Samsung Galaxy S3 (SCH-i535 32GB) vs Samsung Galaxy S5 Active (SM-G870W)
Side by side comparison between Samsung Galaxy S3 vs Samsung Galaxy S5 Active phones, differences, pros, cons and full specifications. What's the better?
,
4.8"
AMOLED
AMOLED
720x1280
8
MP
MP
2mp
2GB
RAM
RAM
Dual-core
2100
mAh
mAh
(Removable)
vs
5.1"
AMOLED
AMOLED
1080x1920
16
MP
MP
2.1mp
2GB
RAM
RAM
Quad-core
2800
mAh
mAh
(Removable)
What's the better phone? Samsung Galaxy S5 Active (SM-G870W)
The phonemore's choice is much more technical than personal. Therefore, you shouldn't only consider this. Our goal is to help you, but what's important to us may not be important to you. You decide which one is the best! Comment!
3 Advantages 
17 Advantages | 26 Common items in both devices |
| Super AMOLED |
| 16 million |
| LED flash |
| Only digital zoom |
| Autofocus |
| EIS: Digital stabilization |
| HDR photo only main camera / HDR photo/video only main camera |
| +19 specs and more in the table below |
Check the comparison table below for more items that are not evaluated in comparison score above.
Highlight differences Clear highlight📱 Model features | ||
| Galaxy S3 (SCH-i535 32GB) | Galaxy S5 Active (SM-G870W) | |
| Model | Galaxy S3 (SCH-i535 32GB) | Galaxy S5 Active (SM-G870W) |
| Other model names | Verizon Samsung Galaxy S3 i535, Samsung Galaxy S III R530 | Bell Samsung Galaxy S5 Active SM-G870W for Canada |
| Country or region available |  USA |  Canada |
| Brand | Samsung | Samsung |
| Release date | 7/12/2012 | 5/30/2014 |
| Depth | 8.6 millimeters (0.34 inches) | 8.9 millimeters (0.35 inches) |
| Size (width x height) | 70.6 x 136.6 millimeters (2.78 x 5.38 in) | 73.4 x 145.3 millimeters (2.89 x 5.72 in) |
| Weight | 133 grams (4.66 ounces) | 170 grams (5.95 ounces) |
| Build, materials | Plastic body, glass front | feature not registered |
| Protection against water and others | Not supported | IP67 certified: dust proof and waterproof over 1 meter and 30min. MIL-STD-810G military certified: salt, dust, humidity, rain, vibration, solar radiation, transport and thermal shock resistant. |
📲 Display | ||
| Galaxy S3 (SCH-i535 32GB) | Galaxy S5 Active (SM-G870W) | |
| Display type | Super AMOLED | Super AMOLED |
| Screen size | 4.8" inches | 5.1" inches |
| Screen-to-body ratio | ~65.9% (screen-to-body ratio) | ~67.2% (screen-to-body ratio) |
| Display resolution | 720x1280 pixels | 1080x1920 pixels |
| Touchscreen | Capacitive Multitouch | Capacitive Multitouch 10-points |
| Pixel density (dot pitch) | 306 PPI | 432 PPI |
| Colors | 16 million | 16 million |
| Scratch-resistant glass | Gorilla Glass 2 | Gorilla Glass 3 |
| Refresh rate | feature not registered | feature not registered |
| Display features | feature not registered | feature not registered |
🤖 Operating System | ||
| Galaxy S3 (SCH-i535 32GB) | Galaxy S5 Active (SM-G870W) | |
| System version | Android 4.0.4 Ice Cream Sandwich ICS | Android 4.4.2 KitKat |
| Firmware update | Android 4.3 Jelly Bean | Android 6.0.1 Marshmallow |
| User Interface | feature not registered | feature not registered |
⚙️ Processor | ||
| Galaxy S3 (SCH-i535 32GB) | Galaxy S5 Active (SM-G870W) | |
