Release date, display and chassis

The Samsung Galaxy S5 is a top smartphone with a lot to shout about, but with increased pressure from HTC, Sony and LG, there are suggestions that Samsung is looking to give its flagship another boost.

Compare the build quality of the Galaxy S5 to the HTC One M8, Sony Xperia Z2 or iPhone 5S and the Samsung flagship feels cheap in comparison, while the full HD display isn't a match for the QHD offering in the LG G3.

To tackle these two points head-on, the Samsung Galaxy S5 Prime (or perhaps it'll be called the Galaxy F) is apparently being readied in South Korea - with a bumped up screen and shiny new chassis.

Samsung CEO JK Shin has said it isn't working on a premium Galaxy S5, but the rumor mill is refusing to slow down on the Galaxy F chatter. Apparently there's a HTC One M8 Prime in the works too, so the QHD smartphone market could be about to really hot up.

There are also reports of a Galaxy S5 Active in the works, and it's worth noting that some of the leaks we're seeing could be in relation to the Active rather than the Prime.

Here's everything we know so far regarding the Samsung Galaxy S5 Prime.

Cut to the chase

• What is it? A premium version of the Galaxy S5
• When is it out? It may launch in June 2014
• What will it cost? At lot - more than the current S5

Samsung Galaxy F release date

The Samsung Galaxy S5 Prime release date is currently being tipped for mid-June, or at least that's one possible release date that's been thrown around.

One report suggests the Galaxy S5 Prime may be pretty tricky to get hold of, as complications in the production of the QHD display mean Samsung will only make a limited number of units.

These issues may see the Galaxy S5 Prime release date shifted to late June or even early July - it's difficult to say at the moment. But we're in June now and there's still no firm sign of it, so we're increasingly sceptical about that particular date.

An alternative and at this point probably more likely release date is September. Twitter leaker @evleaks received a tip claiming as much. Or more specifically claiming that the Samsung Galaxy F (which is believed to be one and the same as the Galaxy S Prime) will be launching then.

If it does then it will likely be going head to head with the iPhone 6, but that could be the whole point. While most manufacturers get out of the way of an Apple launch, Samsung is perhaps the only one which has the muscle to compete, so it may be a tactical move to steal away some would-be iPhone buyers.

Samsung certainly seems to be ramping up for a release in any case, as the handset has just passed through the FCC, while G4Games reports that it's been certified by the equivalent company in South Korea.

• Read our in depth Samsung Galaxy S5 review

Samsung Galaxy F price

When it comes to the Galaxy S5 Prime price you won't be surprised when we tell you it's going to be expensive (that's if it actually exists, of course).

According to information garnered by Naver.com, the Galaxy S5 Prime will have a SIM-free launch price of KRW 900,000 (about US$880, £523, AU$940).

The price in other territories is likely to be higher than the conversions shown here thanks to taxes and other costs, putting the S5 Prime comfortably above the S5.

Samsung Galaxy F display

One of the major upgrades rumored for the Galaxy S5 Prime is the screen, with Samsung tipped to equip the handset with a 5.2-inch, 2,560 x 1,440 display.

With multiple sources all pointing towards the QHD display, it seems the most viable option at this time for the Galaxy S5 Prime.

The reasoning behind this decision is questionable, as the current Galaxy S5 has an eye-popping display which has been dubbed the best performing smartphone screen by independent benchmarkers.

A key factor in the S5 Prime potentially sporting a QHD display is what's happening over at Samsung's fierce Korean rival.

LG has slapped a QHD screen on its latest flagship - the LG G3 - and the S5 Prime could be Samsung's response in an attempt to stay relevant in its national market.

That said, more recently a handful of videos from TK Tech News have appeared on YouTube apparently showing a pre-production version of the S5 Prime with a full HD, 1080p display - matching that of the original S5.

Chassis, power, OS and more

Samsung Galaxy F chassis

The second major upgrade which could find its way onto the Galaxy S5 Prime is the all metal chassis, as Samsung looks to bring the same appeal to its flagship smartphone as the likes of the iPhone 5S and HTC One M8.

Originally touted in the leak for the 'SM-G906K' Galaxy S5 Plus model, this rumor has developed into the S5 Prime, while an image posted on Reddit appears to show a metal clad-handset.

