Samsung Galaxy S5 Neo vs. S7 Active: A Clash of the Titans (From Years Past)

Nostalgia for older smartphones is real, and the Samsung Galaxy S5 Neo and S7 Active offer compelling options for budget-conscious buyers. But which of these aging devices still holds up in 2024? We're diving deep into a head-to-head comparison to help you decide.

Phones Images

🏆 Quick Verdict

The Samsung Galaxy S7 Active is the clear winner. While the S5 Neo offers affordability, the S7 Active's significantly more powerful Snapdragon 820 chipset, superior camera, and robust build quality make it a more capable and future-proof choice, despite both having excellent battery life.

PHONES
Phone Names	Samsung Galaxy S5 Neo	Samsung Galaxy S7 active

Network
2G bands	GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900	GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900
3G bands	HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1900 / 2100 - G903F	HSDPA 850 / 1900 / 2100
4G bands	1, 3, 5, 7, 8, 20 - G903F	1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 20, 29, 30, 38, 39, 40, 41
Speed	HSPA 42.2/5.76 Mbps, LTE Cat6 300/50 Mbps	HSPA 42.2/5.76 Mbps, LTE (3CA) Cat9 450/50 Mbps
Technology	GSM / HSPA / LTE	GSM / HSPA / LTE
	1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 12, 13, 17, 20, 29 - G903W	-

Launch
Announced	2015, August. Released 2015, August	2016, June. Released 2016, June
Status	Discontinued	Discontinued

Body
Build	-	Glass front (Gorilla Glass 4), plastic back, aluminum frame
Dimensions	142 x 72.5 x 8.1 mm (5.59 x 2.85 x 0.32 in)	148.8 x 74.9 x 9.9 mm (5.86 x 2.95 x 0.39 in)
SIM	Micro-SIM	Nano-SIM
Weight	145 g (5.11 oz)	184.8 g (6.53 oz)
	IP67 dust/water resistant (up to 1m for 30 min)	IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 1.5m for 30 mins) MIL-STD-810G compliant

Display
Protection	-	Corning Gorilla Glass 4
Resolution	1080 x 1920 pixels, 16:9 ratio (~432 ppi density)	1440 x 2560 pixels, 16:9 ratio (~576 ppi density)
Size	5.1 inches, 71.7 cm2 (~69.6% screen-to-body ratio)	5.1 inches, 71.7 cm2 (~64.3% screen-to-body ratio)
Type	Super AMOLED	Super AMOLED
	-	Always-on display

Platform
CPU	Octa-core 1.6 GHz Cortex-A53	Quad-core (2x2.15 GHz Kryo & 2x1.6 GHz Kryo)
Chipset	Exynos 7580 Octa (28 nm)	Qualcomm MSM8996 Snapdragon 820 (14 nm)
GPU	Mali-T720MP2	Adreno 530
OS	Android 5.1.1 (Lollipop), upgradable to 7.0 (Nougat)	Android 6.0 (Marshmallow), upgradable to 7.0 (Nougat), TouchWiz UI

Memory
Card slot	microSDXC (dedicated slot)	microSDXC (dedicated slot)
Internal	16GB 2GB RAM	32GB 4GB RAM
	eMMC 5.0	-

Main Camera
Features	LED flash, panorama, HDR	LED flash, auto-HDR, panorama
Single	16 MP, f/1.9, 31mm (standard), AF	12 MP, f/1.7, 26mm (wide), 1/2.55", 1.4µm, dual pixel PDAF, OIS
Video	1080p@30fps	4K@30fps, 1080p@30fps (gyro-EIS), 1080p@60fps, 720p@240fps, HDR, stereo sound rec., OIS

Selfie camera
Features	-	HDR
Single	5 MP, f/1.9, 23mm (wide)	5 MP, f/1.7, 22mm (wide), 1/4.1", 1.34µm
Video	1080p@30fps	-

Sound
3.5mm jack	Yes	Yes
35mm jack	Yes	Yes
Loudspeaker	Yes	Yes

Comms
Bluetooth	4.1, A2DP, EDR, LE	4.2, A2DP, LE, aptX
NFC	Yes	Yes
Positioning	GPS, GLONASS	GPS, GLONASS
Radio	FM radio	Stereo FM radio, RDS
USB	microUSB 2.0, OTG	microUSB 2.0, OTG
WLAN	Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct, hotspot	Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct

Features
Sensors	Accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, heart rate	Fingerprint (front-mounted), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer, heart rate, SpO2
	ANT+ S-Voice	ANT+ S-Voice natural language commands and dictation Samsung Pay (Visa, MasterCard certified)

Battery
Charging	-	15W wired, QC2 Wireless (Qi) (market dependent)
Music play	Up to 73 h	Up to 110 h
Stand-by	-	Up to 384 h (3G)
Talk time	Up to 15 h (3G)	Up to 32 h (3G)
Type	Li-Ion 2800 mAh, removable	Li-Ion 4000 mAh, non-removable

Misc
Colors	Black, Gray, Gold	Camo Green, Titanium Gray, Sandy Gold
Models	SM-G903F, SM-G903W, SM-G903M, SM-S903VL	SM-G891A
Price	About 300 EUR	About 360 EUR
SAR	1.03 W/kg (head) 1.27 W/kg (body)	0.92 W/kg (head) 0.75 W/kg (body)
SAR EU	0.46 W/kg (head) 0.58 W/kg (body)	0.32 W/kg (head) 0.98 W/kg (body)

Tests
Audio quality	-	Noise -94.3dB / Crosstalk -93.4dB
Battery life	-	Endurance rating 96h
Loudspeaker	-	Voice 72dB / Noise 66dB / Ring 78dB
Performance	-	Basemark OS II 2.0: 2487Basemark X: 32362

Samsung Galaxy S5 Neo

Affordable
Decent battery life
Compact size
Reliable for basic tasks

Outdated chipset
Lower performance
Less impressive camera
Limited software support

Samsung Galaxy S7 active

Powerful Snapdragon 820 chipset
Excellent camera with OIS
Durable build quality
Good battery life
Vibrant display

Older design
Limited software updates
May be harder to find in good condition

Display Comparison

The S7 Active boasts a 5.1-inch Super AMOLED display with a resolution of 2560 x 1440 (QHD), offering a sharper and more vibrant visual experience compared to the S5 Neo's 5.1-inch AMOLED display with a resolution of 1920 x 1080 (FHD). The S7 Active's higher pixel density results in a noticeably clearer image.

Camera Comparison

The S7 Active's camera system is noticeably better. It features a 12MP rear camera with optical image stabilization (OIS) and a faster aperture, resulting in better low-light performance and sharper images. The S5 Neo's 16MP camera is decent, but lacks the same level of image quality and stabilization.

Performance

The Snapdragon 820 in the S7 Active is a substantial upgrade over the Exynos 7580 in the S5 Neo. The S7 Active's quad-core Kryo CPU and Adreno 530 GPU provide significantly faster processing speeds and smoother multitasking, making it better for gaming and demanding applications. The S5 Neo feels sluggish by comparison.

Battery Life

Both phones boast impressive battery life, with an endurance rating of 96 hours. However, the S7 Active's more efficient chipset and slightly larger battery capacity (4000 mAh vs S5 Neo's 2800 mAh) give it a slight edge in real-world usage.

Buying Guide

The Samsung Galaxy S5 Neo is ideal for users seeking a basic, reliable Android phone on a tight budget, primarily for calls, texts, and light app usage. The Samsung Galaxy S7 Active is better suited for those needing a durable device with better performance, a superior camera, and longer software support (though limited now).