Information about the make, model, and alternative names of a particular device, if any.

Design

Information about the dimensions and weight of the device, presented in different units of measurement. Used materials, suggested colors, certificates.

Width Width information refers to the horizontal side of the device in its standard orientation during use.	72.5 mm (millimeters) 7.25 cm (centimeters) 0.24 ft 2.85in
Height Height information refers to the vertical side of the device in its standard orientation during use.	142 mm (millimeters) 14.2 cm (centimeters) 0.47ft 5.59in
Thickness Information about the thickness of the device in different units of measurement.	8.1 mm (millimeters) 0.81 cm (centimeters) 0.03 ft 0.32in
The weight Information about the weight of the device in different units of measurement.	145 g (grams) 0.32 lbs 5.11oz
Volume Approximate volume of the device, calculated from dimensions provided by the manufacturer. Refers to devices with the shape of a rectangular parallelepiped.	83.39 cm³ (cubic centimeters) 5.06 in³ (cubic inches)
Colors Information about the colors in which this device is offered for sale.	The black Blue Golden White
Housing materials The materials used to make the body of the device.	Polycarbonate
Certification Information about the standards to which this device is certified.	IP67

SIM card

The SIM card is used in mobile devices to store data that certifies the authenticity of mobile service subscribers.

Mobile networks

A mobile network is a radio system that allows multiple mobile devices to communicate with each other.

GSM GSM (Global System for Mobile Communications) is designed to replace the analogue mobile network (1G). For this reason, GSM is often referred to as a 2G mobile network. It is enhanced by the addition of GPRS (General Packet Radio Services) and later EDGE (Enhanced Data rates for GSM Evolution) technologies.	GSM 850 MHz GSM 900 MHz GSM 1800 MHz GSM 1900 MHz
UMTS UMTS is short for Universal Mobile Telecommunications System. It is based on the GSM standard and belongs to 3G mobile networks. Developed by 3GPP and its biggest advantage is to provide more speed and spectral efficiency with W-CDMA technology.	UMTS 850 MHz UMTS 900 MHz UMTS 1900 MHz UMTS 2100 MHz
LTE LTE (Long Term Evolution) is defined as fourth generation (4G) technology. It is developed by 3GPP based on GSM/EDGE and UMTS/HSPA to increase the capacity and speed of wireless mobile networks. The subsequent development of technologies is called LTE Advanced.	LTE 800 MHz LTE 850 MHz LTE 900 MHz LTE 1800 MHz LTE 2100 MHz LTE 2600 MHz

Mobile technologies and data rates

Communication between devices in mobile networks is carried out through technologies that provide different data rates.

Operating system

The operating system is the system software that manages and coordinates the operation of the hardware components in the device.

SoC (System on a Chip)

System on a chip (SoC) includes all the most important hardware components of a mobile device in one chip.

SoC (System on a Chip) A system on a chip (SoC) integrates various hardware components such as a processor, graphics processor, memory, peripherals, interfaces, etc., as well as the software necessary for their operation.	Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 MSM8974AC
Technological process Information about the technological process by which the chip is made. The value in nanometers measures half the distance between the elements in the processor.	28 nm (nanometers)
Processor (CPU) The main function of the processor (CPU) of a mobile device is the interpretation and execution of instructions contained in software applications.	Krait 400
Processor bit depth The bit depth (bits) of a processor is determined by the size (in bits) of registers, address buses, and data buses. 64-bit processors have higher performance than 32-bit processors, which, in turn, are more productive than 16-bit processors.	32 bit
Instruction Set Architecture Instructions are commands by which the software sets/controls the operation of the processor. Information about the instruction set (ISA) that the processor can execute.	ARMv7
Level 0 Cache (L0) Some processors have an L0 (level 0) cache that is faster to access than L1, L2, L3, etc. The advantage of having such a memory is not only more high performance but also reduced electricity consumption.	4 kB + 4 kB (kilobytes)
First level cache (L1) Cache memory is used by the processor to reduce access time to more frequently accessed data and instructions. L1 (level 1) cache is small and much faster than both system memory and other cache levels. If the processor does not find the requested data in L1, it continues to look for them in the L2 cache. With some processors, this search is performed simultaneously in L1 and L2.	16 kB + 16 kB (kilobytes)
Second level cache (L2) L2 (level 2) cache is slower than L1, but in return it has a larger capacity, allowing more data to be cached. It, like L1, is much faster than system memory (RAM). If the processor does not find the requested data in L2, it continues to look for it in the L3 cache (if available) or RAM.	2048 KB (kilobytes) 2 MB (megabytes)
Number of processor cores The processor core executes program instructions. There are processors with one, two or more cores. Having more cores increases performance by allowing many instructions to be executed in parallel.	4
Processor clock speed The clock speed of a processor describes its speed in terms of cycles per second. It is measured in megahertz (MHz) or gigahertz (GHz).	2500 MHz (megahertz)
Graphics Processing Unit (GPU) Graphics Processing Unit (GPU) handles calculations for various 2D/3D graphic applications. AT mobile devices ah it is used most often by games, consumer interface, video applications, etc.	Qualcomm Adreno 330
Number of GPU cores Like the CPU, the GPU is made up of several working parts called cores. They handle the graphical calculations of different applications.	4
GPU clock speed Speed ​​is the clock speed of the GPU and is measured in megahertz (MHz) or gigahertz (GHz).	578 MHz (megahertz)
The amount of random access memory (RAM) Random access memory (RAM) is used by the operating system and all installed applications. Data stored in RAM is lost when the device is turned off or restarted.	2 GB (gigabytes)
Type of random access memory (RAM) Information about the type of random access memory (RAM) used by the device.	LPDDR3
Number of RAM channels Information about the number of RAM channels that are integrated into the SoC. More channels means higher data rates.	dual channel
RAM frequency The frequency of RAM determines its speed, more specifically, the speed of reading / writing data.	933 MHz (megahertz)

Built-in memory

Each mobile device has a built-in (non-removable) memory with a fixed amount.

Memory cards

Memory cards are used in mobile devices to increase the storage capacity for storing data.

Screen

The screen of a mobile device is characterized by its technology, resolution, pixel density, diagonal length, color depth, etc.

Type/technology One of the main characteristics of the screen is the technology by which it is made and on which the image quality of information directly depends.	Super AMOLED
Diagonal For mobile devices, the screen size is expressed in terms of its diagonal length, measured in inches.	5.1in 129.54 mm (millimeters) 12.95 cm (centimeters)
Width Approximate Screen Width	2.5in 63.51 mm (millimeters) 6.35 cm (centimeters)
Height Approximate Screen Height	4.45 in 112.9 mm (millimeters) 11.29 cm (centimeters)
Aspect Ratio The ratio of the dimensions of the long side of the screen to its short side	1.778:1 16:9
Permission Screen resolution indicates the number of pixels vertically and horizontally on the screen. Higher resolution means sharper image detail.	1080 x 1920 pixels
Pixel Density Information about the number of pixels per centimeter or inch of the screen. More high density allows you to display information on the screen with clearer details.	432 ppi (pixels per inch) 169 ppcm (pixels per centimeter)
Color depth Screen color depth reflects the total number of bits used for the color components in a single pixel. Information about the maximum number of colors the screen can display.	24 bit 16777216 flowers
Screen area Approximate percentage of screen space on the front of the device.	69.87% (percentage)
Other characteristics Information about other functions and features of the screen.	capacitive Multitouch Scratch resistance
	Corning Gorilla Glass 3

Sensors

Different sensors perform different quantitative measurements and convert physical indicators into signals that are recognized by the mobile device.

Main camera

The main camera of a mobile device is usually located on the back of the case and is used for taking photos and videos.

Sensor Model	Samsung S5K2P2XX
Sensor type Digital cameras use photo sensors to take pictures. The sensor, as well as the optics, is one of the main factors in the quality of a camera in a mobile device.	ISOCELL
Sensor size Information about the size of the photosensor used in the device. Typically, cameras with a larger sensor and lower pixel density offer better image quality despite lower resolution.	5.95 x 3.35 mm (millimeters) 0.27in
Pixel size The smaller pixel size of the photosensor allows more pixels to be used per unit area, thus increasing resolution. On the other hand, a smaller pixel size can have a negative impact on image quality at high light sensitivity (ISO) levels.	1.12 µm (micrometers) 0.00112 mm (millimeters)
crop factor The crop factor is the ratio between the size of a full-frame sensor (36 x 24mm, equivalent to a frame of standard 35mm film) and the size of the device's photosensor. The number shown is the ratio of the diagonals of the full frame sensor (43.3 mm) and the photo sensor of the specific device.	6.34
ISO (light sensitivity) ISO values ​​determine the light sensitivity level of the photosensor. A lower value means weaker light sensitivity and vice versa - higher values ​​mean higher light sensitivity, i.e. better ability of the sensor to work in low light conditions.	100 - 2000
Diaphragm	f/2.2
Excerpt The shutter speed (exposure time) indicates the amount of time the camera shutter is open during the shooting process. The longer it is open, the more light reaches the photosensor. Shutter speed is measured in seconds (eg 5, 2, 1) or fractions of a second (eg 1/2, 1/8, 1/8000).	1/14 - 1/10000
Focal length Focal length is the distance in millimeters from the photosensor to the optical center of the lens. There is also an equivalent focal length that provides the same field of view with a full frame camera.	4.89 mm (millimeters) 30.99 mm (millimeters) *(35 mm / full frame)
Flash type The most common types of flashes in mobile devices cameras are LED and xenon flashes. LED flashes give a softer light and, unlike brighter xenon flashes, are also used for video shooting.	LED
Image Resolution One of the main characteristics of mobile device cameras is their resolution, which indicates the number of pixels in the horizontal and vertical direction of an image.	5312 x 2988 pixels 15.87 MP (megapixels)
Video resolution Information about the maximum supported resolution for video recording by the device.	3840 x 2160 pixels 8.29 MP (megapixels)
Information about the maximum number of frames per second (fps) supported by the device when shooting video at the maximum resolution. Some of the main standard shooting and video playback speeds are 24p, 25p, 30p, 60p.	30 fps (frames per second)
Characteristics Information about other software and hardware features related to the main camera and improving its functionality.	autofocus Burst shooting digital zoom Digital Image Stabilization geo tags panoramic shooting HDR shooting Touch focus Face recognition Adjusting the white balance ISO setting
	1080p@60fps Phase detection samsung lens

Additional camera

Additional cameras are usually mounted above the screen of the device and are mainly used for video calls, gesture recognition, etc.

Sensor Model Information about the manufacturer and model of the photo sensor used in the device's camera.	Samsung S5K8B1
Diaphragm Aperture (f-number) is the size of the aperture opening that controls the amount of light reaching the photosensor. A lower f-number means the aperture is larger.	f/2.4
Image Resolution Information about the maximum resolution of the secondary camera when shooting. In most cases, the resolution of the secondary camera is lower than that of the main camera.	1920 x 1080 pixels 2.07 MP (megapixels)
Video resolution Information about the maximum resolution supported when shooting video with the optional camera.	1920 x 1080 pixels 2.07 MP (megapixels)
Video - frame rate/frames per second. Information about the maximum number of frames per second (fps) supported by the optional camera when shooting video at the maximum resolution.	30 fps (frames per second)

Audio

Information about the type of speakers and audio technologies supported by the device.

