galaxy s4 vs iphone 5s

galaxy s4 vs iphone 5s

In today's day and age, being connected is almost as necessary as eating and sleeping. With such an increased reliance on platforms like the cloud, companies and individuals alike often need quick and easy access to files, photos, and messages. But let's not forget about the added convenience of being able to check sports scores, research on Wikipedia, and network on social media sites.

For someone like me--a 24-year old young professional who's never owned a smartphone, been able to afford one, and headed their own plan--choosing the right handset can seem daunting. So in order to help make things easy for you, I've decided to record my experience in how to opt for the right device. This entry begins with two of the premiere gadgets on the market: the Apple iPhone 5 and the Samsung Galaxy S4.

Size

As cringeworthy as it can be to hear, sometimes size does matter. For a smartphone, maybe it's because you're eyes are starting to go or your fingers are on the chubbier side. The point is, some people prefer a device they can feel bulging in their pocket while others prefer one that they don't even know is there until they reach in and pull it out.

The Galaxy S4 is 10% taller and 19% wider than the iPhone 5, but the iPhone 5 is 14% lighter than the GS4. However, because the GS4 is a larger device, speaking in terms of relative size, Samsung's device is 11% lighter. Keep in mind too that size often boils down to other aspects of the phone such as battery size and display for example, but we'll get to those in a minute.

Exterior and Display

When it comes to actual aesthetics, Apple is no slouch. In fact, Steve Jobs built his multinational conglomerate on the idea that in the end, design reigns supreme. The iPhone 5 is encased in an anodized aluminum exterior, conceived in such a way that the metallic facade doesn't interfere with cell reception and internet connection. Conversely, the Gs4 is equipped with a plastic exterior but don't write it off yet. Plastic allows for such conveniences as a removable battery and microSD support, something that the iPhone 5 noticeably lacks.

As for display, both devices offer crystal clarity but there are some differences. Both devices offer a 16:9 aspect ratio, but the GS4 boasts a 5-inch display with 1920 x 1080 pixel density equal to 441 pixels per inch. The iPhone 5's slightly smaller signature 4-inch owns a 1136 x 640, 326 ppi. The GS4 display is Super AMOLED while the iPhone 5's is IPS. In other words, the GS4 screen offers more vibrant colors and images while the iPhone 5 offers those that are more realistic.

Under the Hood

For some, power is everything. But in order to perform even the most basic functions, gadgets needs to run on a solid, robust CPU. Apple's flagship smartphone runs on a respectable dual-core 1.3GHz processor with a rather status quo 1 GB of memory. Samsung has Apple's number with this one. It's GS4 is powered by a burly quad-core 1.9GHz Qualcomm processor with a generous 2GB of RAM.

Though the GS4 has a beefy CPU, Apple has been able to aptly compete because of its seamlessly smooth iOS mobile operating system. The GS4 has gained some ground, though, with the introduction of its Android 4.2 Jelly Bean but the user interface stemming from the iOS 6, soon to be iOS 7 this fall, affords the user simplistic interface familiar on essentially all Apple products. This aspect, along with software to be discussed below, gives the user more control over operations on the iPhone and other applicable devices, whether it be an iPad, iPod, iMad, or MacBook.

Software

It all starts with the keyboard. The iPhone's is a traditional tap-only, giving it a somewhat antiquated feel while the GS4 is able to include Swype and SwiftKey through Android which, admittedly, takes some getting used to but once mastered, it makes texting and internet surfing much faster and efficient.

The GS4 is also armed with a slew of features for seemingly every operation imaginable. Air Gesture allows the user to control a number of features through mid-air hand cues, SmartPause will suspend a video once eye contact with the display is broken and begin again once ogling recommences, Air View offers a preview of some items by simply hovering a finger above the display, and of course NFC allows for sharing files and other functions like mobile payments.

The iPhone of course has its voice-activated and recognized Siri which Apple just announced would be receiving a substantial upgrade on iOS 7, iCloud which lets Apple users access the new Air Drop function allowing document sharing between iOS devices and Macs through peer-to-peer encrypted Wi-Fi. iMessage is a popular hit among the text message-heavy crowd as is FaceTime, but Apple really struck out with Apple Maps which turned out to be a real embarrassing for the Cupertino-based company. But, as mentioned before, pretty much all apps, items, and functions are the same across all Apple products giving a vertically integrated experience throughout.

Apple's iPhone 5 of course is going the simplistic route while the Samsung GS4 attempted to cover all possible bases, no matter how unnecessary they are, though it could backfire because it makes the smartphone feel almost gimmicky.

Imaging, Battery Life, and Storage

Both cameras are clear but it seems there are better options out there on the market, namely the HTC One and Nokia Lumia 928 and 925. That's not to say either the iPhone 5 or GS4 are worthy, though. The GS4 sports a 13 megapixel rear-facing shooter compared to the iPhone 4's 8 megapixel rear-facer. When iOs 7 debuts, the new Photos app organize pictures according to moments and place while a bevy of new photo filters allows for patterning albums and personalizing amateur photographs.

As written above, the GS4 casing is made of plastic which allows for an easy changing of batteries. The GS4 battery is significantly larger but the trade off is the larger screen, more pixels, and collection of apps eats up most of that battery life. Still, it lasts longer than the iPhone 5 but not by much.

Both devices have versions of 16, 32, and 64 gigs in terms of internal storage but, in the case of the standard 16GB, those numbers can be misleading. The numerous Samsung-based apps eat up storage the way they do battery life and Apple is all about getting the most out of the least. In the end, users come home with 9GB of available storage on the GS4 while the iPhone 5 gives 13

Bottom Line

As with most things in life, choosing the right smartphone boils down to a matter of opinion. Both handsets are formidable but users can employ each to their respective advantage. For optimum multitasking capabilities, an able-bodied CPU, and large screen, the GS4 is definitely your best bet

For those who want to run basic functions as easily as possible, be able to translate files and operations without skipping a beat, and have the guarantee of one of the most trusted brands in the world, the iPhone 5 is your best bet.

Personally, between the two I'd opt for the iPhone 5 though I'd might as well wait until the fall when the next-generation iPhone 5S and iOS 7 are both released. I have an iPod and MacBook Pro so the added convenience of being able to cross-sync devices to certain standards offers the most appeal to this amateur techie.

But don't just take my word for it. Let's turn the floor over to you. Which of these devices do you use and why? What would it take to get you to switch from one to the other? Let us know your thoughts and opinons in the comments section below