Nexus 9 Review: Tablets have never been sweeter!

Google has taken both their tablets, the Nexus 7 and Nexus 10, and combined them into a single powerhouse. The Nexus 9, which Google debuted on October 15th alongside the Nexus 6 and Android 5.0 Lollipop, is a top of the line device due to its killer hardware and build quality. The Nexus 9 doesn’t have all the extra features, but it does come with Android 5.0 Lollipop out of the box, the 64-bit NVIDIA Tegra K1 processor, and 2 GB of RAM to power it all. Let’s jump right into the Google Nexus 9 review.

Design

The Nexus 9 has three color options available: indigo black, lunar white,and sand. It also has two storage options: 16 or 32 GB. There is an LTE version available, but it is only available in indigo black with 32 GB of storage. The device I have is the 16 GB indigo black version.

This Google tablet is constructed by HTC, who is well-known for their premium design quality on their One series. With a first glance at this device, you can tell that it is made by HTC, but it still has the familiarity of a Nexus device. The Nexus 9 comes with an 8.9 inch display in a 4:3 ratio, that I think makes the tablet easier and more enjoyable to hold.

The Nexus 9 is a very solidly built device, and that is due to the surrounding chassis that is constructed of metal. It is squared off, yet slightly angled towards the display away from the back of the device. Coming in at 7.8 mm thick, it gives enough real-estate to rest your fingers on comfortably without touching the bezels and accidentally touching the display.

On the right side of the frame are both the power button and volume rockers. HTC did a great job of hiding the buttons, and it makes the edge look seamless. This is both good and bad. While it makes the device look as sleek as ever, it also is a chore to find which button to press. Since the buttons are near flush with the chassis of the device, it tough to know if you are on the volume rockers or power button until you press them.

The back of the device has the classic Nexus soft-touch feel that can be seen on previous Google devices. While it is a fingerprint magnet, it is definitely worth it. The soft-touch back makes the device very easy to hold without the fear of dropping it.

Display

Google has stepped up their display quality in 2014. The Nexus 9 packs an 8.9 inch IPS display with a resolution of 2048 x 1536. The ppi for this device comes in at 281, which is higher than Apple’s iPad Air 2 at 264 ppi

The display which is a 4:3 ratio, looks its best when it is showing dark content, especially while watching movies. Since the device doesn’t have a 16:9 ratio, videos will naturally have black bars on the top and bottom of the video to compensate for the extra space. Darker games and movies look amazing on the Nexus 9, but once content has brighter and flashier graphics, the display doesn’t pop as well.

Aside from content, Android 5.0 Lollipop takes full advantage of the display and everything Google branded looks great and very crisp. You can tell that the Google-based apps are optimized for the 4:3 ratio.

While the Nexus 9 excels at displaying darker content and its own operating system, it also is very good at displaying text. The IPS display isn’t very bright or saturated, so it makes it easier on the eyes while reading.

Sound

This category is just for this device, since the Nexus 9 is HTC made. The Nexus 9 features HTC’s own BoomSound speakers on the front panel of the device, one on the bottom and one on the top to create a stereo effect. Front-facing speakers have been one of the more popular features to come on devices since HTC made it popular, and for good reason.

Front-facing speakers is a feature I think all devices, especially tablets need to have. I am glad Google included this, and they are loud. The sound is very crisp, even at loud volumes. Mids and highs come through very well, and low-end/bass is better than average. When bass gets too low, it drones out, but that is expected from such small speakers.

My only complaint about the speakers on the Nexus 9 is that they are sunk down into the front of the device. As you can see in the picture, it leads to dust being caught in the speaker grill.

Performance

This tablet sports top-notch specifications that render the device ‘future proof’. Google went with the 64-bit NVIDIA Tegra K1 dual-core processor that is clocked at 2.3 GHz. It’s supported by 2 GB of RAM and the all-new Android 5.0 Lollipop.

This is a stock-Android device, so there is no bloatware, just pre-installed Google apps. There is nothing this device can’t handle. On all my previous Android devices, I always tend to modify the animations speed in the developer options and set it at .5x, but this is the only device I decided against it.With the updated Android OS, navigation is as smooth as ever and transitions are always at a high frame rate.

