Samsung Galaxy S5 vs. HTC One (M8): Leather and steel

17 April 2014
HTC has made some of the best-looking smartphones in recent history while Samsung has some of the best-selling ones. That’s very much true for the HTC flagship and yet to be seen about the Samsung Galaxy S5, but the clash is no less...

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  • AnonD-219781
  • 49B
  • 18 Apr 2014

Anonymous, 18 Apr 2014I didn't say it wasn't sharp, or "sharp enough" (... moreClearly inferior? Wat? It is factually the best display on the market. The measurements say so. This isn't something that is arguable.

    Anonymous, 18 Apr 2014I didn't say it wasn't sharp, or "sharp enough" (... moreYes , i know the reason why they abandoned RGB. the RGB on amoled leads to increased burn-in problems and decreases battery life and lifespan of screens. Pentile are easy to produce and i don't think there is any disadvantage of the current tech except less sharpness under a microscope.

    Our eyes have a particular solid angle to which it can differentiate between different objects and both of these phones cross that limit. So if you see same image on both s5 and m8, both will look equally sharp unless you go under 8-9 cm close to screen. The difference visible will be s5's superior colors, truer whites(6600K), more brightness and deeper blacks.

    Also, LCD may have interference between individual pixels due to light leaking and also backlight bleeding, but amoled is free of them.

    Any way you look at the screens, s5 is in league of it's own. SLCD3 falls short of s4, they can't even come close to s5.

      Anonymous, 18 Apr 2014I didn't say it wasn't sharp, or "sharp enough" (... moreNo, the screen of htc one is not sharper for even the people with great eyesights. At 13 cm from the screens, the screens seem evenly matched and you can see them as equally sharp. The only difference you point out that the screen of s5 has better brightness, contrast, truer color( especially whites at 6600K).

      When you say you can't discern pixels, that means the screen looks like real life.

      There is a particular solid angle to which our eye can resolve and both phones cross them, s5 less than m8. The m8 screen is sharper only under a microscope.

      Ok, if you still don't believe me. Go to a store and see a same image in both the screens. I bet you can't find m8 sharper as I have good eyesight and I tried it. and unless you go down to 6-7 cm near the screen and look like an idiot, you can't figure out the difference.

      Have a nice day

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        • Anonymous
        • AL{
        • 18 Apr 2014

        shubham yadav, 18 Apr 2014Even that would be 352 ppi. 2/3 of pixels don't mean 2/3 of... moreI didn't say it wasn't sharp, or "sharp enough" (if there is such thing) but the screen of M8 is sharper no matter how you look at it. If Samsung used conventional RGB matrix like they did for S2 it would be totally different story. On the other hand, does anyone knows why did they abandon it for clearly inferior PenTile one of S3-S5 Galaxys.

          Anonymous, 18 Apr 2014My reply was based on traditional Pentile matrix which is b... moreEven that would be 352 ppi. 2/3 of pixels don't mean 2/3 of pixel density.

          Lets take an example. A screen is 10*10 pixels and is 1 square inch in area. Then the PPI( pixel per inch) = 10 as there are 10 pixels if you take 1 inch strip. Now lets halve the pixels or make it a total of 50 pixels. I would make it 49 for calculations. So now the pixels are halved. So now we have a 7*7 pixels in the same 1 inch area making ppi = 7. So we proved( more or less verified) that ppi doesn't get half. Instead of fividing it by 2 you divide by sqrt(2). As both sides get pixels reduced by sqrt 2 and hence when we multiply the result is divided by 2.

          So instead of dividing by 1.5 as rgb have 1.5 times subpixels, divide by sqrt( 1.5).

          A traditional pentile at 1080p 5 inch will have equivalent ppi of 352. But diamond pentile reduces the artifacts and makes screen sharper than conventional one as diamond style or triangular closed packing is the most efficient packing in 2D. And it makes the s5 screen close to displays with 400 ppi in terms if sharpness.

          My eyes too are very sharp. I can tell individual pixels on my s4 if I want to. But that strains the eyes. Even if your eyes are 20/20, you can't see pixels unless you are less than 10 cm away from screen.