| Chipset | 32bit: Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 Plus MSM8260A (28nm) | 32bit: Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 MSM8974-AC (28nm) |
| CPU | Dual-core, 1 processor: 2x 1.5GHz Krait (Dual-core) | Quad-core, 1 processor: 4x 2.5GHz Krait 400 (Quad-core) |
| GPU graphical controller | Qualcomm Adreno 225 400Mhz | Qualcomm Adreno 330 578Mhz |
| Performance (benchmark) | feature not registered | feature not registered |
💽 Memory and storage | ||
| Galaxy S3 (SCH-i535 32GB) | Galaxy S5 Active (SM-G870W) | |
| RAM memory | 2GB LPDDR2 | 2GB LPDDR3 |
| Internal storage | 32GB (25GB available) | 16GB (11GB available) |
| External storage | Until 64GB microSD, microSDXC (dedicated slot) | Until 128GB microSD, microSDXC (dedicated slot) |
📶 Mobile networks | ||
| Galaxy S3 (SCH-i535 32GB) | Galaxy S5 Active (SM-G870W) | |
| Dual-SIM | Not supported | Not supported |
| SIM card | 1 slot (Single-SIM) micro-SIM (3FF) | 1 slot (Single-SIM) micro-SIM (3FF) |
| Maximum Download / Upload | 100/50 Mbps | 150/50 Mbps |
| Network technology | 2G, 3G, 4G | 2G, 3G, 4G |
| Frequency, bands | Expand band details Collapse details | |
| GSM MHz band | Not supported | Quad-Band 850/900/1800/1900 |
| Primary 2G network | CDMA 800/1700/1900/2100 | GSM 850/900/1800/1900 |
| Primary 3G network | CDMA2000 1xEV-DO | UMTS 850/1900/2100 |
| Primary 4G network | LTE 700/850/1700/1900/2100 | LTE Cat4 700/850/1700/1800/1900/2100/2600 |
| Primary 5G network | Not supported | Not supported |
| Primary data network | CDMA2000 EV-DO Rev A, LTE | GPRS, EDGE, UMTS, HSDPA, HSUPA, HSPA+, LTE |
| Secondary 2G network | Not supported | Not supported |
| Secondary 3G network | Not supported | Not supported |
| Secondary 4G network | Not supported | Not supported |
| Secondary data network | Not supported | Not supported |
📷 Camera | ||
| Galaxy S3 (SCH-i535 32GB) | Galaxy S5 Active (SM-G870W) | |
| Back camera (main camera) | 8 megapixels | 16 megapixels |
| Main camera resolution | 3264x2448 pixels | 4608x3456 pixels |
| Video recording (primary) | Full HD (1920x1080) 30 fps | 4K UHD (3840x2160) 30 fps |
| Flash | LED flash | LED flash |
| Focal aperture | f/2.6 (aperture) | f/2.2 (aperture) |
| Focal length | feature not registered | feature not registered |
| Sensor size | 1/3" inches | 1/2.6" inches |
| Pixel size | feature not registered | feature not registered |
| Autofocus | Autofocus | Autofocus |
| Touch focus | Supported | Supported |
| Image stabilization | EIS: Digital stabilization | EIS: Digital stabilization |
| Zoom | Only digital zoom | Only digital zoom |
| Face/smile detection | Face detection, Smile detection | Face detection, Smile detection |
| BSI sensor | Supported | Supported |
| HDR | HDR photo only main camera | HDR photo/video only main camera |
| Camera extras | feature not registered | feature not registered |
📸 Front camera | ||
| Galaxy S3 (SCH-i535 32GB) | Galaxy S5 Active (SM-G870W) | |
| Front camera (secondary) | 2 megapixels | 2.1 megapixels |
| Front camera resolution | 1600x1200 pixels | 1920x1080 pixels |
| Video recording (secondary) | HD (1280x720) | Full HD (1920x1080) |
| Front flash | Not supported | Not supported |
| Focal aperture | f/2.6 (aperture) | feature not registered |
| Focal length | feature not registered | feature not registered |
