Samsung Galaxy S5 v HTC One M8 v Sony Xperia Z2

Sparkles27 · 21-05-2014 04:14PM #1

Hey guys, so I have the Samsung Galaxy S4 and I'm due an upgrade on the 1st of June and I am so torn between the Samsung Galaxy S5, HTC One M8 or Sony Xperia Z2! I have no issues with my S4 but if I get the S5 I'm afraid it won't really feel like a 'new phone'! I love the look of the gold M8, however a lot of reviews say the camera isn't great. I haven't seen any of these phones in action so just wondering if any of you have any feedback on them or comparisons between them? I presume battery is pretty much the same in all of them.

billbond4 · 21-05-2014 04:18PM

some info on the battery on the Z2
http://www.xperiablog.net/2014/05/18/xperia-z2-has-very-impressive-endurance/

timetogo · 21-05-2014 08:20PM

Sparkles27 wrote: »

Hey guys, so I have the Samsung Galaxy S4 and I'm due an upgrade on the 1st of June and I am so torn between the Samsung Galaxy S5, HTC One M8 or Sony Xperia Z2! I have no issues with my S4 but if I get the S5 I'm afraid it won't really feel like a 'new phone'! I love the look of the gold M8, however a lot of reviews say the camera isn't great. I haven't seen any of these phones in action so just wondering if any of you have any feedback on them or comparisons between them? I presume battery is pretty much the same in all of them.

Can't really compare as I've only got the S5. I moved from the S4 to S5. I was worried too about the slight upgrade but as I sold my S4 and got the upgrade for close to the price I sold it for I thought, why not.

I don't regret it. It's not a huge upgrade from the S4 as you suspect but there are some upgrades. Touchwiz is enhanced (but I pop on Nova Launcher anyway), the screen is gorgeous (but the S4 wasn't exactly bad). The camera is great. That was the main turn off for me for the HTC.
I would have considered the Xperia, it looks very nice, but it wasn't out when I was buying mine.

For battery life I'm getting a bit longer than I was with the S4. At the moment (8PM) I'm on 55% after plugging it out at 7AM this morning. Generally even on a busy day I've 10% -> 20% left at the end of the day.
The ultra low power mode is handy. I haven't needed it yet.

I think the fingerprint scanner is a bit gimmicky. It works fine but I'm happy with my swipe pattern. Same with the heart rate sensor. I've used that about twice to mess around with it.
The waterproof capability is handy though. I don't care about it too much but it's handy.

If you're happy with the S4, you'll be happy with the S5. But it's not a gigantic upgrade, but then the M8 & Xperia aren't huge upgrades either. The S4 is still a great phone.

I don't give two hoots about metal backs on phones. Any phone I get goes into a gel cover. Which is handy as I dropped mine about 3 days after getting it. Not a mark on it.

If you're due an upgrade, whichever phone you get, sell your S4 on Adverts or Gumtree etc. etc. Get the unlock code from your provider. You should get about €250 for it easily enough if it's in good condition.

Vikings · 22-05-2014 03:58PM

I just upgraded to the S5 from an S3. I was thinking about the M8 for a while but with the S5 having a removable battery and room for a micro SD card it sealed the deal for me.

I got this case for the S5 and not only does it give good protection, it looks the business too.

Battery life is great on the S5, with light/moderate use I can get away without charging it overnight for a day or so. Heavy use lasts about 24 hours. (Currently at 49% after 23h59 minutes off charge with 3 hours screen time to give you an idea)

Find the speaker on this much much better than the S3 I had before. All in all I think the S5 offers better "futureproofing" if you will in terms of being able to replace the battery, add a bigger battery, add a wireless charging case/pad etc.

flazio · 22-05-2014 11:42PM

Another thing you'll find with Sony or HTC compared to Samsung is that they swap around the back and menu buttons. It's like driving a car with the wiper and indicator stalks swapped around, takes getting used to.

Sparkles27 · 23-05-2014 10:48AM

timetogo wrote: »

Can't really compare as I've only got the S5. I moved from the S4 to S5. I was worried too about the slight upgrade but as I sold my S4 and got the upgrade for close to the price I sold it for I thought, why not.

