On Samsung s5. Smartphone Samsung Galaxy S5 SM-G900F: review, description, specifications and owner reviews. Specifications Samsung Galaxy S5

Samsung Galaxy The S5 was nothing special at the time of its announcement; fans of the brand expected much more from it, but in reality there were minimal changes, but the cost has increased noticeably. It did not live up to everyone's expectations, which primarily concerns the body, which remained plastic. This is a huge drawback, because it says nothing about the flagship status of the device. A fingerprint scanner has appeared, but this won’t surprise anyone. The smartphone has become relevant only now, when its price has dropped noticeably and it can feel confident in the budget segment.

Technical characteristics of Samsung Galaxy S5:

• screen: Super AMOLED, 5.1"", 1920x1080, capacitive, multi-touch;
• processor: quad-core Qualcomm MSM8974AC, 2.5 GHz;
• graphics accelerator: Adreno 330;
• operating system: Android 4.4;
• RAM: 2 GB;
• built-in memory: 16 GB;
• memory card support: microSD up to 128 GB;
• communication: 2G: GSM 850/900/1800/1900; 3G: WCDMA 850/900/1900/2100; 4G: LTE 800/850/900/1700/1800/1900/2100/2600;
• SIM: micro-SIM;
• wireless interfaces: Wi-Fi 802.11a/b/g/n/ac (2.4 + 5 GHz), point Wi-Fi access, Wi-Fi Direct; Bluetooth 4.0; IRDA; NFC;
• navigation: GPS, Assisted GPS / GLONASS;
• cameras: main - 16 MP (LED flash, autofocus), front - 2 MP;
• Sensors: light sensor, gyroscope, motion sensor, heart rate sensor, fingerprint scanner;
• battery: 2,800 mAh, removable;
• dimensions: 142 x 72.5 x 8.1 mm;
• weight: 145 grams.

The box is made of wood-style cardboard, which looks great.

The interior space was divided into several departments, each of which contained something different. The Samsung Galaxy S5 review showed that the smartphone itself lies on top, and the space below it is occupied by accessories. There is nothing outstanding among them: a microUSB cable, a charger, a headset and documentation.

The case has a monoblock design with the following dimensions: 142 x 72.5 x 8.1 mm. The side frames have become an order of magnitude thinner, which has improved the ergonomics of the device. But they decided to save on materials by using plastic instead of more premium and tactilely pleasing metal or glass. It was stylized as metal, but upon contact the plastic immediately reveals itself. Samsung Galaxy S5 duos review clearly demonstrates that the design of the back perfectly complements the overall impression. The plastic on it was stylized to look like leather, it is soft to the touch.

Buyers can choose from four body color options - black, gold, blue and white. Samsung Galaxy S5 mini review we carried out on the blue version.

The front panel is a monolithic plate constructed of glass. They left no slots in it where they were built functional elements. At the top there is a slot for the earpiece, next to which there is a standard set of sensors, a front camera lens and a notification light.

At the bottom is the “Home” key, on either side of which there are two touch keys. It has a bright shiny edge, and also has a built-in fingerprint scanner.

The power control button has been moved to the right side.

On the left is the volume rocker.

The IR port, 3.5 mm jack and hole for the noise-cancelling microphone are located on top.

There is a microUSB and MHL port installed at the bottom, but you can access them only by slightly opening the flap. Next to them is the main microphone.

The design of the back is made in the same style as most other flagships - at the top center is the main camera module, surrounded by a square frame, and below it we see a block that includes an LED flash and a heart rate sensor. At the bottom, or more precisely on the left, there are two slots for the multimedia speaker.

The SIM card tray can be accessed by removing the back cover.

Samsung Galaxy S5 sm g900f review showed that the body fits perfectly in the hand, and by today's standards it can be classified as compact. The rounded shape of the back side and, of course, the texture of the material, which does not slip at all, contribute to a secure grip. When using it with one hand, you do not experience any discomfort - your finger clearly hits the power button, and its compact size allows you to reach even the top curtain.

Samsung Galaxy S5 16gb review revealed one unpleasant point - the shiny edging that runs along the entire perimeter of the case quickly becomes covered with fingerprints, fortunately they are here and can be wiped off easily. The backdrop is designed more successfully, so it will be less demanding to maintain.

The cover of the device is removable, and therefore it was not easy to achieve 100% solidity of the body. It fits tightly, and for quick opening, the manufacturer left a special recess, prying it with a fingernail, which allows the lid to be removed very easily. Everything was fine in terms of assembly - we couldn't find any creaks or play. The only downside is the location of the SIM card tray - it is under the battery, which is why hot-swapping is not possible.

The smartphone has a stunning AMOLED display, which distinguishes all the manufacturer’s devices. A diagonal of 5.1 inches and a resolution of 1920x1080 pixels give a pixel density of 432 ppi. Of course the screen is covered protective glass, has an oleophobic and anti-reflective coating. The display has the classic advantages and disadvantages of AMOLED panels. Multi-touch supports 10 simultaneous touches.

The advantages include excellent brightness and contrast, excellent viewing angles and a deep black tint, which IPS matrices cannot boast of. A good reserve of brightness in combination with an anti-reflective coating provides comfortable working conditions in bright sunshine. And by setting the level to minimum, it will be convenient to read e-books without tiring your eyes. Samsung Galaxy S5 sm g900f 16gb review revealed the presence of a mode for operating with gloves, which increases the sensitivity of the display.

The disadvantages, albeit questionable, include oversaturation of shades. If you are used to more faded IPS panels, then at first it will strain your eyes. But after some time you get used to it and just stop paying attention.

Performance

Technical Samsung specifications Galaxy S5 is built on the Snapdragon MSM8974AC chip, the frequency of which reaches 2.5 GHz. In addition to this there is 2 GB of RAM and 16 GB of user memory. There is also an older modification, in which twice the amount of built-in memory is available. The volume can be increased by installing a microSD card up to 128 GB.

Samsung Galaxy S5 synthetic test results

It is also possible to connect external storage devices using OTG. After switching on, only about 700 MB remains for the user's needs random access memory, so you shouldn’t count on multitasking. Applications must be constantly unloaded from memory, otherwise the shell begins to slow down.

At the moment Samsung release Galaxy S5 characteristics were almost top-end. The interface does not slow down, the transition between desktops and applications is smooth.

Autonomy of the Samsung Galaxy S5 smartphone

Samsung Galaxy S5 lte review moves on to the 2800 mAh battery. This is not a record figure, but good optimization system allows us to hope for the best. With continuous reading at the minimum comfortable brightness level, the smartphone lasted almost 17 hours, and when playing videos on YouTube in HQ format via Wi-Fi, the charge lasted for 12.5 hours battery life. In games, the battery lasts for 4.5 hours. The results are pleasantly impressive, especially when compared with its predecessor, which at first got very hot and sat down literally before our eyes, until the manufacturer corrected the situation with firmware updates.

Cameras

Samsung Galaxy S5 duos sm g900fd review showed that the smartphone received a main camera with a resolution of 16 megapixels and a 2 megapixel front camera. The latter takes photos and videos in FullHD format, and I must say that the quality is very good. At the time of its release it was one of the best cameras.

The main camera received ultra-fast autofocus (aiming at the subject takes no more than 0.3 s), stabilization and a single-section flash with medium brightness. The smartphone can shoot video in 4K and was distinguished by the fact that it was among the first to have the ability to pinpoint focusing. With its help, you can highlight a certain part of the frame and blur the background. At automatic settings camera images are saved in size 5312x2988. While reviewing the Samsung Galaxy S5, we took several test shots, examples of which you can find below.

Conclusion

In the new generation, the smartphone received improved characteristics, display, and autonomy, but the body is still plastic, which is not at all what you would expect in one of the company’s main flagships. To summarize, we can say that the device is really good and its characteristics will suit most users in 2017, although now they are more in line with the budget segment.

Where can I buy?

Your rating for the smartphone:

The iconic smartphone of last year was the Samsung S5 model SM-G900F. Although this device is very similar in appearance to its predecessor, it has a number of significant differences. It is its capabilities and characteristics that will be discussed further.

