Samsung has officially unveiled the third variation on the Galaxy S5, named the Galaxy S5 Active, a ruggedised version of the original device looking like something only an outdoors fan could love in a new set of colors.
The Galaxy S5 Active will feature the same internals as the original, a 5.1-inch full HD display, 2.5GHz quad-core processor, 2GB of RAM, 32GB of internal storage, 16MP rear camera and a heart rate sensor, the only feature missing is the fingerprint sensor.
Samsung has changed the buttons on the Galaxy S5 Active, switching away from the one physical home button and two capacitive keys for three physical buttons, making the phone rely less on the touch-screen.
This is most likely the reason why the fingerprint sensor was not added, Samsung added it onto the home button and since the button has been changed and is not as large it might have caused problems with the handset.
Design wise the Galaxy S5 Active has a new solid look and even though it looks like a brick, it has the same thinness as the original and does not weigh very much more than the Galaxy S5. It is shock resistant, meaning it can take a few falls without any damage.
This comes on top of being water resistant and dust proof certified to IP67, same as the Galaxy S5. The Active definitely lives in a more niche market than a year ago, with the Galaxy S5 offering water resistance and the Active only appealing to those that are outdoor fanatics and need a phone that can survive.
It does beg the question is the phone worth the money, when the user can just buy a ruggedised case for their own phone that will protect against most things and be cheaper. AT&T is offering the Galaxy S5 Active exclusively for $199 on a two-year contract, pretty grim for a niche product.
