I decided that as I travel a great deal, reading from my phone a slightly larger screen would be advantageous to me, so I started to look into larger screen phones.
I looked at the:
Samsung S6: decided not to go for it cause of the lack of SD card computability, and the cost. For that price and no SD card I would definitely go with the iPhone.
LG Flex: Good phone but not water proof.
Sony Z3: I like the Z3 compact but decided to try something different. Plus the so is harder to root.
Google Nexus: Nice phone just didn't really like the ascetics.
So after reviewing and playing with a lot of different phones. I decided on the Samsung S5. I have also rooted the phone to get as much out of it as I possibly can.
So below are the Pros and Cons of the phone in my opinion:
Style.
The phone is nice in your hands, it has a solid feel, but if I am being honest it feels slightly cheaper than the Sony or the iPhone that I have had. Don't get me wrong it isn't, but the look and feel is not quite as nice as the other. But put a case on it and it is great.
Screen.
The screen is great. Very clear and pictures look great. I have to say that this is expected by any phone in today's market even the cheaper models. Let face it too the resolution you have on phones now is so hi that it is more than what is required and just drains battery life. I would recommend changing the screen settings to improve the battery life.
Apps and functions.
As with most phones you will get built in apps. These are so annoying, not the music player or the camera and album of course those apps are important and handy to have straight out the box, but I am talking about the boots are that runs in the background. This is annoying on the Samsung. I don't need to be told to check the charger flap or the back of the cover. When will these companies stop putting this onto there phones. Rooting the phone as I have done allowed me to remove this but I should have had too.
The apps and the scrolling etc it good. Just as was the Sony. Easy to navigate, and the search function is easy to find and I use it a lot.
Also one thing I found was the Bluetooth was a lot more stable on the Samsung. With th Sony I has problems connecting to my cars Bluetooth, it would connect and not work or not connect at all. Not with the Samsung. Solid as a rock.
The finger print scanner is a bit well crap. I constantly am having problems with it. I have numerous profile and it is very hit and miss, unlike the iPhone. Still a good function.
Speed.
The phone is fast, same as the Sony, although I have noticed with a few memory intensive apps open it will freeze up occasionally. Never had this on the Sony, but it on,y slows up for a second or too. Nothing serious.
Battery.
The battery life on the phone I good. Not quite as good as the Sony, but still very good. I highly recommend downloading Greenify it is a great app that will improve battery life, also juice defender is a good app for that and if you like playing around with your phone tasker is another great app that you can add profiles to, to improve your battery life.
I also really like the function of the replaceable battery.
Rooting the phone.
The Samsung was a piece of cake. There are lots of sites out there for the Samsung that will walk you through the process and in most cases it is just click and play. The Sony was a lot harder and although doable, not simple at all.
Rooting the phone allows you to do so much with your phone and although not essential, if you like to set your phone up and have complete control worth it. It will in some cases void your warrantee you can revert back if you do have a problem.
Conclusion.
I do really like the Samsung. The feel and size is just right for me, yes the boots are is a pain in the backside but work arounds are available. The battery life is good, yes others are better, but still good. Overall I would recommend the phone.