I found myself using the multitasking button more than ever due to how smooth Android 5.0 Lollipop is on the Nexus 9. It is quick and painless switching between apps, and like I stated earlier, the animations and transitions make it everything more enjoyable.

The device does take a little longer to open and close heavier apps/games such as games like Leo’s Fortune. When more screen-intensive apps are open, expect the processor to get warm. It isn’t anything too outrageous.

Battery

The Nexus 9 sports a modest 6700 mAh battery that can travel the distance, but it also can be underwhelming. The battery life will definitely be determined on how you use this device, which can be said for all devices.

One thing the device has going for it in the battery department is the excellent standby time. While I consistently use my tablet, it is left to idle the majority of the time during my busy schedule (working, sleeping, and going to school). I will lose around 1-2% over a 8-10 hour period, which is very good.

While the standby time is great, I expected more optimization due to the new ART run-time and the latest 5.0 update. I will give Google a beak on the Nexus 9, due to the fact that Lollipop just got released, and more updates will ensue. Not only did battery life not live up to my expectations, the charging time is the worst part. It regularly takes hours to charge the device, especially if you are down on the 10-15% range.

I can expect around 4-6 hours of screen on time with normal to heavier usage on one charge. Once I start pushing the Tegra K1, there is a steep drop in battery life. Below are some battery statistics screenshots from my device.

Conclusion

Overall, this tablet is one of the best Android tablets I’ve seen, and is the only one to offer a pure Android experience. If you are an Android-enthusiast there is no question; this is the device you want. Between the awesome Tegra K1 processor and prompt updates, you can’t go wrong.

There is not an area that the device falls behind the competition, and the majority of things that are wrong with it are very fixable via software updates. Android 5.0 Lollipop brings the ultimate Android experience with some bugs, but it is still fairly new. I expect the performance of the Nexus 9 only to improve. Google has brought me back into the tablet world with how well this device performs and I would definitely recommend the Nexus 9 to anyone.

If you are in the market for a tablet, this one won’t come at the cheapest price. The 16 GB version is $399.99, the 32 GB version is $479.99, and the LTE version is $599.99.

My original post can be seen below

Read more: http://www.androidguys.com/2014/11/15/google-nexus-9-review/#ixzz3JSWjpTjG
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Sony Xperia Z2 Tablet (Verizon Wireless) Review

Tablet popularity has been on a slight decline ever since smartphones manufacturers have begun to push out devices with five plus inch screens. Anything our tablets can do, our phones can do as well. This leaves manufactures to come up with different features on tablets aside from a bigger display. If one manufacturer has the ability to to bring the tablet back to popularity, it would be Sony.

Sony has been in the tablet market since 2011 with the release of its first device called the Tablet S, so they are well-versed in both function and design. Sony is taking the approach of a solidly built device that is equally strong in the aesthetics category as it is in the performance category. Let's take a look at the Xperia Z2 Tablet LTE version.

Design

The Sony Xperia Z2 Tablet has a very familiar design, one that everyone will recognize immediately from other Xperia devices. It comes with a 10.1 inch display with marginal bezels to compensate on the sides of the device. It has the very square, yet rounded design that gives a sleek look, that is still comfortable to hold in the hand.

To make the form-factor even better, the Xperia Z2 Tablet comes with an IP55/58. This makes the device waterproof and dust-resistant. Do you ever feel like taking the tablet to the lake, but are afraid of getting a little water on it? A little water never hurt anything, and this device can be submerged in water as deep as 1.5 meters for up to 30 minutes, although we don't recommend risking it! Leave it to accidents only.

This Sony tablet comes in with dimensions of 6.8 x 10.47 x .25 inches (172 x 266 x 6.4 mm) which give it one of the slimmest designs to-date in a tablet form factor. Comparing the Z2 Tablet to a Surface 2, and iPad Air, Sony's tablet is considerable thinner. The Surface 2 comes in at .35 inches or 8.89 mm and the iPad Air comes in at .29 inches or 7.5 mm. This makes the Z2 Tablet 18% than its Microsoft-built competitor and 15% thinner than its Apple-built competitor.

To top off the amazing thinness of the tablet, it only comes in at 15.48 ounces or 439 grams. It is very well-balanced and light so you can hold the it in your hands for hours as you watch movies, YouTube, or play games. This also comes in lighter than the Surface 2 (1.49 lbs or 676 grams)  and the iPad Air (1 lbs or 469 grams).