          Just have a look at s5 or s4. You'll see that displays are really sharp. And the panel of s5 more than makes up for it in image quality and contrast.

          Have a nice day

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            • AnonD-219781
            • 49B
            • 18 Apr 2014

            Anonymous, 18 Apr 2014Samsung think they can sell plastic phones at iphone prices.The 8gb iPhone 5C is more expensive than the 32gb Galaxy Note 3...

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              • AnonD-219781
              • 49B
              • 18 Apr 2014

              Anonymous, 18 Apr 2014My reply was based on traditional Pentile matrix which is b... moreDid you read the Gsmarena review?

              "This means that Samsung has taken what was an already impressive display and made it the best on the market. It's true that unlike most of its competitors, the company still employs a PenTile matrix, rather than a conventional RGB one, but the diamond arrangement introduced last year makes sure that results in no visible artifacts and, with pixel densities north of 400ppi, you can't take away points for sharpness either."

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                • AnonD-219781
                • 49B
                • 18 Apr 2014

                AnonD-12245, 18 Apr 2014in the still quality they didn't even touch the low light d... moreExcept that they did cover low light in the article. Page 10 if you actually bothered to read it. And guess what? The S5 beat the M8.

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                  • AnonD-219781
                  • 49B
                  • 18 Apr 2014

                  Irfan Nazir, 18 Apr 2014One thing that the article failed to compare is the EASE of... moreUmm. What? I make hundreds of calls a month on my Note 3 and I'm genuinely confused on how making calls could be "easier".

                    • ?
                    • Anonymous
                    • AL{
                    • 18 Apr 2014

                    shubham yadav, 18 Apr 2014Ppi doesn't work that way my friend. If poxels get half. Pp... moreMy reply was based on traditional Pentile matrix which is basicly RG/BG/RG config so only horizontal side looses on resolution, vertical does not. Point is that LCD of same resolution has 1.5 times more subpixels than AMOLED of same resolution. In this M8 vs S5 case, it is 6220800 for M8, 4147200 for S5. And 6220800/4147200=1.5
                    Even with the numbers you posted that PPI value is something that 1280x720 screens have and not FullHD flagships. And that "Retina" argument is something that only Apple fanboys use. Just because Apple says you can't see above 300PPI it doesn?t mean it is true. I know for sure that I can tell a difference between 350PPI and 450PPI screens.

                      AnonD-237024, 18 Apr 2014I agree with you with the new Touchwiz. Its a lot flatter a... moreAnother man with a good perception. That's the way to look at things. You are the first man I saw that's going to own an m8 but is respecting the other device.

                      Yes, it's clear from your comment that you aren't a fanboy. Just go for m8. It's worth it. But keep this in mind. Don't buy a phone for looks and put it in a TPU case. That destroys the purpose.

                      Have a nice day

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                        • AnonD-237024
                        • 9C%
                        • 18 Apr 2014

                        AnonD-255129, 18 Apr 2014I agree with you on the fact that at the end of the day, to... moreI agree with you with the new Touchwiz. Its a lot flatter and looks more presentable.

                        I have a i9505x (which is a demo unit) and only 8GB was avaible. I was disappointed, but I don't download a lot of rubbish, so I'm OK.

                        The problem with new flagships IMHO is that there are a lot of useless apps that you'll probably never use anyway. Heck, I've never used the Health app or WatchON.

                        At first, I HATED the phone, and a majority of others did to. But after you tried it or knew more about it, its not a bad device after all.

                        The truth is that there's not much new features you can put on moblie devices anymore.

                        Both the S5 & M8 are good phones.

                        At the end of the day, specs and numbers aren't everything, its what you need and what you prefer; and in this scenario, I prefer the M8

                        P.S I' am not a Apple/Samsung/Nokia/HTC cannot, I like all companies.







                          Anonymous, 18 Apr 2014Pentile matrix. It has 2 subpixels per pixel so it needs 1,... morePpi doesn't work that way my friend. If poxels get half. Ppi gets divided by root of 2 as the spread is over an area and not a line. So as you say subpixels get 2/3 and so ppi will be 432 * sqrt (2/3) which is 352 ppi which is above retina class. Further, diamond arrangement makes it sharper and its close to sharpness as a 400 ppi lcd.

