Samsung Galaxy S4 Specs: Exynos 5 Model Could Get 10 Percent Performance Boost With Software Upgrade Later This Year

Here's yet another reason Americans might want to hold off on the Samsung Galaxy S4: a potential software update could boost performance by 10 percent, but only on Exynos 5 Octa variants.

And the Exynos 5 processor is only used in overseas models of the Galaxy S4, at least for now. The American version uses the Qualcomm Snapdragon 600.

The Snapdragon has four cores, all if which run simultaneously to power the Galaxy S4. It's a quick and robust chipset, and it's performed very well on benchmark tests, but it's overshadowed by the Exynos 5.

That chip has eight cores, though it's a bit of a misnomer to call it an octa-core -- only four of the cores are ever active at the same time.

It's really a power-saving mechanism. Four cores in the Exynos 5 are Cortex A7, capable but not cutting-edge. They run the background processes of the Galaxy S4, as well of most of the normal functions you use most often.

But when tasks become demanding, like playing graphics-heavy video games or running complex calculations, the Galaxy S4 switches to the other four cores, the much more powerful Cortex A15. When processing demands return to normal, it switches back.

Now the chip manufacturer has hinted at a software update that allows all eight cores to be used simultaneously, which should result in that 10 percent increase in performance.

Of course, it's just a possibility, and all eight cores going at the same time will do a number on battery life. But for those mainly concerned about performance, it would be a nice upgrade. And since it will only work on the Exynos 5 version of the Galaxy S4, it might be worth waiting until those are available in the United States, probably in a few months.

The Samsung Galaxy S4 features a 1.6GHz eight-core Exynos 5 Octa processor or a 1.9GHz quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 600 processor (depending on country), 2GB of RAM, a 5-inch 1920x1080 Full HD AMOLED display at 441 ppi, a 13-megapixel rear-facing camera with 1080p HD video, a 2-megapixel front facing camera, internal storage between 16 and 64GB, an SD card slot that can accommodate an additional 64GB, a polycarbonate body, Smart Pause and floating touch tech and runs Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean.

Check back for the latest info on the Galaxy S4 as it becomes available.