HTC One M8 or Samsung GS5?

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DarkDubzs

Limp Gawd
Joined
Jan 3, 2014
Messages
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Which do you think is the winner? On paper, the GS5 comes out on top, and the camera wins by far; Comparison. The camera on the GS5 seems to be a clear winner with this test, even the iPhone 5S seems to beat the M8. So, which would you pick, and why? Im not even considering the iphone 5s, im so done with iOS. Honestly, im kinda disappointed, i was preferring the HTC One M8 before i looked into this.
 
GS5 is physically smaller than M8, GS5 would win there for me.
Better camera is irrelevant to me, I take like 80 pics a year. Camera wise I consider it a tie.
GS5 has, to me, by far the shittiest UX, so the M8 wins the UX battle.

That means ultimately it's a draw.

Go to a store and try both for a while. Buy the one you prefer. There's no clear winner because it depends on which phone appeals to you more and which functions you need or use. If they would make a 1920x1080 4.8" screen phone that has all day battery life then they could completely remove the camera for all I care and I'd buy it anyway.

I find the GS5 and M8 both equally disappointing for different reasons and will probably just keep my off contract Lumia 900 for another year rather than getting locked into a 2 year contract with a device that I don't have the hots for.
 
Thuleman said:
Go to a store and try both for a while. Buy the one you prefer. There's no clear winner because it depends on which phone appeals to you more and which functions you need or use.
Click to expand...

This. I was also in the same position as you, debating between the two as they both offered very similar performance. Being an iPhone user, I thought I would be drawn towards the M8 for its build, but once I tried out the demo models at my local Verizon store I changed by mind. The GS5 does not actually look/feel as bad as I imagined, I actually like the rear of the phone.
Additionally, the M8 is a bit longer vertically than the GS5, and it just didn't feel right in my hand.
 
I would choose HTC One M8 due to quality. The camera isn't that bad if you are not using as a 2560x1440 wallpaper, heck even GS5 can't do that. Don't even bring iPhone 5S onto the table, it beats both by a far distance.

GS5 there isn't really anything about it, the TouchWiz pretty much makes it self destruct in first place.
 
I think there's a trade-off for choosing either one.

The HTC One M8
Strength are the premium build, good speakers and headphone output, self facing camera I think on one review gave the edge to this phone.
Weakness I would say is the rear camera and for some people not being able to pop the battery out.

S5
Strengths are Screen, much better rear facing camera, can swap battery if you have dock and extra set so no down time, insignificant boost from overclocked processor. Power save mode.
Weakness are cheap build feel for a premium priced phone. Features disabled on most US phone carriers such as the download booster (combines wifi and 4g), and Verizon had the paypal fingerprint to pay feature removed.

Ideally I would love something between both phones, basically the M8 with the S5 screen, rear camera and maybe have a removable battery cartridge or slot since it's not like the device is water proof.

If you don't need an immediate upgrade I think the future might bring some interesting phones. LG G3, newer iphone with bigger screen, maybe well see some Tizen or firefox os become more popular. The Note 4 later this year will probably be similar to the S5 but bigger screen and more ram (3gb).

Honestly I don't know if I want to stay on android platform for my next phone. My experience has been a little broken with the Samsung Droid Charge from Verizon. Took way too long to get updated to the current version of android at the time. Most of the updates consisted of disabling features (panoramic wall paper) which I tried to get working again using apps from the android market place and have proved futile, all the way to forcing to updating to a newer version of some software that was not really designed for your aging phone, like a newer version of slacker radio that was much more unstable and ran worse on my phone, OS installed is obsolete. But then there's things you can do on android that you can't really do on IOS like running emulators unless that iphone was jailbroken. I have an Ipod and noticed there's better quality control on the apps and most are cheaper that some android counterparts.

If I was buying a phone I would be tempted to wait for the Note 4. If I could at least take 1 thing from the M8 and add it to the S5 would be the much better speakers. If I had to choose I would probably go for the S5 because of the screen. Good luck.
 
Honestly the Galaxy S5 for me (this is purely my opinion). But here is my relatively objective opinion:

The Galaxy S5 has more hardware features 16MP ISOCELL sensor, heartrate monitor, fingerprint scanner. How useful they will be I'm not too sure but it just shows me that Samsung was more willing to spend more money to make a quality product for about the same selling price.

