Review of Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge. The new flagship of the Android market

Operational testing of one of the brightest smartphones of the new season

Every spring, at the end of February or beginning of March, the world's geeks eagerly await the Mobile World Congress exhibition. After all, it is during this time that almost all mobile device manufacturers, without exception, announce their new flagship smartphones. The greatest excitement is traditionally caused by new products from the leaders of the segment, and Samsung, of course, does not stand aside. We have already been accustomed to the fact that it is during MWC that the Korean company “rolls out” the next flagship smartphone of the Galaxy S line. Well, good traditions must be respected, and this year was no exception: on February 28, during the zero-day conference, we were shown as much two new devices - Samsung Galaxy S6 and Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge.

I must say that after 2014 and the Samsung Galaxy S5, the wait was a little tense. It’s not that last year’s leader was a disappointment, but it didn’t cause a true “wow”. There was too much criticism: a dubious, rather inconspicuous-looking plastic case, the surface of which many compared to a sticking plaster, and practically the same characteristics without significant improvements, and a somewhat “stagnant” proprietary TouchWiz interface. In general, the S5 then became “just another cool smartphone”, and against its background, for example, the elegant glass devices of the Japanese company with four letters looked much fresher, and the Chinese brothers were actively pushing with their “ultra-fast, ultra-thin, on the Media Library and everything for 200 bucks."

The situation with the ruble rapidly going into a tailspin and global crisis gloom also added heat to the cauldron of general mistrust; the situation turned out to be tense, here it was necessary to either give up and go into the “inexpensive, cheerful and good company” segment, or go ahead. Samsung chose the latter. It feels like someone stirred up the swamp, pulled out from somewhere from the depths of bureaucratic oblivion thick Talmuds with claims to the previous devices of the line, angrily hit the table with their fist, and exclaimed: well, they fixed everything immediately! And everything started to work out - they found new components, interesting technical solutions, instead of one of the two designers fired last year (it’s not clear: the one who held it, or the one who outlined it), they hired several with good taste, and... In general, Samsung finally , after much torment, made a premium smartphone, and not a product for geeks, for whom characteristics are most important.

Instead of one flagship smartphone, there were two. One is a more traditional version of the Samsung Galaxy S6. The second is an innovative modification of Edge. The difference between them is minimal - in fact, the devices differ only in the screen (and they also have a slightly different battery capacity, by 50 mAh). The “classic” model has a flat screen, while the Edge has a curved screen on the sides. At the same time, unlike the Samsung Galaxy Note Edge smartphone, where the “bevel” was a separate matrix, in the Galaxy S line there is a single screen, and it is also absolutely the same for both flagships (in the section about the screen I will talk about the difference in detail). Therefore, everything said about the Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge is also true for the Samsung Galaxy S6. There are some differences in ergonomics, and, probably, the difference could be detected during instrumental testing of the screen, but the smartphone was in our hands for only one night, practically in “field” conditions, so we have not yet had the opportunity to conduct such tests.

Video review

First, we suggest watching our video review of the Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge smartphone:

Now let's take a look at the characteristics of the hot new product.

Key Features of Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge

• SoC Exynos 7420 (64-bit), two clusters of four processor cores: ARM Cortex-A57 with a frequency of 2.1 GHz and ARM Cortex-A53 with a frequency of 1.5 GHz
• GPU Mali-T760
• Operating system Android 5.0 Lollipop
• Touch Super AMOLED display, 5.1″, 2560×1440
• Random access memory (RAM) 3 GB LPDDR4
• Internal memory 32, 64 or 128 GB
• No microSD card slot
• Communication GSM 850, 900, 1800, 1900 MHz
• Communication 3G WCDMA 850, 900, 1900, 2100 MHz
• Data transfer speed max 4G LTE up to 150 Mbps
• Wi-Fi 802.11a/b/g/n/ac (2.4/5 GHz), Wi-Fi hotspot
• Bluetooth 4.1, NFC
• Support DLNA, OTG, MTP, Miracast
• GPS/Glonass
• IR port
• 16 MP camera with optical image stabilizer (OIS)
• Front camera 5 MP
• Barometer, fingerprint sensor, Hall and heart rate sensors
• Non-removable lithium polymer battery 2600 mAh
• Dimensions 142×70×7 mm
• Weight 132 g

Appearance and ease of use

Just a couple of years ago, smartphones of this size were called “shovels.” Today it is a strong average - 5.1 inches, now you won’t surprise anyone with such dimensions. At the same time, due to the narrowed edges, the device looks a little smaller than it actually is, and gives the impression of a kind of “neatness”.

The rounding also causes another generally positive effect - I personally have no particular desire to compare a smartphone with an iPhone. However, the constant mentions of “Apple” products at the presentation do their job: I want to remake the classic joke in a new way - they say, “he’s also gay, but now he’s crooked.” But if you take the issue seriously, no, it’s not similar (specifically in the Edge modification), and let the purists compare the location and shape of the grilles. The device lies confidently in my hand; the grip, in my opinion, is much better than that of the Samsung Galaxy S6. However, here we need to make allowances for the fact that I usually carry a Huawei Ascend Mate 7 and am used to large smartphones.

In terms of materials, there's a lot to like about the Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge. Instead of fairly boring plastic, panels made of Gorilla Glass 4 are used on both sides - a new modification of plasticized glass, which is said to be much stronger than the previous one and, in addition, less fragile. The back cover looks very good - the designers specifically sought a “deep” glossy shade. There are 4 color variations for the smartphone: black, which was in our hands (although in fact it is very, very dark blue), white, bronze and green. The latter, in my opinion, looks especially impressive.

It must be said that fingerprints are clearly visible on both surfaces of the smartphone. Almost all color options are subject to “clogging”, and only white does not look like a textbook for a forensic scientist after just a few minutes of use. However, company representatives claim that this (test) modification is devoid of oleophobic coating, and the situation will greatly improve in serial deliveries. This statement seems to be true, but in any case, if “fingers” irritate you, it is better to prefer the white version of the smartphone.

The Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge is made on an aluminum chassis, the edging of which is noticeable on the edges of the device. Again, the company claims that the alloy used is "50% stronger than alloys in other top smartphones." And the smartphone will never bend. We did not check this statement, because we did not want, if something happened, to witness the death of one of the exhibition staff from a broken heart.

On the front, curved edge of the smartphone you can see the speaker grille, the front camera, the screen itself, as well as a mechanical Home button. It is worth paying attention to the fact that double-clicking on it launches the camera - this seemingly incredibly simple solution made it possible to do without an “extra” key and at the same time with virtually no loss in convenience. The button is pressed clearly, with a clearly audible click, but tightly enough to avoid accidental presses in your pocket. The remaining two buttons (“Back” and calling the application list) are touch-sensitive.

On the back there is a powerful LED flash, as well as a decently protruding camera. The latter will inevitably cling to the edges of your pocket and to anything in general, however, in my opinion, the question “whether you want a non-protruding camera or a good one” should be left to everyone to decide for themselves. I suspect Samsung engineers did everything possible to fit the optical system between the Megara of the screen and the Athens of the back cover, trying to have as little in common with the well-known hero of Greek myths as possible.

The back cover is not removable, so you should give up hopes of changing the battery.

The right and left sides of the smartphone are designed laconically - on one of them there is a power/lock button, on the second there are two volume keys. Since the sides of the smartphone are very thin, the controls turned out to be small and thin - however, there are no complaints about their convenience.

On the top edge of the smartphone there is a slot for a SIM card (opened with a paper clip), you can see the hole for one of the two microphones used, as well as an infrared port. By the way, the return of the latter is becoming a trend, and this is good - it is better to control the TV from your usual smartphone than to look for this ever-lost “lazy device” throughout the apartment.

On the bottom edge there is a Micro-USB connector, as well as a 3.5 mm jack for a headset. Here you can see the hole for the second microphone. In general, both the top and bottom edges look as similar as possible to the iPhone 6, almost copied. However, as I already said, in general the device has its own “face”; it is almost impossible to confuse it with the products of the company from Cupertino.

There are no plugs on the case; the device is not protected from water and dust getting inside.

