AMOLED touch matrix. The screen dimensions are 63x113 mm, diagonal - 5.1 inches, resolution - 1920x1080 pixels. Such a parameter as the pixel density per inch is equal to 432 ppi here - the pixel density is very high.

The screen is covered from the outside protective glass. The thickness of the side frames from the edge of the screen to the edge of the body is approximately 4 mm; the frames are not very narrow; they were smaller in the previous model.

The display brightness can be adjusted manually, or you can use automatic adjustment. Multi-touch technology here allows you to process up to 10 simultaneous touches. The screen can be operated with gloved hands, and it becomes more sensitive to any touch, so the settings prudently leave the option to disable this function. The smartphone also has a proximity sensor that blocks the screen when you bring the smartphone to your ear.

Detailed examination using measuring instruments conducted by the editor of the “Monitors” and “Projectors and TV” sections Alexey Kudryavtsev. Here is his expert opinion on the screen of the sample under study.

The front surface of the screen is made in the form of a glass plate with a mirror-smooth surface that is scratch-resistant. Judging by the brightness of reflected objects, there is a very effective anti-glare filter that is superior in reducing reflection brightness to the screen filter of Google Nexus 7 (2013) (hereinafter simply Nexus 7). For clarity, here is a photo in which a white surface is reflected when the screens are turned off (on the left is Nexus 7, on the right is Samsung Galaxy S5, then they can be distinguished by size):

Due to the slight difference in the color tone of the reflection and frames, it is difficult to visually assess the amount of reduction in the brightness of the reflection, however, statistics from graphic editor shows that the S5's screen is indeed slightly darker than that of the Nexus 7. The ghosting of reflected objects is very weak, which indicates that there is no air gap between the layers of the screen. The outer surface of the screen has a special oleophobic (grease-repellent) coating (very effective, maybe a little better than Google Nexus 7), so fingerprints are removed much easier and appear at a lower speed than with regular glass.

When the white field was displayed in full screen and with manual brightness control, its maximum value was 340 cd/m², the minimum was 2 cd/m². Despite not the highest brightness value, even in bright daylight You can use your smartphone, as an effective anti-glare filter helps. You also need to take into account the fact that in this case, the smaller the white area on the screen, the brighter it is, that is, the actual maximum brightness of the white areas will almost always be higher than the specified value. For example, when outputting white on half the screen, the maximum brightness with manual adjustment increases to 360 cd/m². Low brightness mode allows you to use your smartphone even in complete darkness without any problems. There is automatic brightness adjustment based on the light sensor (it is located to the right of the front speaker). You can make adjustments to the operation of this function by moving the setting slider away from −5 before +5 units. Below, for three conditions, we present the screen brightness values ​​for three values ​​of this setting - for −5 , 0 And +5 . In complete darkness in automatic mode the brightness is reduced to 4, 9 and 16 cd/m² respectively (generally a bit dark), in an artificially lit office environment (approximately 400 lux) the brightness is set to 100, 180 and 270 cd/m² (acceptable), in a brightly lit environment (corresponding to lighting on a clear day outdoors, but without direct sunlight - 20,000 lux or a little more) - rises to 420-425 cd/m² for all three correction values, which is above the maximum for manual adjustment and should be enough to ensure readability in the sun. In principle, the result of this function is as expected. When brightness decreases, modulation appears at a frequency of 240 Hz. The figure below shows brightness (vertical axis) versus time (horizontal axis) for three brightness settings:

It can be seen that at maximum brightness there is practically no modulation (the amplitude is insufficient for flicker to be visually distinguishable), but at medium and low brightness the relative modulation amplitude is high, so image flickering can be seen in a test for the presence of a stroboscopic effect or simply with rapid eye movement. Depending on individual sensitivity, this flickering may cause increased fatigue.

This smartphone uses a Super AMOLED matrix - an active matrix based on organic light-emitting diodes. A full-color image is created using subpixels of three colors - red (R), green (G) and blue (B), but there are twice as many green subpixels, which can be referred to as RGBG. This is confirmed by a fragment of a microphotograph:

(For comparison, you can see the gallery of microphotographs of screens used in mobile technology.)

For such matrices, Samsung introduced the name PenTile RGBG. The manufacturer calculates the screen resolution based on the green subpixels; based on the other two, it will be two times lower. The location and shape of the subpixels in this version is similar to that in the case of the Samsung Galaxy S4 screen. This version of PenTile RGBG is better than the old one with red squares, blue rectangles and stripes of green subpixels. However, some unevenness of contrast borders and other artifacts are still present. For example, when outputting a black and white world through one pixel (the original can be taken from here) vertical lines look uneven, and the horizontal ones are low-contrast and separated not by white, but by a greenish space. A fragment (the original photo is available at the link) of the macrophotography reveals the reason:

It can be seen that the vertical lines have a black gap and that the sum of the colors of the subpixels can be considered white, but due to the red subpixels on one side there is some unevenness of the lines. When horizontal lines there is neither a white gap (there are green subpixels) nor a black gap (there are red and blue subpixels). However, these artifacts are of purely academic interest, since in mobile use it is extremely difficult to visually distinguish such small details. As a result, the resolution margin cancels out the “features” of the PenTile RGBG matrix.

The screen is characterized by excellent viewing angles, although the white color acquires a slight tint when deviated to relatively large angles, but the black color is simply black at any angle (although the reflection from bright objects has a bluish halo that is more elongated horizontally, which is why there are black areas in the light may lighten slightly and acquire a “metallic” tint). So black that the contrast parameter is simply not applicable in this case. When viewed perpendicularly, the uniformity of the white field is excellent. For comparison, here are photographs in which Samsung screens The Galaxy S5 and the second competitor displayed the same images, with the screen brightness set to approximately 210 cd/m². There is a white field perpendicular to the screens:

One can note the excellent uniformity of brightness and color tone of the white field. And a test picture (in mode Standard):

Color rendition is clearly not bad, but despite all the conventions of forced color balance in the camera, set to 6500 K, it is clear that the colors of the S5 are clearly “cooler” and have too high saturation. Now at an angle of approximately 45 degrees to the plane and to the side of the screen. White field:

The brightness at an angle for both screens has noticeably decreased (to avoid strong darkening, the shutter speed was doubled compared to the previous two photographs), but in Samsung case The drop in brightness is much less pronounced. And a test picture:

It can be seen that the colors did not “float” on all screens and the brightness of the Samsung S5 at an angle is noticeably higher.

Switching the state of the matrix elements is carried out almost instantly, but at the front of switching on (and less often, switching off) there may be a step (or two) with a width of 16.7 ms (corresponding to a screen refresh rate of 60 Hz). For example, this is what the dependence of brightness on time looks like when moving from black to a shade of 25% (according to the numerical value of the color) and back:

In some conditions, the presence of such a step can lead to plumes trailing behind moving objects, but in normal use these artifacts are almost impossible to see. Quite the contrary - dynamic scenes in films on OLED screens are distinguished by high clarity and even some “jerky” movements.

The ability to customize color rendering is implemented on the page with a selection of profiles, one of which involves some kind of automatic adjustment (profile Adapt Display):

In case one of the three fixed profiles is selected, except the profile Dynamic, constructed using 32 points with equal intervals according to the numerical value of the shade of gray, the gamma curve did not reveal any blockage in either highlights or shadows, and the index of the approximating power function is 2.28-2.30, which is slightly higher than the standard value of 2.2 , while the real gamma curve practically does not deviate from the power-law dependence:

For profile Dynamic The gamma curve has a slight S-shape, which increases the apparent contrast of the image. Let us recall that in the case of OLED screens, the brightness of image fragments dynamically changes in accordance with the nature of the displayed image - it decreases for generally light images and increases for dark ones. As a result, the resulting dependence of brightness on hue (gamma curve) most likely slightly does not correspond to the gamma curve of a static image, since the measurements were carried out with sequential display of shades of gray on almost the entire screen. This image dynamism increases when you select the option Auto tuning screen brightness. Below are the dependences of brightness on time obtained when switching from a black field to a white field and back with the option turned off and on Auto tuning screen brightness:

In the second case, the brightness begins to decrease after some time. The picture is slightly darkened, but energy is saved a little.

Color gamut for profiles Dynamic, Standard And Professional photography very wide and almost covers the Adobe RGB gamut:

When selecting a profile Cinema The coverage is tightened to the sRGB boundaries, but still remains a little wider:

Without correction, the spectra of the components are very well separated:

In case of profile Cinema with maximum correction, the color components are already slightly mixed together:

Note that on wide-gamut screens, the colors of regular images optimized for sRGB devices appear unnaturally saturated. This can be seen in the photographs above. However, a visual assessment showed that when choosing a profile Cinema saturation is noticeably reduced, and colors become close to natural. The screenshot taken after selecting this profile is shown below:

Unfortunately, the most recognizable shades - skin, for example - still remain slightly oversaturated.

The balance of shades on the gray scale is not ideal, but, in general, acceptable. Color temperature in profiles Dynamic And Standard significantly higher than 6500 K, in the remaining two - close to 6500 K, while in the area of ​​the gray scale from white to dark dark gray this parameter does not change very much. The deviation from the blackbody spectrum (ΔE) over most of the gray scale remains below 10 units, which is considered a good indicator for a consumer device, and also does not change much:

(The darkest areas of the gray scale can in most cases be ignored, since color balance there is not very important, and the error in measuring color characteristics at low brightness is large.)