Radio

The radio of the mobile device is a built-in FM receiver.

Location determination

Information about navigation and location technologies supported by the device.

WiFi

Wi-Fi is a technology that provides wireless communication for short distance data transmission between different devices.

Bluetooth

Bluetooth is a standard for secure wireless data transfer between different types of devices over short distances.

Version There are several versions of Bluetooth, with each subsequent one improving communication speed, coverage, making it easier to discover and connect devices. Information about the Bluetooth version of the device.	4.0
Characteristics Bluetooth uses different profiles and protocols for faster data exchange, energy savings, better device discovery, and more. Some of the profiles and protocols that the device supports are shown here.	A2DP (Advanced Audio Distribution Profile) AVRCP (Audio/Visual Remote Control Profile) DIP (Device ID Profile) HFP (Hands Free Profile) HID (Human Interface Profile) HSP (Headset Profile) LE (Low Energy) MAP (Message Access Profile) OPP (Object Push Profile) PAN (Personal Area Networking Profile) PBAP/PAB (Phone Book Access Profile) HOGP

USB

USB (Universal Serial Bus) is an industry standard that allows different electronic devices to communicate.

HDMI

HDMI (High-Definition Multimedia Interface) is a digital audio/video interface that replaces older analog audio/video standards.

Headphone jack

This is an audio connector, which is also called an audio jack. The most widely used standard in mobile devices is the 3.5mm headphone jack.

Connecting devices

Information about other important connection technologies supported by the device.

Browser

A web browser is a software application for accessing and viewing information on the Internet.

Browser Information about some of the key features and standards supported by the device's browser.

HTML HTML5 CSS 3

Audio file formats/codecs

Mobile devices support various audio file formats and codecs that store and encode/decode digital audio data, respectively.

Video file formats/codecs

Mobile devices support various video file formats and codecs, which store and encode/decode digital video data, respectively.

Video file formats/codecs A list of some of the main video file formats and codecs that are standardly supported by the device.

3GPP (3rd Generation Partnership Project, .3gp) 3GPP2 (3rd Generation Partnership Project 2, .3g2) AVI (Audio Video Interleaved, .avi) DivX (.avi, .divx, .mkv) Flash Video (.flv, .f4v, .f4p, .f4a, .f4b) H.263 H.264 / MPEG-4 Part 10 / AVC video MKV (Matroska Multimedia Container, .mkv .mk3d .mka .mks) MP4 (MPEG-4 Part 14, .mp4, .m4a, .m4p, .m4b, .m4r, .m4v) VC-1 WebM WMV (Windows Media Video, .wmv) WMV7 (Windows Media Video 7, .wmv) WMV8 (Windows Media Video 8, .wmv)

Battery

Mobile device batteries differ from each other in their capacity and technology. They provide the electrical charge they need to function.

Capacity The capacity of a battery indicates the maximum charge it can store, measured in milliamp-hours.	2800 mAh (milliamp-hours)
Type of The type of battery is determined by its structure and, more specifically, by the chemicals used. Exist different types batteries, with lithium-ion and lithium-ion polymer batteries most commonly used in mobile devices.	Li-Ion (Li-Ion)
Talk time 2G Talk time in 2G is the period of time during which the battery is completely discharged during a continuous conversation in a 2G network.	29 h (hours) 1740 min (minutes) 1.2 days
2G standby time The 2G standby time is the amount of time it takes for the battery to fully discharge when the device is in stand-by mode and connected to a 2G network.	480 h (hours) 28800 min (minutes) 20 days
3G talk time Talk time in 3G is the period of time during which the battery is completely discharged during a continuous conversation in a 3G network.	29 h (hours) 1740 min (minutes) 1.2 days
3G standby time The 3G standby time is the amount of time it takes for the battery to fully discharge when the device is in stand-by mode and connected to a 3G network.	480 h (hours) 28800 min (minutes) 20 days
4G talk time Talk time in 4G is the period of time during which the battery is completely discharged during a continuous conversation in a 4G network.	29 h (hours) 1740 min (minutes) 1.2 days
4G standby time The 4G standby time is the amount of time it takes for the battery to fully discharge when the device is in stand-by mode and connected to a 4G network.	480 h (hours) 28800 min (minutes) 20 days
Characteristics Information about some additional features of the device's battery.	Wireless charger Removable
	Wireless charging - market dependent

Specific Absorption Rate (SAR)

SAR levels refer to the amount of electromagnetic radiation absorbed by the human body while using a mobile device.

Head SAR (EU) The SAR level indicates the maximum amount of electromagnetic radiation that the human body is exposed to when holding a mobile device near the ear in a conversation position. In Europe, the maximum allowable SAR value for mobile devices is limited to 2 W/kg per 10 grams of human tissue. This standard has been established by CENELEC in accordance with IEC standards following the 1998 ICNIRP guidelines.	0.562 W/kg (watt per kilogram)
Body SAR (EU) The SAR level indicates the maximum amount of electromagnetic radiation that the human body is exposed to when holding a mobile device at hip level. The maximum allowed SAR value for mobile devices in Europe is 2 W/kg per 10 grams of human tissue. This standard has been established by CENELEC following the 1998 ICNIRP guidelines and IEC standards.	0.406 W/kg (watt per kilogram)
Head SAR (US) The SAR level indicates the maximum amount of electromagnetic radiation that the human body is exposed to when holding a mobile device near the ear. The maximum value used in the US is 1.6 W/kg per gram of human tissue. Mobile devices in the US are controlled by the CTIA and the FCC conducts tests and sets their SAR values.	1.2 W/kg (watt per kilogram)
Body SAR (US) The SAR level indicates the maximum amount of electromagnetic radiation that the human body is exposed to when holding a mobile device at hip level. The highest acceptable SAR value in the US is 1.6 W/kg per gram of human tissue. This value is set by the FCC, and the CTIA controls whether mobile devices comply with this standard.	1.58 W/kg (watt per kilogram)

In 2014, Samsung introduced its flagship smartphone, the Galaxy S 5, right during the MWC 2014 exhibition in Barcelona, ​​so we are already. However, at the presentation, several things were announced that, without detailed consideration, remained a mystery. I was wondering how the fingerprint scanner works, the heart rate sensor, does the smartphone really sink and, most importantly, how does HDR work when shooting video?

The design has changed little when viewed from the front of the Galaxy S 5. I am sure that not everyone will immediately distinguish the models until they take them in hand. The back and sides have changed. The back cover is now soft touch with a dotted texture. The case can be one of several colors: dark gray, blue, gold and white. I looked at the blue at the exhibition and I really liked it, more than the gray that I have now. Interestingly, by the way, the white back cover will feel like leather, or will be more plastic, as in Galaxy Note 3?

Element arrangement and ergonomics

The body of the Galaxy S 5 has grown compared to its predecessor, and this is noticeable if you have communicated with the S4 before. The smartphone has become 6 mm higher, 3 mm wider. The display also grew, but quite a bit - by 2%, from 5″ to 5.1″. The increased dimensions are most likely a consequence of the fact that the case has become protected (ip67), and the battery capacity has increased.

I, not to mention the changes in weight and size characteristics, gave the S5 to the S4 user, to which he did not notice the changes at all and confidently said that he liked the S5 more, thanks to the non-glossy cover. Even despite the increase, the smartphone as a whole does not look huge, and using it has become more pleasant thanks to the material of the back cover. No more gloss, the material feels very similar to the one used in Note 3 - it looks like leather.

The cover, as before, is removable. Under it are the battery and slots for a memory card and a micro-SIM card. This is convenient, I like to control everything in my smartphone, including the ability to urgently replace the battery without the use of screwdrivers.

The location of the elements on the body has not changed. I will note only a few points: the left touch key under the display now calls not the context menu, but the multitasking menu. Not habitual, requires habit. And a long press on the home key, which previously triggered multitasking, now triggers Google Now. If the majority of S4 users upgrade to the new model, the number of Google Now users will skyrocket.

Secondly, the MicroUSB connector is now the third version, as in Note 3. To prevent moisture from getting inside, it is closed with a plug. Third - behind, near the flash, there is a pulse measurement sensor. It’s a bit strange to see something like this in a smartphone, I still can’t figure out why? Although the measurements are much more accurate than apps that measure the pulse with a flash, even here you can’t walk or talk during the measurement. That is, measurements should be carried out in ideal conditions, and, during sports, it is hard to take and be calm. Perhaps this sensor turns the smartphone into a medical device that is taxed less?

And fourthly, it is not noticeable externally, but a fingerprint scanner is built into the home key. Its implementation differs from that in the iPhone, in order to unlock the smartphone, you need to swipe your finger over the scanner, not hold it. I liked this option less - the phone is easier to drop, because you have to hold it differently when unlocking. At least until you get used to it, I had a couple of moments when I caught the smartphone during unlocking when I was accidentally hit. In any case, this is much more convenient than unlocking the smartphone with a scanner on the back, as in HTC.

In total, you can add up to three fingerprints, but more than one finger can be added to one slot, I checked it works. I was pleased with the performance of the scanner. If you enter all the necessary fingers, the device is almost always unlocked the first time. I would like to see more than three fingerprint slots, as well as the ability to not swipe on the button, but simply hold your finger on it. I was pleased that third-party developers can also use the SDK for the scanner, for example, already now, PayPal allows you to pay using it.

IP67

Moisture and dust protection should be in all flagship smartphones. If earlier any model with such protection characteristics looked like a tractor, now a protected smartphone looks like a regular smartphone. There are no twisting screws at the back, nor a rubber surface in the case. Even the decorative, which was not at all necessary, exactly the same protection is used here. And I, by the way, last year was very good.

There are very few external signs of moisture protection, in fact - only the presence of a plug over the MicroUSB 3.0 connector. Neither the speaker nor the headset jack are covered.

If you remove the back cover, you can see another protection - a rubber edging that prevents moisture from entering the device.

Agree, all this cannot be called at least some kind of payment for such great convenience. I can safely take my smartphone with me to the shower, if necessary, so as not to miss an important call, for example, I can lay it on any surface without worrying that it may be wet, I can take pictures under a torrential downpour. It's cool! The IP67 rating allows you to submerge the SGS5 to a depth of one meter and keep it there for 30 minutes. You can learn more about security standards. The Galaxy S 4 Active was protected to the same standard, but I went much deeper with it, and in salt water. And, after a week of such severe tests, nothing bad happened to the smartphone. The season did not allow such tests with the S5, but I could not deny myself the pleasure of throwing it into the lake. Of course, the smartphone is also perfectly protected from dust.

cameras

Cameras have always been a strong point of the Galaxy S line, and the fifth generation is no exception. The front one became 2.1 MP, and the main one grew to 16 MP. At the same time, the pixels did not increase “anyhow”, the sensor size was also increased. So, even just judging by the characteristics, one can judge the improvement in the quality of the images.

The camera in the SGS5 has the fastest autofocus on the market at just 0.3 seconds. In addition, even in the version of the smartphone with an Exynos processor, which is not officially available on the Ukrainian market, you can now record video in 4k resolution at 30 frames per second. But the most surprising thing is the HDR mode, it is now also available for video shooting and the difference between it and what it was before is huge.

