HTC One (M8) vs Samsung Galaxy S5
Samsung is the reigning heavyweight champion on the Android scene, and the Galaxy S5 resembles a return to form after the somewhat frustrating S4.
The Taiwanese competitor has a happy Android pedigree and in 2013’s HTC One was our pick of the smartphone bunch. The HTC One (M8) is not the catchiest name we’ve actually ever heard, but even if the ungainly tag sticks, this is a beautiful-looking gadget.
If any Android smartphone can mount a qualified challenge to Samsung’s dominance this year, it’s got to be the HTC One (M8).
Headline features
Duking it out for the affections of the mass market indicates producing phones that have an actually large appeal. All the leading Android phones have plenty in common, but the HTC One (M8) does offer a couple of standout functions.
Opting out of the megapixel war with ultrapixels, HTC isn’t afraid to be various. The HTC One (M8) has dual cameras on the back. There’s a 4.1 ultrapixel video camera with a depth viewing camera above it, which offers 3D effects and, more importantly, the ability to refocus after conjecturing.
That reassuringly expensive feel and visual will certainly win the One (M8) a great deal of good friends, and it maintains the clever front-facing BoomSound speakers which were globally commended in its predecessor.
A redesigned Sense interface with a bare, flat icon appearance and a host of time-saving gestures brings HTC bang up to this day.
The Samsung Galaxy S5 has a lot going for it. The company actually took the criticism of the S4 to heart and reacted by scaling down the huge list of functions and suspicious software enhancements to concentrate the S5 on what individuals actually desire.
That’s why there’s a 16MP video camera capable of snapping a shot in 0.3 seconds. Samsung also added real-time HDR and a handful of other modes and effects, which have led to a very strong-looking electronic camera.
Another huge trend in mobile tech right now is fitness monitoring. Samsung has enhanced the S Wellness app from last year, and included a heart rate sensor – choose for yourself whether that’s something you ‘d desire.
Following Sony’s lead, the Galaxy S5 is IP67 rated, which means dust postures no danger and it can be immersed at a depth of up to 1 metre for up to Thirty Minutes.
Design
Its predecessor certainly turned heads and the HTC One (M8) has a comparable aluminium body with a really accurate, premium feel. HTC understands the best ways to make a lovely smartphone that people will certainly fall for on sight. It’s 146.36 x 70.6 x 9.35 mm and it weighs in at 160g.
Samsung’s decision to stick to the same design language as its galaxy of Galaxy models has grown is tougher to validate. The complaints about a cheap, plastic feel now stretch back years, and if you believe the textured back looks like a sticking plaster, you are not the only one.
On the other hand, the S5 is lighter and slimmer than its rival. It weighs 145g and determines 142 x 72.5 x 8.1 mm, but lacks that premium feel that we enjoy on the One (M8).
UI
Both devices include Google’s biscuity goodness in the shape of Android 4.4 KitKat. The One has HTC’s Sense 6.0 ahead, with some useful new gesture faster ways and a flatter icon design. The S5 has Samsung’s TouchWiz, which provides a huge list of settings to play with (though you couldn’t find all them extremely useful).
HTC eschews separate buttons beneath the screen, choosing Google’s choice of onscreen secrets that can fade away when not in use. Samsung decided to stick with the physical home button and its touch-sensitive wing guys.
Both are suitable overlays in their own right, in our viewpoint, and while we are getting used to having all keys on screen, we do like a physical home button.
Screen
The HTC One (M8) has a 5-inch display with a 1,920 x 1,080 pixel resolution. The Galaxy S5 has a 5.1-inch screen which is also complete HD at 1080p. Technically the One needs to be a little sharper, but it is not simple to tell the difference.
The HTC opts for a Super LCD3 alternative, where Samsung has actually remained real to form and gone with an intense and lively Super AMOLED HD choice instead – this results in higher color saturation, but can be modified to your own choice.
CPU and RAM
The Samsung Galaxy S5 is packing an impressive 2.5 GHz quad-core Snapdragon 801 processor backed up by 2GB of RAM. The HTC One (M8) is virtually precisely the same with 2GB of RAM, and it’s also powered by the quad-core Snapdragon 801 processor, although it’s clocked at 2.3 GHz.
We’ve to put them with their paces and inspect the standards, but a significant space in between them in regards to speed would be a surprise – in spite of HTC running ahead of the pack in our standard tests.
Battery
You’ll find a 2,600 mAh battery in the HTC One (M8), while the S5’s battery is slightly bigger at 2,800 mAh. The somewhat smaller sized screen and the lower clock speed might assist close the gap here.
Both phones have an unique power-saving mode that’ll certainly help you focus on when the battery gets low and squeeze the maximum use from your decreasing juice. The battery in the S5 can be swapped out, but the One (M8) is sealed.
Camera
The electronic cameras are a headline feature for both phones, but the strategies are extremely different. We’ve the dual rear cam setup of the HTC One (M8) with a 4.1 ultrapixel camera and a range determining electronic camera above it. There’s likewise a 5MP front-facing camera for top quality selfies.
Samsung has gone for a 16MP main camera and a 2.1 MP front-facing camera. The S5 is likewise efficient in taping 4K video, while the One peaks at 1080p, something that might prove vital to any individual who’s taken the 4K plunge with a new TV.
Price
Price-wise, there is not really much of a difference. If you want to own either of these smartphones then you’ll have to be prepared to part with $929 for the Samsung Galaxy S5 or for $30 less, the HTC One (M8) will have a price of $899. Agreement bargains will certainly vary on telcos, and the distinction will certainly be only a couple of dollars in favor of the HTC.
Early verdict
The HTC One (M8) and the Samsung Galaxy S5 are both remarkable, and they’ve to be. The top of the Android tree is a very competitive space and it’s not simply HTC aiming to knock Samsung off its perch: Sony, LG, and others are launching convincing smartphones too.
Few devices can match the Galaxy S5’s covert depths, however if you desire a piece of tech that even iPhone owners will drool over, the HTC One (M8) can not be overlooked.