The Z2 Tablet has the classic Xperia style lock-button and volume rockers that are tight to the frame, yet have a satisfying click to them. Both of these buttons are on the left side of the device. On the top side of the device, there are the slots for both the SIM and microSD cards. Just to the right of the slots, is the microUSB charging port. All of these slots are housed under water-tight flaps. The Xperia Z2 Tablet also comes with an RF blaster to control your TV programming.

Display

Sony has always been a leader when it comes to crisp displays and that doesn't change on the Z2 Tablet. This device comes with a 10.1 inch Triluminos display with IPS technology, and a resolution of 1920 x 1200. This display comes in at a very respectable pixel density of 224 ppi. The IPS technology is a key feature on this the Z2 tablet. IPS makes it so the display can be seen at sharp angles. This makes it great for watching movies, games, etc., with a few friends no big deal.

Sony has taken their Triluminos technology from their TV line and it was definitely a great choice. The picture is immersive, yet it isn't over-saturated as much as Samsung's displays are, so they did a great job of finding the middle ground.

Like we mentioned above, the viewing angles on the Xperia Z2 Tablet are phenomenal. They really stand out when the device is in a darker room and there is minimal glare on the screen. 

This display is great for watching videos in full HD. We would turn to using this device over my current phone just to watch videos on YouTube due to the great color-match and the devices ability to enhance the color/contrast to make the video more vivid. It has deep blacks which make watching darker films, such as Batman look amazing.

Performance

Sony did not skimp on specifications when it came to developing their newest Xperia Tablet. The Z2 Tablet comes with Qualcomm's Snapdragon 801 processor that is clocked at 2.3 GHz, 32 GB of ROM, 3 GB of RAM, and it is running Android KitKat 4.4.2 out of the box. This makes it one zippy device.

Sony does fill the device with Sony-tailored applications such as Walkman, PlayStation, and Xperia Lounge. It isn't to the point that other OEM's like to do, which is a good sign.

Performance was never an issue with this device. Sony has always done a good job of not laying their UI too heavy over stock Android, and this device is no different. Multitasking and app switching is a breeze with little-to-no lag whatsoever. The Snapdragon 801 combined with 3 GB of RAM makes going through this device as easy as a hot knife cutting through butter. There was never a delay from switching through apps or navigating through the application drawer.

If you are a gamer, this device can handle the best of them. We've tried games such as Leo's Fortune and Dead Trigger 2 with no ill-effects. The device kept pace and did not bog-down or cause the device to heat up.

Battery

One of the biggest selling points of this device aside from its vivid display, is its massive 6000 mAh battery. Sony has been one of the leaders when it comes to battery life, and the Xperia Z2 Tablet is no different. The device consistantly got us through the day, with as much as five-plus hours of on-screen time. Below you can see a view device screenshots.

As expected. the screen takes up the vast majority of the battery life. With moderate usage such as Facebook, email, and YouTube, we had over three hours of screen-on time with just 40% used up. With a full days usage of playing games and watching YouTube videos, we got around 6 1/2 hours of screen on time. We didn't change any display settings, all were factory set. This means we had auto-brightness going the entire time, to mimic standard usage as much as possible. 

The device definitely gets great battery life and it charges very quickly, as the above picture shows. If you were to turn the brightness to a very low level, we have full confidence you could squeeze out 7-10 hours of screen on time with this device. It can definitely handle long trips without a need for a power outlet. 

Other Features

• Dual front-facing speakers
• Sony's S-Force surround sound
• PS3 Dualshock controller connectivity
• 8.1 megapixel rear-facing camera (no flash)
• 2.2 megapixel front-facing camera

Conclusion

Overall, this tablet is a great device and we hard a hard time finding something that we didn't like about it. The device comes with a solid spec sheet that does not disappoint. If you are a very media-oriented person, the Xperia Z2 Tablet is perfect for you. The full HD display with 3 GB's of RAM is more than enough for any thing that might need to be done on a tablet. 

If you are looking to pick up a new tablet in the near feature, especially one with an Android operating system, we strongly recommend the Z2 Tablet. With a $499.99 price-tag, it is definitely not a budget device, but if you want a well-performing device, this is it. It gives the iPad Air and Surface 2 a run for their money.