To summarize: the screen has a fairly high maximum brightness and a very effective anti-glare filter, so the smartphone can be used outdoors without any problems, even on a sunny summer day. In complete darkness, the brightness can be reduced to a comfortable value. It is acceptable, and in bright light it is even recommended to use a mode with automatic brightness adjustment, which works more or less adequately. The advantages of the screen include a very good oleophobic coating and a color balance close to standard (if you select the appropriate profiles). At the same time, let us remind you about the general advantages of OLED screens: true black color, excellent uniformity of the white field, less drop in image brightness than LCDs when viewed at an angle. Disadvantages include screen brightness modulation, which appears at medium and low brightness values. For users who are particularly sensitive to flicker, this may cause increased fatigue. However, overall the screen quality is very high.

Sound

In terms of sound, the smartphone is approximately the same as the Galaxy S4. The sound is moderately bassy, low frequencies not deprived, clean throughout the entire range, but not so loud - there were louder devices ( HTC One or Oppo Find 5, for example). The sound output grille here is cut into the back wall, so the sound is muffled when the device is lying on the table. In conversational dynamics, the voice of a familiar interlocutor, timbre and intonation remain recognizable, leading telephone conversations Samsung Galaxy S5 is quite comfortable.

To play music, the device offers a choice of three pre-installed players: Google Play Music, Yandex.Music and Samsung's own player. All sound effects when playing melodies with a proprietary player are combined with a technology called SoundAlive - although some of them are only available with connected headphones. The same applies to the sound optimization function. There are a lot of different virtual effects, they are combined into a matrix of squares, you can experiment for a very long time.

Camera

Samsung Galaxy S5 is equipped with two modules digital cameras with a resolution of 16 and 2 megapixels. The front camera takes pictures with a maximum resolution of 1920×1080, and also shoots video with the same resolution.

The main rear camera is equipped with a new 16-megapixel module with ultra-fast autofocus (focusing in 0.3 s), stabilization, single-section LED flash and the ability to shoot video in UHD resolution (4K). In addition to one fancy feature - 4K video recording - it also uses another: just like the latest Sony Xperia Z2, here comes the possibility of selective focusing, which allows you to highlight a certain part of the image, leaving the background blurred. That is, now you no longer need to use special lenses to create a shallow depth of field (DOF) effect.

When shooting in automatic mode, which is set by default, photos are 5312x2988 in size. I really liked the design and organization of the new camera control interface. Here, as in the case of the audio settings menu, everything is divided into equal cells, each of which is always visible, interactive, their drawing is clear, the entire menu is perfectly visible even in the brightest sunlight. In general, the camera control settings menu turned out to be perhaps the best on the market in terms of ease of access to all functions and overall clarity.

The camera can shoot video in UHD resolution (4K), with a choice of several resolutions up to a maximum of 3840x2160. Traditionally for the latest top models of the mobile market, the settings also include slow and fast shooting modes. Examples of test videos are presented below.

• Video No. 1 (189 MB, 3840×2160, 4K)
• Video No. 2 (58 MB, 1920×1080, 1080p)
• Video #3 (123 MB, 3840×2160, 4K indoors)
• Video No. 4 (71 MB, 1280×720, slow motion)
• Video No. 5 (4 MB, 1920×1080, accelerated)

Examples of photographs with our comments are presented below.

	The sharpness of the photo is good.
	The sharpness across the frame is also quite good.
	Small details are worked out quite well.
	The camera doesn't cope so well with backlight, but the exposure is well chosen.
	On thin lines you can notice small waves from the noise reduction - but only upon closer inspection.
	In low light conditions, noise can be seen, although it is relatively small.
	The camera handles shadow noise well. True, the detail suffers a little from this.
	The camera does macro well in low light, but it's worth using a focus lens due to the relatively long shutter speeds.
	In good lighting, the camera does macro photography well.
	Another example of a good macro.
	The text is well done, but a little damaged. However, it is possible that the camera works more accurately with smaller text.
	Panorama stitching is almost perfect. Only dynamic objects suffer, which is quite natural.

	Lighting ≈1300 lux. The camera does a very good job.
	Lighting ≈460 lux. The situation remains virtually unchanged.
	Lighting ≈240 lux. Noise becomes noticeable, especially its processing.
	Lighting ≈240 lux, flash. The flash noticeably improves the situation, almost returning the original resolution.
	Lighting<1 люкс. В темноте камера не справляется.
	Lighting<1 люкс, вспышка. И в темноте вспышка отрабатывает очень хорошо.

First of all, it is worth noting that now the camera has a 1/2.6″ format sensor, and not just a higher resolution, while previously smartphone cameras were only awarded with 1/3″ format matrices (not counting Nokia), or even less, Until Sony decided to install a 1/2.3″ format sensor in the Xperia Z1. So Samsung, following Sony, began a slow but steady movement towards improving the quality of pictures. And, I must say, the result is already noticeable to an inquisitive eye.

Firstly, you can already see good work with noise. Their processing still leaves much to be desired, but if you do not look at the images pixel by pixel, then noticeable strong color noise in the shadows is practically not visible. Of course, this is the result of the noise reduction, but the higher resolution allows it to work more subtly, and the increased sensor size slightly reduces the likelihood of strong noise. Of course, we won’t go into discussions about pixel size (like HTC) and the supposed qualities of the camera that follow from this, but enlarging the sensor definitely brings its benefits. Secondly, image detail has improved, which is also due to the higher resolution and larger sensor.

I would like Samsung to further improve the noise reduction, then the camera can be compared with ordinary compacts. Although even without this, she shows herself very worthy, and it is clear that they worked hard on her. The camera optics operate quite smoothly across the entire field of the frame and in all plans. Of course, it would be strange to see a flagship with shortcomings in such places, but we have already encountered this. Sharping can only be found if you know where to look. The only thing that really cannot be called ideal is the work of the noise reduction - such a processing result looks very archaic in photographs of a modern flagship.

Based on the results of shooting the stand, we can conclude that the actual resolution of the images may not be the highest, but we have already stated that in this case this is far from the main characteristic, especially in the vicinity of such values, since the resolution can be high, but not quite natural. However, the camera resolution is quite decent. It is also worth noting the good performance of the flash and the sensor, which works quite consistently in different lighting conditions.

In general, the camera is made very well, almost at the level of compact cameras. Of course, there is something to work on, and in general there is room to strive. But even in its current form, it is well suited for shooting documentary and feature stories.

Telephone and communications

The developers place special emphasis on the communication capabilities of the Samsung Galaxy S5: the smartphone operates in the fifth generation of Wi-Fi 802.11ac networks with support for 2x2 MIMO mode - in this mode, data can be received and transmitted in two streams, that is, up to two times faster than in the first generations of 802.11ac compatible devices. In addition, the device provides support for a large number of 4G (LTE) frequencies and speeds corresponding to the LTE Category 4 standard - up to 150 Mbit/s. With a SIM card from the domestic operator Megafon, the smartphone in practice confidently finds and works with the LTE network.

In addition, the smartphone supports the 5 GHz Wi-Fi band and the NFC standard. As a standard, you can organize a wireless access point via Wi-Fi or Bluetooth channels; there is a Wi-Fi Direct mode. The navigation module works with both the GPS system (with A-GPS) and the domestic Glonass. The speed and quality of operation of the GPS module is not satisfactory: the system works quickly and flawlessly, the navigation module finds the first satellites almost instantly, and even indoors.

No spontaneous reboots/shutdowns were observed during testing. The screen of the smartphone is large, so drawing letters and numbers on virtual keyboards is quite comfortable to control. It’s very convenient that there is a dedicated top row with numbers - you don’t have to switch the layout every time. But the layout itself and the location of the keys are not the same as others: instead of just pressing the dedicated button with the image of a globe, here you have to switch language layouts by scrolling sideways on the spacebar, which is certainly less convenient. The phone application supports Smart Dial, that is, while dialing a phone number, a search is immediately carried out by the first letters in contacts. There is support for continuous writing by sliding, but there is no option to move the keyboard closer to one of the edges, as on the Galaxy Note series tablets.

OS and software

The system uses the latest version of Google Android software platform 4.4.2 (Kitkat) and the proprietary graphical user interface TouchWiz, the appearance of which has undergone changes. He became, according to the new fashion, more “flat”, which clearly benefited him, although the traditional Asian clumsiness remained. The appearance of the settings menu has changed: now all icons look like exactly the same circles and they are arranged in the form of a single long list. But, of course, the display of the menu can be changed, leading to the old view with vertical tabs. In this case, there will no longer be four of them, as before, but as many as six. In general, I liked the new look of the interface and the settings menu more than the old one: everything is neat, orderly, symmetrical, working with various subsections of the menu has become more intuitive. The menu of installed applications has not undergone significant changes, but now you can display a special button on the home screen, which, when clicked, opens a context menu with quick access to the most popular applications. The notifications menu received two additional dedicated oval buttons for quick access to searching throughout the smartphone and enabling the function of quickly connecting to familiar devices.

To the various ways to lock a smartphone, another one has now been added: you can lock the screen using a fingerprint, the scanner of which is built into the central key under the screen. To successfully memorize the texture of your fingertip, you need to swipe the sensor at least eight times, after which you will also have to come up with a standard digital code in case your finger remains unrecognized after five attempts. It’s a shame when the developer also imposes restrictions on the personal password you create: an attempt to limit yourself to a digital password failed - you need to alternate numbers with letters.