I don't regret it. It's not a huge upgrade from the S4 as you suspect but there are some upgrades. Touchwiz is enhanced (but I pop on Nova Launcher anyway), the screen is gorgeous (but the S4 wasn't exactly bad). The camera is great. That was the main turn off for me for the HTC.
I would have considered the Xperia, it looks very nice, but it wasn't out when I was buying mine.

For battery life I'm getting a bit longer than I was with the S4. At the moment (8PM) I'm on 55% after plugging it out at 7AM this morning. Generally even on a busy day I've 10% -> 20% left at the end of the day.
The ultra low power mode is handy. I haven't needed it yet.

I think the fingerprint scanner is a bit gimmicky. It works fine but I'm happy with my swipe pattern. Same with the heart rate sensor. I've used that about twice to mess around with it.
The waterproof capability is handy though. I don't care about it too much but it's handy.

If you're happy with the S4, you'll be happy with the S5. But it's not a gigantic upgrade, but then the M8 & Xperia aren't huge upgrades either. The S4 is still a great phone.

I don't give two hoots about metal backs on phones. Any phone I get goes into a gel cover. Which is handy as I dropped mine about 3 days after getting it. Not a mark on it.

If you're due an upgrade, whichever phone you get, sell your S4 on Adverts or Gumtree etc. etc. Get the unlock code from your provider. You should get about €250 for it easily enough if it's in good condition.

Thanks to all of you for the input.
Timetogo you are right, I suppose neither phone will be a major upgrade because the S4 is such a good phone! I wouldn't even be upgrading but the plan I'm on with Vodafone includes a new phone every year upgrade

The camera is what is turning me off the HTC too.
I also use a gel cover on my phones.
Ooohhh i'm leaning toward the S5 now! I was HTC yesterday

Roll on Sunday week when I can get it!

ks44 · 23-05-2014 08:19PM

Hi, I had an Xperia Z. I upgraded to the m8. Just wasn't happy with it. Camera not near as good as the Xperia.
Ended up swapping it on adverts for the Z2. Really happy with it. Great camera. Water and dust proof is a big plus for me (work in construction). Also the slow motion video thing is cool.
I just felt nothing stood out for me with the m8.

Ireland.. · 23-05-2014 11:00PM

Hi guys,
Sorry if this is a little off topic but I'm just curious as to whether you all would consider the s5 on bill pay as good value?
I'm strongly considering it but I never had a bill phone before so I cant work out what I'd actually be paying for A the phone and B the credit over the 24 months

Sparkles27 · 24-05-2014 02:42PM

ks44 wrote: »

Hi, I had an Xperia Z. I upgraded to the m8. Just wasn't happy with it. Camera not near as good as the Xperia.
Ended up swapping it on adverts for the Z2. Really happy with it. Great camera. Water and dust proof is a big plus for me (work in construction). Also the slow motion video thing is cool.
I just felt nothing stood out for me with the m8.

Hi ks44, how's the screen on the Z2? Does it smudge with finger prints very easily?
Thanks

Sparkles27 · 24-05-2014 02:43PM

Ireland.. wrote: »

Hi guys,
Sorry if this is a little off topic but I'm just curious as to whether you all would consider the s5 on bill pay as good value?
I'm strongly considering it but I never had a bill phone before so I cant work out what I'd actually be paying for A the phone and B the credit over the 24 months

Which plan were you looking at? How much credit do you usually get a month roughly?

ks44 · 24-05-2014 06:28PM

Sparkles27 wrote: »

Hi ks44, how's the screen on the Z2? Does it smudge with finger prints very easily?
Thanks

Ah nothing that I have noticed too much. It does seem to attract dust in your pocket when you take it out but it's nothing that would really put me off.

blinkey 101 · 24-05-2014 10:39PM

Is it just me or is everyone hiding from the fact that the s4 is only 9gb internal memory and the s5 is even less with a miserable 8.5gb internal storage ?

And before any says you can insert an SD card into the phones, its not worth jack as you cant move apps over onto the SD card so you are limited to the amount of apps you can have on the phones .

