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Samsung Galaxy S5 and HTC One (M8) compared against rivals

posted by Victor H. / Apr 15, 2014, 2:21 AM

Samsung Galaxy S5 and HTC One (M8) compared against rivals

Two of the most anticipated devices this year, the Samsung Galaxy S5 and HTC One (M8), have arrived with a splash. You can now finally officially get them at retailers and all major US carriers, but are they really worth buying and why?

The Galaxy S5 brings novel features such as a fingerprint scanner and heart-rate monitor, but it also adds protection from the elements, a new, dimpled design, as well as a Samsung-made ISOCELL camera. The One (M8), on the other hand, relies on its gorgeous design and improved internals: it comes with even more polished than before aluminum unibody, and a Duo camera arrangement that allows for some creative shots.

As good as these features sound on paper, truth is that the Galaxy S5 and One (M8) don't come in a vacuum. They have to compete for your attention with many other devices. First, one would probably wonder whether it's even worth upgrading to one of these two new heavy-hitters, if you own one of their predecessors. It's also important to see how they compare against existing top devices: phones like the Apple iPhone 5s, Samsung Galaxy Note 3, and LG G2. To give you a better idea about this all, we meticulously compared the new S5 and One (M8) against their rivals. Take a look below.

Samsung Galaxy S5 against the competition

HTC One (M8): beauty against its rival beasts

Related phones

View Full specs

PhoneArena Rating:

9.1

Read Full Review

User Rating:

9.3

Based on 71 Reviews

Display 5.1" 1080 x 1920 pixels

Camera 16 MP / 2.1 MP front

Processor Qualcomm Snapdragon 801, Quad-core, 2500 MHz

Storage 32 GB + microSDXC

Battery 2800 mAh(21h 3G talk time)

View Full specs

PhoneArena Rating:

8.8

Read Full Review

User Rating:

9.7

Based on 83 Reviews

Display 5.0" 1080 x 1920 pixels

Camera 4 MP / 5 MP front

Processor Qualcomm Snapdragon 801, Quad-core, 2300 MHz

Storage 32 GB + microSDXC

Battery 2600 mAh(20h 3G talk time)

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47 Comments

1. Anshulonweb

Posts: 468; Member since: Feb 07, 2014

well the main competition of these phones is xperia z2...... waiting for detailed comparison between Samsung s5, HTC one and xperia z2...

posted on Apr 15, 2014, 2:24 AM 11

2. Doakie

Posts: 2478; Member since: May 06, 2009

Is the Z2 going to be released to all carriers or just T-Mobile? I'm yet to hear anything about all carriers. If it's T-Mobile only it won't be competition at all. On paper it will compete, but in the real world your average US citizen will never know it exists. It'll just fade into the background just like the M7 did behind the GS4, only even more so because now it has to even get out of the M8s shadow which isn't very big. Maybe globally it'll make a splash but I have a feeling it won't even make a ripple in the USA.

posted on Apr 15, 2014, 2:46 AM 1

42. Jinto

Posts: 436; Member since: Jan 15, 2014

T-Mobile for sure, probably for Verizon too

posted on May 06, 2014, 1:11 AM 0

37. 0xFFFF

Posts: 3806; Member since: Apr 16, 2014

Hopefully Sony can sort out their terrible problems with shipping product. I'm looking forward to finding out if the Z2 has a high quality headphone output. It does have onboard noise cancellation which may be quite useful. More useful than a half baked heart rate monitor, anyway. Maybe the Z2 camera will be better than the Z1. The Z2 got a good review from DXO recently. The One M8 is a great phone other than the terrible camera. Unfortunately, it is what you get from a company almost out of money with a warehouse full of 4MP sensors. The S5 is a competent phone, but market/cost engineered too much. Samsung should have put an OIS camera on the phone.

posted on Apr 17, 2014, 1:38 AM 2

3. Mr.Torture

Posts: 25; Member since: Apr 15, 2014

Comparing both phones with old Xperia flagship makes so much sense... Well, at least to Phone Arena. Although Z2 is revealed even much earlier than these phones. If nothing, it tells us how far Xperia line has gone, compared to, for example, three years ago period. One can only salute to job Sony has done with recent offerings.

posted on Apr 15, 2014, 2:49 AM 0

4. v3n0m

Posts: 8; Member since: Mar 01, 2014

PA. Where is the Sony xperia z2? Don't you guys have one to test? Come on....

posted on Apr 15, 2014, 2:58 AM 1

6. maherk

Posts: 6878; Member since: Feb 10, 2012

why test it against something that isn't competing in the market at the moment? those tests were published when the S5 and M8 went on sale, their purpose is to help buyers decide what to go for.

posted on Apr 15, 2014, 3:21 AM 3

5. PapaSmurf

Posts: 10457; Member since: May 14, 2012

S5 takes my vote. Only the Note 3 can challenge it.

posted on Apr 15, 2014, 3:16 AM 6

7. bodzio1809

Posts: 407; Member since: Aug 28, 2013

Often I laugh when I see your comments, but I need to agree that as overall device S5 is the best phone on the market. I would change only few things on it. Obviously design. It don't look bad, but it don't look very good. Materials aren't bad, but I would pick better quality plastic. Also I would change gimmick heart rate sensor to dual tone led flash. As more personal opinion I would like bigger screen in the same body (around 5,3') with onscreen buttons and stereo speakers on the front of device. Also I would like to have touch type(iPhone like) fingerprint scanner under screen. The best thing is that it could happen in premium version. I just hope that they will stay with fullHD.