Screen

During the extremely limited time of our acquaintance, we did not have the opportunity to test the screen, so I will simply state my personal impressions here. Well, for starters, the screen is amazingly clear, and that's not surprising. The pixel density here is 577 ppi, while the Galaxy S5 had 432 ppi, the iPhone 6 Plus had 401 ppi, and the LG G3 had 543 ppi (the screen resolution of the LG G3 is the same, but the diagonal is larger - 5.5 inches ). The screen produces rich colors, very bright and contrasty, but what else could you expect from Super AMOLED? The inflated color saturation is especially noticeable when looking at photos taken with the Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge. At the same time, the minimum brightness is quite comfortable for reading in the dark. It is possible to adjust the color temperature, as well as an energy-saving mode.

When looking at the screen from an angle, changes in brightness and contrast are absent as a class. Curved “corners” do not look alien and do not distort the perception of the picture. This can be achieved partly because the screen itself falls only on half of the “curve”, and the remaining part is a thin frame.

I couldn't find any apps where the rounded corners would get in the way. However, this effect may appear in some games that actively use the edges of the screen.

There were no differences in screen brightness and contrast compared to the Samsung Galaxy S6. However, as mentioned above, there should be no difference between them: this is the same matrix, as company representatives told us, the difference is only in the very final stage of creation, as well as in the coating - for Edge, Gorilla Glass undergoes additional heat treatment under pressure.

Sound

The sound of the Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge is decent. The smartphone produces a fairly loud sound, saturated with the entire spectrum of frequencies, including low frequencies. The sound is quite pleasant, at the maximum volume level it is not distorted, there is no wheezing, and there are no complaints about the earpiece speaker. With headphones, the smartphone also sounds at the level of modern flagships.

Camera

Despite the fact that the Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge (and the regular Galaxy S6) uses a camera similar in characteristics to the Samsung Galaxy Note 4 (same 16 megapixels, as well as optical stabilization), the f/1.9 lens gets the job done — The camera takes pictures very well in the dark. Useful technologies such as real-time HDR shooting (without the need to take multiple frames in succession) and a special mode for shooting in low light have been implemented. Another good thing is that the camera starts up very quickly - in just 0.7 seconds. There is no dedicated button to launch the camera, but you can double-click the center key (Home).

Below is an example of how the camera performs in low light: in almost complete darkness, in high contrast light, without processing.

Test photos can be viewed in the gallery on our photo hosting site Fotkidepo: . There you can download the original for each, and in addition, the photo page displays additional information about the shooting parameters: aperture, shutter speed, etc.

Several resolutions for shooting photos and videos are available - up to 16 MP and up to Ultra HD, respectively. Examples of videos are given below (don't forget to open the video in full screen when watching!).

Full HD video at night:

4K video at night:

Full HD video during the day:

4K video during the day:

Slo-mo-video:

OS and software

The operating system is a version of the Google Android 5.0 (Lollipop) software platform, on top of which is traditionally installed its own proprietary graphical user interface - TouchWiz. However, little remains of the usual colorful and parrot-like TouchWiz in the updated interface - all the redundant whistles with animation have been cut down as much as possible, the lines have been simplified, and correspond as much as possible to the guidelines of the new Android. Unfortunately, the test sample was blocked from taking screenshots - we had to “take” them in the field, the old fashioned way, using a camera. Still, it's worth taking a look at them.

Overall, the updated user interface is more reminiscent of bare Android than earlier versions of TouchWiz. Most of the things criticized disappeared or were hidden away. Several special control gestures were added, “tailored” to the beveled edges. For example, if you slide your finger from the right edge along the top of the screen, a list of the most frequently called contacts will appear (screenshot below left), and if you slide your finger from the right edge in the middle of the screen, we will open a window with missed calls (screenshot below right). In general, the new gestures do not look vital or very convenient - rather, they are a demonstration of additional capabilities that appear due to the “convex” screen. In my opinion, it is enough that the screen is very beautiful.

The delivery comes pre-installed with Microsoft software.

Performance

As already mentioned, the screenshot functionality was blocked in the test sample. And since we were prohibited from modifying the phone software in any way, we had to get out of it the old fashioned way.

In complex Antutu in 32-bit mode, the Samsung SoC Exynos 7420 used in the new flagship is head and shoulders above its closest (according to the benchmark) competitors. And judging by the available information, the Galaxy S6 Edge deals with other new products at MWC 2015 effortlessly:

Tested in MobileXPRT, as well as the latest versions of GeekBench 3, Mozilla Kraken and Google Octane

Javascript tests allow us to make at least some comparison of performance with the iPhone 6. In Google Octane, the Samsung smartphone lags behind the iPhone 6 (6256 points) quite a bit, but the difference with the iPhone 6 Plus (7056 points) is quite significant. In Mozilla Kraken, Apple products are already a quarter faster. In terms of performance of one core, Samsung is inferior to the iPhone, but in terms of performance of all cores it is twice as good as Apple's competitors. Which, to put it mildly, can be explained by the ratio of the number of cores in these smartphones. However, in any case, browser tests depend too much on the performance of the browser itself to draw far-reaching conclusions based on them.

A new milestone is achieved in 3DMark Unlimited - 22267 points. This is a record! Tablets with the new Tegra have even higher results, but their screen resolution is slightly lower. And in the smartphone market, the Galaxy S6 Edge, of course, has no competitors yet.

In the most trustworthy GFXBench, the Samsung smartphone trails the iPhone in the most demanding scene, and in T-Rex HD too. But here, again, you need to take into account the difference in resolution; taking this into account, the gap is quite small. Be that as it may, we have before us, undoubtedly, the most powerful smartphone with Android OS today.

Battery life

The battery installed in the Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge is smaller in volume than even the Samsung Galaxy S5 - its capacity is 2600 mAh. However, the battery capacity of the Samsung Galaxy S6 is even smaller, although not significantly - 2550 mAh. At the same time, do not forget about the efficiency of Super AMOLED screens - it is usually at its best. However, we have not yet been able to adequately evaluate the energy-saving functions of the new Exynos SoC. The fact is that we had the device for a time that was completely insufficient for any lengthy tests, so we had to limit ourselves to gaming ones, which fully loaded the processor and graphics. Note that the firmware on which we “drove” the smartphone may not be final at all, so the obtained figures should be taken as preliminary.

	Battery capacity	Reading mode	3D Game Mode
Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge	2600 mAh	—	3 hours 45 minutes
LG G3	3000 mAh	9:00 a.m.	2 hours 50 minutes
Sony Xperia Z2	3200 mAh	15:20	3 hours 30 minutes
Oppo Find 7a	2800 mAh	16:40	3:00 am
HTC One M8	2600 mAh	22:10	3 hours 20 minutes
Samsung Galaxy S5	2800 mAh	17:20	4 hours 30 minutes
TCL Idol X+	2500 mAh	12:30 pm	3:00 am
Lenovo Vibe Z	3050 mAh	11:45 am	3 hours 30 minutes
Acer Liquid S2	3300 mAh	16:40	6:00 am
LG G Flex	3500 mAh	23:15	6 hours 40 minutes
LG G2	3000 mAh	20:00	4 hours 45 minutes
Sony Xperia Z1	3000 mAh	11:45 am	4 hours 30 minutes

So, in 3D gaming mode, the smartphone worked for a little less than four hours, that is, its level of autonomy in this indicator is average. Under heavy loads, by the way, quite strong heating of the rear wall of the case is observed.

Bottom line

It looks like Samsung has finally managed to release an undisputed flagship. The Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge smartphone combines many things - design, performance, serious “lightness” of the built-in software, and, finally, noble body materials instead of boring plastic. Battery life is at an acceptable level. Among the “features” characteristic of modern top-end devices, the smartphone has almost everything, including an infrared port, a barometer, a fingerprint sensor, etc. Some may blame the lack of dust and moisture protection, however, as practice shows, the circle of fans This “trick” is so narrow that it is lost even against the background of the disappearing audience of buyers of premium gadgets.

