Galaxy S5: an upgrade for the deep of pocket

One of the many things that tempt men and women alike is a good mobile phone. Because of their popularity, the allure of Samsung phones tempts much more. Samsung phones dominate the smartphone market. People increasingly even talk about their ‘Galaxy’ in the same way they talk about their iPhone.

Although Samsung’s power is built in large part on mass sales of mid-range devices, its flagship is the phone that gets all the attention.
Last week, its latest phone and new flagship, the Samsung Galaxy S5, was launched in markets around the globe.

Many potential buyers are, however, in a dilemma – to upgrade from Galaxy S4 or to stay put. Firstly, the difference between the S4 and S5, in terms of looks and dimensions, are almost similar. There are a few notable differences. The newer entrant is just 0.2mm thicker and 15 grams heavier than the older sibling.

The Galaxy S5 has a 5.1-inch screen, which is much larger and more striking than the 4-inch display on the iPhone 5S, and just a tad bigger than the 5-inch screen on the S4.

The screen has a lot of built-in tech, like a sensor that can adjust the display for better viewing in direct sunlight, and another one that can alter the colours based on lighting when reading an e-book.

None of this is noticeable unless you’re looking for it, but the screen always seems to be working to make sure you have the best viewing experience. It is, arguably, the best phone screen around.

SLIGHTLY MORE POWERFUL

Moving on and without delving into details, the chipset on the Galaxy S5 is slightly more powerful than the one on the S4. Coming to the camera, the Galaxy S5 has a higher-resolution camera (16MP as opposed to the 13MP on the S4), and it is capable of capturing 4K UHD videos.

Many analysts agree that this camera is spectacular, easily at par with the iPhone 5S camera and the Nokia Lumia 1020 camera, two of the best on the market. The camera shoots at 16 megapixels, but the real treat is something called live HDR, which lets you get a preview of what your photo will look like in HDR mode before you snap it. It results in some really nice photos, especially if lighting conditions aren’t very good.

Samsung added a heart rate monitor to the back of the phone, next to the camera flash. It syncs with S Health, a fitness tracking app that comes installed on the phone and measures your steps and other basic health stuff, and works by placing your finger on top of it for a few seconds.

The Galaxy S5 has an ultra-power saving mode, which switches the OLED screen into monochrome mode and shuts down most of your apps, reducing power usage to a minimum. Some companies that have tested this feature say that when the phone has five per cent charge remaining, it can last 10 hours; you can make moderate calls, and browse and text. That’s outstanding.

The Galaxy S5 has a fingerprint sensor embedded in the home button so you can unlock the device without punching in a pass code. The fingerprint scanner is already quite useful. The S5 is dust and water resistant under a standard called IP67, meaning it can survive for up to 30 minutes under 1 meter of water.

Should you upgrade? Well, if you are hunting for a powerful handset and you have deep pockets, by all means. You can also compare with other handsets in that league including HTC, Sony and LG to satisfy your tastes and preferences. But, if you are low on budget, the S4 could top your list.

Sam Wambugu is a monitoring and evaluation specialist. [email protected]