Positioning

Initially belonged to the premium class solutions S5 SM-G900F. This is truly a flagship device. Its characteristics and parameters are still relevant today. Although now a more advanced smartphone has appeared ( we're talking about 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 specifically to the premium segment. However, its value has dropped significantly over time. This nuance makes its purchase even more justified. Moreover, it will serve you for many more years 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 S5 device, its equipment is very modest. It includes, except battery and smartphone, the following:

• Interface cord.
• Brief user manual (it also contains a warranty card).
• Charger.

Case, protective film and the 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 we don’t have them, we buy them right away. Moreover, to obtain good sound, they must have the proper quality.

Design

The S4 and S5 models of the SM-G900F have a lot in common. Most of the front panel in the S5 is occupied by a 5.1-inch display, which is protected by impact-resistant Gorilla Eye glass. IN this device its third generation is in use. Under the screen there is a typical control panel, which consists of 2 touch buttons (located on the edges of the device) and one mechanical button (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: a front camera, distance, light and gesture sensors, an LED event indicator and a speaker. On the left is the power button, and on the right is the volume control button. On the bottom edge of the smart phone there is a hole for a conversational microphone and a micro-USB format. At the top there is a port for connecting a stereo headset and a microphone for loud conversations. The back cover of the gadget usually houses the main camera, dual backlight and a loud speaker. It should also be noted that the degree of protection of the housing of this device is IP67. This allows it to be immersed under water to a depth of 0.5 meters and protects against possible dust penetration inside.

Semiconductor basis

Samsung SM-G900F is built on the basis of one of the best computing platforms for mobile devices - Snapdragon 801, which was developed by the leading manufacturer of AWS chips - Qualcomm. This processor consists of 4 modified computing cores based on the Krait 400 architecture. All of them are manufactured on 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 correspond to the computing capabilities of this chip. The Snapdragon 801 can handle almost any task today without any problems. The only thing it will definitely have problems with is new 64-bit applications. All of its main registers can only process 32 bits per clock cycle. Hence possible problems with new software. But so far there are not so many such applications, and the transition process itself is not that fast.

Screen

The S5 SM-G900F boasts one of best displays in your niche. Its diagonal is an impressive 5.1 inches even by today's standards. It is manufactured using the technology typical for this manufacturer - “SuperAMOLED”. Its resolution is 1920x1080. The image on it is displayed in Full HD format. The screen is protected, as noted earlier, by special third-generation “Gorilla Eye” impact-resistant glass. The image quality on this screen is not satisfactory. 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 is even now one of the top ones. If we add to this the relatively small display resolution of 1920x1080, then there are generally problems with processing graphic information does not arise. This is quite enough to solve the most resource-intensive tasks today. The only problem may be processing new programs that are optimized to run 64-bit applications. They were already developed for new hardware and definitely will not work on this graphics accelerator. So far there is very little such software, and the process itself, as already mentioned, is quite slow.

Cameras

It won't be difficult to save the brightest moments of your life on digital media using the main camera in the SM-G900F. It is based on a 16 megapixel sensor. There are many modes of its operation at the software level. All this allows you to get fairly high-quality images in almost any situation. There is also an autofocus system and, of course, dual LED illumination. This camera is also great when it comes to recording videos. It can record video in 2160p format 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 double and reach 60 frames per second. Sensor front camera more modest - 2 MP. This will be quite enough to make video calls. But the “selfies” obtained with its help will be of average quality.

Memory

The capacity of the integrated storage is identical for all Samsung devices SM-G900F - 16Gb. At the same time, part of it is occupied by pre-installed software, and about 11.5 GB are allocated for user needs. If used wisely, this should be enough for comfortable work on this device and there will be no shortage of quantity free space. If the 16Gb built into the Samsung Galaxy SM-G900F is not enough for you, you can increase the amount of memory using an external flash card. This device has the necessary slot and the maximum capacity of the external drive in this case can reach 128 GB. The RAM in this gadget is 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 autonomy

The undeniable advantage of the Samsung SM - G900 F is its autonomy. The device is equipped with a removable 2800 mAh battery. We 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 of battery life at an average load level. If you watch a video in Full HD format or play a demanding toy, the indicated 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 allows you to count on 300 Mbit/s if you have an appropriate router. 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 devices. As a result, downloading large amounts of information to this smartphone using this wireless interface should definitely not be a problem.
• This smartphone can function in almost all modern mobile networks. There is support for GSM (their speed is limited to 500 kbps), HSDPA (in such 3G networks the speed can theoretically reach 42 Mbps) and LTE (in this case the speed will be higher and can reach 150 Mbps) .
• The gadget also has Bluetooth. This transmitter allows you to output sound signal to the system You can also use it to exchange small photos or videos with similar smartphones. In some cases, synchronization with a PC is also possible using Bluetooth.
• Using the infrared port installed in this smartphone and a special software it can be easily turned into a remote control 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 transmit and receive large amounts of information from similar devices in a matter of minutes.
• There are only two wired methods of transmitting information in this device: 3.5 mm audio jack and microUSB.

Software

Initially, Samsung Galaxy SM-G900F operates under the control of such operating system, like Android version 4.4. Since March of this year, an update to version 5.0 is available. Therefore, when you first connect to the World Wide Web, you can update the system software. On top of the operating system is installed a typical shell for this line of devices - TouchWiz UI. It is with the help of the latter software component the user can optimize the interface of this gadget to suit 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 cite last year's flagship from Sony - Xperia Z3. With fairly similar technical parameters, it will cost much more - $460. Accordingly, the starting price of $400 makes the purchase of this device truly justified. At the same time, you get a truly high-quality and functional device.

Owners about the smartphone

Be that as it may, the main disadvantage, according to the majority of owners of the Galaxy S5 SM-G900F, is the 16Gb of built-in storage, of which the user can count on only 11.5 GB. This issue can be easily and simply resolved by installing an external flash card. It is, of course, not included in the package and will have to be purchased separately. Otherwise, this gadget boasts an impressive list of advantages:

• 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 many years to come. All this makes its purchase even now, a year after the start of sales, completely justified.

One of the most anticipated new products of 2014, which, despite all the criticism in its direction, has been actively and successfully sold for about two months in domestic retail. Samsung Galaxy S5 is probably the most popular flagship in our country running Android OS. In addition, this is the most controversial device of this year. Serious performance, rich functionality, as always, a lot of new interesting features, but still the same missing design.

Now that all the flagships from the most large companies, it's time to draw conclusions regarding the Galaxy S5. We were late Sony Xperia Z2, which was initially supposed to go on sale before the S5 by a whole month, but ended up being late by the same period. LG drew the line with the release of its G3. And now we can make the most objective and balanced conclusion regarding the main Korean miracle, but first, let's figure out what interesting things the Samsung Galaxy SM-G900F can give us.

As always, the smartphone comes in a box made from recycled materials, which in addition to the device itself also contains Charger, a synchronization cable, and a proprietary headset with a remote control on a cord.

And now I’ll focus on what makes it possible to distinguish a Korean smartphone from any counterfeit that radio markets are littered with, namely, the packaging contains a wide variety of leaflets made from recycled paper. Please note that some of them have high-quality color printing. In addition, the “original” kit should contain just such a warranty card.

Most likely, none of this will be present in a box with a fake. Usually the Chinese limit themselves to a couple of pieces of paper with printing, relatively Bad quality. Thus, we figured out how to distinguish the S5 from a fake, paying attention only to the accompanying documentation.

Appearance

In my opinion, from a design point of view, the Galaxy S5 consists of exactly two smartphones. One we can observe from the front side, and the second is not at all similar to the first and we discover it by turning the device over. First things first.

Galaxy S5. Model 1: front side

There is a chrome-plated plastic frame around the entire perimeter of the device. It is not clear whether the shiny coating will peel off. During the two-month operation of the device, there have been no negative reviews regarding this parameter from users yet. Obviously, the coating is more or less high quality.

The shiny frame protrudes far above the surface of the screen. I immediately remember the once popular Nokia 5800, whose plastic frames made using the smartphone quite inconvenient.

In Samsung, of course, they don’t stick out so much, but it would be better not to have them. In the same HTC One(M8) there are also protruding sides, but they are made very carefully and are almost invisible.