Comparison of normal mode and HDR when shooting video

Photo examples

Front-camera

Video in HDR mode

Display

The 5.1″ display resolution remains Full HD. And that makes me happy, because it reduces the chance of unforeseen problems, in particular, related to autonomy and software adaptation. The pixel density is still high, although it has decreased slightly compared to its predecessor - 432 ppi versus 441 ppi.

Despite not the most standard placement of subpixels, the pentile scheme is not visible. Pixels are not visible at all, I liked the display, as in the case of its predecessor. He is here, as expected, Super AMOLED. The brightness range of the display is wide - from 2 cd/m² to 500 cd/m². Its maximum brightness makes it more or less comfortable to use the phone in sunlight, but the minimum brightness is even better, during the day the display seems to be off. So, it is comfortable to read at night. Viewing angles, as befits a SAMOLED screen, are maximum.

Specifications and Software

Like the last few years samsung galaxy The S 5 will be available with different processors in different markets. Exynos 5420 with 4 Cortex-A15 1.9 GHz and 4 Cortex-A7 1.3 GHz and Mali t628 graphics will go to us, and many others will get a smartphone with a Snapdragon 801 processor. As in the case of Note, the main difference - in support of LTE in 800s. The amount of RAM is 2 GB, which is enough, but the Note 3 had 3 GB. Built-in memory - 16GB. But do you need more, because there is a slot for memory cards. Battery capacity - 2800 mAh. This is 200 mAh more than its predecessor and, given the lack of special additions of pixels and megahertz, the smartphone lives longer.

There are a lot of software features here. Samsung is putting a lot of emphasis on services, including S health, which turns the smartphone into a personal trainer. Now the service is even more useful, because you can measure the pulse using a special sensor placed on the back.

I really liked the advanced economy mode feature. When the battery charge drops to 10%, and it is necessary to reach the outlet, this mode will turn the SGS5 into a bw dialer, turning off everything unnecessary. In this state, these 10% of the charge will last another day!

But the main thing that immediately catches your eye is the updated proprietary Samsung shell, the modern tachwiz is liked by a lot more users than before. The design has become flatter and more consistent in the same style, new features have appeared, for example, the ability to put any five applications in a hidden button for quick access from anywhere except the camera. There is a pretty cute and useful kids mode that the kid can't get out of without the password. Only those applications and games that you choose are available in it. In addition, there are also standard children's applications, such as karaoke, drawing, camera with effects, etc. There are already familiar multi-window mode, gesture control, etc. And most importantly, all this is based on the latest version of Android 4.4.2.

Overview of innovations in new version touchwiz

Samsung is moving towards evolution after the revolution... again.

Our verdict

Powerful, durable, with a new interface. It's a pity that Samsung hasn't gone any further with the design of its new device.

Device specifications

• Built-in memory: 16 GB
• Resolution of the main camera: 16 Megapixels
• Battery talk time: 21 hours
• Screen resolution: 1920 x 1080
• Processor: Quad Core (4 Cores)

The Samsung Galaxy S5 can be summed up in one word: evolution.

The camera has been upgraded to capture clearer and faster footage. The fitness capabilities of the S5 have been improved over with the more powerful S Health app and built-in heart rate sensor. Also in the safest Galaxy phone of all existing ones, a fingerprint scanner was added.

The battery capacity is larger, the screen is wider and brighter, the processor is faster, and the design has also been changed.

The list of specifications of the device is definitely pleasing: 2.5 GHz quad-core CPU, 2 GB of RAM, removable battery capacity of 2800 mAh, 16/32 GB of internal memory (expandable up to 128 GB via microSD card slot), one of the brightest screens in the world, 5.1 inches, and biometric features have also been added.

However, when you first pick up the Galaxy S5, it will be difficult for you to single out any one feature that will attract a potential user.

A lot of things that don't matter, since Samsung has as many fans as its rival Apple, and many of them will not hesitate to choose the new Galaxy without looking at its competitors.

But now you can forget about it. Released, which has more, much more features for this.

The design of the S6 is more impressive: its metal-and-glass body makes it look more like an iPhone than previous Samsung models. But, the design of the S5 is definitely an improvement over its predecessors.

Power newest phone higher, but it lost the microSD card slot and removable battery, and it's not waterproof. If all this is important to you, then it is better to buy S5, as prices have dropped.

It's a wise price choice, but if you're shocked by the Samsung Galaxy S5's price tag, then you probably haven't paid much attention to previous flagship models. In fact, in some countries it costs a little less than before. Prices have dropped relatively recently and the SIM-free option now costs £370 in the UK.

As you can imagine, deals with contracts are now almost everywhere, in this version the Galaxy S5 has the same price as the HTC One M8, but it is cheaper than the iPhone 6.

Samsung took note of the feedback from Galaxy S5 users, but focused not on anything new, but on what makes the phone special to the consumer.

The company promised a "stylish" and "shine" design, a camera that works the way you want it to, and water resistance.

A little hint - there is information that the Samsung Galaxy S5 Prime version will probably be released in February with more RAM, a faster processor and a QHD display.

However, this statement has been withdrawn (perhaps due to problems encountered when creating a new screen), and only in South Korea there was a version of Samsung Galaxy S5 LTE-A. It has a Snapdragon 805 CPU, a WQHD display, and all the high-end features you could want. In short, this is an amazing phone and I would love to see Samsung sell it all over the world.

You can always take a closer look at the Samsung Galaxy Alpha, a smaller phone that has the same power as the Galaxy S5 but with a lower 720p screen resolution. It has metal edges, as Samsung once again opted for light weight over weight and ergonomics.

This phone has high power, sky-high price and a low-res screen and premium design that rivals the new iPhone 6.

But if you want something smaller then there's the Galaxy S5 Mini. It is the same as its bigger brother, but it has slightly fewer features. It is not as powerful, but has an aesthetic design and a heart rate sensor. This is a great choice if you don't want to spend a lot of money.

But enough comparisons: let's look at one of the key questions Samsung needs to answer with its Galaxy S5: is it good enough for the market to compete with the latest high-end smartphones?

The simple answer, which you can give in a second, is no, because the design is not on the same level as Apple and HTC.

Although this is only a small part of this story, under the hood Samsung continues to play the game, applying the latest technological solutions and optimizing them so that they do not quickly drain the battery.

Is this phone good enough to compete with Apple on the best selling device lists? Yes, but it has more to do with their worldwide marketing policy. But even this will not lead to huge sales of the new phone.

Samsung needs this to be the last phone to speak the same design language (like the Alpha and Note 4). The Galaxy S6 should be the dawn of a new era for the South Korean company, one whose design will make consumers crave it.

And the new iPhone 6 was a real winner, betting on design. If buyers do not fall in love with big screen S5, then their desire to own an Apple gets stronger (although you'll probably consider a lot of great Android phones before then).

Samsung recently reported that it sold 40% fewer S5 phones than the Galaxy S4 in the same device lifecycle.

The South Korean giant responded to these developments with plans to take a closer look at the strategy of this smartphone and focus on pricing rather than high-end devices.

What does it mean? Well, tentatively, we can expect some price cuts in the near future, which will make the Samsung Galaxy S5 more attractive.

Significantly for this review, the Galaxy S5 doesn't seem to be talked about much, but that's not bad for a company that was accused of using useless innovations on last year's model.

I have always been cautious when talking about the design of the Samsung phone. The Galaxy S2, the company's first breakthrough, was mostly made of plastic but was one of the few five-star phones.

Thus, year after year, Samsung failed to bring something new, some kind of wow effect, while the rest of the competitors stepped onto the battlefield with confidence.

HTC is leading the way here with its one-piece metal One M8, and Apple has cemented its position with an improved design, the best since the iPhone 4, and taken a big step forward with iPhone 6.

Sony's efforts in developing the Z line were rewarded with the release of the Xperia Z3 with a modern design, and even Nokia managed to play with aluminum and give some of their devices a premium look.

All of this makes me wonder: why is Samsung refusing to give customers what they want... called a metal case?

Presumably there are several reasons: the production cost is too high, especially in the volume in which Samsung produces them, the company likes the lightness of devices, making a waterproof device out of metal can be quite difficult.

However, none of these reasons are true, as Apple is doing the exact same thing but with metal phones. Devices that have a certain weight are better than light ones, and the ruler Sony Xperia Z seamlessly combines metal and water resistance.

The Samsung Galaxy S5 is definitely more solid than the Galaxy S4 and feels more ergonomic thanks to its wider bezel, better grip and ribbed battery cover.

However, it does not look like an advanced smartphone. With its metal frame, it looks a lot like the Galaxy Note 3 and S4, and I subconsciously start looking for the S Pen.

The Samsung Galaxy Alpha is an interesting offering, with a polycarbonate body and a metal frame similar to the Nokia Lumia 930. It seems Samsung didn't think to do the same with the S5 - it bears little resemblance to a new concept that could boost its sales.

His back panel also not exciting. While I think it would be a bit harsh to compare it to a sticky patch, it does have a "medical" feel to it, especially its white color.

The blue and copper options seem more eye-catching, but still don't get as excited as the HTC One M8.

Despite the large screen, Samsung still does a great job with proportions. Although the body has become larger, it has not become something incredible. But if you switched to this device after the old iPhone, you may find it a little difficult to manage.

Those who have been fans of the Samsung Galaxy line before will find plenty to enjoy. The home button, which has a fingerprint sensor, is large enough to be easy to press, while the start button, located on the right side of the phone, is raised slightly higher for a more comfortable press.

The same can be said about the volume control button on the right. Since the device has grown in size, it has become a little difficult for me to reach this area when I want to change the volume level when listening to music while walking.

One of the key changes in the Galaxy S5 is water resistance, it is IP67 certified, which means you can spill some water on it, but it is not recommended to swim with it.
It's also dustproof, which makes the uncovered headphone jack even more impressive, as the S5 doesn't need a cap to cover the port.

A USB 3.0 connection, which may seem superfluous to some, but the same was used in the Galaxy Note 3 for faster charging when using standard microUSB cables that have an increased IP protection class and some rigidity.

The gap meant for you to put your fingernail in is quite small and maybe the only thing that annoys those who want to get their hands on it. best phone Galaxy don't care about its water resistance.

The touch buttons are still next to the home button, but now they are slightly different. The menu button has been replaced with a multitasking button, which seems to be Google's favorite on Android 4.4.

You can still use it as a long-press menu button, but it doesn't work intuitively, and the right side is hard to reach.
It's not a bad system, and the physical home button, even less necessary than before, is still a nice touch.

Another win in the design of the Samsung Galaxy S5 is the removable battery. It's mostly for peace of mind given the S5's long battery life, but if you're afraid it's going to break, then it's a good option.

It also means that the ugly FCC stamp will be visible and you won't need a special tool to remove the SIM card, moreover, it's easier to insert a microSD card.

The lid is a cause for concern if you're considering it from a waterproof standpoint, as it can sometimes be difficult to make sure that all of the fasteners fit into the slots when closed.

A warning message will appear on the screen to remind you of this, but you may need to check several times before making sure everything is closed.

If you look under the back panel, you will see that the battery is protected by a thick rubber coating, so if you drop the phone in water, you will be a little embarrassed, a lot of water in the phone, but it will certainly be all right.

I started to get worried when I noticed that sand got into the home button, but after an hour or two, it disappeared from there on its own, although this made me think about its dust resistance.

Overall, the design of the Samsung Galaxy S5 is likely to be the part that receives the most criticism, and for good reason.