posted on Apr 15, 2014, 3:41 AM 1

43. Jinto

Posts: 436; Member since: Jan 15, 2014

I also laugh when I see his comments

posted on May 06, 2014, 1:12 AM 0

13. bodzio1809

Posts: 407; Member since: Aug 28, 2013

And this is how S5(F) should look like :D http://imagizer.imageshack.us/a/img836/1539/903e.jpg

posted on Apr 15, 2014, 4:48 AM 1

41. ihavenoname

Posts: 1693; Member since: Aug 18, 2013

Agreed.

posted on May 01, 2014, 2:11 AM 0

44. Jinto

Posts: 436; Member since: Jan 15, 2014

Wow...

posted on May 06, 2014, 1:13 AM 0

25. MamaSmurfy

Posts: 4; Member since: Apr 14, 2014

I take you

posted on Apr 15, 2014, 11:44 AM 0

8. Karriope

Posts: 148; Member since: Jun 07, 2013

Regarding the Z2, the probable answer is Pa hasnt got one. Surely you want some honest comparisons of physically in their hands stuff rather then speculation, no?

posted on Apr 15, 2014, 3:48 AM 1

9. gigaraga

Posts: 1454; Member since: Mar 29, 2013

The Samsung Galaxy S5 is the most balanced device therefore it is the best, next to the Note 3...which on virtually on par with it, while having more functionality. I don't see other smartphone manufacturers producing that solid of a handset like the GS5.

posted on Apr 15, 2014, 4:03 AM 2

10. rizevnarastek

Posts: 349; Member since: Sep 06, 2012

The HTC One M8 is currently the best smartphone out. It's the best jack of all trades. It's exquisite design, those ear pampering BoomSound speakers, it's great feel in hand, it's snappy and clean Sense 6 and that fantastic camera. It would only need a bit bigger screen and wireless charging to be the ultimate, perfect phone. Sadly there is no such thing as perfection.

posted on Apr 15, 2014, 4:12 AM 6

11. PapaSmurf

Posts: 10457; Member since: May 14, 2012

Fantastic camera? M8?

posted on Apr 15, 2014, 4:32 AM 1

16. true1984

Posts: 865; Member since: May 23, 2012

to him, smurf, to him.

posted on Apr 15, 2014, 7:27 AM 1

38. Neo_Huang

Posts: 1067; Member since: Dec 06, 2013

It is actually the jack of no trades except for audio quality and appearance (I say appearance and not design because the bezels are way too big, it is too slippery and it has on-screen buttons even though it has more than enough space to fit captive buttons). The M7 was much better (compared to the phones of its time).

posted on Apr 18, 2014, 9:26 PM 0

12. 1ceTr0n

Posts: 549; Member since: May 20, 2012

Proof that people would prefer a phone that bounces and gets lightly scratched from droppage then a permanently dented $700 tinfoil anchor

posted on Apr 15, 2014, 4:44 AM 0

14. papss unregistered

You are assuming it only gets a light scratch but the other gets destroyed? Way to go to the extreme left and right for both.

posted on Apr 15, 2014, 5:10 AM 3

15. dexter_jdr

Posts: 1163; Member since: Jun 28, 2012

samsung galaxy S5 is like the STABLE version of an android device

posted on Apr 15, 2014, 7:16 AM 0

19. true1984

Posts: 865; Member since: May 23, 2012

i hope you arent basing this on the stability of the s4...

posted on Apr 15, 2014, 10:13 AM 0

34. dexter_jdr

Posts: 1163; Member since: Jun 28, 2012

hmm. i think im basing it to all samsung android devices with their videos regarding build quality.... the high-end ones.

posted on Apr 16, 2014, 3:07 AM 0

17. Slammer

Posts: 1515; Member since: Jun 03, 2010

---"Two of the most anticipated devices this year, the Samsung Galaxy S5 and HTC One (M8), have arrived with a splash."--- This is subjective. The difference of anticipation for both devices is highly dependant on public buzz and hype. While most tech sites were celebrating and salivating on HTC, mainstream consumers have been interested in what the S5 had to offer. When public demand and interest is far greater than what the tech site's opinions are, all bets are off and articles shouldn't perceive contrary reports by propping up paper tigers. In short, the anticipation for the HTC was not highly anticpated. The future iphone is. The galaxy S5 is. Two of my friends were leaving Apple to purchase an HTC(M8) only to find out that it didn't offer removable battery that both had grown tired of with the iphone. Both ended up in line with me and all others Friday that waited almost 3 hours in to purchase our new S5s. This device is a great compilation of what was hyped by Samsung and what was delivered to the consumers waiting for it. Those that want to claim cheap are ignorant of what should be expected out of a device. Samsung nailed another great product. This is coming from someone that hated Samsung and supported HTC for many years. John B.

posted on Apr 15, 2014, 9:00 AM 0

18. true1984

Posts: 865; Member since: May 23, 2012

hold on, i dont know anyone who wanted the gs5 either. i do know a lot of people who were waiting on the m8 though. maybe you dont know anyone who was excited about the m8, but that doesnt meat they didnt exist. and of course the s5 isnt cheap, the 16gb version is $700

posted on Apr 15, 2014, 10:12 AM 0

28. Slammer

Posts: 1515; Member since: Jun 03, 2010

You don't? That's odd. Because while I have heard an onslaught of people wanting the S5, I can admit to a few wanting an HTC. I must call a flag on your play. Intelligent debate requires more than skewed views. Unless you don't mingle with large numbers of society, you are trying to con my experience and view. It won't work. John B.

posted on Apr 15, 2014, 12:40 PM 0

31. true1984

Posts: 865; Member since: May 23, 2012

negative, sir. i'm 100% honest. but i can admit about half of my friends have the note 3, so i'm guessing they arent really eager to jump on a new phone right away, and a few dont really like touchwiz, so none of them are really interested in the s5. also you must take into account that there are different types of people and i also have some friends that never take pictures with their phones either.