Samsung Galaxy S5 aboriginal take: Can it trump the new HTC One?

Samsung Galaxy S5 aboriginal take: Can it trump the new HTC One?

The Samsung Galaxy S5 and HTC One (M8) both arise in food at the four above US wireless carriers tomorrow. If I appointment T-Mobile tomorrow, it's acceptable I will be walking out with just One. I plan to do a abounding analysis afterwards I get a brace of weeks with the device, but in the concurrently I acclaim you analysis out the analysis on CNET. Samsung sells millions of Galaxy smartphones and they are abundant accessories to accede purchasing. The Galaxy S5 is the next change in the band and has some nice improvements that accept me actively because it.

I abnormally like the baptize aggressive design, anatomic centermost accouterments button, camera performance, accessible widgets, and hardly beneath advancing UI update. However, I'm not a fan of the artificial design, cartoonish app icons, slight lag in admiration compared to the One (M8), and continued all-encompassing new settings area.

Let's yield a afterpiece attending at the Galaxy S5.

Initial accouterments thoughts

I accustomed the AT&T Samsung Galaxy S5 to analysis out for a brace of weeks and it accustomed in the archetypal tan box I accept apparent Galaxy accessories address in the endure few releases. I opened up the box to acquisition a charcoal atramentous device. I absolutely like the new bendable blow and pleather back. The Bandaid comparisons are a bit exagerated.

The weight feels acceptable for a accessory with a 5.1-inch display. I'm not a fan of the argent artificial anatomy and anticipate this is absolutely one breadth breadth Samsung could add some metal and decidedly advance the superior feel of the device.

The Cool AMOLED affectation looks great. Samsung knows how to accomplish displays pop and the S5 is no barring there.

Personally, I like accepting the accouterments button at the bottom, aback it gives me a quick way to consistently get aback to a home awning console to alpha at or calmly barrage Google Now with a columnist and hold. The accouterments button aswell serves as a fingerprint scanner, but I accept not yet had time to absolutely analysis it out.

The Galaxy S5 is baptize aggressive with the basal USB charging aperture bankrupt and it is appealing simple to accessible and close. I would adulation to see Samsung awning Qi charging; you will be able to buy alternative aback covers with this capability, which would again accomplish the accessory added calmly waterproof. You can in fact see the baptize sealing gasket beneath the aback awning if you yield it off.

You can pop off the aback awning to admission the microSIM agenda (I accepted nanoSIM like all the added flagships), microSD card, and disposable battery. I apperceive abounding association like disposable batteries, but even admitting I buy them for my accessories I rarely anytime use them (I rarely accumulate my accessories best than a year) so it is not a benefit for me personally.

On the aback you will acquisition the 16 megapixel camera centered abreast the top. Taking a few quick photos, I noticed that the S5 absolutely has bigger detail than the HTC One (M8). Below the camera is the individual beam and the affection amount sensor. The affection amount sensor is fun to use because I like to see breadth my affection amount is at from time-to-time, but it isn't essential.

Initial software thoughts

It is bright that Samsung bass down their TouchWiz UI a bit, but there is still affluence provided on the Galaxy S5. The quick settings arise at the top of the notification area, and you can bound adapt what controls arise here. I alone do not like their new vertical scrolling settings breadth that seems to go on and on consistently — whether you are in list, tab or filigree view. There are a ton of settings and all the assorted figure colors are a bit overwhelming. HTC goes with a abundant simpler account that I adopt to admission and use.

You will acquisition settings for your connections, the device, assorted controls, accepted settings, and applications. As with the Galaxy Note 3, there is a lot you can do with a Galaxy accessory and abounding humans will acceptable adore all of the customization options available.

Samsung has their "My Magazine" home awning panel; if you bash larboard to right, you end up on that screen, agnate to HTC's BlinkFeed. However, it is a bit apathetic (I begin it like this on the Note 3, too) and abundant beneath customizable than BlinkFeed. HTC has actively adapted BlinkFeed with Sense 6 and it is actual advantageous and able to be angry off if you don't ambition to use it.

I like some of the widgets accessible on the S5, including the voice-supported Google seek widget, email widget, and S Health widget. Speaking of email, I was actual blessed to see the S5 fix the Exchange issues I had with the Note 3. I can use the S5 for plan admission to all my bounded folders.

US carriers abide to amount up Android accessories with lots of their own apps and services, and there are affluence actuality on the S5. AT&T Mobile Locate, AT&T Navigator, AT&T FamilyMap, Caller Name ID, DriveMode, Mobile Hotspot, Mobile TV, myAT&T, and Acceptance Manager all are included. A brace are useful, and you can consistently adumbrate them from the app launcher if you wish.

Which will I buy? The Galaxy S5 or HTC One (M8)

Since I never use the S Pen, if I was traveling to acquirement a Galaxy smartphone again it would absolutely be the S5. That said, I am planning to aces up the HTC One (M8) on T-Mobile instead of the S5.

The Galaxy S5 has a bigger camera for capturing data and a articulation activated Google seek widget, but those are about the alone advantages over the new HTC One (M8) for my usage. The HTC One (M8) has the best architecture of any smartphone accessible today, agitation foreground stereo speakers, microSD agenda for storage, absence 32GB RAM, agreeable camera software and Highlight Video support, accomplished Sense 6 user interface, and cool fast performance.

This anniversary I ranked the top 10 smartphones currently accessible in 2014 with the HTC One (M8) in the additional atom and Galaxy S5 in third. Afterwards a brace added canicule with both I am even added assertive I put them in the appropriate order.