By the way, the issue of security has been strengthened in the Samsung Galaxy S5 by another innovation: now, due to the appearance of the “Children” mode, you can open access only to certain permitted programs, after which you can safely entrust the device to a child for 30 thousand rubles to play with.

Speaking of games, it is worth noting that we tested games such as Dead Trigger 2 and Asphalt 8 on the smartphone - we did not find any problems with playing them.

Another specific operating mode has been added to the smartphone, which the developers themselves talked a lot about at presentations. In fact, this is a regular energy-saving mode that any built-in program for saving energy in mobile devices has, it’s just that Samsung brings its smartphone to the point of complete “exhaustion” in this mode. When the maximum power saving mode is activated, not only all network interfaces are disabled, but also the graphical interface of the shell becomes black and white, and the number of applications allowed to run is strictly limited. Naturally, in this mode, the smartphone can “work” much longer (who would doubt it), but this work will be carried out within a very limited framework.

One of the central applications pre-installed in modern top-end Samsung smartphones, which developers constantly remind you of, is a program for monitoring your own health called S Health. The program has a wide range of health-promoting functions: pedometer, exercise recording, nutrition monitoring, etc. Now the application has not only received the new version S Health 3.0, but has also acquired additional functionality in the form of a dedicated hardware heart rate counter. In principle, some programs have previously tried to count heartbeats using an ordinary smartphone camera, but now a whole block with a small camera and backlight has been allocated for this. You need to put your finger on the recess in the back of the smartphone, and then the program will count your pulse. Naturally, this data is stored, processed and displayed in the form of graphs and tips for maintaining a healthy lifestyle.

Performance

The Samsung Galaxy S5 hardware platform is based on a single-chip quad-core system (SoC) Qualcomm Snapdragon 801. The new platform has the functionality of the Snapdragon 800 with a slightly higher frequency of processor cores: the Snapdragon 801 can operate at frequencies up to 2.45 GHz, while the core frequency of the previous The chip version was limited to 2.36 GHz.

The processor here is supported in graphics processing by the same Adreno 330 video accelerator, but here too there is an increase in frequencies: the GPU is already overclocked to 578 MHz instead of 450 MHz. The device initially has about 12 GB (out of 16) of its own memory available for the user's needs; the amount of RAM here is 2 GB - in this regard, surprisingly, no expansion occurred, while Sony equipped its newest flagship with three gigabytes random access memory. MicroSD memory cards are supported in this model; you can also connect external flash drives, keyboards and mice using a special adapter in OTG mode.

Since the most powerful and most productive of the competing serial platforms is now SoC MediaTek MT6592, the configuration of which includes eight full-fledged processor cores [simultaneously] operating at frequencies up to 2 GHz, it is logical to include its results in the comparison first of all. Let us remind you that we recently released a review of the powerful TCL Idol X+ smartphone, which is built on the maximum version of this platform. Also, naturally, it is worth adding to the comparison the results demonstrated in the same tests by the previous version of the Qualcomm platform - Snapdragon 800, on which all the top smartphones of last year run. However, the most important battle today will still not take place, because the main competitor of the hero of today’s review, the flagship smartphone Sony Xperia Z2, also built on the latest Qualcomm Snapdragon 801, has not yet reached our test laboratory. In the near future, we will definitely compare it with the Samsung Galaxy S5 data obtained today.

To get an idea of ​​the performance of the platform of the smartphone under test, we will conduct a standard set of tests.

For convenience, we have compiled all the results we obtained when testing the smartphone in the latest versions of popular benchmarks into tables. The table usually adds several other devices from different segments, also tested on similar latest versions of benchmarks (this is done only for a visual assessment of the obtained dry figures). Unfortunately, within the framework of one comparison it is impossible to present the results from different versions of benchmarks, so many worthy and relevant models remain “behind the scenes” - due to the fact that they once passed the “obstacle course” on previous versions of test programs.

Testing in MobileXPRT, as well as in the latest versions of AnTuTu 4.x and GeekBench 3:

The results of testing are as follows. As for the competing MediaTek MT6592, the latest Qualcomm system (Snapdragon 801) coped with it in all respects. In general, this is not at all surprising, considering that the previous version of Snapdragon 800 coped with it. As for the comparison with the Snapdragon 800, according to the results of all tests, there was practically no real increase: the same maximum 35K points in AnTuTu, and in other benchmarks the difference is negligible - within the margin of error.

By the way, as for these very resulting figures: since the smartphone being tested today is a landmark device, and the rest will be compared to it throughout the year, it is probably worth recalling the fresh balance of power. If you rely on the numbers of the popular AnTuTu benchmark, it looks something like this: eight MediaTek MT6592 cores with a frequency of 2 GHz demonstrate 31K points in this test (26 thousand points for the eight-core Zopo 998 and THL T100S with a lower frequency of processor cores - 1.7 GHz), and about 35 thousand - for top smartphones such as LG G2, Sony Xperia Z1, Acer Liquid S2 and now Samsung Galaxy S5, built on the Qualcomm Snapdragon 800/801 hardware platform. Two main conclusions emerge as a result of all these comparisons: TCL Idol X+ is the first smartphone on the MediaTek platform, which managed to come close to the leading solutions from Qualcomm, albeit at the expense of twice as many processor cores. And second: the new version of the top Qualcomm platform brought virtually no increase in performance, although this microscopic superiority allowed it to gain an even stronger foothold on the podium as the undisputed leader among platforms for mobile devices. According to the above, the Samsung Galaxy S5 smartphone based on the Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 platform is currently one of the most powerful smartphones on the planet.

When testing in 3DMark, the most powerful smartphones now have the ability to run the application in Unlimited mode, where the rendering resolution is fixed at 720p and VSync is disabled (which can cause the speed to rise above 60 fps).

Results of testing the graphics subsystem in the Epic Citadel gaming test, as well as Basemark X and Bonsai Benchmark:

The lag in the operation of the Mali-450MP4 video subsystem is still noticeable: this video accelerator produces approximately 47 fps in those test modes in which the Adreno 330 produces 60 fps.

Browser cross-platform tests:

As for benchmarks for assessing the speed of the javascript engine, you should always make allowance for the fact that their results significantly depend on the browser in which they are launched, so the comparison can be truly correct only in the same OS and browsers, and this is possible during testing not always. For Android OS, we always try to use Google Chrome.

Playing video

To test the omnivorous nature of video playback (including support for various codecs, containers and special features, such as subtitles), we used the most common formats, which make up the bulk of the content available on the Internet. Note that for mobile devices it is important to have support for hardware video decoding at the chip level, since it is most often impossible to process modern options using processor cores alone. Also, you shouldn’t expect a mobile device to decode everything, since the leadership in flexibility belongs to the PC, and no one is going to challenge it.

With video playback, things are not as smooth as we would like for the Samsung Galaxy S5. Amazingly, this is one of the rare smartphones in which the popular MX player flatly refuses to run with the Hardware+ decoder, and most often only this option saves the situation when the standard player cannot play the audio track of a file. That is, in the case of the Samsung Galaxy S5, in order to normally play three of our five test files (MKV), you will have to use a software decoder (at least for audio decoding - video can be decoded in hardware) - neither Hardware nor Hardware+ , nor, of course, the decoder of a standard video player are capable of playing these types of files with sound that are common on the network. And this is an obvious drawback, because we have a solution with an excellent large and high-quality screen in all respects and maximum performance, which could become an excellent multimedia assistant. By the way, similar problems occur with the Galaxy Note 3 - we hope that with the release of updates for MX Player the situation will somehow change. By the way, the top smartphones from LG and Sony always have complete order in this table, because even with their own hardware they are able to play all the presented files, not to mention supporting all modes of the MX player.

Format	Container, video, sound	MX Video Player	Standard video player
DVDRip	AVI, XviD 720×400 2200 Kbps, MP3+AC3	plays normally	plays normally
Web-DL SD	AVI, XviD 720×400 1400 Kbps, MP3+AC3	plays normally	plays normally
Web-DL HD	MKV, H.264 1280×720 3000 Kbps, AC3
BDRip 720p	MKV, H.264 1280×720 4000 Kbps, AC3	plays normally, sound only with software decoder (Hardware+ is not supported)	The video plays fine, but there is no sound¹
BDRip 1080p	MKV, H.264 1920×1080 8000 Kbps, AC3	plays normally, sound only with software decoder (Hardware+ is not supported)	The video plays fine, but there is no sound¹

¹ sound in MX Video Player was played only after switching to software decoding (mode Hardware+ is not supported); The standard player does not have this setting

Additionally, the MHL interface was tested. To test it, we used an LG IPS237L monitor that supports direct MHL connection using a passive adapter cable from Micro-USB to HDMI. Let us recall that Samsung has implemented its own version of this interface at the physical level. As a result, to connect an external device via MHL, you need to use special adapters or connect standard MHL adapters through simple passive adapters. In this case, we carried out the test using a proprietary Samsung adapter, and output via MHL was carried out at a resolution of 1920 by 1080 pixels with a frequency of 60 frames/s.

