Galaxy S7 vs Galaxy S5: What Buyers Need to Know

Now that the Samsung Galaxy S7 is official and ready, buyers are considering all upgrade options. While millions of Galaxy S5 owners are giving up on the Galaxy S6 due to the lack of micro SD slot and more, 2 years of upgrades aside, it’s now ready to go, here is the Galaxy S5 comparison to the improved Galaxy S7.

Back in February, the new Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 Edge were launched with a very similar look to the Galaxy S6 and S6 Edge, but better in every way. Improved features, larger battery options, a better camera, micro SD card and even IP68 water resistance. It offers everything a Galaxy S5 owner would want in their next phone.

The Galaxy S5 is getting a little old and the Galaxy S7 now has many of the features that made the Galaxy S5 so popular. With that in mind, this comparison will let buyers or upgrade seekers know what to expect. Here we’ll go over everything that makes the Galaxy S7 a worthy successor.

Of course, the Galaxy S7 will be a better phone than the Galaxy S5, because nearly two years later there have been significant advances in technology. The Galaxy S6 was a worthy upgrade, but many chose not to go that route because they wanted to keep their micro SD cards, IP67 dust and water resistant features, or have a removable battery. Everything lost on the S6 in 2015.

We have good news. On February 21, Samsung unveiled the Galaxy S7 with a similar but improved design, larger 5.5-inch Galaxy S7 Edge, longer battery life, a new camera, and two key features Galaxy S5 owners will definitely love.

Galaxy S7 Release Date

The Galaxy S7 and S7 Edge were officially launched on March 11, but many buyers got them early. Now, a little over a month later, both are available from almost and all carriers or sources in the United States. Most of the Galaxy S5 were still under contract in March, but now that it’s mid-April we’re seeing millions of Galaxy S5 owners looking for their next phone.

Buyers have so many choices right now. From the Galaxy S7, a bigger Galaxy S7 Edge with a bigger battery, the modular LG G5, and even the HTC 10. Unless the Lollipop update curses the Galaxy S5 and Samsung forever, Samsung users likely want to stick with Samsung. That said, the Galaxy S7 is a great phone with excellent performance, and here’s our full review.

Galaxy S7 Design

As you all know the Galaxy S7 is very similar to last year’s Galaxy S6. Along with a few very subtle changes, there’s a rounded curve on the rear edges to make it easier to hold and feel slimmer in the hand. Compared to the Galaxy S5 though, the leaps and bounds are better. The Galaxy S5 is all plastic and has large bezels for durability. The Galaxy S7 is an all-glass and metal smartphone that is stylish and far superior in every way.

Overall, the Galaxy S7 is pretty similar to the Galaxy S5, but that’s a good thing. While keeping its design language and identity, Samsung has managed to improve every aspect, adding a metal design, improving the internal hardware, camera and adding a bigger battery.

Samsung has kept the same 5.1-inch 2560 x 1440 Quad-HD S-AMOLED display for the Galaxy S7, and has expanded the Galaxy S7 Edge to 5.5 inches for those who want a bigger screen. The Galaxy S5 only came in one size, and for those who like it, the Galaxy S7 is perfect. If you want something bigger, consider the Galaxy S7 Edge. While the S5 only has a 1080p HD display, the Galaxy S7 has Quad-HD resolution for stunning photos, videos, games and Netflix. It looks much better.

The biggest thing that Galaxy S5 owners need to know about the Galaxy S7 is that it’s more durable, lasts longer and, again, has a micro SD slot. Something that is unfortunately missing from the Galaxy S6.

This year, the Galaxy S7 has a higher IP68 dust and water resistance rating than the Galaxy S5. At the same time, there are no flaps and no added thickness to close the ports. It’s really impressive. Older Galaxy S5 users probably also lost the bottom cover for water resistance. With the Galaxy S7 this won’t be an issue.

Samsung has also returned the micro SD slot of up to 200GB and added a larger battery. The Galaxy S5 was 2,800 mAh and oddly enough, the Galaxy S6 was only 2,550 mAh. It’s huge this year, coming in at 3,000mAh with fast charging. For those wondering, more information on the specs is here. The Galaxy S7 Edge is even bigger with 3,600 mAh for the battery. It takes much longer and much longer than the Galaxy S5.

Galaxy S7 vs Galaxy S5: Features

Two years newer, you can expect a better experience across the board. Everything is faster, better and better. Including battery life. Here are the official figures from Samsung.