Alas, you have to pay for everything, and in the case of the Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge you will have to pay with money. The company is still afraid to name the retail price of the smartphone (because it will have to be stated in rubles, and it is unclear what the dollar exchange rate will be in a couple of months - 100 or 10 rubles), but various experts talk about an amount from 58 to 63 thousand rubles for the basic modification with 32 GB memory. The cost of the “uncurved” Galaxy S6 is 4-6 thousand rubles lower. However, this price is shocking only until you convert it into dollars or until you compare it with the cost of Apple products.

In other words, the device turned out to be interesting, but precisely in the uncompromising and premium segment. If we discard iPhones from consideration, then it has practically no competitors - it’s probably worth mentioning, first of all, the recently announced HTC M9 (but we haven’t tested it yet), and among the oldies - Meizu MX4 Pro (but it is already lagging behind in performance). The rest of the top smartphones have either an inappropriate diagonal, or insufficient performance, or different body materials.

Last spring, the Korean giant Samsung presented to the admiring public a version “for the rich” of its flagship smartphone Galaxy S6, which differs from the base model by a screen curved on the sides. The back side of the Galaxy S6 Edge smartphone is also covered with glass, only smooth. It looks stylish and unusual, and the developers tried to make the most of the side: selected contacts are displayed on it, and when there is an incoming call, each of them is highlighted in its own color. On the side, news from the information feed is displayed, and in night mode, a clock is displayed. At the bottom of the front panel there is a fingerprint sensor that unlocks the phone. In general, stylish, unusual, modern... However, unfortunately, a smartphone based on its merits has not yet been invented.

Galaxy S6 Edge - fast and smart

The Galaxy S6 Edge smartphone is powered by SoC (system on a chip) Exynos 7420, created by Samsung developers. This chipset is made using 14 nm technology and is considered by many analysts to be the most powerful mobile processor currently. The chipset contains 4 ARM Cortex-A57 cores clocked at 2.1 GHz and 4 ARM Cortex-A53 cores at 1.5 GHz. The graphics are controlled by the Mali T760 video accelerator, also part of the SoC. The transition to 14nm technology has made it possible to reduce processor power consumption while increasing performance, which, of course, affects the battery life of the mobile device.

The Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge smartphone has 3 GB of LPDDR4 memory installed. This modification of DDR SDRAM also operates at reduced supply voltage. The permanent memory, depending on the model, is 32, 64 or 128 GB, while the design of the smartphone does not provide a slot for a memory card. An alternative is USB OTG support, so you can connect a flash drive to your smartphone.

The Galaxy S6 Edge runs Android 5.0 OS with Samsung's TouchWiz user interface installed. Among the many useful functions of the shell are energy-saving mode, privacy mode, work in 2 windows, etc. The proprietary health tracking program S Health controls the heart rate sensor located next to the main camera. The Smart Switch data transfer service allows you to transfer any information from devices running iOS, Windows, or Blackberry to Samsung devices.

Now the Galaxy S6 Edge is the fastest smartphone, ahead of its closest competitors Meizu MX4 and Samsung Galaxy Note 4 according to AnTuTu test results. There is no slowdown when working with heavy applications, watching videos or surfing the web.

Galaxy S6 Edge: display and cameras

The Galaxy S6 Edge's 5.1" 2560-1440 touchscreen features Super AMOLED technology, which delivers full viewing angles, faster response times, greater color range and thinner screens than LCDs. The screen is protected by Gorilla Glass 4, which, according to the developers, has an 80% chance of remaining intact when dropped on a hard, rough surface such as asphalt or concrete.

Surprisingly high image quality on the display is the main difference between the Galaxy S6 Edge and its competitors. With a viewing angle of 180 degrees. Horizontally and vertically, colors are not inverted and retain brightness and contrast.

The light sensor controls automatic picture brightness adjustment. You can manually change this parameter in the corresponding menu item. In the light, the screen has almost no glare, and there is enough brightness to spare for the picture to be clearly visible on a sunny day.

The front 5-megapixel camera of the Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge is activated by an open palm gesture. A heart rate sensor is used for selfies. The 16 MP main camera is equipped with an LED flash, tracking autofocus and optical stabilization. The camera can shoot in resolutions up to 4K (UHD), and at a frame rate of 69 fps - 1920-1080 (Full HD). Both pictures and videos are of high quality, worthy of a decent camera.

Communications Galaxy S6 Edge

A nanoSIM phone card is installed in a plastic tray located on the top end of the Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge smartphone. The tray is called up by pressing a paper clip included in the delivery set on the recessed button. The smartphone works confidently in 2G/3G/4G LTE networks. There is support for NFC, Bluetooth 4.1, Wi-Fi 802.11n/ac, HT80 MIMO and Wi-Fi Direct. The navigation module works with GPS, Russian GLONASS and Chinese Beidou (BDS).

Galaxy S6 Edge battery

The capacity of the built-in battery is 2600 mAh, which is not at all a special achievement for a smartphone of this configuration. However, the charge lasts for 8-11 hours at full load: watching videos, web surfing, talking, data transfer. A special advantage of the battery is its high-speed charging: 1-2 hours until fully charged. Wireless charging is supported.

Galaxy S6 Edge smartphone: design versus ergonomics

We have to admit that in this model ergonomics were sacrificed for design. On the one hand, the dimensions of the smartphone allow it to fit comfortably in the palm of your hand. On the other hand, the thumb fits accurately on the fingerprint recognition sensor only for those with small hands; others will have to aim at the button for the device to recognize its owner.

The smooth glass that covers the smartphone on both sides does not allow you to hold the device securely in your hands, and the metal edging at the junction of the front and back panels causes considerable discomfort when making calls outside in winter. The solution may be a protective case, but then all the beauty of the smartphone will be hidden. What on earth did they pay for?

is the most amazing and beautiful representative of the Galaxy family, which combines all the best that Samsung had achieved by the time of its release. This is the first smartphone on the market that has a full-fledged working screen, which is curved on the side edges, which simply changes the whole impression of smartphones.

Design

The design of the Galaxy S6 Edge can be described in one word - an innovative masterpiece! The unibody body of the smartphone is made of metal, which is covered on both sides with new shock-resistant glass Gorilla Glass 4, while it bends around the curved sides of the screen and protects them from damage. When you hold your smartphone for the first time, you may experience an unusual feeling precisely because of such a screen, but you quickly get used to the smartphone, and working with it becomes even more of a pleasure. Physical dimensions are 142.1 x 70.1 x 7 mm and weight 132 grams.

The smartphone cannot be called small, but it is very thin and light, which makes it particularly easy to manage. By the way, unlike, the Galaxy S6 Edge has very thin side edges, so the SIM card slot has been moved to the top edge, and the bottom still houses a microUSB connector, audio output and speaker. The model is available in four color options: black, white, gold and new green.

Screen

The diagonal size of the screen is 5.1 inches and its main feature, as we have already emphasized, is its curvature. This is a high-resolution Super AMOLED matrix of 2560 by 1440 pixels (Quad HD) and a density of 577ppi. The screen occupies 70.5% of the front surface and provides comfortable work with the displayed content, thanks to the high quality of detail, contrast, deep color reproduction and stunning viewing angles.

Despite the rounded shape, the display is solid, but the side edges have additional functions: quick call, viewing notifications, displaying time and date, colorful information about calls and messages.

Performance and hardware

The hardware of the Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge also allows it to correspond to the high class of smartphones. The model, like its “brother,” was equipped with a new 8-core Exynos 7420 chipset with a total frequency of 2.1 GHz – a 64-bit “pebble” that produces record-breaking performance.

The ARM Mali-T760 video chip also demonstrates high FPS in complex graphics. This entire technical “ensemble” is complemented by 3 gigabytes of high-speed DDR4 RAM, and the physical storage capacity can be chosen between 32, 64 and 128 GB, but there are no slots for flash drives. The 2600 mAh battery is not the most capacious in the class, however, in reality it shows high autonomy - optimization of software and hardware plays into its hands.

Camera

The Galaxy S6 Edge has similar cameras as the regular version of the flagship - a 16-megapixel main sensor and a 5-megapixel front sensor. Both of them have optics with an f/1.9 aperture - this indicator means that the camera absorbs even more light, which allows you to make your selfies and pictures even more detailed and high-quality in low-light conditions.

