Samsung galaxy s5 waterproof or not. Samsung Galaxy S5 Duos (G900FD) is a waterproof dual SIM LTE phone. Connectors and controls

2014 will be a landmark year for the smartphone market. In recent years, this market has developed very dynamically. Once just mobile phones have become essentially ultra-mobile computers. Moreover, the similarity increased from month to month - few people are surprised by multi-core high-frequency processors and gigabytes of memory of all types. Is it any wonder that the saturation limit has come - this is when you simply don’t need more and the “magic of numbers” almost does not work.

We're all to that from the exit samsung galaxy S5 everyone expected the next round of the "arms race", or rather a breakthrough in terms of performance. Rumors spoke about a screen with a resolution of 2560x1440, and about a 64-bit processor, and 4 GB of RAM would not surprise anyone, and the version with a 128 GB flash drive only pleased. However, the presentation of the Galaxy S5, which took place in February 2014, put everything in its place.

But if you think about it, all these "charms of life" to the "full extent" can be used well if 0.5% of consumers. Another 20% of all this "ammunition" is needed just for the sake of beautiful numbers, "for show off", sorry for the frankness. The rest simply will not appreciate all this and will not know that their smartphone is capable of “breaking” an average supercomputer aged 20-25 years.

There is another reason why the Samsung Galaxy S5 did not become the "most-most". There is a high probability that Samsung's focus has shifted to the Note line - it is she who becomes the top and most innovative. Not in vain, after all, in 2013, only the first couple of months I could work with watches. So all of the above and so "hotly expected" may appear in the Galaxy Note 4. But the release date of the Galaxy S5 will still happen much earlier - April 11, 2014.

Of course, the "five" received a lot of new things. Compared to the Galaxy S4, the difference is visible to the naked eye, although not in terms of design. Here you have a fingerprint scanner, a heart rate monitor, and added water resistance. And the interface has become different, flatter. But stop pulling the cat by the tail, otherwise he has completely meowed, poor thing. Let's move on to the Galaxy S5 review.

Design

Before the release of the Samsung Galaxy S5, a lot was said and written about its appearance. The most optimistic rumors said that the case would become metal (finally!), while the rest converged on the already traditional and tired plastic. The miracle did not happen, the “others” turned out to be right. It's a pity, of course, but it's quite expected.

But most of all, I was surprised by how much the smartphone has become “faceless”. It seemed to embody all four previous generations of the Galaxy S and become something in between. The Galaxy S5 has the features of a "super remnant", "square" contours, and from him got a thin screen frame. Moreover, surprisingly, the flagship of 2013 is still thinner - 3 versus 4 mm for the S5.

The novelty has become noticeably more cumbersome. The screen diagonal has grown by only 0.1 ", but the phone looks more massive, and it weighs more. All this is most likely the result of the IP67 security standard, which guarantees complete dust and moisture protection. True, it can hardly be called shockproof. Water resistance of the Galaxy smartphone The S5 is a nice addition, but Sony managed to implement all this together with a very stylish design.Grab even a man's hand around the Samsung Galaxy S5 is no longer so comfortable, it starts to feel like a Galaxy Note, which can hardly be called a positive trend.

The back cover deserves special attention. Having continued to use plastic, Samsung also does not stop experimenting with embossing and colors. Here it is appropriate to recall the cover of the Galaxy Note 3, made with “code skin” with a line along the edges. The solution turned out to be so successful that they decided to use the same texture on tablets and even laptops. But in the case of the Galaxy S5, the company still wanted to apply a slightly different design, although the general idea was retained.

The back cover of the S5 is most similar to the material that is sometimes found in cars. Of course, on a smartphone it is softer, but the embossing itself is similar in texture and touch.

According to Samsung, this coating is highly resistant to scratches and other damage. Well, for the week that the phone stayed with us, the back cover has not changed in any way. But still, the Galaxy Note 3 has a more interesting design, and it looks more solid.

In total, the design of the Galaxy S5 turned out to be rather faceless, uninteresting. We have already seen all this at Samsung more than once - the company has not offered something fundamentally new, which is a pity. Well, let's see what the Galaxy Note 4 and Galaxy S6 will be like. But this does not negate the excellent build quality of new items.

Galaxy S5 Camera

Over the camera in the Samsung Galaxy S5 also worked. And they worked very seriously. First of all, it is necessary to dwell not on the resolution increased from 13 to 16 MP, but on the refusal to use the Sony Exmor sensor. The Isocell matrix was used, where the pixels are shielded, which, in theory, should provide a very high definition of frames. It is not clear exactly whose matrix this is - Samsung or another company, but it seems not from Sony.

Usually, an increase in shooting resolution is achieved by simply increasing megapixels without increasing the size of the matrix itself. This can result in lower image quality, increased noise and artifacts. In the case of the Galaxy S5, the matrix was also increased and the pixel size remained the same - 1.12 microns. At the same time, the standard frame has a ratio of 16:9 (5312x2988), while in the Galaxy S4 it was more square - 4:3.

The focal length of the lens in terms of 35 mm film is 31 mm. The maximum aperture opening is f / 2.2. It's not bad, but generally standard. The iPhone 5s has a slightly better f/2.0 setting, so dark shots can turn out brighter in poor lighting conditions.

The camera interface has changed, but only in the settings. Basic shooting controls are familiar to us from the Galaxy S4 and other Samsung devices of the same generation. Although the shooting modes have become smaller, the most popular ones have been more precisely highlighted. Others can be downloaded separately.

All parameters are placed in a separate grid table. There are so many icons that such a menu can easily knock traffic jams from the average buyer of the Samsung Galaxy S5. But do not be afraid - the settings here are clear, with hints, and useful. Moreover, they can be swapped, and something can even be placed on the panel on the left in the main camera interface.

Of the unusual modes, selective focus can be noted, where it is possible to change the focus on the photo after shooting. It doesn't always work, but it might come in handy someday. Well, for those who like to send postcards with a small selfie, there is a “Dual Camera” mode that inserts a small picture from the front lens into the main frame.

Now let's look at the shooting examples:

The Samsung Galaxy S5 camera provides a very high quality of shooting. Sometimes, of course, it overly “throws” saturation, but this can be adjusted in the settings. In poor lighting conditions, the result for a smartphone is also very good.

As for the front camera, its resolution remained the same - 2 MP. Other manufacturers are already installing 5 MP sensors, but they make little sense - why take your own pictures in such a high resolution, but at the same time with a rather low quality?

The front camera shoots worse, but overall decent. During the day, of course, the photo comes out of better quality, but in room lighting, clarity is already lacking.

Now let's take a look at the video. Galaxy Note 3 based on the Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 chip (model SM-N9005) was the first smartphone capable of . With the Galaxy S5, Samsung went even further - Ultra HD is supported by all modifications of the flagship: SM-G900H (8-core) and SM-G900F (4-core). Shooting is carried out at a frequency of 30 frames per second. Here is an example of such a video with a resolution of 3840x2160:

Looks good, right? The only question is where this video can be viewed in full resolution. The author's 27-inch monitor with a resolution of 2560x1440 was not enough - Ultra HD screens are still expensive. But even despite this, the smartphone already shoots such a video no worse than the traditional Full HD. But be aware that the files are large. For example, the one-minute video above took up 405 MB.

Well, a “regular” 1080p video looks like this:

In general, everything is very good. Yes, and the files come out more compact - a 1-minute demo video in the same conditions took 134 MB.

In addition, it is possible to capture video and other modes. For example, in Full HD resolution, but at 60 frames per second:

This mode is called Smooth Motion. It turns out really smoother, but a regular player on a computer may not be able to cope and will skip some frames. And the file takes up twice as much space as regular Full HD.

And it remains to mention "Fast Movement". This mode lowers the shooting resolution to 1280x720, but at the same time provides a frame rate of 120 FPS. Further, the shooting slows down, or rather, when recording frames, more is captured, but played back at the usual frequency, which gives such an effect. We know all this from the iPhone 5s.

It should only be noted that x8 slowdown is achieved by switching to the display mode of only 15 frames per second, so there is just not enough smoothness here.

And the last thing about the camera is shooting video with the frontal matrix. Here the maximum resolution is 1920x1080 at 30 fps.

The quality is very, very decent for the front camera. The rear, of course, captures video better, but here everything looks decent.

So, the Galaxy S5 camera is on fire. Burning, tearing everyone to shreds and further down the list. In fact, it is one of the best among smartphones on the market. Even eminent Nokia will be difficult to compete with it. The Galaxy S4 and Note 3 were already great, but the S5 only got better.

Specifications Galaxy S5

As always, there are several modifications of the Samsung Galaxy S5. The two most common are the SM-G900F and SM-G900H. The first one will probably sell the most. This is a version based on a 4-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 processor with LTE support, which was just demonstrated at MWC 2014. The second one is based on an 8-core Samsung Exynos 5422 chip. In theory, LTE is also present there, but due to an external Intel XMM 7160 module. We were lucky enough to test both of these versions of the smartphone.

