In our evaluation of the Samsung Galaxy S6, we described how the Korean big, as soon as the undisputable king of the Android area, had lastly recognised that prime-tier smartphones must be extra than simply items of plastic with the newest tech stuffed inside. There is not a lot to be gained from solely bumping up processor speeds and display resolutions yr-on-yr; the general expertise of utilizing a tool needs to be new and thrilling sufficient to persuade individuals to improve. The Galaxy S5 fell brief not solely due to its unappealing type, but in addition due to options corresponding to a coronary heart price sensor that hardly labored, a fingerprint reader that was too awkward to make use of, and software program options that nobody ever bothered to attempt discovering.

We additionally stated that whereas there was rather a lot to love concerning the Galaxy S6 (Assessment Footage) when it comes to design, restraint and general id, Samsung had held again when it comes to actually exploring new concepts of what a smartphone can and must be. That is the place the Galaxy S6 Edge is available in.

Not each firm can pull off a elementary change within the form of a smartphone, because the whole factor is predicated round a display. Nevertheless, Samsung’s strengths as a multinational electronics superpower embrace in-home engineering and manufacturing capabilities. Having just lately pioneered the mass manufacturing of curved AMOLED screens, the corporate is doing all the things it may to face out in a crowded, homogenous market.

The Galaxy Observe Edge (Assessment Footage), launched final yr, was the primary commercially out there smartphone with a wraparound display, however Samsung may not likely have recognized what to do with it. The world that curved over the telephone’s proper edge was bodily a part of the identical panel, however behaved like a separate unit altogether. Finally, we discovered the asymmetry too distracting, and the general concept missing objective.

Spherical two comes within the type of the Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge. The display continues to be curved, however the strategy is totally different, and so is the audience. Learn on to see how this telephone holds up, and the way it compares to its extra conventional sibling, the Galaxy S6.

Appear and feel
In an ocean of smartphones with almost equivalent shapes and proportions, the Galaxy S6 Edge stands out like a shining beacon. This can be a telephone that may seize your consideration – Samsung clearly designed it as a showpiece. The audacious curved display is complemented by unreservedly brash shiny metallic colors. The best way it catches and displays mild makes you flip it over in your palms simply to admire it.

The Galaxy S6 Edge manages to interrupt new floor whereas nonetheless undeniably being a Samsung telephone. Our evaluation unit was a shimmery gold, which made it appear extra glamorous than our plain white Galaxy S6 pattern. The entrance is all glass, and the metallic sides body it in sweeping curves. The rear can also be glass, however with the physique color clearly seen by means of it. It is so shiny and reflective that it was truly troublesome to photograph. If gold is not your factor, the Galaxy S6 Edge can also be obtainable in deep jewel-toned blue and inexperienced, or plain white.

When seen head-on, the Galaxy S6 Edge does not seem to have any display borders on the left or proper, which provides the entire unit an elongated look regardless that its proportions are just about equivalent to the Galaxy S6’s. The bodily house button under the display has an built-in fingerprint sensor which works with solely a faucet, so that you need not swipe throughout it. To its sides, capacitive Recents and Again buttons mild up when touched.

The rear is simply as slippery as that of the Galaxy S6, however this telephone is much more troublesome to grip because of its slender, considerably sharp sides. In our time with the Galaxy S6 edge, we have been continually conscious of how straightforward it will be to drop it and the way disastrous it will be for this telephone to land face-down on any exhausting floor.

The facility and quantity buttons are in the identical locations on each telephones’ sides, however the Galaxy S6 Edge’s Nano-SIM card tray has moved to the highest, to at least one aspect of the infrared emitter. The ugly digital camera bulge is simply as pronounced on each telephones, however seems to be much more at odds with the slick design right here. The battery is sealed in and there is no microSD card slot for storage enlargement – contemplating the consumers Samsung has in thoughts, these drawbacks are simpler to swallow than they have been on the extra mainstream Galaxy S6.

Specs and software program
Samsung’s new twins have equivalent specs apart from the battery capability, which is a tiny bit greater within the Galaxy S6 Edge at 2,600mAh in comparison with 2,550mAh within the Galaxy S6. Each units can be found with 32GB, 64GB or 128GB of storage, with no scope for enlargement. Samsung’s in-home Exynos 7420 SoC has 4 1.5GHz ARM Cortex-A53 processor cores and 4 2.1GHz ARM Cortex A-57 cores together with built-in Mali-T760MP8 graphics. There’s 3GB of RAM, Wi-Fi b/g/n/ac, Bluetooth 4.1 and NFC. You’ll be able to learn concerning the hardware and software program in additional element in our evaluate of the Galaxy S6.

