Samsung Galaxy C5

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Samsung Galaxy C5

Safe Ride

Samsung Galaxy C5 review

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1. Introduction

Samsung Android

Introduction

Navigating through Samsung's ever-growing handset lineup seem to be increasing in difficulty year on year. The fresh new "On" and "C" families are a testament to that. But, like the saying goes, never judge a book by its covers and after we already took the bigger Galaxy C7 through its paces in an in-depth review, we can safely approach the C5 with a bit less doubt and a more hopeful predisposition.

The fact of the matter is that the former proved to be a quite impressive and interesting offer. One that sort of fills a pre-existing gap for a proper Samsung phablet that is not a "Note" and most importantly, one that comes on a budget.

The midrange specs and slim all-metal bodies of the new Galaxy C models bring about another quite obvious parallel with the company's "A" family. We used the A7 (2016) and the A9 (2016) extensively as points of comparison for the C7. With the C5 the obvious go-to parallel is definitely the A5 (2016) - a much closer match. At 5.2 inches, the Galaxy C5 looks like a spruced up version of the A5 (2016), bringing about a few notable hardware improvements.

Samsung Galaxy C5 key features

·                   145.9 x 72 x 6.7 mm, 143g body

·                   5.2" 1080 x 1920px Super AMOLED of 424 ppi; 2.5D scratch-resistant glass

·                   Android 6.0.1 Marshmallow

·                   Qualcomm Snapdragon 617 chipset, octa-core 4x1.5 GHz Cortex-A53 and 4x1.2 GHz Cortex-A53; Adreno 405 GPU; 4GB RAM

·                   16MP, f/1.9 camera; 1080p@30fps video recording and Dual-LED flash

·                   32GB or 64GB of built-in storage and a hybrid microSD card slot

·                   Dual-SIM connectivity

·                   LTE Cat.4 (150Mbps); Dual-band Wi-Fi a/b/g/n; GPS/GLONASS/BDS (region dependent) receiver, Bluetooth v4.2, FM radio with RDS, NFC compatible with Samsung Pay

·                   Fingerprint reader in the home button

·                   Active noise cancellation with a dedicated mic

·                   2,600mAh non-removable battery; Fast charging support

Main shortcomings

·                   No OIS for the camera

·                   No phase detection, laser or other advanced autofocus technology

·                   No 4K video recording

·                   LTE speed cap

The Galaxy C5 and Galaxy C7 share most of their hardware. The same will likely be true for the alleged C9 as well, if and when it gets released.

Design-wise, the Galaxy C5 and C7 are identical and the only feature that has been scaled down (outside of the obvious screen and body size reduction) is the chipset. The Snapdragon 617 is definitely a step down from the Snapdragon 625 used in the Galaxy C7.

Other than that, both phones have 4GB of RAM, 32GB or 64GB of expandable storage, mostly identical connectivity options and the same camera setup including a 16MP main unit and an 8MP front-facer.

Samsung's excellent Super AMOLED screen tech is also present and if panel size is anything to go by when making parallels in Samsung's portfolio, the C5 match in the A series has got to be the Galaxy A5 (2016). And while the Galaxy C7 slotted in between existing A-series models in terms of screen size (the A8 2016 was only announced today), the C5 and A5 (2016) appear to be direct competitors. Of course, there is nothing bad about some sibling rivalry.

    
Samsung Galaxy C5 in official photos

It is worth noting that both the Galaxy C5 and C7 were originally announced back in May as models exclusive to the Chinese and Hong-Kong markets. They have since made it to the stores internationally but their availability on the Old Continent is by no mean as wide as that of the A-series smartphones.

So the slight hardware advantage that the C5 has over the A5 (2016) makes us wonder how exactly does the C5 fit in Samsung's product strategy. Is this move incidental? Is there a change in portfolio ranks brewing? Is there more to the C5 than meets the eye?

Follow along as we take a closer look at it on the next pages.

Unboxing the Samsung Galaxy C5

Just like its bigger C7 sibling, the Galaxy C5 is not flamboyant with its packaging or presentation, but still, it comes with a nicely full set of accessories. We would gladly give up a fancy-looking box for the sake of getting more accessories, and the C5 doesn't leave you wanting in this respect.

 
Samsung Galaxy C5 retail box

Opening the simple two piece container reveals the device itself on top. Right underneath is another box with leaflets and a SIM ejector. Even further down is the main compartment, with a Samsung Adaptive Fast Charging A/C adapter.

You also get a simple USB type A to micro USB cable and a pretty decent pair of wired headphones with a mic and controls. All the supplied accessories are stylishly finished in white.