Around the display there is a dark blue surface rolled under glass, which is framed by a layer of a slightly different color. This is noticeable, but does not have a negative impact on the perception of the device.

Below the display there is one physical Home key, which also doubles as a fingerprint scanner. The button travel is smooth and moderately soft. On the sides there are touch buttons: a back key (on the right) and a button responsible for displaying the most recently used applications (on the right). It's great that Samsung engineers did not transfer the smartphone controls to the screen, but left them under the display. Many manufacturers do not follow this tradition, resulting in empty space under the screen.

At the top there is an LED indicator for various events, then there is a speaker grid, under which there is a brand name. Closer to the right edge there is an ambient light sensor, a proximity sensor and a front camera eye.

The edge of the device has three edges, which makes the boring design of the smartphone a little more interesting. On the left side of the device there are sound control keys. On the right side there is one single button responsible for turning off the screen.

At the top there is a sealed 3.5 mm audio output, a microphone hole and an infrared port.

At the bottom there is a hole for another microphone and a flap hiding the micro-USB 3.0 connector (type B). There is also a small loop for attaching a lace to the device.

The back of the device is completely different and what was described in the first part has nothing to do with the design reverse side S5.

One gets the impression that the appearance was handled by two separate groups of designers. Laughter through tears.

The first thing that catches your eye is the surface with dots pressed across the entire area. What does it look like tactilely? back cover? It's difficult to make a direct comparison. The closest comparison would be to soft and glossy leather.

The back surface of the S5 is very pleasant to the touch. You want to touch and touch your smartphone.

At the top there is a peephole for the main camera, which protrudes quite strongly from the body. Directly below it, in a similar style, there is a slot for an LED flash and a heart rate monitor with an auxiliary LED. The latter slightly illuminates the skin while measuring the pulse with the corresponding sensor.

At the bottom there are holes for the main speaker. There are no other elements at the back anymore.

The back cover of the smartphone can be easily removed and provides access to the battery (2800 mAh). The memory card and SIM card are not hot-swappable, as the battery must be removed each time.

By the way, the SIM card slot is inconvenient: getting the card out of the slot is very difficult. It’s trivial: there’s simply nothing to hook the plastic with.

Dust and moisture protection

It is worth mentioning here that according to the Samsung Galaxy S5 specifications, it has IP67 water and dust protection. It is understood that the smartphone can be underwater at a depth of up to one and a half meters for 30 minutes.

Employees of the Korean company explain this approach by saying that users forget to close the plugs of the connectors, as a result of which the devices still burn out. Obviously, even the system’s regular warnings about the need to check the tightness of the device’s caps every time after recharging do not help.

In general, you can swim with the S5 at your own risk. This is not the Sony Xperia Z2, which you can safely forget in an aquarium or in a bowl of soup.

Pay attention to the rubber band that is located on the back of the battery cover. It protects important electronic elements from moisture, since after immersion water accumulates, including under the removable cover.

Usage

The smartphone turned out to be moderately large. It is an order of magnitude larger than its predecessor (S4), but smaller than all its competitors. I suggest comparing the dimensions of the device in the table below.

	Length	Width	Thickness	Weight
Samsung Galaxy S5		72,5
Samsung Galaxy S4	136,6
HTC One (M8)	146,4	70,6
Sony Xperia Z2	146,8	73,3
LG G3	146,3	74,6

Despite the very slippery back surface, the device lies securely in the hand. Of course, you can feel it in your trouser pocket, but it doesn’t hinder your movement. Still it's not Galaxy Note III and certainly not the Sony Xperia Z Ultra. For people with small hands, Samsung has provided the activation of a one-handed control mode.

By swiping your finger across the screen from the middle to the edge, the active part of the display is reduced in half. In this case, all areas of the screen can be reached with your thumb. The reverse gesture stretches the active screen to cover the entire available area.

In addition, of course, there is support for many different options for people with disabilities. Samsung is one of the clear leaders in this direction.

The Samsung Galaxy S5 is available for sale in several color variations: black, blue, gold and white.

Display

The screen is covered tempered glass with an oleophobic coating that protects the surface from the appearance of greasy fingerprints. The distance from the edge of the display to the edge of the device is about 4 mm, which is quite a lot, but still does not leave a negative impression. Fine!

The screen is the key parameter of any mobile device and the Galaxy S5 is no exception. It has a Super AMOLED matrix with a diagonal of 5.1 inches. Resolution 1920x1080 pixels at a density of 432 pixels per inch. The brightness reserve is very large. Color rendition is generally typical for displays based on Super AMOLED technology.

I mean that, as always, there are bright acidic colors with a bias towards green-yellow shades.

The greenish glow is especially noticeable when looking at the smartphone screen at an angle. The sharper the angle, the greater the color distortion and the appearance of a faint metallic sheen. Black remains black under any conditions. You can verify this in the example photos below.

In the settings, you can select several of the preset screen profiles. New is a setting that optimizes the picture depending on what application is used in this moment. The mode is aimed primarily at saving battery consumption, since the display is traditionally the most power-hungry component in the device.

In the sun, the screen does not fade; everything remains readable, thanks to the anti-reflective coating of the glass and adequate operation of the light sensor.

In the settings, you can activate increased sensitivity of the touch surface, as a result of which you can operate the smartphone with gloves.

Specifications

• Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 processor with a frequency of 2.5 GHz (4 cores)
• video chip Adreno 330 (578 MHz)
• RAM 2 GB LPDDR3
• memory for data storage 16 GB (11.5 GB actually available)
• micro SD memory card slot (up to 128 GB)
• 5.1’’ display with a resolution of 1920×1080 pixels (432 ppi) based on Super AMOLED
• front camera 2 MP (1920×1080 pixels)
• main camera 16 MP (image resolution 5312×2988 pixels)
• 2800 mAh battery (removable)
• water and dust protection (IP67)
• Sensors: accelerometer, gyroscope, compass, proximity sensor, barometer, light sensor, fingerprint scanner, heart rate monitor
• Android 4.4.2 platform with proprietary TouchWiz shell

• 2G, 3G, 4G (LTE)
• Wi-Fi (801.11 a/b/g/n/ac), MIMO (2x2)
• Bluetooth 4.0, NFC
• USB 3.0, infrared sensor, OTG, MHL
• aGPS, GLONASS

There are no questions about the performance of the smartphone.

Everything flies without any delays. Applications, including the camera, launch very quickly.

Of course, all the latest toys can be easily swallowed by a smartphone even with the highest graphics settings.

The proprietary TouchWiz shell does not slow down, as happens on the company’s tablets. Everything here is very well optimized. In synthetic tests, the device scores almost maximum points. IN AnTuTu smartphone gave the palm to HTC One, taking second place. Let's look at the screenshots.

Camera

One of the main advantages of Samsung flagships has always been their photo capabilities. S5 is no exception. The built-in 16 megapixel module is capable of producing very decent image quality. Error-free focusing, good stabilization and good color rendition - these are the main positive sides built-in camera.

You can safely forget about additional settings and shoot only in automatic mode. Good ambient lighting will help in getting decent shots. The only thing I recommend is setting the HDR setting to “On” and then the saturation of the images will be at least twice as high. The risk of blurring the image in this mode tends to zero, since the device does not have a high rate of fire.

The HDR mode is most noticeable when it is backlit or in the presence of strong shadows, as is often the case in direct sunlight. Pay attention to the photographs below and see for yourself that I am right.

No HDR
HDR

Now let's evaluate examples of photographs taken in various conditions.

The main camera of the smartphone copes with most of the possible variations of photography. Again, with plenty of light the photos come out great. In low-light conditions, the photo quality, of course, deteriorates, but overall it looks adequate. Footage of city streets at night looks good only on a smartphone display. When you open them on the big screen, all the flaws in the pictures immediately catch your eye. Noise, of course, is present, but still to a lesser extent. Exposure occurs correctly, which is why there is no shift to green or scarlet shades.

Still, the Samsung Galaxy S5 has one of the best cameras.

As always, there are a very large number of settings, which even dazzle your eyes. Out of habit, it is very difficult to quickly find what you need.