It is also worth noting the presence of optical stabilization, which will reduce frame rattling during video shooting. The camera app has a ton of settings and a professional mode that allows you to manually set all shooting options.

Other features

Among other features, it is worth noting the presence of a built-in wireless charging board (you only need an induction charger). The main speaker is placed on the bottom edge, but it does not close when using the smartphone and produces clear, loud sound.

The slightly enlarged physical Home button also houses a touch-activated fingerprint scanner. By the way, the smartphone has many sensors: gyroscope, accelerometer, compass, barometer, proximity sensor, light sensor, gesture sensor, heart rate sensor. Also worthy of praise is the updated TouchWiz user interface, which got rid of an abundance of little-needed functionality.

Video: Galaxy S6 Edge review

Helpful information:

Contents of delivery

• Telephone
• Charger with USB cable
• Wired stereo headset
• SIM Card Clip
• Instructions

Specifications

• Android 5.0.2 (5.1 in early summer), latest generation TouchWiz shell
• 5.1 inches, SuperAMOLED screen, 577 ppi, 2560x1440 pixels, automatic brightness adjustment
• Exynos 7420 chipset, 8 cores (4 A53 cores, 4 A57 cores), maximum clock frequency up to 2.1 GHz, 64 bit
• MALI-T760 GPU
• 3 GB LPDDR4 RAM, no memory cards
• 32/64/128 GB of internal memory, UFS 2.0
• Front camera 5 megapixels, main camera 16 megapixels, OIS, True HDR, autofocus tracking, F 1.9, white balance detection using an IR sensor, Pro shooting mode;
• Payment system Samsung Pay
• Wi-Fi: 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac (2.4/5GHz), HT80 MIMO(2x2) 620Mbps, Dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct, Mobile hotspot, Bluetooth®: v4.1, A2DP, LE, apt-X, ANT+, USB 2.0, NFC, IR port for controlling household appliances
• LTE cat.6
• Wireless charging built into case (WPC1.1(4.6W Output) & PMA 1.0(4.2W))
• Li-Ion 2600 mAh battery, extreme power saving mode, fast charging in one hour
• Dimensions – 142.1 x 70.1 x 7.0 mm, weight – 132 grams

Positioning

Samsung has never sought to create expensive versions of its flagships; the first experiment can be considered the Note EDGE, which was released in tandem with the regular Note 4. This was a reconnaissance in force, in which they tried to determine how much demand there would be for an exact copy of the flagship with a curved edge, which does not provide , by and large, no real advantages; scenarios for working with such a screen have not yet been invented. Just look at the ruler that was placed on this bend - a flight of fancy, but not a real necessity.

Unexpectedly, it turned out that the Note EDGE became popular, often preferred over the Note 4. Buyers of this device did not choose it for its unique technical feature, but rather for its cost, which was the maximum for such devices. That is, the image component of the price played a role here, but the bending of the screen seemed to confirm it. It must be said that none of the manufacturers made such devices, so there was a certain novelty in this. For Samsung, this without any special costs increased profits, and at the same time loyalty of the audience that wanted to stand out. A sort of phone option for showing off.

The mass flagship S6 decided to do exactly the same and released the EDGE version, rounding the screen on both sides, but not doing it so clearly. However, this was enough for the model to be perceived completely differently. If the S6 is often called a copy of the iPhone 6, then no one says the same about the EDGE; moreover, it is called original. Let me remind you that the only difference is in the curvature of the screen on both sides. Intentionally or unwittingly, the device turned out to be unusual, there are no analogues on the market, and that means it will attract attention. It will be chosen by those who are not limited in funds, looking for a convenient model in order to work, and at the same time get an image effect.

Inside Samsung, until the last moment, they could not decide on the price positioning of EDGE: should the gap be the same as in the case of Note models, or smaller? The pragmatic approach apparently wins, the difference will be 5 thousand rubles. As you understand, the cost of EDGE is higher. In my opinion, EDGE may well lay claim to the title of a unique device, which is rare by today's standards. And for those who don’t want to be like others, this is a truly interesting model. It will not suit everyone, moreover, it cannot be considered mass, however, it is not positioned as such. But for its consumer this device will be extremely pleasant and will provide something that other models cannot.

Design, dimensions, control elements

The phone turned out to be compact for such a screen diagonal, its dimensions are 142.1x70.1x7 mm, weight - 132 grams (for comparison, S6 - 143.4x70.5x6.8 mm, 138 grams). Fits well in the hand and does not slip.

The side frame and back wall are made of metal, special attention was paid to the strength characteristics, it cannot be bent even with great effort. This was especially emphasized at the presentation. Since Samsung decided that the model should pamper the consumer with variety, they presented it in many colors. To achieve this, the back wall is painted over and covered with Corning Gorilla Glass 4. Exactly the same glass covers the front surface. To avoid creating confusion, Samsung calls the glass fourth generation, but in fact, it differs from what other manufacturers get (fewer scratches, more drop resistance, which is important with such a screen). You can call this piece of glass Gorilla Glass 4+, although this name will be very arbitrary.

Each color has a metallic look due to the glass; they play well in the sun. Just like on Sony devices, hand marks remain on the glass; it is easily soiled, but not excessively. In bright light the marks are almost invisible, but in the room they become noticeable.

Unlike the S6, you can feel the cut of the body in your hand; it is sharp. Some may not like it, while others may not pay any attention to it. For aesthetes, the fact that the camera on the back surface protrudes a little over a millimeter will also be an irritation; it was not made flush with the glass.

Compared to Galaxy S6

Compared to Galaxy S5

Compared to Sony Xperia Z3

The SIM card tray is located at the top end, there is also an IR port for controlling household appliances and a microphone, and another microphone is located at the bottom end. There is also a microUSB connector (USB 2.0), 3.5 mm for a headset or headphones, and a speaker output. The power button is on the right side, the volume keys are on the left.

On the back surface, in addition to the flash, there is a heart rate sensor; it also performs a number of other functions; more about this in the section about S Health. There is a physical button on the front panel, it contains a fingerprint sensor (you can unlock the device by placing your finger, no need to swipe it). There are also two touch keys, everything is familiar to other devices from Samsung. Above the screen there is a proximity sensor, as well as a 5 megapixel front camera.

One of the branded accessories is a plastic case, which is made in metallic style. My device is green and looks pretty good.

The case is quite easily soiled, despite the fact that an oleophobic coating was added to it. It will have to be wiped down frequently, and this may not be suitable for some. One of the advantages I would like to note is that the phone in the case fits better in the hand, the edges do not cut into it. The downside is that you lose the original look of the device, it becomes difficult to distinguish the S6 from the S6 EDGE, and the side edges are covered, becoming non-functional or of limited use.

The case recognizes your taps (more precisely, the screen), so you can answer calls, view messages, control music, and so on. This is quite convenient, since you do not need to open the lid, you see all the messages in front of you.

The build quality of the device is excellent, there can be no complaints. The phone is much stronger than similar devices from Sony, and outperforms the iPhone 6, which often cracks the glass after a slight fall (it has regular tempered glass). Here, durability is brought to the fore, the device is wearable.

Display

Screen 5.1 inches diagonal, SuperAMOLED, 577 ppi, 2560x1440 pixels, automatic brightness adjustment. This is one of the best screens from Samsung; it traditionally has customizable colors - from bright and sometimes acidic to muted. Here everyone will choose their own option, but the main thing is that, according to reviews from professionals testing screens in various devices, AMOLED matrices in previous models have already become very accurate in terms of color reproduction and behavior in the sun. In this device, the quality of the screen has increased even more, the brightness of the backlight has been improved (everything is readable in the sun with a bang).

The high density of dots per inch makes the picture smooth, but you won’t be able to tell the difference with previous models by eye. Other characteristics (contrast, brightness, etc.) come to the fore.

The screen curvature in the EDGE is not very large, it is noticeably less than in the same Note EDGE. And, as a result, it is more comfortable, all the main menus are presented on the entire surface of the screen, it does not go to waste.