We've also seen the model IDs SM-G870A and SM-G850F pop up in various places recently, although these are though to be linked to the Galaxy S5 Active, rather than the S5 Prime.

Interestingly TK Tech News claims to have of a pre-production version of the SM-G870A which it's billing as the S5 Prime due to its aluminum rear cover.

The site has posted several YouTube videos showing off the handset in question, and although it is referred to as the Prime, the thicker dimensions and more heavy-duty seal around the rear plate all seem to suggest it's actually the rumored S5 Active.

PhoneArena also reckons it's got some details on the Galaxy S5 Prime frame, with a set of images showing a dimpled back just like the S5 - although the site claims that the handset in these shots sports a metal rear.

It's difficult to tell from the photos what material is in use, but it appears the internal speaker may be moved from the rear of the Galaxy S5 to the base of the S5 Prime - a better position if you ask us.

And PhoneArena isn't stopping there, with yet another leak allegedly showing off a pre-production model of the Galaxy F which the site claims it's been sent.

The rear plate is said to be metallic, and while the smartphone in question is running a Snapdragon 801 processor the source it came from reckons the Galaxy F will ship with the newer 805 chip.

It's also looking like the Samsung Galaxy F might have the same dimensions as the Galaxy S5, or the same height and width anyway. A recent FCC filing believed to be for Samsung's super phone includes a diagram listing the dimensions as 72.5 x 142mm, which is identical to the Galaxy S5.

Given that the Galaxy F is thought to have a larger screen than the S5 presumably the bezels will have had to be shrunk down to accommodate it, so we may be in for an edge-to-edge display. Sadly though the diagram didn't reveal the thickness of the handset.

Supporting the idea of an edge-to-edge display, PhoneArena has also uncovered an image of the Galaxy F side by side with the Galaxy S5. It's clear that while the devices are of a similar overall size the Galaxy F has far smaller bezels.

Samsung has been more adventurous in terms of colored variants of its handsets in recent years, and if the latest press image leak from @evleaks is correct the Galaxy F looks set to sport a gold hue.

The serial leaker posted the image along with the words "Samsung Galaxy F, in 'perfect golden' hue, 2014" - again teasing us of its arrival this year, while the brushed metal back could well just be an effect on plastic rather than the real deal.

Samsung Galaxy F power

The Galaxy S5 sports a 2.5GHz quad-core Snapdragon 801 processor, but the Galaxy S5 Prime may be in for a bit of a treat.

Some reports are suggesting the S5 Prime will pack the newer 2.5GHz quad-core Snapdragon 805 chip, which would make it one of the first smartphones to do so.

Alternatively, SamMobile reckons the Galaxy F might come with the new Exynos 5433 processor, which would also be a smartphone first.

As well as the improved processor, the Galaxy F is also tipped to come with 3GB of RAM and an Adreno 420 GPU - up from 2GB of RAM and an Adreno 330 GPU on the S5.

Samsung Galaxy F operating system

The Galaxy S5 Prime could go one better than the S5 again, with the currently unreleased Android 4.4.3 KitKat platform leaked as the version apparently coming with the handset.

That's a slight step up from Android 4.4.2 which comes on the Galaxy S5, and you can expect Samsung to slap its TouchWiz UI over the top of 4.4.3 on the S5 Prime.

Samsung Galaxy F battery

If the Samsung Galaxy S5 Prime really does arrive boasting a QHD display it's going to need some excellent battery performance to ensure you're not dashing to a plug after just a few hours.

The rumored Snapdragon 805 chip should provide some additional power efficiency, but reports also point towards a 3000mAh battery which is slightly larger than the 2800mAh offering in the S5.

We also saw Samsung include an extreme power saving mode on the Galaxy S5, and we expect the same function to appear on the S5 Prime to help battle the drain from that screen.

Samsung Galaxy F more specs

In terms of cameras the Galaxy S5 Prime looks set to adopt the same 16MP rear and 2MP front snapper of the S5 with 4K video recording on board and a host of options and effects we've become accustomed too on Samsung's high-end devices.

The heart rate monitor on the back and fingerprint scanner under the home key will apparently also make the jump.

It will also apparently pack Bluetooth 4.0 Low Energy, if a listing on Bluetooth SIG is to be believed, although it does come with yet another model ID: SM-G906L.