Galaxy S5 Vs. iPhone 6: Which One Is Right For You?
If you’re in the market for a new smartphone, odds are you’re considering either Samsung’s Galaxy S5 or one of Apple’s new iPhones. You should be widening your horizons a bit more, but if you’re set on either a Galaxy or one of Apple’s offerings, we’ve got a handy guide to help you choose between the two.
Picking out a smartphone was a bit easier before this past Tuesday, when Apple showed off not one but two versions of the iPhone 6. The plain iPhone 6 has a 4.7-inch display, while the iPhone 6 Plus has a 5.5-inch display. If you’re interested in the iPhone, your choice between the two will really come down to what size display you want. Each model has its own pluses and minuses, but we’re going to pretty much treat them as one model for the purposes of this guide.
There are a bunch of factors to choose from when it comes to picking between an iPhone and a Galaxy S5, but if you know what’s important to you in a smartphone, your choice gets easier.
If you want the latest and greatest…
If you’ve just got to have the newest shiny toy on the market, the choice is pretty easy: you’ll want to go with Apple’s iPhone 6. The iPhone is so new it’s not even out yet. Preorders for the new iPhones started on Friday, and the device will be available for pickup starting September 19.
The Galaxy S5 is comparatively ancient… at least in consumer tech terms. The Galaxy S5 has been out since April of this year. If you’ve got to have the latest and greatest right now, though, go with the iPhone 6. Samsung’s sold millions of Galaxy S5 units, and it’s readily available for purchase, which actually leads us into our next criterion…
If you’ve got to have it right now…
As we said, the iPhone 6 won’t go on sale until September 19, so if you want a new phone now, you’re better off going with the Galaxy S5. Even if you’re okay with waiting a week, you still might not get an iPhone 6 quickly. Apple typically sells through their initial production run in the time it’s taken you to read this far. That means you run a solid chance of having to wait days, or even weeks, to get your hands on the newest iPhone.
So, if you want a phone right now, if you’ve just got to get a new pocket personal computer, snatch up a Galaxy S5. If you can wait a few weeks, though, check our next category to see whether you’ll want to go with an iPhone.
You’re a specs geek…
If the thought of quad-core processors and high-resolution screens gets you all antsy in your pantsy, you’re probably leaning toward a Galaxy S5. You’re actually probably right in that inclination; Apple’s iPhones almost never have the cutting edge tech that Samsung packs into devices like the Galaxy S5. The Galaxy S5 packs a 1080×1920 display, Snapdragon 801 processor, and 2GB of RAM, and you can expand its storage capacity an additional 128GB with a microSD card.
The iPhone 6 Plus actually matches the Galaxy S5 in terms of display, though the Galaxy S5 has a higher pixel density since it’s smaller overall. The iPhone 6, though, has just a 750×1334 display. Solid figures on the amount of RAM in Apple’s new iPhones won’t be available until they’re released, but Apple tends to scrimp on that specification. If you’re specs-minded, you may want to go with the Galaxy S5, but there’s another thing to consider…
If you want the best overall experience…
Message boards across the internet are filled to bursting with arguments over this, but our (not so) humble opinion is that there’s really no comparison in terms of overall smartphone experience: the iPhone has the Galaxy S5 beat by a mile. Many miles, even.
It starts with the phone’s actual design. For a while now, Apple’s iPhones have held the crown in terms of overall phone design. Since the original iPhone, all other manufacturers have come to follow Apple’s lead, especially Samsung. Samsung has been stubborn, though, and continued to outfit phones like the Galaxy S5 with subpar build materials. If you want a phone that doesn’t feel cheap, skip the Galaxy S5.
In terms of mobile operating systems, iOS still has Android beat. It’s just a much smoother operating system, and the apps are, almost without exception, more polished. Apple’s implementation of a fingerprint sensor is smoother than what you’ll find in the Galaxy S5, as well. End to end, the iPhone beats out the Galaxy S5, to the point that the average user is really better off going with Apple. There’s one other category that could sway you toward a Galaxy S5, though.
If you’re a God-fearing user…
Did you know that the iPhone 6 and the Apple Watch are precursors for the Mark of the Beast? As we’ve previously explored, that’s the feeling of some of the more paranoid internet commenters. Ourselves, we worship the Flying Spaghetti Monster, but if you’re fearful of the Beast that rises out of the sea, you might want to save your soul by going with the Galaxy S5.
We kid, of course, but there are a ton of other factors that go into the choice between an iPhone and a Galaxy S5. If you want crystal clear video but don’t want a 5.5-inch screen, go with the Galaxy S5. If you simply have to have the newest apps as soon as they come out, iOS is the operating system for you, and the iPhone is a better bet than the Galaxy S5. If you want a simple phone, or a phone you can hold onto for years and still sell for a hefty sum, the iPhone is the way to go.
If you’re interested in customizing your phone’s look, though, you’re better off with the Galaxy S5. Android is a much more flexible operating system, and you can swap out the default skin for the Galaxy S5 with a number of other attractive options.
In some ways, it’s really a wash. The best way to tell what phone you should get next is to look at the phone you have right now. If you have a Galaxy S4 or other Android phone and you’re happy with the experience, you’ll really want to consider picking up a Galaxy S5. If you’re not satisfied, though, you may want to take a look at the iPhone. If you’ve got an iPhone and you’re dissatisfied with Apple’s walled garden, you could do worse than to check out the Galaxy S5.
[Lead image via Gadzooki.]