When the smartphone is in portrait orientation, the image is displayed on the monitor screen in portrait orientation, while the image on the monitor is inscribed within the height of the screen, and wide black fields are displayed on the right and left. In this case, the actual resolution on the monitor screen is, of course, lower than the resolution on the smartphone screen. When the smartphone is in landscape orientation, the image is displayed on the monitor screen in landscape orientation, while the image on the monitor fits within the boundaries of the screen and exactly matches the image on the smartphone screen. The exception is the start screen, which is displayed only in portrait orientation:

Sound is output via MHL (in this case, the sounds were heard through headphones connected to the monitor, since there are no speakers in the monitor itself) and is of good quality. At the same time, at least multimedia sounds are not output through the loudspeaker of the smartphone itself, and the volume is controlled by buttons on the smartphone body. In principle, in the smartphone settings you can select the sound output mode - stereo or surround. However, in our case, the monitor only received stereo sound, so there was no choice. The smartphone connected via MHL is charging.

To test the output of video files on the screen of the device itself, we used a set of test files with an arrow and a rectangle moving one division per frame (see “Methodology for testing video playback and display devices. Version 1 (for mobile devices)”). Screenshots with a shutter speed of 1 s helped determine the nature of the output of frames of video files with various parameters: the resolution varied (1280 by 720 (720p), 1920 by 1080 (1080p) and 3840 by 2160 (4K) pixels) and frame rate (24, 25, 30, 50 and 60 fps). In our tests, we used the MX Player video player in the “Hardware” mode, since there were a lot of artifacts in the “Hardware+” mode. The results of this test (block entitled “Smartphone screen”) are summarized in the table:

Note: If in both columns Uniformity And Passes Green ratings are given, this means that, most likely, when watching films, artifacts caused by uneven alternation and frame skipping will either not be visible at all, or their number and visibility will not affect the viewing comfort. Red marks indicate possible problems with playback of the corresponding files.

According to the frame output criterion, the quality of playback of video files on the screen of the smartphone itself is high, since frames (or groups of frames) can be output with more or less uniform alternation of intervals, and there are no skipped frames. The smartphone can even display files with a resolution of 4K up to 30p inclusive. However, uniform alternation of frames is a relatively unstable state, since some external and internal background processes lead to periodic failure of the correct alternation of intervals between frames. When playing video files with a resolution of 1920 by 1080 (1080p) on a smartphone screen, the image of the video file itself is displayed exactly along the border of the screen, one to one in pixels, that is, in the original resolution (adjusted for some PenTile features). The brightness range displayed on the screen actually corresponds to the standard range of 16-235 - in the shadows only a couple of shades merge with black, but in the highlights all gradations of shades are displayed. However, dark scenes may not look very good, as the darkest shades vary too much in brightness and color tone, which can lead to compression artifacts being too noticeable.

With a monitor connected via MHL, when playing a video with a standard player, the image of the video file is displayed only in landscape orientation, while only the image of the video file is displayed on the monitor, and only information elements and virtual controls are displayed on the smartphone screen.

The results of the monitor output tests are shown in the table above in the “MHL (monitor output)” block. The output quality is very good. When playing video files with Full HD resolution (1920 by 1080 pixels) on the monitor screen, the image of the video file itself is displayed exactly along the border of the screen, maintaining true proportions, and the resolution corresponds to Full HD resolution. The brightness range displayed on the monitor is equal to the standard range of 16-235, that is, all shade gradations are displayed in shadows and highlights.

The conclusion is typical: an MHL connection can be used for games, watching movies, displaying web pages and other activities that benefit from multiplying the screen size. True, you will have to purchase an adapter specifically for Samsung or find an appropriate adapter.

Battery life

The lithium-ion battery installed in the Samsung Galaxy S5 has a capacity of 2800 mAh, which is good by modern standards, but not a record one. Accordingly, in terms of battery life, the device showed very good results, which we traditionally summarized in a comparative table.

	Battery capacity	Reading mode	Video mode	3D Game Mode
Samsung Galaxy S5	2800 mAh	17:20	12:30 pm	4 hours 30 minutes
TCL Idol X+	2500 mAh	12:30 pm	7:20 am	3:00 am
Lenovo Vibe Z	3050 mAh	11:45 am	8:00 am	3 hours 30 minutes
Acer Liquid S2	3300 mAh	16:40	7:40 a.m.	6:00 am
LG G Flex	3500 mAh	23:15	13:30	6 hours 40 minutes
LG G2	3000 mAh	20:00	12:30 pm	4 hours 45 minutes
Sony Xperia Z1	3000 mAh	11:45 am	8:00 am	4 hours 30 minutes
Samsung Note 3 N9005	3200 mAh	22:30	14:00	4 hours 45 minutes

Continuous reading in the FBReader program (with a standard, light theme) at a minimum comfortable brightness level (brightness was set to 100 cd/m²) lasted until the battery was completely discharged for more than 17 hours, and when continuously watching videos from YouTube in high quality (HQ) with The device lasted 12.5 hours at the same brightness level via a home Wi-Fi network; in 3D games mode, the smartphone lasted 4.5 hours, decent for such a screen, and really pleased with such stability: its predecessor Galaxy S4 at first overheated greatly and with these tests were performed poorly, and only with a firmware update the situation returned to normal. With the new flagship, no problems in this regard have been found before the start of sales, and by the way, the device heats up significantly less than its predecessor.

Bottom line

Summarizing the Samsung Galaxy S5 review is both easy and difficult. It’s easy, because, perhaps, no one needs to explain why the flagship smartphones of the Korean company are deservedly among the best on the market. And it’s not just the combination of top-end technical characteristics and maximum performance that makes them stand out, there’s also something else. It seems to us that the company is one of the few who are not ashamed to spy on the desires of users. For most manufacturers, this always remains only unfulfilled pretentious promises and slogans, but in practice, no matter how much users cry about something, they will never get it. But the Koreans have a completely different point of view on this matter; they readily satisfy any desires of customers. Want a removable battery? - Get it. Need a memory card slot? - For God's sake, we don't feel sorry! Suddenly fell in love with the golden color? - So, we now have a golden smartphone. And with such simple actions, coupled with high-quality products and huge production volumes, the Korean company managed to climb to the very top of the mountain, pushing many along the way, and simply throwing some off the cliff. Those who know how to adapt survive, and this is what Koreans do best.

As for the hero of today's review, we can say with confidence that he has become a worthy successor to the flagship line. An excellent screen, powerful hardware, complete technical equipment, good battery life and maximum functionality, several added features like a heart rate monitor and a fingerprint scanner - all this is worthy of praise. Although, it is worth admitting that the fifth Galaxy S did not have so many noticeable innovations that it could rightfully be called a completely new model, in terms of design and appearance (in this regard, by the way, there was even a kind of decline: the smartphone has become heavier, larger, rougher - everyone admits this). It’s even surprising that the Koreans didn’t call this model Galaxy S4s - such a “letter modifier”, which has already become generally accepted, denoting an improved version of the model, would be more appropriate here. But all this is just a little confusing.

But what’s really depressing is how much Samsung jacks up the prices for its top-end smartphones. It seems that the Koreans no longer remember that prices can sometimes be varied somehow - they reached the 30,000 mark with the previous flagship and now put the same price tag on all subsequent models as a matter of course. The tricky thought in the minds of entrepreneurs is obviously this: “They will complain the first time, but the next time they will be happy that they did not raise the price even higher.” This, by the way, is what happened: now users are happy that the price of the new flagship at the start of sales was not raised higher than the previous one. This is very alarming, and of course, against this background, it is difficult to recommend such a device for purchase: it is certainly very worthy, but for many, Samsung products may already be unaffordable. Did we think five years ago that we would talk like this in the future about the products of this Korean company?

Both phones in question cost approximately the same. Hence the question: given the same budget, which smartphone should you choose? To do this, we need to compare their hardware. This is what we will do.

Parameter table

	iPhone 5s	Samsung Galaxy S5
Price	17-18 thousand rubles	19-20 thousand rubles
Display	4 inches, 1136x640	5.1 inches, FullHD
CPU	Apple A7	Snapdragon 801
Graphic arts		Adreno 330
RAM	1 GB	2 GB
Disk	16 GB	16 GB
Rear camera	8 MP, f/2.2	16 MP (details below)
Battery	1560 mAh	2800 mAh
Peculiarities	Fingerprint scanner	Fingerprint scanner, IP67 protection

We have completely different phones, between which there is nothing in common. Therefore, the comparison is more relevant than ever.

Displays

The first obvious difference after appearance is the display. iPhone phones have always been famous for their cool Retina displays with maximum viewing angles, high durability, brightness and color reproduction. The 5s model is no exception, and the screen here is really cool, which is typical of all iPhone flagships. It’s a completely different matter that there are no revolutions here; a 4-inch diagonal is often not enough for a comfortable Internet - you have to constantly scale the text. And if anyone is dissatisfied with the resolution, it’s in vain. 1136x640 at 4 inches is more than enough. Pixelation is eliminated, the load on the CPU and battery is low. So that's just a plus.

But the Galaxy S5 has a 5-inch screen with FullHD (1920x1080) resolution. It is impossible to see individual pixels here, because their density is 432 dots per inch. But even with HD resolution it was impossible (or extremely difficult) to see them, which calls into question the need to use a matrix with FullHD resolution. After all, it “eats” the battery and requires more CPU resources.

