Gadgetory

so the same thing always happens when a new device launches the media gets review units ahead of the official launch and we get to use them while we write our review then the press embargo lifts every outlet posts their reviews and videos at the same time writers and commenters go back and forth and it's a huge frenzy of opinion and buzz for about a day and then it all goes away I'm sure there's some follow-up coverage but after that initial blast almost no one revisits the device to see how well it's aged because we're all on to the next big thing already so let's do something about it let's take a second look at Samsung's 2014 flagship which is water-resistant sensor packed and so glam I'm Taylor Martin with pocket now this is the Samsung Galaxy s5 and this is episode 38 of after the buzz to date we here at PocketNow have given the Galaxy s5 to full review treatments one for the AT&T model and another for the Verizon unit but if you count the handful of other galaxy s5 models we've reviewed like the prime active and sport that number jumps into five her usual Samsung has deluded its hero brand with more specific targeted versions of hardware the question is are these different models evidence from Samsung itself that the galaxy s5 isn't the glamorous high-end smartphone for everyone and have Samsung's competitors leapfrog the Android giant four months later has our opinion changed is the galaxy s5 still worth buying let's find out when Michael first reviewed the AT&T galaxy s5 he noted that yes the hardware does in fact look and feel a lot like the galaxy s4 it's larger and heavier which are both welcome changes but it feels familiar as he calls it after a few hours it feels like you've been using it for months he noted that for many that will be a good thing and for those looking to change things up you'd probably want to look elsewhere in the four months since its release our view of the hardware hasn't really changed at all Samsung did a wonderful job in cramming a whole lot of screen in a reasonably sized smartphone it added a host of new features and specifications over last year's Galaxy S model and we're happy it finally updated the button configuration with a dedicated tests which are button over the antiquated Menu key but for those complaining about Samsung's use of cheap plastics the s5 will not impress the design has hardly changed in two years even if Samsung introduced a faux perforated texture to the backside and changed the appearance of the chrome plastic trim it sharpened up the corners a bit and made it look a little more mature than previous models but all visual changes tend to quickly fade into the background for those fitness mavens outdoorsy folk and sensor buffs out there the s5 has it all it's impossible to overlook the fact that the s5 comes with ip67 certification for dust and water resistance despite the precision software problems telling you to ensure the battery door and power port are securely sealed the fingerprint scanner as a new layer of security not many phones have even if it's frustrating at times and usually requires two hands or multiple swipes or both just to get into your phone and the insides are just as impressive as most other smartphone on the market it includes an IR blaster heart rate sensor Bluetooth 4.0 LTE NFC and Wi-Fi AC the Snapdragon 801 is still just as impressive and no displays pop quite like Samsung Super AMOLED panels despite the ample add-on storage we wouldn't mind some more on-board storage or Ram but if design and what materials a phone is made of are near the bottom of your priorities the Galaxy s5 is still a very good phone particularly in terms of what it packs under the hood software on the galaxy s5 hasn't changed much since our initial reviews and neither has our opinion of it the AT&T model we have on hand is still running the same version of Android it shipped with Android 4.4.2 beneath Samsung's updated TouchWiz in touch with this year Samsung introduced a toned-down UI with soft matte colors and lots of circles it's noticeably more minimal less cluttered and less in-your-face but it still comes with more than a few heavy contrasts and accent colors meant to show off the super saturation of the s5s display we were having to learn the tabbed settings application was traded in favor of a grid or list view though you can still get the taps back if you missed them what we really love about TouchWiz are the value-add Samsung brings such as the multi window feature that lets you watch a YouTube video while browsing the web or toolbox a user customizable floating bubble that expands showing shortcuts to some of your favorite apps or tools however there are far more software features from Samsung that we never touch like s-health s-voice Samsung Apps smart stay smart Paul's Quick Connect and my magazines a baked in Flipboard feed TouchWiz has some nice touches and it's definitely improving but this particular version feels rushed and unfinished mostly we feel indifferent towards the software experience on the galaxy s5 Samsung's competitors made large leaps with their custom versions of Android this year specifically HTC with since 6 and LG with its new UI on the g3 performance was always a high point of the s5 the Snapdragon 801 is no slouch it posts great numbers in synthetic benchmarks and slices through heavy gaming or everyday tasks without a hitch we're happy to report that it's still just as snappy and powerful today battery life on the other hand isn't the best we've seen on most days it should manage to last a full day or about four hours of screen on time that is unless you're a heavy gamer or like to keep your brightness turned all the way up fortunately Samsung includes two levels of power saving a normal power saver mode and an ultra power saving mode both of which will allow you to squeeze more out of your phone's charge at the expense of functionality if you're one to place a lot of calls the Galaxy s5s call quality should give you some pause though both michael and i we're told we sounded muffled when we test a call quality during our initial reviews though data speeds and network performance are far more favorable in broad daylight the camera is one of the main draws of this home it's fantastic color saturation is a little high but that's par for the course autofocus locks on quickly and you can snap photos as fast as you can hit the on-screen shutter button video quality in broad daylight is great as well welcome to tobacco and the low-light performance is not very good at all if you're after a pretty balanced camera experience the 16 megapixel shooter on the back of the s5 is definitely one of your better options so four months later the Galaxy s5 is still just as great as it was on the day it launched but it's definitely lacking the glam and bite Samsung claimed in Samsung's slowing growth and falling profits are indicative of how its cautious updates are beginning to hurt the company so would we recommend the s5 today well not above all else if you won't perform it's a great camera and an above-average smartphone the s5 is a safe bet especially if you spend much of your time around water but devices like the One m8 and LG g3 bring much more to the table in terms of user experience build quality design and overall value I hope you enjoyed this episode of after the buzz if you did go ahead and click the like button below and subscribe to the channel to find more videos like this one in the future you can find us around the web Twitter Facebook and Google+ at PocketNow I'm Taylor Martin you can find me on twitter at casper tech and i will see you next time you look like weirded woodsman with sweat on your face go really fast welcome to the country tobacco ville rude welcome to to that Google