In life, the bend is beautiful, but not at all practical. So, on the street the sun always refracts the left side and the picture glares and is not entirely visible.

When working in a browser, the beginning of the address line falls exactly on the left corner, making it difficult to click and get to the right place. There are quite a lot of such “little things”, the interface has not been redesigned to fit the screen in any way, it is standard, and this has its price - reduced ergonomics.

Communication capabilities

If you can imagine that a device has all possible technologies, then this is the case with the S6/S6 EDGE. I’ll just list them all: Wi-Fi: 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac (2.4/5GHz), HT80 MIMO(2x2) 620Mbps, Dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct, Mobile hotspot, Bluetooth®: v4. 1, A2DP, LE, apt-X, ANT+, USB 2.0, NFC, IR port for controlling household appliances.

Memory, RAM, performance

The phone is a complete copy of the S6, so I’ll repeat what was said in the review of that device.

The device has 3 GB of RAM (LDPPR4), which has a maximum bandwidth of 3.2 GB/s (64 bits) today. The built-in memory capacity may vary - 32, 64 and 128 GB. The memory type is UFS 2.0, which also provides maximum write and read speeds; it is actually an SSD array. The speed of the memory subsystem is such that no other device yet has comparable characteristics.

The Exynos 7420 chipset belongs to the latest generation, made at 14 nm. Technically, this is an 8-core solution, 4 Cortex-A53 cores, 4 Cortex A57 cores. The graphics core is Mali T-760, but its version is updated compared to Note 4 (more frequency, etc.). It is also the fastest processor available, which together with the memory makes this device very fast. In life, he just flies, there are no brakes at all (Android 5 also contributes to this). During my time with the phone, I did not experience any slowdowns or application crashes.

And here's what the results look like in synthetic tests. These are the best values ​​possible for devices of this kind. With performance in synthetic tests, everything is more or less clear, see the values ​​below.

What’s more interesting is how the device behaves in 3D tests, that is, how predisposed it is to graphics, because the MALI graphics processor has always been inferior to similar solutions from Qualcomm, and even more so from NVidia. Increased frequency, eight cores - all this, in theory, should contribute to performance, but on the other side there is an increased screen resolution.

There are other tests, we present their values ​​here.

But it was interesting to see how, for example, Epic Citadel is going. In the initial test on an almost clean device, the result was about 60 frames per second.

But then, when I tried to repeat it, it turned out that the program produces, at best, 50 frames, and after heating, even 30 frames. This is one of the Galaxy S6's weakest points in terms of performance - the 3D graphics and how repeatable the results you get.

Having looked at the 3D toys, I can say that the range of results in Dead Trigger 2, NOVA3, Asphalt 8, Real Racing 3 is from 30 to 60 frames per second. In some games the level stays at 60 almost constantly, in some it is closer to 30. But this is with maximum settings for textures, resolution, and so on. Even taking this into account, you as a user will not see any problems in the game, since stuttering at 30 frames per second simply does not exist. And this is the lowest value.

For those who want to approach performance in a straightforward and stupid way, I recommend that you definitely compare the gaming component in GTA, since this game is not optimized for MALI graphics, does not load the best textures and is guaranteed to have problems with graphics display. In my opinion, this is a flaw in the game and a lack of optimization for a specific platform, but as an example of “disadvantages” it will do. The question in 3D games today is simply which platform they are optimized for and how well. The same solutions from NVidia tear everyone apart in terms of 3D performance and graphics rendering quality, but they are not popular. Apparently, not everyone needs this.

Battery

The built-in battery has a capacity of 2600 mAh (2550 mAh in S6), operating time is approximately a full working day under load. This is about 2 and a half hours of screen operation, data transfer in 4G. The video device plays for 11 hours.

The question that worries many is whether the battery is dead or not? While I don’t have an obvious answer to this, I need to work with the device and see what comes out. The phone has fast charging, you can fully charge it in an hour, which is not bad. It also supports several wireless charging formats, everything is built into the case, you don’t need to buy anything in addition. But I don’t think this option will be in demand by many buyers.

One of the nice things to note is that fast charging of the battery is supported - it takes one hour. If you use a regular 2A charger, the battery charging time will be 2 hours. The phone has built-in wireless charging that supports several formats, meaning you can buy a branded device or any other. I had a Lumia charger (DT-601, Qi standard) on hand; it charges the device perfectly.

You shouldn't expect this model to last as long as the Note 4. But the result turned out to be slightly higher than that of the iPhone 6 with the same load (number of calls, data transferred). The difference is almost imperceptible; we can say that these devices live for the same time. Again, for most people this will be full time.

Camera

A separate detailed and extensive material is devoted to a description of the camera and all its capabilities.

Working with a side face

Unlike Note EDGE, the ideology of the side edge has changed slightly. First, you can choose where the information will be displayed, on the left side of the screen or on the right. Moreover, I note that you cannot turn the picture 180 degrees. The opportunity to put your wallpaper on this strip has disappeared; it is very narrow. By and large, there is only a night mode, which displays the time and temperature from the weather forecast, you can set the interval up to 12 hours when this information is shown.

You can display the information flow, these are news headlines that will crawl to the side. Not a very necessary option. The main settings revolve around the five contacts you can add to your sidebar. Each contact has its own color. If events are missed, the device can highlight the edge with this color, that is, you see what happened and know who called or wrote to you. The trick is not too sophisticated, but it works quite well in practice. Does it make this device very different from the same S6? Definitely not, they are approximately the same and are perceived at the same level.

Software features – Android 5.x and TouchWiz

In order not to repeat myself, I refer you to a detailed review of the Galaxy S6, where all aspects of the menu operation and functions of the device are discussed in detail.

Additional accessories for Galaxy S6/S6 EDGE

For several years now, Samsung has been creating the widest possible range of accessories for its flagships. Starting with 6, the set comes with headphones of a new design, which are built similarly to Level In, provide good sound and are noticeably better than the previous model.

In terms of cooperation with famous brands, I would like to mention cases from Burton, protective cases with crystals from Swarovski, leather covers from Montblanc, women's handbag cases from Rebecca Minkoff, cases painted by Britto. These accessories are almost impossible to find on the market; their cost is very high.

Now let's look at the standard set of accessories, they are completely the same for the two models, only the article number and color options differ. Wireless charging is available in two colors – white and dark gray. I recommend taking a dark color, since the rubber insert at the top, which prevents the phone from sliding, gets dirty very quickly on white. A dark color is more practical.

The QI 1.1 standard is supported (backwards compatible with 1.0), charging speed is about 4-5 hours, which is typical for such devices. The cost of the charger in Russia will be 3,490 rubles. The fast charger included in the kit costs 2,000 rubles if you buy it separately, so you shouldn’t lose it. The same price applies to a car charger that supports Quick Charge technology.

A regular transparent bumper covering the back of the phone will cost 2,590 rubles.

But the opaque cover can be of almost any color, it is of good quality, but it also needs to be matched to the color of the phone so that they match. Its price is 2,290 rubles.

The book case is also available in different colors, the price is 2,990 rubles; these types of cases make the device very thick.

The S View Cover with a window has become very popular. Different fabric or leather, a huge number of colors - all together create an alternative. You can activate the camera, enable dialing of favorite numbers, listen to music, open the quick shortcuts panel - the latter was previously unavailable. In the video I show how this case works, it's worth watching. But the price is steep - 4,490 rubles.

The mirrored book case can also be selected in different colors, it has an NFC tag, so Chinese craftsmen will not do anything like that. In the closed state, you can answer calls, reject messages and reminders. There is no need to open the device.

You can see how all these accessories work in our video.

Impression

I was pleasantly surprised by the loudness of the Samsung S6 speaker, despite the fact that there is only one speaker and is located at the end - it is very clear and loud, the device is clearly audible in different conditions. In the video I showed the differences with the S5, they are noticeable to the naked eye. We can say that the sound is one of the loudest and most pleasant devices from the company. The vibration alert is average in strength, there are no achievements here.

The phone's connection quality is not satisfactory in any way. I tried to find differences from my Note 4, but could not find them. The quality of work in LTE is also flawless; I noticed that the phone is better able to connect to Wi-Fi networks than the Note 4. Subjectively, it seemed that in general the quality of communication was a little better.

