Samsung Galaxy S5 smartphone review: serial killer Korean copies of Samsung Galaxy s5 Korea

It just so happened historically - simply due to the fact that Korea has recently become a developed and high-tech country - that Samsung has always been in the role of catching up, no matter which product direction you take. And she has always adhered to the approach "we will overtake and overtake", and, as a rule, not so much in the sense "we have better", but in the fact that "we have more." Good or bad is an open question, but this approach has always worked and eventually allowed Samsung to become one of the largest and most influential companies in the difficult and changeable high-tech market.

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

Apparently, Samsung decided to slow down a little with the usual quantitative approach. It's not like completely abandoning it - of course, the Galaxy S5 has a certain amount of "more", "higher" and "more often" - but you still feel an attempt to carry out serious work on mistakes: to do not only "a lot", but also "OK".

⇡ Appearance and ergonomics

Design - subtle matter. When it comes to the company's products, which are sold in millions of copies - and therefore, obviously, are very popular with a huge number of people, then everything is quite complicated. Here we must speak carefully about design: either good or nothing. Otherwise, there will be darkness for the people, outraged by value judgments. So what about the aesthetic component, sorry, this time we just keep silent and focus on the facts. The facts are as follows: in comparison with the Galaxy S4, the new smartphone has acquired a more square shape, got a corrugation on a metallized bezel, the back panel is now decorated with a leatherette coating, and the dimensions have grown significantly. As a result, the S5 looks more like Galaxy Note 3 than the Galaxy S4. Is that instead of a "line" on the back - "perforation".

Structurally, the S5 does not differ at all from all previous Samsung devices of a serious price category. Inside there is a magnesium frame, which plays the role of a strong and rigid frame, outside there is an exclusively 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 “sonority” of the case, characteristic of the previous Samsung flagship, has seriously decreased. The case still vibrates when tapped, but much less noticeably.

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

Moisture and dust protection is implemented according to the IP67 class. It was not without a marketing gimmick: in the eyes of an uninformed person, IP67 is obviously more and "better" than IP58, which claims for its Sony flagships... In fact, this is not at all the case: the fact is that the Ingress Protection rating (the very abbreviation IP) consists of two independent numbers. 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.

The second distinguishing feature of the Galaxy S5 is the presence of a fingerprint sensor. Like Apple, the sensor is built into a single physical button on the bezel. But it works in a completely different way: you can turn on the iPhone with a button and hold your finger on it for a fraction of a second and unlock the smartphone. In the Samsung Galaxy S5, these actions are divided into two independent operations: you must first turn on the smartphone, and then slide your registered finger from the mark on the display to the sensor.

Fingerprint sensor built into the Home button

The sensor works quite well - it recognizes a finger quite stably, even if it is held at all sorts of unnatural angles, except that it does not work upside down. But the process itself is less convenient than Apple's and takes a little longer. However, even in this form it turns out much faster than entering a password or a pattern of dots. Additional actions can be linked to the fingerprint sensor - up to authorizing transactions with 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 to bypass the protection: for this it is necessary to take some actions that are not entirely simple, but still by no means quantum mechanics. So it is worth minimizing the risk: do not tie the most valuable and easily “monetized” logins-passwords like banking ones to “fingers”, and also use those fingers for identification, good prints from which, most likely, will not remain on the glass of the front panel - with a 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 body, the camera flash is placed in the same niche. The sensor consists of a couple of elements: a diode that illuminates the finger, and a simple camera that reads the pulsation.

Due to the protected design, the case has grown significantly. At the same time, the display has 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 for the necessary elements much further. Visually, the Galaxy S5 does not give the impression of a large device - the shape smoothes out the dimensions a lot - but in fact it almost caught up with the Xperia Z1. And far ahead of the LG G2, equipped with a larger screen.

However, this is the problem with most modern flagships: they are all too big. We are already used to this: we have long learned to stretch our fingers to such distances that it was difficult to imagine before, and also to quickly intercept the tubes from a comfortable grip to such that it would be easier to reach the button with your finger.

⇡ 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	There is
Polarizing filter	There is
CPU	Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 MSM8974AC v3: four Qualcomm Krait-400 (ARMv7) cores, 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 (embedded in processor), WTR1625L transceiver + WFR1620 receiver One SIM card micro-SIM
Cellular 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 Mbps)
Wi-Fi	802.11a / b / g / n / ac, 2.4 and 5 GHz
Bluetooth	4.0
NFC	There is
Infrared port	There is
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), Samsung S5K2P2 1 / 2.6 '' back-illuminated CMOS sensor with ISOCELL technology, element size 1.12 microns autofocus, diode flash
Front-camera	2 MP (1920x1080), Samsung S5K8B1YX03 CMOS sensor 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
The size	142x73 mm Case thickness: 8.3 mm (9.7 mm with camera)
Weight	145 g
Water and dust resistant	IP67
Operating system	Google android 4.4.2 (KitKat) Samsung's own TouchWiz shell
recommended price	29,990 rubles
* Also available with 2GB RAM and 16GB storage

⇡ Iron and communication

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

For Galaxy S5, the version (or rather, "versions" - there are quite a lot of them for different markets) on American processors will become the main version. Modifications on Exynos also exist, but already as secondary and 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, in the Russian market, the current version of the SM-G900F, equipped with a Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 processor with the uncomplicated model name MSM8974AC v3.

The American chipmaker introduced a fair amount of confusion to its lineup earlier this year, so it makes sense to provide a table that shows 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 in existence today. It is still quad-core and 32-bit using the Krait-400 architecture, running on the ARMv7 instruction set. But in comparison with the "normal" 800th, the new version is noticeably overclocked: the maximum frequency of both the computational cores themselves and the built-in processor is higher. graphics adapter, the chip can work with faster memory, even the ISP, the unit responsible for working with cameras, is overclocked.

In addition, new versions of Qualcomm's flagship chips have support for a faster interface for connecting flash memory eMMC 5.0, 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 - there is only one SIM card in it, of the "micro" format.

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

By and large, everything is the same with connectivity: the Snapdragon 801 has the same MDM9x25 modem as the Snapdragon 800, which can work with any existing networks second and third generations, and also supports work in LTE category 4 networks. Support for more fast networks LTE Cat. 6 (recall that in Moscow such a network is already operating within the Garden Ring), you will have to wait until the next generation of the modem, MDM9x35. And first, this modem will be external and only by the release of Qualcomm Snapdragon 810 will move to the SoC.

As for the RF part, everything is more interesting: 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 the QFE1100 chip, which is responsible for the Envelope Tracking technology. All of this additional hardware can, in theory, improve data transfer rates and lower power consumption.

The slots for micro SIM and memory card in the Samsung Galaxy S5 are located like a "sandwich". And the NFC antenna is built into the battery

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

The micro-USB 3.0 connector is hidden under the cap. Each time you have to open it to charge it, the option to connect a docking station is not provided, but you can purchase a rear panel with wireless charging - of course, for additional money

For a wired connection, a micro-USB 3.0 interface with MHL support is used. Wireless interfaces- full set: user 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 that the smartphone can work as a universal remote control remote control... Among other things, this can be useful if you want to turn down the volume of your TV in a 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. Recall, in addition to the already standard GPS and GLONASS systems, this module and the WTR1625L transceiver already mentioned above also support the Chinese Beidou. Moreover, Samsung Galaxy S5 became, it seems, the first "global" smartphone for which Beidou support was announced in official characteristics and indeed realized - on SGS5 we managed to catch Chinese satellites for the first time.

