The Samsung Galaxy S5 promises to be the most feature-packed smartphone ever released. We take a look at its exterior design and display specification to see just how good it is.
The Galaxy range of smartphones are known for their headline specifications such as big screens, power and software features. The S5 is no exception, but the small stuff can be just as exciting as the headline features, and that's what this handset will need to get right if it's to become the very best in an increasingly crowded high-end smartphone arena.
Exterior Design
Possibly the biggest criticism of its predecessor, the Galaxy S4, was its industrial design, and on first impressions that problem is still present.
The all-plastic removable rear cover stays albeit with the addition of a dimpled texture that aids grip. Samsung have also added metal-look ridges around the perimeter of the phone as per the Note 3. This is clearly plastic and really isn't a substitute for the real thing as found on a great deal of other smartphones such as the forthcoming iPhone 6.
One benefit in using plastic over metal it the weight saving. It is a relatively light handset compared to its rivals, although another 15-20g wouldn't really hurt if the upside is the introduction of some quality materials. Overall it feels more solidly built that the previous S4 model which is backed up by the increased weight of 15g, although some of this could be attributable to the slightly larger dimensions. Unfortunately it no where near matches the quality of its Android rivals the HTC One M8 and Sony Xperia Z2, both of which bring a great deal more quality to the smartphone market.
The S5 doesn't have the look or feel of a high-end £600 smartphone while the wide bezel leads to a smaller screen to case ratio than rivals such as the impressive LG G2 and 3 handsets.
One thing to note is that the smartphone deals with dust and water ingress thanks to its Ingress Protection IP67 rating (as long as the back panel and port covers are properly fitted). This means that the handset is 'dust tight' and can be submerged in 1m of water for up to 30 minutes. Whilst this is a good feature, ingress protection, beautiful design and high quality materials are not mutually exclusive as evidenced by the Sony Xperia Z2.
The S5 is available in a range of colours including Charcoal Black, Shimmery White, Electric Blue and Copper Gold. Also look our for future special edition colours, something which Samsung seem particularly fond of releasing.
Display
The Galaxy S5 sports a 5.1inch Super AMOLED HD display, up from the 5 inch screen of its predecessor. It's still the same 1920 x 1080 pixel resolution so the PPI figure drops slightly to 432ppi (from 441ppi) due to the increased area. The first impression we get from this screen is how bright it is making it easy to read outdoors, it is certainly brighter and more suited to outdoor use than the Sony Xperia Z2. The colours are also really vibrant whilst viewing angles are excellent.
The screen settings can also automatically adapt depending on what you're viewing. The handset uses Dynamic mode to make the home and lock screen stand out and Cinema mode to obtain a natural look for movies. We tried it out and were impressed, it really does work in making the best of all situations.
In summary the Galaxy S5 deals out a stunning screen and whilst bettered by that of LG's G3 smartphone (which offers a larger 5.5 inch screen and crisper picture), it is still one of the best ever produced.
Look our for our next articles that deal with the technical specifications including processing power, camera, battery life and software features, all essential considerations when looking for your next smartphone deal.
The fifth instalment in the S series of Galaxy smartphones, the S5 pushes the limits of screen size and processing power ever further. If you want to see the full specifications of the handset check out our Samsung Galaxy S5 on 3 page for all the details. You can also check out the details of all the competing handsets such as the HTC One or Xperia Z2 so you can see which best suits you needs as they all offer something slightly different whether it be audio quality, cool design features or waterproof casings.
The Galaxy range of smartphones are known for their headline specifications such as big screens, power and software features. The S5 is no exception, but the small stuff can be just as exciting as the headline features, and that's what this handset will need to get right if it's to become the very best in an increasingly crowded high-end smartphone arena.
Exterior Design
Possibly the biggest criticism of its predecessor, the Galaxy S4, was its industrial design, and on first impressions that problem is still present.
The all-plastic removable rear cover stays albeit with the addition of a dimpled texture that aids grip. Samsung have also added metal-look ridges around the perimeter of the phone as per the Note 3. This is clearly plastic and really isn't a substitute for the real thing as found on a great deal of other smartphones such as the forthcoming iPhone 6.
One benefit in using plastic over metal it the weight saving. It is a relatively light handset compared to its rivals, although another 15-20g wouldn't really hurt if the upside is the introduction of some quality materials. Overall it feels more solidly built that the previous S4 model which is backed up by the increased weight of 15g, although some of this could be attributable to the slightly larger dimensions. Unfortunately it no where near matches the quality of its Android rivals the HTC One M8 and Sony Xperia Z2, both of which bring a great deal more quality to the smartphone market.
The S5 doesn't have the look or feel of a high-end £600 smartphone while the wide bezel leads to a smaller screen to case ratio than rivals such as the impressive LG G2 and 3 handsets.
One thing to note is that the smartphone deals with dust and water ingress thanks to its Ingress Protection IP67 rating (as long as the back panel and port covers are properly fitted). This means that the handset is 'dust tight' and can be submerged in 1m of water for up to 30 minutes. Whilst this is a good feature, ingress protection, beautiful design and high quality materials are not mutually exclusive as evidenced by the Sony Xperia Z2.
The S5 is available in a range of colours including Charcoal Black, Shimmery White, Electric Blue and Copper Gold. Also look our for future special edition colours, something which Samsung seem particularly fond of releasing.
Display
The Galaxy S5 sports a 5.1inch Super AMOLED HD display, up from the 5 inch screen of its predecessor. It's still the same 1920 x 1080 pixel resolution so the PPI figure drops slightly to 432ppi (from 441ppi) due to the increased area. The first impression we get from this screen is how bright it is making it easy to read outdoors, it is certainly brighter and more suited to outdoor use than the Sony Xperia Z2. The colours are also really vibrant whilst viewing angles are excellent.
The screen settings can also automatically adapt depending on what you're viewing. The handset uses Dynamic mode to make the home and lock screen stand out and Cinema mode to obtain a natural look for movies. We tried it out and were impressed, it really does work in making the best of all situations.
In summary the Galaxy S5 deals out a stunning screen and whilst bettered by that of LG's G3 smartphone (which offers a larger 5.5 inch screen and crisper picture), it is still one of the best ever produced.
Look our for our next articles that deal with the technical specifications including processing power, camera, battery life and software features, all essential considerations when looking for your next smartphone deal.
The fifth instalment in the S series of Galaxy smartphones, the S5 pushes the limits of screen size and processing power ever further. If you want to see the full specifications of the handset check out our Samsung Galaxy S5 on 3 page for all the details. You can also check out the details of all the competing handsets such as the HTC One or Xperia Z2 so you can see which best suits you needs as they all offer something slightly different whether it be audio quality, cool design features or waterproof casings.
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