I like how the one touch fingerprint works, you can watch this feature in the video.

The speed of launching the camera from any menu is less than a second. Just press the Home key twice. And it's convenient. The camera is excellent and comparable to the Note 4, which I consider (and not only me) the best device on the market in this regard.

Among the advantages of the S6 EDGE, I would like to note its unusual design, which will be an argument in its favor for many people. I was confused by the bend, and it seemed like there was a waste of space, but in reality you quickly get used to it, the inconvenience is tolerable and does not irritate you in everyday use. Although the S6 is noticeably better in terms of ergonomics.

The TouchWiz shell has become visually simpler, while maintaining its main features. I can’t say that I like it one hundred percent, but it has the right to life and is quite convenient in everyday work. The contacts on the side are also convenient, although this is an additional feature, you can safely not use it. I really liked the outer case, which transforms the device and makes it more interesting. True, the appearance is lost, and this will not suit many.

After getting to know each other more closely, I have no doubt that if I choose between the S6 and S6 EDGE, I will most likely choose the second device, it turned out to be more interesting. The difference in cost for Russia is 5 thousand rubles, that is, the S6 EDGE will cost up to 54,990 rubles. In the new price realities, this is a lot, and you definitely shouldn’t expect huge sales. But they will be, just like in Europe and other countries of the world.

The S6 EDGE has its own unique design feature; this device has no analogues, and this is a strong argument in its favor. I repeat that ergonomics suffer a little, but this is not so critical, although the S6 is more convenient. Personally, I am torn between the two of these models, and if above I said that I would most likely choose the S6 EDGE, then after a couple of paragraphs I think that maybe it’s worth taking the regular S6.

Specifications

• Android 5.1.1 with TouchWiz shell (maximally lightweight compared to the previous generation)
• Screen 5.7 inches, Quad HD resolution, 1440x2560 pixels, 518 ppi, SuperAMOLED, backlight brightness up to 861 nits - the best screen in terms of color reproduction in mobile devices
• Exynos 7420 processor (4 A57 cores at 2.1 GHz, 4 A53 at 1.5 GHz), 14 nm FinFET
• 4 GB of RAM, 32, 64, 128 GB of internal memory, no memory cards
• Bluetooth 4.2, LTE cat.6 (cat.9 for some markets), Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct, NFC, USB 2.0, ANT+
• Front camera 5 megapixels
• Main camera 16 megapixels, optical stabilization, 4K video recording, RAW files
• Li-Ion 3000 mAh battery, built-in wireless charging of two standards, fast adaptive charging (90 minutes to 100 percent, 60 minutes to 90 percent), 24 hours of operation in mixed mode, video playback for about 13 hours
• Dimensions – 154.4x75.8x6.9 mm (Note 5 – 153.2x76.1x7.6 mm), weight – 153 grams (171 grams Note 5)

Contents of delivery

• Telephone
• Adaptive Fast Charging charger with USB cable
• Wired stereo headset
• Brief instructions
• SIM tray eject tool

Positioning

Samsung successfully created demand for phablets and set the tone for the market with its Note line. In 2015, the company faced increased demand for the Galaxy S6 EDGE, which turned out to be in demand in volumes that no one expected. This forced the expansion of the production of curved screens, and as a result, an increase in the number of models in which they can be used. The shift in emphasis from the Note line as the company’s main phablet and flagship to EDGE+ seems logical for Samsung’s internal reasons, but no explanation was given for the market, and buyers were left bewildered.

Positioning the EDGE+ as a flagship means that the company is trying to make the most of the success of the previous model and give the market what it wants. This means that the company is abandoning active promotion of the Note; the model will initially appear in several markets, in Europe and Russia, only at the end of the year and most likely in lightweight configurations; price becomes more important here.

Positioning EDGE+ is extremely simple - the most expensive device from Samsung. An interesting design that has no analogues from other companies. A technical flagship for a mass audience. All this does not describe the main thing - for whom the device was created. Unlike the Note line, the positioning of this phone is completely different; it was created for ordinary people, those who are looking for a phone with a large screen and a nice design. Can such an audience be large? I think no. Of course, it is larger than the audience that bought the Note line, but not by much. The experience of selling phablets from any company shows that this is a noticeable niche that does not tend to sharply increase, with the exception of Asian markets, where this phone format has become extremely popular.

In my opinion, EDGE+ should be considered as a device with a large screen and a maximum set of functions for those who are looking for a phablet, but do not need the stylus that the Note 5 has. When choosing between these two devices, I settled on both models, since they have each has its pros and cons. Let's talk about them in detail.

Design, dimensions, control elements

The curved screen on both sides of the body makes the device unusual and interesting. From an image point of view, this model is interesting, since it is easily recognizable as a flagship; there is nothing like it on the market. But if we compare EDGE+ with the previous S6 EDGE, we will see that these devices are identical in appearance, there are no differences at first glance.

But if you look closely, you will see that the shape of the case has been slightly changed, there is a break along the metal edge, it is clearly visible. This is done on purpose so that the body does not cut into the hand, as on the small EDGE. The trick worked - EDGE+ is much more comfortable in the hands than its younger brother, the sensations are completely different. You can tell that the design has suffered if you carefully examine the case; in real life this break, the line on the case, is not visible.

Phone dimensions – 154.4x75.8x6.9 mm (153.2x76.1x7.6 mm – Note 5), weight – 153 grams (171 grams). For comparison, Note 4 had dimensions of 153.5x78.6x8.5 mm and weighed 176 grams. This model has become smaller not only compared to Note 4, but also to Note 5. The weight savings are more noticeable with the same characteristics - due to the bending of the screen and, as a result, the shape of the metal edge, it is smaller. The surprising thing is that a device with such a battery size and a 5.7-inch screen can be quite compact, this is not only a matter of thickness, there is nothing impressive here, but the main thing is the weight, it is a record for the market. I hope that in the future the company will be able to play with this parameter a little more and make the next phablets a little lighter.

Compared to Note 4

Compared to Note 5

Compared to iPhone 6 Plus

The screen and back surface are covered with Corning Gorilla Glass 4. The metal chassis is massive, just like in the S6, but the larger body size plays a role here. The metal was changed, now it is an aluminum alloy of the 7000 series, it is distinguished by lightness and greater strength, hence the weight gain of the phone. The iPhone 6s will use the same material; nothing more durable has yet been invented on the market for this type of device.

The phone has several color options, they completely repeat those for the S6 EDGE, it turns out that EDGE+ is an enlarged version of this device, which is identical to the previous one. In life, even from afar, you can confuse them, but up close, the sizes of these devices clearly indicate what is in front of us.

In real life, the back wall and the front surface quickly become covered with hand marks; this is a drawback of glass. If this is not visible in the sun or indoors in dim light, then under lamps shining directly on the body you will see the stains in all their glory. On the same S6/S6 EDGE they are not so noticeable; the size of the devices is different.

On the left side surface there are two volume keys; in Note 4 this is a paired key; here there are separate buttons. It’s a good move, you can’t accidentally press them, and pressing them blindly won’t be difficult. The on/off button is on the right side.

Unlike Note 4, which uses a system of three microphones, this device has only two of them, they are located at the ends. The noise reduction system works perfectly during a conversation, the missing third microphone removed from the recorder the ability to record a conversation at a round table when there are several interlocutors, but the “Interview” mode remains, it works decently.

At the bottom there is a 3.5 mm jack, as well as a microUSB connector. Please note that, unlike Note 4, each connector has a plastic insert that protects the cable from breakage and does not come into contact with metal. Over the course of a year with Note 4, none of my chargers or headphones failed, but here they added another element of protection. There is only one speaker in the device, it is placed on the bottom end, and it is louder than in Note 4. It is possible that the high volume is associated with its location; it is clearly audible in all situations.

On the front side there is a proximity sensor, light sensor, as well as a 5-megapixel selfie camera, all above the screen. The frames of the screen have become narrower, although its size has not changed at all.

The central key has become a little higher and shorter, but this is also more convenient, since a fingerprint sensor is included in it.