Of course, there are many different shooting scenarios available, including skin retouching, shooting fast-moving objects, creating panoramas and much more. There is even a fisheye filter.

Using the built-in camera, you can create virtual tours of the premises. I think real estate agents will be very pleased. Although, except on the device itself, you won’t be able to view such pictures anywhere else.

The quality of videos shot with the main camera is very good. The detailing and choice of exposure raise no questions. In addition, it is possible to set tracking autofocus or independently specify the object to focus on. In this case, the camera quickly and without errors “grabs” the object. What can I say, it’s better to independently evaluate the capabilities of the video camera in your smartphone:

While recording a video, the video size is displayed (in the upper right corner of the screenshot), which increases as the recording lasts.

4K video pleases the eye with deep detail. You don’t have to look far for an example:

Fingerprint's scanner

I have already mentioned the central button, which has a built-in fingerprint sensor. When you activate the parameter, you are initially prompted to go through the fingerprint entry procedure, for which you need to swipe your finger several times Home button. You can register up to three fingers. Of course, it will not be possible to deceive the stray, since the preliminary settings are very accurate.

There is no need to deliberately move your finger slowly and carefully over the button. This can be done quickly, the main thing is that the entire print falls within the “field of view” of the sensor. The sensor fools only when moisture gets on it, but the system immediately warns about this. In other cases, scanning always occurs correctly. The only thing is that entering the fingerprint of the hand with which you are holding the device is quite difficult. You need to have some skill or just do it with both hands.

By entering your fingerprint, you can unlock your smartphone, buy applications and make purchases in other stores. We don't have a chance yet.

Sound and video playback

The included headset has good quality sound. In addition, it is equipped with a playback control remote control. The cable of the included headphones is very rigid and flat, making it less tangled.

It’s gratifying that Samsung even includes headphones in the kit, which are also of good quality.

LG, for example, abandoned this approach in almost all of its devices, for which they get a minus.

The playback quality through third-party headphones is at an expectedly good level. In this parameter, the S5 is no different from competitors' products. In direct comparison with the iPhone 5, Apple's solution wins. The sound on the S5 differs for the worse only by a barely noticeable flatness and weaker low frequencies. The maximum volume threshold is almost comparable to that of the iPhone, which is generally a rare occurrence.

In the settings, of course, there is an equalizer with ready-made presets. In addition, it is possible to activate additional audio effects, such as studio sound, concert hall simulation, etc.

In the parameters, you can pass a special Adapt Sound test, after which playback is optimized for each channel. Some, perhaps even many, have ears that hear differently, and in order to level out this difference, engineers added this feature. This is what it looks like in theory. In practice, I personally did not notice any changes.

The sound through the external speaker is loud, lively and without extraneous squeaks and whistles, as could be observed in the tablet.

As always, Samsung's solutions handle most of the popular codecs right out of the box. Just look at the list of supported formats:

• audio: MP3, M4A, 3GA, AAC, OGG, OGA, WAV, WMA, AMR, AWB, FLAC, MID, MIDI, XMF, MXMF, IMY, RTTTL, RTX, OTA
• video formats: MP4, M4V, 3GP, 3G2, WMV, ASF, AVI, FLV, MKV, WEBM
• Available video codecs: H.263, H.264(AVC), MPEG4, VC-1, Sorenson Spark, MP43, WMV7, WMV8, VP8

Energy consumption

The device has a removable battery with a capacity of 2800 mAh.

The main thing, of course, is not the capacity and some numbers, but the optimization of energy consumption in the device. For the work done by engineers in this direction, we can safely give the highest rating.

The Galaxy S5 can work on a single battery charge for up to two days with average use: the brightness was adjusted automatically, Wi-Fi and other wireless interfaces were not turned off, surfing the Internet took about 3 hours, 10 minutes of calls per day, 3 hours took the use of other functions, About 100 photographs were taken. Very good result!

In the settings, it is possible to set a battery saving mode, in which the operation of some of the functions used will be limited. In this case, the screen goes into gray-only mode. Thanks to this feature of the Super AMOLED screen, in a monochrome state it consumes significantly less energy. There is access to all the capabilities of the device, but background data transfer is stopped and only works through the channel from Samsung. In other words, third-party network applications will not receive push notifications.

That's not all. If you need to stay connected for at least the next 24 hours with 10% battery charge, you can activate the extreme power consumption mode. In this state, the system completely eliminates the ability to use the basic functions of the smartphone. The device turns into a black and white dialer and nothing more.

Software features

As always, various special features are built into the system. Many have known each other for a long time, and we will dwell on some in more detail.

Of course available fine tuning various types input. But the appearance and use of the keys are ill-conceived. The virtual buttons are very small and difficult to hit without making mistakes.

It’s strange that with such a large display, the manufacturer installed such an uncomfortable keyboard. It may be a matter of habit, but there is no point in tolerating this when you can install a third-party solution.

S Planner

This, friends, is a calendar. Samsung Galaxy S5 is a very mass product. Many will switch to this smartphone from another manufacturer, many will encounter such an advanced device for the first time. And most of these people will need a calendar. And the corresponding name is simply missing in the system. You can guess that the S Planner application replaces the same regular calendar only by the icon. In general, a strange approach, for which new users will definitely not welcome a fresh gadget.

Standard file manager - this is a necessary and important thing on any modern device. All the necessary tools for working with files, of course, are there, but they are hidden in a drop-down menu. It’s convenient when everything is at hand, but that’s not the case here.

Gestures

Chip " instant review"helps you flip through photos, music, or a page in your browser by waving your palm over the display. The gesture sensor responds clearly and with virtually no errors. Most likely, there is no point in taking it for permanent armament, but as a joke, to show off to friends, it will be very suitable. You can feel like a real Jedi.

Setting " smart pause"works extremely poorly. You can safely forget about this feature, at least until the next software version. Maybe the work of the chip will still be debugged.

" makes it possible to expand the preview picture without going to it, if you hold your finger directly above the image and do not touch the screen. The gesture only works correctly in the gallery. In the video player, instead of previewing, playback starts from the point where you hold your finger.

Samsung has not forgotten about users who have small children. For this purpose, the program “ Child mode ", in which the smartphone loads the corresponding colorful skin. In this form, the device provides access only to a limited number of pre-selected programs. For example, the photo application is simplified as much as possible:

There is also the ability to make audio recordings, which can later be voiced by a specially trained crocodile. You can listen to music and watch pre-loaded cartoons. There is also a simple drawing tool.

Exit from the mode is carried out using a password.

Along with children's, there is also simple mode. Its essence lies in the fact that all additional and not particularly important settings are hidden, and instead of ordinary icons there are enlarged symbols.

Similar to the Guest mode in the G3, Samsung installed it on its smartphone. The number of applications that can use this scenario is limited. You just need to choose and set passwords in advance.

Remote Control

The Smart Remote utility is responsible for controlling household appliances via an infrared transmitter at the end of the smartphone. The program is structured in a unique way. Instead of standard procedure settings, for example, a TV, you first need to select the country, then the region, after the cable TV operator (and if there is none?) and only then, you can go to the remote control interface. The latter, by the way, did not catch my 50-inch panel from Panasonic. The LG G2 and Sony Z1 Compact did not have this problem. The TV was immediately filled with smartphones. In general, a strange and inconvenient application.

This is a trendy trend nowadays, in which all manufacturers are trying to come up with something of their own and teach the user to take care of their health. A beautiful aggregator application collects all the basic information about user activity. Everything as usual. It is possible to set goals, build graphs, count calories, steps, etc. Of course, it’s not as rich in functionality as Sony’s Lifelog, but it’s also a pretty powerful solution.

You can install and integrate third-party applications into the program itself, which will work in conjunction with the parent application and smartphone sensors.

The main feature, of course, is the ability to measure your pulse. To do this, you need to place your finger on a special window under the rear camera module, freeze, do not shake your smartphone, and preferably do not breathe at all. Only in this case the heart rate is measured correctly.

You can independently evaluate other interface elements from the screenshots below.

