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iPhone 6 vs Galaxy S5: 5 Things Buyers Need to Know

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The Samsung Galaxy S5 and the iPhone 6 are two devices that go head to head this month as millions of shoppers look for the best smartphone.

Apple announced the iPhone 6 release date for September 19th, delivering a one-two punch with the 4.7-inch iPhone 6 to take on the Galaxy S5 and the iPhone 6 Plus to take on the Galaxy Note 3 and Galaxy Note 4.

If you are looking for the best smartphone you will certainly compare the iPhone 6 vs Galaxy S5. Although there re other important devices to consider like the LG G3 and the Galaxy Note 4, if you want a phone with a screen that is a little more manageable, it is down to these two devices.

The Samsung Galaxy S5 is almost six months old, but it is still an amazing smartphone that delivers a beautiful screen, wonderfully useful software, the option to add more storage and added battery life that you won’t find on the iPhone 6.

After using the Samsung Galaxy S5 for months and carrying an accurate iPhone 6 mock up in my pocket for a week, I’m here to answer some of the pressing iPhone 6 vs Galaxy S5 questions that buyers have.

iPhone 6 vs Galaxy S5 Size

The iPhone 6 vs Galaxy S5 size comparison shows a similar overall size.

The iPhone 6 vs Galaxy S5 size comparison shows a similar overall size.

The Samsung Galaxy S5 is slightly taller, larger and thicker than the iPhone 6. It is no surprise that the device is bigger thanks to a larger display and water-resistant design that adds to the overall size of the device.

Although the iPhone 6 is smaller, the difference is not incredibly noticeable. What you may notice more is that the iPhone 6 is lighter than the Galaxy S5. Here’s how the sizes compare.

  • iPhone 6 – 138.2 x 67.1 x 6.9mm – 129 grams
  • Galaxy S5 – 142 x 72.5 x 8.1mm – 145 grams

The iPhone 6 is slightly easier to hold in one hand, but after using the Galaxy S5 for months it is also a very easy to handle smartphone that rarely requires a two hand grip for basic activities.

iPhone 6 vs Galaxy S5 Display

iPhone 6 vs Galaxy S5 - 11-X3

When you start to compare the iPhone 6 vs Galaxy S5 screen size and specs there are differences. The Galaxy S5 display is larger and it features a higher resolution, matching the iPhone 6 Plus.

An independent review claims the Galaxy S5 display is the best mobile display yet. We know it looks incredible and you can’t go wrong with it, but Apple is known for delivering very nice looking displays even without pushing the pixel boundaries that Android phones do. Here’s how they compare on paper.

  • iPhone 6 – 4.7-inch 1,334 x 750 – 326 pixels per inch
  • Galaxy S5 – 5.1-inch 1,920 x 1,080 – 432 pixels per inch

The best bet is to go in store and look at these two displays in person if you can’t decide based on looks and specs along.

When it comes down to using these phones you may enjoy the larger Galaxy S5 display more than the iPhone 6 if you want the most screen size in a small package. If you look at the iPhone 6 Plus, you end up with a dramatically larger device.

iPhone 6 vs Galaxy S5 Features

The Samsung Galaxy S5 offers several features that you don’t get on the iPhone 6. Most notably you get a removable back with access to a user replaceable battery and a Micro SD card slot to add more battery life. The Galaxy S5 is also water-resistant, with the ability to survive for up to 30 minutes in 3 feet of water.

iPhone 6 vs Galaxy S5 - Design

On the software side Samsung packs in an IR port to control your HDTV, NFC for mobile payments, multi-window mode to use two apps on screen at the same time and a one-handed mode if you want a smaller screen experience.

The iPhone 6 includes WiFi calling on T-Mobile now, and on AT&T in 2015, and Apple finally includes NFC to enable mobile payments under the name Apple Pay.

Apple adds Reachability to iOS 8 for the iPhone 6 allowing users to double tap the home button to pull the top of apps and the home screen down for easier one-handed use. Both phones also support Zoom View to make everything bigger on the new iPhone.

