Handsets

Samsung Galaxy S5 now available around the world; are you buying one? [POLL]

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Talk about the newly-launched Samsung Galaxy S5 at AndroidForums.com!

It’s Friday, folks, and in case you had any doubts about Samsung’s ability to pull off a global simultaneous launch of a flagship smartphone, you can erase all of them. The Samsung Galaxy S5 has launched to eager consumers in more than 125 countries today, meaning you should be able to find this thing in nearly any market where there’s demand for smartphones.

samsung-galaxy-s5-2

Those countries include all major carriers here in the United States, which is a fresh change of pace from the norm we’re used to (where those of us in this collection of 50 states tend to have to wait a few weeks or even a few months). The Samsung Galaxy S5 comes in with pretty respectable specs for today’s standard. Take a look at the quick tale of the tape in case you aren’t convinced:

  • Android 4.4 KitKat
  • 2.5GHz quad-core processor
  • 5.1-inch 1080p HD Super AMOLED display
  • 2GB of RAM
  • 16 megapixel rear camera with 4K video recording
  • 2 megapixel front camera
  • 16GB / 32GB of internal storage (microSD up to 128GB)
  • 2,800mAh battery

It’ll also feature a fingerprint scanner, some cool new TouchWiz features such as Download Booster (only available in certain carriers) and more. That’s right in line with devices like the HTC One M8, and even comes close to matching newcomer OnePlus One’s high ambitions.

We went hands-on with the Samsung Galaxy S5 back at Mobile World Congress, so be sure to check that out if you want a closer look at this thing before you decide to go out and drop hundreds of dollars on it. Let us know if you’ll be picking one up by participating in today’s poll and leaving a comment below!

[polldaddy poll=7960802]

Quentyn Kennemer
The "Google Phone" sounded too awesome to pass up, so I bought a G1. The rest is history. And yes, I know my name isn't Wilson.

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102 Comments

  1. Will probably get one for the wife.

  2. Naaaah, I pass

  3. I love it, it’s nice, but I can’t let my GN3 go yet.

  4. Got one o/O/o/ :D

  5. Am still in love with my Nexus 5…No divorce in sight yet…

  6. Nope. No plans to get this or the m8.

  7. No upgrade until Jan ’15, but I’d be interested to see what the G3 has in store and if there will be an S5 active released.

    1. Why would u need a S5 active? The regular S5 is water and dust proof already.

      1. It depends. If it was built more like the rugby pro, then it would be more robust to stand up to abuse/accidents. Not that I abuse my stuff, but the peace of mind would be nice. Waterproof/dustproof doesn’t always equate to ruggedness.

  8. got mine yesterday, so far i love it (coming from a GS3)

    1. You just effed up, should have got an M8

      1. nah

      2. Don’t listen to him elmodern. S5 best phone out right now. People are already complaining about htc m8 and returning it for the s5

        1. yup, some of them seems to be plagued with issues, check out the xda site.

  9. Going to pick mine up now

    1. Get a s view cover. Leather black. Seriouslt makes this device premium. S series are meant for s view covers. Shame not many people know how to use one or know about it.

      I’ve uploaded a pic on my post

  10. Still in love with my G2… Might jump for the G3 but not for this…

  11. I’m a little sad, I’m sitting this round out. I had the s2, s3 and s4 but this time I’m giving HTC a shot. Haven’t tried HTC since the Nexus One.

    1. i agree, but i am going to wait for moto x+ to see what they got to offer.

      1. I’m hoping Moto releases some sort of Phablet.

    2. You won’t be dissapointed

  12. Negative, I would never betray my M8 like that.

  13. One Plus One when it comes out. It will be beast.

    1. And probably not available in the US

      1. When they did the AMA they confirmed US release.

  14. specs-wise it doesnt match up with what OnePlus is offering at half the price.

    1. As far as specs go, its pretty similar but i agree price is the big difference. I would choose the OnePlus

    2. is the one plus ever going to come out?

      1. The 23rd will the full unveiling with release probably a few weeks later.

    3. All the specs are pretty similar if you ask me, as it is with all of these spring 2014 flagships. Does OnePlus have LTE?

      1. Yes it will have LTE. and it will cost $300 less.

        1. i’ll have to check it out, camera and waterproofing are the only things that have me hesitant on the m8, still waiting for that z2 review.

