We’ve all seen the leaked images and leaked videos that appeared long before today and now, AT&T is making things official. For those on the lookout for a rugged, yet powerful Android smartphone, Samsung and AT&T might have right device for you. Following in the footsteps of the Galaxy S5, which itself is water and dustproof, the Galaxy S5 Active features a 5.1-inch Full HD Super AMOLED Display, the same Snapdragon 801 and 2GB of RAM. What’s on the inside however, isn’t the big story here, but rather what’s on the outside.
Last year’s Galaxy S4 Active was simply a waterproof Galaxy S4 that was a little more hardy, but this year the Galaxy S5 Active gives Samsung’s flagship a macho makeover, with not only water and dustproofing but a rugged outer shell that will protect the device from drops and falls. The Galaxy S5 Active has only just been announced by AT&T so we’re not quite sure if this year’s device will handle a beating like other rugged devices, but it sure looks the part. The heart rate monitor from the S5 – as well as everything else – is still hear and the design is of course bulkier, with three physical buttons on the front of the device, rather than capacitive ones.
On the software side of things, Samsung has included all the same features of the Galaxy S5 and added the Activity Zone, an app where you can access features like the compass and assign different actions to the Active Key, a special button on the side of the device that only the Galaxy S5 Active has. This can be used to take photos underwater, or just launch whichever app you like. It’s a nice feature and one that many should find appealing.
Available on AT&T for $199.99 on a new two-year contract, it’s also available on AT&T’s Next 12 or 18-month plans, too. It’s available in a fetching Camo Green, Ruby Red and Titanium Grey and is available to purchase right now. Unfortunately for those on other networks, it seems that the Galaxy S5 Active is going to be exclusive to AT&T, just like last year’s Active was, which is a shame but, hardly surprising.