Sony Store

Overall 9/10

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Review: Motorola Moto E

I've been excited to have a look at the Moto E since its announcement in the middle of May. At $129 US, the Moto E is about the same price as dinner and a movie, and the buzz about how well it performs in the entry-level smartphone domain put it at the top of my wishlist. I've had a little time with it, and have to say I'm not disappointed in the least. After years of low-priced models that failed to deliver, Motorola found their niche. Now they have expanded it with an even lower priced model in the Moto E. Let's have a quick look at how it fares in daily use.

HIGHS

• It costs $130
• Comes with Android 4.4 KitKat
• Comfortable to hold
• Great battery life
• Decent-sounding speakers
• Moto Alert is useful
• MicroSD slot included for expanded storage

LOWS

• No 4G LTE
• 4GB of internal storage is not enough
• Crappy rear cam, no front cam
• Screen has poor viewing angles
• Battery cover rattles
• No NFC

Design:

The Moto E looks very much like it's big brothers the Moto G and the Moto X — two phones I'm very familiar with. You've the same friendly rounded design with a scalloped top on the back, the same rounded corners and camera trim ring, and even the buttons and ports are in the same spot. The back is a removable plastic shell, and like the Moto G there are replacement covers in an assortment of colors. It's slightly smaller — especially compared to the Moto X — but aside from a few small cosmetic differences, the design language follows through the whole family. Ask anyone using a Moto X or one of the Droid variants on Verizon and they'll tell you that this is a good thing. It fits well in your hand, feels solid, and while not made of any fancy materials like wood or aluminum, it's very well built. Better built than the $129 price tag suggests.

Screen:

One of the main cutbacks of the Moto E is the screen. It’s a 4.3-inch 960 x 540 pixel display, a little smaller and significantly lower-res than the Moto G’s 4.5-inch 720p screen.

Those used to high resolution phones will notice the slightly more jaggedy edges of text characters, and a lack of fine detail in games.

Is it a big sacrifice for the sake of £20 or so? Yes, but the Moto E display can still go head-to-head with phones that cost upwards of £150. At £80 it's class-leading. Many far more expensive phones than the Moto E ‘make do’ with a similar 960 x 540 pixel screen. 

These include the Sony Xperia M2 (4.8 inches), the HTC Desire 601 (4.7 inches) and LG G2 Mini (4.7 inches).  All cost more than twice the price of the Motorola Moto E. It’s an eye-opener.

Image quality is good too. Colours are well-saturated among sub-£150 phones, contrast is good and viewed straight on black level is marginally better than the Moto G. Viewing angles are a bit weaker, though. There’s a bit of brightness loss at an angle, although we doubt many will try to share a screen this size anyway. 

Camera:

The Motorola Moto E has a very basic camera get-up. There’s no front-facing camera and no rear flash. This means no selfies, no video chat and any photos you take at poorly-lit parties will probably look dreadful. Just as important, the Moto E’s main 5-megapixel camera has a fixed focus, rather than an autofocus lens. You can’t make the camera lock onto a specific subject, just point and shoot. Moving the ‘aim’ reticule in the camera app only affects exposure. 

It has been a while since we’ve seen a fixed focus phone camera, and despite the low £80 price we find this a little disappointing. A fixed camera means the Moto E cannot take close-up photos at all – the subject will simply be out of focus: 

Image quality is acceptable given our limited expectations of a 5-megapixel camera these days, but it is most definitely a serious compromise. Pictures are often a little glum-looking, with somewhat anaemic colours and low contrast, but you can just about scrape together some share-able shots with the phone. 

Battery Life:

The Motorola Moto E has a fairly chunky battery of 1,980mAh. That’s a mite smaller than the 2,070mAh unit of the Moto G, but the difference is accounted for by the smaller, lower-resolution screen.

You can pop the plastic cover off the back to see the battery's footprint, but it's locked in place. You can't replace it easily.

With light use you'll be able to squeeze about a day and a half out of the phone, but so far we've struggled to get the near two day's performance we commonly get from the Moto G.

Part of the reason may be that the Moto E's Snapdragon 200 chip is rather less efficient that modern chips like the Snapdragon 801 - the opposite of what you might expect. We're trying to find out from Qualcomm whether the Moto G's Snapdragon 400 has slightly more advanced power efficiency measures. The battery still drains down a bit overnight at a rate of a few per cent an hour. This precludes getting the sort of 15 to 20-day standby some pricier phones claim.