We also add that there are many operator versions, as well as Korean versions. Yes, and there are three Chinese modifications: SM-G9006V, G9008V and G9009D. They are also distinguished by support for DualSIM. We should also expect the announcement of the Galaxy S5 mini, which is close to the Galaxy S III in terms of characteristics.

During the announcement of the Galaxy S5 in February in Barcelona, a Qualcomm processor-based model was demonstrated there. However, very soon there was information about the version with the Samsung Exynos chip. The main difference between them is in the number of cores. In the first case, there are 4 of them, and in the second - 8. This, of course, is not an indicator of performance and not at all its guarantee, but such a division exists and, apparently, Samsung will focus on a model with a chip.

Compared to Snapdragon 800, which is used in Galaxy Note 3 (model SM-N9005), Sony Xperia Z1, LG G2, Google Nexus 5 and other flagships, the 801 chip has an increased clock speed from 2.3 to 2.5 GHz . In addition, he overclocked the video core from 450 to 578 MHz, and at the same time the memory bus from 800 to 933 MHz. In general, the Snapdragon 801 is only a slightly overclocked variant. The performance there is very high, but compared to last year's flagships, it will be a fraction of a percent higher. At the same time, this chip is used in other top smartphones of early 2014: Sony Xperia Z2, HTC One (M8), Oppo Find 7, and others will soon follow.

The Galaxy S5, labeled SM-G900H, is equipped with a Samsung Exynos 5422 chip, an improved version of the Exynos 5420 that was used in the Galaxy Note 3. Well, the Galaxy S4, recall, could boast of an 8-core Exynos 5410. True, the 5422 model differs in that it has all 8 cores can work at once, while the predecessors have only either 4 Cortex-A15 or 4 Cortex-A7 cores. But the integrated video card does not differ from the 5420 - ARM Mali-T628 MP6 is used. A very productive solution, although faster modifications already exist.

In terms of performance, Samsung Exynos 5422 and Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 differ little. We'll cover this in more detail in the next Galaxy S5 testing section. And here we note that the main and very significant difference between these chips lay in Qualcomm's support for LTE. Last year, all of Samsung's Exynos smartphones were so-called "3G versions". Now the situation has changed - along with Exynos 5260 (used in) and Exynos 5422, the Intel XMM 7160 4G module can be installed. So LTE works in all Galaxy S5. True, Samsung can turn it off, or supply a smartphone without it in certain markets.

At the same time, we recall that everyone was waiting for a 64-bit Exynos 6 processor from the Galaxy S5. Moreover, Samsung really beat itself in the pile, claiming that, moreover, in 2014. It is possible that the Galaxy Note 4 will receive such a chip. However, there is no full certainty about this.

Just look at the recent announcement. This chip was introduced in April 2014, and it will be available no earlier than 2015. Moreover, Qualcomm chose to use off-the-shelf Cortex-A57 and A53 cores, instead of developing its own architecture for the ARMv8 instruction set, as Apple did for its A7 processors. In short, we all mean that everything turned out to be not as simple as it might seem at once. So Galaxy Note 4 is quite possible to be limited to the next upgraded version of Exynos 5. Well, Exynos 6 may become the lot of Galaxy S6.

The rest of the characteristics are good, but not to say that they are impressive. For example, the amount of RAM has remained unchanged since the Galaxy S4 - 2 GB. Even the Galaxy Note 3 has more than a gigabyte of RAM. Also depressing is the presence of the Galaxy S5 with only 16 or 32 GB of memory. Even a 64 GB version is not yet provided, although it's time to think about a 128 GB version. Apparently, this was also saved for the Galaxy Note 4. However, there are changes regarding the memory card - support for microSD cards up to 128 GB inclusive is guaranteed.

By the way, this time more memory is available to the user than the 16-gigabyte version of the Galaxy S4. Recall that this smartphone complained about only 8 GB of free space. This time, the space is more than 9 GB, or rather, even more than 11 GB. However, after installing all the updates, as well as five or two applications, the free space just decreases to those same 9 GB.

We gave details about the characteristics of the screen and camera above, but about the battery we are talking below. Actually, just in time for testing, including autonomy, we are moving on.

Connectors and controls

So, the design of the Samsung Galaxy S5 has de facto remained the same, and the ergonomics have deteriorated somewhat due to the increased dimensions and weight. But in general, there are no cardinal changes in terms of buttons and connectors.

At the top of the front panel, you can see a traditional speaker, a camera lens and a set of standard sensors.

Below, as always, there are three buttons: the physical Home in the center and two touch buttons.

I was pleasantly surprised that the touch buttons are now visible even without backlighting, albeit badly. But in any case, it is clear where to “aim” when the need arises to use them.

By the way, their functionality has become somewhat different. So now the left touch button does not call context menu as before, but a list of recent apps. The central one, when held, opens the Google Now application. Completely unusual behavior, but in fact duplicating the “drawn” Android buttons.

Here we will also touch on the subject of a fingerprint scanner, since this is one of the main and most striking innovations of the Galaxy S5. For some reason, its setting is hidden under the icon with the name Finger Scanner, although the rest of the smartphone interface is well Russified.

You can register up to 3 different fingerprints. To register, you need to swipe your finger on the scanner 8 times so that the system remembers it. If suddenly something happens to the finger (or fingers) (pah-pah-pah), you can enter an alternative four-character password. At the moment, only a smartphone can be closed with a fingerprint (set its unlocking) and account Samsung, which is used in the services and applications of companies like Samsung Apps. How it looks like working with the Galaxy S5 fingerprint scanner in practice, our short video will show:

On the left side is the volume rocker.

On the right is the button to turn on the smartphone.

The top end is occupied by a headphone jack and an infrared port for controlling consumer electronics. There is also a second microphone to eliminate noise during a call. By the way, the audio output is not equipped with a plug for moisture protection - it is waterproof from the inside.

But as for the lower end, obvious changes are visible here - it is completely unusual to see a small but wide “pancake” plug instead of microUSB. The cap is held on by a plastic loop. Hidden under it is a 3.0 connector - it is wider and divided into two sections for high-speed data transfer. Fortunately, standard USB 2.0 wires are backwards compatible with it.

As for the plug, its presence is obvious - providing protection from moisture. “Trick with ears”, as with the audio output, did not work here. So for recharging, you have to get the plug every time. Things are there for two seconds, but believe me, it starts to bother you quickly. This is the price paid for supporting the IP67 security standard and water protection as well.

There is a speaker on the bottom of the back cover.

In the upper part, there is also a rear camera lens, an LED flash and a heart rate monitor. The latter also works with the help of a flash and is activated in the S Health application, which is described in more detail in the section on smartphone software.

There are no particularly interesting elements inside the phone, but this is if you do not look closely. First of all, we note the unusually elongated shape of the battery. But it is much more interesting to study the inside of the back cover. Here you can clearly see the rubber seal that covers all the connectors and the battery from water. Recall that the Samsung Galaxy S5 phone is waterproof and, in theory, will withstand immersion in a meter for 30 minutes. We personally checked and made sure that the smartphone does not sink. Not in a meter-long well, of course, but they lowered him into the water. This moment is verified in our video review of the Samsung Galaxy S5:

As for the slots for SIM and microSD cards, they are located one above the other, just like in the Galaxy Note 3. It is good to see that common sense has not yet changed Samsung, and the company has not saved a dozen square millimeters using the nanoSIM format, as some other manufacturers already do. Both cards are inserted quite easily. But if you have any problems with this, we recommend that you check out our little guide on how to insert a SIM card and a microSD card in the Galaxy S5:

Galaxy S5 accessories

As always, Samsung has introduced a range of different accessories for its new flagship. This includes covers for the Galaxy S5, and wireless charging, and advanced headphones, and much more.

One of the simplest cases is the Flip Wallet made in the form of a book cover, familiar to us from other smartphones of the company. It's not particularly fancy - presented in five colors (black, green, pink, brown and white) it is made of leather material and completely covers the screen. It also has a pocket for cards or the like. However, it is a pity that this cover can not be called waterproof.

The case for the Galaxy S5 S View is also well-known from the Galaxy S4 - it has a large half-screen slot where notifications, the current time, and weather can be displayed. Even the camera can be called up and used!

There is also a silicone case. Regular, transparent. Without much frills.

About wireless charging for the Galaxy S5 is also not forgotten. For her, first of all, a special case is useful, where there are the necessary inserts and contacts. This cover is made in the same form as the S View - with a large "window" for the display.

A cheaper and more compact option is a back cover with similar contacts.

Of course, there is also wireless charging for the Galaxy S5 itself. Its appearance has undergone a noticeable change and it is now square, with a black contact surface.

