Samsung S5 release was February 2014 at the Mobile World Congress and reviews so far have generally been favorable to Samsung's latest Galaxy phone version.
"Powerful, competent and with a whole new UI, it's a shame that Samsung hasn't progressed further with the look of its new challenger," reads TechRadar's verdict on the Samsung S5.
"Samsung's best phone gets better...Subtly improved and smartly refined, the Samsung Galaxy S5 is a superior superphone that hits every mark but the sharpest design," went CNet's review.
End Gadget says, "The S5 is a solid upgrade over last year's model, with improvements to the hardware, software and camera. However, certain headline features like the fingerprint scanner and heart rate monitor are mediocre at best. Chances are, you'll be happy with the phone, but don't fork out the extra cash for an early upgrade."
Android Central's bottom-line for Samsung S5 is: "A phone that's better than before, but not the best.... It is a handset more than competent in most areas, but not quite exceptional as a whole; a phone which never really disappoints, but at the same time rarely exceeds the sum of its parts."
Samsung S5 specs notably include a 2.5GHz quad-core CPU, 2GB of RAM, a 2800mAh (removable) battery, 16 / 32GB of memory (with up to 128GB extra through microSD), a 5.1-inch 1080p HD AMOLED display, an updated TouchWiz interface, a 16-megapixel camera, the new fingerprint scanner, and the unique new heart-rate monitor.
Samsung S5 price is $660 to $700 in the US if purchased off-contract. Sprint, Verizon and AT&T offers Samsung S5 at contract starting at $200, while T-Mobile offers $0 down plus $27.50 a month at contract.
