Comparison Samsung Galaxy S5 vs Samsung Galaxy S4

One more year, Samsung is back in the spotlight for the launch of its new Samsung Galaxy S5 . The representative of a series of smartphones whose popularity is only comparable to Apple's iPhone . The new Galaxy has arrived almost by surprise, within the whirlwind of launches that the MWC has represented , instead of in a separate event of the company as it happened with the Galaxy S3 and the Galaxy S4 . Some of its main proposals to conquer the market are found in its new advanced functionalities such as the fingerprint reader, in the improvement of the camera or in its greater autonomy. We decided to place facing the Samsung Galaxy S5 with the Samsung Galaxy S4 to see the progress of the company 's flagship mobile . These are our conclusions.

Design and display

The basic concept of the design of the two terminals remains practically the same . Both use the same polycarbonate material for their structure and practically the same screen size is repeated in the two models ( 5 inches in the Galaxy S4 and 5.1 inches in the Galaxy S5 ). But there are some differences that can create a different experience between the two phones immediately. The most important without a doubt is the inclusion of an imitation leather case on the Galaxy S5 with a grainy pattern that takes its idea of ​​the brilliance of diamonds. It is a different proposal that you may like more or less. The other point that has been enhanced is color. The Samsung Galaxy S4It was launching different configurations with various colors during the year but the Galaxy S5 insists on this commitment to customization from the beginning, with the colors blue, gold, black and white.

Where practically no difference is appreciated is in the dimensions. The Galaxy S4 reaches  136.6 x 69.8 x 7.9 mm while the Galaxy S5 stands at  142.0 x 72.5 x 8.1 mm . Where if you notice a little more the increase in screen size is in weight, which reaches 145 grams in the last launch but continues to remain in very manageable figures. What is a very big advance is the IP67 certification that the Samsung Galaxy S5 has, which will allow us to submerge the phone in water without running the risk of ending up with a piece of junk in our hands. As for the screen, the two panels use Super AMOLED technology and have a Full HD resolution of 1,920 x 1,080 pixels, so that we will hardly notice a difference between one and the other.

Photographic camera

If the rear camera of the Samsung Galaxy S4 was already one of the best on the market with a resolution of 13 megapixels and several advanced functions, the camera of the Samsung Galaxy S5 is even better with a 16 megapixel sensor. In both cases, the photographs that are obtained have a very remarkable quality. At these levels, only the most experienced users will probably notice the difference. Where the difference is going to be noticed right away is in the inclusion in the Galaxy S5 of a very fast autofocus of just 0.3 seconds. This feature will allow us to take photos very quickly and not lose our favorite moments.

And here comes another of the great arguments of the Samsung Galaxy S5 to dazzle the market. Its rear camera is capable of recording video with UHD resolution (commonly known as 4K) . Of course, to enjoy this powerful capacity we will have to get a television or monitor that has this resolution, but we will be able to save a legacy of our life with exceptional quality. In addition, this camera capacity will also allow us to carry out very beautiful effects such as slow-motion scenes . On the other hand, the front camera has hardly changed in both models, and it is missing that Samsung has not advanced at this point to allow high-quality selfies.

Memory and power

Interestingly, one of the fields in which there has not been a leap between the two models is in the aspect of internal storage. Both models have configurations of 16 GB and 32 GB , and as in the case of the Galaxy S4 we will probably see a special 64 GB version in the coming months . Where if there is a greater difference is in the processor, since the Samsung Galaxy S4 bet as standard on a quad-core chip at 1.9 GHz and the Galaxy S5 will arrive with a quad-core processor (at the moment there is no jump to the eight cores) with 2.5 GHz of power per core. In both cases the memoryRAM reaches 2 GB .

Operating system and applications

As expected, the new Samsung Galaxy S5 will come standard with the Android 4.4 KitKat operating system. Although currently users with the Samsung Galaxy S4 have the Android 4.3 Jelly Bean version , everything indicates that they will be updated in the coming weeks to this latest version, so in this aspect we are talking about a technical draw. But it is in the aspect of apps and advanced functions where we find the biggest differences. This is where the Korean company has insisted the most to enhance the possibilities of its Samsung Galaxy S5. For example, the new model integrates a fingerprint readerthat opens a new universe of possibilities. In principle, the most useful function we found is to create a private mode in which to save our personal files (such as compromising photos from the gallery). Only we can access this differentiated folder through the fingerprint. But in addition, Samsung has already announced that it will let developers work with the fingerprint reader, so that we could attend numerous apps that take advantage of this function.

Another aspect that has been worked on is in the development of its S Health application to keep fit. It seems that 2014 will be the year of sports and healthy living, and the company has wanted to greatly enhance this platform to exercise and measure our physical state with additions such as a cardiac activity sensor. This application will also improve your integration with the new Samsung Gear smart watches and especially with your Samsung Gear Fit smart bracelet . Finally, we would also like to highlight a children mode designed so that the little ones can use the phone safely.

Connectivity

Another point that the company has insisted in a special way when launching its new Galaxy S5 is the improvement of connections. Specifically, the new model will be capable of operating on 4G networks of up to 150 Mbps , compared to the maximum 100 Mbps that was reached in the Galaxy S4. But where we will really notice the difference is in the stability of the connection when we use the WiFi network . Thanks to MiMo technology , the Galaxy S5 uses multiple antennasreceivers that pick up the strongest signal and allow you to achieve a faster speed and superior connection quality. Another point that has been improved is found in the MicroUSB port, which incorporates the USB 3.0 protocol to achieve transfer speeds up to ten times faster than with traditional USB.

For the rest, both teams include a fairly complete set of connections that includes GPS to navigate through the car or when we go by public transport, Bluetooth 4.0 low voltage to connect with equipment such as smart watches and bracelets or NFC , technology that is beginning to be deployed to make payments through mobile phones.

Autonomy and conclusions

The Samsung Galaxy S4 incorporates a 2,600 milliamp battery , while the Galaxy S5 has a somewhat more powerful 2,800 milliamp battery . For practical purposes, this increase in power allows us to improve the talk time between the two terminals by four hours and the standby time by 40 hours. The Galaxy S5 is capable of holding up to 21 hours of conversation and 390 hourson hold. This is an obvious improvement over the previous generation, but it is true that a somewhat greater leap is needed, taking into account that autonomy is one of the great handicaps that smartphones have always haunted. In principle, we should be able to use this terminal for practically two whole days without having to recharge it, a very remarkable figure.

All in all, the Samsung Galaxy S5 jump may be inconspicuous at first glance. The two terminals have a similar design, both in the form and in the screen size itself (the size limits are already being reached and it is complex to make a leap in size as in previous generations). Neither memory nor power has taken a considerable turn. The most important differences are found in features that normally escape a list of specifications. For example, the Samsung Galaxy S5 integrates a fingerprint reader and is resistant to immersion in water and dust . In addition, it has a very fast autofocus function of just 0.3 seconds.Although there are still few who can fully enjoy this feature, the new Galaxy camera is capable of recording video in ultra-high resolution UHD (commonly known as 4K). Undoubtedly, these are aspects that can significantly improve the daily use of this mobile, but they do not have as much brilliance as a double-core processor or a screen jump of one inch. What do you think of the new Galaxy S5 ?

Comparative sheet