The Samsung Galaxy S5 is now in stores and the consumer is left wondering if they should get Samsung’s latest mobile flagship device. It should be a foregone conclusion that the Galaxy S5 is at least a capable device, but does it do anything to set itself apart from its competitors? Reviewers from all over the tech industry have spoken and they have mostly positive things to say about the device.

Before we get into that though, the potential Galaxy S5 owner should know what they’re getting into. For starters, the S5 features a 5.1-inch 1080p display powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 2.5 GHz CPU. It sports 2GB of RAM and either 16 or 32GB of internal memory. That memory can be expanded, however, with a microSD card. It’s also water resistant for up to one meter.

In short, it’s a pretty good phone if all you want is pure power. Pure power doesn’t cut it in the mobile industry anymore though. Consumers want a device with software the compliments their everyday life and that’s where the Galaxy S5 will either succeed or fail.

Speaking of which, software was the main focus of CNET’s review of the device where Jessica Dolcourt said that Samsung has greatly improved the S5’s interface compared to earlier models. Samsung has also added a number of new software features to the device that are sure to appeal to certain consumers. For instance, Kid’s Mode is a new software add-on that locks away all the important stuff on your phone and only lets children play with pre-approved apps.

Engadget praised the phone’s hardware, but had some issues with how the hardware sometimes interacted with the phone’s software. As you may know, the S5 is the first Samsung device to introduce a fingerprint scanner. The hardware is certainly interesting, but it’s only as good as its interactions with the software. Engadget’s review found performance to be spotty at best with the device only recognizing fingerprints half the time.

As for The Verge, they feel that the S5 excels in hardware, but fails in the design department. Much like every other Galaxy S before it, the S5 could be accused of being a boring phone. The design just can’t hold a candle to the HTC One M8 or the iPhone 5S. Still, Samsung’s focus was on making a functional phone instead of a pretty one, and The Verge feels that Samsung has mostly accomplished its task.

In short, the Galaxy S5 is for those who already own a previous Galaxy S device and are looking to upgrade without having to learn a whole new interface. For everybody else, there’s always the iPhone or the HTC One.

Image via Samsung