When a popular new smartphone is announced, inexpensive “alternatives” can’t be far off. Goophone has apparently been putting in some overtime since the Galaxy S5 reveal, recently putting up a listing for a phone with a rather uninspired name: the Goophone S5. The device is obviously aimed at those who want the look of the Galaxy S5 without having to pay Samsung’s premium price. In fact, the Goophone S5’s price tag comes in at just under $300, which is a significant amount less than what Samsung will be charging for the Galaxy S5.
So, what exactly does $299.99 get you? For starters, it gets you a 5-inch full HD display and a MediaTek MT6592 octa-core processor clocked at 2GHz. Prospective buyers are also told that the phone comes equipped with 2GB of RAM, 32GB of internal storage, a 13MP camera, and HSPA+ functionality. That’s right, the Goophone S5 won’t work on 4G LTE networks, but for $300, there’s only so much you can expect. The Goophone S5 also comes complete with the same perforated back cover that graces its Galaxy-branded counterpart, though judging from the divided reaction the cover has garnered from Samsung fans thus far, that may not have been the best call.
What’s funny is that Goophone seems to have no reservations about ripping off the Galaxy S5, saying on the product page for the device that “The Next Big Thing Is Almost Here.” That is, of course, the same phrase Samsung is using to build anticipation for the Galaxy S5, so these two are more than just aesthetically similar. Aesthetics aside, the phones both offer pretty different hardware and software, with the Goophone S5 running Android 4.2, already a few versions behind the latest release. In any case, if you were somehow looking for an inexpensive phone that still has the same look as a Galaxy S5, this is the device for you we suppose. Goophone’s website currently says the device is out of stock, which is to be expected since the Galaxy S5 was only revealed yesterday. To copy, produce, and prepare a device for shipping in a window of only 24 hours would be as close to impossible as one could get, so don’t expect the Goophone S5 to be available all that quickly.