As you can see above, the Samsung Galaxy S7 sounds pretty good. It has an improved 5.1-inch Quad-HD display and brings back many of the features Samsung left in the Galaxy S6. It is powered by 4GB of RAM, tons of storage and a new Quad-core processor with a micro SD slot that makes a lot of passes on the Galaxy S6. So if you have the Galaxy S5 in your hand, make sure to get the new S7 or S7 Edge.

As you can see the Galaxy S7 is a huge upgrade across the board. Much more power with the new processor and 4GB of RAM, the latest Android 6.0.1 Marshmallow software, a larger 3,000mAh battery with Fast Charge, wireless charging and even fast wireless charging. The S5 takes around two hours to recharge, while the Galaxy S7 charges from 0-100% in under 90 minutes and charges from 0-50% in just 25 minutes using Quick Charge 2.0 technology or Adaptive Fast Charge. This is big. This means that the battery lasts forever and charges so fast that users don’t even have to worry about replacing the battery when it dies. Leave it on the charger for a few minutes on the way home. The lack of a removable battery really isn’t as big of an issue as it was in 2014.

Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S5: Camera

The only “low” feature on a page when comparing the two is the 12-megapixel camera. But the new camera on the Galaxy S7 takes great photos and videos whether indoors or outdoors, with optical image stabilization, a fast f/1.7 aperture and autofocus for fast shutter speeds. Megapixels aren’t everything, and this 12-megapixel “Dual Pixel” camera will be way better than the old 16-megapixel camera on the Galaxy S5.

Samsung uses technology found in many DSLR cameras. The Dual Pixel sensor is a first for any smartphone. It uses all 12 million pixels for autofocus, while most use only 5% of the pixels to focus, so it’s very slow. It also has a fast f/1.7 aperture and a sensor that is much larger than the Galaxy S5 and captures over 95% more light in less time. Add image stabilization and photos or videos will be incredible. Indoor, outdoor, night and more will be impressive.

If the Galaxy S5 camera isn’t working well enough anymore, you’re going to want Samsung’s new phone. And that 2-megapixel front camera is terrible. The Samsung Galaxy S7 has an excellent 5-megapixel f/1.7 wide-angle front camera that takes quick and perfect selfies.

Galaxy S7 Battery Life

The Galaxy S5 had a good 2,800 mAh battery and first-generation Quick Charge 1.0, which allowed it to charge in about 2-3 hours. The battery also lasted quite a long time. But a lot has changed in two years. The screen, processor, and software are all more efficient, meaning the same 2,800mAh battery will last longer. But Samsung has added bigger, faster charging technology and even fast wireless charging.

As we said above, Samsung has completely fixed the battery complaints people have about the Galaxy S6 that may have caused some S5 owners to skip it. With a massive 3,000mAh battery and 3,600 Galaxy S7 Edges, these should outlast any Samsung Galaxy S to date.

Galaxy S7 has Quick Charge feature that charges the phone from 0-50% in less than 25 minutes and fully charges in about 80-90 minutes. Samsung also used a similar Fast Wireless Charging technology with the Galaxy Note 5.

Carriers, Pricing, and More

The Galaxy S7 and S7 Edge were launched on March 11 and they are quite expensive. But there are some great Galaxy S7 deals, payment plans, and even 2-year contracts floating around.

Carriers no longer offer the Galaxy S5 as it is quite old and even the S6 from some carriers is hard to find. And while it’s a good phone too, the S7 is the best of both worlds. Stunning design with all the features users love about the Galaxy S5 and more.

The Galaxy S5 was $199 on a new 2-year contract and only had 16GB of internal storage and the new one cost over $500. Things have changed since then and the base is 32GB and most carriers have monthly payment plans rather than contracts. If your two-year Galaxy S5 contract is about to expire, most carriers will be more than happy to upgrade their owners to the latest model. Buy one today from any of the carriers listed below.

Samsung or carriers currently charge $680 (or more) for the regular S7, and the S7 Edge is $760 or more. AT&T is cheaper on a monthly basis, while Sprint wants the least. Make your choice.

The Edge model is just a few dollars more per month than any carrier, bringing the total price to just over $750 for Samsung’s new 5.5-inch flagship water-resistant smartphone. If size isn’t an issue, this is the option we recommend most buyers get.

At the end of the day, what all Galaxy S5 owners really need to know is that the Galaxy S7 will be a worthwhile replacement. It’s better in every way, shape or form, has excellent battery life and super fast charging. With a better screen and premium IP68 rated design, stunning camera, micro-SD and a big battery, it offers more than you need and already looks like one of the best phones of the year.