One of the advantages compared to Note 4 is that the sensor works by touch, you don’t need to swipe it with your finger, everything works the same as in the Galaxy S6. There is one more thing that many will find a pleasant addition: the version of the sensor has been changed (from S6/S6 EDGE), it has become larger in area, recognizes fingers well in any position - there is no difference with the same iPhone 6/6 Plus, it reads the fingerprint instantly. Including if you have sweaty/wet hands, the iPhone will receive such a sensor in a new version in September. There is a moment in the video where I show how the unlocking differs on these devices; due to the higher speed on the Note 5, the menu instantly opens.

On the back side you can see the bezel of the camera; it protrudes above the body, which has already become familiar and does not cause problems - although someone’s sense of beauty may suffer from this, they say, the camera should be flush with the body. I don’t see any shortcomings in this; I think it’s very far-fetched.

There is a heart rate sensor next to the LED flash; you can use the S Health program and measure your heart rate, blood oxygen saturation, stress level and a number of other parameters. A toy for most, but sometimes this sensor is needed. Extremely rare, but still.

Now about another far-fetched problem. Quite often I come across the statement that Samsung phones are fragile, break easily, and other nonsense. In everyday life, it happens that you accidentally drop your phone. I can say with confidence that Note is extremely durable. My screen failed after the camera fell on it (even though the device itself was working). There is no damage after falls, but it all depends on your luck. In principle, you can look at how difficult it is to damage the S6 EDGE to understand what the Note 5 can withstand. The same iPhone cracks from much smaller falls and impacts, the mineral glass there is very fragile, which will tell you in any Apple service where The main work is replacing screens (more precisely, the phones themselves, if this is an official service).

Display

The main difference between the EDGE+ screen and the regular Note 5 is that the screen is curved at the corners. There are several additional operating modes for it, which we will discuss below.

If earlier Samsung indicated the characteristics of the display separately - the resolution of the main part and then the strip on the right (Note EDGE), then in the latest generation this is not the case, they mention the entire screen, and formally it turns out that the display characteristics are similar to what is in Note 5. This is true, but the curvature at the ends still plays a role, the picture is distorted. As you understand, this is a drawback of this design and the laws of physics - it is impossible to achieve a flat image on a curved surface. For some this may be a disadvantage, but in life you don’t pay attention to it. In third-party programs, sometimes the controls get bent, but there are no problems with pressing. You do it easily.

Apart from the curve, all other characteristics of the display are completely the same as the Note 5, so I’ll give an excerpt from the review.

Diagonal – 5.7 inches, QHD resolution – 1440x2560 pixels, 518 ppi, SuperAMOLED. In my opinion, any screen with a resolution of more than 400 dpi can already be considered excellent; it is extremely difficult to see the difference. Other parameters are used - picture quality, color rendition, ease of use.

DisplayMate has already tested the screen in the Note 5/EDGE+ and concluded that it is the best display on the market out of all available ones, it has displaced the Galaxy S6 from this place. The best screen in terms of brightness, color reproduction and other parameters. The study contains a lot of graphs, measurements and other things, but the conclusion is clear - there is simply nothing like it on the market. The energy efficiency of the screen has increased by 21 percent compared to Note 4 (the increase in operating time is obvious). Maximum brightness reaches 861 nits with automatic adjustment. You can follow the link to read these amazing figures and findings regarding the screen; nothing like this simply exists on the market and competitors cannot appear in the coming years.

Now my impressions. Traditionally, there are settings to suit your preferences, you can choose to work like on other phones (faded colors, RGB), you can choose Adobe RGB, as well as an adaptive screen.

I try not to use the automatic screen backlight; it often makes mistakes and makes me uncomfortable looking at pictures. In Note 5/EDGE+ they changed the algorithm, and now the backlight works very well, it guesses my preferences. Moreover, this mode makes the screen readable under any sunlight, the brightness increases to the maximum.

If earlier the minimum screen backlight in automatic mode was not comfortable and was dim, now this is not the case. One more point related to the screen design. Despite the fact that the resolution and ppi number have not changed, due to the different color rendering, the picture looks much more vibrant and better.

For this screen, the glove control mode has been abandoned; previously it could be found in the menu. Now it is gone, this was done due to the fact that most people did not use this opportunity. They also felt that saving energy was more important than having this mode.

I'm absolutely delighted with the screen on the Note 5/EDGE+. Despite the fact that I have an S6 EDGE, the screen is close in quality, but inferior in color rendition and backlight brightness, and in size. Unexpectedly, it turned out that Note 4, which I liked so much for its screen a year ago, lost the palm to Note 5/EDGE+. Once again, Samsung has outdone itself and was able to create the best screen for mobile devices; I repeat that there is nothing even close to the characteristics on the market and is not expected.

For EDGE+, you can turn on night mode on one of the faces, then the time, air temperature, date and battery charge will be displayed. Sometimes other events appear, this is a very good mode that other phones do not have. But the price for using the screen this way is shorter operating time.

Battery

Everything is the same with Note 5, if you do not use the night mode and the backlight on the side edge. If you activate it, the operating time compared to Note 5 will be reduced by about 5-7 percent, which is noticeable. Here everyone will choose what is closer to them - the information panel on the side or the operating time. I will repeat what I said for Note 5, the devices are completely identical.

People live in captivity of illusions, where a big number always means something better. If you follow this paradigm, 13 megapixel cameras are always better than 8 megapixel ones, and a 4000 mAh battery will always last longer in a phone than a 3000 mAh one. To my delight, this approach does not work, and in electronics, operating time depends on many components, not just battery capacity.

The Note 4, like the Note 3, had a 3220 mAh battery, while the Note 5 has a 3000 mAh battery. Many consumers spoke out about this obvious deterioration and did so in absentia. A game of simple arithmetic: 3220 is more than 3000, and therefore better.

In practice, everything is somewhat different. The phone lives quietly from morning to night (in principle, it lasts for 24 hours, but let’s not mince words) under the heaviest load. Playing video non-stop at maximum brightness (HD video, unconverted, MX Player) can last about 13 hours or so. Previously it was about 10.5 hours. If you change the backlight settings, 14-15 hours of video becomes achievable. No device with a 3000-4000 mAh battery (and a comparable screen size) achieves these figures. If you look at Chinese smartphones, their limit is about 8-9 hours of operation with a 4000 mAh battery.

I don’t know people who use smartphones to watch movies all day long; usually the load is distributed between different applications - calls, SMS, social networks, watching videos, listening to music. By automatically adjusting the backlight to half or a little less, you can easily get up to 5-6 hours of screen operation, subject to a small number of calls (up to an hour). In games this will be less time, but it all depends on the game, in three-dimensional toys you can get about 5-6 hours of work, the backlight is above average.

It is important to understand that it will not be possible to compare this data with your usage profile; a lot depends on the quality of your operator’s coverage and mobile data usage. For example, above are screenshots for MegaFon in Moscow, it turns out that a high-quality network gives an increase in operating time, there is no waste of energy on data transfer at low speeds. And this is what the operating time looks like when changing operators to Beeline (my usage profile has not changed, but the radio module began to work at full capacity, since base stations are less common and work worse).

According to reviews from users who do not have the same load as me, their Note 5 lasts on average about two days. For those who are constantly plugged into their phone, this will be about a day. And this is an excellent result, taking into account all the capabilities that this device provides.

Now I want to focus on fast adaptive charging of the phone. In 15 minutes you will get 25 percent of the charge, in half an hour - half, and in an hour you will charge the device to 90 percent. In 1.5 hours the phone will be fully charged. This is the fastest charging possible, which is a good thing because it gives you freedom.

Wireless charging supports two standards - WPC/PMA, which means you can use any wireless charger. The Samsung branded charger also supports fast charging – 120 minutes.

In terms of energy saving technologies, this device is one of the best on the market and provides the longest possible operation. But it all depends on your approach and desire to get these opportunities. If you want maximum screen illumination and other features indiscriminately, then it will not work for long - you can install any device. But with thoughtful attention, Note 5 will become a long-lasting device, just like all its predecessors.

