The super slim, metal clad Samsung Galaxy Alpha release date has arrived in the US, and AT&T is the first carrier to offer the handset to customers at a subsidized price via its contract options.

AT&T extends three options to customers: $199.99 for a 2-year contract, AT&T Next Installment of $25.55 for 24 months and no-contract for the price of $612.99.

The handset is available in three colors: Charcoal Black, Dazzling White and Frosted Gold.

The Samsung Galaxy Alpha specs feature a 4.7-inch Super AMOLED screen with 1280 x 720 pixel display, 6.7 mm thick body, 12 MP rear-facing camera, 2.1 MP front-facing camera, ultra power saving mode, 2 GB RAM and Exynos 5 Octa 5430 chipset.

Samsung Galaxy Alpha runs on Android 4.4.4 KitKat and has a built-in S Health application.

The newest kid on the block is a smaller and relatively slower version of the Samsung Galaxy S5.

JC Online says that Samsung Galaxy Alpha is a bit expensive for the specs and features it offers.

"Even with the added storage, the Alpha just seems too expensive for what you get. Given that memory costs have been coming down, more storage ought to be as routine as faster processors in each generation of phones."

CNET thinks otherwise and said, "If you love the high-end tech Samsung crams into its phones but hate the plastic bodies, the Galaxy Alpha may well be the phone for you. Its processor and camera perform brilliantly, while its compact 4.7-inch size makes it very comfortable to hold and use in one hand. Its low-resolution display is a big letdown, though, especially when you consider the high price of the phone, which does take the shine off an otherwise brilliant phone."

Samsung is also scheduled to launch Galaxy Note 4, that is more likely to go up against iPhone 6 Plus.

The South Korean tech titan needs to catch up on Apple's outstanding iPhone 6 sales, despite the company's minor issues of bending and a recent buggy iOS 8 update.

The last three quarters have been challenging for Samsung, facing concerns of succession planning, weak sales performance of mid-range smartphones and patent infringement cases.

Later this month on Oct. 7, the company's next-gen Samsung Galaxy Note 4 will also hit the shelves.