The Galaxy S5's soft touch finish feels luxurious. I hate glossy plastic but I do like soft touch plastic. Thank goodness they got rid of that faux-leather touch. This time, they made more luxurious with the soft touch finish.

Also the Galaxy S5's AMOLED display is rated as the industry's best according to DisplayMate. They officially said that AMOLED has surpassed LCD in some display criteria and is likely to be the future of display technology. Also this time Samsung made their AMOLED display on the S5 more accurate in terms of colors, with DisplayMate saying that the S5's AMOLED display is even more accurate than LCD displays.

The HTC One M8 has an excellent industrial design. The material quality looks better than the iPhone 5S. However it's too big and they wasted a lot of space with having the rather unsightly HTC logo at the bottom. So the screen size is smaller than the Galaxy S5 but it's an overall larger phone... not good.

Also the camera on the HTC One M8 is a dealbreaker. Yes, it's got the amber flash which will make it a better performer in dark conditions. The problem is, I almost never take photos at night. And 4MP, no matter how good they claim UltraPixels are, just doesn't cut it for me. I know megapixels don't mean much, but when it's only 4 megapixels, it's a dealbreaker.

In terms of the UI, I'll be honest, I prefer the colorful UI on the Galaxy S5. I like Sense 6 though... it looks much more industrial than the new TouchWiz. But I'd rather have a colorful UI, not a bland UI.

Again, everyone's taste is different.
 
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I want to try the GS5's camera, but honestly: after a few weeks of trying it: probably the HTC One M8.

The key is that the M8 is interesting. It feels like a luxury device (it's arguably better-looking than many luxury phones), and it has all kind of uncommon flourishes, such as the speakers and the extremely handy motion gestures. I prefer Sense to TouchWiz, too, since there's a cohesiveness and restraint that doesn't seem to be present in Samsung's world. You can tell that the M8 is the product of someone's passions and real-world experiences (Peter Chou's, in this case) where the GS5 is the result of focus group testing and studying competing products.

I look at a smartphone the way I do a car: if you're going to use something every day, why shouldn't it be at least a little exciting? The One is a bit eccentric, but that's part of the appeal -- it stands out, makes you pay attention without being frustrating. The GS5 is ultimately inoffensive... and that's fine, but I want something with more personality than a washing machine.
 
I'm having trouble deciding myself. Not really understanding what KNOX is on the samsung S5.

I don't know that I would count the heartrate monitor as more hardware than the M8. The M8 has ans IR blaster that I would use way more than a heartrate monitor.

S5 has a brighter screen. S5 does have a much better camera though from what I have sceen and the S5 has a removable battery. These 2 things are important but I think everything else leads to the M8 for me.

I think I will go look at them later today.
 
#1 - Go to store
#2 - Play with both phones
#3 - Buy the one that you like the best.
#4 - Thank God you aren't a Apple cultist, because you wouldn't have to ask this question in the first place and would have no choice in the matter. You would just buy whatever iPhone is available at this time.
 
Simple.

If you're driven by outer appearance maybe M8.

If you want a better phone S5.

Or, buy and try both and sell the one you don't like as much.

Personally, anything Made in China out of recycled aluminum doesn't make me think of luxury but have to hand it to Apple for doing a great job of implanting that false idea into the minds of sheep. I see a phone as nothing more than a tool.
 
Arizonian7 said:
Honestly the Galaxy S5 for me (this is purely my opinion). But here is my relatively objective opinion:

The Galaxy S5 has more hardware features 16MP ISOCELL sensor, heartrate monitor, fingerprint scanner. How useful they will be I'm not too sure but it just shows me that Samsung was more willing to spend more money to make a quality product for about the same selling price.
The Galaxy S5's soft touch finish feels luxurious. I hate glossy plastic but I do like soft touch plastic. Thank goodness they got rid of that faux-leather touch. This time, they made more luxurious with the soft touch finish.
Also the Galaxy S5's AMOLED display is rated as the industry's best according to DisplayMate. They officially said that AMOLED has surpassed LCD in some display criteria and is likely to be the future of display technology. Also this time Samsung made their AMOLED display on the S5 more accurate in terms of colors, with DisplayMate saying that the S5's AMOLED display is even more accurate than LCD displays.
The HTC One M8 has an excellent industrial design. The material quality looks better than the iPhone 5S. However it's too big and they wasted a lot of space with having the rather unsightly HTC logo at the bottom. So the screen size is smaller than the Galaxy S5 but it's an overall larger phone... not good.
Also the camera on the HTC One M8 is a dealbreaker. Yes, it's got the amber flash which will make it a better performer in dark conditions. The problem is, I almost never take photos at night. And 4MP, no matter how good they claim UltraPixels are, just doesn't cut it for me. I know megapixels don't mean much, but when it's only 4 megapixels, it's a dealbreaker.
In terms of the UI, I'll be honest, I prefer the colorful UI on the Galaxy S5. I like Sense 6 though... it looks much more industrial than the new TouchWiz. But I'd rather have a colorful UI, not a bland UI.

