Samsung Galaxy S4 Google Play Edition vs Samsung Galaxy S4

Introduction:

When you’re talking about the Samsung Galaxy S4 nowadays, you really need to clarify just a tiny bit more, seeing that during Google I/O, it was announced that a version of the prized handset would bear a stock Android experience. Should we be surprised that it was chosen to be turned into a ‘Google Play Edition’ device? Well, considering that it’s selling like hot cakes and proved to be one of the most talked about things during the first half of the year, it’s fitting for it to be transformed into a Google Play Edition smartphone. The handset’s original experience, TouchWiz, brought along a ton of cool features into the mix. Knowing that, is there going to be any major tradeoffs switching to the stock Android experience?

Design:

No surprises here folks. These two are identical twins, and it’s undeniably hard to tell them apart from the front. Well, if we take a peek from their backsides, we’re able to distinguish them from one another. In fact, the TouchWiz version has the “Galaxy S4” branding etched into its rear casing – whereas it’s not present on the Google Play Edition. Sure, it’s not the most premium looking thing on the market, but we can’t complain since it bears a thin and lightweight frame that’s reasonably constructed together.


One thing worth noting about their designs is the fact that they both feature various IR blasters, but it’s only the TouchWiz version that makes use of them – seeing that they’re not active on the Google Play Edition.




Display:

Gorgeous! What more do we need to say about their 5-inch Super AMOLED 1080 x 1920 displays aside from that? Quite simply, they’re detailed, vivid, sharp, sport wide viewing angles, and have that showroom wow factor with their polarizing glows. Although they share the same hardware, there’s one notable feature that puts the advantage to the TouchWiz original – Air View functionality. Essentially, the display on the TouchWiz version is able to track our finger as it’s hovering slightly away.

Interface and Functionality:

If you didn’t realize it by now, the biggest thing that differentiates these two close siblings is found strictly with their software experiences. With the original model, TouchWiz upped the ante by offering an exorbitant amount of features, which some might view as gimmicky or revolutionary. Regardless of what camp you fall in, we can’t deny that we’re given so many ways to do things – whether they’re simple or basic. From its various S-branded services, to other movement based operations like Air View and Air Gestures, the TouchWiz experience is serious about offering more. And more is better, right?


On the flip side, the stock Android 4.2.2 experience on the Google Play Edition will adhere more to hardened Android users, since it’s likely to receive those prized Android updates faster than other models. Or will it, especially when Sammy’s original flagship model has been selling off the grill at a hasty rate?


Visually, the stock experience is simply clean and beautiful – whereas with TouchWiz, it still embodies some cartoony characteristics with its presentation. Another noteworthy thing to mention about TouchWiz, it reinvents what it means to multi-task, as its extra multi-windows feature allows us to view select apps simultaneously. For the Google Play Edition, multi-tasking is done only the usual way by using Android’s task switching menu to move between opened apps.

On the surface, the two experiences have all the bells and whistles to keep us organized, seeing their respective core organizer apps feature the same functions and presentations. However, we get a sense that the TouchWiz version goes the extra mile, as its various Air View functions deliver pertinent information by simply hovering our finger over certain elements.

Thanks to their spacious displays, typing up messages with their respective on-screen keyboards is an effortless process – thanks partly to their quick responses. At first glance, it might look as though the two share the same layout, but they’re actually different. Between the two, we appreciate how the TouchWiz keyboard boasts quick access to numbers and punctuations directly from the main layout.




Processor and Memory:

Testing out the two, they share the same hardware under the hood – a quad-core 1.9GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 600 CPU coupled with 2GB of RAM and the Adreno 320 GPU. From a cursory look, there’s no arguing that the two are pretty responsive, but upon closer inspection, we find more snappiness with the Google Play Edition of the Galaxy S4. It’s most evident in the homescreen when a live wallpaper is used. There is a little bit of jitteriness seen with the TouchWiz Galaxy S4, while the Google Play Edition moves with a consistent amount of fluidity and finesse.