When it's in your hand, it doesn't feel like a premium device like many other high-end smartphones on the market, and while many talk about the high quality of the polycarbonate used, it still pales in comparison to the competition.

Yes, it's lighter, and probably more rigid (you're less likely to need a case for the Galaxy S5, for example), but that's Samsung's biggest problem, something it's tried to fix with the Galaxy S6.

Key Features

Last year, it was difficult to talk about all the new elements of the Galaxy S4, since most of them brought almost nothing new, except for technological tricks.

Things like Air Browse still exist, they are still in the settings, and this is a complaint against Samsung, which still has not removed them.

Although the company has tried to make the Galaxy S5 phone more useful, keeping what customers use every day. Let's now look at the new features:

S Health

One of the most obvious things about the Samsung Galaxy S5 is the heart rate sensor on the back next to the camera.

It is designed in a way that will allow you to get more out of your daily activities, using the so-called "Count yourself" (quantified self) applications that reflect all the data on daily activities.

S Health 3.0 is a nice upgrade and fills in a lot of fields that other apps don't. You can install the best elements offered by S Health, such as My Calorie Counter, which keeps track of calories, but for convenience it is better to use it with the main application.

The pedometer, like on most phones, is largely useless because it sets the number of steps you must walk each day, and you can only do this if you glue the Galaxy S5 to your hip.

It's not as accurate as what you put on your wrist or on your shoes, and Samsung has put a lot of effort into making wearable gadgets that seem more novel than useful.

You can track your exercise progress on your phone as it adds data to a centralized system. Again, there are better apps for recording your run, such as Adidas MiCoach, Runkeeper or Endomondo, but this good app for beginner runners, although it does not take into account the purpose of running.

New to S Health this year on the Galaxy S5 is a heart rate sensor located on the back of the monitor next to the camera that lets you take your heart rate whenever you want.

But here's the thing: why do you need it? It's one of those elements that just seems to be there because Samsung was trying to think about what it could add to the S5 to make it feel new and interesting.

And, for the most part, it worked. But it's nowhere near as reliable as some kind of wrist or chest gadget (I've found it manages to get my heart rate every 3-4 tries), and besides, it begs the question of when you'd want to use it. .

Ideally, if you remember that you want to take your pulse when you wake up, when you are relaxed and able to measure your heart rate at rest.

And maybe it will also be useful at certain moments of tension during the day, so that you can find out the necessary time for fitness sessions, provided that you use the application correctly.

But, in fact, you should remember to do it at the right time, that is, your average heart rate will depend on what you do during the day.

I know one person who has heart problems. I asked her what she thought of this feature. She said the feature is really useful for those who need to measure their heart rate throughout the day, or just check how fast it gets when they exercise (although this is not enough for medical purposes).

Thus, S Health is a great app for those who have certain medical conditions and do not require very accurate data (the Galaxy S5 sensor is not intended to replace the corresponding medical equipment). But for the rest of the people, this thing falls into the “lower heart rate pub competition” category.

Samsung, like many other major manufacturers of large phones, are trying their best to extend the life of the battery, as it usually runs out by the end of the day.

As you all saw in the battery graph, the Galaxy S5 is a great choice if you want to spend more time away from charging your phone, and this new tool lets you feel more confident when your battery starts to run low.

This feature starts working when you activate it, not all the time. The screen goes black and white, the power goes down, and you're left with access to a limited number of apps - up to 6 of your choice.

The selection isn't that great (so you don't waste your battery power when you really need it), but includes Twitter and an internet browser. It surprised me.

In this mode, the phone will only consume power when the screen is active, which means that you will not receive background notifications, etc. It is not a good idea to use the browser or other battery-consuming applications in this mode, as it immediately loses meaning.

For example, at 7% charge, I activated this mode, the phone told me that the batteries would now last for 21 hours. An hour later, I decided to look again how much was left. However, I spent 3 or 4 minutes using a browser and then checked a couple of tweets. As a result, only 2% of the battery remained.

However, the good news is that if you have 100% battery life, you will laugh, as in this mode, it will last a very long time, with reasonable use.

In fact, I advise you to use this mode wisely. Don't do anything that drains your battery, just use your phone as a way to make a call or send a text message when you're not at home and need some battery leftovers.

I was quick to dismiss this mode as useless when I first encountered it in Barcelona and said that you might as well just turn off your phone. But it's actually a good idea, and it works better than a similar feature on the HTC One M8 that doesn't turn the screen to black and white.

It takes about 15 seconds to switch from normal mode to power saving mode, which is a little long and tedious, so get ready to just activate it and put your phone in your pocket. If it were faster, then I would just turn the phone on and off as needed. Unfortunately, this is not an option.

Camera and selective focus

I'll go into more detail about the camera a bit later in this review, but here are some high-end specs worth talking about now, as it's one of Samsung's biggest accomplishments.

Selective focus (or background focus, depending on how you want to call it) is a big thing for smartphone makers this year, as Sony, LG, and HTC have joined Samsung to take a photo by giving it a " pro-effect, by defocusing the background with bokeh effect, but keeping the subject in place. Nokia started doing this back in 2013.

HTC is the best at bringing this to life, by adding the right sensor to give the greater depth of information required for such an effect.

Unfortunately, Samsung seems to be the worst at this task, as the method used here often fails.

After you turn on the camera, you need to select "Selective focus" on the left side. Then, hope the subject you want to capture matches all of the S5 settings, as often I've run into a message that the effect can't be applied because no foreground object was found.

The phone takes several pictures and then processes them, again, not quickly. Then you go to the gallery and click on the icon to start processing the image, which will take a few more seconds. And, if everything is in order, then you can choose a blurred foreground or background, but there is no way to save both options.

This is actually a very clever feature, Samsung did a great job and deserves respect, but HTC did a great job with their One M8. It's a shame that the South Korean company did it later.

Luckily, the rest of the camera's features are better improved: a more powerful sensor and instant autofocus are the main things that users are interested in.

Seems like the company didn't do enough work on the shortcomings software as the camera starts up slowly, especially from sleep mode.

I also noticed that autofocus is fast, but it doesn't always come out sharp, so Samsung's claim that the phone is great for capturing all sorts of images isn't exactly true.

If there is good lighting and you know what you want to photograph (and the camera is already ready to shoot), then this good system…but most of the time we use the camera in a completely different environment.

In addition to the biometric features on the phone, this is a topic that can get infuriating, as many companies install it just for the sake of it.

Apple has done this for the first time with TouchID (accuracy issues aside) and companies in the industry have quickly begun to do the same.

The HTC One Max had a scanner on the back of a huge phone, but it was out of reach. Samsung has at least placed it on the home button, which is more conveniently located, but the accuracy isn't quite as high as the Apple version.

It's not bad, and it's definitely second on the market, but the Galaxy S5 asks you to swipe vertically down, not the normal gesture.

The good news is that you can swipe the button side to side with your thumb and it will work, but the accuracy is poor. Only one out of 7-8 attempts will be successful, and if your hand is a little crooked, then you can easily exhaust all 5 attempts.

I found that it started to work worse after a few days, since there is a possibility to add up to three prints there, I deleted my first attempt and tried again, sliding my thumb down and from corner to corner. The sensor seemed to like it better, and the accuracy of unlocking the phone improved.

I used to delete the last attempts when problems arose, but I followed the subsequent deterioration in performance, and most users would not even consider making new prints. As I said, making two prints of the same finger different ways, I saw a change in accuracy, but maybe that's not the only thing.

download accelerator

A download accelerator is one of the best ways to kill your traffic if you leave it on. I'm kidding, it won't hurt you if you have 4 GB of extra bandwidth.

The meaning is simple: you have 4G, but you are connected when WiFi assistance and want to download a file from the magical cloud world of the internet. Instead of using one speed, the strengths combine to create super speed.

If something happens to one connection, the second one will take over the load and continue downloading, which means that by downloading files that weigh more than 30 MB, you will have tremendous speed.

One thing is not clear - is it possible to use high-speed download when the LTE / 4G connection is disabled. The app says only super-fast next-generation mobile connections are available, but the icon at the top of the screen still says 3G.

However, this does not work, so we can assume that this is another Samsung error.

Display

The display of the Samsung Galaxy S5 is one of the best on the market, and the best feature of the phone. You can talk about additional innovations all you want, but if the phone has a big battery, a great camera and good screen then it's a winner.

I like what it offers - it's brighter than LCD panels, at full power it looks more saturated than the HTC One M8. Plus, it can be darker than the rest (Samsung knows a lot of us read in bed), but still crisp.

According to DisplayMate, the Full HD Super AMOLED display is 22% brighter than the Galaxy S4 while using less power. Now you can go ahead and see what this amazing screen is capable of.

But here's the bottom line: The days when the Super AMOLED display was a color mess are over. Samsung has outfitted the Galaxy S5 with all sorts of customizations so you can find the exact balance of what you like. And features such as the adaptive display are necessary so that even in bright light, the information on the screen is clearly visible.

Unfortunately, this last mode cannot be used with all applications, only with the main ones, such as browser, gallery.

Good brightness, high definition, and better color reproduction (by most accounts) will impress all but the highest standards seekers, and if you spend a lot of time watching movies, browsing the web, or just flipping through photos, then this 5.1-inch 1920 resolution screen ×1080 would be the best choice.

It's unfortunate that a better option exists on both the LG G3 and the Samsung Galaxy S5 LTE-A version, as it's what makes the screen crisp and bright and can improve even the best display. But such fans of technology always want something more.

If you think what samsung phone buy, it is worth noting that Note 4 also has an improved display, one of the best recognized on the market according to DisplayMate.

Interface and performance

The interface on the Samsung Galaxy S5 has improved quite a lot compared to the S4 and previous versions of the Galaxy family.

This is mainly due to the new round icons and the geometric layout, allowing everything to look a bit more premium and fluid. You can argue that he's based a little on skeuomorphism, but that's kind of a hint that he's trying to imitate Apple, although I don't think so.

At least I hope not. I don't want to write about any court cases anymore.

Screen lock takes first place. Now it reflects the weather and the pedometer with the number of steps taken.

There's also a shortcut camera icon in the corner, which makes it easy to get into the app without having to unlock your phone (although it can be tricky to get to if you tap the icon wrong). This is a particularly useful feature if you have a fingerprint screen lock set up.

One of the best parts of the new home screen is the speed boost in TouchWiz. I wasn't the only one who noticed lag in the interface, but S5 users say it runs faster.

Desktop transition animations are still a bit slow as pages get stuck at the top of each other, but that's negligible.

The notification bar is one of the features that has undergone a significant change, it now has the rounded font I mentioned earlier and looks a lot nicer.

The settings menu is the same but has been split into more sections to give you quicker access to what you want. Although, if you are already familiar with Android, then it will take some time to get used to it.

Android Lollipop was launched not too long ago, and Samsung has already begun to implement it in the Galaxy S5. The update brings new features including LockScreen, pop-up notifications, MirrorLink and an improved fingerprint sensor, as well as new material design elements in the TouchWiz interface look. But at the time of writing, a lot of people are still waiting for an update for their phones.

Coming back to the phone itself, Samsung's clear tendency to collect news on other devices and continues to do so in Flipboard with My Magazine, which lives on the left side of the main home screen.

Basically the app takes Flipboard articles and integrations and shows them in different categories, and it's not the most impressive improvement at all.