Again, everyone's taste is different.
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Yeah, the camera is way better on the GS5, based on tests ive seen, especially in awkward lighting like facing bright light, thanks to the new ISOCELL sensor. That's a huge plus for me. The screen is also a big winner which is a huge plus as well. I like the M8's design too, but that cant compensate for the camera and screen

Aurelius said:
I want to try the GS5's camera, but honestly: after a few weeks of trying it: probably the HTC One M8.
The key is that the M8 is interesting. It feels like a luxury device (it's arguably better-looking than many luxury phones), and it has all kind of uncommon flourishes, such as the speakers and the extremely handy motion gestures. I prefer Sense to TouchWiz, too, since there's a cohesiveness and restraint that doesn't seem to be present in Samsung's world. You can tell that the M8 is the product of someone's passions and real-world experiences (Peter Chou's, in this case) where the GS5 is the result of focus group testing and studying competing products.
I look at a smartphone the way I do a car: if you're going to use something every day, why shouldn't it be at least a little exciting? The One is a bit eccentric, but that's part of the appeal -- it stands out, makes you pay attention without being frustrating. The GS5 is ultimately inoffensive... and that's fine, but I want something with more personality than a washing machine.
Click to expand...
Totally agree with you on the M8 feeling like a luxury device. It's different somehow, and interesting like you said. The UI on both has me right in the middle, theres some things i like and hate about the M8, and same with the GS5. In fact, both have almost equally great things not present in the other, i really wish i could combine them into one ultra phone. Hopefully PhoneBloks becomes a reality, the prototype is promising though. :/

ellover009 said:
I think there's a trade-off for choosing either one.

The HTC One M8
Strength are the premium build, good speakers and headphone output, self facing camera I think on one review gave the edge to this phone.
Weakness I would say is the rear camera and for some people not being able to pop the battery out.
S5
Strengths are Screen, much better rear facing camera, can swap battery if you have dock and extra set so no down time, insignificant boost from overclocked processor. Power save mode.
Weakness are cheap build feel for a premium priced phone. Features disabled on most US phone carriers such as the download booster (combines wifi and 4g), and Verizon had the paypal fingerprint to pay feature removed.
Ideally I would love something between both phones, basically the M8 with the S5 screen, rear camera and maybe have a removable battery cartridge or slot since it's not like the device is water proof.
Click to expand...
Yeah, i just want to smash the best features of both into one phone. I cant afford to get either soon, but i dont think a new ground breaker will be out by the time i am ready to get either. The GS5 seems to be the winner for me.

Justintoxicated said:
I'm having trouble deciding myself. Not really understanding what KNOX is on the samsung S5.

I don't know that I would count the heartrate monitor as more hardware than the M8. The M8 has ans IR blaster that I would use way more than a heartrate monitor.

S5 has a brighter screen. S5 does have a much better camera though from what I have sceen and the S5 has a removable battery. These 2 things are important but I think everything else leads to the M8 for me.

I think I will go look at them later today.
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Let us know how they feel and perform IRL if you get the chance.
 
I think it wouldnt hurt to drop these pics in here for reference.

Side by side:
er_photo_219031_42.jpg


Side profiles: (GS5 on left, HTC on right)
UgmRTxzl.jpg


The HTC seems slightly more curved, taller, but has a smaller screen thanks to the HTC logo on the bottom of the screen. Pretty stupid to have put the logo there on the front, wasting precious screen real estate. Same goes for the GS5, except the logo is now on the top.
 
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The last pic isnt GS5. That's the 1st HTC one.

I have the GS5 and the screen of this is amazingly accurate color and vibrant but not washed out. The plastic feeling still there, but not so much since they used a smooth finished type cover. I had a chance to play around with HTC M8 and yes, it feels and looks luxury phone. If it werent for the camera and screen of the GS5, I wouldve gotten the M8. I still have 2 weeks to return this phone and I'm thinking using this phone for a week and decide if I really want to keep it or trade it for M8.
 