Sparkles27 · 24-05-2014 10:42PM

blinkey 101 wrote: »

Is it just me or is everyone hiding from the fact that the s4 is only 9gb internal memory and the s5 is even less with a miserable 8.5gb internal storage ?

And before any says you can insert an SD card into the phones, its not worth jack as you cant move apps over onto the SD card so you are limited to the amount of apps you can have on the phones .

Any idea how much the Z2 or M8 have?

blinkey 101 · 24-05-2014 10:52PM

well the m8 has 16/32gb plus you can add an sd card
the z2 i'm not to sure think its 16gb .

i would of loved the m8 but the camera is muck i have old nokias with better cameras .

my next choice would of been the s4/s5 but the memory is rubbish .

Sparkles27 · 24-05-2014 10:58PM

blinkey 101 wrote: »

well the m8 has 16/32gb plus you can add an sd card
the z2 i'm not to sure think its 16gb .

i would of loved the m8 but the camera is muck i have old nokias with better cameras .

my next choice would of been the s4/s5 but the memory is rubbish .

Yeah I really wish the M8 had a better camera, I definitely would have got it if it did!
Im still not sure what I'll get.

blinkey 101 · 24-05-2014 11:09PM

i'm in the same boat as you trust me just cant see a good enough phone at the min .

i keep going to say yes that's it you're getting the m8 but the bloody camera is such a let down i mean its rubbish they put a lada engine into a Porsche body

then i was going to get the s4 and trying to convince myself that the 9gb wont be an issue but who am i fooling sigh ...

Sparkles27 · 24-05-2014 11:13PM

Yeah it's so annoying! I'd love a combo of the 3 of them

blinkey 101 · 24-05-2014 11:17PM

i only said the to the guy in the phone shop the other day pity you couldn't mush them together and make you're own phone lol

pity the phone shops don't let you take a phone for a few days on a trial period like the car company's. just to see what phone you would like

dream on me ...

Sparkles27 · 24-05-2014 11:20PM

Lol that would be the job!
I said the very same thing to my friends that I'd like to have the 3 of them for a few days to see which I like the most! I'm making such a big deal of it but it is a big decision like

odjazdowy · 24-05-2014 11:25PM

guys
It's really sad to read it sometimes....
Did anyone compare photos taken with m8 and s5???
Do you really see big difference?
Or you just comparing paper and how many megapixels they have???
Take photos with these both devices, print let's say 20x30 and compare...
and what else you think is better in s5? child UI? fingerprint scanner?(haha)
Let's be serious, m8 is far better...
PS I don't have any of them

blinkey 101 · 24-05-2014 11:27PM

No you're totally right i'm the same and i'm sure a lot of ppl out there feel the same way .

i have friends and family's heads wrecked lol, i'm even asking strangers if i see one using a phone i like what they think lol

after all its a lot of money to be forking out on a phone so you wanna get it right

Sparkles27 · 24-05-2014 11:34PM

odjazdowy wrote: »

guys
It's really sad to read it sometimes....
Did anyone compare photos taken with m8 and s5???
Do you really see big difference?
Or you just comparing paper and how many megapixels they have???
Take photos with these both devices, print let's say 20x30 and compare...
and what else you think is better in s5? child UI? fingerprint scanner?(haha)
Let's be serious, m8 is far better...
PS I don't have any of them

I haven't seen any of these phones working yet, I'm just going by reviews I've read!
Don't forget the heart rate sensor lol

I'd love to see the M8 but nobody I know has it yet.

Sparkles27 · 24-05-2014 11:36PM

blinkey 101 wrote: »

No you're totally right i'm the same and i'm sure a lot of ppl out there feel the same way .

i have friends and family's heads wrecked lol, i'm even asking strangers if i see one using a phone i like what they think lol

after all its a lot of money to be forking out on a phone so you wanna get it right

Lol snap!! I'd say they can't wait til I just get one and shut up going on about it!

