Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge Review

Today we will be looking at the Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge smartphone, I am very excited about this latest addition to the Samsung family.  It has very impressive specifications:

Specifications

Processor: Octa-core 2.3GHz Samsung Exynos 8890, Screen Size: 5.5in, Screen resolution: 2,560×1,440, Rear camera: 12 megapixels, Storage (free): 32GB (24.8GB), Wireless data: 3G, 4G, Size: 151x73x7.7mm,Weight: 157g, Operating system: Android 6.0

This year, Samsung’s taken a leaf out of Apple’s book, as the S7 Edge has a larger 5.5in display, giving it another 0.4in of screen real estate over the 5.1in Galaxy S7. They still have plenty in common with each other, as both handsets once again use the same processor, camera and resolution, but the S7 Edge’s enlarged screen size finally puts some much-needed distance between each handset to help make it feel like a more obvious upgrade over its flat sibling.

Design

That’s not the only lesson Samsung’s learned for 2016, however, as both the S7 and S7 Edge address many of the complaints we had with the entire S6 family. There’s still no removable battery, but the S7 Edge now has a microSD slot that lets you expand its 32GB or 64GB of default storage by up to 200GB, and it also has IP68-certified dust and waterproof protection, making it more both flexible and more practical than either of its predecessors.

For some, this alone might be reason enough to sign up for one of Samsung’s new generation of smartphones, especially if you’re a Galaxy S5 owner who’s been deliberately holding off due to the lack of expandable storage. That said, one thing the S7 Edge definitely hasn’t improved on is the sheer number of smeary fingerprints it picks up on its glass-plated rear. Grime and grease isn’t the best look for a flagship handset, and there were several times during testing when I actually longed for the faux leather rear of the S5. Still, it is, at least, easy to hold, as its curved sides and metal frame converge into a bit of a harder, flatter edge than the regular S7, providing a decent amount of grip despite its large footprint.
Edge Screen

The curved display looks as stunning as ever, and Samsung’s made a number of improvements to the Edge Screen software, too. Activated by a simple thumb swipe over the small translucent tab on the side of the screen, the Edge panels are now wider, allowing them to hold more information, and have a greater number of uses. The app shortcut panel and quick access contact page make a welcome return, but you can also have Edge screens that are now solely dedicated to internet bookmarks, a compass, the weather and S Planner to name just a few.

Our favourite new addition is the Tasks Edge. Maybe in response to Apple’s Force Touch technology, the Tasks Edge lets you instantly jump to certain phone functions, such as composing a text message or email, viewing your internet bookmarks, creating a calendar event, taking a selfie, or quick dialling specific contacts. There’s even a My Places Edge screen, which pinches elements of HTC’s Sense 7 Home interface to promote three of your most-used apps that are geared toward your current location. For instance, if you’re at Work, the My Places Edge screen might show S Planner or Google Docs, but it might switch to Google Play Music and Google Maps when you’re out and about.

All these are handy extras, but considering its two best Edge screens borrow features we’ve already seen elsewhere (and to arguably greater effect), it suggests that even Samsung seems to be struggling to give its Edge screen purpose. While there’s no denying that some of the Edge screens are very convenient, most of the shortcuts (excepting the Tasks Edge) could easily be replaced by adding additional widgets on the home screen. The Edge screens do have the added advantage of helping to reduce the amount of clutter on your home screens, but I’m still not convinced they’re an absolute must-have feature yet.

Display

One thing you needn’t doubt, however, is the quality of the S7 Edge’s display, as Samsung’s 5.5in, 2,560×1,440 Super AMOLED panel is, once again, best in class. It covers a full 100% of the sRGB colour gamut along with pitch perfect 0.00cd/m2 black levels. Images look stunning on the S7 Edge, and its ultra-high contrast ratio captures plenty of detail, too, so you can be sure your photos and videos will always look their best.

As per usual, Super AMOLED displays aren’t as bright as their LCD counterparts, as evidenced by the S7 Edge’s peak brightness level of 361.01cd/m2. However, as with the S7, the S7 Edge has a clever trick of being able to boost its brightness in very bright sunshine when it’s set to auto. To test this, I shone a torch over its adaptive light sensor, which promptly made its peak white levels shoot up to 503cd/m2. This is around what I’d expect to see from an LCD smartphone, so to see this on a Super AMOLED display is pretty impressive, combining the brightness of an LCD when you really need it with the rich, vibrant colours of Super AMOLED when you don’t.

Samsung’s also introduced an always-on element to the S7 Edge’s display this year, which shows the time, date and battery status when the phone’s in sleep mode. This is incredibly useful if all you want to do is have a quick glance at the time, and it doesn’t use much battery either, as Samsung’s Super AMOLED panel only illuminates the pixels it needs to show the information instead of the entire backlight.

This handset is amazing with it’s sleak design and durability, water-proof features and it’s highly functional hardware combined with the overall design and layout of the edge’s menu, make this phone a must have for any tech enthusiast.

By Gadgetsay Newsroom

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