Samsung Galaxy Alpha vs Apple iPhone 6: Specifications and features compared

Samsung launched its first metal phone Galaxy Alpha in India today priced at Rs 39,990. With a 4.7-inch display, the Galaxy Alpha will be treading on the iPhone territory.

With the new iPhone 6 set to arrive next month, there is bound to be some tough competition between the two. We compare the two smartphones on the basis of their specifications and features to see how they fare.

Display

While both the phones have a 4.7-inch display, the pixel resolution and density on the iPhone 6 is a bit better than the Galaxy Alpha. The display on the iPhone 6 has a resolution of 1334×750 pixels at a density of 326ppi, while Galaxy Alpha has 720p resolution with pixel density of 312ppi.

Processor

With respect to the Galaxy Alpha, we have Samsung’s Exynos 5430 octa-core chipset. It come with two groups of four cores. What that means is that the chipset can make use of just the four 1.3GHz Cortex-A7 cores unless performance is needed. If the smartphone detects the need for more power, it will turn on the other four 1.8GHz Cortex-A15 CPUs. The Galaxy Alpha has a 2GB RAM on-board.

The iPhone 6 also comes with a new processor dubbed the A8, which is a custom-designed 64-bit chipset that has two cores. According to Apple, the new CPU is 25 percent faster and the GPU is 50 percent faster than the iPhone 5S. The iPhone 6 packs a 1GB RAM.

Storage

Just like Apple, Samsung has ditched the expandable memory option and offers 32GB storage space on the Galaxy Alpha. The iPhone 6, however, comes in three storage options — 16GB, 64GB and 128GB.

Camera

Apple, with the iPhone 6, has stuck with the 8-megapixel sensor as it continues to opt for improvements in the optics and software algorithms behind its cameras. The new iSight camera has a five-element lens with an f/2.2 aperture and a two-tone LED flash. The camera on the iPhone 6 can capture slow-motion at 240 frames per second at 720p resolution and has the timelapse feature that can smoothen jerky videos. The iPhone 6 has a 1.2-megapixel front-facing camera.

The Galaxy Alpha, on the other hand, has a 12-megapixel sensor with an f/2.2 aperture lens and a single LED flash. The unit can shoot 4K UHD resolution clips, along with 1080p clips at 30 and 60 frames per second (FPS), and even slow-motion at 720p resolution and 120 frames per second. The Alpha has a 2.1-megapixel snapper on the front.

Software and extras

The iPhone 6 runs on the latest iOS 8. The Galaxy Alpha, on the other hand, runs on Android 4.4.4 KitKat. Both the smartphones feature a fingerprint scanner integrated into the home button. The Galaxy Alpha though also has a heart rate monitor at the back.

The iPhone 6 and the Galaxy Alpha both offer specifications and features that are bound to keep buyers happy. Buying decisions will however be influenced by what operating system you want. Here’s an overview of the comprehensive specs of the Samsung Galaxy Alpha: