Samsung Galaxy S5 vs. iPhone 5s: Spec Comparison, Pricing, Recommendations & Reviews

It seems like nearly every month a new smart phone is released claiming to offer more and more of everything. Yet within the increasingly crowded smart phone market, the iPhone and Samsung's Galaxy S phones seem to have separated themselves from all the rest and are in a class of their own--especially in terms of marketing might.

While rivals LG and HTC would most likely claim their best offerings also deserve to be considered in that most elite of classes, no one can dispute that Samsung and Apple's flagship smart phones are the two most popular smart phone lines right now (and perhaps ever).

All that being said, lets take a look at how the two latest offerings from Apple and Samsung stack up against each other. 

Physical Size

According to Gizmag, the Galaxy S5 is 24% wider, 15% longer and 7% thicker than the iPhone 5s. So your hand size is probably going to dictate which phone you'd prefer to hold. Apple claims the iPhone 5s can be easily operated with one hand just by using your thumb; however, one of the selling points of the GS5 is it's larger screen, perfect for media consumption. 

GS5 dimensions: 5.59 x 2.85 x 0.32 inches

iPhone 5s dimensions: 4.87 x 2.31 x 0.30 inches

Build Quality

Another area where personal preference is key. The iPhone is made of industrial-grade glass and aluminum, and translates to an unmatched feeling of quality and craftsmanship. The GS5 is the opposite, boasting a plastic back, complete with 'dimples.' But plastic--in this case--does have its advantages, as the GS5 has a removable back which provides access to the battery (in case it needs replacing) and allows for the adding of a micro sd card for additional storage (up to 128 gigabytes!). Gizmag's reviewer did also state that the GS5 does feel "pretty comfortable" in the hand despite its plastic back. The iPhone has sharper edges and a smooth, metallic feel, by contrast. 

Display

The iPhone 5s' retina display is one of the last sub-5-inch screens on a phone that is truly great, measuring 4 inches and with a resolution of 1136 x 640 pixels. The Galaxy S5's screen weighs in at 5.1-inches and sports a 1920 x 1080 resolution. That means the iPhone 5s' screen is only 62% the size of the GS5. Yikes.

Camera

You can't lose here. Both of these phones feature two of the absolute best on the market. The GS5 has a higher resolution sensor than the iPhone 5s (16 megapixels to the iPhone's 8). The iPhone 5s has a dual-LED flash which is supposed to prevent photos from appearing washed out when the flash is used. The Galaxy S5 has a bunch of included camera effects that the iPhone 5s can't match (at least with native software). 

Best Feature

GS5: Water resistance. We've seen other water-resistant phones before, but the GS5 is perhaps the most high-profile device to adopt this feature, and it is great. According to Samsung, the phone can remain in 3.3 feet of water for 30 minutes without being damaged.

iPhone 5s: Fingerprint scanner. Apple's Touch ID is poised to revolutionize personal device security. Currently, Apple allows this bio-metric sensor to utilize your fingerprints to authorize access to the phone itself, as well as App Store and iTunes purchases. (Note: The GS5 also has a fingerprint scanner but reviews say its implementation leaves much to be desired.)

Of course, it's impossible to say which phone is 'better.' It really comes down to personal preference based on what you like and what your needs are. If you want a phone with premium build quality and the best app ecosystem available, the iPhone 5s is probably your best bet.

On the other hand, if you're looking for a large screen and expandable storage to hold your huge media library, the Galaxy S5 is probably the way to go.

But buyers can rest assured that in choosing either of these phones they'll be getting one of the absolute best. 

Choose wisely.