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Trimlock said:
S5 has an IR blaster, the S4 does too.
Click to expand...

Ahh ok, well I ended up getting one of each (buy one get one free)!

I'm going to keep the M8 and give the S5 to my dad. M8 bootloader has S-off working so you can put any ROM you want on that sucker but sense UI was already WAY nicer than Samsungs. However the S5 did indeed have a better screen, and camera (I don't care about the heartrate monitor). Just my opinion, the colors may be better on the HTC screen but not by much and the overall quality of the Samsung screen looked better for some reason (maybe viewing angles were better). Still It's too locked down for me to play and I want the free wifi hotspot so I'll stick with the M8.

HTC has better sound, but for someone like my dad who will never even root his phone I think the samsung is better. I didn't mind the plastic band-aid cover at all so that was not a deciding factor.

edit: the rear samsung camera is better, not the front. For the front camera the HTC is a lot nicer which will be great for taking pictures of my girlfriend and I when we go out etc.

The new M8 indicator LED is terrible, you can't even see it in bright light and I know it will drive me nuts. But the unlocked bootloader made the decision way easier for me.
 
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The one piece of info I would add is that I saw a review that says Touchwiz still lags a bit, even with the high-end hardware inside the S5. So, if system performance is a priority, go with the M8. On the other hand, many folks didn't think the S3 or S4 lagged, so it depends on how sensitive you are to that sort of thing. And of course folks who root can dump Touchwiz and avoid the problem entirely.
 
biggles said:
The one piece of info I would add is that I saw a review that says Touchwiz still lags a bit, even with the high-end hardware inside the S5. So, if system performance is a priority, go with the M8. On the other hand, many folks didn't think the S3 or S4 lagged, so it depends on how sensitive you are to that sort of thing. And of course folks who root can dump Touchwiz and avoid the problem entirely.
Click to expand...

It was in fact noticeable on both devices comparing the two. Probably not enough to bother my dad though, but it would annoy the shit out of me and I would root and remove it for sure.
 
So would the issues on the S5 be able to be fixed after rooting it and modding it? Like the lag? I dont really care for the UI, ill get used to it, much better than iOS IMO.
 
DarkDubzs said:
So would the issues on the S5 be able to be fixed after rooting it and modding it? Like the lag? I dont really care for the UI, ill get used to it, much better than iOS IMO.
Click to expand...

What issues are you referring to?

Viewing angles are probably going to be the more noticeable item between lcd and amoled other than contrast rang. LCDs typically get much brighter though.

IR blaster is a pretty functional price of equipment. I don't know how well HTCs software is but Samsung's is on point, I use it more than my actual remotes.

Just a few things to keep in mind.
 
I went with the S5. Overall, I can't complain. Really doesn't seem all that much different than my S4.
 
Advantages of Super AMOLED compared to LCD
Superior motion performance (higher refresh rate)
Infinite contrast
Deepest black levels (0 cd/m^2 by definition)
Saturated/vibrant colors
Enhanced battery life in advantageous situations (such as Samsung's Ultra power saving mode) . i.e. when screen is only utilizing black/greyscale.

Disadvantages of Super AMOLED compared to LCD
Typically lower max screen brightness* (refer to * for explanation)
Typically over-saturated colors* (refer to * for explanation)
Potential for burn-in
Little is known about lifespan since AMOLED is new technology - but does not really matter since most people replace their phones in 2 year intervals anyway and I've personally never had issues with Super AMOLED phones before.

*Does not apply to the new SGS5 because Super AMOLED has been improved in terms of screen brightness and color accuracy to the extent that DisplayMate now rates current-gen Super AMOLED on the SGS5 as brighter and more accurate than current-gen LCDs.

Advantages of LCD compared to Super AMOLED
A more older technology, hence we can predict the lifespan (and going by TV sets, monitors, it's a very long time - can expect up to a decade of use) - but it doesn't really matter since most people replace their phones in 2 year intervals anyway.
Typically higher max brightness* (refer to * for explanation)
Typically more accurate colors* (refer to * for explanation)
Less potential for burn-in (?)