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

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

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How to choose a Korean copy of Samsung Galaxy

The Galaxy is undoubtedly the best series of models from the world famous South Korean manufacturer. Before ordering a phone, it's worth taking a few minutes to research the specifications. Pay attention to the following parameters:

• CPU clock speed and number of cores. The final performance largely depends on this module.
• The amount of RAM and built-in memory. RAM is responsible for processing requests and storing files of currently used applications, so the larger its size, the better.
• Assemblies and materials used in the manufacturing process. In a good copy, they match the original.

Why buy Korean Samsung from us

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Detailed testing of one of the most anticipated smartphones of the new season

Undoubtedly, one of the most anticipated and anticipated novelties among mobile devices of the coming year is the next update of the flagship line. Samsung smartphones- Galaxy S5. The novelty does not need a special introduction - in recent years, the Korean company Samsung Electronics has managed not only to become scandalously famous due to countless litigations with the competing American Apple, but also to occupy one of the leading places in the world market for the sale of tablets, and, of course , smartphones.

Left to right: Samsung Galaxy Note 3, Galaxy S5, Galaxy S4, Apple iPhone 5s

By the way, in recent years, Koreans have firmly taught users the idea that Samsung always has two flagship smartphone... They are representatives of two top product lines moving in parallel courses - Galaxy Note and Galaxy S. Not so long ago, another update of the tablet phone line happened - a smartphone went on sale Samsung Note 3, about which we wrote so much in due time. Now the turn has come to update a series of smartphones with a more "civilized" design.

Samsung Galaxy S5 and Galaxy S4

Smartphones of the Galaxy S series have always been very different from their semi-tablet counterparts from the Note line precisely in size - they were quite elegant in size devices. However, since Galaxy release S5, it must be admitted, the distance separating them is shrinking more and more. And not only the size of each next representative Galaxy line S are getting bigger, but also in the Note line they gradually decrease. The Galaxy Note 3 has become the smallest among its brothers, while the Galaxy S5, on the contrary, has acquired such large dimensions that it’s time to think about: what, in fact, is the difference between the modern representatives of the two lines? Their performance is absolutely the same, the design is similar, the price is the same, and we have already mentioned the dimensions. Is it really all the difference now lies only in the presence or absence of an electronic pen?

Samsung Galaxy S5 and Galaxy Note 3

In any case, one should not expect a special technological breakthrough from the new flagship of the Galaxy S line. New technological discoveries have not yet been made, but everything that has been discovered has already been implemented, and now they are finishing, finishing, polishing - improving functionality. And we are talking not only about Samsung devices - the whole market is now in anticipation of something new. This, by the way, is clearly seen in the example of the last two world IT exhibitions, which took place at the beginning of the year in Las Vegas and Barcelona. The products of the Korean company are no exception: hardware and technical new flagship not much different from the previous one (Samsung Galaxy S4) - now the focus is on improving functionality. Super-fast data transfer capabilities, an updated camera control interface, a wide range of fitness apps, a heart rate monitor, a fingerprint reader, and agreements with the world's leading content and service providers to pre-install tons of various applications with a long-term prepaid subscription - that's it. , which is now working at Samsung. Gigabytes and gigahertz somehow suddenly faded into the background, which is probably for the best. Surprisingly, the Koreans did not even add RAM to their new flagship - the Galaxy S5 still has 2 GB of RAM, although the new item still has some changes in hardware.

Main characteristics of Samsung Galaxy S5 (model SM-G900F)

	Samsung Galaxy S5	LG G2	TCL Idol X +	Lenovo Vibe Z (K910)	Samsung Galaxy Note 3 (N9005)
Screen	5.1 ″, Super AMOLED	5.2 ″, IPS	5 ″, IPS	5.5 ″, IPS	5.7 ″ Super AMOLED
Permission	1920 × 1080, 432 ppi	1920 × 1080, 424 ppi	1920 × 1080, 440 ppi	1920 × 1080, 400 ppi	1920 × 1080, 386 ppi
SoC	Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 (4-core Krait 400) @ 2.5 GHz		MediaTek MT6592 (8 cores ARM Cortex-A7) @ 2.0 GHz	Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 (Quad Core Krait 400) @ 2.2 GHz	Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 (Quad Core Krait 400) @ 2.2 GHz
GPU	Adreno 330	Adreno 330	Mali 450MP4	Adreno 330	Adreno 330
RAM	2 GB	2 GB	2 GB	2 GB	3 GB
Flash memory	16 GB	16/32 GB	16 GB	16 GB	16-64 GB
Memory card support	microSD	—	—	—	microSD
Operating system	Google Android 4.4	Google Android 4.2	Google Android 4.2	Google Android 4.2	Google Android 4.3
Battery	removable, 2800 mAh	non-removable, 3000 mAh	non-removable, 2500 mAh	non-removable, 3050 mAh	removable, 3200 mAh
Cameras	rear (16 Mp; 4K video), front (2 Mp)		rear (13 Mp; video 1080p), front (2 Mp)	rear (13 Mp; video 1080p), front (5 Mp, video 1080p)	rear (13 Mp; video 4K), front (2 Mp, video 1080p)
Dimensions (edit)	142 x 73 x 8.1 mm, 145 g	139 x 71 x 8.9mm, 143g	140 x 69 x 7.9 mm, 120 g	149 x 77 x 7.9mm, 147g	151 x 79 x 8.3mm, 168g
average price	T-10725078	T-10505130	T-10632117	T-10516952	T-10545574
Samsung Galaxy S5 offers	L-10725078-10

• SoC Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 (MSM8974AC), 4 Krait 400 cores, 2.5 GHz
• GPU Adreno 330, 578 MHz
• Operating room Android system 4.4.2 Kitkat
• Touchscreen Super AMOLED, 5.1 ″, 1920 × 1080, 432 ppi
• Random access memory (RAM) 2 GB, inner memory 16 GB
• Support for microSD memory cards up to 128 GB
• 2G, 3G, 4G networks (LTE Cat.4, up to 150/50 Mbps)
• Bluetooth 4.0 BLE / ANT +
• USB 3.0, OTG, MHL
• Wi-Fi 802.11a / b / g / n / ac HT80, MIMO (2 × 2), Wi-Fi hotspot
• NFC, infrared
• GPS (A-GPS), Glonass
• Camera 16 MP, autofocus, LED flash, video UHD (4K) 30 frames / s
• Camera 2 MP (front)
• Accelerometer, gyroscope, distance sensor, compass, barometer, Hall sensor (magnetic field), light, gesture (infrared), fingerprint sensor, heart rate sensor
• Dust and moisture protection according to IP67 standard
• Li-ion battery 2800 mAh
• Dimensions 142 x 72.5 x 8.1 mm
• Weight 145 g

Appearance and usability

As already mentioned, the new model of the Galaxy S series has become significantly larger in size than the previous one. It feels like the smartphone has finally crossed that invisible line called "a little more, and there will be too much": now the device has become really bulky and surprisingly heavy. For the breast pocket of a shirt, for example, this is now certainly an inaccessible guest, although, of course, people who have firmly decided to follow the path of life with a "shovel" at the ready, in size new Galaxy S will not feel anything out of the ordinary. It is still smaller than the Galaxy Note 3, although the difference is already minimal. And nevertheless, it is still not clear why it was necessary to do with practically identical screens new model so much more than the previous one. In the Galaxy S4, the side frames, for example, are only 3 mm wide, while in the Galaxy S5 they suddenly grew to 4 mm, the same applies to the upper and lower parts of the frame - they also suddenly became much wider, although the screen itself is practically not in size has changed.