Once you've opened it, you'll be asked to select topics you might be interested in... but what is "News and Articles of Interest"? What news does the Sports section cover? It's impossible to define, so I instantly ran into an overabundance of content that doesn't interest me.

If you dig a little deeper, you'll find that Flipboard's Magazine has an interface that allows you to set custom feeds, etc., which is much better.

Flipboard's Magazine Interface

This is a very controversial thing at Samsung, and My Magazine still needs a lot of work to be worthy, but for now, let me turn it off.

The quality of the news collected from most sources is not very good and intuitive, but I see in the not too distant future that the application will find content that interests me. So it would be nice if Samsung got this message.

But that doesn't mean Samsung doesn't have other new features that I like: for example, the Toolbox icon, which looks like a floating circle on the screen, it lets you choose five apps that can be accessed by tapping on it wherever you are. in phone.

I don't want it to be enabled all the time, but you may run into situations where you need quick access to things like a calculator or voice recorder, and this is a great way to do that.

Multi-window mode is still everywhere, but I suggest you turn it off. The thing is, if you're trying to watch a video, the main app won't let you do so... you can only preview some videos, and the one you choose can only be watched in the second half of the screen.

The same thing is repeated with the internet browser and apps and it's really annoying when you don't want it.

Overall, I'm a bit disappointed with the Galaxy S5 interface. There is power: 2.5 GHz CPU from the excellent Qualcomm 801 chipset, which was the market leader at launch and remains impressive now, but still I found a lot of slowdowns in some places.

The camera app takes a long time to launch, powerful games like Real Racing 3 have low framerates, many cars freeze (although a reboot fixed this problem a bit), and the gallery takes a very long time to open if you have cloud storage.

Samsung doesn't seem to have optimized its software in these areas, as when using advanced features like RR3, the phone overheats, indicating that the phone can't wake up efficiently.

I've also noted more than one instance of the S5 freezing and crashing from apps ranging from Facebook to Gmail to SwiftKey. But now we've got a software update that has improved things somewhat, so it's not as bad as it was in the beginning.

Compounding this disappointment, the phone scored a respectable 2909 in GeekBench 3 testing, slightly better than the HTC One M8.

It should be noted that HTC, unlike Samsung, has added a "high power mode" that allows these apps to get better performance. It's the same on both iPhones, which means the differences between high-end smartphones are disappearing these days.

There are very few differences between these four phones in terms of overall speed, but the gaming speed issue matters. Gallery loading speed has been an issue for a number of Samsung models, so I doubt this will change. But for a phone with a fast camera, something has to change.

I would like to pay special attention to the memory, given that Samsung has come under fire for the weight of its operating system in Samsung Galaxy S4. Out of 16 GB of internal space, you get more than 11 GB for personal use, which is comparable to the best on the market.

This was helped by the fact that Samsung removed some of the less essential apps and made them available for download from its app store, which means you have more control over the interior space.

Battery and Essential Functions

Here's what I want to say: The battery life of the Samsung Galaxy S5 is amazing. If you don't want to keep reading, I don't blame you.

There are two reasons for the improvement: the first is that you now have a larger 2800 mAh battery, which obviously extends the life of the device. Secondly, you also get a fast Snapdragon 801 processor that handles everything more efficiently and saves battery life.

On top of it all, the screen is also much more efficient at the same brightness as the Samsung Galaxy S4, which drained its battery quickly.

This needs to be put in context: in our video battery drain test, when watching a video for 90 minutes at full brightness, the Galaxy S5 lost only 16% of its charge, which is comparable to the iPhone 5S, which has a slower processor, smaller screen, and fewer pixels. .

It outperforms the 23% drop of the HTC One M8, which if you've read this review is a good device in terms of battery life, so now you know how happy I was when I saw more impressive results.

In fact, only LG (from major manufacturers) seems to be more adept at optimizing the battery life of his devices, so it's strange that he couldn't beat Samsung with the LG G3, but it has a QHD display that's hard to beat.

The Samsung Galaxy S5's battery was so good that I started thinking about all sorts of things eating up battery pretty fast, so I checked the Maximum Power Saving Mode again. The phone lasted an hour or two of shooting, playing Real Racing 3 (that's what really eats up the battery) and 2 hours of video playback before 25% was left.

This figure has been surpassed by several other phones in recent times, such as the rival Sony Xperia Z3, but it's still the best.

These two power saving modes (maximum saving mode and normal) work quite well. In the normal power saving mode, there is also an option to turn your screen into black and white, which means you won't have to worry too much about the battery (again, you won't want to constantly look at your phone, which will also save battery).

There is no way to reduce the power consumption of these apps, but perhaps this is a feature that Samsung will add later.

Required Features

It's worth remembering that at the heart of the Samsung Galaxy S5 is still a phone with some of the best features on the market.

For example, the company combined social networks with contacts. The smartphone has plenty of decent apps and widgets (we're still happy that the flashlight widget is only one icon) and generally knows how to get the best out of their phones based on credentials.

Calls

Making calls with the Samsung Galaxy S5, as with most of its Galaxy brethren, is a pleasure. It gives a clear and crisp sound. The reason we moved this item to the “essentials” category is simply because most phones are good at it, but Samsung is still at the top in this regard.

There are some old familiar touches too, like the ability to see the last message you exchanged with the person you're calling, and the ability to call back or send a message when the call is on hold.

The Galaxy S5's network coverage is more than acceptable, though not the best I've seen. This is a little disappointing because I expected more clarity from the connection with the towers. cellular communication phone, with a polycarbonate case.

But still, this phone does a great job of calling other people, and if that's what you care about (other than perhaps the amount of money spent on such a high-end smartphone), then things could be much worse.

Messages

The phone messaging process has come a long way in recent years, and apps like WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger pose a real challenge to today's SMS.

Luckily, Samsung is stuck with its messaging app and isn't forcing you to use Hangouts on Android 4.4, which Google is aiming to get more people on board by urging you to use the text messaging app the first time you download it.

With the new TouchWiz interface, Samsung has added another smart feature in the form of priority senders at the top of your mailbox. This means that the people you communicate with most often will always be available with a single tap in the open app.

The keyboard on the Galaxy S5 is a mixed bag. I always check the quality of the keyboard in the following way: whether I want to immediately download SwiftKey (one of the best keyboard apps on the Android Play Store) or not, or I can work with what is there.

In this case, I think you could continue to use samsung keyboard, unless you have to use a lot of commas. It has only one full visible stop key with letters, which means that you will be frustrated by pressing it again and again.

The keyboard should also match your style, but remember, there were times when it refused to type in a word I typed that was not in the dictionary.
Yes, I can almost say I'm praising this keyboard because Samsung really does add terrible options, but you'll probably still be happy to try some of the other features. It's still not as good as the rest of the market.

Browser

Like most smartphones today, Samsung offers a choice of two browsers: its own and Google Chrome. If you're using the latter as your desktop browser, then you probably won't want to change it because it's where all your history and passwords are stored.

That would be a shame, because Samsung paid back, a really good option that not only looks good, but is also very fast.

The interface is clean, with URLs and navigation keys that slide out of the way when you start browsing the web. It has all the standard features of Chrome, such as incognito and desktop mode, so you won't miss a thing when switching between them.

The bookmarking system works intuitively and saved pages work great in Pocket style.

As you might guess, most Android smartphones have best browsers to date, but Samsung's solution of having a download bar at the top of the page is very good.

Children's mode

You can argue about its necessity, but for those who want to keep their kids away from smartphone entertainment, Kids Mode on the Galaxy S5 will come in handy.

It's standard procedure: you activate it, enter the code, show the baby's picture and set the age so your boy or girl will know it's made especially for them.

You can then select the apps they can use (which look like presents on the home screen... "Dad, look, it's Escape Zombie Land! Thank you!" "Uh... I'm sorry, give me the phone. It's not for kids." ) and you can also set the amount of time to play.

From being able to click on the landscape and search for hidden treasures, to drawing, recording your voice, or watching pre-approved media. This is a good app, worth considering and adding to others.

I'm trying to pretend that I'm not accidentally playing this mode for half an hour during testing. I cant. There's an app that lets you record your own voice and play it backwards like a robot.

Camera

The camera on the Samsung Galaxy S5 is one of the most powerful on the market, with Isocell and 16MP.

It has a number of other features that many will like, such as real-time HDR mode, which lets you see how your photo can be improved before you start shooting.

But the more interesting thing grabbing the attention of Samsung buyers is the fast autofocus, which can sharpen an image in 0.3 seconds.

It's fast and there's no doubt that he can really set it up that fast. However, I received a couple of criticisms before posting about it.

I already mentioned this, but for some reason, loading the camera can take a few seconds, which is a little longer than the competition. If you're trying to use a "quick shot" from the lock screen, it can take even longer, as it's easy to think you've only clicked on the icon, when in fact you've gone far enough.

The camera takes 3 seconds to start filming, which means if you're trying to capture a sudden moment, you'll probably miss it.

The autofocus I mentioned is fast and will often focus on exactly what you want, especially if the composition is right. However, there were a few cases where I had to wait to take a picture and autofocus was lost even though the subject was still blurry.

This is an unusual situation - I wiped the lens or went into the settings to see what was wrong, but found nothing.

At least the HDR mode works well, and it's nice to see it next to selective focus as one of the main options. You do get some of the best real-time HDR shots, and they don't take too long to process, which is a plus.

Selective focus is something of a mixed picture. On the one hand, it can work in macro mode, which means you can take multiple close-up shots and the background will be blurred. This is what you wanted (some competitors cannot do this).

On the other hand, the device too often told me that it would not accept an image that I had taken, and that the picture could not be changed after it had already been taken.

The result was not blurry enough for me. If you compare it to the HTC One M8, which has a weak sensor, but a fast shutter speed, better defocus, and takes better pictures in low light, you'll realize this is a minor feature for Samsung...or at least it appears to be.

But if it sounds like I'm against the Samsung Galaxy S5's camera, then I apologize. This is not true. It's a good and powerful sensor, but it takes more effort to get amazing shots.

The larger sensor takes a little longer to process photos (we're talking about nanoseconds for regular photos in automatic mode) and the autofocus isn't as sharp as we'd like, but line up your shot and you'll definitely get a better image.

If you're trying to photograph in candlelight, then the S5 will be your best bet. If you have a mesmerizing scenery, you will get the best color reproduction with the S5.

However, the modes are a little redundant, as before there is no GIF animation, I do not even find the desire to use any of the modes.

Samsung has bulk-packed these modes since the overcomplicated S4, and it really helps. The Touch Up beauty mode never ceases to scare me, and although I like Virtual tour I can't seem to find the time to want to walk around my house.

It's one of only a handful of devices on the market with 4K video recording, however I think we won't need that feature for at least a year or two. Also, it will of course require more memory to shoot in this high-format resolution.

The camera in the Galaxy S5 is competitive because it's powerful - it's not as good as the Nokia Lumia PureView sensor, but again, it's more adaptive than the HTC One M8 if you're willing to put in the time.

However, the One M8 is the best option for everyday shooting, the sharpness is actually comparable to many S5 shots, but they didn't turn out as nice as I thought they would look when viewed on screen.

Sample camera photos

Now let's take a look at additional shots to show how the S5 handles action scenes.

