Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge review: pros and cons. Cameras – front and main

Live photos

Specifications

• Android 6.0.1, TouchWiz 2016
• Display 5.5 inches, QHD resolution, SuperAMOLED, automatic adjustment backlight, Always On function, different modes works, Corning Gorilla Glass 4,
• 4 GB random access memory, 32/64 GB built-in, memory card up to 200 GB
• nanoSIM (there will be options for 2 SIM cards, then the memory card in the combined slot will not be available)
• Exynos 8890 chipset, 8 cores up to 1.8 GHz per core, MALI T880 MP12 graphics coprocessor (in some countries there is an option for Qualcomm Snapdragon 820)
• LTE cat12/13 support with software update, operator support also required
• Front-camera 5 megapixels, flash (screen), BRITECELL main camera, 12 megapixels, time-lapse shooting, slow-motion, video effects, 4K video
• Wi-Fi: 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac (2.4/5GHz), HT80 MIMO(2x2) 620Mbps, Dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct, Mobile hotspot, Bluetooth®: v4.2, A2DP, LE, apt-X, ANT+, USB 2.0, NFC
• Wireless charging built into case (WPC1.1(4.6W Output) & PMA 1.0(4.2W)
• Li-Ion battery 3600 mAh, extreme power saving mode, fast charging in one hour up to 70 percent

Contents of delivery

• Telephone
• Charger (Fast Adaptive Charge) with USB cable
• Instructions
• Wired stereo headset
• SIM tray clip

Positioning

In 2015, there were changes within Samsung that affected the positioning of devices, their release schedule and what the company was doing. In particular, for flagships they experimented when they abandoned memory cards (Apple doesn’t, and no one is complaining!), made the cases monolithic, and this scared off many consumers. The fact that two models appeared on the market at once - S6 and S6 EDGE, in same size body, but one with a side edge and the other without, confused the situation even more.

The very first sales showed that the fashionable EDGE is in overwhelming demand, while the simple S6 is not so popular. The difference in demand did not affect the total sales volume, but rather their distribution in the S6/S6 EDGE pair. The shortage of EDGE was noticeable during the first three months; the company did not have time to produce matrices for them and was forced to launch additional production.

In the fall, Samsung released another pair of flagships – Note 5/S6 EDGE Plus. If Samsung traditionally considered the Note line to be flagships, then in 2015 they deviated from this rule and made the image device the main one; it was promoted in all markets, while Note 5 was initially released in small quantities in Asia, South Korea and the USA. Then they started selling it everywhere, but this created confusion in the perception of what is considered a real flagship, what is their difference and what to look at.

In 2016, EDGE is actually released simultaneously with S7, this is the same device, only with a larger diagonal. They abandoned the small EDGE because they don’t see much point in it; the choice will now be between the regular flat S7 and the large S7 EDGE. As for me, this approach looks more logical than two devices of the same size.

I often get asked what will happen to the Note line. There are rumors that it was abandoned and will no longer exist. I will repeat the words of Mark Twain, paraphrasing them: rumors of the death of Note are greatly exaggerated. Moreover, this device, namely Note 6, is once again becoming a flagship in the full sense of the word and will be a key new product in the fall of 2016. It implements a number of innovations that were not included in the S7, and it will be the most powerful device possible at the time of release, and for the next year at least. That is, good old Note line comes back to us again.

And the S7/S7 EDGE are destined to become the key models of the next six months and one of the most interesting flagships in which there are no compromises. For these devices, the story of the S6/S6 EDGE is apparently repeating itself, but at a new stage of market development. Pre-orders in Europe and Russia showed that the main demand is for the S7 EDGE; buyers perceived this particular model as the key one. In Russia, for every two S7 EDGE there is one S7, despite the difference in cost in favor of the latter. This suggests that the large screen and unusual shape screens prevail, people also choose big battery. Perhaps the S7 EDGE is the most interesting and uncompromising flagship in 2016, this device has all the technologies you can imagine.

