Galaxy S4 begins ageing upon the official launch of Galaxy S5 on April, but the newest smartphone will come in such a steep price. Is the upgrade cost of up to €800 on the metallic Galaxy S5 worth leaving the Galaxy S4 or S3 this year?

Let's Talk About Specs

The Galaxy S5 hardware specs are no joke compared to the close relation between the Galaxy S4 and S3 last year. For at least €800 or €650 (plastic), buyers will get a 5.25 inches of screen size, qHD 2,560 x 1,440 display resolution, Android 4.4 KitKat, 16 MP rear camera shooter, brand new Exynos 6 octa-core or Qualcomm Snapdragon 805 quad-core processor and other extras on the Galaxy S5.

Upgrading to the next-gen Galaxy S handset brings bigger screen, better display, improved RAM, no need to wait for Android 4.4 update, very well improve Exynos processor, much powerful camera than the current Galaxy S4 or S3 and new additional technologies.

Power Enhancements

Samsung adds 300 mAh to the battery of the Galaxy S4 and packs this on the Galaxy S5 which uses rapid charging. The battery of the S5 is made up of a special new type of Li-ion which stores 20 per cent more energy than the standard type in the market.

In addition, battery life is expected to last longer due to its new processor type that consumes 50 per cent less than the previous version and updated TouchWiz which holds an improved Power Saving tool. The Galaxy S4 or S3 may get these software improvements from the Android 4.4 update, but it is still better to get improvements right from the core.

Galaxy S Exclusives

Due to the new hardware technology of the Galaxy S5, expect great enhancements on Samsung exclusive apps and services. Fans of these apps can expect the Galaxy S5 to feature improved touch solutions with hovering detection, shortening the distance than previous versions on the Galaxy S4 and S3. The feature will be used by Air View.

Even if with an updated Android 4.4 KitKat-running Galaxy S4 or S3, users will not get the same snappiness and performance of these apps like that in the Galaxy S5.

New Added Security

The Galaxy S5 features a new security technology embedded right on the display. The fingerprint sensor scans a user's fingerprints on the screen instead of using the home key as what Apple did on the iPhone 5S. This new tech isn't something the Galaxy S4 and S3 can replicate due to hardware limitations.

New UI, Themes and Icons

Those who love TouchWiz and already got bored with the current version on the Galaxy S4 or S3 may want to consider the magazine-style UI, new icons and new notifications on the Galaxy S5. Samsung decided to upgrade the "boring" design of TouchWiz from the previous Android version. The new UI is now available on Galaxy Note 12.2 and Galaxy Tab 10.1 Pro Editions.

Better One-Hand Operation

Since the Galaxy S5 boasts a bigger screen like the Galaxy Note, Samsung improved its one-hand operation mode. Users will be given the opportunity to choose which corner they want to use for this function that allows the use of one hand with all kinds of apps, notifications or calls.

Unlike the current one-hand operation on Galaxy Note devices, users may actually customise the one-hand function as if creating shortcuts on their favourite corner.

Android 4.4 KitKat is Installed

Obviously, Android 4.4 KitKat runs the Galaxy S5, but that's not the only point. The Galaxy S4 and S3 are still on Android 4.3 Jelly Bean which is currently plagued by major issues on several system functionalities, and users may have to wait until March for Android 4.4 KitKat.

The scary part is the possibility of another major setback that would not only delay the update but also bring a whole new bunch of problems like what happened with Android 4.3. For those who will get the Galaxy S5, there is no need to worry about buggy updates since it is the base software after all and definitely matches the hardware components.

The Galaxy S5 may be as expensive as the Galaxy S4 last year. However, this time, it is definitely carrying major upgrades on the Galaxy S line. Plus, it brags a metal version to go against Apple's iPhone, HTC One or Sony Xperia smartphones.