Another clear shot - the S5 performs well in bright light

Media

We have almost reached the point where there is very little new to do with the phone in terms of playing music, watching videos and playing games.

Music

Samsung doesn't have the same hardware as HTC or Apple in terms of dedicated audio output amplification, meaning your headphones have to work less to get rid of the output noise to your ears.

However, the volume of the Galaxy S5 is such that I would be surprised if there was nothing to enhance the sound from the software side.

The sound output, especially when paired with headphones, is amazing. I hear every little thing, every bass.

The interface of the music player is simple and clear - it is possible to view all the music that S5 collects from all over the phone at once. You can choose an album, song and playlist, plus a musical mood.

It's never been something I've used correctly - no one wants a playlist that goes from slow to energetic, but it's a good way to listen to music with a sort of progression.

The sound coming out of the single speaker on the back of the phone isn't as powerful as HTC's Boomsound or the Xperia Z3's front speaker, but it's fine for most purposes if you put it on a table and let the sound spread.

In short, the sound produced by the Galaxy S5 is very good, whether you're listening to a radio broadcast or the built-in music player. And the ability to switch between tracks on the notification panel or from the lock screen is a very useful feature.

Video

The Samsung Galaxy line has always been one of the best for watching movies. Every year the Note comes out with new improvements, and in the next version of the S it will be standard technology.

A lot has changed since the S3 was released, and DisplayMate has found these changes in movie mode - the S5 is near-perfect with its colors and white balance. I can't help but agree.

The test showed that the iPhone 6 is the same in colors and screen quality as the S5, and the Note 4, with its QHD screen, simply blows the mind when it comes to clarity. But that doesn't mean the S5 has a bad display.

With the infinite contrast level of the Super AMOLED Full HD display, everything looks deep and rich, and if you're watching Netflix on your way to work, a bright morning won't get in the way, even in direct sunlight.

OLED displays used to be unsuitable for this. This is an amazing achievement by Samsung and they should be applauded for it.

The video player is very easy to use: it first shows the video in a small window before you want to watch it in full size by clicking on it.

The only problem is if you have multi-window enabled, as I mentioned earlier: the split screen is annoying and can't be removed until you disable this option.

Also make sure you only view local content. If you add to Dropbox, you will have access to a huge number of films that will be difficult to place if you upload all your content.

It would be nice to see social programs, something that brings together videos of friends posted on Twitter and Facebook, all the way to see more content on that screen.

Games

It should be a pleasure to play on the Galaxy S5, but as I said earlier (I'm starting to worry that I'm repeating myself), games that require power sometimes lag.

Clearing the cache with a reboot seems to fix the problem. If you're going to be playing casual games, then the S5 has a large screen that makes it easy to do so.

But be careful when using the GPU, especially in sleep mode, as the fun can be marred by low frame rates.

Gallery

Samsung allows you to view Picasa / Google+, Facebook and Dropbox content from the gallery, but, unfortunately, all this is quite slow and clutters up internal memory.

Opening a gallery that doesn't have much content isn't a problem, but if you have a microSD card, things slow down considerably and you have to wait a few seconds before opening the selected image.

It may not seem like a big deal, but if you can't quickly look at photos, then it gets annoying.

Competition

The Samsung Galaxy S5 is a phone that definitely shouldn't be discounted, but how does it perform in the competition?

Remember, you are going to pay quite a lot of money for it, so will it have enough power to be the best?

The obvious threat to the Samsung Galaxy S5 is the HTC One M8. Their specs are very similar: both have a Snapdragon 801 CPU, a microSD card slot, 2GB of RAM, a Full HD display, and great android 4.4.2 (soon to be updated to Android 5.0 Lollipop).

However, there are a few differences: The Samsung Galaxy S5 has a much more powerful camera, although it's not something you want to see in daily use.

The One M8 takes faster, more focused shots, but you'll see they're of lesser quality if you open them up on a big screen.

HTC has put a lot of effort into refining the design - it's amazing how nice an aluminum case can feel in the hand, but Samsung still sticks to boring plastic. Even the fact that it's waterproof doesn't make up for my disappointment every time I pick it up.

What does the iPhone 6 have to offer that its predecessors didn't have? Actually, a lot. The best design. Faster processor, bigger screen, higher resolution. In short, he solved many of the problems that his predecessors had.

But is it better than the Samsung Galaxy S5? Depends on what you are looking for. The S5 is stronger, thanks to the IP67 certification, it has a larger and more impressive clear screen with excellent color reproduction.

However, it does not have the quality of an iPhone, and we will never get an answer to the question of which is better than iOS or Android. The iPhone 6 has a simpler OS than TouchWiz (and we're not even talking about the weird Magazine on the home screen). Other versions of Android, like the ones on the LG G3, are better and worth a look.

Sony has been very successful in the world of smartphones, from the Xperia Arc to the new Xperia Z3, on an increasing trajectory.

It has the same Qualcomm Snapdragon CPU (as opposed to what we saw on the Z2), a microSD card slot, and is much more water and dust resistant. It is much better than Z2. Even though it doesn't quite fit 99% of users, it gives a feeling of reliability and confidence.

Both have a large and bright screen and 4K video recording, although this feature is virtually useless. They have different designs: a modern metal case for the Xperia Z3 and plastic for Samsung.

The upgraded Z3 has a larger battery capacity and a brighter screen than its predecessor. The price of the contract model is the same as the S5, so it all depends on whether you like the stylish Sony or not.

The Samsung Galaxy S6, as you already know, is the successor to the Galaxy S5. Spoiler alert: we love it. You saw a lot of criticism in this review in relation to the new device, especially regarding the design.

The device has a new proprietary Exynos 7420 processor clocked at 1.4GHz and 2.1GHz, along with an impressive 3GB of RAM. The microSD has been replaced with a larger memory capacity of 32, 64.128 GB. It also has an amazing 5.1-inch Super AMOLED display with 1440 x 2560 resolution and 577ppi.

At the back is its main advantage - a 16-megapixel camera that can take really amazing photos, no matter where you are.

Samsung made an odd choice by removing the water resistance that the Galaxy S5 had, but the company solved the problem with the fingerprint sensor by making it better than the Galaxy S5.

Thus, it turned out a little more. You will have to pay £599.99 for the 32GB version or £640 for the 64GB version.

Conclusion

Something while writing this review made me think that Samsung MUST introduce a new premium model next year.

Now we have it, in the form of the Samsung Galaxy Alpha, which rivals the iPhone 6 in screen size and resolution, but not in power.

Contents of delivery:

• Telephone
• Charger with USB cable
• Instruction
• Wired stereo headset

Positioning

A parity situation arose on the global market - de facto the market was divided by two players, Apple and Samsung. Each company has its own flagship, for Apple this is actually the only product - the iPhone, you can not take into account the old models or the iPhone 5c, which appeared in 2013. For Samsung, the range of products is much larger, but the main focus is on the Galaxy S, which is the best-selling phone that competes with the iPhone. In 2013, sales of the Galaxy S4 came close to the iPhone 5, in some countries they even exceeded the iPhone by several months, but then a new model came out, and everything returned to normal. Samsung quite rightly believes that the Galaxy S4 has become a successful product, although dreams that its sales will exceed those of the iPhone have not materialized. Moreover, the potential of this device is very high, until today its versions are being released, which will live on the market for at least another year and a half. And here Samsung fell into exactly the same trap as Apple before them - the previous models began to look more attractive than the new ones. Let me remind you that with the release of the iPhone 5 and the new iOS versions 7, many people suddenly began to buy iPhone 4s, as the design of this device, its characteristics seemed better to them. There was no difference in the quality and size of the screen, there were no significant, big differences either. This happened for the first time for Apple, when the old model, unexpectedly after the release of the new one, did not become a niche, but took up to half of sales.

For Samsung, Apple's model is not entirely suitable, it is difficult to draw direct parallels - so after the release of S4, sales of S3 remained high and noticeable, but these were products of completely different price classes. In contrast to Apple, Samsung's flagships are constantly depreciating throughout the year, with a total loss of 33 percent in original cost. Therefore, shifting the situation to Apple will not work, the companies are in different positions. But it's safe to say that the Galaxy S5 tried to keep all the features of the previous device, and also not make it a competitor to the Note 3, plus keep sales of all variants of the S4. Despite all the public announcements, sales plans and the like, it's safe to say that the Galaxy S5, despite its flagship status, does not play such a role for Samsung. It is possible that this is due to the release of an older version of the device, the presence of which is denied by the company, or the release of Note 4 in September, to which the focus is gradually shifting. Of course, the sales volume of this model will be at least at the level of S4, perhaps 10-15 percent higher. But the sales boost will come from the cheaper variants of the S4, which we're betting on, as well as the Note line. This happened for the first time and looks like a conscious decision, from which all the characteristics of the flagship follow.

For the first time in the Galaxy S5, the technical specifications do not exceed those for the Note line model, in our case it is Note 3. Formally, we can talk about an improved camera, but it does not offer striking differences in photo quality, the processor is about the same performance, the amount of memory, including RAM, less in S5. These are clearly products of a different class, and Note 3 looks very advantageous compared to S5, it was clearly breathed a second life into it by this announcement.

For the buyer, this means that buying the Galaxy S5 is not at all as profitable as it might seem at first glance, since its alternatives look extremely attractive and interesting. First of all, this is the Galaxy S4, secondly - Note 3. It is curious that there are almost no reasons for choosing the S5 over these devices - all these reasons are insignificant, and their combination will not become an outweighing factor for the majority. While it is possible that many consumers will change their phones out of inertia, this group of buyers has remained the same for many years. Release date remains an unclear factor new iPhone, if it takes place in the summer, it will influence the choice of many people. It is also obvious that by increasing the screen size, Apple will eliminate one of the most serious complaints that these smartphones had. These factors will certainly influence S5 sales and selection.

Many software chips from the Galaxy S5 may not come to previous models, not because of the possibility of their implementation, but for purely marketing reasons, it is necessary to show the difference in the devices, to draw attention to the new product.

An interesting question is whether it is worth changing the Galaxy S4 to S5. Such a replacement will be pleasant (a faster machine, better camera, there are different chips), but you won’t notice much difference. Although there is still a certain sense in this. But replacing Note 3 with Galaxy S5, in my opinion, is definitely devoid of any sense, these are products of a different class. However, let's look at what the S5 is.

Design, dimensions, controls

Samsung tries not to experiment with the design of its devices, it remains unchanged from year to year. While testing the Galaxy S4 Black and S5 for work, I kept getting confused about which phone was in front of me. It is almost impossible to distinguish them by the front panel at a cursory glance. You will succeed much better in the pictures, but in life they are completely similar - even slightly different sizes are not striking.

The phone size is 142x72.5x8.1 mm, weight is 145 grams. Let me remind you that for S4 these parameters were 136.6x69.8x7.9 mm, 130 grams. Slightly higher, slightly wider. In the hand, the difference is not felt in any way, exactly the same grip - it fits easily in any pocket.

Samsung Galaxy S5 and Samsung Galaxy S4

Designers came off on the back cover of the device - it has a structure under the skin, with uniform dots applied to the surface. Initially, 4 different colors are offered.

Two years ago I had an X-Drago Dash Dot case that had almost the same design as the back of the S5.

I can’t recall a case when a manufacturer would copy someone else’s case when creating their flagship. This is another indicator of the crisis of ideas that is on the market - the same solutions are chewed up by many companies.

