Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge review

The Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge had a troublesome job when it launched in February 2016. 

That is as a result of it was following within the footsteps of its predecessor, a multi-award-winning cellphone, just because it packed all the facility of the ‘regular’ Galaxy S6 and but… that curved edge.

We weren’t alone in loving it, whipping it out proudly every time attainable.

However that was 2015, and the world wasn’t going to be so simply wowed by the curved design of the Galaxy S7 Edge. We would seen it. It had been completed. So what did Samsung do to make its new cellphone an actual step ahead?

Nicely, not like what it is completed on the Galaxy S7, which appears to be like (initially) like final 2015’s mannequin, the modifications on the S7 Edge have been good, including a zest to a design that might have shortly grow to be drained. 

It was so good actually, we topped it the “finest cellphone of 2016”. And although the Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge has now been outdated by the Galaxy S8 Plus, it is nonetheless a top-notch smartphone.

The display is bigger than the Galaxy S6 Edge, but by some means the cellphone would not really feel an excessive amount of greater within the hand. The rear of the cellphone is curved too, making it sit properly within the hand. 

It is waterproof. There is a microSD card slot. There’s a lot energy in there we’re fairly certain we may strap it on the again of a speedboat and make our means throughout the Atlantic.

Replace: Excellent news for individuals who have hung onto their trusty Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge: Android Oreo is coming…in some unspecified time in the future. Samsung is presently trailing the beta software program for the Samsung Galaxy S8, but it surely ought to make its means within the coming months. Higher but, you will get one in every of these still-awesome edgy telephones for decrease than ever with our curated choice of the best Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge deals

For those who’ve acquired your thoughts set on what’s coming in 2018, you will clearly have an interest within the Samsung Galaxy S9, which is strongly recommended to be launching at MWC 2018 that takes place late February.

And that is much more attainable as a result of the battery – such a disappointment on 2015’s S6 telephones – is boosted massively too, giving us a handset that is capable of final over 24 hours between prices.

Positive, it is now not the golden youngster in Samsung’s smartphone line-up, and now performs second fiddle to the brand new Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8 Plus, but when your price range cannot stretch to Samsung’s newest smartphones (they’re fairly costly) the Galaxy S7 Edge remains to be a superb selection.

Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge worth and launch date

• Launched: March 2016
• Worth at launch: £640, $769, AU$1,249
• Now right down to: £599, $669, AU$1,148.99

All this know-how comes at a price, and a fairly hefty one. At launch the Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge was priced at £640 ($769, AU$1,249) SIM-free, however that has dropped because the introduction of the brand new S8 duo.

On the official Samsung web site the 32GB Galaxy S7 Edge is now out there for £599 ($669, AU$1,148.99) – however should you store round you could find it even cheaper.

Within the US we have discovered the S7 Edge for round $520, whereas SIM-free costs within the UK has gone as little as £480.

It nonetheless not low cost, however in our view, it is nonetheless value each penny.

Design

The Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge is a cellphone that lives and dies by its appears to be like. For those who’re solely within the energy then simply go for the usual Galaxy S7. 

The smaller, ‘regular’, mannequin has acquired all the identical smarts, however a barely sharper display due to packing the identical quantity of pixels right into a smaller space.

What it misses is the intelligent parts that Samsung’s used on the Edge. The show curves additional away into the edges of the cellphone than ever earlier than, which signifies that although you have acquired a phablet-sized show, the cellphone is as compact as attainable.

Place it facet by facet with the iPhone 7 Plus or 6S Plus and you will see what we imply. The quantity of bezel used above and beneath the show on Apple’s cellphone is nearly laughable, particularly once you evaluate it to how tightly packed every little thing is on the S7 Edge – and the Samsung has a a lot, a lot bigger battery.

The S7 Edge is shorter and narrower (150.9 x 72.6mm) than the 7 Plus and 6S Plus (158.2 x 77.9mm), although each gadgets have the identical 5.5-inch display measurement. The iPhone is nevertheless, a hair thinner at 7.3mm versus the Samsung’s 7.7mm girth.

It is also very comparable in measurement to the LG G5 (149.four x 73.9 x 7.7 mm), which once more sports activities a 5.5-inch show – with the Android producers actually sticking it to Apple.

One among our favourite components of the design improve on the S7 Edge comes on the rear. A course of known as 3D Thermo Forming – which sounds prefer it’s been named by a sentient advertising and marketing machine – permits the model to curve the rear of the cellphone right into a single steel rim that runs throughout the sting.

It is a characteristic that was used on the Note 5 (and can be utilized by manufacturers like Xiaomi) to essentially assist the cellphone slip into your palm and take away any sharp metallic edges.

