Serious doubts about S5

[PooFlingingApe]

One key thing to notice is that it says water resistant rather than proof. Mine was fine with water until one day it got wet and the fast app switch button(the one that replaced the menu button) would spaz out and constantly act like i was pressing it. Couldn't do a thing before the quick switch screen would pop up. It also kept telling me that the charger i was using wasn't compatible and that i should use the original charger. I was using the original charger... Other than that it is an excellent device.

 

[fofjjsr]

I guess that you are one of the lucky ones, which I'm sure is the majority. But, obviously the S5 has some lag issues, or customers and reviewers wouldn't mention it.

Every phone has issues reported by reviewers and consumers of some type. These phones are mass produced, the likely hood of all of them working perfectly and the same for everyone is zero.

I will also say the public forums like these can have people noticing something they may have otherwise not noticed nor saw as a problem, but then because it was pointed out a few times jump on the band wagon of "YA MY PHONE IS DOING THAT TOO!". Example: the rattling camera shutter. I never even noticed it until it was pointed out on these forums.

My wife has the M8, and I have tested how quickly things open compared on both phones and saw little to no difference. I don't have a problem with the M8. It's a fantastic phone. I just prefer what the S5 has to offer for me. Just like the G2 and the G3 are great devices as well. The problem I have begun to see, like the iPhone before it, is the Galaxy line gets reviewed more and put under a microscope because of how it is advertised and is in your face in the media etc. Sometimes I think people have begun to expect to much from a phone, and the galaxy line, and iPhone for that matter, because innovation has begun to slow down, but people's expectations have not. Is the S5 perfect? Heck no. But neither is any other device on the market. The S5 has the advantage of marketing however, and it is marketed hard.

Sent from my Galaxy S5

 

[prlundberg]

Here's my deal. My phone lags. All over. Randomly. Went to the Verizon store, both floor models same thing. It's typically not terrible, but it is very annoying. Tons of posts are reporting lag and even some reviews. All sorts of advice to be found to minimize it, I've tried it all to no avail (except a different launcher, I don't feel that's an acceptable solution). It's a real issue, just as the camera is an issue on the M8. If you don't notice it, aren't bothered by it, or simply don't have any lag at all it doesn't negate the fact that issues do exist and Samsung has a problem. It probably is due to Verizon's intrusive bloatware. But other Verizon flagship phones don't have lag, so it's really no excuse.

The bottom line is that I STONGLY advise anybody who is considering this phone to try it out in person. Open the gallery, flip through the calendar, give it a workout before you buy it. If you don't notice anything then perhaps you'll be fine. But under no cicumstances would I advise somebody to buy one soley based on what they've read on the internet.

 

[NJMama]

Am I the only one that has 0, Zero, Zip, No issues on my Samsung S5?

I have no issues. I love it. I definitely upgraded from my 5s. It feels so good to be free from Apple!!

 

[MADDROID1]

No issues at all with my month old S5. Loving it!

Sent from my QMV7A using Tapatalk

 

[lifetoall]

The GS5 was out sourced to China and basically a knockoff of the original Korean model. At least when my two GS5s showed up they had china all over it lol My girlfriend is from China and she's like we can get this phone for hundred dollars. I'm with Verizon and I heard that AT&T is still selling the real Korean model. Also only 1 of the phones worked. Thanks Verizon for down grading the Flagship...

Posted via Android Central App

 

[fofjjsr]

The GS5 was out sourced to China and basically a knockoff of the original Korean model. At least when my two GS5s showed up they had china all over it lol My girlfriend is from China and she's like we can get this phone for hundred dollars. I'm with Verizon and I heard that AT&T is still selling the real Korean model. Also only 1 of the phones worked. Thanks Verizon for down grading the Flagship...

Posted via Android Central App

So I guess you didn't know every other Galaxy model had versions from China and Korea? Both on every U.S. carrier? I have seen both Korean and Chinese branded S5s from Verizon. You really think every S5 is produced in Korea?

 

[Bambii68]

Do not get the s5!!!!

 

[Bambii68]

I am kind of regretting not returning mine at this point. It lags all the time. Just this morning when on a call I took it away from my face and it wouldn't turn the screen on. Answering calls is an adventure as it doesn't always respond to the answer swipe. I'm always double tapping stuff because I'm not sure if it has responded or not. Many apps stutter badly when scrolling. This is a disappointing phone, the best hardware coupled with terrible software. Even my original Surface RT puts this phone to shame in terms of smoothness. Not in speed though of course. This phone is fast once it does respond.

