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5 Things You’ll Hate About the Samsung Galaxy S5

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The Samsung Galaxy S5 is still a good phone but it’s not perfect and there are some things you’ll want to consider before you buy it in 2015 and beyond.

Last year, Samsung took the stage (as it always does) to announce a brand new fifth-generation Galaxy S smartphone. A few weeks after the announcement, the Samsung Galaxy S5 took over flagship duties from the Galaxy S4. Up until April, the Galaxy S5 reigned as Samsung’s top device.

In April, Samsung released the Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 Edge to take over for the Galaxy S5. The Galaxy S5 is no longer in the spotlight but the arrival of the Galaxy S6 doesn’t mean that the show is over. Samsung’s aging former flagship is still a solid option for those that don’t want to pay top dollar for a brand new phone.

We’ve been using the Samsung Galaxy S5 for well over a year now and there are tons of things that we still love about it. For instance, its design features a water and dust resistant certification that isn’t found on most flagship smartphones, not even the Galaxy S6.

Galaxy-S5-10

There’s still a lot to like about the Galaxy S5 but there are also some things that you might not like. It’s a great phone but even great phones have their flaws, especially in their old age. Yes, one year is old for a Samsung smartphone.

With the Galaxy S6 out and the Galaxy Note 5 on the way, we want to take an updated look at the Galaxy S5 and tell you about a few things we dislike about it. Some of you might be able to look past these things. For others, these might be game-changers that steer you away to something else. Keep these in mind as you look to buy your next smartphone.

The Fingerprint Sensor

The Fingerprint Sensor

Fingerprint sensors add an extra layer of security to your phone but their main purpose is added convenience. They make it easy to get to your phone's home screen. Not the Samsung Galaxy S5's fingerprint sensor though. It adds time to the process. 

The Samsung Galaxy S5 features a swipe-based fingerprint sensor that's been driving us (and many others) nuts since last year. It's not accurate and it typically takes more than a few swipes to get it to register and take us to the device's home screen. 

The disaster that is the Galaxy S5's fingerprint sensor was probably the catalyst for Samsung's move to the touch-based fingerprint reader that's found on the Galaxy S6. The Galaxy S6's sensor is on par with Apple's Touch ID.

17 Comments

17 Comments

  1. Mark

    07/29/2015 at 3:12 pm

    The title should read : 3 Things You’ll Hate About the Samsung Galaxy S5 & 2 Things You’ll Hate About Samsung Android Devices In General. I’ve been an S5 owner for 16 months and did my research choosing not to update to Lollipop. With that said, Android 4.4.4 Kit Kat is the best operating system for the S5. If someone does choose to purchase a used S5, make sure it’s 4.4.4 Kit Kat and not running 5.X.X Lollipop. The fingerprint scanner is not that bad and you can store multiple prints, making it possible to use your thumb or pinky for instance. Or it can be turned off if it’s that annoying and use a different type of security lock. The only thing that I absolutely have to agree with is the worthless rear-facing speaker. It’s the worst speaker I’ve ever encountered in a “Flagship” device. The S5 is still the best smartphone I’ve ever used. Next best was the Samsung Galaxy Note 3.

    • Jerry Zisserson

      07/29/2015 at 5:02 pm

      Simply root the S5, add a custom ROM, Flash Fire, some flash lable scripts, including one that turns the front speaker into a media speaker as well, Viper 4 Android, which now has a mod to work with Lollipop & you have a near flawless smartphone…Except for the flimsy USB cover and back. But replacements for those are very inexpensive if you get online.

      • Mark

        07/29/2015 at 6:44 pm

        Jerry,
        The first word in your reply was “simply”. Then you were speaking in tech, and then I read “& you have a near flawless smartphone”. Would you care to elaborate and provide some links ? You can send me an email to my black list email address [email protected] if you want to. I would love to try that after I get my new One Plus Two.

        • Jerry Zisserson

          07/29/2015 at 9:20 pm

          It is all in the forums under xda-developers.com, which in my opinion, is the go-to Android site. Look under forums for your S5 model (mine is Verizon, but all are covered). The site is not that user-friendly at first, but once you get used to it and know where to go you will go nowhere else. Btw, I am not a technologist, so do not let the site intimate you. After a little leg work you will be amazed what you can get your S5, and any Android phone, to do. Good luck!

          • Mark

            07/30/2015 at 7:14 am

            Thanks for sharing this information with me. I’m windows tech savvy, but truly know nothing about mobile devices. It will be fun to learn more about them and their tweaks & capabilities !