But it’s worth paying tribute: the AMOLED screen is simply magnificent, and in terms of color saturation, brightness, and viewing angles it is not inferior to the iPhone’s Retina display. It looks good even in the sun, and the text can be read in direct sunlight.

It is difficult to determine the winner in this pair based on part of the screen. But we’ll give the victory to Samsung because of the larger diagonal. Definitely 5.1 inches is better than four.

Hardware performance

The Apple A7 processor cannot be called powerful today. While the iPhone 7 Plus is equipped with the cool Apple A10 Fusion and breaks performance records, the Apple A7 can be called obsolete, but in its time it was the best. If you compare the iPhone 5s processor with the chipset of the 4th smartphone, then iPhone 4 users will be delighted, because the 5s compared to the 4 is just a reactive device.

The Antutu performance test speaks for itself - the iPhone 5S scores 62 thousand points.

Now let's talk about the Snapdragon 801 from Qualcomm, which is used in the Samsung Galaxy S5. The chip is quad-core, the maximum core frequency is 2.45 GHz, there is an Adreno 330 coprocessor with a frequency of 578 MHz (responsible for graphics).

The CPU was also one of the best in its time, but it does not reach the level of the A7. In the same Antutu benchmark, the device scores only 36,700 points, which is good for a smartphone in 2014, but bad for 2017.

So the winner in this comparison in terms of power is the Apple A7, on the basis of which the iPhone 5s was built.

Cameras

iPhones have always been famous for their great photo quality. While other manufacturers played marketers and advertised phones with cameras with huge resolutions (20 or more megapixels), Apple paid attention to photo quality. However, the resolution did not change much. The iPhone 5S has a resolution of only 8 megapixels, but the image quality is head and shoulders above that of competing smartphones. Of course, the iPhone 5S is superior in photo quality to many digital point-and-shoot cameras, not to mention smartphone cameras.

Even at dusk, the photos turn out to be of high quality, but even this is a small thing. The 5S introduced a slow motion mode (the famous slo-mo video).

Examples of photos on iPhone 5s

Now let's talk about the Galaxy S5 camera. It uses a proprietary matrix from Samsung with Isocell technology, which should provide a sharper picture. The pixel size is small - 1.12 microns, f/2.2 aperture (standard), photosensitivity settings in the range of 100 to 800. Note that, compared to cameras in earlier models (s4, for example), the image processing algorithm has been redesigned here due to the wider capabilities of the processor. This is especially clearly visible when using the HDR mode, in which the frame is taken instantly, although previously the Note 3 smartphone was waiting for the shooting to complete.

Examples of photos on Samsung Galaxy S5

Subjectively: the winner of this comparison is the Galaxy S5. Visually, it seems that the picture quality is better in photos taken on the Galaxy S5. But this is only a subjective opinion. All photos above are clickable. Enlarge the image and determine for yourself which camera takes better photographs.

conclusions

A larger screen with FullHD resolution, high battery capacity, protection from temporary immersion under water and dust, as well as a camera - these are the advantages of the Galaxy S5 smartphone compared to the fifth iPhone. The latter boasts better performance, which is largely achieved through cool iOS 9 software optimizations.

Video review of iPhone 5s

Galaxy S5 video review

Test duel Samsung GALAXY S5 vs. Apple iPhone 5s: battle of flagships

The one who came up with something is not always the one who brought it to fruition. Oh, not always.

Device comparison

Parameter
operating system	iOS 7	Android 4.4
Screen	TFT IPS, 4’’, 640x1136 pixels.	AMOLED, 5.1’’, 1080x1920 pixels.
Pixel density per inch (PPI)	326	432
CPU	2x1300 MHz, ARMv8 64-bit	Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 MSM8974AC 4x2457 MHz, ARMv7 32-bit
GPU	PowerVR G6430	Adreno 330
SIM card type	nano-SIM	micro-SIM
RAM	1 GB	2 GB
Built-in memory	16/32/64 GB	16/32 GB (about 5 GB occupied by the system)
Memory cards	No	micro-SD (up to 128 GB)
WiFi	802.11 a/b/g/n	802.11 a/b/g/n/ac
Bluetooth	4.0	4.0
Rear camera	8 MP, flash, autofocus	16 MP, flash, autofocus
Front-camera	1.2 MP	2 MP
Additionally	GPS, A-GPS, GLONASS, LTE	GPS, A-GPS, GLONASS, LTE (not available on all models), NFC, IrDA, waterproof IP67, FM
Dimensions	58.6x123.8x7.6 mm	72.5x142x8.1 mm
Weight	112 g	145 g
Battery	non-removable, 1560 mAh	removable, 2800 mAh
Price at time of publication	28500–38000 rubles	30,000 rubles

Source: ZOOM.CNews

In general, there are many different variations of the Samsung GALAXY S5. We took the G900F model, which is equipped with LTE, a Qualcomm processor and 16 GB memory - this is exactly what we tested and it will most likely become the most popular in Russia.

By the way, about LTE. We had the idea of ​​comparing average data transfer speeds over a cellular network under the same conditions, but no matter how many tests we ran, overall the iPhone 5s and GALAXY S5 showed similar results. Is it possible that the reception quality according to the display of the smartphones themselves was still worse for the GALAXY S5.

Appearance, design

Samsung implements many “tricks” only because Apple has them. For example, a fingerprint scanner, which we will talk about below. But sometimes you get the feeling that they put high prices on their products because Apple does so.

But Apple uses high-quality materials (metal, tempered glass), and replaces the smartphone with a new one under warranty, while Samsung uses plastic, which they disguise either as metal or leather. The question arises - why should the new GALAXY S5 cost as much as an iPhone? However, only the most impatient people will pay 30 thousand for a new product from Samsung. If you wait a couple of months, or even a couple of weeks, the price will traditionally drop by 30%.

But imitation of materials is, in our opinion, somehow not serious. A low-slung tinted Nine with a spoiler and vinyl decals is what Samsung's design is all about. Note that this is generally a problem of Korean design - to fake materials and finishing elements. For example, Korean guitar manufacturers like to “draw” fake screws on the body of the instrument (the author judges from personal experience, since he is related to musical creativity). Imagine: a three-dimensional convexity that follows the shape of the screw head, there is even a correct slot, but in fact it is part of the body and such a “screw” cannot be unscrewed.

In general, the iPhone not only looks better (although this is rather a subjective parameter), but also “more honest”. Its body is made of higher quality and more expensive materials, which is already a completely objective fact.

On the other hand, GALAXY S5 has dust and moisture protection according to IP67. What does this mean? In theory, complete protection against dust penetration and protection against short-term immersion in water to a depth of no more than 1 m (at the same time, long-term operation under water, like Sony flagships, is not guaranteed). However, the design of the smartphone case does not look very secure. Two things confuse me: the easy-to-open plug for the micro-USB 3.0 slot and the “unfastening” cover.

Even on the brand new GALAXY S5, the flap opens easily. Too easy.

If you don't close the lid tightly, the phone will drown. Every time you change a SIM card or SD card, you will have to carefully check several times whether all the latches are locked. In practice, users often do not notice that one of the latches is not fixed (not specifically on this smartphone, but in general on all smartphones with a similar cover fastening). Well, there is a possibility that sooner or later the latches will no longer hold the lid securely.

The lid is rubberized, but the “reciprocal” part on the body is somehow not worked out.

In general, it is still not recommended to wash your smartphone under running water, and even more so to swim with it (even in fresh water). As for using a smartphone in the rain, the author of this text was caught in the rain several times with an iPhone 5s, and even talked on it, and the smartphone is alive and well.

So, given the higher quality of materials, the iPhone 5s wins in design.

Ergonomics

Ergonomics, in this case, is how comfortable it is in the hand when used (the last clarification is important - we don’t just need to hold the smartphone, but also press buttons, swipe the screen, etc.). In principle, here both the iPhone and Samsung GALAXY S5 are almost the same, except that because of the large screen, it can be problematic for a Korean to reach the opposite corner of the screen with his thumb.

Yes, we know that some people love it, but the fact is that using the iPhone with one hand is more convenient.

True, it’s easier to press the lock/power button on the GALAXY S5 - it’s on the side.

But speaking of buttons, the iPhone has a silent mode switch. It’s strange that manufacturers didn’t make it a rule to copy this detail: it’s really convenient.

The result? It's a draw - both smartphones have ergonomic advantages and disadvantages in approximately equal amounts.

Screen

It is difficult to objectively compare the screens of different devices. In fact, the only objective parameter for evaluating a screen is the brightness reserve in the sun. Or, more precisely, screen readability in direct sunlight. Everything else: size, resolution, subpixel grid, and even color rendition are perceived subjectively. For example, the author of this text immediately noticed PenTile on the screen of the Samsung GALAXY S5, but it has Full-HD resolution and a very high pixel density. But there are people who are not bothered by PenTile even on low-resolution screens (and did anyone even think: “What is PenTile?”).

Or take the screen size: for someone who has a tablet, it is not so important to have a large screen. It all depends on the scenario for using the phone: if you read a lot on it, watch movies and play games, then yes, you need a big screen. If you communicate on social networks, listen to music, carry your phone in your jeans (of course, “shovels” like the GALAXY Note also fit in a jeans pocket, but this pocket gets wiped out quickly, unless it’s some kind of Levi’s), and you take pictures with a camera, then The size of the screen does not matter, and sometimes even on the contrary, you want a more compact device. That is, with regards to screen sizes, we cannot objectively conclude whether larger is better or worse.

