Samsung Galaxy S5 mini vs. Galaxy S5: Size Matters

When Samsung releases a new flagship, like the Galaxy S5, you know a cadre of variants isn't far behind. Predictably, now Samsung's introduced the Galaxy S5 mini. On sale this month, the mini packs many of the features that make the S5 one of the best smartphones on the market, while sacrificing very little in its downsizing.

As its name implies, the S5 mini is a smaller version of its full-size namesake. That said, the difference in size between the two is relatively minimal. Measuring5.2 x 2.6 x 0.36 inches and weighing 4.2 ounces, the S5 mini is a hair shorter, though a bit thicker, than the Galaxy S5, which measures 5.3 x 2.9 x 0.31 and weighs 5.1 ounces.

MORE: Galaxy S5 Features: What to Enable and Disable

At 4.5 inches, though, the S5 mini's display is more than a half inch smaller than its larger sibling's. Along with its slightly smaller size, the S5 mini's Super AMOLED screen also sees its resolution dip from 1080p on the S5 to 720p.

Despite its smaller size, the S5 mini comes equipped with the same fingerprint reader and heart rate monitor found on the S5. And like its big brother, the mini is dust and water-resistant, which means you can submerge it in 3 feet of water for 30 minutes before the phone calls it quits.

Inside, the S5 mini gets a 1.2-GHz quad-core processor and 1.5GB of RAM, a step down from the S5's quad-core Snapdragon 801 chip and 2GB of RAM. The mini also gets a less impressive 8-megapixel rear camera, rather than the S5's 16-MP shooter.

The S5 mini goes on sale this month, though Samsung hasn't said if the handset will be coming to the U.S., specifically. We'll update you when we learn more.

• Smartphone Interactive Buying Guide

• iPhone 5s vs. Samsung Galaxy S5: And the Winner Is

• Best and Worst Smartphone Brands

Copyright 2014 LAPTOP Magazine, a TechMediaNetwork company. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.