Samsung Galaxy S6 vs. Galaxy S5: Consumer Reports Says S5 is Better
Samsung's new Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 Edge flagship smartphones have many impressed, but according to one new report, you might be better off buying the older Galaxy S5.
A new review of the Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 Edge by Consumer Reports puts the Galaxy S6 a notch lower than its predecessor. The reasons? Consumer Reports provide three major factors.
Non-removable Batteries: Strike one against the Galaxy S6 is the lack of a removable battery. The Galaxy S5 had one, why doesn't the Galaxy S6? The could prove to be a real hassle to Android phone owners who are used to being able to switch out the stock battery for some more juice. Consumer reports does note that the Galaxy S6 does charge faster and its support of Qi and PMA wireless charging standards is definitely welcome. Still, Consumer Reports and other reviewers have found the Galaxy S6's battery life to be slightly shorter than the Galaxy S5's. Good news? Samsung is offering a free battery replacement if charging capacity drops beneath 80 percent during the first year.
No Expandable Memory: This is a tough one for Samsung to justify. The Galaxy S6, interestingly enough, does not come with a microSD slot for users to tack on more storage. Granted, the Galaxy S6 does come in models with more stock storage (the lowest is 32GB versus the Galaxy S5's 16GB and the highest is 128GB versus the Galaxy S5's 64GB), but it's nowhere near as convenient as being able to pop in another 128GB for all those songs and videos.
Not Water Resistant: Okay, this one isn't necessarily a standard on smartphones just yet, but Samsung did make a lot of people happy by making the Galaxy S5 water resistant. There's nothing to do here except purchase a waterproof case or make sure you're extra careful at that summer pool party. Yeah, this also means no more underwater pictures right out of the box.
These three knocks gave the Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 Edge a lower rating than the Galaxy S5 and, ironically, the approximately the same rating as its rival, the iPhone 6.
"Samsung traditionally thrived by being the anti-iPhone... [the Galaxy S6] prioritises design at expense of the functionality," writes Consumer Reports.
"... with the new S6 and S6 Edge, Samsung has pulled an about-face on the Galaxy S line's anti-iPhone persona. The new devices are significantly more Apple-like than previous models."
Of course there are plenty of reasons the Galaxy S6 is still a great buy. The improved processor lends itself to a smoother Android experience and most agree the handset's camera is one of the best on the market. What do you think? Let us know if you prefer the Samsung Galaxy S6 or S6 Edge over the Galaxy S5 and why in the comments section below.
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