This time, Samsung has decided to do more with headphones, thereby guaranteeing high-quality sound. Premium-branded headphones are available in over-the-ear, on-ear and in-ear styles.

The rest of the accessories are more "technical". So this special charging cable with splitter connectors for connecting other devices. There is also a separate charging cable with a compact connector.

Also provided is a protective film for the Galaxy S5, a replaceable battery, a separate charger for it, and at the same time an external battery. And yes, there is also the S Pen, which is equipped with all smartphones and tablets in the Galaxy Note line. The only pity is that there is no proprietary waterproof case for the Galaxy S5.

Screen

With regard to the screen of the Samsung Galaxy S5, there were the most serious expectations. If you recall the chronology of previous flagships, it received a 0.3 "larger diagonal compared to the Galaxy S. The Galaxy S III increased the diagonal by 0.5", as did the resolution up to 1280x720. Well, the Galaxy S4 offered a 4.99-inch display (+0.2") with Full HD resolution. Further, in 2013, information appeared about the preparation of QHD screens with a resolution of 2560x1440 pixels. It was logical to assume that the Galaxy S5 would get such a once again with an increased diagonal, but this did not happen.

If you look at it, 2560x1440 pixels with a diagonal of 5-6 "do little - you get ultra-high definition, which is indistinguishable by the "naked" human eye. So from the point of view of common sense, medicine and physics, QHD for smartphones is pure marketing. However, how is it to explain to a simple layman who is used to getting "better, more and faster" every year, even if he does not need it? In any case, Samsung decided to omit this point. Of course, other companies were not slow to take advantage of this. No, Sony and HTC in this matter but Oppo presented with the same 5.5-inch QHD display and a record density of points of 534 ppi.

What is the Galaxy S5? It offers a 5.1-inch screen with a resolution of 1920x1080 and a dot density of 432 ppi, recognizing up to 10 simultaneous touches. The clarity on the screen is just wonderful - there is nothing to complain about. So it makes no sense to drop everything and run to the store for Find 7 and other models with a sharper display.

With color gamut, as always, complete order. This is a common feature of OLED screens - it is not difficult for them to cover the entire sRGB color space and even AdobeRGB, which we see in the case of the Samsung Galaxy S5 and other models of phones with AMOLED matrices.

The gamma curves on the screen are quite good, although not perfect. The curve of the smartphone is slightly above the reference 2.2, and in the area in the upper half of the graph. This means that the highlights of the image are displayed a little lighter than they should be.

The display temperature of the Galaxy S5 is also not quite up to the 6500K benchmark. On average, it stays at the level of 8200-8400K, which means that the white balance is off in the direction of blue - the picture turns out to be colder. On the other hand, the temperature graph is quite even over the entire brightness range, which is also good.

From other measurements it is necessary to note the brightness of 320 cd/m 2 . With respect to devices based on LCD matrices, this is relatively small - for them this is an average level, while the best indicators reach 400-500 cd / m 2. But here it is appropriate to recall similar measurements for other Samsung OLED screens: Galaxy Note 3 - 248.48 cd / m 2, Galaxy S4 - 212.75 cd / m 2, Galaxy S III - 167.04 cd / m 2. In short, progress is on the face. We also note a good anti-reflective coating, thanks to which the smartphone behaves quite confidently in the sun - the picture remains quite readable.

It remains to add that the Galaxy S5 offers several display profiles to improve image quality. By default, Adapt Display is selected - it automatically optimizes the color range for the gallery, camera, browser, books. If you are interested in a more natural version of the picture in all applications, then you can choose any of the remaining ones, and best of all Standard or Professional photography.

Summing up, the high quality of the Galaxy S5 screen should be noted. Yes, it does not explode the brain with its ultra-clearness, does not tear all competitors to shreds, but in any case, the flagship display remains one of the best on the market. With the best contrast (thanks to OLED technology), decent brightness, excellent color reproduction. Yes, his white balance is off, but not critical. So you don't have to worry about this particular parameter.

Galaxy S5 testing

As we said above, despite the lack of non-Apple 64-bit processors on the market, the Samsung Galaxy S5 can rightly be considered one of the fastest smartphones thanks to the Exynos 5422 Octa and Snapdragon 801 chips. But still, which one is faster? And how much better are they than the previous generation of devices that appeared in the spring and winter of 2013?

The AnTutu system-wide test shows the superiority of the Galaxy S5 over the Galaxy Note 3. Moreover, the 8-core model SM-G900H was ahead of everyone. But what was the reason for the win? First of all, thanks to integer and real calculations or directly to those blocks that are the main ones in the central processor. Obviously, the higher frequency affected (compared to the Exynos 5420 in Note 3), but at the same time big number cores - AnTutu is good at distributing the load between threads. But Snapdragon was good in operations with RAM, as well as when working with the Dalvik virtual machine, which is used in Android as an environment for running many applications.

Browser tests, on the other hand, turned out to be behind the Qualcomm version of the Galaxy S5. This is clearly a matter of single-threaded performance - the load between the browser cores is not distributed as efficiently, so the architecture and clock speed came to the fore. And here the Snapdragon 801 is very strong.

The speed of the graphics subsystem and processors of Android devices has grown so much that many tests simply cannot reliably measure performance. So the electopia game and the Nenamark2 benchmark show 60 FPS each. It's all about the VSync included in the drivers - vertical synchronization. The frame rate is the same as the screen refresh rate, which is 60 Hz.

3DMark is more advanced, and therefore in its Ice Storm Unlimited test, VSync restrictions are not imposed. And here the Adreno 330 showed itself best, which is equipped with the Snapdragon 801 chip.

With regard to autonomy, we do not see any changes, judging by the results obtained according to . In principle, it can be argued that it has slightly improved compared to the Galaxy S4, but did not exceed the result of the Galaxy Note 3. Moreover, the Qualcomm version of the Galaxy S5 (SM-G900F) can provide longer battery life. But in general, the autonomy of the new flagship is very long - one of the best among analogues, if at the same time we take into account ultra-high performance and a relatively compact body. By the way, even the battery capacity of Samsung was able to increase, albeit insignificantly - from 2600 mAh in the Galaxy S4 to 2800 mAh.

By the way, the Galaxy S5 boasts new power saving modes. They are offered to be activated when the smartphone's battery is noticeably low, and you still need to work. Two options are offered, differing in what will be disabled and what is limited. The most interesting thing is that both of them can turn the screen into black and white. In addition, the processor frequency is reduced, many background services are turned off, hardware modules are muted, although the Internet will be left to you if necessary. So on a 10 percent charge, you can get from 3 to 6 hours of work, which is very good in a critical situation.

Games on Galaxy S5

There is no doubt that games on the Galaxy S5 will work without problems at all. But we still launched some popular titles for reliability. The results were as follows:

Riptide GP2: excellent, the game does not slow down;

Asphalt 7: excellent, the game does not slow down;

Modern Combat 4: Zero Hour: excellent, the game does not slow down;

N.O.V.A. 3: Near Orbit: excellent, the game does not slow down;

Dead Trigger: excellent, the game does not slow down;

Dead Trigger 2: excellent, the game does not slow down;

Real Racing 3: excellent, the game does not slow down;

Max Payne Mobile: excellent, the game does not slow down;

Need for Speed: Most Wanted: excellent, the game does not slow down;

Shadowgun: Dead Zone: excellent, the game does not slow down;

Frontline Commando: Normandy: excellent, the game does not slow down;

Frontline Commando 2: excellent, the game does not slow down;

Eternity Warriors 2: excellent, the game does not slow down;

Eternity Warriors 3: excellent, the game does not slow down;

Trial Xtreme 3: excellent, the game does not slow down;

dead effect: excellent, the game does not slow down;

Plants vs Zombies 2: excellent, the game does not slow down;

Iron Man 3: excellent, the game does not slow down.

There were also no problems in Minecraft game. We did not expect anything else from the flagship of 2014. This is not only a good device for everyday work, but also for games. However, the first statement must be verified in practice. Let's take a look at what's new in the Galaxy S5 software.

Galaxy S5 Software

Samsung has long been famous for its unique features and proprietary software that comes with its smartphones and tablets. Usually at the forefront of programmer thought are the flagships. And equally the next Galaxy S and Galaxy Note. Samsung Galaxy S5 received newer versions of previous proprietary programs, as well as an updated TouchWIZ shell. By default, the device is supplied, but in the future, obviously, you can wait for updates.

The Galaxy S5 desktop hasn't changed drastically. Widgets, including the weather one, as well as shortcuts to the camera application, the Play Store, and the mail client are placed here, as always. There is a folder with a list of Google service applications. Slightly changed the desktop management interface.

It is noteworthy that instead of one of the desktops, Samsung offered a separate screen with the My Magazine application (literally "My Magazine"). It is designed in the form of a ribbon, separated by large blocks with various information. In theory, information from selected sources will be loaded here: news, notifications from social networks, and so on. As a result, it will be possible to create an information feed of your own free will and view it without typing the address of the next site each time or without launching individual social network clients.

