iPhone 5s or Galaxy S4? A Head-To-Head Match Between The Two Smartest Smartphones [VIDEO & REPORT]

By Jobs & Hire Staff Reporter | Sep 12, 2013 09:57 AM EDT

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After Apple has finally launched its newest iPhones, we all know that a large portion of the techie world is contemplating on buying the most updated ones. Well, that's for iPhone 5s since the iPhone 5c is not quite the device people would want to flaunt especially that analysts have said that this plastic version is a downgrade and, at the same time, a replacement to the well-received iPhone 5.

Meanwhile, Samsung's Galaxy S4 is still the hot topic (no offence to Galaxy Note 3 that is). But enough of that. Let us now focus on the serious question that has been playing and replaying in everyone's subconscious: iPhone 5s or Galaxy S4?

Display and Build

The iPhone 5s is quite similar to its predecessor, the iPhone 5, in terms of display. The device sports the same 4 inch IPS LCD "Retina" display (1136x640 resolution at 326 ppi) which Apple claims is still the best display it is offering as of late. On the other hand, Galaxy S4 is Samsung's absolute monster phone entry, with its 5 inch full HD (1920x1080 at 441 ppi) Super AMOLED display. Although many people may think that the 1080p beats Apple's "Retina," it is very surprising how Yahoo! News proved that Galaxy S4's display isn't still up to par with the iPhone 5s's.

In terms of build, Apple's iPhone 5s is still encased in high-grade aluminum material. But now, the new iPhone is manufactured in three variants: gold, silver, and "space gray." The aluminum build, which has always been a trademark of the iPhone (without considering the iPhone 5c of course), makes up for the quarter of a pound overall weight of the device, which is oddly lighter than the black and white plastic material of Galaxy S4 , weighing .29 pounds.

Processor and Memory

The most crucial feature that could make or break a smartphone is no other than its processor. Apple's new iPhone 5s takes pride on its 64-bit chip called the A7, the alleged key to the massive boost in speed and the graphics-processing capability of the device. And although this may be party true, analysts have already debunked this idea, saying that the new 64-bit chip is not as good and as promising as it sounds with only 2GB of RAM. Still, the company maintains that its successors are always incomparable in speed over its predecessors.

Meanwhile, the Galaxy S4 runs on Qualcomm quad-core Snapdragon 600 clocked at 1.9 GHz and has 2GB of RAM. With such powerful processor and fair enough amount of RAM, it is safe to say that Samsung's 5-incher takes the lead on this one.

Additionally, both phones come in 16, 32, and 64GB variants, but the Galaxy S4 has an optional memory expansion slot for a 64 GB of microSD storage.

Camera

Apple's newly-improved camera for iPhone 5 is said to be the best one on any smartphone. Although still an 8 MegaPixel sensor, the company claims that the camera technology in the new iPhone can deliver better pictures not only because of the bigger pixels but also because of its now 15 percent larger senor that allows enables greater clarity for every picture. The iPhone 5s's FaceTime camera is at 1.2 MegaPixel, a not so bad camera quality for doing video calls and taking selfies.

Contrariwise, the Galaxy S4 sports a 13 MegaPixel camera, with a reportedly 1.1 microns per pixel capability. Aside from the advanced capture functionality incorporated into the handset's rear-facing camera, Galaxy S4's 2 MegaPixel front-facing shooter is the bigger asset to the smartphone since it is capable of taking 1080p video capture.

In terms of flash, iPhone 5s comes with a new True Tone dual LED: a combination of cool white flash and warm amber flash that combine together in giving photos the best color and contrast.

Special Features

One of the most notable special features that Apple has placed into its new offering is the Touch ID fingerprint sensor. This feature allows users to unlock their screens through simple touch gestures such that the phone's home button can scan through the owner's fingerprint. The technology is said to be Samsung's answer to easily retrievable PINS or swipe patterns.

On the other hand, Samsung Galaxy S4 does not have the said feature, but its "no touch" screen control is something remarkable already even before Apple launched its new iPhone. This Air Gesture feature enables users to enjoy flipping between screens and doing just anything they like without the need of touching any button.

The "voice assistant" competition is also tough or has even become tougher. Apple's Siri and Samsung's S Voice have greatly improved in their battle against each other. Both can carry out certain tasks such as making calls, sending messages, or searching information on the internet.

Battery Life

Finally, the battle between the two is not to end without disclosing the difference their batteries make. Apple has not released pertinent information regarding iPhone 5s's battery, but it has managed to provide credible data by stating talk and standby time estimates that account for 10 hours or 250 hours on the very least.

Conversely, Samsung has always been upfront when it comes to their devices' batteries, and for its Galaxy S4, the company has provided it with a decent 2600 mAh battery, which accounts for 17 hours of 300 hours when on standby. Yet these are subject to the specific usage requirements.

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