As for the appearance, here the developers clearly adhere to a single design line: metal and leather, leather and metal - they are now used in all mobile devices companies (including numerous wearable gadgets). The only pity is that with the sky-high prices at which the current flagships are sold, the company was greedy to provide real skin - maybe then these devices would look really stylish. But no, as in previous times, ordinary molded plastic is used here to create the appearance that the back of the smartphone is made of leather. The texturing on the plastic differs from that of the Galaxy Note 3: here they used a kind of pseudo-embossing, as if a pattern of numerous dots was squeezed out of the skin. Looks nice and fresh, at least better than the glossy plastic that has long adorned the surfaces of all Galaxy S and Galaxy Note.

As for the metal, it is not here either: the shiny "chrome" bezel along the entire perimeter of the case (exactly the same as in the previous models, only with a different pattern) is a spray on plastic, not real metal. This bezel, by the way, also became much wider and even thicker, adding weight to the smartphone as a whole.

The surface of the rim is rather slippery - due to it, as well as due to the considerable mass, it is rather inconvenient to lift the device from the table surface, since the fingers do not feel a confident grip.

The back cover can be easily removed from the case and just as easy to put on - it is traditionally fixed on several plastic latches, there is a barely noticeable ledge for engaging with a fingernail. Hidden under the cover are slots for a SIM-card and a memory card, located in a "sandwich" one above the other.

Below we have equipped a compartment for a removable battery - it supports cards, but the memory card can still be replaced with a hot one. The device uses only one SIM-card, Micro-SIM format, microSD memory card here can be used with a capacity of up to 128 GB.

In the back of the smartphone there is a square window of the camera module, it is quite large in size, next to it there is an LED flash. Below in the recess are the eyes of the sensor for measuring the pulse. The heart rate sensor camera is recessed into the body, and it also has its own backlight - a small LED element illuminates the vessels of the finger attached to the camera, while it counts the heartbeats. Even below there is a hole for sound output from the calling speaker with a twig slightly curved outward, and all this is decorated with a silver chrome logo of the company.

The front panel has not undergone significant changes - this is a completely recognizable element of all mobile devices Samsung. It stands out, first of all, for its elongated mechanical key under the screen, which this time has received additional functionality. This button is also responsible for scanning a fingerprint - now no one can blame Koreans for not having a golden smartphone with a fingerprint scanner. Unlike the iPhone scanner, here you can't just put your finger: you need to slide it along the key, and even at the right speed - if you hurry, you can fail. In this regard, the iPhone scanner looks preferable: not only you do not need to move your finger, but you can also put your finger on the button at any angle, which allows you to hold the device with any comfortable grip. In the case of the Samsung Galaxy S5 scanner, you will have to hold the device with one hand and slide the other over the sensor, which is very tedious, and most users will most likely simply turn off this function.

The touch buttons next to the mechanical buttons have a bright white backlight with customizable lighting times, which is commendable. Above, above the screen, you can see a longitudinal cut in the protective glass for sound output from the earpiece, next to it you can see the eyes of the front camera and sensors. There is also an LED notification indicator, which shines in different colors depending on the charging status and incoming events - its functions can be configured: disabled or activated separately.

There are two buttons on the side faces of the device: on the left - volume control, on the right - on and off. The large metallized keys of all Samsung smartphones have a soft stroke and a distinct pressure, they are perfectly located blindly, and in general, in this regard, the products of the Korean company are one of the best on the market.

At the top, one comfortably located next to one another a headphone jack (3.5 mm) and an infrared transmitter eye, which serves to control various equipment as a remote control. Corresponding proprietary software called Smart Remote moves from model to model - of course, it is also available here. The functionality of the Smart Remote program is at its best: it is not only able to connect a smartphone using infrared port with any technique, but also can act as an interactive program guide.

At the bottom, the USB 3.0 connector is covered with a metallized cover with a rubber gasket - it protects the smartphone from dust and moisture getting inside. Yes, yes, the new flagship of the Galaxy S line has finally got IP67 dust and moisture protection. In principle, the previous model also had it, but there it was a separate branch of the line called Galaxy Active... Protection in the Galaxy S5 is arranged in the same way as there: a rubber seal is glued to the inner surface of the back cover, and the connectors are closed with special plugs. It's nice that every time it is put on back cover or the plug is removed from the Micro-USB connector, the smartphone itself reminds you to close the protective covers (the reminder can be turned off).

And finally - about the most pleasant: now a new color has appeared in the arsenal of the Galaxy S line - golden. In addition to it, there are three more colors on sale that have already adorned Samsung's flagship devices (for example, the Galaxy S3). Traditionally, they have been given romantic names: Charcoal Black (Black), Sparkling White (White), Electric Blue (Light Blue), and Copper Gold (Golden). For additional decorations, in particular a keychain or a strap, no fasteners are provided.

Screen

The Samsung Galaxy S5 smartphone is equipped with a Super AMOLED sensor matrix. The screen dimensions are 63 × 113 mm, the diagonal is 5.1 inches, the resolution is 1920 × 1080 pixels. Such a parameter as the density of pixels per inch is here equal to 432 ppi - the density of pixels is very high.

Outside, the screen is covered with a protective glass. The thickness of the side bezels from the edge of the screen to the edge of the body is about 4 mm, the bezels are not very narrow, they were smaller in the previous model.

The brightness of the display can be adjusted manually, or you can use automatic adjustment. The multitouch technology here allows you to process up to 10 simultaneous touches. The screen can be operated with gloved hands, and at the same time it becomes more sensitive to any touch, so in the settings it is prudently left to turn off this function. The smartphone also has a proximity sensor that locks the screen when you bring the smartphone to your ear.

Alexey Kudryavtsev, editor of the "Monitors" and "Projectors and TV" sections, carried out a detailed examination using measuring instruments. Here is his expert opinion on the screen of the test sample.

The front surface of the screen is made in the form of a glass plate with a mirror-smooth surface, resistant to scratches. Judging by the brightness of the reflected objects, there is a very effective antiglare filter, surpassing the Google Nexus 7 (2013) (hereinafter simply the Nexus 7) screen filter in terms of reducing the reflection brightness. For clarity, here is a photo in which a white surface is reflected in the turned off screens (on the left - Nexus 7, on the right - Samsung Galaxy S5, then they can be distinguished by their size):

Due to the slight difference in the color tone of the reflection and borders, it is difficult to visually assess the amount of decrease in the brightness of the reflection, however, statistics from graphic editor shows that the screen of the S5 is indeed slightly darker than that of the Nexus 7. The doubling of reflected objects is very weak, which indicates that there is no air gap between the layers of the screen. On the outer surface of the screen there is a special oleophobic (grease-repellent) coating (very effective, maybe a little better than the Google Nexus 7), so fingerprints are removed much easier, and appear at a slower rate than in the case of ordinary glass.

When the white field was displayed on the full screen and with manual brightness control, its maximum value was 340 cd / m², the minimum was 2 cd / m². Despite the not the highest brightness value, even in bright daylight, the smartphone can be used, since an effective anti-glare filter helps out. You also need to take into account the fact that in this case the smaller the white area on the screen, the lighter it is, that is, the actual maximum brightness of the white areas will almost always be higher than the specified value. For example, when displaying white on half of the screen, the maximum brightness when manually adjusted increases to 360 cd / m². The low brightness mode allows you to use your smartphone without any problems even in complete darkness. Automatic brightness control works according to the light sensor (it is located to the right of the front speaker). You can make adjustments to the operation of this function by moving the setting slider from −5 before +5 units. Further, for three conditions, we give the screen brightness values ​​for three values ​​of this setting - for −5 , 0 and +5 ... In total darkness in automatic mode the brightness decreases to 4, 9 and 16 cd / m², respectively (a bit dark), in an office lit with artificial light (about 400 lux), the brightness is set to 100, 180 and 270 cd / m² (acceptable), in a brightly lit environment (corresponds to bright daylight outdoors, but no direct sunlight - 20,000 lx or slightly more) - increases to 420-425 cd / m² for all three correction values, which is higher than the maximum with manual adjustment and should be sufficient to ensure readability in the sun. In principle, the result of this function is as expected. When the brightness is lowered, modulation appears with a frequency of 240 Hz. The figure below shows the dependence of brightness (vertical axis) on time (horizontal axis) for three values ​​of brightness adjustment:

It can be seen that at maximum brightness, modulation is practically absent (the amplitude is insufficient for visual discernibility of flicker), but at medium and low brightness, the relative amplitude of modulation is high, therefore, image flickering can be seen in the test for the presence of a stroboscopic effect or simply with fast eye movement. Depending on individual sensitivity, such flickering can cause increased fatigue.