In general, the set of software as a whole remained the same. There are no new applications as such, but old ones have been updated, which we will talk about below.

The notification bar looks completely different. She became flatter, lost volume. Instead of blue, blue-green is now used. In theory, this should simplify work and perception, but in reality it is more like some kind of engineering interface model. And this feeling is even more enhanced when you go into the settings.

Perhaps the most important drawback of the Samsung TouchWIZ shell is a radical revision of the settings interface from version to version. Moreover, the Galaxy S5 offered something completely unusual and new - now everything is made in the form of a large sheet, where various smartphone parameters are lined up in a row of three icons. On the first screen, the 12 most requested parameters are displayed, and then you have to scroll through.

Finding the right icon for the first time is extremely difficult. Of course, the icons are different everywhere, but there are several dozen of them, and their background is monotonous. There are only five colors for the background. As a result, with a cursory glance, it is easiest to focus on the most primitive part of the image, namely the bright background of the icons and their number in the group. And here the brain just explodes from the mess that is happening. You have to look at each icon and the label under it to find what you need, and this can be annoying, because it takes extra time and effort.

It's good that you can return a more or less familiar list of settings in one column, and you can collapse unnecessary groups. We also added a search - the necessary parameters for speed can also be found in text. But then again, why was it necessary to first create such chaos, and only then add tools to streamline it?

Introduced in 2013 with the Galaxy S4, the S Health app also received a new interface, and with it version 3.0. Here the new “plane” is made much more harmoniously than in the settings. The application allows you to more competently plan the schedule of training, weight loss and other sports activities. It syncs perfectly with Samsung branded accessories, including the Galaxy S5's built-in heart rate monitor and Galaxy Gear, Gear 2 (Neo) and Gear Fit smartwatches. And the Samsung smart scales, which were promised a year ago, were never presented.

S Voice also got a new interface, new voices and features. But it's still the same "toy" that works every other time. And additional voices have to be downloaded. Otherwise, Russian speech resembles a Korean robot.

But we really liked the “Children Mode”. By and large, this is a separate shell, which is automatically downloaded from the Internet when it is first launched. So be careful - so that half a hundred megabytes of traffic does not suddenly ruin you.

From the name of the "mode" it is not difficult to guess that it was created for children. The main screen is a highly simplified colorful and bright desktop with some applications. Most of them are standard camera programs, drawing programs, a voice recorder, a video player. But it is also possible to add program shortcuts "from outside".

The exit and configuration of the “Children Mode” occurs after entering the initially set PIN code. Moreover, you can limit not only the list of available applications, but also the folders where the child will have access. So he won’t watch “forbidden pictures” and personal videos, but harmless cartoons - as much as he likes. Or not as many as you like - there is a function to limit the time of the smartphone, after which it is blocked.

To top it all off, there is a separate app store for kids mode. There are not only games, but also various fairy tales, drawing programs and so on. But some of them are paid. You can also watch "Kids Mode" live in our short video:

Quite an interesting feature is the Toolbar. The title doesn't make it very clear. It's not actually an alternate name for settings, but a small circle icon that sits on top of apps. By clicking on it, a thin line-strip with programs will open. Thus, they are quickly called.

To hide personal files there is a private mode. Access to them can be restricted using a pattern, a PIN code, a password and, of course, a fingerprint.

This is where we will stop. Of course, you can continue to describe the features of the TouchWIZ interface, but almost all of them were present in previous versions, although they probably looked a little different. In any case, the Galaxy S5 is not without them. There is also support for gestures, and eye tracking for automatic page turning, and MultiWindow mode, and all sorts of interesting features in contacts, SMS messages, and a mode for working with the interface with one hand.

Perhaps the main thing here is to understand one thing - the Galaxy S5 is one of the best in terms of software, although it is not a fact that all these features will be in demand by its owner. Even a subscription to different services is not useful to everyone. There is an annual subscription to Bloomberg Businessweek +, and the RunKeeper service, and 50 GB in DropBox, and at the same time 1 TB of space in Bitcasa. In general, Samsung actually gives away a different subscription with every smartphone worth a few hundred dollars. Cool? Undoubtedly, but what else can you do if you run out of ideas to attract consumers?

Output

Despite the unjustified expectations from the "geek community", in general, the Galaxy S5 has de facto turned out to be one of the most advanced smartphones on the market. For April, 2014 in sale there is no more productive solution. And its functionality, as they say, "rolls over". Here you have a fingerprint scanner, and a heart rate monitor, and water resistance, and an advanced camera with excellent quality shooting. The screen is excellent as always, the case materials and assembly are also on top. But still something is wrong.

Like it or not, but the Galaxy S5 "does not catch." There is no zest in it that would create a wow-effect and force you to immediately spend a very decent amount of money on a new product. The design of the device is more than ordinary - it's still the same Samsung Galaxy, nothing new. You can’t even call it recognizable, and there is no progress after the “leather” back cover of the Galaxy Note 3 either.

In other words, they will buy the Galaxy S5, but it will be more of a well-thought-out decision than a momentary impulse. Like it or not, but the smartphone is good. Another thing is that there is no point in switching to it from the Galaxy S4, and even more so from the Galaxy Note 3. Neither the updated interface nor the support for Gear 2 and Gear Fit smartwatches change things.

Total. The Galaxy S5 is a great product, but somehow faceless. It is obvious that the market (and not only Samsung) is in a crisis of ideas. Apparently, it will last a year or two at least, so in principle there is no point in waiting for something extraordinary from other companies. Otherwise, the new South Korean flagship remains one of the best.

Galaxy S5 price

You can buy Galaxy S5 for 29990 rubles. Despite the devaluation of the ruble at the beginning of 2014, Samsung was able to compensate for the exchange rate difference, thereby maintaining the previous price level. So its top product will at least initially be cheaper than some of its competitors.

Undoubtedly, one of the main competitors of the Samsung flagship will be the HTC One (M8), which can be purchased for 32,990 rubles. This device does not have the main drawback of the Galaxy S5 - the design of the HTC product is simply amazing. Add here a metal case that pleasantly cools your hand. In principle, everything is good with this device, except for the camera, which is still criticized. And the price is 3 thousand rubles higher. But there's nothing to be done - HTC can not afford to compensate for the fall of the local currency.

Sony Xperia Z2 - another representative of the "work on the bugs." A smartphone in which, in theory, all the shortcomings of the Xperia Z and Z1 are fixed. In particular, this applies to low-quality screen. Otherwise, the device is the same waterproof and with characteristics almost indistinguishable from the Galaxy S5.

“Why not?” We thought and included the Galaxy Note 3 in the list of competitors. Today, this smartphone can be bought for 25-27 thousand rubles. And although there is no fingerprint scanner, its characteristics are even better in places - at least 3 GB of RAM and 32 GB of internal memory in a smartphone. The performance is the same, but at the same time there is a pen-stylus in the kit and a completely familiar interface.

Oppo Find 7 - here it is, almost the quintessence of everything that was expected from the Galaxy S5. In particular, we are talking about a screen with a resolution of 2560x1440. True, we sell a simpler version of Find 7a. There is a Full HD screen, and the camera is not 50 MP, but only 13 MP. But the processor is the same as in the Samsung flagship. And the price is about 21 thousand rubles. An interesting alternative.

Pros:

waterproof case, protected according to the IP67 standard;
very high performance;
excellent camera with the ability to shoot 4K video;
high build quality;
fingerprint scanner and heart rate monitor;
a large number of branded subscriptions to various publications and services;
a lot of unique software;
excellent autonomy;
many branded accessories;
Super AMOLED screen with good color reproduction and high brightness;
USB 3.0 support;
the price is at the level of the previous year in ruble terms.

Minuses:

faceless uninteresting design;
a bulkier case compared to the Galaxy S4 (due to the addition of moisture protection);
annoying plug on the USB port (again, due to moisture resistance);
completely changed and not entirely clear settings interface;
less RAM than the Galaxy Note 3.

We all mean that from the release of the Galaxy S5 everyone expected the next round of the "arms race", or rather a breakthrough in terms of characteristics. Rumors spoke about a screen with a resolution of 2560x1440, and about a 64-bit processor, and 4 GB of RAM would not surprise anyone, and the version with a 128 GB flash drive only pleased. However, the presentation of the Galaxy S5, which took place in February 2014, put everything in its place.

There is another reason why the Galaxy S5 did not become the "most-most". There is a high probability that Samsung's focus has shifted to the Note line - it is she who becomes the top and most innovative. Not in vain, after all, in 2013, only the first couple of months I could work with watches. So all of the above and so "hotly expected" may appear in the Galaxy Note 4. But the release date of the Galaxy S5 will still happen much earlier - April 11, 2014.