                          In the end, you just can't see pixels in everyday life. So the sharpness argument is invalid.

                          Just learn done maths dude and then comment

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                            • AnonD-237466
                            • rK8
                            • 18 Apr 2014

                            Camera is very good in S5 which I am using.

                            But S4 owner should not upgrade to S5. Instead try to get note 3 like faux leather cover for S4 which Samsung released some where. Invest in spare battery kit if you need it.

                            Touch wiz has no improvement.

                              AnonD-255129, 18 Apr 2014For the camera, in good light condition, I find it pretty s... moreYou made my desire to get s5 even more by your comment. I'll have to ask someone to gift it to me:p . BTW Thanks for the reply. If you ever visited i9500 forum/user opinions page on gsmarena you would know me.

                              Yes it'll last atleast an year more by the looks of how things are going. It never slows down or hangs. And it is as good as new even now.

                              Waiting for the new touchwiz eagerly or else I'll have to do a part time job for a month to get one.

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                                • AnonD-237466
                                • rK8
                                • 18 Apr 2014

                                Anonymous, 18 Apr 2014Pentile matrix. It has 2 subpixels per pixel so it needs 1,... moreI agree. Gsmarena clearly say that perceived Sharpness is better in M8 then S5.

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                                  • Anonymous
                                  • AL{
                                  • 18 Apr 2014

                                  AnonD-166796, 18 Apr 2014Displaymate.com put the S5 the phone with the best display.... morePentile matrix. It has 2 subpixels per pixel so it needs 1,5 pixel to show all 3 colors. Because of that for all AMOLED screens you need to divide a PPI value displayed at GSMArena by 1,5 (for S5 43271,5=288) except for Galaxy S2 that had full RGB matrix.

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                                    • AnonD-237466
                                    • rK8
                                    • 18 Apr 2014

                                    Irfan Nazir, 18 Apr 2014One thing that the article failed to compare is the EASE of... moreI cannot agree more with you. Sense is far ahead in dialling and messaging, the first two basic work of a mobile.

                                    HTC ruined their camera.

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                                      • AnonD-237466
                                      • rK8
                                      • 18 Apr 2014

                                      I have both S5 and M7. My views are unbiased and from real use.

                                      1. Screen: HTC is sharper S5 has better Contrast. Icons and text reading is better in HTC. S5 colours are still not accurate. But due to better contrast S5 more details.

                                      2. UI: Sense is ahead of touch wiz. It's faster, cleaner and polished. S5 UI is dated and is no match.

                                      3. Speed: May be S5 is faster on paper still M7 performs faster in routine tasks. Just check both side by side.

                                      4. Camera: HTC is no match of S5.

                                      5. Battery: S5 all the way.

                                      I would have gone for M8 if HTC had maintained same size with screen improvement and camera of iPhone 8mp class. I know they cannot have removable battery but a bigger one of around 3200 mah would be great. And it's boom speaker S5 would have been no match.

                                      But it's not the case. But I will advise S5 to take two things seriously. One is their front panel design. I am OK with plastic as I don't need a fancy cover but it's becoming boring. Second touch wiz. They will have to replace or over haul in big way.

                                      Over all both brands have not improved in real terms then 2013 versions. Whereas HTC is working hard Samsung might be slow to react and lose ground.

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                                        • Irfan Nazir
                                        • nTp
                                        • 18 Apr 2014

                                        One thing that the article failed to compare is the EASE of making PHONE Calls. I have used HTC One and switched to SAMSUNG NOTE-3 before switching back to HTC One. The HTC Sense makes the calling function so user friendly that no other phone can beat that.
                                        For someone like me, who has to make a lot of phone calls, HTC is best - hands down. No comparison with any other system - and that is all due to HTC Sense shell that only HTC phones have..

                                        This is a big big plus for me and that is why I have always come back to HTC even after using iOS, other Androids and Windows devices.