Should I buy the Motorola Moto E?

The Motorola Moto E sits in a tricky spot. Among its sub-£100 peers, it offers better basics than the competition. The screen, software and design are great for the price.

But if you’re willing to pay a little more, you get a significant bump-up in quality by moving up to the Moto G. Its screen is better, its camera much more versatile and there are very real benefits in moving up to a quad-core Snapdragon 400 CPU from the Moto E’s dual-core Snapdragon 200.

However, we think that more casual users not obsessed with tech specs will find the Moto E a dream to live with. Motorola has picked its battles carefully with the Moto E, and as such it is almost as great a success as the Moto G, but one with a different audience in mind. That audience is not the typical TrustedReviews reader, but this is a phone even tech enthusiasts will be able to live with happily enough.

As long as you don't want a good camera. It's rubbish.

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OnePlus One: Full Review

We recently got our hands on one of the hardest flagships to get about a week ago, and now it is time for the full review. The phone that is dubbed the 'Flagship Killer' may be just that. This phone comes with killer specs, similar to that of the Galaxy S5, yet is half its price tag. The 64GB Sandstone Black OnePlus one comes in at an amazing $350 price tag, whereas its 16GB counterpart in Silk White, is $300.

The one thing that everyone is criticizing OnePlus about, is their control of production. The only way to get your mitts on this device is to receive an invite from OnePlus or know someone that has bought one previously. You can also find invites on eBay running upwards of $50. So if you really want one, you just have to pony up a couple extra dollars. If you think this is a case of 'you want what you can't have and have what you don't want', you'd be wrong. This is definitely a device you want, and if you can get your hands on it, you won't regret it.

The OnePlus One's greatest feature may be its price tag, but the hardware and performance don't suffer from the low price point. The OnePlus One features very similar specs to one of the most popular devices in 2014, the Galaxy S5. You may wonder, how is the S5 going for $600+ and the One is starting at $300 with identical specs? The answer comes from OnePlus's marketing strategy. They want to sell a device, that retails for near their production cost. They want to change the smartphone landscape, that is by showing consumers they are overpaying for their devices. Quality doesn't necessarily come with cost.

Specs

Screen size: 5.5"
Resolution: 1080 x 1920 (401 ppi)
Camera: 13 megapixels - 5 megapixels (front)
Hardware: Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 - quad-core
Battery: 3100 mAh
RAM: 3GB
Storage: 16/64GB
Water resistant: No
Features: CyanogenMod, Customization, Price

Design

The design on the One is simple, yet it feels premium. The first thing to catch the eye is the textured back, and it definitely feels good in the hand. It has enough grip to stay in the hand, but it still is able to be removed from a pocket with ease.

The buttons click very nicely, and are tight against the chassis. There is no wobble to the buttons like seen in the Galaxy series, so it has a definite premium feel to it. The bezel on the device is extremely thin, but still has enough lip to protect the Corning Gorilla Glass 3 from objects it might come into contact with when it is face down.

The One comes with dimensions of 6.02 x 2.99 x 0.35 inches. Some might call a phone that size with a 5.5 inch phone display too small to be a phablet, but too big to be a phone. We find that the size and weight of this device feel right at home in your hands. To compare the weight to other devices, here are the weights of the top smartphones. Once again, it comes in at the higher-mid range as far as weight goes.

OnePlus One: 5.71 oz
LG G3: 5.26 oz
Galaxy S5: 5.11 oz
Galaxy Note 3: 5.93 oz
HTC One M8: 5.64 oz
iPhone 5s: 3.95 oz

Display

With a low price, you would expect something on the device to suffer, and the screen is definitely isn't it. To turn the screen on, all one has to do is press the unlock button, or tap on the screen twice, and the monster will come to life. The OnePlus comes with a beautiful 5.5 inch display with 1080p resolution. The One comes with a very respectable 401 ppi, which is 40 less than the Galaxy S5, yet above the Note 3's 386 ppi. The colors seem very on point, especially when comparing the device to  the display king, Samsung. The display is really great for viewing HDR photos and watching HD video. We would put it towards the top of smartphone displays this year.