Resolution: The larger the screen size, the higher the resolution should be. Ultimately, the determining factor is not the resolution itself, but the pixel density. While most manufacturers are competing in the megapixel race (screens with 2K resolution have already been announced), Apple continues to use a resolution of 1136x640, which is even less than HD (1280x720) and, even more so, Full-HD (1920x1080). However, what does the user get from enlarging the screen? In theory - a clearer picture, but in practice - the iPhone 5s screen is already quite clear, at a distance of 20 cm from the eyes it is almost impossible to see individual pixels. If you look closely, the screen of the GALAXY S5 will not seem clear enough because of the PenTile (TFT screens with RGB subpixel placement are sharper at the same pixel density). Can we say that the GALAXY S5 screen is better because it has a higher resolution? It’s unlikely - we’re not concerned about the bare numbers, but the result. Of course, if Apple decides to increase the diagonal of the iPhone, it will have to take care of a higher resolution. But for now, 1136x640 pixels is enough.

Color rendering is an objective parameter in itself, but practice shows that ordinary people rather prefer bright, acidic colors than natural shades. This applies not only to smartphones, but also to TVs, photographs, and videos. Notice how much brighter and more contrasting modern films have become compared to the hits of the 80s and 90s.

However, neither the iPhone 5s nor the GALAXY S5 can boast of perfect color reproduction. The iPhone turns slightly red, and the Samsung GALAXY S5 is noticeably blue. Due to the temporary lack of spectrophotometer data, this parameter will also have to be rejected as determining - some will probably like the color rendering of the GALAXY S5 more, others - the iPhone 5s.

In general, instead of “acidic” colors in the GALAXY S5 (as in many other GALAXY smartphones), you can choose more natural colors when setting up screen profiles, but few people bother with this. However, this will not stop the screen from turning blue.

The most natural color reproduction is in the “Standard” mode

As for screen readability in the sun, Samsung is perhaps a little brighter than the iPhone. It’s not that it was impossible to read or watch pictures on an iPhone in direct sunlight, there is enough brightness there, but the Samsung is still brighter. Conventionally, the victory in terms of screen quality can be given to the GALAXY S5.

Functionality

There are no questions here - the Android smartphone wins in absentia. If we compare the set of functions in isolation from the implementation of these functions, the Samsung smartphone is the winner. Of course, the iPhone has several tricks in stock that its competitor does not have (as one example, with the help of third-party applications it can be used as a guitar processor; there are no such applications on Android, and it is far from a fact that they can be made), but In any case, the victory in functionality goes to Android. There’s not even anything to discuss here. Swype, NFC, free file transfer via Bluetooth, the ability to send any files, not just photos, both by mail and in instant messengers, support for SD cards, connecting external storage devices via USB and so on - all this is undreamed of by iPhone and it’s unlikely to even be a dream in the near future.

One of the software guitar processors on the iPhone. Guitarists will appreciate it, others won't care.

Ease of use

We can say that “usability” (ease of use, a copy of usability) is the other side of functionality. Do you know the difference between a geek and a regular user? The geek is interested in the set of functions itself, and he divides technology into “good” and “bad” (or “I’ll buy it!” and “I’ll never do it in my life”) solely by the set of functions.

For a simple user, what is more important is how the functions are implemented. And since the market is focused on users, and not on geeks (there are more users and their ability to pay, oddly enough, is higher), it was the insufficiently convenient implementation that actually “killed” some functions, and even entire groups of devices.

For example, tablets on “desktop” operating systems existed before, but stopped being produced and sold ten years ago due to the fact that they were too inconvenient: with a very inaccurate stylus (it was impossible to operate the screen with your fingers), a weak battery (3 -5 hours of work maximum), heavy, bulky. When the iPad appeared, it was (and remains) much less functional, but it was thanks to its high usability that it not only became very popular, but also gave birth to a whole class of devices - tablets on mobile OS.

Another less obvious example: virtual reality helmets. They were invented back in the 90s and they had similar problems - large weight and dimensions, low resolution, high price. Today, helmets are slowly being revived, but solely because they have become lighter, cheaper and have the resolution of modern TVs (well, almost). And even then, mass demand has not yet been observed, although geeks are delighted. But in any case, the implementation of functionality has seriously improved.

In short, the average user doesn't need a poorly implemented feature. He needs a ready-made device that, out of the box, does what it can do well and without any extra persuasion. In this sense, Apple devices win - with sufficient functionality, they can be quickly learned and easy to use. Perhaps, if we compared the iPhone 5s with some top-end smartphone on Windows Phone, there would be either equality or even victory for Windows Phone (smartphones on this OS are even less functional, but at the same time, simpler).

However, they could easily make a convenient and simple smartphone on Android OS. There are even such, although there are very few of them. Manufacturers themselves overload the interface in pursuit of a large number of functions, which are then used by a negligible percentage of users. GALAXY S5 is an excellent example of this: overloaded menus in which it is difficult to find what you need, a bunch of incomprehensible settings, sometimes exotic, which are “equally” mixed with truly useful ones.

After spending an hour or two on your phone, you will be able to select the ones you need from these shortcuts.

A simple example - we needed to find an LTE switch setting. Which of the Network Connections group shortcuts do you think contains this setting?

Some menu items are present in several groups at once, which greatly increases their already rather large list.

The correct answer is “Other networks”.

Or take the applications. When you launch the GALAXY S5 for the first time, you will find 47 application shortcuts for various applications in the menu. At the same time, among them there is no office suite, social networking clients and games. What are 47 labels for? Obviously, this number is excessive. See for yourself: two browsers (standard and Chrome), two email applications (Gmail and universal), two “Music” applications and another “Play Music”, “Books” and “Play Books”, two “Play Movies” applications (in the name of one of them there is a colon between the words) and another one - “Video”, two photo galleries: “Gallery” and “Photo”, shortcuts “Settings” and “Google Settings” (and also separately - just Google). Why does the user need all this? And most importantly, why do we need two or three applications that perform the same function?

This is all installed in the Samsung GALAXY S5 by default. For what?

If you are an Android connoisseur and don’t understand the essence of the problem, put yourself in the shoes of a person who doesn’t know how the standard Android browser differs from Google Chrome (given that the first one can synchronize with Chrome data) - how should he feel when he sees all this on your smartphone?

Of course, Android fans will say that everything can be customized. But think about how logical this sounds: a person who prefers conciseness and simplicity will sit and customize a smartphone for several hours? Is this conciseness and simplicity? Of course no. This person will simply buy another smartphone. For example, iPhone 5s.

Performance

We added the “performance” paragraph only because many readers would probably look for it, and if they didn’t find it, they would write us an angry comment. But, in fact, comparing the performance of the iPhone 5s and GALAXY S5 is pointless. Or, more accurately, aimlessly. Both smartphones cope well with all the most sophisticated games, play Full-HD videos (including from YouTube) and smoothly render interface animations.

In general, even if we found some adequate benchmark (except for the Futuremark graphics test for mobile devices) that would allow us to objectively compare different hardware on different operating systems and bring the results to a common denominator, there would be no sense in this research . This is not a PC, where you can read a review of a new video card (or gaming laptop) and make a conclusion: whether this hardware is enough for you to run the next Crysis or not.

As for the difference in the “bit” of processors (64-bit for the iPhone 5s and 32-bit for the GALAXY S5), the comparison is meaningless here too. For iOS there is a music application called GALAXY Band, which allows you to create 32 music tracks on smartphones/tablets with a 64-bit processor, while on devices with a 32-bit processor you can only create 16 more expensive ones. But there is no such application for Android, and therefore the GALAXY S5 does not lose anything from the fact that it “only” has a 32-bit processor.

Fingerprint sensor

A fingerprint scanner was installed in smartphones even before the iPhone - a well-known fact. For example, in the Toshiba Portege G900. However, the idea did not take root - it was inconvenient to use (remember the discussions above about usability?). Apple decided to rework the idea and came up with an optical sensor that works quickly and to which you just place your finger, rather than moving along the sensor in a certain direction and at a certain speed.

As a rule, what appears in the iPhone will soon appear in other manufacturers. True, HTC managed to do it before Samsung, having built a fingerprint sensor into the HTC One Max. The sensor, however, was an old type, not at all like Apple’s, and was located on the back of the smartphone.

Setting up fingerprints on iPhone 5s

In the GALAXY S5, Samsung placed the sensor in the home button - like the iPhone 5s. True, here the sensor is not optical, and therefore loses to the sensor in the iPhone 5s in all respects:

– in GALAXY S5 you need to move your finger along the sensor (and not very quickly, otherwise it won’t work), but in iPhone 5s you just need to touch it;

– if on the iPhone 5s your finger can be placed in any position, then on the Galaxy S5 - only strictly perpendicular to the bottom edge of the phone;

– in GALAXY S5 you must move the entire pad of your finger over the sensor; if you miss it a little, it won’t work;

When you need to quickly unlock a smartphone, it rarely works the first time

– in the iPhone 5s you can remember up to five fingers, but in the GALAXY S5 - only three (the author of this article would need 4 fingers: two thumbs and two index fingers).

Setting up fingerprints in GALAXY S5

In general, Samsung could, for example, add the ability to set fingerprints to launch certain applications, as HTC did, but, alas, Koreans only spy on Americans. But in vain. It turns out that the fingerprint sensor in the GALAXY S5 is inferior even to that in the HTC One Max, not to mention the iPhone 5s.