This smartphone uses Super matrix AMOLED is an active matrix organic light-emitting diode (OLED). A full color image is created using subpixels of three colors - red (R), green (G) and blue (B), but there are twice as many green subpixels, which can be referred to as RGBG. This is confirmed by a fragment of a micrograph:

(For comparison, you can see the gallery of photomicrographs of screens used in mobile technology.)

For such matrices, Samsung has introduced the name PenTile RGBG... The manufacturer considers the screen resolution for green subpixels, for the other two it will be two times lower. The arrangement and shape of the subpixels in this variant is the same as in the case of the Samsung Galaxy S4 screen. This version of PenTile RGBG is better than the old one with red squares, blue rectangles and green subpixel stripes. Nevertheless, some uneven contrast borders and other artifacts are still present. For example, when displaying a black-and-white world one pixel apart (the original can be taken from here), the vertical lines look uneven, and the horizontal ones are low-contrast and are separated not by white, but by a greenish gap. A fragment (the original photo is available at the link) of the macro photograph reveals the reason:

It can be seen that the vertical lines have a black gap and the fact that the sum of the colors of the subpixels can be considered white, but due to the red subpixels on one side, there is some unevenness in the lines. In the case of horizontal lines, there is neither white gap (there are green subpixels), nor black (there are red and blue subpixels). However, these artifacts are of purely academic interest, since under conditions mobile use it is extremely difficult to visually distinguish such small details. As a result, the resolution margin levels out the "peculiarities" of the PenTile RGBG matrix.

The screen is characterized by excellent viewing angles, although white when deflected at relatively large angles takes on a slight tint, but black is just black at all angles (although reflection from bright objects has a bluish halo more elongated horizontally, which is why black areas in the light may slightly lighten and acquire a "metallic" tint). So black that the contrast setting is simply not applicable in this case. When viewed from a perpendicular view, the uniformity of the white field is excellent. For comparison, here are some photos showing the same images on the screens of the Samsung Galaxy S5 and the second competitor, with the brightness of the screens set to about 210 cd / m². White field perpendicular to screens:

Excellent uniformity of brightness and color tone of the white field can be noted. And the test picture (in the Standard):

The color reproduction is clearly not bad, but despite the conventionality of the forced color balance in the camera, set at 6500 K, it can be seen that the colors of the S5 are clearly "colder" and have too high saturation. Now at an angle of approximately 45 degrees to the plane and to the side of the screen. White box:

The brightness at an angle on both screens has noticeably decreased (to avoid severe darkening, the shutter speed is doubled in comparison with the previous two photos), but in the case of Samsung, the drop in brightness is much less pronounced. And the test picture:

It can be seen that the colors did not "float" on all screens and the brightness of the Samsung S5 is noticeably higher at an angle.

Switching the state of the matrix elements is performed almost instantly, but on the on (and less often off) front there may be a step (or two) 16.7 ms wide (corresponds to a screen refresh rate of 60 Hz). For example, this is how the dependence of brightness on time looks like when switching from black to a shade of 25% (by the numerical value of the color) and vice versa:

In some conditions, the presence of such a step can lead to trails trailing behind moving objects, but in normal use these artifacts are almost impossible to see. Quite the opposite - dynamic scenes in films on OLED screens are distinguished by high definition and even some "jerky" movements.

The ability to adjust the color rendition is implemented on the page with a choice of profiles, one of which implies some kind of automatic adjustment (profile Adapt Display):

In case one of the three fixed profiles is selected, except for the profile Dynamic, plotted using 32 points with equal intervals by the numerical value of the shade of gray, the gamma curve did not reveal any blockage in either highlights or shadows, and the exponent of the approximating power function is 2.28-2.30, which is slightly higher than the standard value of 2.2 , while the real gamma curve practically does not deviate from the power dependence:

For profile Dynamic The gamma curve has a slightly S-shaped character, which increases the visible contrast of the image. Recall that in the case of OLED screens, the brightness of image fragments dynamically changes in accordance with the nature of the displayed image - it decreases for light images in general and increases for dark ones. As a result, the obtained dependence of brightness on hue (gamma curve), most likely, does not correspond a little to the gamma curve of a static image, since the measurements were carried out with sequential output of gray shades on almost the entire screen. This dynamic picture is enhanced when the option is selected. Auto tuning screen brightness... Below are the dependences of brightness on time, obtained when switching from black to white and vice versa with the option turned off and on. Auto tuning screen brightness:

In the second case, the brightness begins to decrease after some time. The picture is slightly darkened, but the energy is saved a little.

Color gamut in case of profiles Dynamic, Standard and Professional photography very wide and almost covers Adobe RGB coverage:

When choosing a profile Cinema the coverage shrinks towards the sRGB borders, but still remains a little wider:

Without correction, the spectra of the components are very well separated:

In case of a profile Cinema with maximum correction, the color components are already slightly mixed with each other:

Note that on screens with a wide gamut, the colors of conventional images optimized for sRGB devices appear unnaturally saturated. This can be seen in the above photos. However, a visual assessment showed that when choosing a profile Cinema saturation is noticeably reduced to bring colors closer to natural. The screenshot after selecting this profile is shown below:

Unfortunately, the most recognizable shades - skin, for example - are still slightly oversaturated.

The grayscale balance is imperfect, but generally acceptable. Color temperature in profiles Dynamic and Standard significantly higher than 6500 K, in the other two it is close to 6500 K, while this parameter does not change very much on the gray scale from white to dark dark gray. The deviation from the blackbody spectrum (ΔE) for most of the gray scale remains below 10 units, which is considered a good indicator for a consumer device, and also changes slightly:

(In most cases, the darkest areas of the gray scale can be ignored, since the color balance there does not really matter, and the error in measuring color characteristics at low brightness is large.)

To summarize: the screen has a fairly high maximum brightness and a very effective anti-glare filter, so the smartphone can be used outdoors without any problems even on a sunny summer day. In complete darkness, the brightness can be lowered to a comfortable value. Acceptable, but in bright light - it is even recommended to use the mode with automatic brightness adjustment, which works more or less adequately. The advantages of the screen include a very good oleophobic coating and close to standard color balance (when choosing the appropriate profiles). At the same time, let's recall the general advantages of OLED screens: true black color, excellent uniformity of the white field, less than that of LCDs, a drop in image brightness when viewed from an angle. The disadvantages include the modulation of the screen brightness, which appears at medium and low brightness values. Users who are particularly sensitive to flicker may experience increased fatigue due to this. However, the overall screen quality is very high.

Sound

In sound terms, the smartphone is about the same as the Galaxy S4. The sound is moderately bass, low frequencies are not deprived, clean in the entire range, but not so loud - there were devices and louder ( Htc one or Oppo Find 5, for example). The grille for sound output is cut into the rear wall here, so the sound is muffled when the device is on the table. In the conversational dynamics, the voice of a familiar interlocutor, timbre and intonation remain recognizable, lead telephone conversations the Samsung Galaxy S5 is quite comfortable.