Performance

The OnePlus One is running a CyanogenMod OS over vanilla Android. At first glance, some would suspect that the One is running stock Android, until you dig deeper in the settings. With CyanogenMod you can dig deep into the power of the device, controlling and monitoring CPU power, choosing custom theme packs that overlay the OS, and anything else that comes with a device that is rooted.

Multitasking is a breeze and you can't even tell that multiple apps are open. The device rarely ever stutters, and is fluent on every screen. The transitions from app to app or to the home screen are always smooth as well. The home button is almost instantaneous. Lag while pressing the home button was a problem in earlier builds of CyanogenMod.

The 3GB of RAM and Snapdragon 801 processor can power through any app or game, and can handle graphic intense content. We played Leo's Fortune on the stock CPU settings (balanced) with no lag whatsoever.

Camera

The One boasts a 13 megapixel rear shooter that can capture quality images similar to that of the Galaxy devices or iPhones. While taking pictures can be as simple as tap and shoot, so can switching modes. On the One, you can easily swipe through all the camera modes with no delay. The daylight shooting is great, but pictures get grainy in low-light, which is common among smartphones.

The stock camera app offers twelve shooting modes: Auto, HDR, Aqua, Posterize, Sepia, Mono, Steady Shot, Night, Action, Slow shutter speed, Beauty Mode, and the new Clear Image Mode. Unlike common devices where you have to go to settings to change the shooting mode, on the One, you just have to swipe up or down. It really cuts down time on in-the-moment type of picture taking. Another convenience they added is the way to get to the gallery from the camera. All you have to do is swipe from right to left, and it shows previously taken pictures.

It may not be as good as the Galaxy S5's camera, but it will definitely hold its own. It is quicker to start up and switch over to the gallery from the camera app, which is stutters on the S5. Coming at half the price tag, the picture quality is nothing to complain about.

Features

The major feature of this device is first and foremost, the price. No complaints here for a $350 price tag. Comparing it to the S5 and iPhone 5s, it makes us wonder what are we thinking paying over $600 for a device. We know that phone manufacturers are making a killing, but we want the latest and greatest software, and we are willing to pay for it. The fact that OnePlus stepped outside the box and decided to have a low price point shows change is in the air.

One feature we like the most, is the theme packs you can download for the interface. If you are not a fan of stock android, there are multiple themes that will suit your needs. For instance, there is a TouchWiz, LG G2, LG G3, and our personal favorite, Android L themes. Not only can you pick certain themes, but you can mix-match them all together. If you personally like Android L's style, but like TouchWiz's icons, you can do that. If you are in to customizing your phone, the One is the phone for you.

The last feature we will go over is CyanogenMod. Some critics were worried that CyanogenMod wouldn't keep up with updating the device, but they have been wrong. CyanogenMod has been steady to sending out updates that improve performance and fix bugs. We have had the phone for a week now and it has already updated twice (one counting 4.4.4). OnePlus and CyanogenMod have also promised that Android L will be available on the One within 90 days of Android L's release. Which is comforting.

Conclusion

First, if you can secure an invite, we definitely advise you to pick up this device. It is a very solid phone, both inside and out. If you are an Android fan at all, this device will fit right in with your routine; that doesn't matter if you are used to TouchWiz, HTC Sense, or any other interace. The design is subtle, yet enough to catch your eye. The internals make the phone lightning fast and it can blaze through anything you throw at it.

The OnePlus One is a one of a kind phone, featuring CyanogenMod out of the box. We can tell you first-hand they definitely made the right choice. It has a nice blend of vanilla Android with some extra spices to it that make it all the better. The display is vivid and  the performance great. This will be one of the most powerful devices you have ever laid your hands on, especially for the price.

Below our video review can be seen.



Overall: 10/10

Consider the flagship killed.

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Galaxy S5 Review

First takes: I am a long fan of the Galaxy series, having owned the S3, S4, and Note 3, and now the S5. The phones just keep getting better internally and externally. The S5 boasts a 2.5GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 processor, 2GB of RAM, a 16 megapixel camera, a fingerprint scanner, and water resistance; one of the top features on this phone. The S5 adopted the more squared look the Note 3 has and it fits in the hand great for a phone with a 5.1" screen. The screen is as beautiful as always and TouchWiz is comes off more polished than ever.

