[Android General] Larxia:
Likely the S5

Not sure why so many people are claiming the the Z2 is the 'killer' of the S5, have you people seen what the changed are from the Z1 to the Z2?

I personally own the Z1 and I love it, great hardware, but that being said the Z2 is just not an upgrade, at least not one worth paying for.

Camera is the same, processor barely changes, it does go up to 3GB of ram but depending on what you do on your phone you may not ever need this or see the difference. Phone design is basically identical, just larger screen making the phone taller, slighter thinner and lighter, but still bigger and heavier then the S5.

I will likely be getting the S5 and here's my reasoning as to why,

- The Z1 (and Z2 for that matter), though decent looking and made of 'premium' materials, it is just not comfortable in hand. The squared off shape and big size of the phone makes it impractical and almost impossible to use with one hand for someone with normal or small hands. I previous had the Nexus and it was perfect size to one hand and felt great, the slight size increase to the S5 should still be easy to manage with one hand and feel comfortable in one hand the same as the S4 and other Galaxies. For me, being able to comfortable use my phone with one hand is a big thing, it may not be for others, this is just my opinion.

- The S5 improvement both its front face and rear facing camera. I'll have to get my hands on it to see for sure how much of an improvement it is, but so far from reviews I'm fairly confident. My Z1 does take wicked photos (20mp when I shoot in manual, or 8mp in auto) but what it lacks is a good front facing camera. It often takes extremely 'grainy' photos in poor lighting conditions with the front face, this happens at least half the time if not more for front facing photos when in doors. I have also seen this same issue in the rear camera when shooting in auto. Not yet in manual, thankfully.

- Larger battery and battery save mode. This is huge. Though the battery only goes from 2600 to 2800, with the minimal screen size increase it should boost the battery life overall, once again won't know for sure until I get the chance to see the software and test it out. Battery save mode, for me, looks fantastic. The ability to switch the phone into black and white mode to conserve battery power will be a huge help when I'm reading books on my phone which I do fairly often, or just needing to conserve power when I'm away from a charger but may need my phone for a quick call or text.

- Being a big fitness buff, the fitness app and added hear rate sensor is a great perk, of course, not a necessity, but definitely a nice addition.

- The fingerprint scanner to unlock the phone isn't a big deal for me, but what I did really like is the ability to 'hide' media albums and lock it with my fingerprint. I work for a cell phone company and we don't have live devices on display, so when I want to show a customer my phone and not have them invading my personal media, this will be perfect! Also a great added security for if your phone is ever lost or stolen.

- The processor in it on paper may not sound like much, but it will be a noticeable speed jump, and the ability for it to use any LTE band is phenomenal. I've done speed test on my Z1 using the highest LTE band and would never want to go without that speed again.

- Dual WiFi antenna (I'm hoping) will show a significant improvement to WiFi speeds, I often use LTE instead of WiFi simply because WiFi is much slower.

- Intrigued about the booster, have to see how it performs hands on though.

- Unlike many many others, I enjoy the look of the phone, and it will be much more durable then the Z1 / Z2 without a case. I don't often use cases, or if I do I look for the thinnest/ lightest possible.

- Accessories. Once again, not something that everyone cares about, but other companies like Sony and LG just don't have enough of them yet, at least not in my area. I do all my accessory shopping on-line for my Z1 because there are no options locally. A couple big one's for me will be the Samsung Gear Fit, absolutely loving it. Great for gym using or outdoor runners/ bikers/ walkers. I also have a Samsung TV so the added 'remote' capability on the gear fit is nice, as well as the Samsung all share features on the phone. Finally, cases. My number one favourite case that I have always missed when using other android devices is the Samsung flip cases, removing the back plate and making the case this slim is just perfect.

- Water resistance. Now that I've had the Z1 I could never not get a water resistant phone, it's great using the phone at the gym and not worrying about sweat getting on it, just simply taking it in the shower and rinsing it off when I'm done.

I will wait to see the HTC launch of the M8 or 'one two' before I make a concrete decision, but definitely leaning towards to S5 ATM .

(Previously owned devices: S2, HTC raider, Note 1, S3, S3 international, Nexus 4, HTC one, Nexus 5, Sony Xperia Z1)