Whichever I get is free cos of the plan I'm on but I still don't want to be like oh I wish I got the other one!

blinkey 101 · 24-05-2014 11:48PM

I was talking to the guy in the cpw the other day and he had the m8 it was his own and he said all the staff have them.
and when i held it i wanted it so bad i do have to say its a stunning phone. he took a pic with it and showed me it look really OK to me a pic is a pic to me , see i'm like yourself just cant decide.
but the guy did make a good point the camera is perfect for every day use its not like well be taking pic a selling them to an art gallery lol .see i'm doing it again now i want the m8

...

blinkey 101 · 24-05-2014 11:52PM

But surly the more megapixels the better the pic no ?

i mean if you take a a pic with both cameras and then zoom out on each pic i'm sure the m8s 4 megapixels would be left in the dust ?

Sparkles27 · 24-05-2014 11:57PM

blinkey 101 wrote: »

I was talking to the guy in the cpw the other day and he had the m8 it was his own and he said all the staff have them.
and when i held it i wanted it so bad i do have to say its a stunning phone. he took a pic with it and showed me it look really OK to me a pic is a pic to me , see i'm like yourself just cant decide.
but the guy did make a good point the camera is perfect for every day use its not like well be taking pic a selling them to an art gallery lol .see i'm doing it again now i want the m8 ...

The M8 is definitely the best looking phone!
Lol I know. It's not like we're professional photographers and it's not like the camera can be THAT bad?!
Aaahhh I want it now too!! I was Samsung yesterday and Sony earlier today lol!

blinkey 101 · 25-05-2014 12:13AM

i'm breaking my heart laughing here

what are we like .i suppose at the end of the day if you got the m8 and didn't like it you could always sell it on no problem as they are on adverts for around 500/550 /. did you have any prob with app storage on the s4 did you have many apps ?

Ireland.. · 25-05-2014 12:23AM

Sparkles27 wrote: »

Which plan were you looking at? How much credit do you usually get a month roughly?

sorry I just seen this now.. Im currently spending €20 a month.
I was thinking about either the €49 or €59 a month deal with Meteor

timetogo · 25-05-2014 08:36AM

odjazdowy wrote: »

guys
It's really sad to read it sometimes....
Did anyone compare photos taken with m8 and s5???
Do you really see big difference?
Or you just comparing paper and how many megapixels they have???
Take photos with these both devices, print let's say 20x30 and compare...
and what else you think is better in s5? child UI? fingerprint scanner?(haha)
Let's be serious, m8 is far better...
PS I don't have any of them

Here's a good site with some good comparison shots

http://www.cnet.com/uk/news/samsung-galaxy-s5-camera-comparison-versus-htc-one-m8-iphone-5s/

You don't say why you think the M8 is far better.
As for the child ui you can change the launcher in Android in about 1 minute. I use Nova. Always end up putting that on any device I use. I wish the manufacturers would just give us stock android.

No matter which one the op gets he'll get a great phone.

I considered the M8 too. I wanted to get it but the lack of removable battery (which in all honesty I'll probably never need to remove) and the lower spec camera (again that I'll probably never notice the difference between the shots) led to me passing it by. Dual sensors on a camera seems like messing about.

If you're buying the best phone you can, HTC doesn't feel like it to me. My first Android was a HTC. Now they seem to be cutting some small corners. It's entirely subjective though.

Last year they removed the option for microsd cards and turned that decision around. I bet next year they'll turn around their camera decision.

Sparkles27 · 25-05-2014 09:11AM

blinkey 101 wrote: »

i'm breaking my heart laughing here what are we like .i suppose at the end of the day if you got the m8 and didn't like it you could always sell it on no problem as they are on adverts for around 500/550 /. did you have any prob with app storage on the s4 did you have many apps ?

I ran out of memory when I needed to download an episode of a TV show so I got an SD card then and transferred pictures, music and whichever apps could be moved onto it and had no bother then

Thanks for the link timetogo. The camera in the S5 is definitely far superior. I think I'll get that or the Z2. Like you said either way it'll be a great phone.

beno619 · 25-05-2014 10:05AM

flazio wrote: »

Another thing you'll find with Sony or HTC compared to Samsung is that they swap around the back and menu buttons. It's like driving a car with the wiper and indicator stalks swapped around, takes getting used to.

Just on this point, it's Samsung that have the button placement wrong not HTC and Sony.

Samsung Galaxy S5 v HTC One M8 v Sony Xperia Z2

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