Design

Before the release of the Galaxy S5, a lot was said and written about its appearance. The most optimistic rumors said that the case would become metal (finally!), while the rest converged on the already traditional and tired plastic. The miracle did not happen, the “others” turned out to be right. It's a pity, of course, but it's quite expected.

The novelty has become noticeably more cumbersome. The screen diagonal has grown by only 0.1 ", but the phone looks more massive, and it weighs more. All this is most likely the result of the IP67 security standard, which guarantees complete dust and moisture protection. True, it can hardly be called shockproof. Water resistance of the Galaxy smartphone The S5 is a nice addition, but Sony has managed to put it all together with a very stylish design, even a man's hand around the Galaxy S5 is not so comfortable anymore, it starts to feel like a Galaxy Note, which can hardly be called a positive trend.

The back cover of the S5 is most similar to the material that is sometimes found in cars. Of course, on a smartphone it is softer, but the embossing itself is similar in texture and touch.

Connectors and controls

So, the design of the Galaxy S5 has de facto remained the same, and the ergonomics have deteriorated somewhat due to the increased dimensions and weight. But in general, there are no cardinal changes in terms of buttons and connectors.

At the top of the front panel, you can see a traditional speaker, a camera lens and a set of standard sensors.

Below, as always, there are three buttons: the physical Home in the center and two touch buttons.

I was pleasantly surprised that the touch buttons are now visible even without backlighting, albeit badly. But in any case, it is clear where to “aim” when the need arises to use them.

By the way, their functionality has become somewhat different. So now the left touch button does not call up the context menu, as before, but the list of recent applications. The central one, when held, opens the Google Now application. Completely unusual behavior, but in fact duplicating the “drawn” Android buttons.

You can register up to 3 different fingerprints. To register, you need to swipe your finger on the scanner 8 times so that the system remembers it. If suddenly something happens to the finger (or fingers) (pah-pah-pah), you can enter an alternative four-character password. At the moment, only a smartphone can be closed with a fingerprint (set to unlock it) and a Samsung account, which is used in company services and applications like Samsung Apps. How it looks like working with the Galaxy S5 fingerprint scanner in practice, our short video will show:

On the left side is the volume rocker.

On the right is the button to turn on the smartphone.

There is a speaker on the bottom of the back cover.

Galaxy S5 accessories

As always, Samsung has introduced a range of different accessories for its new flagship. This includes covers for the Galaxy S5, and wireless charging, and advanced headphones, and much more.

There is also a silicone case. Regular, transparent. Without much frills.

A cheaper and more compact option is a back cover with similar contacts.

Of course, there is also wireless charging for the Galaxy S5 itself. Its appearance has undergone a noticeable change and it is now square, with a black contact surface.

This time, Samsung has decided to do more with headphones, thereby guaranteeing high-quality sound. Premium-branded headphones are available in over-the-ear, on-ear and in-ear styles.

Screen

The screen of the Galaxy S5 had the highest expectations. If you recall the chronology of previous flagships, it received a 0.3 "larger diagonal compared to the Galaxy S. The Galaxy S III increased the diagonal by 0.5", as did the resolution up to 1280x720. Well, the Galaxy S4 offered a 4.99-inch display (+0.2") with Full HD resolution. Further, in 2013, information appeared about the preparation of QHD screens with a resolution of 2560x1440 pixels. It was logical to assume that the Galaxy S5 would get such a once again with an increased diagonal, but this did not happen.

Galaxy S5 Camera

Over the camera in the Galaxy S5 also worked. And they worked very seriously. First of all, it is necessary to dwell not on the resolution increased from 13 to 16 MP, but on the refusal to use the Sony Exmor sensor. The Isocell matrix was used, where the pixels are shielded, which, in theory, should provide a very high definition of frames. It is not clear exactly whose matrix this is - Samsung or another company, but it seems not from Sony.

All parameters are placed in a separate grid table. There are so many icons that such a menu can easily knock traffic jams out of the average Galaxy S5 buyer. But do not be afraid - the settings here are clear, with hints, and useful. Moreover, they can be swapped, and something can even be placed on the panel on the left in the main camera interface.

Now let's look at the shooting examples:

The Galaxy S5 camera provides a very high quality of shooting. Sometimes, of course, it overly “throws” saturation, but this can be adjusted in the settings. In poor lighting conditions, the result for a smartphone is also very good.

The front camera shoots worse, but overall decent. During the day, of course, the photo comes out of better quality, but in room lighting, clarity is already lacking.

Well, a “regular” 1080p video looks like this:

In general, everything is very good. Yes, and the files come out more compact - a 1-minute demo video in the same conditions took 134 MB.

In addition, it is possible to capture video and other modes. For example, in Full HD resolution, but at 60 frames per second:

It should only be noted that x8 slowdown is achieved by switching to the display mode of only 15 frames per second, so there is just not enough smoothness here.

And the last thing about the camera is shooting video with the frontal matrix. Here the maximum resolution is 1920x1080 at 30 fps.

The quality is very, very decent for the front camera. The rear, of course, captures video better, but here everything looks decent.

Specifications Galaxy S5

As always, there are several modifications of the Galaxy S5. The two most common are the SM-G900F and SM-G900H. The first one will probably sell the most. This is a version based on a 4-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 processor with LTE support, which was just demonstrated at MWC 2014. The second one is based on an 8-core Samsung Exynos 5422 chip. In theory, LTE is also present there, but due to an external Intel XMM 7160 module. We were lucky enough to test both of these versions of the smartphone.

Just look at the recent announcement of Qualcomm's Snapdragon 810. This chip was introduced in April 2014, and it will be available no earlier than 2015. Moreover, Qualcomm chose to use off-the-shelf Cortex-A57 and A53 cores, instead of developing its own architecture for the ARMv8 instruction set, as Apple did for its A7 processors. In short, we all mean that everything turned out to be not as simple as it might seem at once. So Galaxy Note 4 may well be limited to Snapdragon 805 and the next upgraded version of Exynos 5. Well, Exynos 6 may become the lot of Galaxy S6.

We have given details about the characteristics of the screen and camera above, and we are talking about the battery below. Actually, just in time for testing, including autonomy, we are moving on.

Galaxy S5 testing

As we said above, despite the lack of non-Apple 64-bit processors on the market, the Galaxy S5 can rightly be considered one of the fastest smartphones thanks to the Exynos 5422 Octa and Snapdragon 801 chips. But still, which one is faster? And how much better are they than the previous generation of devices that appeared in the spring and winter of 2013?

The AnTutu system-wide test shows the superiority of the Galaxy S5 over the Galaxy Note 3. Moreover, the 8-core model SM-G900H was ahead of everyone. But what was the reason for the win? First of all, thanks to integer and real calculations or directly to those blocks that are the main ones in the central processor. Obviously, the higher frequency affected (compared to the Exynos 5420 in Note 3), and at the same time a large number of cores - AnTutu is good at distributing the load between threads. But Snapdragon was good in operations with RAM, as well as when working with the Dalvik virtual machine, which is used in Android as an environment for running many applications.

3DMark is more advanced, and therefore in its Ice Storm Unlimited test, VSync restrictions are not imposed. And here the Adreno 330 showed itself best, which is equipped with the Snapdragon 801 chip.

As for autonomy, we do not see any changes, judging by the results obtained according to our methodology. In principle, it can be argued that it has slightly improved compared to the Galaxy S4, but did not exceed the result of the Galaxy Note 3. Moreover, the Qualcomm version of the Galaxy S5 (SM-G900F) can provide longer battery life. But in general, the autonomy of the new flagship is very long - one of the best among analogues, if at the same time we take into account ultra-high performance and a relatively compact body. By the way, even the battery capacity of Samsung was able to increase, albeit insignificantly - from 2600 mAh in the Galaxy S4 to 2800 mAh.

Games on Galaxy S5

There is no doubt that games on the Galaxy S5 will work without problems at all. But we still launched some popular titles for reliability. The results were as follows:

Riptide GP2: excellent, the game does not slow down;

Asphalt 7: excellent, the game does not slow down;

Modern Combat 4: Zero Hour: excellent, the game does not slow down;

N.O.V.A. 3: Near Orbit: excellent, the game does not slow down;

Dead Trigger: excellent, the game does not slow down;

Dead Trigger 2: excellent, the game does not slow down;

Real Racing 3: excellent, the game does not slow down;

Max Payne Mobile: excellent, the game does not slow down;

Need for Speed: Most Wanted: excellent, the game does not slow down;

Shadowgun: Dead Zone: excellent, the game does not slow down;

Frontline Commando: Normandy: excellent, the game does not slow down;

Frontline Commando 2: excellent, the game does not slow down;

Eternity Warriors 2: excellent, the game does not slow down;

Eternity Warriors 3: excellent, the game does not slow down;

Trial Xtreme 3: excellent, the game does not slow down;

dead effect: excellent, the game does not slow down;

Plants vs Zombies 2: excellent, the game does not slow down;

Iron Man 3: excellent, the game does not slow down.

