Other device, comparisons to other devices, and upgrading phone discussion

Anyone has both the M8 and S5? Or had the M8 and now the S5 _(or the other way around? Although the S5 just came out)? How do they compare? Please try to be as objective as possible Thanks!

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I have both on me to review for a while. The M8 is obviously heavier, a little taller but not quite as wide as the GS5. I prefer something compact to better use in one hand, like an iPhone, but either one isn't as bad as I thought to use with one hand (although still somewhat difficult). I'm really enjoying the GS5's design. After using the M8 for a week, it already feels a bit dated for some reason. I'm glad the GS5 doesn't use virtual navigation buttons, allowing more screen space. Those are basically my initial impressions between the two for now.

it's there any dedicated forum for galaxy gear fit? I just saw the forum of the first gen of the gear that's it

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I don't think this topic needs it's own thread so I'll post here. How fast does the S5 charge to full? I plugged mine in last night when i went to bed and it seemed like it was charging about 1% per minute or faster.

barondebxl said:

Anyone has both the M8 and S5? Or had the M8 and now the S5 _(or the other way around? Although the S5 just came out)? How do they compare? Please try to be as objective as possible Thanks!

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk

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My gf has the M8 and I have the S5. Only a few days now but I like them both. We both had hung onto our original Rooted and ROMed Notes before these.
Some initial impressions:

• S5 is lighter so maybe a bit easier to one hand, although after the Dell Streak and Note anything seems small and easy.
• M8 feels more solid due to design/weight, but that is more a perception than function thing. The all plastic Note was fine so I don't expect an issue with the S5.
• Screens are comparable, both very nice; different but one isn't distinctly better than the other in real life usage.
• Speaker sound is obviously won by the M8, not even close. The S5 is ok, but the M8 is designed for sound and it shows.
• Performance seems great for both, although I haven't had the M8 in my hand as much.
• Reception (LTE) is the same in a side by side test on my table, just using the on screen indicator. Both are better than the Note.
• I actually like the on screen keys on the M8 as they are the same as my tablets, I'm getting used to the S5 home button but I haven't had a physical home button in a long time (since the iPhone 3g- ...don't judge me!).

We both ditched the Stock UI for Nova and/or Apex Launcher immediately so I have no idea how Sense and Touchwiz compare in usage other than they felt both restrictive and simplistic off the bat.

Let me know if there is anything specific you want to know and I'll check it out; but after a few days around both I'd be happy using either device.
Drew

Here my review as I've had both devices in the past couples of days.

Design m8> s5

Both phones to me look great but the design on the m8 is sexy! When I saw the s5 all I've seen where white models, which to me made the phone look horrible cause of the added width made the screen look smaller than it actually is UNTIL I got my black s5 and loved it as soon as I traded my m8 in.

Camera s5> m8

Pics on the m8 ON THE PHONE look amazing but when crop you see the flaw in the 4mp shooter. S5 camera just clearly is the better point shoot camera if you want to use your pics past social media uploads. If not then M8 should do you fine.

One hand use s5> m8

As sexy as the m8 is the back is slippery and I felt very uncomfortable one hand using the phone and the fact that the m8 is narrow and taller reaching the top of the screen was a scary thing to do as I was running the phone with no case whatsoever. Case Will solve the slippery back but with the s5 I don't feel like I need a case as the back is nice to touch and being that the phone is lighter than the m8 makes me feel I have one hand control of the phone at all time.

Speakers m8> s5

Don't really need to go into this and one of the features I miss on the m8 as I do listen to a lot of music.

Screen draw

Both are beautiful

Features s5> m8

S5 more featured packed but the features in the m8 are no slouch
Wish the s5 had the double tap to wake the phone but since it has the finger print I can see why they didn't go with that feature. Overall while some think their gimmicky the features on the s5 are fun and very useful to use when need be.

Internal memory m8> s5

More internal storage for the same price as a 16gb s5 is always gonna be better for some. NOW the SD card slot is working great for me so my Internal memory can be just for apps but those that don't like SD then note the s5 32gb will be slightly more on contract and off contract than the m8.

Battery life s5 > m8

My s5 is doing great and I love the feature with the power saving option offering a extended mode for those needs when Your at 10% and won't be near a charger for period of time.
But the m8 battery life is just as good as the s5 with my units I had.

Custom Roms m8> s5

One of the big reason xda was started for and unless u have the t-mobile variant then root and maybe a stock tw rom is all your gonna get from the s5 att model. But the experience with the new tw is very nice and I'm not seeing lag as previous galaxy phones in the past

So basically it comes down to this

Features or custom roms?
Top build quality or water resistant plastic?
4mp or 16mp camera?
Boomsound or fingerprint?

I don't think you can go wrong with any of the two flagships. Custom roms are great but some don't function and leave features that sold you into the phone from the beginning. Samsung is becoming apple which is not a bad thing. I remember when HTC was doing the locked bl and fans went nuts then they slowly changed their ways of tactics. as a phone the s5 and the m8 IS that plus some. now I'm more than happy with my s5, you may need your root and that's it which I see s5 having at some point very soon. But if u need your custom kernels and aosp roms then don't even look at the s5. Hope this helps those deciding between the two....



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Still mad at ATT gutting the chipset for the stupid LTE, but such is life. Good to see a waterproof flaship, at long last. Korea's finally starting to catch up to Japan in physical features.