Some people on here claim to never have any lag. But look at reviews and comments online, there are still issues with TouchWiz and you don't see those issues with Sense on M8 reviews and forums. .

Now, my issues may have to do with what Verizon has done to it since they loaded it with bloatware and branding crap which can't all be removed, so I can't speak for S5s on other carriers. Regardless, there is no excuse for Samsung allowing this phone to reach consumers. This kind of thing was acceptable and even expected on Android 2 years ago. Not today. Every other flagship phone offers a more fluid user experience. Even the MotoX, which has been much maligned for its supposedly poor specs.

Go play with one in the store and see if the stuttering and lack of responsiveness bother you. You may not notice it or find it as annoying as I do. And as you can see, many people don't have any issues. But the problems are real and in my opinion you really need to love the features the S5 offers to put up with it. I thought I did, but the more I use it the less I like it.

On the flip side, I don't know if I could live with the M8's camera. My S5 has replaced my point-and-shoot. There are several things I don't like about the M8, but the camera was the dealbreaker.

As for some of the other issues you do have to keep in mind that Samsung sells a ton more of these than HTC sells M8s. There's going to be a lot more issues reported for that reason alone. I haven't had any glitches other than the responsiveness. In fact, it has been rock solid in that stuff doesn't crash and I haven't had to unexpectedly reboot it. Too early to tell anything about durability.

I enabled Developer Options & switched Runtime Mode to *ART* It's helped a bit with lag & freeze issues. But you have to switch back to *Dalvik* for PIN to be recognized in Private Mode. Running ART might affect other stuff, both positively & negatively, so take care to NOTE WHAT YOU ARE DOING in case you mess something up - then you can put stuff back the way it was. (I learned that WAY too late! LOL!)

Good luck!

 

[AZgl1500]

Do not get the s5!!!!

Sorry, but I did and could not be happier.

It is by far the best phone "of the day" for its' 15 minutes of fame....

new ones always coming down the pike, but the S5 will hold its' own for years to come.

Mine has no issues and don't anticipate that it should.

 

[riverlady22]

I have had my s5 since the day it was realeased...I traded my iphone 5 in for this phone...I love it! and have had not one problem! when iphone5 came out I had all kinds of problems until they did the first upgrade...there are glitches in all makes and models just give the company time to work thru them for you ...I love this forum and everyones advise riverlady22

 

[Haalcyon]

I now have an S5 and Note 3...they both are and have proven to be great IME.

NoTe 3 2 1nFiNiT1

 

[isdaako]

At local AT&T store the display models all exhibited lag or freezing issues. The store associate saw this as well and was unable to offer an explanation.

 

[dactyl2]

Made my mind up, ordering my S5 on Monday.
Thanks for the suggestions.
Will no doubt be back for something or other.

 

[Haalcyon]

At local AT&T store the display models all exhibited lag or freezing issues. The store associate saw this as well and was unable to offer an explanation.

While it may be true that there is some lag to be found (if you're indeed looking for it) it is certainly not enough for ME to note or enough to diminish the truly great experience that the phone offers. However, as a matter of course I always disable unneeded bloat and that may indeed have positively affected my experience.

NoTe 3 2 1nFiNiT1

 

[isdaako]

While it may be true that there is some lag to be found (if you're indeed looking for it) it is certainly not enough for ME to note or enough to diminish the truly great experience that the phone offers. However, as a matter of course I always disable unneeded bloat and that may indeed have positively affected my experience.

NoTe 3 2 1nFiNiT1

Agree. I'd like to find one out in the "wild" to see how it compares to those poor abused display models.

 

[Haalcyon]

After coming from an iPhone 5s all I can say is that the S5 experience is extremely "Premium" and quite satisfying...as it also is with this Note 3.

NoTe 3 2 1nFiNiT1

 

[fofjjsr]

At local AT&T store the display models all exhibited lag or freezing issues. The store associate saw this as well and was unable to offer an explanation.

As I stated before. Store models are not good examples because they have been play with by many people and had things downloaded on them (sometimes by kids) that may not be the best. Throw in the demo software that is used on display models and the expectations of lag and other issues is heightened.

Sent from my Galaxy S5

 

[1Coopgt]

Am I the only one that has 0, Zero, Zip, No issues on my Samsung S5?

Nope Mine's fine too. A lot of the time it comes down to operator error but not always .

 

[Haalcyon]

Nope Mine's fine too. A lot of the time it comes down to operator error but not always .

In the day that I've had the S5 saw 0, zip, nil, zilch issues with it. Yeah, I replaced the TW launcher with Nova Prime but I don't think that caused miracles or is an uncommon thing to do.

NoTe 3 2 1nFiNiT1