Introduction

Here we go in the battle of the Goliath Samsung Galaxy S5 versus the ‘David’ found in the new Moto X…can the newest Moto X phone unseat the venerable Galaxy S5?  The new Galaxy S5 was met with a lot of skepticism, but has slowly gained a faithful following.  The initial disappointment over its lack of revolutionary change has given way to the sensible evolutionary improvements and refinements – but like every Samsung, there is a lot of bloatware and features that many people will never use.

The new Moto X, on the other hand, keeps the stock Android experience and offers fast updates and its own bloatware to a minimum – you cannot escape the carrier bloatware no matter what device you use. Motorola upped the bar by going with an aluminum body rather than the plastic of the original Moto X. The displays are very similar – both are AMOLED and almost the exact same size.  Both have the same processor, the same amount of RAM and the same internal storage – 16GB/32GB. Both have the same size FFC at 2MP and both are actually about the same size and weigh within 1 gram of each other. Both devices have the same connectivity and both come with Android 4.4 KitKat.  Both the Moto X and Galaxy S5 are available on all major U.S. carriers, as well as many other countries.

So as you can see, these two devices are very similar – please take a look at the specifications below to truly compare these two flagships.  Then we will take a look at each individual device and see if we can determine a winner – this will be a very close race.

Specifications

Samsung Galaxy S5

The Samsung Galaxy S5 is a true flagship in every sense of the word – great display, a good feel in your hand, and even has the processor and memory for the most demanding jobs, even multitasking.  Does it still need some work, certainly, but show me one device that couldn’t benefit from a few changes.

Looking over the specifications, we can see that the Galaxy S5 carries the same internal storage, however, the Galaxy S5 gives us the option of a microSD card to expand that an additional 128GB…always nice for the large picture, video and music files we like to store and take with us.  The camera has a 3MP advantage – 16MP vs 13MP – but a lot more goes into good picture than the Megapixels…fortunately, the S5 does have many software options that allow one to take a good picture rather easily.  The battery is larger at 2,800mAh vs 2,300mAh, but in reality, both devices will probably last the same amount of time.

The Galaxy S5 does have a fingerprint scanner and heart rate monitor and has the capability to be used as an IR Blaster to control your TV…a nice feature to have.  Off-contract price of the Galaxy S5 varies but is a lot more than the $400 of the Moto X, but $199 is the most you will have to pay on a two-year contract.

Moto X 2014

The wait is over and Motorola has hit a homerun as far as I am concerned – they took an already well-loved device and made it even better- like adding a metal frame and dumping the plastic. They increased the display size, up it to Full HD, added the same processor that all the other flagships use (sans the Galaxy Note 4), kept the 2GB of RAM, upped the camera considerably – added a ‘flash ring’ around the camera lens,where it belongs.  It has none of the Samsung bloatware, no TouchWiz, and with its almost pure Android OS, updates will be quick and easy.  Motorola also has a new antenna that selectively changes reception depending where you hold the device – it is said to increase signal strength by up to 500-percent!  They put a bigger and better speaker in the device and is the first smartphone to use 4 microphones for almost total noise cancellation.

Sure, it doesn’t have the fingerprint scanner or heart rate monitor, but most people can live without that. It doesn’t have the IP67 certification, but it is nano coated for help with moisture – so no you can’t go swimming with it, but I’ve lived through many devices and never found that to be a problem.  Motorola really showed up to do business this time around.  It is approximately $400 off contract, but should be very competitive if you sign up for a two-year plan.

…And the Winner is…

Summary

I said this one would be close, but I picked the new Moto X over the Galaxy S5 because I think Moto really put some thought into this device.  While the specs are mostly identical, the Moto X uses almost pure Android and they optimize the hell out their software and hardware and you can be sure that you will receive a very quick Android upgrade…something that Samsung will never be accused of doing.

Yes, the Galaxy S5 does have a fingerprint scanner, heart rate monitor, an IR Blaster and is IP67 water and dust resistance, but those few items do not scare off the new Moto X.  The Moto X has a great look and feel with its curved body and the way you can customize it is also a plus.  The dual front speaker sounds great according to Alex, who was at the Moto event. Not to mention the great antenna, 4 microphones and better speaker – those are options that users want.

Please hook up with us on our Google+ Page and let us know which device you think should have won this comparison.  The Galaxy S5 is a terrific device, but I think that Motorola took a little more time and gave us a device for the masses, that is sure to please.