Design: Like I stated above, the more square design looks great on the S5. It is thinner than its predecessors and it comes with a new style of back cover, covered in dimples. While some criticize this feature, I personally like it a lot. It's a happy median between the Note faux leather back and the slippery plastic of the S4. On the front, Samsung has kept it's front buttons (which I find necessary for my sanity and a smartphone these days) and changed the menu button to a multitasker. I find it more convenient than double tapping the home button, so this is an impertinent. Charcoal black is standard along with white on the Galaxy series and it isn't any different with the S5. The S5 comes with an IP rating of IP67. It is completely dust proof and can be submerged under 1 meter of water for up to 30 minutes. This is possibly the greatest selling point of this device. The one thing Samsung got right was not sacrificing looks when making it water resistant. I strain resistant because it ISN'T WATER PROOF. Along with the water resistance, comes a cover over the charging port. At first I was a little weary of this, because of previous experiences of them falling off and being lost, but I find myself actually liking it a lot. You don't have to worry about lint, dust, and waterever else getting into your charging port and wrecking it, which has been a problem on Galaxy devices in the past. Samsung also found a way to bump up the screen size by .1" in the same size chassis as the S4.

Design thoughts: Overall I think this is the best designed Galaxy phone in the series. People knock the plastic design, but I find that it takes impacts better and Samsung does it right by not straying from the path. The dimpled back is the perfect median and stays in the hand while not being a hindrance when being removed from the pocket.

Overall Design: 5/5

Performance:  Samsung has updated guts in the S5 with a 2.5GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 processor and stuck with the 2GB of RAM, same as the S4. One of the major things that I think drags Samsung down in this category, is a lot of the gimmicky features and over animated transitions. The S5 got one thing right with subtracting the eye view and that extra bloatware, however their transitions seem to lag out of the box and don't feel as fluent as it should be or as fluent as the HTC One M8. If you don't mind seeing the transitions from app to app, I recommend turning them off, it speeds things up dramatically. One positive is that I don't feel any drag on the device when multiple apps or games are open, which can be annoying constantly killing applications.

Performance thoughts: One thing I have learned in the past with the Galaxy series is that you shouldn't expect great performance out of the box. For the average user, they probably won't notice a stutter while going through the phone. For die hard smartphone users, it's very noticeable. Make sure to remove the transitions.

Overall Performance: 4/5

Features: Aside from the water resistance, the S5 comes with a heart rate monitor, fingerprint scanner, and a huge 16 megapixel camera.

The heart rate monitor isn't anything special, and isn't a great selling point on this device. Any phone with a camera and a flash can download an app from the Play Store, however it is nice that it is built in to the device. My only complaint is the consistency. I find myself readjusting my finger multiple times before I get my heart rate.

The fingerprint scanner is in the same boat as the heart rate monitor. It is a cool feature, but not necessary. It is nice for verification on purchases, but for unlocking the device it is inconvenient and time consuming. If it was more like the iPhone where you just hold your finger over the home button, it would be better, however you have to slowly slide your finger across it.

The camera is a typical Galaxy shooter. What it makes up for in lack of quality in night shots is megapixels. I get great photos outdoors during the day and in well lit areas indoors with amazing quality. When the click ticks over to night time, the camera has a hard time defining objects and things become fuzzy and lose quality.

Overall Features: 4/5

Extras: One great add on is when you are on your phone or on an app, your call doesn't take up the whole screen, it comes up at the top of the screen out of the way. While in a call, it also minimizes the call to a 1x1 square that you can move around on your screen. Identical to the new feature to be released on Android L.

One major change that I dislike is that shortcuts on the homescreen or no longer supported. All you get is the quick shortcut to the camera. I used this a lot on my previous devices and see it as a step back as far as lock screens go.

Conclusion: Overall the Galaxy S5 isn't a surprise, and is a quality device. If you love or hate the Galaxy series nothing has been changed in a major way so your opinions are destined to stay the same. The screen is great as always and performance is hit or miss unless you go into the developer options and remove transitions. The design is nothing out of the ordinary for Samsung, but is definitely a step up from previous models. Samsung added good features with the water resistance, but also added unnecessary features in the heart rate monitor. Nonetheless, it is my favorite phone in the Galaxy series and is a step in the right direction.

Overall Rating: 9/10

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