Introduction

Do we have a good one for you today – the new LG G Flex 2 goes up against the Samsung Galaxy S5.  Can the new and improved G Flex 2 with its curved body, battery and display beat out the venerable Galaxy S series number 5?  Even though these two devices are close to a year apart, they both have the same FHD display, available internal memory expansion, great cameras, and about the same battery size and even physical size.

Both devices come with the usual Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, NFC, a microUSB port for charging and data transfer, and both even have an IR Blaster – most likely because both LG and Samsung are heavily into Smart HDTVs.

Please take a look at the detailed specifications comparison found below – expand it by clicking on the “View Full Comparison” at the bottom and you will get a real sense of how these two devices match up against one another.  After that, we will look at each individual device and talk about it and weigh out some of the pros and cons in an effort to pick a winner for this comparison.

LG G Flex 2

The LG G Flex 2 has been improved in every way over the original design – LG really listened to their customers and produced a truly competitive device this time around.  There is a very loyal LG and LG Flex following, although the original LG G Flex was rather ‘pedestrian’ in specs.  This time around, those Flex lovers have something to really be excited about – a true flagship device all around…okay, it does not have a QHD display, but its display still looks amazing in FHD with 403 pixels-per-inch (PPI).

As you look over the specifications comparison, the G Flex 2 has a 5.5-inch display – down from 6-inches a year ago – that has an FHD resolution of 1920 x 1080 pixels and 403 pixels-per-inch (PPI) and uses the P-OLED technology.  LG grabbed the newest 64-bit Qualcomm Snapdragon 810 octa-core processor clocked at 2.0GHz and 1.5GHz.  It packs 2GB of RAM and 16GB of internal storage that can be expanded via a microSD card.  They also updated the camera to a 13MP sensor, dual-tone LED flash, OIS+ and their new Laser autofocus.  They also included a 2.1MP front-facing camera (FFC) for social media selfies and the occasional video chat.  The power for this curved beauty is a 3000mAh non-removable curved battery that should get you through an entire day.  Charging the G Flex 2 is a breeze because you can take advantage of Qualcomm’s Quick Charge 2.0 capabilities.

It comes with the usual Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, is NFC capable and a microUSB port for charging and data transfer and a built-in IR Blaster.  It also has Dolby Mobile to enhance the sound qualities.  The curved back is a plastic-type material that has some self-healing qualities to help prevent future scratches or nicks – this too has been improved over last year’s model.  The curve runs top-to-bottom of the device and is also unique to the LG G Flex series.  It makes it easy to carry in the back pants pockets of your jeans, and even though it does flex somewhat, I would avoid sitting on it.  It will be running Android 5.0.1 Lollipop out of the box with LG’s UI skin over top.  It will be available for purchase on AT&T, Sprint and US Cellular – although other carriers may make future announcements.  The G Flex 2 will cost you approximately $300 on a two-year contract and about $650-$700 off contract.

Samsung Galaxy S5

The Samsung Galaxy S5 was a disappointment to Samsung’s sales figures, many critics and a few loyal fans – however, once the device finally made it through its rounds of reviews, the consensus was that it was a solid device – just nothing real exciting.  There are millions of new happy Galaxy S5 owners and it is certainly a step up from the Galaxy S III that many on a two-year contract were upgrading from to the new Galaxy S5. It has a better feel and a more premium look with its new rubberish back – the one with the ‘dimples’ – but it adds a nice grip and really looks fine in ‘person.’

It comes with Samsung’s own 5.1-inch FHD Super AMOLED display with a resolution of 1920 x 1080 pixels and 432 PPI.  The Galaxy S5 is running a 32-bit Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 quad-core processor clocked at 2.5GHz with 2GB of RAM and 16GB/32GB of internal storage with room for expansion via a microSD card slot.  A 2800mAh battery that will certainly make it through a full day of use, provides the power for the Galaxy S5.  The camera takes excellent photos, but still lacks OIS – the sensor has been increased from 13MP to 16MP and offers up an LED Flash and auto focus.  It sports a 2MP FFC for social selfies and video chatting.  The Galaxy S5 measures 142 x 72.5 x 8.1 mm and weighs in at 145 grams…very close in size to the G Flex 2.

Some of the extra features the Galaxy S5 has over the LG G Flex 2 are Wi-Fi and VoLTE call capabilities, it is IP67 certified for water resistance, it has a built-in heart rate sensor, download boost, and a fingerprint scanner.  It also uses Samsung’s Ultra Power Saving Mode (UPSM), which, according to Samsung will give you up to 24 hours of service with only a 10-percent charge by putting the device in a Grayscale Display Mode and turning off unnecessary apps and functions.

The Galaxy S5 is running 4.4.4 KitKat (although 5.0.1 Lollipop updates are starting to roll out), is available on all major carriers in the US and costs $199 on a two year contract, but prices have dropped and specials are everywhere.

…And The Winner Is…

Summary

For this comparison, I had to go with the LG G Flex 2 over the Samsung Galaxy S5.  The Galaxy S5 is an excellent smartphone and with price discounts, it would be an excellent value and satisfy most users’ needs in a smartphone.  It does have a few extra features – fingerprint scanner and heart rate sensor – but are they enough to pick the Galaxy S5 over the LG G Flex 2 – No.

Even though some may find little value in the curved design of the G Flex 2, most people would agree that there is a certain ‘WOW’ factor that is derived from the design.  The self-healing back is also interesting, but more than looks, the specifications make it a true flagship.  Oh, there is no QHD display, but with 403 PPI on a P-OLED display, I doubt that you will be disappointed.  More importantly, it packs the latest 64-bit Qualcomm Snapdragon 810 octa-core processor clocked at 2.0GHz and 1.5GHz, along with 3GB of RAM and microSD expansion of the internal memory.  The camera of the Galaxy S5 is excellent, however, the 13MP with Laser autofocus, dual-tone LED flash and OIS+ should be equal to the task.  It is also running the latest Android 5.0.1 Lollipop out-of-the-box.

Please hit us up on our Google+ Page and let us know which one of these two great devices you would pick to win this comparison and WHY…as always, we would love to hear from you.