          1. It has CM. Don’t waste your $. The Xperia Z2 looks legit, however.

    4. What is the OnePlus? Where do I buy it? Link?

    5. Maybe because Samsung is seen as a luxury brand, just like Apple I guess. Interested in seeing the OnePlus though.

  15. Not buying the S5 because I’m a Note guy and I’m waiting for the Note 4, but to those saying the M8 is better than this phone, are you kidding me! This phone is much better than the M8 in every way that matters – better camera (much better), better battery, slightly better processor, waterproof, etc but I guess to each his own

    1. Bigger battery doesn’t always equal better battery life http://www.anandtech.com/show/7903/samsung-galaxy-s-5-review/5

      1. It’s has better battery life

        1. S5 does

          1. I own an S4 but it’s clear that you’re a fan boy.

    2. Couldn’t agree more. Now the Note 4 better come water proof or I’ll start looking elsewhere. Sony, LG anyone?

      1. Sony’s phone have been waterproof for years now, I’d doubt they’d go backwards.

    3. No. The M8 has a better battery life and the processor. It’s water resistant and not water proof.

      The camera is the only legitimate thing it has over the M8.

      1. No. They actually have the same processor (Snapdragon 801), Sammy just has it clocked fast: 2.5 vs 2.3. S5 also has a larger battery: 2800 vs 2600 – which doesn’t always equate to better usage time (which is competently subjective)… however it cant hurt :) Nothing is “waterproof”, it is always a measure of time against atmospheres of pressure. The next level of IP states: “The equipment is suitable for continuous immersion in water under conditions which shall be specified by the manufacturer.” Meaning there is no standard past what the S5 has, it will simply be stated levels by the manufacturer.

      2. It does not have a better battery life. And s5 is clock at a faster speed

  16. No 32gb = no buy

    1. How much porn do you have to have on your phone?!

      1. None, but those nandroid and TiBu backups take up a good amount of space :P

    2. 128GB memory card is 119 on amazon (and a 16GB is only 10 bucks).

      1. I cant afford that

        1. If you can’t afford an SD card how can you afford a flagship phone?

  17. No interest, this has no real improvements over my G2 and a smaller battery, I bet this thing doesn’t get near the battery life the G2 gets..

    1. Man I need some of the green stuff you’ve been smoking cause you sound stoned as fkkk.

    2. Maybe because the G2 has a slightly larger battery?

  18. How much in Australia. What sort of trade in will I get on galaxy s4 .

  19. I love how the author purposely forgets to mention the IPS57 certification of the GS5. This feature alone puts the GS5 one step above the M8 and it should be standard in any flagship phone from 2014 on. Period.

    1. Yea they forgot, but u are totally reaching. Water resistance doesn’t automatically make the S5 a better device. Face it, the people have spoken.

      1. No, everything else is subjective or pretty comparable between the phones. The IPS57 is not. It’s just HTC being left behind once again. Maybe in a couple of years they catch up like they finally did with micro sd slot.

    2. Yup. Can’t forget that USB 3.0 either. People sleep on that feature, but having it on my Note opened my eyes. Ridiculous charging speeds.

      1. Agreed my note 3 charges 100% in less than 2h and lasts a whole day of power use.

        1. so jelly of you right now..

      2. transferred 8gb of data to from my gs3 to my gs5 super fast (my laptop has usb 3.0 connections)

        1. Great point about the data transfer speed. Haven’t used it yet, but that’s another plus of USB 3.0.

    3. I dunno. If I had a S5, the little flap covering the charging port would drive me crazy and I’d probably end up cutting it off. Port convenience outweighs waterproofing, imo.

      Until wireless charging is at least as fast as wired charging (2.1amp) I’m not interested in the waterproofing (or wireless charging, for that matter).

      Also, a “lossless bluetooth” would be a nice feature in the future, which would allow getting rid of the 3.5mm jack in some cases. I use BT all the time, just not for music much, because it sounds like azz.

      1. Wait, port convenience? I’d rather be able to take my phone to the beach and take pics from inside the ocean or simply answer my phone while showering, maybe take my phone to kayaking, rafting and many other wet activities. Now I agree with wireless charging, that’s just silly because it’s not practical to use the phone while it is “wirelessly charging”. I’m fact, the only place I see wireless charging being useful is for when we are in a restaurant and could leave the phone on the table and itd be charging while we are dining. But I guess we are way far from that to happen just yet. And no, 3.5mm jack will not disappear from phones anytime soon. Blue tooth earphones are not that reliable and nothing beats the convenience and reliability of just plugging a cable.

  20. Nope. I was actually number 2 in the virtual line for one from robbers but I cancelled it.

  21. Just bought the sview cover for the s5 which I’ve for quite a while now. With the leather cover this thing is stealth! Another thing to mention is that the cover protects the metal bezel on all sides from drops

  22. M8 is the superior device, I think anyone with half a brain knows this.

    1. Yeah someone with half a brain might think it’s better than the S5, but someone with a whole brain might actually see the S5 is better in some regards.

    2. I don’t know dude, I mean the GS5 can also work as pepp… battery spray.

    3. Unless you really do want a good camera. Each one has their strengths. Even though the S5 is just an incremental update, it still beats the M8 specs. If the S5 had a metal frame, there wouldn’t be any debate.