Samsung Galaxy C5 360-degree spin

Samsung must have drawn inspiration for the new "C" series design from at least a few sources. The metal exterior is an instant throwback to models like the A5 (2016) and A7 (2016), but Samsung has changed some parts of the chassis quite a bit this time around. The distinctive grooves on the sides are gone, and the chamfered back edges are now a lot deeper and smoother.

This doesn't help with handling all that much, but does make for a gorgeous back panel that gently slopes in on all four sides. The impression the C5 makes is one of an uncanny resemblance to a mix of the iPhone 6s, the HTC A9 and the OnePlus 3. If nothing else, the latter has very similar looking and prominent antenna cutouts.

Hardware overview

As already mentioned, the Galaxy C5 and C7 are virtually identical on the outside with scale being the only difference. Also, apart from the slight alterations to design, there isn't anything all that notable or different about the Samsung Galaxy C5 when compared to, let's say, the 2016 Galaxy A lineup.

What you get is a sturdy metal unibody with a nice matte finish that is quite smudge resistant, all put together with great precision in a neat phablet package.

The materials used for the Galaxy C5 and the build quality are immaculate - we'd certainly give it that.

   
Clear front side

On the front, the C5 has a typical Samsung appearance. The most recent one as well, complete with little details like the subtle color accents around the front camera and sensors and the slightly taller home button. The device looks very clean from this angle. Besides the already mentioned pair of controls, there is only a Samsung logo on top of the display and the earpiece, of course.

   
Samsung Galaxy C5 next to the bigger C7

Below the screen, the home button integrates a snappy fingerprint reader and has a pair of capacitive buttons on either side. These are in the typical Samsung layout of menu key on the left and back on the right and are invisible when not backlit. The design is tied together nicely by the slight 2.5D effect on the top glass.

 
Samsung Galaxy C5 in the hand

Going round the back, there aren't many things to note. It is very clean as well.

As already mentioned, this particular antenna design is a novelty on a Samsung phone, and we still can't shake the feeling it is slightly out of place - it's like we are reviewing a phone by another brand. However, this feeling likely stems from some of our preconceived notions and the new design certainly helps the C5 and C7 stand out among Samsung siblings.

  
Clean back side as well

The camera bump protrudes noticeably but still looks reasonable and is almost justifiable considering the phone's 6.7mm slim profile - the C5 is even a bit thinner than the 6.8mm C7. Right next to the lens, there is a Dual-tone LED flash and that about covers the back.

The sides are pretty conventional as well. On the left, we only have the volume controls, a power key, and a SIM card tray on the right. The latter has a total of two slots, one being a hybrid slot so that you can choose between a second SIM and a microSD card. A dedicated memory card slot would've been better, but hybrid slots seem to be the norm these days.

  
Mostly empty sides

The bottom of the Galaxy C5 feels a bit busier. It houses, in order of appearance, a 3.5mm audio jack, the primary microphone, a microUSB port and a single speaker grille. As for the top, it only has a tiny pinhole for the secondary noise-canceling microphone.

  
Display

Samsung generally doesn't disappoint when it comes to panels across pretty much its entire lineup. Going for a mid-ranger, like the new Galaxy C5 or the C7, guarantees you will get one of the Korean giant's own excellent Super AMOLED units. High contrast and punchy colors are a given with these.

5.2 inches definitely come very close to the proverbial "sweet spot" for most current smartphone users. It is a far cry from the Galaxy C7 and its phablet-territory 5.7-inch diagonal, but that is kind of the point. The 1080p FullHD resolution ensures a quite good for a midranger pixel density of 424ppi. You can rest assured everything looks exceptionally sharp and punchy.

As far as performance goes, the panel on the Galaxy C5 appears to be almost identical to the one in its bigger sibling and does quite alright. It has deep blacks and the benefit of infinite contrast.

At 100% brightness level, it maxes out at 424 nits, which is pretty close to what Samsung's current flagship devices, like the Galaxy S7 and Note7 are capable of.

When presented with a bright external light source, the C5 can burn up to 625nits in Max Auto mode, so using it outdoors is trouble-free, even on the brightest of days.