The handset offers a choice of three pre-installed players to play music tracks: Google Play Music, Yandex.Music and Samsung's own player. All sound effects when playing tunes with a proprietary player are united by a technology called SoundAlive - although some of them are available only with headphones connected. The same goes for the sound optimization function. There are a lot of various virtual effects, they are combined here into a matrix of squares, you can experiment for a very long time.

Camera

Samsung Galaxy S5 is equipped with two modules digital cameras with a resolution of 16 and 2 megapixels. The front one takes pictures with a maximum resolution of 1920 × 1080, and it also shoots video with the same resolution.

The main rear camera is equipped with a new 16-megapixel module with ultra-fast autofocus (focusing in 0.3 s), stabilization, one-section LED flash and the ability to shoot videos in UHD resolution (4K). In addition to one fashionable function - video recording with 4K resolution - another one is used here: as in newest Sony In the Xperia Z2, Selective Focus is now available, which allows you to highlight a specific part of the image while leaving the background blurred. That is, now you no longer need to use special lenses and lenses to create a shallow depth of field (DOF) effect.

When shooting in automatic mode, which is set by default, photos will be 5312 × 2988. I really liked the design and organization of the new camera control interface. Here, as in the case of the audio settings menu, everything is divided into equivalent cells, each of which is always in sight, interactive, their drawing is distinct, the entire menu is perfectly visible even in the brightest sunlight. In general, the settings menu for controlling the camera turned out to be perhaps the best on the market in terms of ease of access to all functions and general clarity.

The camera can shoot video in UHD (4K) resolution, there are several resolutions to choose from, up to a maximum of 3840 × 2160. In the settings, traditionally for the latest top models of the mobile market, there are also slow-motion and fast-motion modes. Examples of test videos are presented below.

• Movie # 1 (189 MB, 3840 × 2160, 4K)
• Movie # 2 (58 MB, 1920 × 1080, 1080p)
• Movie # 3 (123 MB, 3840 × 2160, 4K indoors)
• Movie # 4 (71 MB, 1280 × 720, slow motion)
• Movie # 5 (4 MB, 1920 × 1080, accelerated)

Examples of photos with our comments are presented below.

	The image sharpness is good.
	Sharpness is also good across the frame.
	Small details are worked out well enough.
	The camera does not do very well in backlighting, but the exposure is good.
	On thin lines, you can see small waves from the noise reduction - but only on closer inspection.
	In low light, noise can be discerned - however, relatively small.
	The camera handles noise in the shadows well. True, the detailing suffers a little from this.
	The camera is good at macro in low light, but it is worth using the stop because of the relatively long shutter speeds.
	At good lighting macro photography is good for the camera.
	Another example of a good macro.
	The text is well done, but slightly damaged. However, it is possible that the camera works more accurately with smaller text.
	Panorama stitching is almost perfect. Only dynamic objects suffer, which is quite natural.

	Illumination ≈1300 lux. The camera is doing very well.
	Illumination ≈460 lux. The situation remains practically unchanged.
	Illumination ≈240 lux. Noises become noticeable, especially their processing.
	Illumination ≈240 lux, flash. The flash noticeably improves the situation, almost returning the original resolution.
	Lighting<1 люкс. В темноте камера не справляется.
	Lighting<1 люкс, вспышка. И в темноте вспышка отрабатывает очень хорошо.

First of all, it is worth noting that now the camera has a 1 / 2.6 ″ sensor, and not just a higher resolution, while earlier smartphone cameras were awarded only 1/3 ″ matrixes (not counting Nokia), or even less. until Sony decided to install a 1 / 2.3 ″ sensor in the Xperia Z1. So Samsung, following Sony, began a slow but steady movement towards improving image quality. And, I must say, the result is already visible to an inquisitive eye.

First of all, you can already see good work with noise. Their processing still leaves much to be desired, but if you do not look at the images pixel by pixel, then noticeable strong color noise in the shadows is practically not visible. Of course, this is the result of the noise reduction, but the higher resolution allows it to work more subtly, and the increased size of the sensor slightly reduces the likelihood of strong noise. Of course, we will not indulge in arguments about the pixel size (similar to HTC) and the supposedly resulting camera qualities, but the increase in the sensor definitely bears fruit. Secondly, the image detail has improved, which is also the merit of a higher resolution and an enlarged sensor.

I would like Samsung to refine the noise reduction, then the camera can already be compared with ordinary compacts. Although even without this, she shows herself very worthily, and it is clear that they have worked hard on her. The camera optics work fairly smoothly across the entire field of the frame and on all shots. Of course, it would be strange to see flaws in the flagship in such places, but we have already encountered this. Sharping can only be found if you know where to look. The only thing that really cannot be called ideal is the work of the noise control - such a processing result looks very archaic in the images of a modern flagship.

Based on the results of shooting the stand, we can conclude that the real resolution of the images is probably not the highest, but we have already made a reservation that in this case this is far from the main characteristic, especially in the vicinity of such values, since the resolution can be high, but at the same time not quite natural. Nevertheless, the camera resolution is quite decent. It is also worth noting the good work of the flash, and the sensor, which works out quite stably in different lighting conditions.

In general, the camera is made very decently, almost at the level of compact cameras. Of course, it also has something to work on, and in general there is much to strive for. But even in its current form, it is well suited for shooting documentary and fictional subjects.

Telephone part and communications

The developers put special emphasis on the communication capabilities of the Samsung Galaxy S5: the smartphone works in the fifth generation of Wi-Fi 802.11ac networks with support for 2 × 2 MIMO mode - in this mode, data can be received and transmitted in two streams, that is, up to two times faster than in the first generations of 802.11ac compliant devices. In addition, the device provides support for a large number of 4G (LTE) frequencies and speeds corresponding to the LTE Category 4 standard - up to 150 Mbps. With the SIM-card of the domestic operator Megafon, the smartphone in practice confidently finds and works with the LTE network.

In addition, the smartphone has support for the 5 GHz Wi-Fi range and the NFC standard. As a standard, you can organize a wireless access point via Wi-Fi or Bluetooth channels, there is a Wi-Fi Direct mode. The navigation module works with both the GPS system (with A-GPS) and the domestic Glonass. The speed and quality of the GPS-module are not satisfactory: the system works quickly, reliably, the navigation module finds the first satellites almost instantly, and even indoors.

Spontaneous reboots / shutdowns were not observed during testing. The screen of the smartphone is large, so the drawing of letters and numbers of virtual keyboards is quite comfortable to control. It is very convenient that there is a dedicated top row with numbers - you don't have to switch the layout every time. But the layout itself and the arrangement of the keys are not the same as those of others: instead of just pressing the dedicated button with the image of the globe, here you have to switch language layouts by side scrolling with the spacebar, which is certainly less convenient. The phone application supports Smart Dial, that is, when dialing a phone number, a search is immediately carried out by the first letters in contacts. Support for non-tear-off writing by sliding is here, but the ability to move the keyboard closer to one of the edges, as on the Galaxy Note series tablets, is not here.

OS and software

The system uses the Google Android software platform of the latest version 4.4.2 (Kitkat) and the proprietary graphic user interface TouchWiz, the appearance of which has undergone changes. He became, according to the new fashion, more "flat", which obviously did him good, although the traditional Asian luridness remained. The appearance of the settings menu has changed: now all icons look like absolutely identical circles and they are located in the form of a single long list. But, of course, the display of the menu can be changed, bringing it to the old view with vertical tabs. In this case, there will be no longer four of them, as before, but as many as six. In general, I liked the new look of the interface and the settings menu more than the old one: everything is combed, ordered, symmetrical, working with various subsections of the menu has become more intuitive. The menu of installed applications has not undergone significant changes, but now you can display a special button on the home screen, clicking on which opens a context menu with quick access to the most popular applications. The notification menu has received two additional dedicated oval buttons to quickly navigate to the search throughout the smartphone and enable quick connection to familiar devices.

