The Galaxy S5

[ritholtz]

Even better! I hope we get the new multitasking UI seen on the Note 4. Looks great. It'll probably arrive with the L update.

Screen on this thing is amazing... Samsung has improved the AMOLED displays a lot! I'm using a lower saturated profile and it's excellent this way.

Forgot to mention battery life. It's good. Not great, but good enough.

Cenematic setting suppose to closer to producing accurate colors. They improved screen further in LTE-A version (2k screen and S805) with similar battery performance. I am pretty sure they made some more improvements in Note 4.

Not sure how many Samsung is selling these. It is very feature packed with very practical screen size (bigger than iPhone 6 and smaller than 6 plus / Note). Now, it is available for $149 contract price for business customers with ATT. I paid $199 when it is released.

 

[MRU]

S5 is a great handset, decided to sell mine (gettbg 400 for it) and buying the Alpha instead just as a size preference.

 

[ritholtz]

S5 is a great handset, decided to sell mine (gettbg 400 for it) and buying the Alpha instead just as a size preference.

Sounds like a GAS (Gear Acquisition Syndrome) to me.

 

[MRU]

Sounds like a GAS (Gear Acquisition Syndrome) to me.

Lol... You are probably right #

 

[Sensamic]

6 hours of on screen time total on my second charge it seems... (I'm at 5:45 with 12% left)

Not bad... Not bad at all...

And I've been using it heavily: installing all my apps, YouTube, web browsing, texting, etc.

VERY impressed! Almost as good as my G2 battery (I got 7 hours of on screen time max).

 

[skratch77]

Just got another update after the 4.4.4 update from last week.

The kernal is only 4 days old (sept 14) and it fixed a few bugs and added the ability to turn off camera shutter.

I thought that was illegal but I can't find where to shut it off.

Phone just scored its best geek bench run with the latest kernal also

PS active apps went from 6 to 8! Its almost like Samsung is reading this thread and listening to us haha.

Hey Sammy next kernal please give us 10 active apps!

 

[skratch77]

Up to 8 now

 

[MRU]

Just got another update after the 4.4.4 update from last week.

The kernal is only 4 days old (sept 14) and it fixed a few bugs and added the ability to turn off camera shutter.

I thought that was illegal but I can't find where to shut it off.

Phone just scored its best geek bench run with the latest kernal also

PS active apps went from 6 to 8! Its almost like Samsung is reading this thread and listening to us haha.

Hey Sammy next kernal please give us 10 active apps!

What's your kernel version ?

3.4.0-2089850
Wed Aug 20 on mine .....

 

[Sensamic]

What's the latest update available for the phone? 4.4.4 what serial number?

Mine is AGN9. Still 4.2.2.

 

[Sensamic]

After a few days with the phone it's time to comment on a few negatives points:

- Very annoying rattle on the top of the screen every time you tap it. Searched on Google and found many people with the same "issue". It's the lenses or something like that. When the camera app is open the rattle disappears. I hate phones that rattle. Today I tried a SGS5 on a store and it didn't have the rattle, so that's weird.

- The loudspeaker is just terrible. Watching a video or TV show makes the phone vibrate a LOT. It makes watching videos just uncomfortable with the phone vibrating (mainly in back, on the center).

Have you guys that own the SGS5 seen this two "issues"?

Otherwise the phone is perfect, just perfect.

 

[Shanghaichica]

After a few days with the phone it's time to comment on a few negatives points:

- Very annoying rattle on the top of the screen every time you tap it. Searched on Google and found many people with the same "issue". It's the lenses or something like that. When the camera app is open the rattle disappears. I hate phones with rattle. Today I tried a SGS5 on a store and it didn't have the rattle, so that's weird.

- The loudspeaker is just terrible. Watching a video or TV show makes the phone vibrate a LOT. It makes watching videos just uncomfortable with the phone vibrating (mainly in back, on the center).

Have you guys that own the SGS5 seen this two "issues"?

Otherwise the phone is perfect, just perfect.

I don't have the rattle issue. The phone does vibrate a bit when watching videos but not so much as to make the experience uncomfortable.