Design, body materials

I have already become accustomed to the eternal groaning of those who are dissatisfied for any reason or without. For example, when any flagship comes out, there is always a group of those who don’t like the design, body materials, and so on. As a rule, they do not belong to the category of potential buyers, but simply like to communicate online. Perhaps the exceptions are products from Sony and HTC, which hardly change in appearance from year to year, which creates complaints. For Samsung in 2015, the redesign of the flagships was successful; now they are all built on a metal frame, have a back surface made of Corning Gorilla Glass 4. In 2016, nothing changes, except that the glass on the front and back panels becomes 2.5D ( this is fashion and nothing more, now all companies make such glass with a curve). Samsung, in order to position itself differently from its competitors, calls 3D glass, they have reasons for this; no one uses such bends for Gorilla Glass 4 in their products.

Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 Edge

Galaxy S7 Edge and Galaxy S6 Edge Plus

Galaxy S7 Edge and Galaxy Note 5

As you can see, these smartphones are completely identical in appearance to the 2015 flagships; it will be difficult to see the differences. Moreover, the same A-series of 2016 looks similar to these devices, only the colors will differ, due to which they will try to highlight the older models. But it is difficult in real life to distinguish the richness of the color of the case, to notice what kind of device a person uses. Good design, which has been reproduced in a dozen models, quickly becomes boring. And, perhaps, it is precisely this moment that will stop many; people will think that it will be difficult to stand out with the help of such a device. As I see the situation, Samsung switched to a two-year design cycle, like Apple, but decided to play counterbalance, that is, change the appearance of the handsets not in the same year as Apple. In that year iPhone 7 will have a different appearance, but the Galaxy S7 will resemble its predecessor.

From the point of view of color solutions, the black device (Black Onyx) looks more interesting; the gold color is somewhat boring in the previous model. And most people order a black phone.

In total, these are the colors available for now, but they will not appear in all markets at the same time.

Now a few words about dreams about a collapsible body. This model does not and will not have it; the design itself does not involve replacing the battery yourself. But this can be done anywhere service center. The second point is protection from water. Just like the Galaxy S5, it returns again in Samsung devices, and in all flagships. The protection standard is IP68, phones can be drowned, and nothing will happen to them. There is impregnation of the components on the board with a special solution that repels water (they like to use it in Motorola phones), but the design itself does not allow water to get inside; there are special membranes on the speakers and microphones.

And this is how they protected the microUSB connector so that water does not get inside, and if this does happen due to an impact, then there is a special controller that prevents short circuits.

All metal surfaces have undergone additional anti-corrosion treatment. In the picture you can see painted parts that were additionally protected from water.

We conducted an IP68 test and the phone passed it with ease. There are no problems with it, watch the video. I would like to note right away that in order for the speakers to not sound dull after water, the device must be dry; this is a simple logic that for some reason is not clear to some people.

Pay attention to how the tray for the SIM card and memory card is designed; it has a rubberized insert that is lower than the top edge. As a result, dust from pockets quickly accumulates here, but it does not penetrate inside the phone. The peculiarity of its protection affects it. Some may not like this from an aesthetic point of view, but there is no problem, since dust does not penetrate inside the case and cannot get there.

The case has increased slightly in size, this is a consequence of both the larger battery in the S7 and a different frame design, it was made stronger so that the device could withstand serious falls (6013 aluminum alloy). I have absolutely no complaints about the latest generations of Galaxy regarding resistance to falls. They immediately completely recalculated the location of the components and parts of the phone to ensure even greater survivability and safety of the glass that covers the screen and back surface. There are no miracles in the world, and any device can be broken, but users of the Galaxy/Note line know that they have very reliable devices that are difficult to break.

Due to the fact that now back panel The phone has a bevel, holding the S7 EDGE in your hands is much more pleasant than its predecessor, no cutting parts, nothing even remotely in the way. Excellent tactile devices. The glass gets dirty, you have to come to terms with it, another thing is that hand marks are not so noticeable and can be easily erased.