Another one has now been added to the various ways of locking the smartphone: you can lock the screen using your fingerprint, the scanner of which is built into the center key under the screen. To successfully memorize the texture of your fingertip, you need to swipe the sensor at least eight times, after which you will also have to come up with a standard digital code in case your finger remains unrecognized within five attempts. It's a shame when the developer also imposes restrictions on the personal password you create: an attempt to limit yourself to a digital password failed - you need to intersperse numbers with letters.

By the way, the security issue has been strengthened in Samsung Galaxy S5 with another innovation: now, due to the appearance of the "Kids" mode, you can open access only to certain permitted programs, and then calmly entrust the device for 30 thousand rubles to play the child.

Since we are already talking about games, it is worth noting that we have tested such games as Dead Trigger 2 and Asphalt 8 on a smartphone - no problems with their playback were found.

Another specific operating mode has been added to the smartphone, which the developers themselves talked about a lot at presentations. In fact, this is the usual power-saving mode, which any built-in program for saving energy in mobile devices has, just Samsung brings its smartphone to complete "exhaustion" in this mode. When the maximum power saving mode is activated, not only all network interfaces are turned off, but also the graphical interface of the shell turns black and white, and the number of applications allowed to work is strictly limited. Naturally, in this mode, the smartphone can "work" much longer (who would doubt it), but this work will be carried out in a very limited framework.

One of the central applications pre-installed in modern top-end Samsung smartphones, which developers constantly remind of, is a program for tracking their own health called S Health. The program has a wide range of functions useful for improving health: a pedometer, exercise recording, nutrition control, etc. Now the application not only received the new version of S Health 3.0, but also acquired additional functionality in the form of a dedicated hardware heart rate counter. In principle, some programs used to try to count heartbeats using an ordinary smartphone camera, but now they have allocated a whole block with a small camera and backlight for this. You need to put your finger on the groove in the back of the smartphone, and then the program will count your heart rate. Naturally, this data is saved, processed and displayed in the form of graphs and tips for a healthy lifestyle.

Performance

The hardware platform of the Samsung Galaxy S5 is based on the Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 single-chip quad-core system (SoC). the chip version was limited to 2.36 GHz.

The processor is supported in graphics processing by the same Adreno 330 video accelerator, but an increase in frequencies can be traced here as well: the GPU is already overclocked to 578 MHz instead of 450 MHz. About 12 GB (out of 16) of the device's own memory for the user's needs is initially available, the amount of RAM here is 2 GB - in this regard, surprisingly, no increase has occurred, while Sony has equipped its newest flagship with three gigabytes. random access memory. MicroSD memory cards are supported in this model, you can also connect external flash drives, keyboards and mice using a special adapter in OTG mode.

Since the most powerful and the most productive of the competing serial platforms is now SoC MediaTek MT6592, which is configured with eight full-fledged processor cores, [simultaneously] operating at a frequency of up to 2 GHz, it is logical to include its results in the comparison in the first place. Recall that recently we released a review of the powerful TCL Idol X + smartphone, the work of which is based on the maximum version of this platform. Also, of course, it is worth adding to the comparison the results demonstrated in the same tests by the previous version of the Qualcomm platform - Snapdragon 800, on which all top smartphones of last year work. However, the most important battle today will still not take place, because the main competitor of the hero of today's review, the flagship smartphone Sony Xperia Z2, also built on the latest Qualcomm Snapdragon 801, has not yet reached our test laboratory. In the near future, we will definitely compare it with the data obtained today from the Samsung Galaxy S5.

To get an idea of ​​the performance of the tested smartphone platform, let's run a standard set of tests.

All the results obtained by us when testing the smartphone in the latest versions of popular benchmarks, we have summarized in tables for convenience. Several other devices from different segments are usually added to the table, also tested on similar latest versions of benchmarks (this is done only for a visual assessment of the obtained dry numbers). Unfortunately, within the framework of one comparison, it is impossible to present the results from different versions of benchmarks, therefore, many worthy and relevant models remain behind the scenes - due to the fact that they once passed the “obstacle course” on previous versions of test programs.

Testing in MobileXPRT, as well as in the latest versions of AnTuTu 4.x and GeekBench 3:

The testing results are as follows. As for the rival MediaTek MT6592, the latest Qualcomm system (Snapdragon 801) coped with it in all respects. In general, this is not surprising at all, given that the previous version of Snapdragon 800 coped with it. As for the comparison with Snapdragon 800, according to the results of all tests, there was practically no real gain: all the same maximum 35K points in AnTuTu, and in other benchmarks the difference is scanty - within the margin of error.

By the way, with regard to these very resulting figures: since the smartphone being tested today is a landmark device, and the rest will be equal to it throughout the year, it is probably worth recalling the fresh alignment of forces. Based on the figures of the popular AnTuTu benchmark, it looks like this: eight MediaTek MT6592 cores with a frequency of 2 GHz demonstrate 31K points in this test (26 thousand points for eight-core Zopo 998 and THL T100S with a lower frequency of processor cores - 1.7 GHz), and about 35 thousand - in top smartphones such as LG G2, Sony Xperia Z1, Acer Liquid S2 and now Samsung Galaxy S5, built on the Qualcomm Snapdragon 800/801 hardware platform. There are two main conclusions drawn from all these comparisons: TCL Idol X + is the first smartphone on the MediaTek platform, which managed to get close to the leading solutions on Qualcomm, albeit due to twice as many processor cores. And the second: the new version of the top-end Qualcomm platform practically did not bring an increase in performance, although this microscopic superiority allowed it to even more firmly gain a foothold on the podium as the undisputed leader among platforms for mobile devices. According to the above, the Samsung Galaxy S5 smartphone on the Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 platform is currently one of the most powerful smartphones on the planet.

When testing in 3DMark for the highest performing smartphones, it is now possible to run the application in Unlimited mode, where the rendering resolution is fixed at 720p and VSync is disabled (which can cause the speed to rise above 60 fps).

The results of testing the graphics subsystem in the gaming test Epic Citadel, as well as Basemark X and Bonsai Benchmark:

The lag in the Mali-450MP4 video subsystem is still noticeable: this video accelerator produces about 47 fps in those test modes in which the Adreno 330 produces 60 fps.

Browser cross-platform tests:

As for benchmarks for evaluating the speed of the javascript engine, you should always make allowances for the fact that the results in them significantly depend on the browser in which they are launched, so that the comparison can be truly correct only in the same OS and browsers, and this possibility is available when testing not always. In the case of Android OS, we always try to use Google Chrome.

Video playback

To test the "omnivorous" video playback (including support for various codecs, containers and special features, such as subtitles), we used the most common formats that make up the bulk of the content available on the Web. Note that it is important for mobile devices to have support for hardware video decoding at the chip level, since it is often impossible to process modern versions using processor cores alone. Also, do not expect a mobile device to decode everything, since the leadership in flexibility belongs to the PC, and no one is going to challenge it.

