Samsung Offers New Galaxy S5 With 2560X1440 QHD Display In South Korea Only For Now
You could make a strong argument that Samsung's Galaxy S5 is the top handset on the market right now -- we certainly thought highly of it in our review. That said, we were surprised to learn that Samsung just launched an upgraded version of its flagship smartphone that boasts a higher resolution display and faster processor.
The Galaxy S5 has only been on the market for around four months, yet Samsung apparently felt compelled to swap the display for a Quad HD (QHD) screen with a 2560x1440 resolution -- up from a 1920x1080 resolution -- and trade the processor for a Qualcomm Snapdragon 805 System-on-Chip (SoC). If you're looking for a caveat, it's that these tantalizing upgrades are only available in South Korea at the moment.
Nevertheless, it's an interesting decision by Samsung. These are both features that could end up highlighting the Galaxy S6 later this year, so why jump the gun and potentially diminish the 'Wow' factor of its next flagship device? Perhaps Samsung had intended to include a 2560x1440 display on the Galaxy S5 all along, but couldn't at the time of launch because the technology wasn't mature enough to meet demand.
Another reason is that Samsung may simply want to ensure that its flagship device is still the best on the market for months to come. By going with a QHD display, the upgraded Galaxy S5 steals some thunder away from rival LG and its recently launched G3 device. The G3 still boasts a bigger panel -- 5.5 inches versus 5.1 inches -- but the resolution is the same.
It's not clear if Samsung intends to extend availability of its upgraded Galaxy S5 to the U.S.
The Galaxy S5 has only been on the market for around four months, yet Samsung apparently felt compelled to swap the display for a Quad HD (QHD) screen with a 2560x1440 resolution -- up from a 1920x1080 resolution -- and trade the processor for a Qualcomm Snapdragon 805 System-on-Chip (SoC). If you're looking for a caveat, it's that these tantalizing upgrades are only available in South Korea at the moment.
Nevertheless, it's an interesting decision by Samsung. These are both features that could end up highlighting the Galaxy S6 later this year, so why jump the gun and potentially diminish the 'Wow' factor of its next flagship device? Perhaps Samsung had intended to include a 2560x1440 display on the Galaxy S5 all along, but couldn't at the time of launch because the technology wasn't mature enough to meet demand.
Another reason is that Samsung may simply want to ensure that its flagship device is still the best on the market for months to come. By going with a QHD display, the upgraded Galaxy S5 steals some thunder away from rival LG and its recently launched G3 device. The G3 still boasts a bigger panel -- 5.5 inches versus 5.1 inches -- but the resolution is the same.
It's not clear if Samsung intends to extend availability of its upgraded Galaxy S5 to the U.S.