Camera

We have written more than once (and clearly demonstrated) that the quality of a camera is not measured by megapixels. Actually, Apple has not increased the number of megapixels in iPhones since the iPhone 4S, but the quality of shooting has increased. For example, photos from the iPhone 5s differ from those from the iPhone 5 with higher sharpness and increased dynamic range.

As for the comparison with the Samsung GALAXY S5, the situation is similar - pictures from the iPhone 5s are sharper, you can see this below (on the left - iPhone 5s, on the right - Samsung). We reduced the size of a 16-megapixel image from the Samsung GALAXY S5 (which should have increased the sharpness of the image compared to a 100% crop) so that the size of objects from the cameras of both smartphones were approximately the same. It is worth noting here that the viewing angle of the Samsung GALAXY S5 camera is narrower (again, this, in theory, should have led to higher sharpness of distant objects) than that of the iPhone 5s. We have highlighted in red those areas that are worth paying attention to.

Left - iPhone 5s, right - GALAXY S5.

As you can see, even despite the lower resolution and wider viewing angle, the 100% crop with the iPhone 5s boasts higher sharpness. In the pictures from the iPhone you can see tree branches even where the Samsung has solid soap.

However, the GALAXY S5 has a wider dynamic range. This can be clearly seen in the following photographs taken in HDR mode (the first photo is from an iPhone, the second is from a Samsung GALAXY S5).

Clicking on a thumbnail will open a full-size image.

However, the bad thing is that on the GALAXY S5 the HDR mode must be turned on forcibly, while on the iPhone 5s it works automatically.

The wide dynamic range of the Korean is clearly visible when shooting in the dark:

Clicking on a thumbnail will open a full-size image.

On the other hand, the iPhone 5s showed exactly the picture that the user would most likely want to see. It is unlikely that anyone will be interested in color noise in the dark.

A few more pictures:

Clicking on a thumbnail will open a full-size image.

Clicking on a thumbnail will open a full-size image.

Clicking on a thumbnail will open a full-size image.

The color rendition of both cameras is a controversial issue. On the one hand, GALAXY S5 shows a picture closer to reality (although I would like to remove the green tint from the blue sky, there is too much of it), on the other hand, how long have you seen realistic photographs in photo albums? Everyone is into colors now, even professional photographers. Some of them prefer bright, saturated colors, others prefer muted colors, like in old films on film. But both of them do not correspond to what the eye sees.

In general, the GALAXY S5 camera has a lot of settings. And this is rather bad (see the section on “ease of use”). A phone is not a professional camera, here you need to do this: point the lens, press a button, get an excellent (at the maximum capabilities of the smartphone camera) photo.

In our opinion, even the iPhone camera interface is slightly overloaded; they could have made it simpler.

But with the GALAXY S5 everything is much more complicated. Try to guess the first time where to switch the video recording speed, for example?

Well, below you can see the result of that very slow-motion video recording. The top video is from an iPhone, the bottom one is from a Samsung GALAXY S5.

Video from iPhone 5s

Video from GALAXY S5

Here you can notice a few more interesting points. Firstly, both smartphones downgraded video resolution from Full-HD to HD without warning. At the same time, the video from the Galaxy S5 shows that in reality the resolution is even lower (most likely, it is 720i instead of 720p).

Secondly, the GALAXY S5 recorded the video without sound, while the iPhone has sound.

At the same time, in normal mode, the GALAXY S5 can record video in Ultra HD quality, which is not yet available on the iPhone.

Verdict? The iPhone has better sharpness, the GALAXY S5 has more features, and overall the quality is comparable. But since we are talking about the phone’s camera, where a large number of functions only gets in the way, victory for the iPhone 5s.

Autonomy

There is no direct relationship between the frequency of the processor and the performance of the device built on it (let’s once again give an example about the PlayStation 4 with a 1.6 GHz processor and the PlayStation 3 with a 3.2 GHz processor). That is, if you take a specific processor and overclock it in a specific device, then yes, performance will certainly increase, although not linearly. But if we are talking about different processors and different devices running on different operating systems, then you can completely forget about the clock frequency.

Why are we talking about processors in the “autonomy” paragraph? But because, unlike performance, the connection between processor frequency and power consumption is direct. Of course, technology, the set of instructions, the number of cores - all this also affects, but, as a rule, the higher the clock frequency of the processor, the more electricity it “eats”. We specifically emphasize this point to explain why an iPhone with a 1560 mAh battery lasts as long as a Galaxy with a 2800 mAh battery. Of course, with a similar use case.

In terms of autonomy, it's a draw.

Comparison results

The next flagship from Samsung, the GALAXY S5, was recently introduced. It is already known.

And now for those who choose to save money and buy the Samsung GALAXY S4 or overpay for the new Samsung GALAXY S5, we will try to highlight the main differences between the 2 models.

Iron

Although the Samsung GALAXY S4 processor is equipped with 8 cores, 4 are intended for energy saving mode and 4 for “heavy” tasks, and therefore the performance of the GALAXY S5 will be approximately 1.5 times greater due to the increased processor frequency.

As we can see, the RAM memory capacity of both devices is 2 GB, apparently this is enough to perform all tasks :). The strange thing is that Samsung did not increase the amount of RAM because... competitors will most likely equip their devices with 3 or more gigabytes of RAM, such as the LG G Pro 2. It is unlikely that this was done to reduce the cost of the device; in the premium class this is not logical.

The graphics accelerator installed in the GALAXY S5 is Adreno 330, which also belongs to the new generation, so you can expect better performance in 2D and 3D graphics from the new product than in the GALAXY S4

Design

As can be seen from the characteristics, the sizes of the devices are almost the same. The S5 weighs 15 grams more, but I think this will not be the main criterion when choosing a device.

But the degree of protection IP67 will be a very useful plus for people leading an active lifestyle; it protects the device from dust and moisture. Namely:

• Dust protection class 6: dust cannot enter the device, complete protection against contact.
• Protection against short-term immersion to a depth of 1 m: during short-term immersion, water does not enter in quantities that disrupt the operation of the device. Continuous operation in immersed mode is not expected.

Display

The displays of both devices are apparently almost identical. Only the 2013 model - Samsung GALAXY S4 supports operation with gloves.

Camera

Due to the larger number of pixels in the matrix, GALAXY S5 allows you to take pictures with a slightly higher resolution.
When it comes to video recording, the GALAXY S4 lags behind because... The S5 allows you to record video in 4K resolution. Both devices support fast motion shooting.

Additional functionality

GALAXY S5 includes the following additional features:

• fast autofocus
• Pulse sensor - will help you determine your pulse, just put your finger on it
• LTE support
• fingerprint scanner - it makes safe operation of the device easier and more convenient
• Power saving mode - allows you to extend the life of your phone when the battery is low

Price

You can buy Samsung GALAXY S4 at a price starting from $550;
You can buy Samsung GALAXY S5 at a price starting from $800;

Bottom line

So, to summarize we can say:

— if you want to always be ahead in terms of technology, are going to play modern games, shoot videos in 4K resolution and you definitely need a fingerprint scanner and protection from dust and moisture, then your choice is definitely Samsung GALAXY S5

— if you need a smartphone for surfing the Internet, not the heaviest games, and you want to save some money, then you can buy the Samsung GALAXY S4, its display and dimensions are almost the same as the S5, in addition, the S4 supports operation with gloves

The Samsung Galaxy S5 mini is marketed as a smaller version of the Galaxy S5, which is one of the best-selling Android smartphones. However, what distinguishes the mini-flagship from its older brother? We've done an in-depth comparison of the two phones, testing cameras, batteries and processors to find out for sure whether the Galaxy S5 mini is a true mini flagship.

Will it be compact but powerful, or just small and weak? We will find out all this in a detailed comparison, which you can read below, and you will be able to learn about all the advantages and problems of the S5 mini.

Samsung Galaxy S5 Mini vs Galaxy S5: design

Galaxy S5: back cover made of perforated plastic, thickness 8.1 mm, 145 g.
Galaxy S5 mini: back cover made of perforated plastic, thickness 9.1 mm, 120 g.

Although the characteristics of the Galaxy S5 mini are not very similar to the Galaxy S5, in appearance they can easily be called brothers. They have the same design, the same body materials - the back panel is plastic, with an almost rubber finish, at least this applies to the black version. It’s more difficult with the white model - outwardly they are not 100% copies of each other, no matter how strange it may sound.

I could never call the Samsung Galaxy S5 a triumph of style, so I definitely wouldn’t call the S5 mini an ideal. Both smartphones have a questionable back panel with perforations and chrome-plated plastic sides.

Still, there are several differences between the big brother and his mini-copy. As is typical when a phone gets smaller, the Galaxy S5 mini is just a tad shorter than the Samsung Galaxy S5, so it feels plumper in the hand.

The Galaxy S5 is 8.1mm thick, while the S5 mini is 9.1mm thick. But 1 millimeter in the world of smartphones is a lot, especially when it comes to thickness. However, it is extremely difficult to make a small smartphone and at the same time make it thinner than the original flagship, since it needs to install the main components even more compactly.

But this is not the worst news. Samsung Galaxy S5 mini boasts one important feature - it has a waterproof body. However, the flagship itself is also protected from water and dust according to the IP67 standard. However, the S5 has a cover for the charging port, while the 5 mini does not.