One of the disadvantages of the black version is the speaker grille, which is also painted black. The paint wears off in a few weeks in the pocket, and white metal appears. In the gold color of the case it is simply not noticeable, it creates the feeling that everything is correct, but here it is clearly visible. In my opinion, this is an obvious drawback, but it cannot be called critical.

To prevent the device from heating up, a special system cooling. Look at her description.

Memory type, RAM, memory cards

When Samsung decided to stop producing its flagships with memory cards, the company reasoned that memory capacity of 32, 64 and 128 GB would, in theory, be enough for anyone. In practice, the company got confused in logistics, and the 32 GB devices appeared first, then the 64 GB ones, but the 128 GB models turned out to be difficult to find, and few of them were produced. This is a fundamental difference from Apple, where you can buy a device with any amount of memory and they are always in stock. Therefore, the experiment inside Samsung was considered unsuccessful, and the groan of consumers turned out to be so loud that all Samsung top managers felt it.

Apparently, in order to please people, you must first take something away from them. This happened with memory cards; they were removed in 2015 and they realized what a mistake it was in 2016. Now memory cards have been returned to all flagships, you can use them of almost any size. The 200 GB card is recognized and works. Later, support for 2 TB memory cards may appear, there is no reason not to do this, there are no technical restrictions.

The main models will be those that offer 32 GB of internal memory, while 64 GB devices will become less common. I think that there is nothing wrong with this and users will choose exactly such solutions.

Since in Samsung smartphones uses fast UFS 2.0 memory, the company had to abandon proprietary Android features 6 – combining memory cards and internal memory into a single array. This is necessary for those who do not intend to use their memory card anywhere else, but only in one phone. The risks of this are quite high, if the memory card fails, you will lose most of your data, if not all, except for those stored in the cloud.

As a result, Samsung decided to make an intermediate solution. You get 24 GB of space out of 32 GB, while 8 GB is system and space for working with external memory, for example, it is used as a buffer when recording video, cache and other system functions. But, as before, you can transfer most of the applications to a memory card without storing them in the internal memory of your smartphone. As a result, there are no de facto restrictions; you can use your smartphone as you please.

The type of RAM has not changed; these are chips built on 20 nm technology; we first saw them a year ago. Peak data transfer speed is 3.2 Gb/s, which can be considered the maximum speed in mobile devices in the next year, or even a year and a half. The amount of RAM has increased to 4 GB.

The memory manager, which appeared in the previous generation and caused complaints from many users because it unloaded applications from memory, remains. But they added an operating mode in which latest apps They are kept in RAM and unloaded only when necessary. That is, it turned out to be a kind of mixed mode: until the memory is needed, applications hang in it, and as soon as it is needed, they go into the buffer.

But due to the speed of the processor, the time it takes to load applications from the cache has been reduced by at least half; it seems that they are hanging in memory. Visually, and in feel, this is a big increase in speed in this particular aspect.

Chipset and performance

In 2015, Samsung stopped using Qualcomm in its flagships; the processors got very hot and had many flaws. In particular, it was the Snapdragon 810, which Qualcomm was able to finalize only a year after the first samples. This processor and Samsung failure it caused Qualcomm shares to collapse and even caused a wave of layoffs and a reorganization of the chipset manufacturer.

Until 2015, the prevailing stereotype said that Exynos versions of flagships were noticeably worse than their Qualcomm counterparts. Often this was not the case; they were equivalent from the point of view of the average consumer. Qualcomm has traditionally had stronger LTE modems than Samsung's own solutions. In 2016, the difference is leveled out even more, since modems on Exynos also received an update and began to work better. Are they inferior to Qualcomm? I think yes. Will you notice this difference in real life? I think no.

The vast majority of countries will receive flagships from Samsung with the Exynos version, and not with the Qualcomm 820. Operators who want to get the Qualcomm version for some reason do so consciously and for their own reasons. Among the disadvantages of the Qualcomm version, I note that the operating time is approximately 10 percent less various modes, which, with the same performance, looks like a huge difference. Also, the lesser integration of the Qualcomm chipset with the Samsung camera may affect the autofocus speed (but you most likely won’t notice it). The preferred version of the flagships will be the one that uses the Exynos 8890 inside.

