Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge Review

In 2016, Samsung made more of a refresh to its Galaxy S lineup than an overhaul. Actually, from the surface, consumers would be hard-pressed to tell anything has changed. But once you dive into the details, there’s quite a bit of worthy improvements.

This is especially true of the S7 Edge, which now boasts a phablet-sized display and a much larger battery. Is it now the perfect Android smartphone? Let’s find out in our Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge review.

WHY IT’S A TOP PICK: Leading hardware components and unique curved glass design.

What We Liked:

• Bright and vibrant S-AMOLED curved display is a sight to behold
• Dual Pixel camera auto-focus is lightning fast and impressive even in low-light
• Samsung reintroduced microSD expansion and IP68 water/dust-proofing into the Galaxy S line

What We Didn’t:

• The glass construction makes the Galaxy S7 Edge one of the more fragile smartphones out there
• Samsung’s TouchWiz user interface still bogs down the software experience

Design

Samsung debuted its fancy dual-edge curved screen concept last year on the Galaxy S6 Edge, and it seems to have been a worthwhile investment, because this year we’re back with the familiar-looking S7 Edge. Design-wise, little has changed, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing. Samsung’s combination of glass panels and a metal frame still makes for one of the sexiest smartphones out there.

However, this time, the Edge got a sizable display increase, to 5.5″ (compared to its predecessor’s 5.1″ screen). For some reason Samsung thought this move was fitting on the S7 Edge but not on its sibling, the non-curved Galaxy S7, which still remains at 5.1″.

Read: Samsung Galaxy S7 Review

The front and back panels are still Gorilla Glass 4 protected. Our unit is the Silver Titanium (new this year) and it has this mirror-like shine for some superb eye-candy.

That said, Samsung’s design still leaves fingerprints like no tomorrow. Also, you’ll have to be extra careful on the surface you set it down. Although Gorilla Glass 4 is scratch-resistant, they can still happen. The glass also makes the phone slippery in-hand (and you certainly don’t want to drop a device made from glass). The sloped edges don’t help this fact, as they decrease the grip on the sides. We strongly recommend to use this phone with a case.

Two subtle but notable design changes from last year are a curved back (on the sides, like on the Galaxy Note 5) and a more-flush camera module.

The gentle curves allow the phone to rest nicely in the hand, and the infamous camera hump is now a thing of the past. Physical button placement is unchanged. We still have metal volume buttons on the left and the power button on the right side. The size of the Home button on the front was slightly increased (for better fingerprint recognition and usability). Capacitive Back and Recent App buttons continue to light up around the Home button (and stay hidden while not in use).

The bottom of the phone is also unchanged. We still have a bottom, mono speaker and 3.5mm headphone jack. A notable mention is that Samsung forewent the newest USB Type-C standard for charging/data and keeps on with the tried and true microUSB port. The competition have moved on, so this may be a concern to those who like to be on the cutting edge.

The top is mostly bare, save for antenna lines, a microphone, and SIM tray. Thankfully, Samsung listened to customers and reintroduced microSD expansion (added as a slot on the SIM tray). Not only that, but water/dust resistance is also back (debuted on the Galaxy S5 but taken away on the S6). The entire phone is sealed up tightly with an IP68 rating (can theoretically survive up to 5 feet of water for up to 30 minutes).

Display

Samsung’s Super-AMOLED displays are a sight to behold. It can be said (arguably) that these panels substantially surpass competitor’s displays, and I believe it. The colors are vivid, images are sharp, and the panel can get super bright. I have no issue whatsoever with outdoor visibility.

The curved screen on the sides amplifies the screen’s eye-candy. It’s certainly subtle, and many should question if it’s worth it (the Edge variant runs about $100 more), but it does add an extra dimension to images. It looks like content falls off the edges, similar to an infinity pool.

However, this neat feature still bears the same ergonomic issue from last year. When handling the phone, your fingers get very close to touching the display, and many times does by accident.

Camera

The S7 Edge’s camera is another standout feature. Samsung didn’t have to, but made substantial improvements (at a slight cost of megapixels, now at 12MP). The sensor is brand new, and is thinner, has larger pixels, and even faster auto-focus (AF). The lens’ aperture is larger, at f/1.7, and the pixel size is 1.4µm. This means that low-light performance is stellar. Additionally, Samsung introduced a focusing system dubbed Dual Pixel. In short, each of the sensor’s pixels are split in half and can assist in focusing. This makes AF lightning quick; you can barely see it happen.

Galaxy S7 Edge Review Final Thoughts

At first glance, it may not seem like the S7 Edge is a worthy upgrade, but we found a different story in our experience. Small phone lovers may not like the size increase, but we feel it was a benefit. The phone’s handling is improved (more material to grip onto) and we now have a considerable battery. Put this together with a brillant S-AMOLED display and an amazingly fast, high quality camera, and you have yourself a winner.

Some may still not prefer the TouchWiz UI, and I can sympathize with that. But fortunately, it’s not as bad as before. Also, the curved edges and slippery glass back don’t make for the most ergonomic phone design. Our recommendation is to slap on a case and you’re set.

Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge Specs

Display	5.5" Super-AMOLED QHD (2560x1440)
Chipset	Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 (quad-core, 2.15 GHz)
Memory	4GB of RAM
Storage	32GB/64GB internal and up to 200GB microSD expansion
Rear Camera	12MP Dual Pixel, f/1.7 aperture, 1.4µm pixels
Front Camera	5MP, f/1.7 aperture
Battery	3,600 mAh (non-removeable)
Software	Android 6.0.1 with TouchWiz user interface
Colors	Black, White, Silver, Gold (depending the market)
Price	$792