Samsung Galaxy S5, White 16GB (AT&T)

Having used the Samsung Galaxy S3, Galaxy S4, and Galaxy Note 10.1 2014 - I am familiar with the changes made to the user interface between the models. I felt the S3 has the best app menu / home screen interface because it allows me to go forwards and backwards without coming to a complete stop forcing me to go backwards. I believe the change was first made with the S4 and carried over to the S5. I noticed the S5 has a bit more bloatware from Verizon, but many of them can be easily turned off via Application Manager (such as My Magazine). I was also forced to subscribe to Verizon Basic Visual Voice Mail, which didn't work right for the first 24 hours. However, now I feel it is actually pretty good. I still haven't tried HD calling/voice yet, but it is available on the S5 with Verizon.The quad-core processor on the S5 makes the interface feel a lot faster and more fluid than my S3 for obvious reasons. AnTuTu benchmarks showed the S5 rated at 42,412 points which is very high at the time of this review. The battery life is just under 46 hours and 56 minutes with infrequent use, about the same as my S3. The screen on the S5 is larger than the S3's screen and has a higher resolution. However, the end result is that everything just looks larger and sharper. With the Tech Armor ballistic glass (which is a very thick but clear protector), the screen looks absolutely gorgeous even in bright conditions. The WiFi performance is exceptionally good - much better than my S3 or the Galaxy Note 10.1 2014 edition. I am seeing the maximum number of WiFi bars throughout the house whereas my other devices are kind of wishy washy.The camera on the S5 is a great feature. It actually swayed over quite a few of my coworkers who have been die-hard iPhone users. The low light capability is extraordinary without the use of a flash. The HDR feature is also very cool. I'm not a newbie to videography as I have used my S3 for a variety of photography and video projects. The S5 has the ability to record video in 4K/30fps and 1080P/60 fps. I learned from using my GoPro Hero3+ Black Edition that the use of a proper Class 10 micro-SD card is the key to maximizing data bitrate for the videos. The slower microSD cards that are still Class 10 may only be capable of 45-50 MB/s, resulting in the device backing off the bitrate to under 30 Mbps for the video. There's a noticeable loss in quality on the Hero3+ Black Edition when this occurs. I picked up a PNY Class 10 that is rated for 90 MB/s, and found that my S5 records 4k/30 fps at 56 Mbps and 1080P/60 fps at 27 Mbps - which is less than the 48 Mbps I get from the GoPro Hero3+ Black Edition. However, the S5's video quality still blows the GoPro away.The S5 offers some water resistance, but the USB 3.0 port cover gets very annoying. I'm sure that over time the cover will get damaged/broken and the gasket may be damaged as well, reducing the effectiveness of the water resistance. The USB 3.0 port itself is also annoying as USB 3.0 is harder to quickly plug in versus a basic micro USB port.Overall: 5/5 stars, one of the best phones for 2014. I looked hard at the LG G3 and HTC One M8, but the S5 offered the best battery life, fastest performance, and a removeable battery. The LG G3's larger screen was also its downfall as it uses more power and it slows down the phone a bit based on all the benchmarks and reviews I have read. If you already have a S4, the S5 won't be that great of an upgrade. I had the S3 and still felt that I could have used the S3 until the S6 came out, but the Black Friday deals for the S5 were too hard to pass up! The quad-core processor makes a huge difference as well!

This is the fourth Android phone model we've used in our household used since evolving into smart phone use six years ago. Before I begin gushing about the phone itself, some context about *any* mobile phone purchase (if you're already comfortable with the variables of mobile phones and their providers, you can skip this part):These major factors that will contribute to (or detract from) the smart phone experience of *any* user:(1) the hardware...the phone itself(2) operating system software(3) installed applications(4) the network (overall, and where you happen to be using the phone at a particular time)(5) the service provider.Serial dependencies come from these factors, as many phones are tied to specific operating systems or service providers. Just remember that even if you make a great phone choice, deficiencies in the other areas can still diminish your overall user experience.Make your move to your next (or first) smart phone only after researching these choices. Which provider? Which mobile operating system? Who offers the best service, or the best combination of value and service? The rest of this review assumes you've already figured out why a phone with the Android operating system might be a better choice for you than an iPhone, a Blackberry or a Windows-based smart phone solution (yes, Blackberry and Windows options remain alive...sort of).Every provider --including Sprint-- has a variety of pricing options. If you're a Sprint customer with two years on your current hardware and are ready to re-up: many phones are available at a deep discount from both online retailers and big box stores. I've asked Sprint if they will match those prices..and they won't. It's no big deal; you won't hurt their feelings if you buy from another source (but you might not be able to take a suddenly balky phone into a Sprint store and have it replaced at no charge, either). For this phone, Amazon's pricing was at a 90% discount vs. buying from Sprint. Be sure and negotiate with them and look for plan pricing discounts for loyatly or organizational/corporate affiliations.For the phone itself: this is an outstanding device for each of telephony, online activity, still photography and video capture. The display is crisp and brilliant, the controls (each of the three buttons on the phone's side, the home/soft keys on the front and the options within the OS) are intuitive and responsive. The touchscreen keyboard is the best onscreen text input experience I've ever had...period.Audio output (for phone calls and music --streamed via Bluetooth or via the aux connector) is excellent.Both photographs and video are easy to use. The 16 megapixel rear camera images (still and moving) are outstanding in quality. Obviously the front is a grainier at 2 megapixels.But wait there's more: the rear phone cover easily removes to reveal an easily user-replaceable battery. Shame on phones that don't offer this. You'll also find access to a slot for a microSD card adjacent to the battery.Charging and sync are via a USB 3.0 port. If you don't have any cables with this form factor, this phone ships with one, but you'll want extras so you don't have to keep tabs on a possible single point of failure. This is not a negative...bust an issue if you replacing a phone with a different cable type.Outstanding smart phone that will keep you from the clutches of the Apple tree. Select with confidence.