| Sensor size | feature not registered | feature not registered |
| Pixel size | feature not registered | feature not registered |
🔉 Sound and multimedia | ||
| Galaxy S3 (SCH-i535 32GB) | Galaxy S5 Active (SM-G870W) | |
| Loudspeaker | Supported | Supported |
| Active noise cancellation | 2 microphones or more | 2 microphones or more |
| Radio | Not supported | Not supported |
| TV | Not supported | Not supported |
| Video formats | MP4, H.264, H.263, XviD, MKV | MP4, DivX, XviD, H.264, H.263, WMV |
| Audio formats | MP3, WAV, WMA, eAAC+, FLAC | MP3, WAV, WMA, eAAC+, AC3, FLAC |
🔌 Connectivity | ||
| Galaxy S3 (SCH-i535 32GB) | Galaxy S5 Active (SM-G870W) | |
| USB | MicroUSB 2.0, USB OTG On-The-Go | MicroUSB 2.0, USB OTG On-The-Go |
| Audio output | 3.5mm jack | 3.5mm jack |
| TV output | Micro-B USB MHL | Micro-B USB MHL-2 |
| Bluetooth | 4.0 + A2DP | 4.0 + A2DP |
| WiFi | 802.11 a/b/g/n [wifi4] (2.4GHz, 5GHz) + MIMO | 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac [wifi5] (2.4GHz, 5GHz) WiFi Direct, hotspot |
| DLNA | Supported | Supported |
| GPS | A-GPS, GeoTagging, GLONASS | A-GPS, GeoTagging, GLONASS |
| NFC | Supported | Supported |
| Infrared port | Not supported | Supported |
🧭 Sensors | ||
| Galaxy S3 (SCH-i535 32GB) | Galaxy S5 Active (SM-G870W) | |
| Sensors | Accelerometer Ambient light sensor Barometer Compass Gyroscope Proximity sensor | Accelerometer Ambient light sensor Barometer Compass Gyroscope Proximity sensor |
| Vibrating alert | Supported | Supported |
🔋 Battery | ||
| Galaxy S3 (SCH-i535 32GB) | Galaxy S5 Active (SM-G870W) | |
| Battery type | Li-Ion: lithium-ion (Removable) EB-L1G6LLU | Li-Ion: lithium-ion (Removable) |
| Battery capacity | 2100 mAh | 2800 mAh |
| Charger, watts | Wired charging | Wired charging |
| Inductive / wireless charging | feature not registered | feature not registered |
| Talk time autonomy | 15 hours | 29 hours (1.2 days) |
| Standby | 200 hours (8.3 days) | 480 hours (20 days) |
➕ Other features | ||
| Galaxy S3 (SCH-i535 32GB) | Galaxy S5 Active (SM-G870W) | |
| Call control | Voice dialing, Voice recorder, Voice commands | Voice dialing, Voice recorder, Voice commands |
| Messaging | SMS (Swype), MMS, E-mail, Push mail | SMS (Swype), MMS, E-mail, Push mail |
| Hands-free calling | Supported | Supported |
| Video calling | Supported | Supported |
| Ringtones | Polyphonic and customized | Polyphonic and customized |
| Web browser | HTML, XHTML, HTML5, Flash player | HTML, XHTML, HTML5 |
| Antenna | Internal antenna | Internal antenna |
| Qwerty physical keyboard | Not supported | Not supported |
| Miscellaneous | • Colors: Pebble blue, Marble white • S-Voice natural language commands and dictation • USB OTG On-the-go • Smart Stay eye tracking • TouchWiz with Motion UX • WiFi hotspot • 4G Mobile Hotspot • Java framework | • Colors: Camo Green, Titanium Grey, Ruby Red • Picture-taking during video recording • HAC M3/T4 |
☢️ Radiation rate | ||
| Galaxy S3 (SCH-i535 32GB) | Galaxy S5 Active (SM-G870W) | |
| SAR 1.6W/kg (USA, Mexico, etc.) | 0.48W/kg (head), 1.29W/kg (body) | 0.65W/kg (head), 1.09W/kg (body) |
| SAR 2W/kg (Europe, UK, etc.) | 0.088W/kg (head) | 0.667W/kg (head), 0.451W/kg (body) |