It so happened historically - simply due to the fact that Korea recently became a developed and high-tech country - that Samsung has always been in the role of catching up, no matter what product area you take. And she has always professed the approach of “we will overtake and surpass”, and, as a rule, not so much in the sense of “we have better”, but in the sense that “we have more”. Whether this is good or bad is an open question, but this approach has always worked and ultimately allowed Samsung to become one of the largest and most influential companies in the difficult and changing high-tech market.

The Koreans themselves, it seems, are still at a loss about this and do not fully understand what to do. Because it’s one thing to be a successful and dynamic “number two”, and quite another to try to orchestrate the market, come up with new ideas, develop previously non-existent directions, and all that stuff. This is not to say that Samsung is not trying to do this - they are really trying. But so far with varying degrees of success: Korean ideas often turn out to be very artificial.

Apparently, Samsung decided to slow down a little with its usual quantitative approach. It’s not that we completely abandon it - of course, in the Galaxy S5 there is a certain amount of “more”, “higher” and “more often” - but there is still an attempt to carry out serious work on mistakes: to do not only “a lot”, but also "Fine".

⇡ Appearance and ergonomics

Design is a subtle matter. When we are talking about the company’s products, which sell millions of copies - and therefore, obviously, are very popular with a huge number of people, then everything is very complicated. Here we must speak carefully about design: either good or nothing. Otherwise, there will be tons of people who are indignant at value judgments. So, about the aesthetic component, sorry, this time we’ll just keep silent and focus on the facts. The facts are: compared to Galaxy S4 new smartphone acquired a more square shape, acquired corrugation on the metallized rim, the back panel is now decorated with a leatherette covering, and the dimensions have grown significantly. As a result, the S5 looks more like the Galaxy Note 3 than the Galaxy S4. Is it possible that instead of a “stitch” on the back there is “perforation”.

Structurally, the S5 is completely no different from all previous Samsung devices in a serious price category. Inside there is a magnesium frame, which plays the role of a durable and rigid frame, on the outside there is only a plastic body kit. Either the plastic panels in the S5 have become a little thicker than in the S4, or the vibration isolation has been strengthened, but the “ringing” of the case, characteristic of the previous Samsung flagship, has seriously decreased. The case still vibrates when you knock on it, but it is much less noticeable.

The main innovation of the Galaxy S5 is the appearance of protection against moisture and dust. Koreans have already tried their hand at this genre, but earlier, separate smartphone models were created for experiments. In the “regular”, “main” flagship, Samsung uses this feature for the first time.

Moisture and dust protection is implemented according to class IP67. There is a marketing ploy here: to the uninformed, IP67 is obviously bigger and “better” than IP58, which it claims for its Sony flagships. In fact, this is not at all true: the fact is that the Ingress Protection rating (the same abbreviation IP) consists of two numbers that are independent of each other. The first number speaks about dust protection and only about it - accordingly, in terms of water protection, the IP6x class is no better than IP5x.

Second distinctive feature Galaxy S5 - presence of a fingerprint sensor. Like Apple, the sensor is built into the only physical button on the front panel. But it works completely differently: you can turn on the iPhone with a button and, by holding your finger on it for a few seconds, you can unlock the smartphone. In the Samsung Galaxy S5, these actions are divided into two independent operations: you first need to turn on the smartphone, and then slide your registered finger from the mark on the display to the sensor.

Fingerprint sensor integrated into the Home button

The sensor works quite well - it recognizes the finger quite reliably, even if you move it at all sorts of unnatural angles, except that it doesn’t work upside down. But the process itself is less convenient than Apple's and takes a little more time. However, even in this form it turns out much faster than with entering a password or a pattern of dots. Additional actions can be linked to the fingerprint sensor, including authorizing transactions in PayPal.

There is only one “loud” speaker in the Samsung Galaxy S5, it is located at the back. Sounds pretty nice and very loud

However, it should be borne in mind that, as in the case of the iPhone, they have already learned how to bypass the protection: to do this, you need to take some actions that are not exactly simple, but still not quantum mechanics. So it’s worth minimizing the risk: do not attach the most valuable and easily “monetized” login passwords, such as bank passwords, to your “fingers,” and also use for identification those fingers, good prints from which, most likely, will not remain on the glass of the front panel - the little finger or nameless.

The third unusual feature of the Samsung Galaxy S5 is the built-in heart rate sensor. It is located in a small niche on the back side of the case; the camera flash is placed in the same niche. The sensor consists of a pair of elements: a diode that illuminates the finger, and a simple camera that reads the pulsation.

Due to the protected design, the body has grown significantly. At the same time, the display increased purely formally - by 0.1 inches. So there is no talk of any new level of comfort when working with the screen, but you have to reach much further for the necessary elements. Visually, the Galaxy S5 does not give the impression of a large device - the shape greatly smoothes out the dimensions - but in fact it has almost caught up with the Xperia Z1. And it greatly outperformed the LG G2, equipped with a larger screen.

However, this is the problem with most modern flagships: they are all too big. We have already gotten used to this: we have long learned to stretch our fingers to distances that were previously difficult to imagine, and also to quickly grab the tubes from a comfortable grip to one that makes it easier to reach the button with your finger.

⇡ Technical specifications

Samsung Galaxy S5 (SM-G900F)
Display	5.1 inches, 1920x1080, AMOLED
Touch screen	Capacitive, up to 10 simultaneous touches
Air gap	No
Oleophobic coating	Eat
Polarizing filter	Eat
CPU	Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 MSM8974AC v3: four Qualcomm Krait-400 cores (ARMv7), frequency 2.46 GHz; process technology 28 nm HPm
Graphics controller	Qualcomm Adreno 330, 578 MHz
RAM	2 GB LPDDR3-1600
Flash memory	16 GB (about 12 GB available) + microSD
Connectors	1 x micro-USB 3.0 (MHL) 1 x 3.5mm headset jack 1 x microSD 1 x micro-SIM
cellular	2G/3G/4G Qualcomm MDM9x25 modem (built into processor), WTR1625L transceiver + WFR1620 receiver One SIM card in micro-SIM format
Cellular connection 2G	GSM/GPRS/EDGE 850/900/1800/1900 MHz
Cellular 3G	WCDMA 850/900/1900/2100 MHz DC-HSPA+ (42.2/5.76 Mbps)
Cellular 4G	LTE FDD band 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 20 (2100/1900/1800/850/2600/900/800 MHz) LTE Cat. 3 (150/50 Mbit/s)
WiFi	802.11a/b/g/n/ac, 2.4 and 5 GHz
Bluetooth	4.0
NFC	Eat
IR port	Eat
Navigation	GPS, A-GPS, GLONASS, Beidou
Sensors	Light Sensor, Proximity Sensor, Accelerometer/Gyroscope, Magnetometer (Digital Compass), Barometer, Fingerprint Sensor, Heart Rate Sensor
Main camera	16 MP (5312x2988), 1/2.6’’ Samsung S5K2P2 CMOS matrix with back-illumination and ISOCELL technology, element size 1.12 µm autofocus, LED flash
Front-camera	2 MP (1920x1080), CMOS matrix Samsung S5K8B1YX03 size 1/7.3’’ with back illumination, element size 1.12 microns without autofocus, without flash
Nutrition	Removable battery 10.78 Wh (2800 mAh, 3.85 V) The battery has a built-in NFC antenna
Size	142x73 mm Body thickness: 8.3 mm (9.7 mm including camera)
Weight	145 g
Water and dust protection	IP67
operating system	Google Android 4.4.2 (KitKat) Samsung's own TouchWiz shell
recommended price	29,990 rubles
* There is also a version with 2 GB RAM and 16 GB storage

⇡ Hardware and communications

In past years Samsung flagships first appeared with their own Exynos processors and only then, due to the special wishes of American operators cellular communication, versions were released on Qualcomm chips. The turning point occurred at the launch of the Galaxy Note 3: versions for this model were simultaneously announced for both Exynos and Qualcomm Snapdragon.

For the Galaxy S5, the main one will be the version (or rather, “versions” - there are quite a few of them for different markets) on American processors. Modifications for Exynos also exist, but as secondary auxiliary ones, for some special markets - it is not yet clear for which ones, they have not yet gone on sale. One way or another, the current version on the Russian market is SM-G900F, equipped with a Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 processor with the simple model name MSM8974AC v3.