GS5 Typo

Not sure if this is just on the ATT variant but I found this amusing...

barondebxl said:

Anyone has both the M8 and S5? Or had the M8 and now the S5 _(or the other way around? Although the S5 just came out)? How do they compare? Please try to be as objective as possible Thanks!

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk

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Coming from an Lg optimus G Pro..... got an M8 on 4/17 and started having issues with it resetting the home screens for no reason. Im sure it is probably just a rare bad unit but since it is my first HTC, I decided to return it and get an S5.

Really no reason to write several paragraphs on the comparisons as most of the comparisons done so far is what I have seen as well. To sum it up

*The HTC is elegant, cleaner interface, not as "gimmicky", looks and feels better made (although covering it in a case takes away all that beauty advantage), and has better external sound (by a lot). This not only applies to music but also to speaker phone calls. For those that are still confused about the sd card The US version DOES HAVE an SD slot on the left side opposite to the sim tray, so that argument is mute. The onscreen buttons are a pain to get used to unless you are coming from something with the same.

* The S5 takes better pics (not by a lot and you really only notice when they are side by side unless you have a photographers eye), the s5 is water and dust resistant (this is a biggie impo), i think the s5 battery is going to be a bit better, I dont see any real world difference in the screen clarity or color between the two. You will never notice any difference in speed rather in everyday apps or playing something like riptide, the s5 operates hotter and does not dissipate processor heat as well as the m8. Im worried about the charging port cover breaking on the s5. Too bad they did not get rid of the fp scanner and the hr monitor and spend the money on dual speakers.

*Photos and water resistance important = S5
*Sound and cleaner less gimmicky important = M8

"All readers should consider that every word stated here is a matter of opinion. I am not explicitly promoting either phone or brand, and only making statements of fact as they apply to my personnel observations" :angel:

Leaving samsung after 6 years

i have been with Samsung since their flip phone. and i even dealt with the stupid boot loader lock on the s4 for a year. and i recently got the galaxy s5 not even a week and i am going to exchange it for the htc one m8. I was greatly disappointed to find out that the Galaxy S5 (SUCH A POWERFUL PHONE) was locked down. It truly depressed me. and then recently i found out you can unlock the htc one m8 boot loader at their website, THAT IS AWESOME, but why cant sammy do that? its dumb. so i just wanted to let everyone that reads this know that htc CAN be unlocked. unlock crappy sammy. And to be honest i love the Galaxy S5, its powerful, fast, and amazing. but i cannot go another year without custom roms, kernels, and recoveries, thanks to my s4 being locked, i never got to learn the newest roms, kernels, or recoveries. so in exactly 4 days im leaving the locked down chamber of samsung and entering the freedom of htc

I would love to hear comparison of the battery in the LG G2 vs this phone. I am tossed up on going back to the LG since my experience with battery on this phone has been subpar.

t91180 said:

I would love to hear comparison of the battery in the LG G2 vs this phone. I am tossed up on going back to the LG since my experience with battery on this phone has been subpar.

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I've only used my GS5 unit for a little while, but I'm pretty sure the G2 has better battery life. (I was very impressed with it in my G2 review.)

That's what I thought too but I keep reading the s5 is better and I just don't see it.

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I guess this fits in this category. Every once and a while I'll check a new phone against a GoPro. For people that use Android apps to gather telemetry and what not on autocross / road courses, it might be of interest.

I'm still not a GS5 owner yet. No 32GB model along with the locked bootloader has really turned me off buying one (and I'm not going to pay full price for one from T-Mo, or switch carrier due to my work discount).

At this point I've got my eye on the OnePlus One when it comes out. Unlocked, running Cyanogenmod out of the box, nice. A little bigger than I'd like considering it's in the same class as the Galaxy Note 3, but it's still pretty enticing, especially for the price.

I've been a Samsung user for several years now, but I think AT&T has ruined it with their nonsense. I might just save my subsidized upgrade for something better down the road.

I am currently on the HTC m8. Having this itch to swap it for the Galaxy s5. Anyone had any regrets having done this? Anyone here preferring the HTC m8 over this?

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androidbuff123 said:

I am currently on the HTC m8. Having this itch to swap it for the Galaxy s5. Anyone had any regrets having done this? Anyone here preferring the HTC m8 over this?

Sent from my HTC One_M8 using Tapatalk

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I still prefer the M8, mainly due to Sense 6. Much better user experience compared to TouchWiz IMO. I also prefer its design and rear curvature laugh a bit better.

I have the itch as well to switch to the S5 but I know I feel I will regret it.

Sent from my HTC One_M8 using Tapatalk

Time article

""The world's biggest handset maker has replaced the head of its mobile design team amid criticism of the latest Galaxy S5 smartphone.""

I would be curious how much of that criticism stems from America? How much of that I wonder is actually not because of the Samsung design at all, but more because of frustrations experienced from the 2 big carriers turning off features designed by Samsung and then adding their own junk on top of turning things off (like they know better than both the phone designer/manufacturer and the major App producers.)
Forced updates that contain more bloatware, turning off great features like wifi calling, initial loading of bloatware that most people would like to disable in favor of other free apps that do the same thing quicker, better, and with less memory load. Hmm Samsung; maybe your head of design team needed replacement, but I sure would look at other factors. Meanwhile Im back on my OGP until I can sell this S5 and jump ship myself.