The Samsung Galaxy S5 is a powerful and loaded device, complete with an excellent camera. Those who lead an active lifestyle should like it and its hard to ignore if you’re out in the market looking for a premium daily driver

1. Samsung
Galaxy S5
Review in pictures

2. Slim and weather-proof
• Plastic body deprives you of
a truly premium feel
• Slim design and is both
water- and dust-proof
• 8.1mm overall thickness with
a removable back cover
• Can be submerged in 1m of
water for up to 30 minutes
without causing damage
• Available in four premium
colour options with dimpled
pattern at the rear
• Corning’s Gorilla Glass 3 on
the front for protection
against scratches

3. Looks sleek but is sturdy
• Corning Gorilla glass on front
protects from scratches and
accidental knocks
• Matte back panel makes the
device immune from smudges
while the dimpled pattern aids
in grip
• Audio socket is open, but can
still be exposed to water
without damaging the device
• Clever water-proofing solution
with use of rubber gaskets
inside the battery door

4. Crammed with premium features
• 5.1-inch screen with full HD
resolution
• 16-megapixel AF camera at
the back and 2-megapixel FF
camera in the front with
dual-shot feature
• PayPal-certified biometric
fingerprint reader on the
front for secure access
• Has been made water- and
dust-proof without adding
bulk to the device
• Integrated heart rate sensor
to monitor health

5. One of the best smartphone displays
• The full HD 5.1-inch display
offers a pixel density of
432ppi
• 178-degree viewing angles
and vibrant colour tones
makes visuals come alive
• Ample brightness for good
sunlight legibility
• Brilliant for multimedia and
gaming
• Turns to black and white in
Ultra Power Saving Mode
for saving battery power

6. Powerful snapper at the back
• 16-megapixel sensor with
1/2.6'' sensor size, 1.12 µm
pixel size
• Software-based image and
video stabilisation feature
• 2-megapixel fixed-focus camera
on the front
• Sadly the Indian version does
not have support for 2K
resolution video recording
• Improved autofocus
mechanism for faster clicks
• Versatile shooter delivers
pristine images in almost all
conditions

7. Toned-down Touchwiz UI on Android 4.4 KitKat
• Simple to use and very user
friendly interface
• Fewer preloaded apps,
most apps made available
as optional downloads for
users with associated gifts
from Samsung
• Biometric scanner only able
to lock/unlock device,
monetary transactions still
not available
• My Magazine customisable
news feed in partnership
with Flipboard

8. The usual TouchWiz features and more
• The likes of Multi Window, Direct
Call, Smart Alert, Smart Pause
etc. are all there.
• The Air View feature lets you
preview content by hovering your
finger on the screen
• Toolbox is a floating shortcut
menu with customisable
shortcuts to fav apps
• One-handed operation adjusts
screen size for usage with a single
hand
• Safety assistance lets you send
SOS alerts to family or friends
• Calling screen can display recent
social activity and
communication history

9. Power-packed performance
• Samsung’s Exynos 5
processor with two
quad-core clusters
clocked at 1.9 and
1.6GHz
• 2GB RAM offers
optimum performance
• Zippy and smooth,
even while
multitasking and
running intensive
games

10. With a full day battery
• User-replaceable 2,800mAh
lithium polymer battery
• Offers 10 hours of non-stop
video playback
• Lasts more than one day
easily with average usage
• Manages to complete one
day even with heavy usage
• The Ultra Power Saving
Mode can extend standby
time to 12 days

11. Spec re-check….
• 5.1-inch, 1,920 x 1,080 display
• IP67 certified device,water and dust
resistant
• 16-megapixel camera, 2-megapixel
front camera
• 1.9GHz octa-core Exynos 5 processor
• 2GB RAM, 16GB internal storage,
microSD card slot
• 142 x 72.5 x 8.1 mm, 145g
• 3G, supports single micro-SIM
• 2,800mAh battery
• Wi-Fi Direct, Bluetooth 4.0, NFC
• Biometric fingerprint scanner and
heart rate scanner

12. -
• Pricey
• Lacks premium feel
because of its plastic
body
• Using the fingerprint
scanner to unlock
requires patience and
multiple attempts if
you’re in a hurry
Pros and cons
+
• Great display
• Good battery life
• Sturdy build and IP67
certified
• Good performance
• Amazing camera
• Integrated heart rate
sensor and biometric
fingerprint reader

13. Pricing and verdict
“Many could argue that it doesn’t feel as premium as it should, and that
it’s not a massive upgrade compared to its predecessor. It’s quite pricey
too. However, there’s no denying the fact that the Galaxy S5 is a
powerful and loaded device, complete with an excellent camera. Those
who lead an active lifestyle should like it to. Hard to ignore if you’re out
in the market for a premium daily driver”
Buying it would set you
back by
Rs 51,500