At the beginning of this year, the American chipmaker introduced considerable confusion into its the lineup, so it makes sense to provide a table showing the differences between different Qualcomm SoCs.

	Maximum CPU frequency	Maximum GPU frequency	ISP	eMMC	Dual SIM Dual Active	Memory interface
Snapdragon 800
MSM8974VV v2	2.2 GHz	450MHz	320 MHz	4.5	No	800 MHz
MSM8974AA v2	2.3 GHz	450MHz	321 MHz	4.5	No	800 MHz
MSM8974AB v2	2.3 GHz	550MHz	322 MHz	4.5	No	933 MHz
Snapdragon 801
MSM8974AA v3	2.3 GHz	450MHz	323 MHz	5.0	Yes	800 MHz
MSM8974AB v3	2.3 GHz	578MHz	465 MHz	5.0	Yes	933 MHz
MSM8974AC v3	2.5 GHz	578MHz	465 MHz	5.0	Yes	933 MHz

So, MSM8974AC v3 is the most powerful Qualcomm chip available today. It is still quad-core and 32-bit - it uses the Krait-400 architecture running with the ARMv7 instruction set. But compared to the “regular” 800, the new version is noticeably overclocked: the maximum frequency of both the computing cores themselves and the graphics adapter built into the processor is higher, the chip can work with faster memory, even the ISP, the unit responsible for working with cameras, has been overclocked .

In addition, new versions of Qualcomm's flagship chips now include support for a faster interface for connecting eMMC 5.0 flash memory, as well as support for two SIM cards in Dual SIM Dual Active (DSDA) mode. The latter, however, is not relevant for our version of the Galaxy S5 - it only has one SIM card, in micro format.

The amount of RAM has not changed compared to that in the Galaxy S4 and is still 2 GB. The memory type is apparently the same as in the Galaxy Note 3 - LPDDR3-1600. As for the flash drive, there are versions with both 16 GB of built-in memory (about 12 GB of which are available) and 32. Of course, microSD cards are supported; Samsung prefers not to limit the user’s desire to expand the storage capacity.

With communications, by and large, everything is the same: the Snapdragon 801 has the same MDM9x25 modem built in as the Snapdragon 800, which can work with any existing networks second and third generations, and also supports operation in LTE Category 4 networks. Support for faster LTE Cat networks. 6 (remember, in Moscow such a network already operates within the Garden Ring) you will have to wait until the next generation of modem, MDM9x35. Moreover, at first this modem will be external and only by the release of Qualcomm Snapdragon 810 will it move into the SoC.

As for the RF part, everything is more interesting here: the Samsung Galaxy S5 uses a new WTR1625L transceiver, equipped with a WFR1620 companion chip, which is an additional receiver and is designed to implement carrier frequency aggregation technology. The Galaxy S5 also has a QFE1100 chip, which is responsible for Envelope Tracking technology. All this additional equipment, in theory, allows you to increase data transfer speeds and reduce power consumption.

The connectors for micro-SIM cards and memory cards in the Samsung Galaxy S5 are arranged in a “sandwich” arrangement. And the NFC antenna is built into the battery

With the set of supported ranges, alas, everything is not as great as we would like. Samsung prefers to differentiate markets, including support for cellular networks. This is good for sellers in local markets, but not so good for those who travel frequently and want to enjoy fast data transfers anywhere in the world. SM-G900F is the European version of the device, and in Europe there will be no problems with communication. However, it is not so suitable for other regions: many popular 3G/4G bands in the US are not supported. Not to mention China.

The micro-USB 3.0 connector is hidden under a plug. You will have to open it each time to charge, there is no possibility of connecting a docking station, but you can purchase a rear panel with wireless charging - of course, for additional money

For wired connection, a micro-USB 3.0 interface with MHL support is used. Wireless interfaces - a full set: at the user's service and dual-band wifi adapter 802.11a/b/g/n/ac, and Bluetooth 4.0, and NFC. There is also an infrared port - so the smartphone can work universal remote control remote control. Among other things, this can be useful if you want to turn down the volume of the TV in some public place.

The Qualcomm iZat Gen8B module built into the processor is responsible for working with navigation satellite networks, exactly the same as in the Snapdragon 800. Let us recall that in addition to those that have already become standard GPS systems and GLONASS, this module and the WTR1625L transceiver already mentioned above also support the Chinese Beidou. Moreover, the Samsung Galaxy S5 seems to be the first “global” smartphone for which Beidou support is stated in the official specifications and actually implemented - on the SGS5 we were able to catch Chinese satellites for the first time.

Test of GPS/GLONASS/Beidou receiver of Samsung Galaxy S5. From left to right: 15 seconds after start; one minute after the start; in room

Navigation works very quickly: even without access to Galaxy networks S5 literally finds a dozen satellites in a matter of seconds and confidently determines the coordinates. This is the fastest navigation smartphone we've ever seen - the speed is simply amazing.

Samsung has prepared another flagship from Galaxy series S in February. According to established tradition, its debut was preceded by a huge number of leaks and various speculations, some of which were confirmed, and some will most likely accompany the announcement of upcoming South Korean top solutions. Time will tell what they will be like, but now we’ll talk about the current Galaxy S5 in the version with the Snapdragon 801 chipset.

Technical characteristics of Samsung Galaxy S5 (G900F):

• Network: GSM/GPRS/EDGE (850/900/1800/1900 MHz), WCDMA/HSPA (850/900/1700/1900/2100 MHz), LTE (800/900/1800/2100/2600 MHz)
• Platform (at time of announcement): Android 4.4.2 KitKat, TouchWiz
• Display: 5.1", 1920 x 1080 pixels, Super AMOLED, 432 ppi
• Camera: 16 MP, f/2.2 aperture, 1/2.6” ISOCELL sensor, 1.12 micron pixel size, LED flash, phase focus, 4K video recording, electronic stabilizer
• Front camera: 2 MP
• Processor: 4 cores, 2.5 GHz, Snapdragon 801
• Graphics chip: Adreno 330
• RAM: 2 GB
• Internal memory: 16 GB
• Memory card: microSD (up to 128 GB)
• GPS and GLONASS
• Bluetooth 4.0 LE/ANT+
• Wi-Fi (802.11 a/b/g/n/ac), HT80, MIMO(2x2)
• microUSB 3.0
• 3.5mm jack
• IP67 protection
• IR transmitter for controlling equipment
• Accelerometer, gyroscope, proximity sensor, compass, barometer, magnetic field sensor (compass), light sensor, gesture sensor, fingerprint sensor, heart rate sensor
• Battery: removable, 2800 mAh
• Talk time: up to 21 hours (3G)
• Standby time: up to 390h (4G)
• Operating time in audio player mode: up to 110 hours
• Dimensions: 142.0 x 72.5 x 8.1 mm
• Weight: 145 g
• Form factor: monoblock with touchscreen
• Type: smartphone
• Announcement date: February 2014
• Sales start date: April 2014

Video review and unboxing

Design and equipment

The smartphone is sold in a wood-like box. It is made from recyclable materials and reduces the harmful impact on the environment. For the first time, such packaging appeared on the Galaxy S4, and to date the company has managed to reduce carbon dioxide emissions into the atmosphere by a thousand tons, which is equivalent to protecting 110 thousand trees from being cut down. The contents include the phone itself, headphones with replaceable tips, battery (2800 mAh), microUSB 2.0 cable (the SGS5 connector supports the USB 3.0 standard), charging (2000 mA) and documentation.

The company did not dare to radically change the design with the Galaxy S5. From the front it is easily recognizable, but on the back the plastic skin of the Galaxy Note 3 has been replaced by a “dotted” texture with pimpled areas. Don't expect a metal kingdom like the HTC One (M8) (review) or glass like the Sony Xperia Z2 (review) from the South Korean flagship. The sides, although they look like metal, are made of plastic, as are the keys on the ends. By the way, Samsung officially commented on the materials of the Galaxy S5, saying that with plastic you can achieve “convenience, friendliness and human design.” In addition, it supposedly creates a warmer feeling and allowed for an unusual visual effect with the chosen lid texture. However, rumors about a metal Galaxy S5 Prime, which seems to be planned for the summer, do not fit into this explanation a little.