Users can now buy the iPhone 6 in 64GB for $100 less and there is also a higher priced 128GB option, but no Micro SD card. Apple boosted the iPhone 6 battery slightly compared to the iPhone 5s, but there is no option to replace it.

iPhone 6 vs Galaxy S5 Specs

There are many jokes about the iPhone 6 or iPhone 6 plus finally catching up to the specs on Android smartphones and while there is some truth, the specs are not the whole picture. That said, here is a look at how the iPhone 6 vs Galaxy S5 specs compare.

iPhone 6 Specs

  • Apple A8 64-bit Processor
  • iOS 8
  • 4.7-inch display
  • 16GB / 64GB / 128GB storage options
  • 1.2MP front-facing camera
  • 8MP rear-facing camera
  • 802.11ac WiFi
  • Touch ID Fingerprint Sensor
  • NFC
See how iPhone 6 specs compare to the Galaxy S5 specs.

See how iPhone 6 specs compare to the Galaxy S5 specs.

Galaxy S5 Specs

  • Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 processor
  • Android 4.4 KitKat
  • 5.1-inch display
  • 2GB RAM
  • 16GB Storage Option
  • 2.1MP front-facing camera
  • 16MP rear-facing camera
  • 2,800 mAh battery
  • 802.11ac WiFi
  • Fingerprint Reader

The iPhone 6 does not include optical image stabilization like the iPhone 6 Plus, but it does include a new and improved camera. Even though it looks inferior on paper you’ll want to wait for a camera comparison to get a better idea how they compare. Apple does not include 4K recording like the Galaxy S5, nor as many camera options in the camera app.

iPhone 6 vs Galaxy S5 Price

When you get ready to buy the iPhone 6 or the Galaxy S5 you’ll run into a price gap thanks to a steady flow of Galaxy S5 deals. The iPhone 6 release date is too close for any really good deals, but there are some options to save on an iPhone 6.

The iPhone 6 price starts at $199 on contract, and the Galaxy S5 price is $199 on contract. Most people won’t pay full contract price for the Galaxy S5 though.

Expect to pay more for the iPhone 6 than the Galaxy S5, for quite some time.

Expect to pay more for the iPhone 6 than the Galaxy S5, for quite some time.

The [easyazon_link asin=”B00IZ1XA94″ locale=”US” new_window=”default” nofollow=”default” tag=”gbm-ea-20″ add_to_cart=”default” cloaking=”default” localization=”default” popups=”default”]Samsung Galaxy S5 is available  for $79 on a contract at Amazon[/easyazon_link], which is not something you will see for the iPhone 6 for a long time, unless you trade in your old iPhone.

iPhone 6 deals at Walmart drop the price $20 and include a $15 gift card and Radio Shack offers a $50 iTunes gift card with the iPhone 6 pre-order, but you’ll certainly pay more for the iPhone 6 than the Galaxy S5.

7 Comments

7 Comments

  1. Shibu

    09/14/2014 at 3:25 am

    I this is not a comparison article but promoting samsung very much

  2. Annette

    09/14/2014 at 5:04 am

    Why, Shibu? Because you’re an iPhone user and the comparison didn’t go the way you wanted? Both my children have iPhones, and my husband has a Samsung Galaxy S5 and I have a Galaxy Note 3. I never understood the hype of the iPhone. Samsung is so much easier to navigate, and it’s not proprietary like Apple – in which you pay for every little thing. I own three Macs, so it’s not that I’m an Apple hater. I just feel it’s a very overrated device and making a bigger model will still never make it as good as a Samsung.

  3. NoneOfYourBusiness

    09/14/2014 at 6:00 am

    i agree I went from Samsung to an apple user for a year because of all the apple hype. after trying it out and really giving it a go, I went right back to Samsung. I had to pay for everything with apple. I couldn’t customize the way I wanted, and the battery life after was significantly worse. I sold my iphone on ebay popped in my Samsung galaxy s3 and went right back to happiness. Othernote, I do take a lot of pictures, 16 gig’s was not enough storage. If you do continue to stay with apple please get the 32gb you won’t regret it. OR buy Samsung and you can get a 64gb micro card from ebay for 20 bucks.

  4. William

    09/14/2014 at 9:53 am

    “On the software side Samsung packs in an IR port to control your HDTV, NFC for mobile payments”

    An IR port and NFC are both hardware, not software.

  5. JKA

    09/14/2014 at 8:28 pm

    How absolutely strange that you chose to compare the iPhone 6 rather than the iPhone 6 Plus to the Galaxy 5S. Really now?

    • William

      09/14/2014 at 8:38 pm

      Because the iPhone 6 matches up with the Galaxy S5 in size and the iPhone 6 matches up with the Galaxy Note 3 in size. Not really that strange.

  6. Red

    09/15/2014 at 5:44 am

    Iphone 6 r 6 plus I will never go back to a android apple is a thousand time better and u don’t have to buy everything on iphone

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