Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge review
Review: February 2016 | ||
![]() Last updated February 2017 Rating: In a nutshell: The Edge version of the Samsung Galaxy S7 costs £70 more than the standard S7 but offers a larger screen - 5.5 inches instead of 5.1 inches. And of course, the screen is curved at the left and right edges, making the Galaxy S7 Edge the best-looking smartphone of 2016 in our view. With an 8-core processor, expandable memory, superb new camera and a monster battery, it's arguably the best phone all-round. |
Introduction
The Galaxy S7 and S7 Edge are set to be the biggest Android phones of 2016. And it's the S7 Edge that everyone really, really wants. But the Edge costs about £70 more than the S7, demands a bigger pocket, and shares 99% of its DNA with the standard S7. So is it worth it?
Your head may tell you to pick the S7, but your heart urges you to go for the S7 Edge!
At the cutting Edge - again
One year ago, Samsung pleased us with the all-metal-and-glass design of its Galaxy S6 phone, and wowed us with the curved screen of the S6 Edge. Although the Edge didn't do much more than the normal S6, it looked so futuristic and sexy that we just couldn't stop playing with it. But it was hard to justify paying the extra £100 for the Edge design, even though it was just as hard not to resist its lure.
This year, things are different. The Edge is edgier. And significantly bigger. That £100 price difference doesn't look like such a big deal this time round.
Whereas the Galaxy S7 isn't very different in design to the S6, the S7 has changed significantly, and all for the best. It's bigger, with a show-stopping 5.5 inch screen, is waterproof, and has a reworked shape, with curves that make it easier to hold despite its increased size.
Yes, it's a big phone to handle, and heavier than last year's model, but it's slightly slimmer than the S7 and only a few grams heavier, so it actually feels lighter. The rear camera is much more flush this time, fixing one of the minor gripes we had with last year's design. And the S7 Edge is water-resistant, conforming to the IP68 standard.
That display is simply stunning in every way. 5.5 inches is exactly the same size as the screen on the Apple iPhone 6s Plus (surely no coincidence?), but where the Apple has a mere 1080p resolution, the S7 Edge has a Quad HD display with a much higher 534 ppi pixel density (the 6s Plus has 401ppi). And as always, Samsung's Super AMOLED technology renders unbelievably sharp, saturated and detailed images.
The phone supports one-touch fingerprint recognition, and comes in a choice of Gold Platinum, Black Onyx or Silver Titanium.
Update (11 June 2016): From today, the Samsung S7 Edge is also available in White or Pink.
Update (21 February 2017): The other colours are now joined by a Blue Coral version, and the price has been reduced in readiness for the launch of the Galaxy S8.
New Edge functionality
The Edge may still be to some extent a gimmick, but Samsung has worked hard to give it new functionality this time round, with more apps accessible from the edge, and greater productivity and shortcuts. It now gives you an Apps Edge, a Task Edge, and a People Edge, with handy features like a ruler. The display is always on, showing notifications and the time and date.
Other features
Apart from the curved screen and larger size, the S7 Edge is mostly the same as the S7. Read our S7 review to find out more. In summary the features are:
- Android 6.0 Marshmallow
- Exynos 8-core processor - maximum speed of 2.6GHz
- 4GB RAM
- 32GB memory, plus a microSD card slot
- 12 megapixel f/1.7 camera with dual pixel phase-detection autofocus - giving significantly better results in low lighting and almost instant autofocus
- 5 megapixel front camera with wide selfie mode and selfie flash
- 3,600mAh battery (compared with 3,000mAh on Galaxy S7)
GearVR
The new Samsung GearVR is designed to work with the Galaxy S7 to give a virtual reality experience. This promises a rich and immersive gaming and entertainment experience.
Conclusion - even more of an Edge
Last year we agonised over whether to recommend the S6 or S6 Edge. The Edge was the one we preferred, but the extra price was hard to justify on any rational basis. This year, the balance has shifted in favour of the S7 Edge over the S7.
The Edge costs £100 more, but gives you a truly big screen experience, plus a bigger battery to keep it going throughout the day (or several days.)
The S7 Edge is a worthy upgrade to the S6 or S6 Edge. As well as the stunning design and screen, it brings a number of refinements that are all well worth having - the faster processor, the memory card option, the enhanced photography and the bigger battery. Samsung has taken a phone that was close to perfection, and refined it further. We couldn't really ask for any more.
Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge features include:
- Operating System: Android 6.0 Marshmallow
- 12 megapixel camera with LED flash, f/1.7, autofocus, optical image stabilisation, digital zoom, UHD 4K video recording
- 5 megapixel front camera
- Display: 5.5 inch Super AMOLED, Quad HD, 1440 x 2560 pixels
- IP68 water resistance
- One-touch fingerprint sensor
- Processor: Exynos 8890 processor with 4GB RAM
- Memory: 32GB, plus microSD card up to 200GB
- Connectivity: Wi-Fi, Wi-Fi Direct, Bluetooth 4.2, micro USB 2.0, 3.5mm audio jack, NFC, ANT+
- Networks: LTE 4G, HSPA+, EDGE / GPRS
- Size: 151 x 73 x 7.7 mm
- Weight: 157g
- Battery: 3600mAh battery with Qi wireless charging
User questions
Sorry - questions and comments on this page are now closed.
Will there be an official Cyanogen Mod Rom For Galaxy S7 Edge?
Asked by
John Augustine
from Pakistan
on 17th Nov 2016
Is there any chance to get any official support from CM rom for Galaxy
S7 edge exynos version.
Please really need to know.
Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge user reviews
Sorry - reviews and comments on this page are now closed.