With all this, the Galaxy S5 certainly looks more interesting than the Galaxy S4, but in comparison with the Galaxy Note 3 you can already argue. The design of the rubberized lid leaves no one indifferent, and no matter how much people demand metal and glass, several significant advantages cannot be taken away from it. Firstly, shallow perforation improves your grip and the phone does not want to slip out of your hand. Secondly, the cover does an excellent job of hiding fingerprints and smudges. Thirdly, the texture successfully hides micro-scratches and abrasions, unlike metal, glass and glossy plastic. We can say that the Galaxy S5 case does not boast of “premium materials”, but it is practical. And if you are a supporter of covers and various cases, then materials should not play a big role in choosing a device. However, we will return to comparisons with the Xperia Z2 and One (M8) in future materials.

Above the 5.1” screen there are various sensors, an LED indicator, a speaker, and a 2-megapixel camera. Below are two touch keys and a central physical button with a fingerprint scanner built into it. Note that the Galaxy S5 was the first Samsung smartphone to replace the menu button (on the left) with a recent apps button. The fingerprint scanning system uses not only a button (by the way, it is very high above the body and has an unpleasant point), but also the screen. You have to swipe from top to bottom and this is not very convenient, since according to the instructions you need to enter your fingerprint in a vertical orientation, and then during unlocking you will have to use your second hand (you hold it with one, unlock it with the other, moving your finger along the glass and the scanner). You can enter prints at an angle using one hand, but the accuracy of operation will leave much to be desired. However, even with the recommended method, the display very often does not unlock the first time. So the scanner on the iPhone 5S is still the most convenient.

Let's continue looking at the corpus. On the left is the volume rocker, on the right is the lock key. They are at a generally comfortable height, although they could be lowered lower so that a right-hander could raise the volume without reaching over the body with his hand, and a left-hander could block the display without using his fingers. At the top we see an audio jack, a microphone, an IR transmitter, at the bottom there is a microphone and a microUSB 3.0 compartment, covered with a sealed plug. On the reverse side, attention is drawn to the large eye of the 16-megapixel camera with a metal frame and the section below it, which includes an LED flash and a heart rate sensor. Below is the Samsung logo with letters recessed into the lid, a speaker and the LTE logo. The areas of the logos are decorated not with indentations, but with pimples. Interestingly, demo samples of the Galaxy S5 on stands in official stores do not have the LTE logo and there are no bumps anywhere on the lid, not even near the word Samsung. They also lack a finger scanner and the central button is more rounded.

The cover is removed through a hook on the side. Underneath it is a battery and slots for microSD and micro-SIM. Contacts for accessories protrude from the case (covers with a window, covers with wireless charging...), and on the cover itself there is a sealed gasket that limits the penetration of moisture to the “delicate parts”. An important tip is to put the lid on strictly from the top, carefully falling into the upper grooves. Otherwise, there will be a gap near the camera and the cover may move slightly, play on the side and top. The SGS5 is protected from water and dust according to the IP67 standard, and before “rinsing” you need to make sure that the microUSB door fits tightly to the case. It is curious that IP67 allows the device to be in water at a depth of up to a meter for half an hour, but the manufacturer itself does not recommend doing this, guaranteeing protection from rain, shower drops, and short-term exposure to spilled liquids. I am sure that the Galaxy S5 is able to withstand immersion in water, as regulated by the standard, but Samsung is thus protecting itself from enthusiastic testers. The warranty does not apply to drowned persons. By the way, the conspicuous rim around the perimeter on the front side probably ensures tightness. It doesn't look very neat.

It’s hard to call the protection “unnecessary”, but not everything is thought through to the end. If water-resistant Xperia models are equipped with magnetic connectors for docking stations (often included) so that the charging process does not irritate with the need to regularly open and close the plugs, then the Galaxy S5 does not have such a feature. With the help of a special lid and dock it will be possible to carry out wireless charging, however, this is not the same as an out-of-the-box solution. And the price will cost a pretty penny if you buy branded accessories. It is also impossible not to note the inconvenient design of the microUSB door, which is simply impossible to pick up in the case or with short nails. And besides, it looks flimsy, slightly loose. How long will it last?

The 5.1” diagonal screen operates at a resolution of 1920 x 1080 pixels, which gives a pixel density of 432 ppi. The new Super AMOLED panel on the Galaxy S5 has a PenTile subpixel structure that is different from previously used ones. Compared to the display structure of the Galaxy S4, the new model's green subpixels are not oval, but diamond-shaped. In addition, the size of the subpixels has changed (red and blue are 27 microns, green are 19 microns; in SGS4 they were 36, 31 and 23 microns, respectively). If we discard technical description, then the display of the Galaxy S5 has high brightness and, thanks to five color rendering schemes (adapt display that adapts to certain applications, “dynamic”, “standard”, “professional photography” and “cinema”) is able to both delight the user with very rich colors and produce natural colors without eye-popping. The “cinema” has the calmest color palette and many people choose this particular mode. In my opinion, with it the screen is a little pale, and “professional photography” is more pleasing to my eyes. Viewing angles are maximum, but at some angles there is slight color inversion. Readability in sunlight is comparable to the best IPS panels.

The company is not sitting idly by and is effectively improving its AMOLED screens with PenTile. Of course, it has not yet gotten rid of all the shortcomings of the technology (upon careful examination and comparison with RGB matrices, some looseness of the letters is noticeable, and the overall greenishness is still present), however, one cannot help but admit that the Galaxy S5 has a combination of advantages (and AMOLED, as you know, they are also economical in terms of energy consumption) the screen is, if not the best, then one of the best. I especially appreciated the fact that, in comparison with the Galaxy S4 screen, they removed red halos, minimized tails, made the white color whiter and seriously increased the brightness. And the Galaxy S5 has a better screen than the Galaxy Note 3. Glove operation is supported.

At the start of sales, Galax S5 was announced in four color solutions, although no one doubts that the range will expand in the future. For now, the official colors are black, blue, gold and white. The texture of the plastic is the same everywhere. In general, I like the design of the SGS5, if you close your eyes to the not fully thought out moisture protection, the finger scanning system that requires improvement (including the shape of the central key) and the cover that vibrates from high volumes from the multimedia speaker, but I would not refuse other materials. And not at all because I like glass and metal more, but because in the updated Galaxy line, even budget phones will look and feel exactly the same as the flagship. I hope the Galaxy S5 Prime rumors come true. True, I don’t think it’s advisable to announce it quickly at the beginning of summer, because the Galaxy S5 will instantly lose its attractiveness, and buyers will feel deceived. Autumn is the right time for renewal.

Heartbeat measurement

Samsung Galaxy S5 unexpectedly received a heart rate sensor, along the way losing the more important and needed, in my opinion, humidity and temperature sensors. The heart rate sensor consists of an optical element and a backlight, and the company is presenting this as an innovation. In fact, to measure heart rate, it is not necessary to have this smartphone and use the proprietary S Health program. The app store is full of third-party software that uses the camera and flash. We compared S Health and Runstatic Heart Rate, having come to disappointing conclusions: the results should not be trusted. Without load, both measurement methods show similar results (the difference is 1-2 beats, which can be attributed to the error and the person’s condition), and after physical exercise the results fluctuate incredibly - within 130 beats! Actually, at the end of the video we demonstrate this by repeatedly running both applications:

Software: interface and settings

The device is based on Android 4.4.2 KitKat and offers the proprietary TouchWiz interface. A new version The Korean shell has become more “agile”, but has not lost its functions. The far left table is My Magazine with news and updates from social networks can be removed if desired. Or you don’t have to remove it - this is a good aggregator, supported by Flipboard. There is a mode of operation in two windows (I still believe that it is more relevant on tablets), changing the colors of folders.

A floating toolbar has appeared for quick access to applications. It is displayed on top of programs, but using it as an auxiliary tool is problematic, since tapping on the icons launches applications in full screen mode, that is, they overlap the current task. Sony Xperia has better mini-programs, as does LG.

To simplify interaction with the device with one hand, you can change the scale of the work area. If you are right-handed, then make a quick swipe from the right edge to the middle and back, if you are left-handed, then from the left. After this, a mini-screen will appear with virtual keys at the bottom and the ability to quickly jump to your favorite contacts and applications on the side. The main thing is not to forget about this opportunity and then it will seem very useful to you. I appreciated it while driving.

