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Review: Samsung Galaxy S6/S6 Edge: the one to beat?

By Andre Schild, ITWeb contributor.
Johannesburg, 21 Apr 2015

For years, Samsung has succeeded with its characteristic approach to smartphones, combining modern hardware with feature-laden software, wrapped up in a plastic, non-premium housing. Although it made money doing so, profits and market share started to drop in 2014, meaning the South Korean company had to make serious changes.

The result can be seen in its new flagship phones: Galaxy S6 and S6 Edge. So how do they stack up to other high-end smartphones?

Look and feel: metal and glass

When Samsung introduced its Galaxy S5, in February 2014, it was all about its features and possibilities. The device housed a heart rate sensor, fast camera and was waterproof. Its look and feel, however, was something Samsung was tight-lipped about. Since its philosophy used to be "function over form", it's not surprising the company was reluctant to talk about the phone's exterior.

With the Galaxy S6 and S6 Edge, that concept has been thrown overboard - both devices come in luxurious casings made of metal and glass (brands like HTC and Apple have had this for years).

To get rid of that typical Samsung-plastic image, the devices feature an aluminium frame covered with Gorilla Glass 4 on the back and front. It looks a lot more luxurious than the other plastic-based Samsung phones, like its predecessor, the S5. It feels more comfortable in the hand, mainly due to the light curving of the metal frame around the phone. It enables a firm grip on the device and makes swiping along the edges of the screen easy and pleasant. Both S6 models feel solid and durable.

The tiny speaker grill Samsung used to position on the backside has been relocated to the bottom, which makes it less likely to be covered. The speaker is able to produce sound at a decent volume and a more-than-acceptable quality level.

The S6 and S6 Edge come in four colours: black, white, gold and turquoise. The colour varies slightly depending on the angle you look at it - a nice touch.

The glass backside is a collector of greasy fingerprints, which is especially the case with the black version. Another drawback of the glass back is its relatively high vulnerability. Although the handsets have been fitted with scratch-resistant Gorilla Glass, it will definitely shatter at high impact. Other high-end smartphones like the metal-backed iPhone and the S5 (plastic) don't have this problem.

The Samsung devices feature a heart-rate sensor on the back, next to the camera, but we weren't impressed with its accuracy. The sensor can also be used to take a picture with the front-facing camera. By tapping the sensor, the device snaps a picture. While far from flawless, this feature has proven more useful than the heart-rate sensor itself.

Just like with the S5, the home-button at the front-bottom of the device doubles as a fingerprint reader. The big difference is this one works like it should, intuitively. There's no need to swipe your finger (multiple times) to unlock the device, just a gentle tap on the button does the trick.

In practice, the new fingerprint reader functions exactly as that on Apple iPhone 6, meaning perfectly. The fingerprint reader is great for business users whose corporate security policy requires them to use biometric authentication.

Unfortunately, Samsung made some design choices not all business users will appreciate. Firstly, there is no option to increase the storage capacity using a micro SD-card. This shortcoming is somewhat compensated for by the standard 32GB of storage space and included 100GB free online storage with Microsoft OneDrive. Secondly, the battery is non-replaceable so there is no way to double its battery life by replacing the empty battery with a full one during a long business trip or overseas flight.

Does the Edge have the edge?

The Galaxy S6 Edge's exterior is largely identical to that of the standard S6. Both feature an aluminium frame combined with a glass front and backside. The main difference is the S6 Edge's curved screen. Most of the people we showed the S6 Edge to were amazed by its display and found it to be innovative and futuristic. But what does it actually do?

The curved screen distinguishes the S6 Edge from all other mobile smartphones, but unfortunately also makes it less pleasant to hold when compared to the standard S6. Because the screen takes up a part of the metal frame on the side of the device, it doesn't have the same great feel in the hand as the S6. On top of that, the edges around the Edge feel slightly sharper than the standard S6, also making it a bit less comfortable to hold. Bottom line: the unique, edged screen has a marginally negative effect on the ergonomics of the device.

The device has some unique features that cannot be found on the conventional S6.

The first is what Samsung's marketing machine likes to call the People Edge, which is a small menu that can be accessed by swiping from the curved edge inwards to the centre of the screen. This feature only works on the home screen and in the overview of installed apps. The People Edge feature provides a vertical list with profile pictures from favourite contacts, each in its own unique colour. By tapping a contact, you can make a quick call or send a message. The idea behind the People Edge function is simple and well-implemented. We're not sure why Samsung didn't put it in the standard S6 as well, since the edges don't seem to offer any substantial advantages.

The second unique feature might prove handy when in a meeting. If the S6 Edge is put on its screen, and somebody calls you, the edges animate the specific colour that belongs to one of your contacts. That way you can see who's calling during a business meeting, without actually having to pick up the device. To decline the call, simply tap the heart rate sensor on the back.

The third unique feature builds on something we came across earlier on the Galaxy Note Edge device. One of the edges can be used to display a small strip containing information, while the rest of the screen is turned off. By swiping this small information strip, you can see the time, weather forecast, notifications or the latest news headlines. Unfortunately, this feature doesn't work well since most swipes are not registered properly by the S6 Edge. It also takes too long for the information strip to display. Ultimately, simply pressing the home button will show the time or weather much quicker.

Hardware and benchmarks: real powerhouse

Instead of using Qualcomm's Snapdragon system-on-a-chip (SOC), like with Galaxy S4 and S5, Samsung chose to use its own Exynos chip to power both S6 models. This is mainly due to the Snapdragon 810 SOC being manufactured using a 20nm process, while Samsung has switched its own production process to a more advanced 14nm FinFET technology.

This new 14nm Exynos 7420 chip houses eight cores and supports 64-bit technology. It uses the big.LITTLE architecture that automatically and seamlessly moves workloads to the appropriate cores. During light workload, the four energy-efficient 1.5GHz Cortex A53 cores kick in, while with heavy workload the four 2GHz Cortex A57 cores take over. All eight cores are directly connected to 3GB of next-generation, ultra-fast LPDDR4 RAM. This new, state-of-the-art memory technology should, in theory, reach the same speeds as modern SSD storage devices. For graphics, Samsung chose an octa-core Mali-T760 GPU that has each core running up to 772MHz.

Based on these impressive specifications, the Galaxy S6 and S6 Edge should prove a genuine powerhouse and set some great test scores. To measure real-life processing power, we ran both devices through a series of benchmarks. Two were generic system tests while one focused on the graphical performance. Test results were then compared to those of other high-end smartphones of competitive brands like the Apple iPhone 6 and HTC One M9.

Geekbench simulates real-world business and consumer scenarios to determine maximal performance. It showed us the devices are by far the fastest high-end smartphones available. They are even able to easily outperform the new HTC One M9 device, which already proved to be a powerhouse.

Next up is the AnTuTu benchmark, which also measures the CPU, RAM, GPU and I/O performance like Geekbench. It shows somewhat similar rankings. Both S6 models have no trouble beating all the other high-end smartphones. Sony's Xperia Z3 again proved to be the slowest of the bunch.

Last, but not least, is GFXBench 3.0 (Manhattan, on-screen test), a benchmark that specifically targets GPU performance. This time, Samsung's new phones don't seem to be king of the hill. Both the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus, as well as HTC's new One M9, are significantly better at rendering complex 3D-graphics. In their defence, both S6 models have more pixels to address (2 550 x 1 440) than the iPhones and One M9.

So how do all these charts and numbers convert to actual, real-life business use? They mean the S6 and S6 Edge are an absolute pleasure to work with, even for the most demanding business users that run dozens of heavy apps simultaneously. Navigating through the menus, features, apps and screens is smooth as silk, no matter how much multitasking you are doing. Although the S6 (Edge) does not have the fastest in graphics, it is still more than capable of smoothly running the newest 3D games or apps with relative ease.

Battery life: full workday plus overtime

When Samsung unveiled the S6 and S6 Edge, we were surprised they featured less battery capacity (2 550mAh/2 600mAh) than their predecessor (2 800mAh), especially since they offer four more processing cores and higher screen resolution. Usually, these kinds of hardware upgrades are accompanied by a proportional increase in battery capacity. We figure Samsung must have given a higher priority to a thin design over great battery life. To put things into perspective, the Huawei Ascend Mate 7 has the biggest battery with a 4 100mAh capacity while the iPhone 6 houses the one with the lowest capacity (1 810mAh).

We ran two separate battery torture tests, aimed at draining the battery as fast as possible by using two scenarios: simulating continuous business use, and playing a 1 080p video until there was no energy left. These tests effectively create a worst-case scenario - the minimum time you can expect the phone to function.

When used for continuous business use, the S6 lasts for seven hours and 50 minutes and the S6 Edge for seven hours and 30 minutes on a fully charged battery. Since a regular office day includes some idle time, both Galaxy models will easily last an eight-hour workday and still have enough juice left for one to two hours of overtime. Taking into account that both S6 models offer a high-resolution screen, eight processing cores and a relatively low capacity battery, this is an impressive achievement.

From experience, we've found smartphones using Amoled-technology can last for a long time while displaying video. The S6 and S6 Edge are no exception. On a fully charged battery, the S6 can continuously show HD-video for 12 hours and 20 minutes, beating the Apple iPhone 6 (Plus) and HTC's One M9. The S6 Edge can last for 13 hours and 40 minutes, which is excellent.

Both S6 models support fast-charging technology, and the required charger is included with the device. Both models also support wireless charging by using an optional charging pad. According to our test, it takes a completely drained S6 and S6 Edge around 35 minutes to reach a 50% charged battery when using the included, wired fast-charging power adapter. The separately sold wireless charger takes 105 minutes to get a fully-drained S6 to 50% battery capacity.

Screen: pixel perfect

Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge

Pros: High performance, impressive screen, great camera, useful fingerprint reader, fast charging
Cons: Expensive, slightly lesser ergonomic than S6, storage capacity can't be expanded, non-replaceable battery
Dimensions: 142.1 x 70.1 x 7mm
Weight: 132g
Storage: 32GB/64GB/128GB
Screen: 5.1-inch (2 560 x 1 440, 577 pixels per inch)
Connectivity: USB, 3G, 4G (+)/LTE (Cat 6), Bluetooth, WiFi, NFC, IR
Sensors: GPS, light, gyroscope, accelerometer, proximity, compass, barometer, fingerprint, heart rate
Camera: 16MP rear (OIS, LED flash, auto-focus), 5MP front
Processor: 2.10GHz Samsung Exynos 7420 (64-bit, octa-core)
RAM: 3GB
Rating: 8/10
Price: R14 200 (Vodacom), R10 600 (Orange) for 32GB model
Availability: Now
Product page: http://is.gd/hhVlML

Samsung left the screen size of both S6 devices exactly the same as the S5, which is 5.1-inch. The number of pixels, however, has been significantly increased from 1 920 x 1 080 (full-HD) to 2 560 x 1 440 (Quad-HD). These numbers all add up to a pixel density of 577ppi.

Although these specifications may sound impressive, the actual benefit of the increased resolution is nearly impossible to detect with the naked eye. As a result, the incredibly high resolution puts more strain on the device's performance and battery life without offering anything substantial in return. Nonetheless, the picture it produces is excellent while both text and images look razor-sharp.

To accurately determine the quality of the Samsung-manufactured, Amoled-screen we used our SpectraCal C6 colorimeter to measure brightness, contrast and colour reproduction. It showed us both devices are capable of displaying extremely high brightness levels of 645cd/m^2 (S6) and 680cd/m^2 (S6 Edge). As a result, you won't have any problem seeing the screen in bright sunlight. Only Sony's Xperia Z3 (651cd/m^2) can match these values. All the other high-end devices in this review offer brightness ranging from 440cd/m^2 (Huawei Ascend Mate 7) to 575cd/m^2 (Galaxy S5).

Because both S6 models use Amoled screen technology, and therefore lack backlighting, their contrast values are impressive. All colours look vivid and alive.

Finally, we measured how accurately both smartphones are able to reproduce colours. By default, both models are set to a dynamic, adaptive setting that adjusts colours according to what is shown on-screen. As a result, all colours, saturation and sharpness are over-optimised for our taste. However, when manually set to the basic setting, the colour reproduction is stunningly spot-on, according to our measuring equipment. Although the colour reproduction of the standard S6 is already good, that of the S6 Edge is near perfect, making it by far the most accurately calibrated smartphone screen we've come across.

Camera: fast and accurate

In our Samsung Galaxy Note 4 review last year, we concluded the device featured an excellent 16MP rear camera with optical image stabilisation. That same technology is now being used in the rear camera of the S6 and S6 Edge, but it has been enhanced with an even better image signal processor (ISP) and also offers increased light sensitivity. The Galaxy Note 4 used a focal ratio of f/2.2 while the new S6 models use an enhanced f/1.9 version. As a result, more light can reach the sensor, which, in turn, results in less digital artefacts, higher picture detail and ultimately better photos.

Apart from a new sensor and lens, all the other enhancements are software-based. One of the biggest improvements over the S5 is the speed at which the rear camera is ready for action. Undoubtedly, this is the result of the S6's snappy hardware. Just press the home button twice and the S6 is instantly ready to shoot some pictures. This even works when the phone is locked and the screen is turned off. Like the Note 4, the camera on the S6 uses phase detection autofocus, so getting the right focus is fast and accurate.

The camera also features some interesting options like slow/fast motion, virtual shot, panorama, selective focus and a new Pro mode, which enables you to manually adjust settings like focus distance, white balance and ISO-values. Once picked, personal favourite settings can be saved as a preset.

Samsung Galaxy S6

Pros: High performance, excellent screen, great camera, useful fingerprint reader, fast charging
Cons: Storage capacity can't be expanded, non-replaceable battery
Dimension: 143.4 x 70.5 x 6.8mm
Weight: 138g
Storage: 32GB/64GB/128GB
Screen: 5.1-inch (2 560 x 1 440, 577 pixels per inch)
Connectivity: USB, 3G, 4G (+)/LTE (Cat 6), Bluetooth, WiFi, NFC, IR
Sensors: GPS, light, gyroscope, accelerometer, proximity, compass, barometer, fingerprint, heart rate
Camera: 16MP rear (OIS, LED flash, auto-focus), 5MP frontProcessor: 2.10GHz Samsung Exynos 7420 (64-bit, octa-core)
RAM: 3GB
Rating: 9/10
Price:
R10 900 (Vodacom), R8 900 (Orange) for 32GB model
Availability: Now

The rear camera of both S6 models can also shoot video at 4K resolution. In that mode, however, optical image stabilisation is switched off. Therefore, it's better to capture video in 1 920 x 180 (full-HD), which also enables you to set the frame rate to 60fps. By selecting the slow-motion settings, the S6 can record video at 120fps, although the resolution then drops to 1 280 x 720 pixels.

The 5MP front camera on both S6 models offers enough quality to be used for important Skype calls with colleagues or business contacts. Like with most front cameras of modern high-end smartphones, quality diminishes under low-light situations. However, given ample light, the front cam is able to deliver relative high-quality photos and videos.

In the end, the camera on board of the S6 and S6 Edge really impressed us. It can take some stunning, high-quality pictures as fast as a bullet.

Verdict

Samsung traditionally makes many promises each year ahead of launching new phones, but often fails to deliver. This year, with the S6 and S6 Edge, it did.

Both look and feel great, are incredibly fast, offer good battery life, deliver a stunning screen, feature a great camera and house a fingerprint reader that finally works like a charm. Samsung's new flagship phone is by far the best high-end Android smartphone available in SA.

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