Disadvantages of LCD compared to Super AMOLED
Slower motion performance
Typically washed out colors (only in some LCD displays though)
Blacks may appear washed out
Contrast is much lower than AMOLED
Using black/greyscale options will not enhance battery life since pixels are still turned on - a significant disadvantage of LCD technology

* No longer considered an advantage because Super AMOLED has been improved in terms of screen brightness and color accuracy to the extent that DisplayMate now rates current-gen Super AMOLED on the SGS5 as brighter and more accurate than current-gen LCDs.

IMO considering all these advantages/disadvantages, I think AMOLED technology is better now that Samsung has greatly improved it over 5 iterations.

Furthermore, I think the screen brightness on the SGS5 is perfect. Bright enough for outdoor conditions, but not too bright (too much brightness can be an issue too).

Infinite contrast and superior motion performance are huge advantages.
 
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AMOLED buyers beware: I got a case of burn in on my previously owned Galaxy S3 from using a clock app. The app would stay on when the device was plugged in since it treated the device like an alarm clock. It would be a big disappointment for anybody to damage the screen on an expensive device like that. Fortunately, it did not happen to me until I had already owned the phone for about 18 months and was ready to upgrade anyway.
 
AMOLED on original Galaxy S is approaching four years and is fine. For a while the sheep were spreading FUD about AMOLED blue dying prematurely but that's false.
 
mi7chy said:
AMOLED on original Galaxy S is approaching four years and is fine. For a while the sheep were spreading FUD about AMOLED blue dying prematurely but that's false.
Click to expand...

It's not fine(it may still be working)... but it was a terrible screen! The first Galaxy screen was an awful thing. Colours weren't even CLOSE to being true to life. S2 was better, S3 better, S4 better and now the S5 has one of (if not the) best screens on the market. Way to go Samsung! :D
 
Fine as in it hasn't degraded and it looks pleasant like HDR is enabled compared to a lot of washed out LCD. The bottom may be more accurate but the top definitely looks more pleasant.

18je1uq1xo53ejpg.jpg


18je1uq1rq6icjpg.jpg
 
Arizonian7 said:
Advantages of Super AMOLED compared to LCD
Superior motion performance (higher refresh rate)
Infinite contrast
Deepest black levels (0 cd/m^2 by definition)
Saturated/vibrant colors
Enhanced battery life in advantageous situations (such as Samsung's Ultra power saving mode) . i.e. when screen is only utilizing black/greyscale.

Disadvantages of Super AMOLED compared to LCD
Typically lower max screen brightness* (refer to * for explanation)
Typically over-saturated colors* (refer to * for explanation)
Potential for burn-in
Little is known about lifespan since AMOLED is new technology - but does not really matter since most people replace their phones in 2 year intervals anyway and I've personally never had issues with Super AMOLED phones before.

*Does not apply to the new SGS5 because Super AMOLED has been improved in terms of screen brightness and color accuracy to the extent that DisplayMate now rates current-gen Super AMOLED on the SGS5 as brighter and more accurate than current-gen LCDs.

Advantages of LCD compared to Super AMOLED
A more older technology, hence we can predict the lifespan (and going by TV sets, monitors, it's a very long time - can expect up to a decade of use) - but it doesn't really matter since most people replace their phones in 2 year intervals anyway.
Typically higher max brightness* (refer to * for explanation)
Typically more accurate colors* (refer to * for explanation)
Less potential for burn-in (?)

Disadvantages of LCD compared to Super AMOLED
Slower motion performance
Typically washed out colors (only in some LCD displays though)
Blacks may appear washed out
Contrast is much lower than AMOLED
Using black/greyscale options will not enhance battery life since pixels are still turned on - a significant disadvantage of LCD technology

* No longer considered an advantage because Super AMOLED has been improved in terms of screen brightness and color accuracy to the extent that DisplayMate now rates current-gen Super AMOLED on the SGS5 as brighter and more accurate than current-gen LCDs.

IMO considering all these advantages/disadvantages, I think AMOLED technology is better now that Samsung has greatly improved it over 5 iterations.

Furthermore, I think the screen brightness on the SGS5 is perfect. Bright enough for outdoor conditions, but not too bright (too much brightness can be an issue too).

Infinite contrast and superior motion performance are huge advantages.
Click to expand...

I had all sorts of blotches on my super ammo screens on both my droid razr maxx's, colors were inaccurate.

