Everybody knows that if you’re looking for a premium Android phone and have money to burn, Samsung is the way to go. No other OEM comes close to them in the high end segment of that market. Except perhaps Google’s seasonal Nexus line, which are mostly a cult item.
While its insanely successful flagship devices contributed to its rise to the world’s top smartphone maker in ‘13 and ‘14, Samsung has increasingly come under pressure to deliver even more innovative devices and delightful user experiences from the likes of Xiaomi, which came out of virtually nowhere to become the world’s third largest smartphone maker, and of course, Apple, whose iPhone 6 release have sent it to new heights of mobile dominance and profitability.
The Galaxy S6 series is Samsung’s latest gambit, the play that will determine if they are still in the game. I think the chances are pretty good. We got the chance to play with the Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge, and I have to say it was love at first sight. If you haven’t already, check out the unboxing and first impressions post, and then return for the full review.
Specs
Like I’ve said for perhaps the one millionth time, the Galaxy S6 Edge is quite the looker. But it’s also got brains to go with that. The Samsung Galaxy S6 comes with a 64 bit Octa-Core Processor, that is complemented with 3 gigs of RAM. It doesn’t get much faster than that (although, that will take a corresponding toll on the battery). All connectivity options are on point, including 4G LTE capability — not that it’s useful in Nigeria, but it’s there if you ever need it. You would be hard-pressed to find a competing device that can match the Edge’s 16 megapixel shooter on the back and 5 megapixel selfie camera in front. The Edge runs on the latest version of Android, with a light Touchwiz skin of course.
However, there are couple build quirks that long-time Sammy fans will probably take exception to. The Edge’s batter is the non-removable variety, and there is no memory card slot.
Samsung has done its best to temper these deficiencies. The battery life is neither here nor there (depending on usage), but the Galaxy S6 Edge comes with a turbocharger that can take it from 0 to 100 percent in just over an hour.
On the storage bit, you can choose from 32, 64 and 128 gigabyte internal storage models if space is a concern. Personally though, I am partial to memory cards because it just makes it easier to transfer pictures, music and all the other stuff I hoard without bothering with the still non-trivial issue of fast and affordable internet.
Display
With a 5.1” Quad HD sAMOLED screen, it’s resolution is twice of high definition quality – in layman’s term.
The dual edged display creates a pleasing 3 dimensional effect. But the curved edges serve more than an aesthetic purpose. Here’s the things you can do with the GS6 Edge’s, er…edges.
People Edge:
Start new conversations or respond quickly to alerts from the most frequent contacts by means of a colour-coded system that sits on the edges of the screen. Many other devices and platforms offer similar shortcuts to contacts, but accessing them from the edges of your screen are a nice user interface take on that action.
Lights and Notifications:
One of the long notification lights can be turned on to glow when the phone is turned over on a surface. This can be combined with the People Edge feature. With both selected, the Edge will light up with the same colours assigned to frequent contacts. Notifications such as: missed calls, messages or email, can be pushed to the Edge (of your) screen.
Information Stream:
Feeds can be customized to appear in any order on the Edge screen. There are also additional settings for individual information feeds. With the weather option, temperature measurement, refresh rate and current location can be selected.
Night Clock:
The Night Clock feature works on either side of the phone screen. When the screen is in sleep mode, the display is still dimly visible. A quick swipe up and down the edge will illuminate the edge, giving a better view. The night clock only be set for a maximum of 12 hours and automatically disables when the phone hits 15% battery status.
Nifty stuff.
Performance
Battery
Like I said before, the processing power that Samsung’s packed into this device will likely take a toll on the 2600mAh battery, especially for power users. But if you don’t don’t touch it too much, the Edge can stay on for days. Our unit took 3 days to run out of juice. But it wasn’t like I was watching videos or making long phone calls.
The good thing is that the Galaxy S6 Edge comes with an adaptive fast charging/charger feature that really works. Even a thirty minute sip of power will reward you with enough of a juice to keep going for hours.
There’s also the option of wireless charging with the Edge. Only thing is the charging pad you need for that is not included in the box, it’s a separate purchase.
Camera
Did I say wow before? Yes I did, in the unboxing. But I just have to say it again.
Wow.
With 5MP front camera, 16MP rear camera and 0.7 second activation for faster response, who needs a DLSR when you’ve got this? I’m just kidding, photogeeks, but this camera is that good.
You can shoot HD quality Youtube videos with this bad boy.
A shot taken with the Galaxy S6 Edge camera
The Galaxy S6 Edge has a selfie, wide selfie and virtual shot modes. Of course there are others, but these are the ones that I really like.
The selfie mode is for the normal front camera shots that you know. But that’s where normal ends. The 5MP camera has a 90-degree wide angle lens, which makes a wide selfie possible. The wide selfie works by panning the front camera to capture objects into one image. With the virtual shot, objects are captured in 3D. You know, the movable kind. The only issue with this is that of course, this image format is proprietary to the Galaxy S6 Edge, and what’s the point of an awesome picture format that loses its awesome factor once its shared with other people that don’t have the same kind of device? Images captured with virtual shot become become normal pictures when sent and viewed it on another device.
Touch ID
The fingerprint scanner is way better than before
Majority of Galaxy S5 users put down the fingerprint scanning method of unlocking the phone for it’s unreliability. The Galaxy S6 Edge has improved on that.
The registration process involves a progressive build-up of a fingerprint, including the fingertip. This makes it more accurate for unlocking purposes. Multiple fingers and thumbs can be registered.
Speakers – It’s all about the bass
You know the boombox of the 90s, the kind that jockeys carried on their shoulder.
Yes. This kind.
The speakers of this phone can be likened to that, and I’m not exaggerating. It’s loud and it’s got bass and not that we expected it to, but it doesn’t sound like a chinko phone. Beauty, brains, AND bass. Confirmed.
What aren’t you telling me? Speak your mind, abeg
You might be thinking I’m waxing lyrical about how good the phone is. It is good, but there are some things I didn’t like.
I didn’t like that I constantly had to wipe down the phone as it’s susceptible to smudges. You might want to get a protective casing to avoid that. Preferably one that won’t detract from the beauty of the phone. It’s really not fair to cover up something this beautiful.
Another thing is the grip is not the best. Metal bodies are sexy as hell, but they have a scary habit of slipping through fingers. All the time I had the device, there was the nagging fear that it would leave my hand and kiss the floor. Again, a protective casing with a better grip would go a long way.
This is not as much a con as it is a pertinent consideration. The Galaxy S6 Edge supports only nano SIMs, so you’ll either have to cut your regular micro-SIM to size or do a SIM-swap. These typically should take just a few minutes and one visit to your network provider’s support centre.
You might think this is a symptom of OCD, but I didn’t care for locked app drawer which wasn’t arranged alphabetically. I want to be able to find stuff easily, without having to swipe left and right, up and down.
Call me Oliver Twist, but the Galaxy S6 Edge doesn’t have S5’s waterproofing; probably because the S6 Edge has a metal and glass body. I guess we don’t always get what we want.
I wasn’t able to test out the Samsung Pay, which is similar to Apple Pay.
But I have to say, with the S6 phones’ new designs, Samsung has addressed the predominant critiques of 2014’s Galaxy S5, viewed by many as an uninspired doppelganger of the Galaxy S6.
How much is it?
Well a phone can’t be this sweet and not cost a pretty penny. Be prepared to shell for this one, although there should be wiggle room on pricing because of the storage options (32, 64 and 128GB). There is no official word on pricing from Samsung until sales begin locally on April 17th.
Would I buy this phone?
Abso-freaking-lutely. The phone is just gorg. As far as looks go, the Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge is in a galaxy of its own. It’s got a stunning display, runs like a dream, and takes pictures like a pro. Buying this phone will probably hurt your wallet a bit. But you can be forgiven. It’s definitely a device worth splurging on.