The feeling from the back cover is strange, it is a little oily, as if soaked in some kind of solution. When you hold the device in your hands, your fingers begin to sweat on this cover (it is possible that this is an individual reaction of my body, but others also noted this after asking a question about their feelings).

Another characteristic feature is the warnings that it is necessary to close the cover of the charging connector tightly, it appears after each charge. There are no sensors here, just common sense, suggesting that in order to charge the device, you opened the connector. Also, after opening the case, you are asked to check its tightness.

On the left side surface there is a paired volume control button, on the right side there is an on / off button. At the top end there is a 3.5 headphone jack, it is moved to the right (on the S4 on the left and next to the second microphone), this is done so that the microphone is not blocked when the headphones are on. There is also an IrDA window.

Samsung Galaxy S5 and Apple iPhone 5S

Samsung Galaxy S5 and Samsung Galaxy Note 3

Above the screen you can see a 2-megapixel front camera, as well as a proximity sensor. The physical key below the screen is adjacent to two touch buttons - everything is unchanged here, except that the key assignment has changed in accordance with the way it is done in KitKat.

Display

Perhaps this is the biggest disappointment - for the first time, Samsung decided not to increase the screen resolution for its flagship, but only slightly increase the diagonal - now it is 5.1 inches at a resolution of 1080x1920 pixels (432 dpi, in S4 - 441 dpi). It is impossible to see individual pixels of the screen, the resolution of the human eye does not allow this. There are no barriers for superhumans, and they see pixelation even on this device. Screen type SuperAMOLED, displays up to 16 million colors.

One of the user misconceptions is the claim that Super AMOLED screens are too bright, colors are saturated and unnatural. In the screen settings, you can choose any display option, including those typical for screens from other manufacturers (dimmer, natural colors). It is interesting that screens from other manufacturers give out the maximum possible, and it is impossible to make them brighter, more contrast, and colors more saturated. In Samsung, the flexibility of settings is maximum.

Just like in S4, there is an option "Optimize display". This is the most interesting setting, as the device analyzes the level of lighting around and, depending on the conditions, sets the contrast, brightness, plus adjusts the colors on the screen. It turns out that the white color looks white in almost all conditions. Another setting is “Professional Photography” (previously called Adobe RGB), but it has almost no effect on the image display quality, the latter does not noticeably change compared to other settings (I could not notice this).

In the sun, the screen looks great, there are no problems, readability has increased slightly, this is due to a change in the screen itself, which I want to say separately. So, for the first time testing the video playback time on this device and the S4 Black Edition at maximum screen backlight, I noticed white light on the S5, the picture looked much worse. It was a clear step backwards.

After playing with the settings, I found a rather funny thing - the picture quality is excellent and completely comparable to S4 with automatic backlighting (default setting), but an attempt to unscrew the brightness up instantly leads to negative consequences. Also, the performance of Adaptive Display is such that it is focused on the power saving mode, the colors are muted. To get a picture like on the S4, you should choose one of the other display modes.

With brightness, everything became clear in the sun, with automatic adjustment, it twists up precisely in these conditions, readability in direct sunlight increases dramatically. Although I could not notice much difference in Moscow with the same Note 3 (Samsung Galaxy S5 in the photos above).

I have a strong feeling that the default settings are set in favor of some scenario where people want not very bright, muted colors and medium backlight - plus, it saves battery. You should choose these parameters for yourself.

And here are some screen comparison photos with S4. Let me remind you that the screen in S4 was and remains the best on the market, in the review of S4 there was a large comparison of displays, the situation has not changed in a year.

Comparison with Samsung Galaxy S4, Samsung Galaxy S5 from below:

Comparison with Samsung Galaxy S4, Samsung Galaxy S5 from above:

Fingerprint scanner

The function is quite curious and appeared in response to the fingerprint scanner in the iPhone 5s, where you need to put your finger on the button. Unlike Apple's implementation, the S5 simply swipes across the center of the screen and touches the center key. In the settings, you can register up to 3 fingerprints, holding the phone with one hand is very inconvenient. Someone, perhaps, will contrive, and it will come out, but it doesn’t work out like that for me - therefore, only with two hands. With Apple, one hand is enough - and the device itself is smaller.

Almost always, the scanner works perfectly, determines the fingerprint quickly and unlocks the phone. During operation, I saw a message several times that the surface of the device was wet, I was asked to wipe it. Apparently, a sensor is involved here, which is already in the S4 and measures the ambient temperature and humidity.

It is difficult to say anything special about the scanner, everything works and does not cause any complaints.

Battery and Power Saving Modes

The phone has a 2800 mAh Li-Ion battery (2600 mAh in the S4), the manufacturer indicates up to 390 hours of standby time, up to 21 hours of talk time, up to 10 hours of video playback and about 45 hours of music listening. . In isolation from reality, these results are impressive, but you and I know very well that in practice, most Android smartphones do not live that long and show very different results.

Before discussing the operating time of the device, let me remind you that initially only the S5 version, built on the Qualcomm chipset, appears on the market, the Exynos version will be later - therefore, we are talking only about this version of the phone. But there shouldn't be much difference.

Samsung Galaxy S4 and Samsung Galaxy S5

So, most in a simple way I had to take the same FullHD movie in X.264 and see how long the Galaxy S4 could play it (I took the Black Edition version on Qualcomm). Video player program - MX Player, without hardware decoding. The result with the maximum brightness of the screen, the sound turned off and offline turned out to be typical - about 9.5 hours.

For most modern smartphones this is an unattainable result, for example, MTK devices run a similar video for about 4-5 hours (with a comparable battery capacity). The S5 test revealed a curious moment - the device worked for about 12 hours and 40 minutes. Unfortunately, during playback, it went to the main menu once, so I had to start playback again - but the impact of this incident is minimal, it can be ignored, since the screen time shows how long the video played.

Many people are impressed by the "naked" numbers, but how often do we watch non-stop videos and do not use other features? Of course, infrequently, because the phone is a universal combine in which we use literally all the possibilities. Therefore, it is necessary to evaluate collectively how the battery works, how long it allows the phone to stretch. Here we can say that the S5 does not differ much from the S4, the operating time is comparable - with heavy use of the device, it will sit down around lunchtime (3-4 hours of screen operation and a couple of GB of data). With not very strong use, it can survive until the evening. Unfortunately, I didn’t manage to notice much difference from the S4, the device definitely loses to the same Note 3, which currently remains the champion in terms of power consumption and quietly survives until the evening with any usage profile.

However, in the phone settings, two more modes were added to the already existing power saving modes, and a quick power button was created for them. There is a regular power-saving mode in which you can limit the background work of applications, turn on gray colors for the screen (for AMOLED this is a feature - gray color consumes almost no energy). Moreover, in grayscale, you can work almost everywhere, even watch a video - but it will be gray, which is not very pleasant and convenient.

I was interested to see if it was possible to live a whole day in this power consumption mode. I managed to do it calmly, we can say that the device will last for two days, but it will not bring you pleasure. It is unlikely that there will be people who will use the screen in such colors. There is also another limitation - in Whatsapp and other programs that use a background connection, work stops, you stop receiving messages. For social networks, which are known by Samsung and the SNS program, and with access permissions obtained on the phone (Facebook, Instagram, 4square, Twitter), you receive push messages from the Samsung service. That is, the power saving mode also has a software chip - instead of push messages from different services / programs, they come in a certain interval from only one. This interval cannot be configured, all settings are hidden from the user. Look at the graphs of using the phone in this mode.

This power save mode is great when you're running low on battery, but you need all the features of your phone. Then, at 10 percent of the charge, you can easily live for about two hours, practically without denying yourself anything. Two hours is an active use of the device, but in a pocket it can live much longer.

In the early firmware of the device, the power-saving mode launch widget showed the approximate operating time in two modes - normal and maximum. For the commercial version, the first mode was removed, it can be activated from the menu, but you cannot see the estimated operating time.

The maximum power limit mode cuts almost everything, at 35 percent of the battery charge the phone will be able to work in standby mode for at least 4 days. But, of course, it all depends on how you will use it. The gray scale is also turned on, but all communications are cut off, the list running applications limited to only those that you have allowed, all background processes are turned off. This is a very deeply revised procedure, since many system functions are disabled, you will not be able to take a screenshot in this mode, many built-in options will be unavailable (but you do not need them).

I liked this mode because when the battery runs out, by activating this mode with one touch, you can safely live until the evening - SMS and voice will be available to you.

In the bottom line, we have a fairly typical and voracious Android, which, however, works quite comparable to the iPhone 5s on the same tasks. To avoid unnecessary disputes and battles, I want to emphasize that each of us has our own set of applications, work profile, backlight brightness, and so on. A phone that will work for one person for two days, another will sit down by dinner. Therefore, you should not give the schedules of the operation of your devices, they do not say anything at all, you need to compare the devices at the same time, with the same load. For the S5, it is worth focusing on a full day of work, taking into account the fact that you will use certain energy-saving chips, without denying, however, all the pleasures of this device.

Camera

The camera is dedicated to a separate material in which you can learn everything that is possible about it.

Hardware platform, memory, performance

The phone uses the Qualcomm Snapdragon MSM8974AC chipset, also called the Snapdragon 801. This is the fastest chipset from Qualcomm at the moment, its previous version MSM8974AB was used in such a device as LG G2. Quad-core processor, maximum frequency 2.45 GHz, GPU has a frequency of 578 MHz (previously 450 MHz). The frequency of the LPDDR3 memory bus has also been overclocked - from 800 to 933 MHz. In many ways, this is what gives an increase in performance.

The amount of RAM is 2 GB (after downloading half is free), internal memory is 16 GB (there is a 32 GB version, but it is unlikely to be widely available on the market). The amount of memory occupied by programs is about 4 GB. Memory card - up to 64 GB.

In synthetic tests, the device shows excellent results, overtaking the same Note 3, despite the smaller amount of RAM.

Before the advent of commercial firmware, performance was lower, the device lost to Note 3. Now it is slightly higher in performance. But these are synthetic tests that interest lovers of virtual parrots. For them - a few more tests.

In normal, everyday life, the speed of the device is excellent. The interface is extremely responsive and fast. Those who can see stutter will see it everywhere - but it's one of the fastest devices out there right now. There is no difference with the iPhone 5s in terms of speed.

USB, Bluetooth, communication capabilities

Bluetooth. Bluetooth version 4.0 (LE). When transferring files to other devices that support this technology, Wi-Fi 802.11 n is used, and the theoretical transfer speed is about 24 Mbps. Checking the transfer of 1 GB of a file showed a maximum speed of about 12 Mbps within three meters between devices.

The model supports various profiles, in particular Headset, Handsfree, Serial Port, Dial Up Networking, File Transfer, Object Push, Basic Printing, SIM Access, A2DP. Working with headsets does not raise any questions, everything is ordinary.

USB connection. In Android 4, for some reason, they abandoned the USB Mass Storage mode, leaving only MTP (there is also a PTP mode).

USB version - 3, data transfer rate - about 50 Mb / s.

When connected via USB, the device is charged.

The microUSB connector also supports the MHL standard, which means that using a special cable (available from electronics stores) you can connect your phone to a TV (to the HDMI output). In fact, the standard describes the ability to connect via microUSB to HDMI. This solution looks more preferable than a separate miniHDMI-connector on the case.