Depending on the operator and/or chipset used, the letters in the model markings will differ; the standard name is SM-G935. Let's dwell a little on this processor. So, it is made on a 14 nm FinFET process, it has eight cores, and also has a new MALI T880 MP12 graphics coprocessor. In the graphics department, the processor is claimed to be 80 percent faster than the MALI-T760, while power efficiency is 40 percent higher at maximum load.

From interesting features The chipset supports LTE cat.12/13, which ensures data downloads at speeds of up to 600 Mbit/s (a 1 GB movie can be downloaded in one minute if your operator supports these categories). Check out the infographic on this processor.

In synthetic benchmarks, the Exynos version shows better performance.

The S7 EDGE wins the tests, it is the fastest device on this moment(my phones are Exynos). Look at the test results.

I would like to specifically note that new processor very fast. In every sense this is one of best processors on the market, and at the same time it has good energy efficiency, reduced energy consumption, which, together with other technical solutions makes these models very interesting.

The phone also has an additional Exynos M1 processor, which is responsible for calculating movements. Dedicating a separate, dedicated processor for this is justified. At the moment, S Health erroneously counts steps when moving in a car; shaking is perceived as walking. This defect will be corrected in the coming months.

Display

The phone has a SuperAMOLED screen, 5.5 inches, QHD resolution. There is simply nothing better on the market, and the fact that all companies are trying to switch to AMOLED and are ready to buy screens from Samsung that are several generations old only shows how good this technology is. The same Apple is preparing to use AMOLED in the iPhone, as it has seen its advantages firsthand. But users of Samsung flagships and other flagships have been receiving this technology for years and are using it to their fullest.

DisplayMate traditionally conducted a study of screens in the S7/S7 EDGE, and the result is quite interesting, the previous leader in the person of S6 EDGE Plus lost the crown, the best screens displays from mobile devices are named latest generation, nothing better simply exists in the world. , it is quite detailed and thorough.

Let's look at several technologies, each of which is not obvious, but improves the use of these devices in Everyday life. So, let's start with how screens behave in the sun, in bright sun. The S7 EDGE has no problems with this, no glare, no reflections, the brightness is automatic mode can be set to such a level that you will see bright and colorful colors, all the contents of the screen will be readable. But it depends on your preferences, however, more on that later.

Now let's imagine the unimaginable. Many people use sunglasses in the summer, many of them have polarized lenses. The problem with most screens in portable electronics is that they are hard to see, especially in normal, vertical orientation - the screen of the same iPhone 6/6s becomes darker than it actually is. Flip the screen to landscape orientation and it will be brighter. Miracle? Just the arrangement of the elements.

The screen for the Galaxy S7 EDGE took care of this “little detail” and placed the polarizing filter at an angle of 45 degrees so that no matter how you look at the screen with glasses, the picture remains bright. This is the first device on the market in which even such little things for the screen were thought through.

Another thing that has changed for screens and appears for the first time in S7/S7 EDGE is personal automatic setting brightness What does it mean? How can tuning be both personal and automatic? The answer lies in the fact that we are all different and perceive the brightness of screens, their colors and other parameters differently. Samsung has implemented an intelligent system that evaluates the level of ambient light and what lighting options we choose, what we consider a comfortable level for ourselves. And this data is used to subsequently adjust the backlight in a way that is convenient for you. It is enough to use both manual and automatic backlight adjustment for about one week for the phone to understand what you like and work in automatic mode. I'm in absolutely delighted from this function, since it predicts what I want to see, what the screen brightness should be under different conditions.

The screen also has an Always On mode, when the time is constantly shown, as an option, a picture or a calendar, and you can select themes in which these images will be different.