There were also no problems in Minecraft. We did not expect anything else from the flagship of 2014. This is not only a good device for everyday work, but also for games. However, the first statement must be verified in practice. Let's take a look at what's new in the Galaxy S5 software.

Galaxy S5 Software

Samsung has long been famous for its unique features and proprietary software that comes with its smartphones and tablets. Usually at the forefront of programmer thought are the flagships. And equally the next Galaxy S and Galaxy Note. The Galaxy S5 received newer versions of the previous proprietary programs, as well as an updated TouchWIZ shell. By default the device is delivered , but in the future we can obviously expect an update to at least Android 4.5 .

In general, the set of software as a whole remained the same. There are no new applications as such, but old ones have been updated, which we will talk about below.

To hide personal files there is a private mode. Access to them can be restricted using a pattern, a PIN code, a password and, of course, a fingerprint.

Output

Despite the unjustified expectations from the "geek community", in general, the Galaxy S5 has de facto turned out to be one of the most advanced smartphones on the market. For April, 2014 in sale there is no more productive solution. And its functionality, as they say, "rolls over". Here you have a fingerprint scanner, and a heart rate monitor, and water resistance, and an advanced camera with excellent shooting quality. The screen is excellent as always, the case materials and assembly are also on top. But still something is wrong.

Galaxy S5 price

Pros:

waterproof case, protected according to the IP67 standard;
very high performance;
excellent camera with the ability to shoot 4K video;
high build quality;
fingerprint scanner and heart rate monitor;
a large number of branded subscriptions to various publications and services;
a lot of unique software;
excellent autonomy;
many branded accessories;
Super AMOLED screen with good color reproduction and high brightness;
USB 3.0 support;
the price is at the level of the previous year in ruble terms.

Minuses:

faceless uninteresting design;
a bulkier case compared to the Galaxy S4 (due to the addition of moisture protection);
annoying plug on the USB port (again, due to moisture resistance);
completely changed and not entirely clear settings interface;
less RAM than the Galaxy Note 3.

Now that the first excitement has subsided, you can reflect on the feasibility and level of security of the new smartphone -. On the one hand, it did not live up to expectations in terms of hardware, on the other hand, as we said, the Koreans followed the path of such Japanese companies as Sony and made the smartphone initially waterproof.

Samsung Galaxy S5 protection

Now there is no need to release the Samsung Galaxy S5 Active variant for active use as a . The new flagship has been tested, like many Japanese smartphones, for compliance with the IP67 standard. This standard indicates that the novelty can work after getting into dust or beach sand.

The basis of the "hardware" was a 4-core processor with a clock frequency of 2.5 GHz. RAM also does not meet the expectations of 2014 - 2 GB. Flash can be 16 or 32 gigabytes. True, support for MicroSD is impressive - up to 128 GB. The software is controlled by Android Kitkat version 4.4.2. Communication is supported in LTE.

Despite the fact that the work is provided by an average battery with a capacity of 2.8 Ah, the level of autonomy is quite high due to the use of energy-efficient technologies. In particular, it indicates the possibility of functioning in standby mode for more than 15 days, and during a conversation - for 21 hours.

Among the interfaces there is a fingerprint scanner that allows you to make secure purchases on the Internet, a high-speed USB 3.0 port, an infrared port as a remote control, NFC. Wireless communication is carried out via Bluetooth economical version 4.0 BLE with ANT + support and Wi-Fi with A / B / G / N protocols.

The waterproof smartphone contains a full set of indicators that may also be of interest to tourists, including a barometer and a heart rate sensor. The dimensions of the device are 8.1 x 72.5 x 142 mm with a total weight of 145 grams. The start of sales is scheduled for the first half of April, and immediately in 150 countries of the world. Estimated price of Samsung Galaxy S5 is 830 USD.

Additions and conclusions

It should be especially noted that an announcement with a clock frequency of 2.1 GHz is possible in the near future. The rest of the characteristics will apparently remain unchanged. It will probably be the company's own chip, which simply did not have time to finalize before the planned announcement.

Was it worth releasing a new flagship, only slightly improving the previous one? Unknown. It is only worth noting that Samsung refused to hold a separate event, which may indicate a decrease in the level of the flagship by the manufacturer from cult to ordinary, equal to others. Indeed, why, if the company has already taken a leading position in the world?

The article is written on the basis of materials from the official website of the developer:
samsungmobilepress.com

The South Korean giant company has already captured half of the world mobile phones with the Android ecosystem. And even the all-powerful empire of the good Google is unable to compete with the Koreans in terms of the release of mobile devices. The laudatory groans about the next flagship Galaxy S5 have just died down, and the brand's fans are already languishing in sweet anticipation of the announcement of another flagship Galaxy Note 4. But, unexpectedly, a very interesting modification of the S5 surfaced on the market.

If the original LTE-enabled S5 has a model index G900F, then the novelty that appeared on the market of the Middle East is coded by the index G900FD. And a small attachment D makes the phone unique at the end of 2014. In a nutshell, the G900FD is currently the only waterproof Android smartphone with LTE support and two SIM cards on board. Let's take a closer look at the phone.

At the time of writing the review, the G900FD is officially sold only in the Middle East, and in Russia this model is not officially available. And according to rumors, it will be available not entirely, but G900HD, i.е. model Galaxy S5 with two SIM cards, 8-core processor, but without LTE. About a year ago, I reviewed the phone Sony Xperia Z and complained that although it is equipped with LTE, there is not much point in it, since 4G networks have just begun to roll out across the country. But, a year has passed, and life without LTE has become noticeably more difficult. The number of mobile Internet users has grown, and 3rd generation networks simply cannot cope with the flow of data and voice traffic requests. And the presence of support for 4th generation networks in the phone is a real outlet that saves you from communication problems.

Although the phone is "gray", but, in skillful hands, who can set it up as it should, it will only please its owner. By the way, some users who have purchased this phone claim that it has the G900MD code in the special service menu, as a phone made for countries South America. But in the downloaded firmware, the model is displayed as G900FD, a phone for EMEA countries (including Russia and the Middle East). I hasten to assure the reader that the firmware installed in the phone is multilingual as usual. And when activating the phone, it is enough to select Russian as the language of the system and subsequently there will be no problems in the form of Arabic script in the menu items.

The package is nothing special. The phone itself, a USB2 cable, headphones with a flat wire and replaceable silicone inserts, a couple of skinny books in English and other languages, and a monstrous multivoltage charger. As I understand it, impatient Arabs cannot wait for their favorite phone to charge for four hours. They need it much faster, so the kit comes with a charge for as much as two amp-hours with a tricky plug. Well, two, so two.

Samsung Galaxy S5 Duos. Charging for 2 "amps".

Functionality

So, what, besides the presence of LTE, the Samsung Galaxy S5 Duos is still remarkable? Well, the fact that it is a dustproof phone. The S5 Duos is certified to the industry standard IP67. The six in the index means that it is completely dustproof. Dust cannot get inside the machine in any way. And the seven, that he freely experiences a short-term immersion in water to a depth of 1 meter. I, like many others, lead a fairly active lifestyle and constantly find myself in situations where ordinary, unprotected electronics can fail due to getting wet. Either I get caught in the pouring rain on a hike, or I just drop my phone while taking a photo in a pond. Certification by the IP67 standard is a real lifesaver here, now all fears about the phone dying due to water getting into it are unfounded. And dust protection, it seems, is more needed by those very Arabs in the desert, they have a lot of sand, but, on the contrary, there is not enough water.

The seal on the back cover is responsible for ensuring the water resistance of the phone. The headphone jack has a built-in valve, and the USB connector is closed with a separate valve cap. All speakers, microphone, flash and camera are self-protected. You should not worry about them, but the USB protection cover gradually starts to piss you off. To charge it every time you need to open and then close. It's annoying, and how long the strap that holds it will last is unknown. According to the experience of Sony Xperia Z, a similar strap lasted about six months, and then went to the forefathers. Although, Sony acted wisely and equipped their phone with a complete charging cradle.

Two SIM cards

The presence of two SIM cards, and here microSIM-sized cards are used, allows, according to the plan of marketers, to separate personal contacts from work contacts or simply save on calls. This is all, of course, true, but there is also a more interesting application of two-SIM devices. As you know, a modern smartphone is almost nothing if it does not have a connection to the global Internet. And when traveling, especially abroad, you have to make painful choices. Either pay your operator incredible money for roaming the mobile Internet, or remain without your number and change the SIM card in the device to a local one, or rent a mobile WiFi router with 3G / 4G support. But with a phone with two SIM cards, you just need to buy a local SIM card with an Internet tariff and put it in a free slot. And voila! We have both IP telephony for calls home, and a normal Internet connection, we live in general! By the way, the phone itself, exactly like its close relative Galasy S5, supports the following frequencies 4G LTE FDD Cat. 4: 800 (Band 20) / 850 (Band 5) / 900 (Band 8) / 1800 (Band 3) / 1900 (Band 2) / 2100 (Band 1) / 2600 (Band 7). And limited support for LTE-A with data rates up to 150 megabits. So, in many countries of the world, there will be 4G access to the network. However, such speeds are unnecessary for a phone, the usual 3G speed is enough, it would only work stably and everywhere.