Having purchased both phones I have to say the samsung LCD was better over all than the HTC M8, maybe its the refresh rate or the better contrast that sold me on the S5's screen. I have never had an issue with burn in but several floor models at the verizon store had burn in...Still the screen was better, just not better enough to sell me on having the locked down bootloader and crappy UI and chromed plastic etc. That chromed plastic always chips off and looks like shit later. Over-all I think the Samsung will unfortunately be a better phone for your average user, but I wanted better sound, more clear phone calls, and felt the build quality to be better on the M8. Build quality, and better sound, and easier to unlock phone don't sell to your average customer though. flashy screens, better camera, and loads of features are what sell it along with that name brand recognition. I mean I would trade the nice aluminum case for the removable battery and water resistant shell any day, but it will be nice to not have to pay an additional $$$ for a developer addition samsung, I did not feel a developer edition Samsung was worth the price over the HTC that I will unlock when I get it in the mail later this week.
 
I have a S3 and G2 side by side. By all accounts the G2 is said to have a much better screen. But AMOLED screens look very pleasing to the eye, somethjing about the deep blacks and vibrant colors that pop. Unless you're a graphics artist who cares about 100% perfect color accuracy (which is in any case present in S5 AMOLED) people like the saturated look. And you can adjust color profiles.
 
MrCrispy said:
I have a S3 and G2 side by side. By all accounts the G2 is said to have a much better screen. But AMOLED screens look very pleasing to the eye, somethjing about the deep blacks and vibrant colors that pop. Unless you're a graphics artist who cares about 100% perfect color accuracy (which is in any case present in S5 AMOLED) people like the saturated look. And you can adjust color profiles.
Click to expand...

It depends on what you use your phone for, I think. If you take a lot of photos, an accurate display is best -- you want to know that the bright colour you see on your phone is what your friends will see when you post a pic online. If you're not using your camera very often, it's definitely less important.
 
Considering Samsung's recent offerings have different display modes so you can toggle between HDR or accuracy. Better than being stuck with bland mode with inaccurate black as grey all the time on iPhones.
 
MrCrispy said:
I have a S3 and G2 side by side. By all accounts the G2 is said to have a much better screen. But AMOLED screens look very pleasing to the eye, somethjing about the deep blacks and vibrant colors that pop. Unless you're a graphics artist who cares about 100% perfect color accuracy (which is in any case present in S5 AMOLED) people like the saturated look. And you can adjust color profiles.
Click to expand...

The S5 has a better more accurate display than the S3 though, it's way more accurate than the super ammoled on my droid razr maxx, as in better color accuracy from what I could see in the store.. I heard there are slight some accuracys with reds though but nothing I could put my finger on. If samsung had an unlockable bootloader I might have chosen that one instead.
 
mi7chy said:
Fine as in it hasn't degraded and it looks pleasant like HDR is enabled compared to a lot of washed out LCD. The bottom may be more accurate but the top definitely looks more pleasant.

18je1uq1xo53ejpg.jpg


18je1uq1rq6icjpg.jpg
Click to expand...

Were these pictures taken with the GS5? Or why are they posted here? Sorry, but i dont get how these add to the display debate... reason for me asking.
 
I think ive already made up my mind and im gonna go for the GS5. Based on objective research and personal opinions/decisions, it just seems better than the M8 for me, although, overall, it may not be better than the One M8, but it is better for me.

--Display beats the M8, important to me, i like the vibrancy, contrast, blackness of the blacks, sharpness and crispness of the GS5. To me, it is far superior than the HTC One m8. As far as possible burn in and dead pixels with AMOLED displays, the same can happen to LCD displays, and even if there is a burn in, the display can often be fixed by simply pushing a signal to activate only pure RGB and CMYK colors on the display.

--Rear camera on GS5 far beats One M8, but the front camera on the M8 is better, but i will be using the rear camera mostly anyways.

--I think i might like the GS5 UI better than the M8's, but im kinda torn between both. Ill get used to either anyways. And i can always flash the ROM to get a new UI cant I? Im an Android noob, thanks to only have owned iOS devices, but all i would have to do is Root it and "flash the ROM", like changing an iOS theme after jailbreaking, right? Ive heard this cannot be done on the GS5 though because something is locked, but this will be eventually fixed in the future with rooting and stuff cant it? Ive also heard TouchWiz on the GS5 is a bit laggy, is this true, and how bad is it, and can it be fixed in the future? Any help with this aspect?

