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Should I Buy the Galaxy S4 or Wait for the Galaxy S5?

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With the spotlight transitioning from the Samsung Galaxy S4 to the Samsung Galaxy S5, we’ve started to hear consumers in the market for a new device ask a particular question: “Should I buy the Samsung Galaxy S4 now, or, should I wait for the Samsung Galaxy S5?” The answer to that question, at least in our opinion, is a fairly simple one.

In March of last year, Samsung announced the Galaxy S4, its current flagship and one that replaced the Galaxy S3, one of the most popular smartphones of all time. The Galaxy S4, like the Galaxy S3 before it, offered and still offers consumers all of the bells and whistles of a high-end Android smartphone.

It features a fantastic 5-inch 1080p display that offers users great looking content. It comes with a Snapdragon 600 quad-core processor, suitable for gamers, multitaskers and average users alike. Its 13MP camera produces solid photos, great looking video, and its backed by one of the best camera applications in the business.

Samsung improved the design, bringing in better build quality and slimming down the Galaxy S4 to make it more manageable. It’s available on a number of carriers including AT&T and Verizon in the United States and it’s a device that should see a couple of major Android updates in its future. Point is, the Samsung Galaxy S4 was, and still is, a very solid Android smartphone.

Like every smartphone though, the Galaxy S4 will be replaced with something new, something better. And from the looks of things, that something new, something better is the Samsung Galaxy S5.

Rumors point to a Samsung Galaxy S5 coming sometime within the next few weeks. They have settled on a launch in March with a release sometime during the month of April, similar to the Galaxy S4. Whatever the case may be, consumers now know that the Galaxy S5 is coming and that means we’re starting to hear a ton of questions.

So let’s answer one of those questions right now.

“Should I Buy the Galaxy S4 or Wait for the Galaxy S5?”

Samsung Galaxy S4 Hidden Features

If you asked me this question three months ago, it would have been a lot harder for me to answer. The Galaxy S5 was still in the distance and rumors hadn’t firmed up. The Galaxy S4 and its cheap price tag were a much better option back then. Now, not so much.

In my opinion, the only people that should be seriously considering the Samsung Galaxy S4 as their next smartphone today, tomorrow or at any point between now and the Galaxy S5 launch are those that need a smartphone right now. Maybe it’s because of money, maybe it’s because of a broken phone, but there are those that need a smartphone right now, today.

Those are the people that shouldn’t feel bad about skipping the wait for the Galaxy S5 and picking up last year’s Galaxy S smartphone. It’s a quality device, should get at least two more major updates including Android 4.4 KitKat, and sports a cheap on-contract price.

Consumers that aren’t in any hurry to pick up a new smartphone though should, at this point, wait for Samsung’s brand new Galaxy S smartphone, the Galaxy S5.

The Samsung Galaxy S5 is going to feature a better processor. This means that it’s more than likely going to offer better performance in gaming, in multitasking, and in overall speed. Speed is one of the biggest things I look for in a smartphone and I have no doubt that the Galaxy S5 is going to be fast, faster than the Galaxy S4. It’s how yearly upgrades work.

The Galaxy Note 3 could feature an improved camera with a 13MP sensor like the Galaxy S4.

The Samsung Galaxy S5 is going to have a better camera. 16MP is all but confirmed at this point and while we haven’t seen any camera samples, there’s simply no way that a 16MP camera is going to produce the same quality as a 13MP camera. The megapixel war is indeed stupid but Samsung would look bad if it upgraded the Galaxy S5 camera without any actual upgrade.

The Galaxy S5 should come with a host of other big time features as well. A better display. An improved design that’s made of either metal or plastic or both. Tons of carrier options. In other words, it’s likely going to best the Galaxy S4 in just about every single important area, arrive on the same carriers, and likely come with a similar price tag.

Better yet, it looks like consumers are only going to have to wait a few weeks for the device to come out. Rumors point to a launch in March, a release in April. That’s nothing. And it benefits those who might still be on the fence between the Galaxy S5 and the Galaxy S4.

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When the Samsung Galaxy S5 arrives on shelves, carriers and retailers will likely start giving away the Galaxy S4. If they don’t give it away, they’ll definitely be offering it with a discounted price, especially if Samsung is going with an iPhone 5s, iPhone 5c two style approach with metal and plastic. And that leads me to my last point.

This plastic Galaxy S5 is rumored to be similar to the Galaxy S4, perhaps it will come with an affordable price tag and some improvements over the Galaxy S4. Imagine that. If the Galaxy S5 price is too high or the specifications aren’t impressive, you should have access to another alternative in addition to the Galaxy S4. Just by waiting a few weeks.

At this point, the only people that should consider the Galaxy S4 are those that need to buy a smartphone out of necessity. Everyone else is better off taking a wait and see approach to things. You’re probably going to like what you see.

12 Comments

12 Comments

  1. Carl

    01/16/2014 at 9:00 pm

    You repeatedly said we should only have to wait a few weeks!?! It’s middle of January with a March launch and April release to buy? That’s 2-3 months! Not a few weeks.

  2. Codey Dummer

    01/17/2014 at 12:50 am

    I’m happy with my S4. I don’t make that kind of money to be replacing something that’s working just fine for something else that’s marginally better.

  3. Ron Peters

    01/17/2014 at 10:03 am

    Don’t be stupid people! If you have an S4, enjoy it. When the S5 hits the streets, buy an S4 dirt cheap. I will dump my S4 when the S6 hits the streets dirt cheap.

  4. tylor

    01/17/2014 at 10:04 am

    Should I Buy the Galaxy S4 or Wait for the Galaxy S5?

    What are damp ass question. Seen you are not buy galaxy s4 yet why not wait for s5. New it alway better than old rigth.

  5. Rob McCaslin

    01/17/2014 at 12:03 pm

    You should by a moto x

    • Bruce

      01/17/2014 at 2:24 pm

      Or a Nexus 5.

      • Andrew

        01/18/2014 at 3:03 am

        Or a note 3

  6. Mark Baars

    01/17/2014 at 5:49 pm

    Good info, thanks! :)

  7. byh

    01/18/2014 at 7:03 pm

    note 3 is too big no one needs that big of phone…i will keep my s4

    • will

      01/18/2014 at 10:03 pm

      Don’t doubt it till you try it. I thought the same.

      • Andrew

        01/19/2014 at 1:02 am

        I thought the same as well. I had the S4 before I had my note 3. I walked into the Verizon store and picked up the g2 by LG and saw how quick and responsive the phone was also the screen is remarkable. I ran a quadrant standard test on my s4, results 9000 area. LG g2, 19000. That’s more than double the score. I decided to exchange my phone for the g2. I went into the store and had it all thought out. Walked out with the note 3. Mainly because samsung’s touch wiz interface is unbeatable. Also the menu and home button were reversed in location on the device. I have the galaxy gear also so I went with the note 3.

  8. Chad

    01/20/2014 at 2:54 pm

    “An improved design that’s made of either metal or plastic or both.” – That is some great insight.

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