The maximum data transfer rate in LTE is 150 Mbps.

WiFi. 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac is supported, the wizard is similar to that for Bluetooth. You can remember the selected networks, automatically connect to them. It is possible to set up a connection to the router with one touch, for this you need to press a key on the router, and also activate a similar button in the device's menu (WPA SecureEasySetup). Of the additional options, it is worth noting the setup wizard, it appears when the signal is weak or disappears. You can also set Wi-Fi to work on a schedule.

HT40 mode of operation is also supported for 802.11n, allowing you to double the Wi-Fi throughput (requires support from another device).

WiFi Direct. A protocol that aims to replace Bluetooth or compete with its third version (it also uses Wi-Fi version n to transfer large files). On the menu WiFi settings select the Wi-Fi Direct section, the phone starts looking for devices around. Select the desired device, activate the connection on it, and voila. Now in the file manager you can view files on another device, as well as transfer them. Another option is to simply find the devices connected to your router and transfer to them required files, this can be done from the gallery or other sections of the phone. The main thing is that the device supports Wi-Fi Direct.

NFC. The device has NFC technology, it can be used with various additional applications.

S Beam. A technology that allows you to transfer a file of several gigabytes to another phone in a few minutes. In fact, we see in S Beam a combination of two technologies - NFC and Wi-Fi Direct. The first technology is used to bring and authorize phones, but the second is already used to transfer the files themselves. Creatively redesigned way Wi-Fi usage Direct is much easier than using a connection on two machines, selecting files, and so on.

IR port. Required to use the phone as a remote control for various household appliances. Automatically configured for almost any model of equipment.

Software features - some features and children's mode, S Health

I described all the features of the new version of TouchWiz, pre-installed programs and all the new features in a separate and voluminous material. This is done on purpose so as not to be repeated here.

The Galaxy S5 pays a lot of attention to new modes of operation for people with impaired coordination of movements, hearing or vision disorders. In terms of a set of built-in features, this is one of the most powerful models, along with Apple technology. But usually during the test you skip this menu (it appears on the first boot), and then you don’t go there. However, another non-trivial function appeared in it, this is a baby monitor. You can put the phone next to the child, and then he will catch his cry, and then the camera flashes will inform you about it. Since my children have already grown up, I could not test this function in practice. The phone does not respond to the recorded crying of the baby, and if you want to see how Murtazin howls, then watch the video below - this device also did not respond to my howling. This does not mean at all that the baby monitor does not work, but most likely it is useless.

The iconic smartphone of last year was the Samsung S5 model SM-G900F. This device, though in appearance, strongly resembles its predecessor, but it has a number of significant differences. It is about its capabilities and characteristics that will be discussed further.

Positioning

Initially referred to premium solutions S5 SM-G900F. This is truly a flagship device. Its characteristics and parameters are relevant to this day. Although now a more advanced smartphone has appeared (we are talking about the flagship of 2015 - Samsung S6) from this Korean manufacturer, but in terms of hardware and software parameters, the difference between them is not so significant. Therefore, this gadget can still be attributed to the premium segment. At the same time, its value has significantly decreased over the past time. This nuance makes its purchase even more justified. Moreover, it will serve you for more than one year and will become a faithful assistant in solving various problems, regardless of their level of complexity.

What do we get in the box upon purchase?

Although it is the flagship device S5, but its equipment is very modest. It includes, in addition to battery and smartphone, the following:

• interface cord.
• Quick start guide (it also contains the warranty card).
• Charger.

Case, protective film and memory card will have to be purchased separately for an additional fee. The same statement applies to speaker system. It's good if you have good headphones. If not, then buy immediately. And to get a good sound, they must have proper quality.

Design

The S4 and S5 of the SM-G900F have a lot in common. Most of the front panel in the S5 is occupied by a display with a diagonal of 5.1 inches, which is protected by impact-resistant Gorilla Eye glass. AT this device the third generation is in use. Under the screen is a typical control panel, which consists of 2 touch buttons(located along the edges of the device) and one mechanical (located in the center of the panel). A fingerprint sensor is integrated into the same mechanical button. This innovation is one of the most important differences between the S4 and S5. Above the display are displayed: the front camera, distance sensors, light and gestures, an LED event indicator and a conversational speaker. On the left is the power button, and on the right is the volume control. On the bottom of the "smart" phone there is a hole for a conversational microphone and a micro-USB format. Above are located: a port for connecting a stereo headset, a microphone for a loud conversation. On the back cover of the gadget are habitually the main camera, dual backlight and a loud speaker. It should also be noted that the degree of protection of the body of this device is IP67. This allows it to be submerged under water to a depth of 0.5 meters and protects against the possible penetration of dust inside.

semiconductor base

Samsung SM-G900F is based on one of the best computing platforms for mobile devices - Snapdragon 801, which was developed by Qualcomm, a leading manufacturer of AWP chips. This processor consists of 4 modified computing cores based on the Krait 400 architecture. They are all fabricated at 28nm technological process and can be overclocked in peak performance mode up to 2.5 GHz. Now, a year after the start of sales of this gadget, there are still no devices in the middle segment whose performance level would match the computing capabilities of this chip. The Snapdragon 801 will handle almost any task today without any problems. The only thing he will definitely have problems with is the new 64-bit applications. All of its main registers can only process 32 bits per cycle. Hence and possible problems with new software. But so far there are not so many such applications, and the transition process itself is not so fast.

Screen

The S5 SM-G900F boasts one of the best displays in its niche. Its diagonal is impressive even by today's standards of 5.1 inches. It is made according to the technology typical for this manufacturer - "SuperAMOLED". Its resolution is 1920x1080. The image on it is displayed in the format "FullHD". The screen is protected, as noted earlier, with a special impact-resistant glass "Gorilla Eye" of the third generation. The quality of the image on this screen raises no objections. Individual pixels on it are almost impossible to distinguish with the ordinary eye without special devices.

graphics accelerator

The developers did not forget to equip the SM-G900F graphics accelerator. Galaxy devices are not always equipped with this component. This device has Adreno 330 installed. This video card even now belongs to the top. If we add to this a relatively small display resolution of 1920x1080, then in general there are no problems with processing graphic information. This is quite enough to solve the most resource-intensive tasks today. The only problem might be handling new programs that are optimized to run 64-bit applications. They were already developed for the new hardware and will definitely not work on this graphics accelerator. So far, there is very little such software, and the process itself, as already mentioned, is going quite slowly.

cameras

The highlights of your life will not be difficult to save on digital media using the main camera in the SM-G900F. It is based on a 16 megapixel sensor. There are many modes of operation of it at the program level. All this allows you to get enough high-quality pictures in almost any situation. There is also an autofocus system and, of course, dual LED-based illumination. With video recording, this camera is also excellent. It can record video in 2160p with a refresh rate of 30 images per second. It is also possible to record in 1080p format, but in this case the number of images will increase by 2 times and will already be 60 frames per second. sensor front camera more modest - 2 MP. This will be enough to make video calls. But the "selfies" obtained with it will be of medium quality.

Memory

The capacity of the integrated drive is identical for all Samsung SM-G900F devices - 16Gb. At the same time, part of it is occupied by pre-installed software, and about 11.5 GB is allocated for the needs of the user. With reasonable use, this should be enough for comfortable work on this device and there will be no shortage of free space. If you don't have enough built-in Samsung Galaxy SM-G900F 16Gb, then you can increase the amount of memory using an external flash card. The required slot is in this device and the maximum capacity of the external drive in this case can reach 128 GB. Random access memory in this gadget 2 GB. Of these, about half (that is, 1 GB) is used immediately by system processes. The rest of the RAM is allocated to the user to run his applications.

Gadget battery and its autonomy

Autonomy is an indisputable advantage of Samsung SM - G900 F. The device is equipped with a removable 2800 mAh battery. Add to this a screen with a diagonal of 5.1 inches and a resolution of 1920x1080, as well as a productive, but no less energy-efficient processor, and we get 2-3 days battery life at an average load level. If you watch videos in FullHD format or play a demanding toy, then the specified value will be reduced to 12 hours. You can, of course, use this device to a minimum, and in this case you can count on 4 days of battery life. But at the same time, the smartphone will turn into a regular “dialer” and will only be able to make calls and send and receive short text messages.

Data exchange

The S5 SM-G900F boasts a complete list of interfaces necessary for comfortable work. Everything is here.

• The presence of two built-in Wi-Fi transmitters at once allows, if there is an appropriate router, to count on 300 Mbps. Built in support latest version"Wi-Fi" - "ac". Also, the developers did not forget about its rather old modification - “a”, which is still found on various types of devices. As a result, when downloading large amounts of information to this smartphone using this wireless interface, there should definitely not be any problems.
• This smartphone can function in almost all modern mobile networks. There is support for GSM (they limit the speed to 500 kb / s), HSDPA (in such 3G networks, the speed can theoretically reach 42 Mb / s) and LTE (in this case, the speed will be higher and can reach 150 Mb / s.) .
• There is also a gadget and "Bluetooth". This transmitter allows you to output a sound signal to the system. Also, using it, you can exchange small photos or videos with similar smartphones. In some cases, also using Bluetooth, synchronization with a PC is possible.
• With the help of the infrared port installed in this smartphone and special software, it can be easily turned into a remote control music center, DVD player or TV.
• This gadget supports two navigation systems at once: domestic GLONASS and international GPS. With their help, this "smart" phone can easily turn into a full-fledged navigator.
• Another important wireless interface is NFC. Its presence allows you to transfer and receive large amounts of information from similar devices in a matter of minutes.
• There are only two wired ways to transfer information in this device: a 3.5 mm audio jack and a microUSB.

Soft

Initially, the Samsung Galaxy SM-G900F is running an operating system such as Android version 4.4. Since March of this year, an update to version 5.0 has been available. Therefore, the first time you connect to the Global Web, you can update the system software. On top of the operating system, a typical shell for this line of devices is installed - TouchWiz UI. It is with the help of the latest software component that the user can optimize the interface of this gadget for his needs in a matter of minutes. Otherwise, the set of pre-installed software is standard: social clients, a set of mini-applications from Google and the usual set of programs built directly into the operating system itself.

The price of a smart phone today

The price of the Samsung S5 SM-G900F starts in dollars for the black version. The rest of its modifications - in white, gold and blue cases - cost approximately the same at the moment: from $430. For comparison, we can bring last year's flagship from Sony - Xperia Z3. With sufficiently similar technical parameters it will cost much more - $ 460. Accordingly, the starting price of $400 makes the purchase of this device really justified. At the same time, you get a really high-quality and functional device.

Smartphone owners

Whatever it was, but the main disadvantage according to the majority Galaxy owners S5 SM-G900F - 16Gb of built-in storage, of which the user can only count on 11.5 GB. This issue is easily and simply solved by installing an external flash card. It is, of course, not included in the package, and you will have to buy it separately. Otherwise, this gadget boasts an impressive list of pluses:

• Housing protected from moisture and dust.
• Excellent and flawless main camera.
• Very productive hardware platform.
• A good degree of autonomy of the device.
• An impressive set of supported interfaces.

Results

The SM-G900F boasts an ideal combination of price and quality. It has everything for convenient and comfortable work, and its characteristics will be relevant for more than one year. All this makes its purchase even now, a year later from the start of sales, quite justified.