By the way, in more detail about the two SIM cards in the phone. Not everything is as simple as it might seem at first glance. Technical thought does not stand still and sometimes in its flight it takes engineers so far that mere mortals simply cannot understand what certain technologies do. This is exactly the case with Samsung's Duos technology. Earlier, in the good old days, when phones were with buttons, two SIM cards in the phone were served by two separate radio modules. In such phones, it was possible to call from one SIM card to another. However, this scheme has two significant drawbacks. It uses twice as much battery power and costs twice as much as a single radio implementation. Therefore, a technology was invented when two (and sometimes more) SIM cards are served by one radio module.

The trick of the method here is that, according to the standard, the phone and the cellular base station are not in constant contact with each other. The phone only occasionally connects to the station in order to register on it or simply confirm that the device is still in the coverage area. And it is on this assumption that most modern dvuhsimochnikov issued. characteristic feature such devices is that in the case of a telephone conversation on a line with one SIM card, it will be simply impossible to get through to the second one, it will be out of the access zone. The situation is not entirely pleasant, but not at all fatal. And everything was fine, exactly until the moment when phones began to consume mobile Internet. Before the invention of the 3G standard transmission protocols, the phone could not receive calls at all during the exchange of mobile Internet data, the line remained busy while the modem was working in the phone. After some more time, 3G networks entered the scene and here, in some cases, data transfer was turned off during a call, and in the latest modifications, data transfer was not interrupted for a second.

In S-Health, you can not only see statistics on your steps, but also measure your heart rate. To do this, you need to put your finger on a special sensor, which will count the number of beats per minute. Convenient, especially for monitoring active aerobic training. In the same way as with steps, the pulse is logged, when and how much.

But, the application is not limited to this. It can track not only walks, but also other physical activities associated with movement in space. But, most importantly, S-Health is the main application that supports numerous S-fitness gadgets. There are simulators, and special watches with a heart rate monitor, there are even scales. So, if necessary, all this can be purchased and used in conjunction with your smartphone.

Physical phone protection

By the way, a little more about protection in the phone, about the physical side. Unlike some previous models, such as Note 2, the Galaxy S5 has a metal frame around the screen, which protrudes a millimeter above the screen. But, thanks to such protection, the glass does not touch the surface when the phone is screen down, or does not hit it when it falls with the glass down. A pretty wise decision, since a broken screen is probably the most common and most costly breakdown that can happen to your phone.

To further protect the device from physical damage, I recommend using a case. It is categorically desirable to use the S-View branded book-case. Since such a book will provide reliable protection against moisture ingress into the phone and it will not cease to be waterproof. In addition, the closable top cover securely protects your phone's display from scratches and bumps. And on the back side, with a similar case, the camera now does not stick out of the phone, but, on the contrary, is recessed into the case and its glass is not so actively scratched by anything. True, along with the camera, the heart rate sensor is also recessed, and users with non-dystrophic fingers will have to look for a new position in which the pulse is read.

In addition, the edges of the case protrude a few millimeters above the phone's body from all sides, and also protect it from shock when dropped. And the window at the top allows you to view basic information about missed calls, SMS and more. Additionally, a branded case allows you to lock and unlock your phone by simply closing or opening the cover (of course, if more reliable protection is not enabled, such as a password). Last but not least, wireless charging cases allow you to charge your phone by simply placing it on a dedicated charging station. It is very convenient, especially considering that for each charge, you need to open and then close the USB protective cover. However, wireless charging, although convenient, is not as powerful, so it charges the phone longer than conventional wired charging. And there are very big doubts that such charging will be able to charge the phone in the car during navigation mode, when the device consumes a fair amount of energy.

But keep in mind that the S-View cases themselves are different. There are some that are just cases and do not support the function of opening and closing the cover (no contacts on the back cover), but there are cases that support opening and closing (two contacts on the back cover), and the most advanced version, with wireless charging (five contacts). So, when buying, you need to choose exactly the case that you need and not overpay for extra functionality.

And again about water. Without water, neither there nor here.

And a few more words about water protection. Yes, the phone works perfectly underwater. Water is not poured into it, it continues to function. Even the buttons are pressed, but, here, only the touch screen does not work. No matter how much you move your finger on the glass, the phone does not react to these movements in any way (but the Sony Xperia Z quite normally perceives touch input while underwater). So, normal underwater photography can only be organized by reassigning the shutter button to one of the volume control buttons (a standard Samsung camera function). But, surprisingly, under water, the phone only slightly lost the level of Wi-Fi reception, and cellular networks did not lose a stick at all (perhaps it was just necessary to wait longer). So, with the proper skill, you can take a call under water, talk about a working topic, for example.

Bathing Galaxy S5 Duos.

It seems that the body of the phone itself is covered with some kind of hydrophobic impregnation, since the phone just pulled out of the water is practically dry, you don’t even need to wipe it, just shake off large drops and that’s it. However, I do not recommend bathing the phone in water for a long time, and after bathing in sea water it generally needs to be thoroughly rinsed in fresh water.

Comparison of Samsung Galaxy S5 Duos and Samsung Galaxy Note 2. General.

I used the Samsung Galaxy Note 2 for a very long time and did not switch from it to anything else for a long time. The reason was quite banal. The performance of the phone was quite enough for any of my tasks, the battery lasted convincingly for a long time, the large screen delivered comfort in use. That is why, I will now try to compare the Samsung Galaxy S5 Duos with one of my relatives. Although the devices are different, their application is very close, especially since I used the Note 2 stylus ten times at most.

The phones are very close in size. The S5 is only slightly smaller than the Note 2 both in body and screen size. We can say that they are almost the same in size. The only thing is that the screen resolution of the S5 is higher than that of the Note 2, so the loss on the diagonal pays off with a large amount of information that fits on the screen due to a smaller pixel and their denser packing. This means sharper and more detailed maps, finer detail in photographs, and finer text. Yes, in order to read books normally from the screen, and so that my eyes would not stick together after forty minutes of reading, I had to increase the font in the reader and turn the pages a little more often. But, otherwise, there was no particular discomfort from the transition from a large size to a smaller one, although at first some rejection was felt. The only thing is that it was not possible to use Yandex Maps directly, the letters and route lines are too small. In motion, it is not very convenient to look at all this trifle.

Comparison of SGS5 Duos and SGN 2. Camera.

Video shot by Samsung Galaxy S5 Duos.

But, the most remarkable thing that was and is in the Samsung Note 2 phone is its wonderful camera. For a long time I could not find a device with a camera of at least the same level and with the same photo and video quality that the camera in Note 2 gives. And I want to believe that the camera in S5 Duos is no worse than the camera in Note 2, even despite doubling the number of pixels on the matrix (16 megapixels for S5 versus 8 megapixels for Note 2). After several tests, I can say with confidence that, despite the technical progress in the field of telephone construction, the engineers of South Korea and Japan did not manage to spoil the camera in the S5. It works no worse than one of the flagships of the past.

from here.

Sometimes one frame is enough to understand that the camera is not bad, or vice versa, it is so disgusting that you should not use it at all. The photo above shows three photographs. The first one is from the S5 Duos we are looking for, the second one is from a Micro4/3 format camera and the one on the right is from the Galaxy Note 2. The photos are taken directly from the cameras, without any post-processing and in real size. All three photos were taken in fully automatic mode. Shooting conditions are the most common, not extreme sun, but not the darkest either. Nevertheless, a landscape with many small details makes it possible to evaluate the quality of the optics, as well as the actual detailing, noise reduction and sharpening.

Comparison of photos from SG S5 Duos, Panasonic GF1 and SG Note 2.
Download full size photo from here.

As you can see from the pictures, the photo from the S5 is not only just larger in size, but is in no way inferior to the photo from a normal camera equipped with some kind of, but still serious lens and a large photomatrix. And what? All three shots are good, but the S5's camera is definitely better than the Note 2's. And on par with a normal camera. If you reduce the image in the S5 to the size of the GF1 photo, the image quality will be almost identical. And, here, if we compare the picture taken by S5 with the picture of Note 2, then S5 obviously wins a little, including in detailing the picture. Of course, the GF1 will reach its potential and outperform the S5 in low light conditions and shooting in RAW format with subsequent manual processing, as well as when using a more advanced lens, such as Panasonic's "pancake" with aperture 1.7, but for most cases, photo quality is in S5 will be enough "for the eyes." The only thing I don't like about the shots of the S5 and Note 2 is the excessive "sharpening" of the picture. It is clearly visible on contrasting transitions, for example, between the roof of a house and a bright sky. But, in the case of S5, this defect is not so noticeable, since no one will consider such a picture at full magnification, it simply does not fit on any screen. And with a decrease, excessive "clarity" disappears. But, it's all about the photo.