Mix that with the identical curve on the entrance of the machine and you may see why it feels so clean within the hand, nearly pebble-esque in the best way you possibly can roll it round in your palm.

Intriguingly, this has left some individuals with the impression that it isn’t fairly acquired the identical premium really feel as earlier Samsung telephones. By having much less steel to know on to you are touching the Gorilla Glass four masking, which might really feel just a little like plastic as a result of its light-weight (however nonetheless very robust) development.

Faucet the again of the cellphone and it lacks the sheen of steel, however in equity that lack of steel permits for the wi-fi charging that is a key characteristic of the S7 Edge.

That again does have one situation although: it is a fingerprint fairground, a veritable carnival for any crime scene investigators seeking to nab you for some soiled villainy.

So many telephones have that criticism thrown at them, but it surely’s notably true for Samsung’s new curved cellphone. It is simple sufficient to wipe the sticky offenders off, but it surely’s annoying to should do it again and again.

The digicam protrusion on the rear has been lowered to simply zero.42mm, which suggests it is barely noticeable once you’re inserting the cellphone down, whereas nonetheless being robust sufficient to assist shield the lens.

And you then bear in mind one thing else: this cellphone, with its elegant rim and clear strains, and full with uncovered ports, is waterproof.

No, sorry, water-RESISTANT, because it’s IP68 rated. Meaning it is nonetheless capable of work after being dunked in recent water for 30 minutes as much as a depth of 1.5 metres, so you can use it fortunately within the bathtub, or beside the shallow finish of the swimming pool, and never fear about dropping it.

It is much less of a ‘let’s take our cellphone scuba diving to get some superb footage’ characteristic, and extra of a security characteristic – and the cellphone will even refuse to cost if the port is simply too moist, such is its capacity to handle moisture.

Sadly, you are still left with a single speaker firing out the underside of the Galaxy S7 Edge, which does not actually have essentially the most premium of sound; nevertheless, it is serviceable, and noticeably louder than different mono audio system we have used.

Total, we will not communicate extremely sufficient of the S7 Edge’s design. It feels superb within the hand, and Samsung has managed to deliver sufficient upgrades to make this feel and appear like a very completely different cellphone; and most of the people attempting it for the primary time will – even when they are not a fan – be capable to admire one thing completely different in a world full of black, rectangular slabs.

Display screen

The show, whereas technically a part of the Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge’s design, is worthy of chatting about in its personal proper – just because it appears to be like so nice.

It is the defining characteristic once you pull this cellphone out amongst pals, and whereas it would not elicit the identical response that the S6 Edge’s show did final yr (like we mentioned, curved shows are nothing new as of late), it nonetheless will get plenty of approving appears to be like, particularly because it’s mixed with the rounded again.

The QHD decision of two,560 x 1,440 nonetheless appears to be like nearly as good as something we have seen on a smartphone. Regardless of being stretched just a little from final yr, the 5.5-inch measurement nonetheless appears to be like completely pin-sharp, and it’s extremely onerous to see any artefacts mendacity round on the display.

It is superb to suppose that, two years after LG introduced out the primary mainstream QHD cellphone, we nonetheless haven’t any devoted content material that may be considered at this decision. Regardless of that, nevertheless, I do not really feel just like the Galaxy S7 Edge actually suffers, as that show makes viewing internet pages and photographs a very nice expertise.

The S7 Edge makes use of Tremendous AMOLED know-how, which Samsung’s been chucking out for near a decade now, and it actually works nicely to make the cellphone look premium and the colours actually pop.

The distinction ratio – the distinction between the whitest whites and the blackest blacks – remains to be fairly sensational, which is as a result of once they’re not in use, the pixels are turned off; with one thing just like the iPhone 6S or the LG G5 you have acquired a show that simply blocks out the backlight when the pixel is exhibiting a black picture, so there is usually a small quantity of sunshine bleed-through.

The Galaxy S7 Edge display additionally has the additional benefit of the facet show, which is accessed by swiping your thumb alongside from the right- or left-hand facet of the cellphone’s display (you possibly can specify which within the settings).

The place this was a nonsense, ineffective characteristic in years passed by, the facet show has a way more outlined position on the Galaxy S7 Edge. You’ll be able to simply get entry to information, common contacts, instruments (the ruler, for digi-measuring is again – GET IN) and different parts which are presently in improvement.

Take a look at the Specs and Efficiency part of this assessment to listen to just a little bit extra about this characteristic – or skip it solely should you’re bored of listening to us witter on a couple of piece of the show you possibly can swipe.