Many times we have heard that Samsung's new flagship device was going to arrive with a metal casing. However, the South Korean company has always ended up opting for plastic. However, this time there are reasons to think that the new flagship, the Samsung Galaxy S5, it will be made of aluminumThe company is already preparing the production line.
From the Samsung Galaxy Note 2 to the Samsung Galaxy S4, it was already rumored that they would be made of metal, that the South Korean company had opted for higher-quality manufacturing. However, HTC and Sony have produced high-quality aluminum smartphones before Samsung, despite the latter being the largest mobile phone manufacturer in the world. Even so, it seems that this time it is true that the company will have a new flagship made with a metal casing. And the Samsung Galaxy S5 It would only be one of the smartphones made of aluminum, as there will be more terminals that will be made with this material.
Design and materials: pragmatism, sealing and a commitment to durability
In the aluminum vs. polycarbonate debate, Samsung has prioritized a practical approachThe back cover of the Galaxy S5 is removable, allowing you to change the battery and maintain a contained weight and thickness (approx. 145g and 8,1mm), at the expense of a metal unibody. The perforated finish eliminates glare and improves the grip, and the metallic-look edge remains plastic to optimize strength and ergonomics.
A differentiating point of the design is the resistance IP67: The terminal is protected against dust and can withstand splashes and brief, shallow immersion. This includes a cover for the USB port, which, although it transmits feeling of durability, may be less comfortable on a daily basis. The rear camera protrudes slightly, and the speaker is discreetly placed at the bottom of the cover.
In parallel to the aluminum rumors, Samsung has explored versions with metal reinforcements and more sober finishes in specific editions, without losing the philosophy of practicality of the S range. In this way, it is understandable that advanced plastic proposals coexisted with the expectation of premium variants with metal chassis.
Display and performance: Mature Super AMOLED and reliable hardware
The Galaxy S5 has a panel 5,1-inch Super AMOLED with Full HD resolution (1080p) and a density close to 432 dpi. The Diamond matrix improves sharpness and reduces artifacts typical of previous generations. Brightness is high outdoors (with very competitive automatic peaking) and the minimum brightness It is excellent for night use. Color profiles allow you to adjust the calibration, highlighting the Cinema mode for his fidelity.
In performance, the set relies on the Snapdragon 801 from Qualcomm with a 2,5 GHz CPU, 2 GB of RAM, and 16/32 GB of storage expandable via microSD. The experience is fluid in apps and games, with a layer TouchWiz more restrained than in previous generations. The port is maintained USB 3.0 for fast transfers and faster loading.
Battery 2.800 mAh offers solid battery life for a day of intensive use; with moderate use, you can easily surpass that threshold. In addition, the Ultra Savings Changes the interface to grayscale, limits apps, and disconnects radios while idle to significantly extend usage hours in emergency situations.
Camera: 16 MP with fast focus, real-time HDR and UHD video
The main camera integrates a sensor of 16 megapixels (16:9 format, approx. 1/2.6″) with ISOCELL technology and f/2.2 aperture. Its focus is notable for phase detection combined with contrast, achieving very fast focus locks. The mode HDR allows you to preview the result in real time, even in video, and the terminal can record in UHD / 4KIn good light, it delivers great detail and color, and in low light, it maintains satisfactory results, although below those of more specialized solutions.
The mode of selective focus It creates combined files to simulate background blur with well-defined edges in close-up shots, although activating them requires some practice. The interface provides access to metering and white balance, although it doesn't offer full manual control.
Connectivity and extras: fingerprint sensor, heart rate monitor and IP67
In terms of connectivity, the S5 comes very complete: LTE, NFC, Wi-Fi 802.11ac, Bluetooth 4.0 LE, infrared to control TVs, support ANT + for sports accessories and Download Booster, which combines mobile data and Wi‑Fi to speed up downloads. External audio is functional but with shallow depth and limited power.
Among the sensors, the reader of footprints The front button works by sliding. It's reliable, although more comfortable with two hands or registering multiple fingerprints from the same finger. pulsometer Integrated into the flash module is supported by S Health, providing value for those looking for basic tracking without additional accessories.
Variants and the eternal question of aluminum
What's more, we not only know that the new Samsung Galaxy S5 would be made of aluminum, but the company is also currently preparing the production lines, which is logical considering that the use of this material will become the standard for future generations. This doesn't mean that plastic smartphones won't be released anymore, as this will likely continue to happen with entry-level phones. However, it seems that Samsung has found a way to manufacture aluminum devices without incurring excessive costs. The Samsung Galaxy S4 Active, made with a metal casing, has likely served as a test run for what will later become commonplace in the company's smartphones.
In the Galaxy S5 ecosystem, rumors of a premium version with aluminum chassis and screen QHD (2560 x 1440), and even pre-production units pointed to a thicker body and metal frames. There was also talk of a jump to Snapdragon 805 for that variant and mixtures of aluminum with polycarbonate to balance cost, weight and connectivity. In parallel, models such as the Active Galaxy S5 They reinforced resistance and industrial aesthetics while maintaining very similar base specifications.
However, it never hurts to keep in mind that there could still be changes for the next production cycles. Whenever a new Galaxy S or Note is launched, the same thing happens: there are supply problems and they can't meet deadlines, which forces them to change components to speed up the manufacturing process. We don't know if the same will happen this time, but we'll still have to wait a few months until we know anything concrete about the Samsung Galaxy S5.
All in all, the Galaxy S5 cemented itself as a balance of mature screen, fast camera, good autonomy and useful extras, while the debate over aluminum opened the door to complementary editions and families that introduced metal into the catalog without sacrificing the series' identity.