With video playback on the Samsung Galaxy S5, things are not as smooth as we would like. Surprisingly, this is one of the rare smartphones in which the popular MX player flatly refuses to start with the Hardware + decoder, and most often only this option saves the situation when the standard player cannot play the audio track of the file. That is, in the case of the Samsung Galaxy S5, in order to normally play three out of five of our test files (MKV), you will have to use a software decoder (at least for decoding sound - the video can be decoded by hardware) - neither Hardware, nor Hardware + , nor, of course, the standard video player decoder is not capable of playing these widespread network file types with sound. And this is a clear drawback, because we have a solution with an excellent in all respects a large and high-quality screen and maximum performance, which could become an excellent multimedia assistant. By the way, Galaxy Note 3 also has similar problems - we hope that with the release of updates for MX Player the situation will somehow change. By the way, top-end smartphones LG and Sony always have complete order in this plate, because even with their own hardware they are able to play all the files presented, not to mention support for all modes of the MX player.

Format	Container, video, sound	MX Video Player	Native video player
DVDRip	AVI, XviD 720 × 400 2200 Kbps, MP3 + AC3	reproduced normally	reproduced normally
Web-DL SD	AVI, XviD 720 × 400 1400 Kbps, MP3 + AC3	reproduced normally	reproduced normally
Web-DL HD	MKV, H.264 1280 × 720 3000Kbps, AC3
BDRip 720p	MKV, H.264 1280 × 720 4000 Kbps, AC3	reproduced normally, sound only with software decoder (Hardware + not supported)	video plays fine, no sound¹
BDRip 1080p	MKV, H.264 1920 × 1080 8000Kbps, AC3	reproduced normally, sound only with software decoder (Hardware + not supported)	video plays fine, no sound¹

¹ the sound in MX Video Player was played only after switching to software decoding (mode Hardware + not supported); the standard player does not have such a setting

Additionally, the MHL interface was tested. To test it, we used an LG IPS237L monitor that supports direct MHL connection using a passive Micro-USB to HDMI adapter cable. Recall that Samsung has implemented its own version of this interface at the physical level. As a result, to connect an external device via MHL, you need to use special adapters or connect standard MHL adapters through simple passive adapters. In this case, we carried out the test using a proprietary Samsung adapter, while the MHL output was carried out at a resolution of 1920 x 1080 pixels with a frequency of 60 fps.

In the portrait orientation of the smartphone, the display of the image on the monitor screen is also carried out in portrait orientation, while the image on the monitor is inscribed in the height of the screen, and wide black fields are displayed on the right and left. In this case, the actual resolution on the monitor screen is, of course, lower than the resolution on the smartphone screen. In landscape orientation of the smartphone, the display of the image on the monitor screen is carried out in landscape orientation, while the image on the monitor is inscribed in the boundaries of the screen and exactly matches the image on the smartphone screen. An exception is the startup screen, which is displayed only in portrait orientation:

Sound is output via MHL (in this case, the sounds were heard through the headphones connected to the monitor, since there are no speakers in the monitor itself) and is of good quality. At the same time, at least multimedia sounds are not output through the loudspeaker of the smartphone itself, and the volume is controlled by buttons on the smartphone body. Basically, in the smartphone settings, you can select the sound output mode - stereo or surround. However, in our case, the monitor only received stereo sound, so there was no choice. The smartphone connected via MHL is being charged.

To test the display of video files on the screen of the device itself, we used a set of test files with an arrow and a rectangle moving one division per frame (see "Methodology for testing video playback and display devices. Version 1 (for mobile devices)"). Screenshots with an exposure of 1 s helped to determine the nature of the frame output of video files with various parameters: the resolution varied (1280 by 720 (720p), 1920 by 1080 (1080p) and 3840 by 2160 (4K) pixels) and the frame rate (24, 25, 30, 50 and 60 fps). In our tests, we used the MX Player video player in the Hardware mode, as there were a lot of artifacts in the Hardware + mode. The results of this test (block labeled "Smartphone Screen") are summarized in the table:

Note: If both columns Uniformity and Skips green ratings are set, this means that, most likely, when watching movies, artifacts caused by uneven alternation and skipping of frames will either not be visible at all, or their number and visibility will not affect the viewing comfort. Red marks indicate possible problems with the playback of the respective files.

According to the criterion for outputting frames, the quality of video playback on the screen of the smartphone itself is high, since frames (or groups of frames) can be displayed with a more or less uniform alternation of intervals, and there are no frame drops. The smartphone can even display 4K files up to and including 30p. However, uniform frame interleaving is a relatively unstable state, since some external and internal background processes lead to periodic failure of the correct interleaving of intervals between frames. When playing video files with a resolution of 1920 by 1080 (1080p) on a smartphone screen, the image of the video file itself is displayed exactly along the edge of the screen, one to one pixel by pixel, that is, in its original resolution (adjusted for some PenTile features). The brightness range displayed on the screen actually corresponds to the standard range of 16-235 - in the shadows only a couple of shades merge with black, but all the shades are displayed in the highlights. However, dark scenes may not look very good, as the darkest shades differ too much in brightness and color tone, which can lead to overly noticeable compression artifacts.

With a monitor connected via MHL, during video playback with a standard player, the video file is displayed only in landscape orientation, while only the video file is displayed on the monitor, and only information elements and virtual controls are displayed on the smartphone screen.

The results of the tests of output to the monitor are given in the table above in the block "MHL (output to the monitor)". The output quality is very good. When playing video files with a resolution of Full HD (1920 x 1080 pixels) on the monitor screen, the image of the video file itself is displayed exactly on the edge of the screen, maintaining the true proportions, and the resolution corresponds to the Full HD resolution. The brightness range displayed on the monitor is equal to the standard range of 16-235, that is, in the shadows and highlights, all gradations of shades are displayed.

The takeaway is typical: an MHL connection can be used to play games, watch movies, display web pages, and other activities that benefit from the exponential increase in screen size. True, you will have to purchase an adapter specifically for Samsung or find an appropriate adapter.

Battery life

The lithium-ion battery installed in the Samsung Galaxy S5 has a good capacity by modern standards, but not a record 2800 mAh. Accordingly, in terms of battery life, the device showed very good results, which we traditionally summarized in a comparative table.

	Battery capacity	Reading mode	Video mode	3D Game Mode
Samsung Galaxy S5	2800 mAh	17h 20m	12h 30m	4h 30m
TCL Idol X +	2500 mAh	12h 30m	7h 20m	3h 00m
Lenovo Vibe Z	3050 mAh	11h 45m	8h 00m	3h 30m
Acer Liquid S2	3300 mAh	16h 40m	7h 40m	6h 00m
LG G Flex	3500 mAh	23h 15m	13h 30m	6h 40m
LG G2	3000 mAh	20 h 00 m	12h 30m	4h 45m
Sony Xperia Z1	3000 mAh	11h 45m	8h 00m	4h 30m
Samsung Note 3 N9005	3200 mAh	22h 30m	14h 00m	4h 45m

Continuous reading in the FBReader program (with a standard, light theme) at the minimum comfortable brightness level (the brightness was set to 100 cd / m2) lasted more than 17 hours until the battery was completely discharged, and when continuously watching YouTube videos in high quality (HQ) with the device lasted 12.5 hours with the same brightness level through the home Wi-Fi network, in 3D games the smartphone withstood 4.5 hours worthy for such a screen, and really pleased with such stability: its predecessor Galaxy S4 was at first very overheating and with These tests do not work well, and only with the firmware update the situation returned to normal. With the new flagship, even now, before the start of sales, no problems were found in this regard, and by the way, the device heats up much less than its predecessor.