A few words about the energy saving modes, they have been greatly redesigned. So, in normal mode, you can no longer choose what you refuse, you can only turn it on entirely (the backlight of the touch buttons turns off, the screen refresh rate is lower, background data transfer does not occur constantly, but at intervals). This mode does not provide a huge increase in operating time, 10-15 percent at most, but it may be suitable for someone. Extreme power saving mode changes the screen gamma to black and white, turns off most applications and leaves only the most necessary ones. You can add your own applications that you use to the list. In this mode, the gain in operating time is noticeably greater.

Memory, memory cards, chipset, performance

The amount of RAM has increased to 4 GB (the system runs at 64 bit, (LPDDR4) instead of 3 GB previously. The naked eye can see that the interface runs noticeably faster than on the Note 4 or Galaxy S6, although this increase occurs annually, and it seems that The speed is already sufficient to not increase it further. However, there is room for development and the interface is very responsive.

While the model is entering the market with memory capacity of 32 and 64 GB, a 128 GB option will appear a little later (Limited Edition or something similar).

The model is currently produced only on the Exynos 7420 chipset (4 A57 cores at 2.1 GHz, 4 A53 at 1.9 GHz), this is a new generation of the chipset from Samsung, in which all components are integrated into one chip, including the LTE modem from Samsung and others. The architecture of the chipset is not fundamentally different from the same Exynos 5433, which was used in Note 4. The difference lies in the fact that if a year ago in Note 4 the 20 nm process technology was widely used for the first time, then in Note 5/EDGE+ the processor is manufactured using a 14 nm process technology. There is simply nothing more modern; this is the only smartphone with such a processor.

What can this give you other than the feeling that you have the latest solution? Firstly, at 14 nm the issue of overheating under load is resolved, it simply does not exist. Even in the most difficult tasks, there is no heating of the case or it is not felt. A little warm body, that's all. Secondly, energy consumption has decreased, which is also pleasing, however, we have already discussed this above.

For fans of synthetic tests, I will present their results in different programs. I note that, as before, this device shows the best results, they are among the highest. But due to the fact that the graphics accelerator remains old and rather average, do not expect mind-blowing numbers in the 3D graphics tests. But at the same time, all the games that exist on Android work on this device; all other smartphones have worse capabilities in this area, with the exception of the iPhone, which outperforms any Android device in terms of graphics.

USB, Bluetooth, communication capabilities

Let's start with the fact that Note 5/EDGE+ became the first device to support Bluetooth 4.2. This version was created for the Internet of Things and works great with various sensors. Otherwise, there are no significant changes; new profiles have appeared and power consumption has improved. Let me remind you that there are some interesting things in the new standard.

Firstly, this is an extended range, which can reach several tens of meters, depending on the device settings and how the manufacturer configured this option. Secondly, the IP protocol is used for addressing, that is, devices now have their own unique addresses and communication with many such devices is supported.

From technical points, the interaction between Bluetooth and LTE has been improved; now the operation of these technologies is synchronized within one device, and mutual interference is not created (LTE is not relevant for our frequencies). Plus, Bluetooth devices can now access the cloud and transmit their results directly, bypassing the companion device, as was previously necessary.

USB connection. USB 2.0 is used here, that is, the data transfer speed is about 20 Mb/s. These are not theoretical, but real results on devices. They may vary depending on the operating system and the computer you connect your phone to. Both up and down.

The microUSB connector also supports the MHL standard, which means that using a special cable (available at electronics stores), you can connect your phone to your TV (to the HDMI output). In fact, the standard describes the ability to connect via microUSB to HDMI. This solution looks preferable to a separate miniHDMI connector on the case.

The maximum data transfer rate in LTE is 150 Mbit/s. But it is possible to get higher speeds (category 9, depends on the operator and software). Please note that in Moscow I can easily get speeds close to the maximum speed on the MegaFon network.

WiFi. The 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac standard is supported, the operation wizard is similar to that for Bluetooth. You can remember selected networks and automatically connect to them. It is possible to set up a connection to the router in one touch; to do this, you need to press a key on the router, and also activate a similar button in the device menu (WPA SecureEasySetup). Among the additional options, it is worth noting the setup wizard; it appears when the signal is weak or disappearing. You can also set up Wi-Fi on a schedule.

802.11n supports HT40 mode, allowing you to double your Wi-Fi throughput (requires support from another device).

Wi-Fi Direct. A protocol that is intended to replace Bluetooth or begin to compete with its third version (which also uses Wi-Fi version n to transfer large files). In the Wi-Fi settings menu, select the Wi-Fi Direct section, the phone begins to search for devices around. We select the desired device, activate the connection on it, and voila. Now in the file manager you can view files on another device, as well as transfer them. Another option is to simply find devices connected to your router and transfer the necessary files to them; this can be done from the gallery or other sections of the phone. The main thing is that the device supports Wi-Fi Direct.

NFC. The device has NFC technology, it can be used with various additional applications.

S Beam. A technology that allows you to transfer a file of several gigabytes in size to another phone in a few minutes. In fact, we see in S Beam a combination of two technologies - NFC and Wi-Fi Direct. The first technology is used to bring up and authorize phones, but the second is used to transfer the files themselves. The creatively redesigned way to use Wi-Fi Direct is much simpler than using a connection on two devices, selecting files and so on.

Camera

At first glance, the camera has not changed compared to the Galaxy S6/S6 EDGE, we have the same module with a resolution of 16 megapixels, you can call the camera from any screen by double pressing the Home button, it takes 0.6 seconds. That is, you can quickly shoot something on the go; I like this option in Samsung phones.

On the main screen, the minimum settings have been saved, on the left you see a vertical bar in which you can set the photo delay (2, 5, 10 seconds), HDR mode (HDR Auto, HDR On, HDR Off), and select effects. There is also a settings button - by clicking on it, you will be taken to the regular menu where you can select settings for shooting photos and videos (resolution, stabilization, and so on).

On the right side of the screen there is a shooting button, selecting a camera (main or front), and recording video. There is also a Modes button; by clicking on it, you will see a number of additional settings, the most interesting one is called Pro (these are the same “useless” functions). For me, there are several things about this mode that make the S6 camera extremely convenient for everyday use, since I take a lot of photos.

In Pro mode, a line of additional icons appears on the right where you can select the ISO value (Auto, 100, 200, 400, 800 - in automatic mode from 50 to 1600). White balance. Exposure compensation from -2 to +2. Excerpt.

There is a color profile with presets, but you can also choose two of your own settings. On the screen you immediately see the result of the shooting, the picture is “live” and shows exactly what you get in the end, this is largely due to the screen, which is much brighter and displays photos better than the same Note 4.

For the Pro mode, it is possible to save, in addition to the JPG file, also a RAW file (DNG format). Here are a few such pictures for you. For those who know what RAW is and know how to work with them, the camera on the Note 5/EDGE+ will provide interesting opportunities.

But the most important thing is that in Pro mode you can save all the settings in three presets, you won’t have to set them again every time, as was the case in all previous models (for each frame you had to build everything from scratch, it was annoying, since it took time).

One more thing - now you can manually specify the distance to the subject by moving the slider. Previously, this was the Macro mode (everything is more flexible here, since the adjustment is done with a slider), but starting with S4/S5/Note 4 there was no such choice at all; it is available again, and that’s good.

In the Modes section you will also find “Selective Focus”, the ability to change the focus on the picture after shooting, slow motion for video, as well as fast motion.

The panorama can be 360 ​​degrees. The device removes it automatically, you can rotate the phone quite quickly, the main thing is to keep it horizontal.

Photo editor

Having compared the quality of images on three devices – Note 4, Note 5, S6 EDGE, I cannot say that they are fundamentally different. Very close, especially on a clear, sunny day. The Note 4 had good evening shooting, but the S6 EDGE did it much better. In Note 5 this parameter has been improved again, I think I’ll write about this separately and perhaps add to the review. In the meantime, take a look at the photo comparison.

Note 4	Note 5	S6 EDGE

I tried to compare it with the iPhone 6 Plus, the quality of the pictures on the iPhone is obviously worse, so we’ll wait for the new model with a new 12 megapixel camera module and make this comparison with it.