A man reacts while trying out his new Samsung Galaxy S5
IN PHOTO: A man reacts while trying out his new Samsung Galaxy S5 in Jakarta, April 11, 2014. Samsung Electronics Co Ltd estimated that its January-March operating profit fell by 4.3 percent to 8.4 trillion won ($7.96 billion) as easing smartphone sales growth continued to weigh earnings down. REUTERS/Beawiharta Reuters/Beawiharta

The flagship Samsung Galaxy S5 was released in April 2014, while the recently launched Samsung Galaxy A7 will hit the store shelves sometime in Q1 2015. Readers who are interested in the Galaxy S5 or the metal-clad Galaxy A7 should check out this comparison.

Display, Design And Size

The new Samsung Galaxy A7 features a bigger 5.5-inch Super AMOLED display, complemented by a resolution of 720 x 1,280 pixels. Meanwhile, the Galaxy S5 comes with a relatively smaller 5.1-inch Super AMOLED display; however, the screen resolution is better than the A7 at 1,080 x 1,920 pixels. Therefore, the pixel densities of the S5 and the A7 stand at to 432 ppi and 267 ppi, respectively.

When it comes to design, the Galaxy S5 sports the same dotted/perforated back panel design, similar to other high-end Samsung handsets. However, the S5 has a matte-effect laden plastic exterior, in place of the inexpensive, shiny look seen in other Samsung phones, writes CNet.

The Samsung Galaxy A7, on the other hand, is reportedly one of the slimmest Galaxy smartphones ever built. This device is only 6.3 mm thick, while the Galaxy S5 is 8.1 mm thick. Plus, the device features a metallic unibody design, guaranteeing the premium look missing in the Galaxy S5, says GSM Arena. Moreover, the handset will reportedly come in white, midnight black and champagne gold hues upon release.

Speaking of weight, the S5 and the A7 measure 145 g and 141 g, respectively. Although the Galaxy A7 is slimmer than the Galaxy S5, both the handsets are nearly same when it comes to weight.

Hardware, Software And Memory

The Galaxy A7 is powered by a 64-bit (Qualcomm Snapdragon 615) chip with an octa-core processor, clocked at 1.5 GHz. On the other hand, the Galaxy A5 is powered by a quad-core (Qualcomm Snapdragon 801) chip, clocked at 2.5 GHz. Despite the difference, both the handsets are backed by the same 2 GB of RAM.

Moving on to the software powering the phone, the new Samsung Galaxy A7, unfortunately, does not run on the latest Lollipop OS, instead it runs on Android v4.4.x KitKat OS. The Galaxy S5, meanwhile, runs on Android v4.4.2 KitKat OS; however, it is upgradable to Android 5.0 Lollipop. As far as the memory goes, the Galaxy S5 comes equipped with 16 GB and 32 GB of storage, whereas the Samsung Galaxy A7 offers 16 GB storage. Plus, both the devices support microSD card. However, the expansion limit of the S5 and the A7 stand at 128 GB and 64 GB respectively.

Camera And Battery

While the Galaxy S5 sports a solid 16 MP primary unit and a 2 MP secondary unit, the Galaxy A7 houses a 13 MP rear-facing unit and a 5 MP front-facing shooter. Plus, both the handsets support LED flash. With respect to the battery configuration, the Samsung Galaxy A7 is backed by a 2,600 mAh battery unit, whereas the Galaxy S5 houses a slightly better 2,800 mAh unit.

Additional Features

1. The flagship Samsung Galaxy S5 features a fingerprint sensor for unlocking the device, while the A7 doesn't. Furthermore, the S5 also supports mobile payments via the sensor. While the S5 comes with water- and dust-resistant body (IP67) and wireless charging facility, the A7 doesn't.

2. Both the devices support 4G LTE and NFC, nonetheless, the S5 also supports Infrared port. While the Galaxy S5 is a single-SIM handset, the Galaxy A7 supports optional dual-SIM.

Price

Ten months after the release, the 2014 flagship Samsung Galaxy S5 (16 GB) is priced at $649.99 in Amazon. On the other hand, the Samsung Galaxy A7 (16 GB) can be purchased for RUB 31,990 in Russia, which roughly translates to $530, notes GSM Arena.

Also Read

1. AnTuTu's Top Android Phones For 2014: The Topper Is Not A Samsung Or Apple Device But A Surprise Entry - [Read]

2. Apple iPhone 7/6S Release Update: HTC One (M8)-Like Dual-Lens With Optical Zoom Feature And 3D Pressure Sensor For Health App Likely Onboard - [Read]

3. Apple iOS 8.1.3 Update Likely Be Rolled Out This Week; Plus Apple iOS 8.2 To Debut Alongside Apple Watch In March - [Read]

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