Outcome

Summing up a Samsung Galaxy S5 review is both easy and difficult. It's easy, because perhaps no one needs to explain to anyone why the flagship smartphones of the Korean company are deservedly one of the best on the market. And what sets them apart is not only the combination of top-end technical characteristics and maximum performance, there is also something else. It seems to us that the company is one of the few who are not ashamed to spy on users' desires. For most manufacturers, this always remains only unfulfilled pretentious slogan promises, and in practice, no matter how much users cry about something, they will never get it. But Koreans have a completely different point of view on this matter, they readily satisfy any wishes of buyers. Want a removable battery? - Get it. Need a memory card slot? - Yes, for God's sake, we do not mind! Suddenly you fell in love with the golden color? - Here, and we now have a golden smartphone. And with such simple actions, coupled with good quality products and huge volumes of production, the Korean company managed to climb to the very top of the mountain, pushing many along the way, and simply throwing some off the cliff. Survival is the one who knows how to adapt, and this is what Koreans do best.

As for the hero of today's review, here we can say with confidence that he has become a worthy successor to the flagship line. An excellent screen, powerful hardware, full technical completeness, good battery life and maximum functionality, a few added features like a heart rate monitor and a fingerprint scanner are all worthy of praise. Although, it is worth admitting that in the fifth Galaxy S there were not so many notable innovations that one could rightfully call it a completely new model, in terms of design and appearance, so for sure (in this regard, by the way, there was even a kind of decline: the smartphone has become heavier, larger, rougher - everyone admits it). It’s even surprising how the Koreans didn’t call this model Galaxy S4s - such a "letter modifier" that has already become generally recognized, denoting an improved version of the model, would be more appropriate here. But this is all just a little confusing.

What's really depressing is how Samsung is pushing the prices of its top-end smartphones. It seems that Koreans no longer even remember that prices can sometimes vary somehow - they got to the 30,000 mark with the previous flagship and now put the same price tag on all subsequent models as a matter of course. The tricky thought in the minds of entrepreneurs is, obviously, this: "They will complain for the first time, but next time they will be glad that they did not raise the price even higher." So, by the way, it happened: now users are already happy that the price of the new flagship at the start of sales was not raised higher than that of the previous one. This is very alarming, and of course, against this background, it is difficult to recommend such a device for purchase: it is certainly very worthy, but for many, Samsung products may not be affordable right now. Did we think about five years ago that we would talk like that in the future about the products of this Korean company?

HTC One M8 for his friend and wrote a review in which he called it relevant, despite the fact that HTC One M9 has been on sale for several months. So, last year's flagship from HTC is far from the only one who, after a year, was able to retain its relevance. It manifests itself in different aspects, its role is played not only by the fact that, due to the exchange rate, not everyone can afford new flagships, but also by the fact that the top smartphones of 2014 have such good characteristics that new devices are not easy enough for them. get around. In the case of HTC, a small redesign was carried out, in fact, and simply abandoning the ultrapixel camera as the main one. Even the strip with the logo, wildly annoying to many connoisseurs of flagship lines, was not removed.
In the case of Samsung, the last year's top-end device which will be discussed in this review, the work on errors was carried out to a greater extent, the design changed, the display resolution increased, the new flagship became thinner, and so on ... Moreover, the company dared to release based on the "master" device version with an innovative display curved on both sides.

All this is of course good, but any desire to buy the freshest device is broken by the prices that manufacturers are raising so rapidly, as if not noticing the "crisis" in our markets. Fortunately, we have the opportunity to get cheaper, due to the release of new, last year's flagship devices, which also have great features, performance and the latest version of the Android operating system.

Choice and order

One of these flagships is the Samsung Galaxy S5, which I bought on AliExpress. This lot attracted me with many positive reviews and an average rating of 4.8 stars.
I was also pleased with the presence of as many as four versions of the smartphone and I'm not talking about the colors at all (the choice of which also takes place), but about the versions of smartphones for different markets and regions. The following versions are presented for selection:

• EU Version G900H
• EU Version G900F
• US Version G900T
• US Version G900A

Obviously, most of those reading this text are interested in the first two. Both of them will work with all of our operators, but they have one rather significant difference. They use different versions of representatives of one of the main characteristics for top smartphones, namely, processors. The G900F uses perhaps the traditional flagship of 2014 - Snapdragon 801, but in the G900H version, Samsung engineers used a proprietary processor - Samsung Exynos 5 Octa 5422. In connection with the latter, there is an opinion that the H version works a little faster, since the processor from Samsung is more optimized for the rest of the hardware.
In practice, the difference is not noticeable.
The colors I mentioned above are available in white, blue, black and gold.
I ordered smartphone EU Version G900F is white.

First impressions

Served smartphone in a small but rather thick wood-like box.

In addition to the smartphone itself, the kit included:

• Charger
• USB-MicroUSB cable
• good headphones
• documentation
  

The phone itself is thin, pleasant to the touch and not heavy. It is pleasant enough to hold in your hands.

First of all, I was surprised by the unusual connector at the bottom of the case.

As it turned out later, the usual microUSB is also suitable for it.

Specifications:

• 5.1 "Super AMOLED screen with 1080 x 1920 resolution and Gorilla Glass 3.
• dimensions 142 x 72 x 8mm
• weight 145 grams
• OS - Android 4.4 factory, update to version 5.0.1 available
• Samsung Exynos 5 Octa 5422 Processor
• RAM 2 GB
• Li-Ion battery 2800 mAh
• Main camera 16 Megapixels, photo resolution 5312x2988, LED flash, stabilization, HDR
• Front 2 Megapixel.
• Memory 32 GB + microSD up to 128 GB.
• GSM, 3G, LTE,
• WiFi, Bluetooth 4.0, NFC, GPS, GLONASS
• Accelerometer, gyroscope, gesture, light, proximity and heart rate sensors
• The fingerprint scanner
• 3.5mm audio jack
• Micro USB 3.0 connector
• IP67 protection

Experience of use and interesting functionality

I'll start with the fact that immediately upon arrival, the phone was updated to Android version 5.0.

It's almost imperceptible in terms of the interface, the smartphone has TouchWiz, which completely overlaps the standard interface of the system and is stuffed with a lot of both useful and not so much functions.

Those who don't like TouchWiz will be interested in the ability to install the firmware from the Galaxy S5 Google Play Edition with "pure" Android.

On the back cover, in addition to the camera and the flash, there is a heart rate sensor, which almost flawlessly copes with its task.

The lid itself is very flexible and pleasant to the touch.

The 16 Megapixel main camera takes decent pictures in high resolution, which distinguishes it from its main competitor - HTC One M8.

The 2 Megapixel front camera can easily cope with the tasks of video communication and selfie.

Nicely implemented such soft features as:

• one-handed operation mode (reduction of active screen area)
• multi-window mode
• automotive mode
• gesture control (for example, swiping music by swiping over the display)
• perhaps the most convenient implementation of the SOS function (by triple pressing the lock button)
• energy-saving mode, which I will remember later.
• fast "over the air" interface with printers.

Perhaps the most pleasant thing about this smartphone is the screen. He's just gorgeous. FullHD resolution is more than enough. I sincerely do not understand the point of using more in smartphones (and in tablets, perhaps). Over the years, Samsung has brought Amoled technology to near perfection. Someone may still not be pleased with the color rendition and other nuances, but IPS so beloved by me cannot compete with it in terms of energy efficiency. From this, in fact, follows the ultra-efficient energy-saving mode, which simply makes the color scheme of the entire system black and white, which leads to a significant reduction in energy costs and allows, if necessary, to live smartphone an extra few or even a dozen hours.

With active use, the smartphone lasts for a day. And if you want, the battery charge can be stretched even for three to four days.

Conclusions:

Samsung Galaxy S5 - undeniably still relevant smartphone and if you want good functionality and a good camera, this is what you need. (If you don't need a high-resolution camera, look at HTC One M8 as well).

Thank you for the attention.
I will be happy to answer any questions of interest in the comments.