GADGETGIZMO
REVIEW The Galaxy
S7 edge
SAMSUNG
SHARPENS ITS EDGE
The
Galaxy S7 edge is a device that ticks all the right boxes. It's got the best of
hardware, screen, style and camera performance. It's our pick for the best
Android phablet right now
The
stakes were raised last year -when the Galaxy S6 and S6 edge first made an
appearance. Both those phones were massive improvements over their predecessors
and we loved them. They had great design, fantastic cameras, superb screens,
blistering performance, slick software and were full of useful features. Which
is why we were delighted to see and use the S7 and S7 edge -they take the same
excellent design, refine it further while adding in the latest hardware and
improving the camera. Rather than have three versions like last year, Samsung
chose to have just two: the more conventional S7 and the larger edge, with the
curved edges.
Apart
from the overall better design and hardware improvements, there are two key
changes in philosophy. First, the micro SD card slot is back and this is a big
deal. There is only a 32GB version and you can add more storage at a reasonable
price. Second, both phones are completely waterproof -an even bigger deal. You
might remember that the Galaxy S5 was waterproof too but it had some ugly
plastic flaps covering the ports and the back panel had to be securely attached
to keep out the water (since it had rubber seals). This time, the phone is
sealed from the inside and the ports (3.5mm, micro USB) are open.Its IP68 rated,
which means that you can comfortably take it to the pool, bathtub or seaside
without a worry. And if you want to capture photos underwater, just use the
volume buttons (the touchscreen won't work). There are some reports of the
speaker distorting after a dip in water, but we found that performance was
restored when allowed to dry out.
The best
things about the S7 are easy to spot. Straight off the bat, the S7 edge has the
best screen in the business. There's no doubt about it! Samsung amoleds are a
cut above and they seem to push the boundaries with every new version.Anything
you see on the screen will look better -it's just that simple. The cameras have
some major upgrades too. For starters, the unsightly camera hump on the back
has almost gone. Resolution has dropped to 12 Megapixels (which means larger
pixels), the aperture is f1.7 (the widest in the business), optical image
stabilisation is present and it has something called dual pixel focusing.This
means every pixel on the sensor is cable of focusing and the results are clear
to see! In any sort of light, you'll get great results in an instant. The wide
aperture and larger pixels especially shine in low light -pit it against any
phone on the market and you'll see the difference. It's hard not to be amazed
at the kind of photos this phone captures -it's really an amazing
accomplishment. With the front camera, you'll appreciate the wide field of
view, low noise and accurate colours. Even the 4k video is stunning, thanks to
the quick focusing and dynamic range that the sensor offers. With a little bit
of video editing skills, you could shoot a movie and viewers will think that
it's captured by a high-end video camera.
As for
the device itself, it's got some gorgeous design and materials. There's Gorilla
Glass 4 front and back. The performance is exceptional -we got an AnTuTu score
of over 130,000. We also liked the game Launcher and game tools -a feature that
aggregates games and adds a floating button to perform game related functions,
while in the middle of a game. Battery life on this one is great too. You'll
consistently get 5.5hrs of screen on time. So why does micro USB stay on? Quite
simple rea l l y : b e c a u s e o f Samsung's investments in virtual reality.
The Gear VR headset uses micro USB and the new devices this year (Galaxy S7, S7
edge and presumably Note 6) will be compatible with it.T his means that the
Gear VR is compatible with a total of 6 devices for far: S6, S6 edge, S6 edge+,
Note 5, S7 & S7 edge. Incidentally, Samsung will also be launching the Gear
360 camera soon.
There are
a few things we didn't like.The curved touchscreen can be too sensitive, often
rejecting touches because it senses your grip on the sides. It's also slippery
and a fingerprint magnet. The speaker volume is a bit low and sometimes sounds
muffled, likely due to waterproofing. The fingerprint sensor is fast, but speed
and accuracy is not 100%.And finally, Samsung tends to load some redundant
apps: there are two browsers, Gmail + email, Google + S Voice, Google Photos +
Samsung gallery.
But these
are tiny hiccups in a sea of awesomeness. The S7 edge is an impressive feat:
it's got that killer combination of looks and performance that will put it at
the top of any wishlist. We highly recommend it!
Hitesh.Bhagat@timesgroup.com
ET23MAR16
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