	Quadrant Standard	AnTuTu	GLBenchmark 2.5 (Egypt HD)	Vellamo (HTML5 / Metal)
Samsung Galaxy S4	12078	24701	4437 / 39 fps	1702/704
Samsung Galaxy S4 Google Play Edition	12205	23861	4706 / 42 fps	1986 / 825

Considering it’s the stock experience, the Google Play Edition actually boasts the higher internal storage capacity between the two – 12.65GB of space as opposed to 9.62GB on the TouchWiz original. Still, it’s nice to know that they both have microSD card slots to complement their internal memory.

Internet and Connectivity:

Thanks to their sharp looking displays, 4G LTE connection, and swift performances, we’re able to surf complex web pages with barely any issues. However, we can use an alternative browser out of the box on the TouchWiz version, the stock browser, which has the nifty feature of letting us scroll vertically and switch between tabs by using various Air Gestures.



Domestically, every wireless carrier offers their specific version of the TouchWiz packing Samsung Galaxy S4. However, the Google Play Edition is sold unlocked, and is compatible to work with AT&T and T-Mobile. We find the same set of connectivity features on both – they include aGPS, Bluetooth 4.0, 5GHz 802.11 a/b/g/n Wi-Fi, and NFC.

Camera:

If variety is more your kind of thing, you’ll undoubtedly fall in love with what the TouchWiz S4 has to offer, seeing that it’s carrying along an insane amount of shooting modes and manual controls. In contrast, the Google Play Edition’s camera app is very elementary, but it does offer the neat functionality of Photosphere mode.

Armed with the same 13-megapixel auto-focus rear cameras, it doesn’t surprise us that the results are identical to one another – with neither one proving to have the advantage in quality over the other. When it comes down to it, they’re capable of producing snapshots that pop with a ton of detail, clarity, and rich colors to make them worthy for any printouts. Then again, their qualities take a dip under low lighting conditions.


Likewise, 1080p video recording quality is also a strong point with both – as long as there’s sufficient lighting, of course. Again, the same characteristic elements seen with their still image quality persists here with video recording.

Samsung Galaxy S4 Google Play Edition Sample Video:



Samsung Galaxy S4 Sample Video:



Samsung Galaxy S4 Google Play Edition Nighttime Sample Video:



Samsung Galaxy S4 Night Video Sample:



Multimedia:

Being Android devices and all, they’re preloaded with the Google Play Music app – albeit, the TouchWiz music player is an alternative option with the original model. Playing the same song on the two and setting their volumes to their loudest, there’s not one that’s able to outclass the other, which isn’t all that surprising.


Naturally, video playback is such a joy on these two, especially when their Super AMOLED HD displays makes things look oh-so dreamy. Out of the box, though, the Google Play Edition lacks support for videos encoded in DivX and Xvid, but that’s not all. In fact, the original TouchWiz model complements the video watching experience by allowing us to preview things in the timeline via Air View – and Pop Up Play for better multi-tasking too.

Battery:

It could be attributed to the stock experience, but battery life is noticeably better on the Google Play Edition of the Galaxy S4. So much so that we’re able to get close to two days of normal usage out of its battery – whereas the TouchWiz model strains to get us by through a single day.

Conclusion:

Not everyone is going to run with open arms to pick up the Google Play Edition of the Samsung Galaxy S4, especially when they find out that it’s only available in outright form. At $650, it’s sure to concern those individuals who are used to carrier-subsidy pricing, which is what the TouchWiz model is sporting through the various domestic carriers. Despite that, we’re certain that this newer model will attract those hardcore Android users who don’t want to tinker with what Samsung believes to be the superior experience. Heck, if you’re the impatient type, you’ll surely appreciate how it’ll more than likely get major Android updates faster than most devices.

On the flip side, savings is something you’ll absolutely be exposed to if you side with the original TouchWiz model. Not only that, but TouchWiz has some cool (or gimmicky) features that truly sets it apart from everything else out there – with some being more useful than others, obviously.



Needless to say, you can’t go wrong going with either device, seeing that they share the same design and hardware. Ultimately, it all simply boils down to what you can afford, and whether you’re adamant about getting those new Android software updates as soon as they’re announced.