Personalizing the lock screen includes changing the clock size, displaying weather and pedometer, camera shortcut, date, owner information.

Settings can be displayed in a grid, tabs, or list. In the first case, there is a huge amount of unused space between the shortcuts; in the second, the inability to switch between tabs by swiping on the content is disappointing. So my choice is a list. True, not everything is perfect in it - the multi-colored icons are too monotonous.

In “Settings” you can highlight the function of accelerated file loading, using Wi-Fi and LTE, screen modes, selection of lock type, simplified home screen with large icons, setting up fingerprints (up to 3 fingers with a mandatory alternative password in the form of symbols from the keyboard).

There are gestures. I left a direct call (automatic answer by leaning against the head), and smart notifications, that is, vibration after picking up the device to notify about missed calls and events. Instant viewing only interferes with interaction with the phone, inappropriately previewing photos and other elements.

The branded keyboard is good, but to name it best language won't turn around. I like a separate row with numbers, but I don’t like that the buttons for such a diagonal are too small, and changing the language is done by swiping on the space bar, which is inconvenient.

There are two energy saving modes - normal and maximum energy saving mode. In the first case, it is optionally possible to block background data, limit performance (the processor frequency is reduced to 1.5 GHz, but can further drop under load to 1 GHz) and activate the grayscale screen. In the second mode, the display is forcibly activated in simplified shades of gray, the number of available applications, limited wireless connection. When the maximum energy saving is turned on, the approximate remaining time is shown. So 100% will provide 12.5 days, 57% charge will last for 7.1 days in standby mode, and at 31% the dialer can last up to 3.8 days.

Software: built-in software

Of the 16 GB, less than 12 GB is available to the user, while the SGS4 offered less than 9 GB. One more important point, signaling that Samsung is listening to criticism, was the ability to delete pre-installed applications. Not all programs can be removed, but most can be removed. And not only from Samsung and Yandex, but also from Google - S Voice, ChatOn, Calculator, Books, Maps, Gmail, Play Press... The above screenshots show applications that come out of the box, and below there is a cross marked with what can be removed without any root:

In my opinion, this Samsung approach satisfies most users. And the advanced ones, who most often do not need pre-installed software and who are “themselves with a mustache” and those who are quite satisfied basic set programs (and it is really good and covers most tasks).

The video player is omnivorous and supports working in a window.

In the gallery it is possible to scale previews (8-4-3 in a row) and edit pictures. If you have a large number of photos, it may take a long time to load.

Samsung's music player does not support swiping across open tabs (only directly across them, which is terribly inconvenient), but this gesture works on the track screen to switch songs. At the same time, the animation slows down, which looks strange on a top-end device. The advantages are support for many formats, no problems with encoding and several nice settings for changing the sound.

Firstly, the adaptive adjustment of frequencies to suit your specific hearing Adapt Sound is in place and, it seems, its influence on the result has become even stronger than it was with the Galaxy S4. How it works: signals of different tones and volumes are sent to the right and left ears, and you indicate whether you hear them or not. Those frequencies that you cannot hear are amplified to create a larger sound picture. Secondly, Sound Alive has a seven-band equalizer, 3D effect, bass and clarity enhancement. There in the square you can select one of 15 presets and enable the effect tube amplifier, emulate 7.1, studio sound, sound in large and concert halls. You will certainly find something to suit your headphones and favorite genres. For example, the Sennheiser Momentum played well with heavy rock music with the tube amplifier option, and for the JBL Synchros S700 the Adapt Sound adjustment was not out of place. Experiment, in general! But keep in mind that these software enhancements do not affect the sound in third-party players.

If my memory serves me correctly, the “Children” mode arrived on the smartphone as a shortcut for subsequent loading. It provides several entertainment programs, an interactive table with a pet that needs to be changed. Parents set a PIN code, can see which programs the child uses most often, can open applications, and limit the maximum daily activity with the device.

S Health contains several useful applications for people leading an active lifestyle. The program can count steps, measure calories lost and consumed, measure heartbeat. Workouts, sleep activity tracking (with compatible accessories) and much more are also included in S Health. It’s a pity that temperature and humidity sensors were removed from the smartphone. They were useful on the Galaxy Note 3.

The S Voice voice assistant understands Russian and executes various commands, but I continue to consider it pampering. Want to search by voice? Then it’s easier to use the built-in Android Google search, whose accuracy is higher, rather than waiting for commands to be processed on Samsung servers in order to subsequently be transferred to the same Google Search.

Among the branded applications, we can also mention the book store, the ChatON messaging service (my friends are all on WhatsApp, so the program is completely useless for me), the advanced S Note notepad with a bunch of templates, the advanced S Planner calendar, the S Translator, the TV remote control Smart Remote and Samsung Apps branded software store.

The company promises everyone Galaxy owners S5 applications worth 29,990 rubles. The freebie is located in the GALAXY Gifts section of the company store and includes free programs and a free subscription for a certain period. The most interesting offer is a year of music from Yandex.Music. It usually costs 199 rubles per month. However, a 15% discount on hotel bookings through Anywayanyday is also not bad, as is an annual subscription to Navitel cards.

Camera

The SGS5 uses a 16-megapixel ISOCELL camera with a 1/2.6” sensor and a pixel size of 1.12 microns, and the optics have an f/2.2 aperture. Contrary to assumptions that the smartphone is equipped with a 20.7-megapixel module from Sony, but software reduced to 16 megapixels with an aspect ratio of 16:9, the phone still received its own design. The device has a lot of settings, and I especially want to draw your attention to a not entirely obvious point. There is a photo stabilization option and it works a little differently than you expect from the name. It is designed for shooting in low light and reducing noise by increasing the shutter speed. It doesn't work in good light. So, in order to achieve the best results, it is recommended to activate the option, but in this case you should understand that it is not the phone that is taking pictures so slowly, but the algorithm doing its job (I just encountered criticism of the slow photography of the SGS5 and considered it necessary to clarify that what). A couple of examples without stabilization (left) and with it (right):

without stabilization (left) and with it (right)

Implemented in the new product is selective focus. According to Samsung, best results are achieved when the subject is no more than 50cm away from you and the background is at least 150cm away from the subject. To be honest, the camera does not always understand what is required of it and will either completely refuse to see the object in the background (the “Focus” effect cannot be applied, the object is not defined), or it will blur not the way you wanted. However, you need to make allowances for the fact that the SGS5 has one camera (the One (M8) has an additional one for this), and impressive results can still be achieved by getting better at it and understanding how it all works. It's unlikely that you'll get a photo for the cover of National Geographic magazine the first time around. Examples:

The camera itself works quite quickly, automatic phase focus is aimed quickly and most often accurately. But if it fails, you can help with your finger (touch focus). Due to the early software, the potential of ISOCELL, in my opinion, has not been fully realized. There seems to be no progress at all in comparison with the Galaxy Note 3, and at night, even with stabilization, the smartphone does not shoot as well as the HTC One (M8), Sony Xperia Z2 and LG Nexus 5 (review). But on the street during the day, the sensor performs excellently (though this is typical for almost all flagships). The phone copes equally well with near and far plans. Examples in different conditions:

Electronic stabilization is good, daytime colors also deserve praise. Autofocus is not fast, but it is not jerky and does not try to adjust at the slightest frame change, which is correct. At night, the SGS5 records video normally, but indoors I would like to see less noise. Slow motion is not amazing with detail, unfortunately. The resolution is definitely required higher and it is unclear why it was not raised with such hardware. But there are no complaints about the sound - pure stereo, which copes well with ambient noise, but does not remove the effect of presence. Video is recorded in VGA, HD, Full HD and UHD (4K) resolution. When recording in the latter mode, shooting with two cameras at once does not work, you cannot use HDR, video effects, a remote viewfinder, you cannot take photos during video shooting, and the time of one video is limited to 5 minutes (1 minute is approximately 500 MB - depends on the video sequence). There is slight heating of the case, no overheating errors occur. But the 4K video impresses with its clarity (be sure to download