      1. Except the fact that Samsung still has one of the ugliest UIs available, I wouldn’t want to look at that all year, and I don’t want Nova launcher as a fix. The M8 is beautiful and works exactly as I’d like out the box

        1. I agree Nova isn’t a good choice. You can always put the Google Now launcher on it.

    4. Ahhh, you’re only using half your brain, and that’s why you thought the M8 was better. I, on the other hand, used the WHOLE thing and realized that the better camera, sensors, waterproofing, USB 3.0, improved screen (which might take the latency crown away from HTC once it gets tested, as HTC barely took it from the Note 3), improved UI (all the reviewers say it’s improved over the last generation), and removable battery made the M8 look lame by comparison.

  23. Nope. Only a Note 4, 5, or a better equivalent in the same class.

  24. Not impressed.

  25. Quad core, 1080p been there done that. I am due for an upgrade but I will wait to see what the Note 4’s specs are like. After all the spec hype this phone is such a disappointment.

    1. Question…Why do you want more pixels and cores anyway? I don’t get any stutters in 4.3 on my SGS3, and I can’t see any pixels from further than 6 inches away. So, with twice the cores, nearly twice the processing speed, a better optimized version of Android, and 1/3 higher PPI, anything more is just a waste of battery power. And THAT’S what they really sought to improve on this time around. Well, that, and the camera, the durability, the data transfer speeds, the sensors, the UI, the….what don’t you like about this phone again? Other than only having 2GB’s of RAM (I’d have loved to see at least 3 if not 4) I’m just not seeing it.

  26. I’m tempted, but no reason to give up my Galaxy Note II yet. Gonna wait for the Note 4 or Motorola offerings.

  27. I’ll buy one when they make a 4.7″ version without Touchwiz.

  28. Got one earlier from T-Mobile. I’m loving it. Anyone want a Nexus 5?

  29. Grabbing a Note 3 instead… moving up from HTC Rezound.

  30. I picked up the Sprint version – Spark network is better than I expected. It can do near 60Mbps but typically 10-35Mbps (about 20-25Mbps indoors at home). The 800Mhz is also great as no more dropped calls in deep garage at work/home.

    Sprint needs to get Spark everywhere and they’ll then be in good shape.

    https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/3812896/Pics/Android/Sprint%20SG5.png

  31. Bought one for the wife. Got One… for me though ;) BOOYAH!

  32. Maybe if I didn’t have a Nexus 5.

  33. I got it and love it .. coming from a Gs3… also helps that I switched from Sprint to At&t

  34. Yes definitely why not? With features like 2.5 GHZ
    processor and 2800mAh of battery it will be on the list of my next gadget which
    I am looking for. Well along with this, I even decided to purchase wireless
    charging based flip covers which is recently launched to make the device compatible
    with qi charger .

  35. It’s only been 4 months since I got my LG G2, but I feel no need at all wanting a newer device, which normally always happens for me.

  36. How much bigger can a cell phone get? Over 5″ is a mini tablet, and i don’t need one.

  37. Not getting one. Too big.

  38. Here is how well SG5 performs on my Google Fiber and Sprint Spark at home. The top 3 results are Google Fiber over WiFi, the bottom 3 are Sprint Spark.

    https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/3812896/Pics/Android/GFiber%20Sprint%20SG5.png

    More in my Google Fiber Review here…
    http://www.dslreports.com/forum/r29157624-Google-Fiber-Kansas-City

  39. My wife and I are each getting a GS5 as soon as we can schedule an hour to spend at the Verizon store. We’re about 6 months out of our old 24 contract, and the GS5 looks like the winner on so many levels.

    The M8 is the only competition right now, and we just aren’t excited about its camera, and while we think it’s a very pretty phone, the metal case is actually a turn off. It looks like it will scratch or dent easily, and it can’t help with reception, no matter how they try to work around it.

    1. You’re one of the very few people who with their head in the right place and realize the SGS5 is way better than the M8 where it really matters

    2. Only competition? What about the Z2? That wins over both in my books.

  40. Already got the HTC One M8. Such a great phone.

  41. I’ll make my decision after the G3 is announced. So far it looks like:
    G3-S5
    3GB RAM (better than) 2GB
    3100 maH (better than) 2800
    Waterproof=Waterproof
    USB 3= USB 3
    Kitkat=Kitkat
    5.5′ 2K (better than) 5.1′ 1080p
    Snapdragon 805 (better than) 801
    and many more.

  42. Wife and I just bought ours. Love the new Touchwiz UI and all the added features. I went from the Note 3 to the S5 Wife went from S4 to S5.

  43. Too ugly. Waiting for the xperia z2…

  44. People vote with their wallets :) Congrats to Sammy for the best Galaxy launch EVER. Nothing less was expected.

    ps – You iboys are not getting the m8 rofl vote harder.

  45. With 16gb-only options, and Kitkat breaking SD card transfers for many apps? Probably not :P Great screen though.

  46. Only will upgrade my Note 3 with a Note 4.

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