Whereas the display is curved on two sides, it has the identical dimensions and determination because the flat one on its twin: 5.1 inches and 1440×2560 pixels. Samsung used a wider display on the Galaxy Observe Edge in comparison with the one on the Galaxy Notice 4 with a purpose to accommodate additional options and create new utilization conditions, however there isn’t a such intention right here. Whereas the curve on the Galaxy Word Edge prolonged down the aspect of th
e telephone letting you see various info at a look, the Galaxy S6 Edge’s curves prolong solely barely down both sides, with not sufficient room for strains of textual content to be seen.

There are just a few tweaks that make use of the curved display edges, versus the plethora of “edge display” panels and settings on the Galaxy Notice Edge. That is not an issue, as a result of we discovered the all the time-on background distracting and the vainness textual content ineffective. On this telephone, the primary software of the seen curves is that they will flash in particular colors when sure contacts name you (as much as 5), so you recognize who’s calling when the telephone is the wrong way up. Apart from that, you possibly can have your notifications and knowledge such because the clock and climate present up on both edge for simpler entry.

Efficiency
With similar elements and capabilities, it ought to come as no shock that the Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge performs simply in addition to the Galaxy S6. We observed delicate variations within the benchmark check scores, that are inside the vary of regular variations from run to run. SunSpider, for example, gave us scores of 352.3ms and 353.7ms for the curved and flat telephones, respectively, whereas the BrowserMark outcomes have been 2546 factors and 2663 factors respectively.

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The Galaxy S6’s AnTutu document of 67975 factors has confirmed to be brief lived, with the Galaxy S6 Edge beating it by a slight margin with a rating of 68433. Each obtained the very same rating of 39fps in GFXbench, however the Galaxy S6 had a slight benefit in 3DMark Ice Storm Limitless, with 21878 factors as towards 20306 factors for the Galaxy S6 Edge.

As comparable as the 2 telephones’ scores have been, actual-world utilization felt very totally different. Identical to with the Galaxy Notice Edge, it is exhausting to remain targeted on the Galaxy S6 Edge’s display as a result of regardless of which method you maintain it, there’s all the time some reflection. UI parts, full-display video games and movies bleed off the sides, which is sometimes annoying. You are additionally instinctively far more cautious when dealing with the Galaxy S6 Edge – it is not straightforward to carry when, for instance, recording movies.

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The constructed-in speaker is obvious and distinct, however the sound it produces is not very wealthy. Digital camera high quality is superb – indistinguishable from that of the Galaxy S6. You possibly can learn all about it within the digital camera part of our evaluation of this telephone’s twin, nevertheless it ought to suffice to say briefly that picture high quality in most conditions is on par with that of the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus. Shut-ups are richly detailed with virtually no perceptible noise, and even photographs taken in low mild are extremely good.

We managed to get 12 hours and 20 minutes of video playback time in our loop check, which was a bit of shocking contemplating that the Galaxy S6, with a touch smaller battery, ran for nearly an hour longer. Each telephones have been examined underneath equivalent circumstances.

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Verdict
Finally, Samsung determined to play it protected and supply two totally different variations of its Galaxy S6 flagship; one with the brand new curved display and one with out. That is one time once we’re truly comfortable that the corporate has launched a number of comparable fashions – this manner, all customers aren’t pressured into utilizing (and paying for) what Samsung thinks is the subsequent massive factor.

Certainly one of our principal criticisms of the Galaxy Notice Edge was that the additional display area felt like a separate show that we could not eliminate when it wasn’t wanted – like a smartwatch bodily hooked up to the telephone itself, considerably defeating its personal function. Equally, to be trustworthy, we do not assume there’s a lot when it comes to performance that may assist the Galaxy S6 Edge promote, particularly because the Galaxy S6 is considerably inexpensive. It will possibly carry out a number of neat tips however does not work its approach into new areas of our lives.

That stated, the overwhelming majority of those that purchase this telephone will not care about such issues. They will purchase it both as a result of proudly owning one thing so new and totally different provides them a thrill, or as a result of it has a singular method of creating individuals do a double-take – the “wow issue”, because it’s referred to as. No different telephone, besides maybe the Galaxy Observe Edge and the upcoming LG G Flex2 can supply that. This telephone is beautiful, highly effective and has no main flaws. There’s nothing mistaken with splurging on it should you really feel like, as a result of there are not any compromises or commerce-offs in comparison with the superb Galaxy S6.

Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge in footage