Samsung’s Galaxy S5 has finally gone on sale and it can be yours for €699, which is quite a lot of money for any phone. Of course, this is the retail price, different carriers will offer it at different prices on two-year contracts.

The price is not surprising. Over the last few years smartphone makers spearheaded by Apple have tried to increase the prices of the flagship phones and Samsung is no exception. At the same time the HTC One M8 is shipping for around €650 and is also available in most parts of Europe. Carphone Warehouse is selling the Samsung Galaxy S5 for £569.95, while UK-based customers can get this phone for £99 as long as they commit to a two-year £33 per month contract.

The SIM-free HTC One M8 is selling for £529.95 while the contract price is identical to Samsung Galaxy S5, it sets you back £33 a month as long as you are willing to pay £99 for a phone and ink a two-year deal with your carrier. The iPhone 5S is a tad cheaper as it comes with no upfront cost and £38 per month plan.

Samsung’s Galaxy S5 looks like a decent phone and we especially like the fact that it is waterproof. There is no doubt that this one will be yet another successful flagship phone for Samsung. The HTC One M8 will do better among people who like phones that look classier and offer a premium feel.

We have to admit that HTC’s brushed aluminium finish does look better than faux leather that Samsung uses for the Galaxy S5, but both phones are a great alternative to the iPhone 5S.