SGS5 camera in video mode.

As you know, Note 2 also shoots good video. And then it became necessary to check the camera from S5 in video mode. True, after the photo test, it makes no sense to compare the video mode head-on, so we just tested the video shooting mode itself.

Judging by the advertising claims, S5 and S5 Duos can shoot in the so-called 4K or UltraHD (UHD) mode. This mode is specially optimized for the new generation television technology, which appeared on store shelves in 2014. These TVs have four times the resolution of a regular FullHD TV. True, such devices cost prohibitive money so far, and are far from accessible to everyone (however, there is nothing to look at them yet either). And on a computer monitor, this format also does not fit without reduction. Therefore, in the next few years, the feasibility of UHD video shooting is in question, there is nothing to watch anyway. And not far off is the emergence of devices class 8K, which have another four times the resolution of 4K devices.

Video captured by Galaxy S5 Duos in UHD 30fps.

S5 shoots video in UHD 4K format at 30 frames per second, of course, full "progressive", every second a full-fledged picture is taken. This is both good and bad at the same time. Detail is better when shooting in progressive than in interlaced, but large and fast movements on the screen turn into a kind of strobe light, which is overly annoying (and what it's like to watch on a huge 4K TV). But, I was not more interested in this at all, the real need for 4K video will be relevant only in a few years, but how this resolution is achieved inside the camera is already interesting. There can be two options, honest and not very. In the honest version, the video is shot in full resolution, encoded and recorded without any interpolation. And in a not very honest version, the video is shot, for example, in FullHD format, and then, when recording, it is programmatically stretched to the desired size. Detailing here, of course, suffers very much.

It turned out that it is quite easy to check this. I shot two videos of the same subject in UHD and FullHD. And in each video I increased one and the same detail of the landscape. The result is below in two frames from two videos.

Comparison of UHD and FullHD shooting in zoom.

The frames were taken in the maximum zoom mode on the camera, i.e. while shooting, the digital zoom was activated. As you can see, the FullHD mode suffered to the point of being completely unusable, while the UHD mode remained very, very clear. And if you reduce the image from UHD to HD, then even with digital zoom it will be no worse in quality than FullHD without digital zoom. Accordingly, the use of the UHD mode is advisable when you need to shoot something closer, but it is impossible to approach it. Or shoot as detailed a plan as possible, followed by distillation of the video in a lower resolution format.

But, in addition to UHD, the manufacturer claims the ability to shoot in 1920x1080 60p and 1280x720 120p. The modes are actually very interesting and somewhat lacking in the Note 2. Shooting in 60p mode (60 full frames per second) is possible in FullHD resolution and with sound. Actually, this should be the main video mode.

Doubling the frame rate had a very positive effect on the smoothness of all movements in the frame. There is no longer that annoying strobe effect even with fast movements. This mode is enabled in the camera's "Rec Mode" menu and is called "Smooth Motion". Unfortunately, it is not compatible with either the video stabilization mode, or the audio zoom mode, or the effects, and other video settings are lost. Just simple, regular video recording.

Video shot by Galaxy S5 Duos in Full HD 60 frames per second.

But with the 120 frames per second mode, not everything is so good. It is available only as an 8x slowdown of the video sequence and is written not only in a lower resolution (HDReady), without any additional settings, but also without sound. In other words, you can shoot in this mode only some kind of slow-motion video, and not usually get super-smooth video. This mode is hidden in the same menu as shooting in 60 frames per second mode.

Customization for yourself

In general, the new phone successfully replaced my old and beloved Note 2. In all respects, if not worse, then at least better than the old one, although it also met my needs by almost 100%. But, I don’t use Android phones if they weren’t fully configured to the needs of their owner. And it, like its predecessor, the S5 Duos, received several special improvements, without which it would not be so convenient to use it.

Of course, the improvements are not related to the hardware, but to the software, because, in fact, a modern phone is just a portable portable computer equipped with the necessary interesting equipment. Many, buying a "gray" S5 Duos, intended for the market of the United Arab Emirates, reflash it with the official firmware intended for Russia. But, I didn't do it. Why? Yes, because the firmware, in general, is identical in functionality, only more unnecessary is stuffed into the Russian one software from Samsung. Which cannot be deleted just like that, it takes up space, constantly reminds of itself, and which in general, if necessary, can be downloaded separately completely freely. The Arabic firmware is almost devoid of garbage (well, of course, if you compare it with the "Russian").

To my liking, I turned off Notes, Samsung Printer Plugin, HP Printer Plugin, pulling out ChatON Korean chat, ChocoEUKor Korean font, Dropbox, Flipboard, Goole Play Books, Google Play Movies, Play Games, Play Music, and S Voice. Applications are disabled by and large because I simply don’t use them, and they annoy me because they want to update, and they take up space, both on the screen of all applications and on the system drive, especially when applications receive significant updates.

But, in order to get the best result for customization, I had to get root access to the phone. In general, the situation with the fact that I own my phone as a property, but cannot fully dispose of it, when I am not given access to some sections of my device, is a little annoying. But, on the other hand, it's understandable. Most users do not need such access at all, and protection against viruses and other software malware is just the way for them. But even here, you remember the winged saying that when freedom is taken away in the name of security, as a result, you lose both. But, with the release of new devices, Samsung and other manufacturers are increasingly complicating and complicating protection systems, mainly restricting users' rights. But, as long as there are enthusiastic hackers and programmers, then all these protections are removed from phones. After all, what is done by one person can be broken by another.

For more information on flashing your phone, on getting root access, as well as on other issues, it is best to contact the specialized forums of the very famous and popular w3bsit3-dns.com site for mobile electronics, for example, XDA-Developers. And in no case do not take on the "flashing" of your phone without the appropriate knowledge, because an unsuccessful firmware operation can not only turn the phone into a lifeless piece of silicon, plastic and sapphire glass, but also deprive the manufacturer's warranty!

But, and then the recording of telephone conversations from the line was installed, as well as BTSync for two-way synchronization of photos and videos between the phone and my other computers. The well-known ClockSync, which sets the time on the phone with particular accuracy, is not forgotten either.

The peculiarity of the fresh Android operating system is that it is for some reason? known only to its developers, by default blocks write access for third-party programs to the memory card. Actually, BTSync is such a third-party software, and without getting root access, it is impossible to establish a two-way file exchange, no one will simply let the program write data to a memory card.

And including to correct this situation, root access is required. However, the problem is fixed quite easily by editing the system configuration file system/etc/permissions/platform.xml, where the parameters android.permission.WRITE_EXTERNAL_STORAGE And android.permission.WRITE_MEDIA_STORAGE are changed as follows:

conclusions

On the currently, the phone suits me personally and covers all my needs for communication, navigation and other things that I can require from a phone. Samsung once again turned out to be a very good device. And its dual SIM, LTE support and water resistance can make it a real bestseller on the market.

Update 1 : regarding the transition to Android 5. An update to Android 5 is already available for S5 DUOS. And you can quite legally upgrade to this version by updating either using a computer or through the Samsung update service. Which I did in March 2015. However, new operating system It didn't work for me for several reasons. Of course, it also has obvious advantages. At least increased battery life or a little more nimble work. But there are cons as well as pros. Firstly, the style of "material design" is, to put it mildly, an amateur. Square windows and completely blind menus will please not everyone. And secondly, the latest release of the next generation of Android is just full of annoying surprises. So, my device, hitherto unnoticed in independent reboots or freezes, on the new Android directly got into the habit of spontaneously rebooting and sometimes freezing. I had to roll back to 4.4.2, the time-tested version. And everything went back just fine.

Update 2 : Having rolled back to the previous version of Android (namely 4.4.2), I noticed that the device began to consume a little more energy than it should. But, since I prefer to have full control over my phone, with the help of root access and BetterBatteryStats, I was able to identify unnecessary consumers and freeze them. By and large, almost all applications from Samsung were frozen (ie transferred to inactive mode). It's amazing how much they consumed energy, constantly waking up the phone and preventing it from enjoying idle mode calmly. After the “cleaning” of the phone, I was a little struck by its gluttony, now, according to estimates, one charge should be enough for at least 1.5 days of work, which is almost twice as long as the time from charging the phone “out of the box”. And this is with always-on Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, mobile network and GPS.

* While this review was being written, Samsung managed to make a presentation of the new Note 4. The phone turned out to be quite stuffed with functionality and is also worthy of careful consideration. [