Display test	100% brightness
	Black, cd/m2	White, cd/m2	Contrast ratio
Samsung Galaxy C5	0.00	424	∞
Samsung Galaxy C5 (Max auto)	0.00	625	∞
Samsung Galaxy C7	0.00	422	∞
Samsung Galaxy C7 (Max auto)	0.00	625	∞
Samsung Galaxy A5 (2016)	0.00	421	∞
Samsung Galaxy A5 (2016) max auto	0.00	601	∞
Samsung Galaxy J5 (2016)	0.00	338	∞
Samsung Galaxy J5 (2016) outdoor mode	0.00	476	∞
Xiaomi Redmi Note 3 (MediaTek)	0.42	403	953
Xiaomi Mi 5	0.51	628	1227
Meizu m3 note	0.52	425	816
Meizu PRO 6	0.01	360	40000
Huawei Honor 7 Lite / Honor 5c	0.58	416	717
Huawei Honor 8	0.34	374	1101
Huawei Honor 8 (Max auto)	0.34	395	1161
Huawei Mate 8	0.346	471	1361
Sony Xperia XA	0.38	523	1376
Sony Xperia X	0.44	539	1219
Huawei P9 Lite	0.42	497	1192
OnePlus X	0.00	340	∞
Lenovo Vibe K4 Note	0.47	442	940
LG Nexus 5X	0.30	455	1542

Interestingly enough, the C5 does show a measurable, albeit hardly noticeable with bare eyes increase in maximum brightness, compared to the older Galaxy A5 (2016). Since both are equipped with panels identical in size, it is a pretty fair comparison and serves as a good indication that Samsung is still actively upgrading its displays, materials and finishes.

Sunlight contrast ratio

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• OnePlus X3.983
• Samsung Galaxy C53.911
• Samsung Galaxy C73.896
• Samsung Galaxy A5 (2016)3.789
• Meizu PRO 63.659
• Xiaomi Mi 53.24
• LG Nexus 5X3.092
• Sony Xperia X2.989
• Huawei Mate 82.949
• Huawei P9 Lite2.679
• Sony Xperia XA2.609
• Huawei Honor 7 Lite / Honor 5c2.506
• Samsung Galaxy J5 (2016)2.378
• Lenovo Vibe K4 Note2.254
• Xiaomi Redmi Note 3 (MediaTek)2.249
• Meizu m3 note1.923

Color accuracy is impressive as well, even a bit better than that of the Galaxy C7. This could either be considered an indication that the C5 uses a slightly different panel, or perhaps Samsung did a better job with the factory color calibration. In either case, you still have to enable Basic mode to enjoy the most accurate color reproduction. In it the average delta E is only 1.7 and the max deviation reading is the impressively low DeltaE 3.3. But if you would rather enjoy the punchy colors the AMOLED technology has to offer, you can just leave the C5 in Adaptive mode, where reds tend to deviate as far off as DeltaE of 11.8.

Overall, the Galaxy C5 display is excellent, save for the slight color shift when looking at it from an angle, which is quite often visible with AMOLED screens.

Connectivity

The Samsung Galaxy C5 is equipped with a total of two nano SIM slots. It's a hybrid slot so one of the card positions is to be used with either a SIM card or a Micro SD card, so you do have to choose. It is pretty much the same deal with the C7 as well.

Another unfortunate parallel between the two has to do with network speed. Again, it is capped to only Cat.4 or 150 Mbps, despite the fact that the X8 modem inside the Snapdragon 617 is rated for up to Cat.7. Again, this is bound to be a market decision, but does put the C5 at a weird disadvantage compared to the Galaxy A5 (2016) in this one single respect.

Other Internet connectivity options include Wi-Fi a/b/g/n. Sadly, no 802.11ac support is present. Local connectivity includes Bluetooth 4.2 complete with ANT+ support, so Samsung has made sure to keep the hardware up to date in this department. NFC is also on board, and it is compatible with Samsung Pay.

The microUSB 2.0 port handles charging and data, but it also supports USB OTG so you can hook up external hardware to the phone.

You do get FM radio as well - as a more old-school source of music and entertainment. It is full-featured as well and includes RDS and recording.

Galaxy C5 battery life test

Battery endurance was the area where the Samsung Galaxy C7 definitely shined the brightest when we reviewed it thanks to awesome combination of a power-efficient AMOLED panel and a mid-range SoC, made on a 14nm process. That got it a whopping 100 hours in our endurance test.

Sadly, the Galaxy C5 doesn't really get to participate in this new power-efficient movement due to the downgrade in chipset - it has to make do with the Snapdragon 617, which is made using a 28nm process, which is not as power efficient.

Still, an endurance rating of 75 hours in single SIM config and a 73-hour rating in dual mode is not a bad score at all. The call test seems to be its Achilles' heel. Other than that, software-dependent tasks like web browsing and video playback seem to be well optimized.

Still, we have to wonder whether Samsung would have been better off relying on its own 14nm Exynos 7870 Octa chip. The latter is an option on the lower-end Samsung Galaxy J7 (2016), which we already reviewed as well.

The battery testing procedure is described in detail in case you're interested in the nitty-gritties. You can also check out our complete battery test table, where you can see how all of the smartphones we've tested will compare to each other under your own choice of usage pattern.