Just overall, i like the GS5 better, its benefits and advantages outweigh those of the One M8, but again, this is personal, each person has their needs, tastes, etc. Also, replacing the GS5 battery is like a 10 second job, and the M8 requires the screen to be pried off with a heat gun, and prying tools.

I still hope to try both in stores, but if i have the chance to buy one soon, im planning on definitely getting the GS5.

Oh yeah, this was also a big deciding factor, the f***ing phone can be left underwater up to 3 feet (probably more too) for 1+ hour(s) and survive a full 50 minute wash, and after both still be in absolute perfect shape. Watch below for proof.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E9J611BuXhw&t=700
 
DarkDubzs said:
--I think i might like the GS5 UI better than the M8's, but im kinda torn between both. Ill get used to either anyways. And i can always flash the ROM to get a new UI cant I? Im an Android noob, thanks to only have owned iOS devices, but all i would have to do is Root it and "flash the ROM", like changing an iOS theme after jailbreaking, right? Ive heard this cannot be done on the GS5 though because something is locked, but this will be eventually fixed in the future with rooting and stuff cant it? Ive also heard TouchWiz on the GS5 is a bit laggy, is this true, and how bad is it, and can it be fixed in the future? Any help with this aspect?
Click to expand...

No the S5 has a locked bootloader unless you get the developer edition so you can NOT put any ROM you want on it. I believe Verizon will be releasing a developer edition for purchase at retail pricing though (around $650).

The M8 also has a locked bootloader but it has already been cracked. The S5 could potentially be cracked but judging that the S4 has not been cracked since it was patched it does not look hopeful.

Thats a strong reason I'm leaning towards the M8, but all your thoughts are legitmate reasons to get the S5 other than being able to run any ROM you want. There will likely be some ROM's based on TOuchwiz, usually these ROMs will get you closer to vanilla android but not get you there all the way without unlocking the bootloader. This also means that when you upgrade android versions, decide the new version is too slow for your phone...You will not be able to roll back due tot he locked bootloader (At least that is how it is with Moto). I'm not sure about unlocking the mobile hotspot either which is what is killing the S5 for me. (I'm planning to get one for my Dad though). Just wish I could get the $60 coupon code to work.

Still the S5 might be a better phone for you. I just want freedom with my device which has always been taken from me when buying Motorola phones in the past.
 
The GS5 is the better phone for many reasons you have touched on. As for the UI, personally I tend to slightly favor sense on HTC, but there are just too many other issues with the HTC one to get all bent out of shape on the UI. IF you aren't a buffoon you can find the places and ways to get things done in any UI that gives you the options. The problem would be when their simply is no option AKA apple.
 
rudy said:
The GS5 is the better phone for many reasons you have touched on. As for the UI, personally I tend to slightly favor sense on HTC, but there are just too many other issues with the HTC one to get all bent out of shape on the UI. IF you aren't a buffoon you can find the places and ways to get things done in any UI that gives you the options. The problem would be when their simply is no option AKA apple.
Click to expand...

What is wrong with the M8 other than the notification LED being hard to see when orange? I'm not understanding your comment either since there are plenty of things carriers lock you out of with a stock UI on any phone....

People are already looking at how to make the on-screen buttons transparent expanding the real estate of the M8 screen. I'm sure Cyanogen mod is on the way as well.

The phones are really a tie, and that is why it is hard to decide. I do think the Samsung has the slight edge you you don't mind paying for a developer edition phone though.
 
It has a reparability score of 2 making it just about the worst phone ever to repair and likely most expensive.
It has a sealed battery buried in the hard to repair phone. So after a year when your battery isn't what it used to be you probably wont replace it. THis should also be relevant to apple converts as most of the ones I know cite sealed batteries as a reason not to buy an apple again after they were stuck in a contract with a low capacity battery.
no finger print reader.
no heart rate monitor
camera is lower mp, but also doesn't seem to gain any quality.
large bottom and top bezels that waste space for no reason(people though a finger print reader was going in the bottom)
Wasted on screen space for home button etc.... What the heck is the point of wasting your space?
One place the one was going to win was outdoor viewing, unfortunately Samsung brought an unprecedented OLED to the table.
The one is not water or environment resistant like all Galaxy S5s are now.


I am not even getting into the more opinionated issues like mushy buttons etc...
 
