Samsung’s Galaxy S5 flagship smartphone might only be a month or two old, but we’ve already heard a barrage of rumours about an updated model known as the Samsung Galaxy S5 Prime. Here’s all we know so far…
While the thought of a new, updated Galaxy S5 is likely to hack off anyone who already spunked hundreds of pounds on Samsung’s new flagship, plenty of virtual fingers have pointed to a Samsung Galaxy S5 Prime launching rather soon. Rocking some updated specs and potentially updated design, the Galaxy S5 Prime could be something truly special – and here’s what to expect…
Samsung Galaxy S5 Prime design
One of our main complaints with the Samsung Galaxy S5 was its design. That crinkle-cut plastic edging doesn’t live up to premium finish of the Sony Xperia Z2 or the HTC One M8, which is why we’re pleased to see leaked photos showing off a more sleek, aluminium design.
Aside from that, it’s almost the same old story. The rear appears to be the same soft-touch bevelled surface, with only a little change in the design of the camera lens – the Galaxy S5 Prime’s camera doesn’t jut out, and instead is flush with the back. And the speaker is now housed at the base of the phone, beside the USB flap. But as you’d expect, the Galaxy S5 Prime appears to be fully water-resistant again.
Samsung Galaxy S5 Prime specs
The major difference between the Samsung Galaxy S5 and Galaxy S5 Prime seems to be the display. The Prime should sport a 5.2-inch screen with 2560 x 1440 pixel resolution, a step up from the original S5’s 5.1-inch 1920 x 1280 display. This appears to be a reactionary strike by Samsung after reports of LG’s new G3 smartphone sporting a qHD screen.
Aside from that, the Galaxy S5 Prime could feature the new Snapdragon 805 processor backed up by 3GB of RAM, but the rest of the specs remain the same. So you still get a 16-megapixel camera on the rear, with a decently crisp front-facer for video chats. And there’s talk of the Galaxy S5 Prime being the first phone to run Google’s new Android OS, although that honour usually goes to Google’s Nexus handsets.
UPDATE: We’ve also heard rumours drifting from Korea that the Galaxy S5 Prime will pack a smart new Qualcomm multimode modem, which can reach download speeds of 225Mbps. That’s fast enough to get a full-length film in just under half a minute. Snazzy. Of course, these speeds are faster than the current standard LTE networks in the UK will allow, and you’ll need to be on LTE-advanced to take full advantage.
Samsung Galaxy S5 Prime UK release date and price
We’re expecting to see the Samsung Galaxy S5 Prime launch soon, hopefully July or August 2014 at the latest. The price tag will likely remain the same as the original Galaxy S5 from launch, so between £549 and £599.
First thoughts? Have you already bought a Galaxy S5, and does the possibility of a better handset so soon give you the red mist? Let us know in the comments below.
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