The news that Samsung would soon be unveiling their new Galaxy S5 phone was thrilling to those of us in the market for a new smartphone.

Samsung has been a major force in the smartphone industry and a major thorn in the side of Apple, whose iPhone is also at version number five. Comparisons are already being made between the products.

Leaving the Apple comparisons alone, one has to ask how the Galaxy S5 holds up to individualized scrutiny.

First thing’s first: How’s the battery life of these phones?

If you practically live on your smartphone, the S5 sounds promising. According to Samsung the phone will allow you to surf the net for up to ten hours with an LTE cellular connection. You will also get nearly twelve hours of video playback.

There’s even an “ultra power saving” mode for those people who, for whatever reason, just can’t get around to charging their phones. All but the most essential functions become unavailable (does “Candy Crush Saga” count?) and the colorful screen turns black and white.

In this bare bones mode, Samsung said phone users will have 24 hours of battery life once they hit 10% capacity.

But battery power isn’t everything when it comes to smartphones; looks matter, too.

The Galaxy S5 comes with a 5.1 inch screen, just a fraction larger than the previous 5 inch version. The phone is available in just four colors: blue, black, white, and gold.

One issue some smartphone users may have with the phone is that its body is polycarbonate (plastic) rather than aluminum. Before letting that get you down, appreciate that the S5 phone is water and dust-proof. It also has an “extra-dim” screen option meant to protect your privacy while indoors.

There was no upgrade on screen resolution; it remains at 1080p.

How do you feel about the phone launch: Do you think the Galaxy S5 will be Samsung’s best phone yet, or is it a weak attempt to compete with Apple? Comment below!

Image via YouTube