IMO the hate for TouchWiz is the most overblown nonsense on online forums. In real life no one hates it, people use their phone and get on with their lives.

Its a perfectly fine skin with lots of features that some people actually use, as surprising as that may be to AOSP fanatics.
 
rudy said:
It has a reparability score of 2 making it just about the worst phone ever to repair and likely most expensive.
It has a sealed battery buried in the hard to repair phone. So after a year when your battery isn't what it used to be you probably wont replace it. THis should also be relevant to apple converts as most of the ones I know cite sealed batteries as a reason not to buy an apple again after they were stuck in a contract with a low capacity battery.
no finger print reader.
no heart rate monitor
camera is lower mp, but also doesn't seem to gain any quality.
large bottom and top bezels that waste space for no reason(people though a finger print reader was going in the bottom)
Wasted on screen space for home button etc.... What the heck is the point of wasting your space?
One place the one was going to win was outdoor viewing, unfortunately Samsung brought an unprecedented OLED to the table.
The one is not water or environment resistant like all Galaxy S5s are now.


I am not even getting into the more opinionated issues like mushy buttons etc...
Click to expand...

psssh who gives a shit about a heartrate monitor, you can get that with a 3rd party app anyways, that app has been out for years.

Both phones are horrible to repair,that is why you buy insurance. Break your phone and get a new one... Typically by the time I break my phone it's already cheaper to just buy a new one anyways.

I have never replaced a phone battery in my droid phones whether or not they were removable...Still prefer removable battery for sure, but I'll bet 95% of people don't ever replace their batteries before buying something new.

The reason for using extra space is for the large speakers which are much better than the S5's. you know for people who actually talk on their phones and do conference calls, or listen to music etc. It is a very sound oriented phone (built in headphone amplifier too).

It IS water resistant, just to a lower standard (do not submerge), but I would avoid doing that with either phone to be honest.

But none of those things you listed are "problems" just things that the samsung does better.

However Samsung is totally locked down, so you better like the S5 UI, because your not going to have any freedom with it... I personally did not like it at all when I tried it in the store, I mean it's not the worst thing ever but the HTC's ran smoother without any skipping or judders.

I guess you would consider these problems with the samsung phone?

-Cheaper materials used to create it. (plastic is ok, but chromed plastic looks and feels cheap)
-Camera does not work well in low light.
-No Dual Flash.
-lesser quality speakers and sound and call quality. (Hey it's a phone right so this is important)
-No Headphone amp.
-Less battery life.
-Permanently locked Bootloader unless you shell out $100's more.
-UI feels slow and jumpy in comparison.

The one thing that bugged me on the M8 was the tiny dim notification LED, it was noticeably brighter on the M7 next to it at teh store, as in several times brighter.

I feel the locking of the bootloader is a big deal. I want free wifi theather / hotspot and I'm not sure that will be possible on the Samsung, I want to remove bloat etc without voiding my warranty. There's no knox to worry about on the M8.

Touchwiz is more than a skin, while I didn't think it was terrible I certainly preferred the HTC's Sense, or an ASOP type rom, or even Cyanogen. It wouldn't be a big deal if the bootloader was unlockable but it does not appear that that is going to happen. Since your kinda stuck with what samsung provides and waiting on them for updates, being happy with touchwiz and your version of android become a MUCH bigger deal. If you love it great, but if not well, buy an M8!

So why go HTC? Because I do not want Knox, I do not want another boring locked in phone with an efuse put there to void my warranty. I want a developer friendly phone. Hell they are already working on minimizing the space taken for the on screen buttons that are currently in use on the M8. If having an unlocked bootloader is not a big deal then why does verizon want customers to pay big bucks for developer edditions?
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2517154

But I'm the kind of guy that thinks mobile hotspot should be free, I should be able to install whatever I want on my phone, my internet access at home should not have ridiculous low caps with high overage fees, that just how I roll. My internet could be twice as fast and I would still pick the service with no overages...

For others they just want faster internet and don't care about overages cause they only browse the web etc, which is also why the S5 will be better for the majority of people (they do not care about locked bootloaders etc)...

I still think 16mp is just marketing. I took this picture last night with my 10mp camera and cropped it so it's closer to 3.6 MP (Click to see the entire 3.6mp image as the compressed version is below) ...Yes cropping is cool but I'm not usually taking pictures of something as far away as the moon is.
BloodMoon Eclipse
by Glamisduner, on Flickr
 
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