 

[MRU]

After a few days with the phone it's time to comment on a few negatives points:

- Very annoying rattle on the top of the screen every time you tap it. Searched on Google and found many people with the same "issue". It's the lenses or something like that. When the camera app is open the rattle disappears. I hate phones with rattle. Today I tried a SGS5 on a store and it didn't have the rattle, so that's weird.

- The loudspeaker is just terrible. Watching a video or TV show makes the phone vibrate a LOT. It makes watching videos just uncomfortable with the phone vibrating (mainly in back, on the center).

Have you guys that own the SGS5 seen this two "issues"?

Otherwise the phone is perfect, just perfect.

Loudspeaker isn't greatest.

I had the camera rattle thing, think it's front camera ... but seemed to dissappear of its own accord.

 

[skratch77]

Now I know why Verizon beat everyone here with there push with 4.4.4 and the newer kernel here in the states.they have activated there HD voice over LTE network and pushed the latest update to our phones to support it.

I just activated it on our plan and just need to find someone with a gs5 or a new iPhone that supports it to try it out!

 

[nviz22]

S5 is a great handset, decided to sell mine (gettbg 400 for it) and buying the Alpha instead just as a size preference.

Sounds like you'll be paying a decent price out of pocket. In the States, AT&T will sell it for $620. That's more expensive than a S5 from Verizon lol.

 

[MRU]

Sounds like you'll be paying a decent price out of pocket. In the States, AT&T will sell it for $620. That's more expensive than a S5 from Verizon lol.

I'm paying €550 for my Alpha which is around $710 over there.

 

[skratch77]

I don't get the pricing at all for at att .I'm getting the 32gb note 4 from Verizon for 699 unlocked.only 80 more then the alpha

 

[MRU]

I don't get the pricing at all for at att .I'm getting the 32gb note 4 from Verizon for 699 unlocked.only 80 more then the alpha

Yeah it is madness ...... But I think they just want to price it 'slightly below' the iPhone 6 pricing - so that it remains in that 'premium bracket' and the Note 4 just below the 'iPhone 6+' price for same reason. Despite there being a big difference between both the alpha and note 4.

 

[tbayrgs]

I don't get the pricing at all for at att .I'm getting the 32gb note 4 from Verizon for 699 unlocked.only 80 more then the alpha

Well, if you look at pricing solely within AT&T, it makes a little more sense.

Galaxy Alpha - $619
Galaxy S5 - $649
Galaxy Note 4 - $825

I think the Alpha's still priced a bit high (as is the Note 4 ), would probably have attracted a few more buyers if $550-599.

 

[MRU]

Will post my unboxing and handson with the Alpha tomorrow afternoon

 

[jamezr]

Will post my unboxing and handson with the Alpha tomorrow afternoon

Looking forward to it! The Alpha gets released here in the US on AT&T on the 26th.......

 

[ucfgrad93]

Will post my unboxing and handson with the Alpha tomorrow afternoon

Can't wait!

 

[nviz22]

I am trying to decide to keep my S5 or the iPhone 5S. Which is better? I hardly use the S5 features besides Blocking Mode, Smart Alert, Finger Print Scanner, Power Saving Mode, Palm Swipe to Capture, and the Camera. I hardly customize my phone too since it has a stock wallpaper. I do like multiwindow, the IR blaster, toolbox, and some of the S5 smart functions, but I hardly use them. I hardly use widgets outside of sports ones. I love S-Health and the pedometer as well. I am on my 5th S5 since I had overheating issues with the first two, battery life issues with the 3rd and 4th, and I had issues with some bugs from a bad batch (fixable through Samsung's help) on the 5th one. So my confidence in Samsung is not really high right now. Should I still prevent myself from leaving Samsung for iOS? I have a Galaxy Gear and Moto 360 btw.

 

[MRU]

Alpha has arrived ..... will post later

 

[skratch77]

Just picked up the OEM 3500 mah battery for my gs5.will report back in a few days for on screen time. I'm hoping to break 8 hours with it.

 

[Sensamic]

I returned my SGS5 today because of an air bubble or something on one of the edges.

Here is a picture so you guys can see it:

I tried other black ones and most of them had this issue on one of the corners or around the home button.

On the whites one it was impossible to tell.

I'll probably buy a white one instead of going back to a black one. It's a shame. It looks so good in black.