  2. Mary

    07/29/2015 at 3:15 pm

    The waterproofing flap that covers the USB port…. talk about an annoying feature of the phone. After a year with it, it won’t stay closed! Also, now that I updated it to the Lollipop OS it freezes up constantly. Grrrrrr

    • Arjun Jale

      07/30/2015 at 5:40 am

      I think you should reset your galaxy. I upgraded mine and even with power saver mode on it never freezes or has lag. And this article is more like 2 things that you’ll hate about the galaxy s5.

  3. gk707 (@gklemen707)

    07/30/2015 at 2:55 pm

    It sounds like the person who wrote this is totally an iPhone lover, and against any Android device anyway, so I’m not listening

  4. Donna

    08/01/2015 at 6:36 am

    I agree with the rear speaker issue. I would have additionally mentioned the rear camera lens sticking out farther than the rest of the phone as it can be problematic without the right case to surround and protect it. Being that it had an easy solution, I have no gripes. Sure love how fast I can charge this phone – 0 to 100% in about one hour. Awesome! I love my S5 and would get it again!!!

  5. Morgoth

    08/20/2015 at 2:53 pm

    Win Samsung Galaxy S5 -> konkursowo.cf/sgs5

  6. Morgan

    11/01/2015 at 10:06 am

    I hate the samsung galaxy s6 edge! Continuous pocket dials. Phone overheats for no apparent reason. Incredibly unreliable service. And so much more that I’m just done with the phone. Samsung you failed with the first Galaxy and you’ve failed on you 6th try. Keep on trying. Maybe one day you’ll make a phone as nice as Motorola.

  7. Trev

    05/15/2016 at 1:56 am

    I have found the camera to be pretty unimpressive. In that it still fails to focus on receipts when I do my expenses (which I do a lot of)..this was in the s3 and exactly the same with s5. The camera lense protrudes..which also means it gets dirty easy.. the front camera is in the wrong place..now after an lollipop the sensors that measure orientation and movement don’t work.. it sucks at battery life almost from day one thus has been the case. It’s awkward to hold with one hand..the sd card now has started randomly slipping out of its slot… in short I habe twice been disappointed with samsungs overpriced phones..will not be buying again.

  8. Sinae

    06/30/2016 at 6:42 am

    First of all most of the time it didn’t even feel like it is slipping out of your hand that’s a opinion not a fact to get yourself straight 😒😒😒

  9. Sinae

    06/30/2016 at 6:45 am

    And maybe you don’t know how to use it 😉😑😑😑😠

  10. Wang Yong

    08/01/2016 at 11:08 pm

    In general, its not a great phone, ive had mine for almost a year now, and im going to give it another year to change my mind (stuck in a contract), and im going to “tweak it”, i shouldnt have to do anything more than a factory reset at most and a simple cache and data clear now and then, but the phone is really crap and im hoping i find something online to help me get the most out of it (more than the simple stuff), but this phone is a joke with more problems than dealing with Telstra.

    It may be the last Samsung i bother with for a few generations.

    I hatefully admit i preferred my windows phone i had before this, and i definitely preferred my Sony Xperia before that.

  11. RC1604

    09/02/2016 at 8:13 am

    I am using S5 from about more than a year now (June 2015)It was going good till Oct when got l got Lollipop update it became very laggy …(Hated this !)But I have got a marshmallow update on 20 aug Looking good till now ….Fingers crossed!!

  12. Loz

    12/04/2016 at 8:01 am

    By far the worst phone i have ever owned. I had a second hand S2 that was fantastic so I thought the brand new S5 Neo would be a good idea, so wrong was I. It is so bad that if I came into money I would make a video for you tube of me mashing it with a hammer. I have even charged up an old Nokia non-smart phone. Nothing smart with this phone. The processor is so slow it gets you stressed every time you use it. It switches it’s self and some of it’s basic functions on and off randomly. It can discharge rapidly. I can’t even text a short message without stress. The other things that the designers messed up on are how many times do you have to press buttons before you can actually call someone so frustrating. Am stuck with this phone on contract for another year and a bit. whether it’s still in one piece by the end will remain to be seen. It has taught me something. Never by on contract, never by new. Buy your sim only deal and trade secondhand to find something your happy with. Just to reiterate, I hate it and it’s the worst I’ve ever had !!!! Just in case there were any doubts

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