The Samsung Galaxy S5 comes in blue, gold, white and black, although there are other models available in various countries. The Galaxy S5 mini comes in the same colors in the international market. In general, there is no difference here.

Fingerprint scanner and heart rate monitor

Galaxy S5:
Galaxy S5 mini: under the central button, on the rear panel

The Galaxy S5 mini may be smaller than the original flagship, but it still has a fingerprint scanner, which is one of the most unusual features of the S5.

I note that the scanner itself is exactly the same for both smartphones. It is located under the central button and can be used to unlock your smartphone and to confirm PayPal payments.

In theory, this is an elegant solution, but in practice it doesn’t work so well - the scanner may not work the first or even the second time. Let's be honest, it's less convenient than TouchID on the iPhone 5S.

Both phones also have heart rate monitors on the back, which is used in the S Health app.

Screen

Galaxy S5: Super AMOLED 5.1-inch 1080p display
Galaxy S5 Mini: Super AMOLED 4.5 display 720p display

Like all top Samsung smartphones, the Galaxy S5 mini and Galaxy S5 received Super AMOLED screens. Samsung is clearly a fan of this type of display, which has become not only a great alternative to LCD, but superior in many ways.

The big difference between the two technologies is that OLEDs use light-emitting pixels rather than a backlight. This allows them to provide maximum contrast and excellent black levels than any LCD screen in smartphones. Of course, you only notice this at night, but if you like to watch movies before bed, you will definitely see a difference.

The issue of color oversaturation in Super AMOLED has already been resolved and current displays no longer suffer from such a deficiency, but display images with much more natural and accurate colors. Both phones have photo and movie modes for more accurate color reproduction. If you were worried about whether this would happen on the S5 mini, then you worried in vain. Samsung also installed these modes on the Galaxy K Zoom.

But predictably, color calibration is a little better on the flagship, although both displays are good.

There are differences in both size and resolution. The screen of the Samsung Galaxy S5 is 0.6 inches larger than that of the S5 mini. It would seem that the figure is small, but in reality the difference is colossal, especially if you often watch videos, play or use a browser. The resolution is much better on the S5's larger screen. It has a 1080p screen, but the S5 mini has a 720p screen. Although this is already better than the screen of the Galaxy S4 mini, which generally had a screen resolution of 540 x 960 pixels.

But the pixel density remains high and it's hard to tell the difference. Although in fairness, I note that the image is less sharp than on a standard LCD screen of the same size and resolution, since the PenTile screen type is used.

I won’t go into deep technical explanations, but it’s all about subpixels.

Visually, the Samsung Galaxy S5's Full HD screen appears much larger, more impressive and sharper.

Software

Galaxy S5: Android 4.4 with TouchWiz
Galaxy S5 Mini: Android 4.4 with TouchWiz

Samsung Galaxy S5 and Galaxy S5 mini have identical software with minimal differences. Both run Samsung's custom interface and Android 4.4 firmware.

Samsung's interface is simpler and prettier than the 2013 version, but it's essentially the same thing. And smartphones are no different from each other. Compare for yourself:

Samsung Galaxy S5 vs Galaxy S5 mini: memory

Galaxy S5: 16/32/64 GB, microSD
Galaxy S5 mini: 16 GB, microSD

Both smartphones are actually not cheap, so the minimum amount of internal memory is 16GB. Only the Galaxy S5 mini is represented by only one model, but it also has support for microSD cards. The Galaxy S5 offers more options: 16GB, 32GB or 64GB. However, it is extremely difficult to find a model with 64GB of memory on sale. Both smartphones have a slot for microSD cards, which I already noticed. It is located under the rear sealed panel.

Both phones support SDXC-class cards, that is, they work with capacities up to 128GB. This is quite enough for any user.

Samsung Galaxy S5 Mini vs Galaxy S5: connections

Galaxy S5:
Galaxy S5 mini: microUSB 3.0, full range of supported wireless interfaces

I think you've noticed that the charging port on the Samsung Galaxy S5 is larger than usual. This is because a special port is installed that supports new technology – USB 3.0, for faster information transfer and faster recharging. He just doesn't look very nice. But it does have compatibility with standard USB 2.0. The Samsung Galaxy S5 mini doesn't have anything like that - it has microUSB 2.0 and no options for fast data transfer or fast charging.

If the S5 mini had protection like the S5 in the form of a port plug, it would be great.

As for wireless connections, the Galaxy S5 and Galaxy S5 mini are completely identical, except for the lack of MHL support in the S5 mini, which will allow you to connect your smartphone to the HDMI port of your TV using a microUSB port and a special cable. This is a bit disappointing.

You also get in both smartphones:

• IR transmitter: Allows you to use your Galaxy smartphone as a universal remote control.
• NFC: For pairing with other devices and for mobile payments.
• Bluetooth 4.0: This is a standard for all current smartphones - for connecting other devices, including smart watches.
• Mobile Internet Cat 4 4G: Supports data transfer up to 150Mbps.

Samsung Galaxy S5 Mini vs Galaxy S5: Performance

Galaxy S5: quad-core Snapdragon 801 processor with a frequency of 2.5 GHz, 2 GB of RAM.
Galaxy S5 mini: quad-core Exynos 3470 processor with a frequency of 1.4 GHz, 1.5 GB of RAM.

The Samsung Galaxy S5 is much more powerful than the S5 mini, which is closer in performance to the Motorola Moto G, which has a Snapdragon 400 processor.

The Galaxy S5 received a quad-core Snapdragon 801, which is extremely popular among flagships, and it operates at a frequency of 2.5 GHz. The Galaxy S5 mini is equipped with an unusual Exynos 3470 processor, which was created inside Samsung and operates at a frequency of 1.4 GHz.

The Galaxy S5 also received more RAM than the S5 mini – 2 GB versus 1.5 GB. To understand what this gives in practice, we show the test results in the benchmarks of both smartphones.

Geekbench 3

• Galaxy S5: 2906
• Galaxy S5 Mini: 1062

AnTuTu

• Galaxy S5: 35405
• Galaxy S5 Mini: 18568

Sunspider

• Galaxy S5: 431.7ms
• Galaxy S5 Mini: 1100ms

• Galaxy S5: 18245
• Galaxy S5 Mini: 3581

As you can see, the Galaxy S5 shows excellent results in any benchmark, and it’s not for nothing that it’s a flagship. However, in real operating conditions, performance shows itself differently. But Samsung uses its TouchWiz interface, which is why the Galaxy S5 mini can sometimes noticeably slow down. Although the flagship itself is not without sin.

Samsung Galaxy S5 Mini vs Galaxy S5: camera

Galaxy S5: 16-megapixel ISOCELL with 1/2.5-inch sensor, LED flash
Galaxy S5 Mini: 8 megapixel camera, LED flash

Samsung Galaxy S5 has one of the best mobile cameras - it is a 16-megapixel ISOCELL camera with a huge number of new features, but also with a large 1/2.5-inch sensor.

We will not delve into the technical characteristics of both cameras, but I will note that the Samsung Galaxy S5 mini has a smaller camera, and with a lower resolution – 8 megapixels. Therefore, photos taken with the S5 camera will be more detailed and of higher quality.

The Galaxy S5 even takes photos faster and shoots better in HDR mode. Each frame takes much less time.

Considering the difference in power, this is not a surprise. As for the camera software element, the Galaxy S5 mini has a lot in common with its older brother.

For example, the HDR mode on the S5 mini works like in the Galaxy S4. That is, it is quite high quality, but there is no such quality and characteristic shades.

The Galaxy S5 also shoots with less noise and has a smoothing effect. The Galaxy S5 mini also has similar capabilities, but can't capture as much detail in a photo.

Here are some photos for comparison:

At the same time, the Samsung Galaxy S5 mini shows a lot of detail in the shadows in HDR mode, but its color reproduction is worse and the contrast is insufficient. The deepest blacks turn a little blue.

The Galaxy S5 mini also takes good photos in macro mode.

The Galaxy S5 shoots better in this mode, but the background becomes a little blurry.

Battery

Galaxy S5: 2800mAh
Galaxy S5 Mini: 2100mAh

The Galaxy S5 mini has a smaller battery - you only have 2100 mAh, instead of the 2800 mAh that the Galaxy S5 has.

However, we are still pleased with the battery life of the smartphones. When playing an mp4 file with a resolution of 720p and with brightness at a medium level, the Samsung Galaxy S5 mini lasted just under 12 hours – 714 minutes. In fact, it's even slightly better than the Galaxy S5, which only managed 11 hours in the same test.

In real-life use, we don't notice any difference in the performance of the smartphones - both the S5 and S5 mini last the same long time, and both have special power-saving modes. Without much effort, the phones will work for one and a half to two days.

Both phones have two power-saving modes: Standard, which limits performance and limits background processes, and the more limited Ultra Saving mode. This turns the screen into black and white and limits access to applications. This is not suitable for constant use, but will allow the smartphone to work for several more hours when a few percent of the battery charge remains.

Results

The Samsung Galaxy S5 mini looks and feels like a flagship, but a smaller version of the original Galaxy S5. The mini version has a number of simplifications, including a lower resolution screen, weaker processor, and less memory. But this is reflected in the price of the smartphone - it is cheaper, although of the same quality.