This is simply a wonderful feature, since, unlike competitors, the picture is displayed in color, it is always visible, whether at night or during the day, and is quite bright. For those who are afraid that this will affect the operating time of the device, the S7 EDGE spends 1 to 2% of the battery during 12 hours of display operation in this mode (depending on external lighting conditions, the picture changes brightness automatically). This is nothing, but you always have a watch in front of your eyes, and this sharply distinguishes this phone from all others.

Cameras – front and main

The front camera has a resolution of 5 megapixels, and light sensitivity has been slightly increased. The screen itself can act as a flash. It is possible to improve complexion, remove artifacts on the skin, and at the same time correct facial geometry. Girls will definitely like these facial enhancements.

But there is no intrigue here, everything is clear and familiar. The intrigue is what happened to the main camera, because in the S6 its resolution was 16 megapixels, and in the S7/S7 EDGE the camera suddenly became 12 megapixels.

The Galaxy S7/S7 EDGE uses a module Sony cameras IMX260 (a year earlier IMX240), which was created specifically for Samsung. Such products usually do not receive descriptions on the Sony website; moreover, they cannot be purchased from other manufacturers.

I was unable to find a sane description of the IMX260, and this is not so important, since the main innovations were explained during the presentation of the Galaxy S7. So, the company increased the lens aperture f/1.7 (a year earlier f/1.9), while also increasing the pixel size to 1.4 microns, which makes it possible to obtain more information on the matrix. In Britecell, the pixel size is one micron, and it immediately turns out that this technology is not used in the IMX260, judging by the information that we had before. But everything is not so simple, let's try to figure it out.

Let me start with the fact that the S7 is the first device on the market that has focusing over the entire area of ​​the matrix, that is, one hundred percent of the pixels are involved in phase detection autofocus.

But, perhaps, the most important thing is the increased clarity and brightness of the picture (although, to be honest, I don’t know which is better, current flagships shoot very well). Here the possibilities of shooting in the evening and in the dark have increased. New scenes and stories, camera settings have appeared. Samsung was able to improve the camera, although it seemed impossible to do so.

Sample photos

Comparison with S6 Edge+

S7 Edge	S6 Edge+

For example, the “Food” mode has appeared, this is a kind of filter in which the background is blurred; note that the picture on the left is without a filter, on the right – with it.

Ordinary	Food mode

For video recording, a slow-motion mode has appeared, as well as time-lapse, examples of which you can see in the video below.

And here is an example of a regular video on this camera.

From year to year I say that Samsung flagships shoot better and better, they are of very high quality. And I’m tired of constantly answering questions on social networks about what this or that photo was taken with. In the S7/S7 EDGE the camera has become even better, making these devices the undoubted leaders. Now the time when you can be guaranteed to get a high-quality photo has expanded; this is not only during the day, but also at dusk and evening. In short, the camera is, as before, one of strengths these devices.

Battery

The slightly increased dimensions are also due to the battery capacity – 3600 mAh. The operating time of a device is always a combination of factors, in particular, software stability and optimization, quality of components, and screen power consumption. It is difficult and sometimes impossible to consider operating time in isolation from these parameters.

A typical usage scenario for a modern smartphone involves running in the background. different programs, not only browsing, but connecting a wireless headset and so on. Everyone has their own use case, for example, I use phones on to the fullest– I take photographs, listen to podcasts on wireless headset, I'm watching social media, movies, web pages, I receive mail from different mailboxes every fifteen minutes. My EDGE Plus lives with three to three and a half hours of screen operation from morning to late evening with the backlight at about 70 percent. And this is a good indicator. For many, the operating time of this device is on average two days. Some manage to make it work for up to three days, and say that this is enough for them to actively use. It should be noted here that the word “active” is different for everyone, everyone puts their own worldview into it.

On average - two days of reliable work (3.5-4 hours of screen at 60%), data transfer in 4G without restrictions (4 GB downloaded). As for me, this is an excellent result, progress compared to the previous year is obvious, and the Chinese are far behind even in cases where they install batteries with twice the capacity. Video playback time at maximum brightness is from 13 to 14 hours on average (the radio module is not disabled).

The phone has two built-in wireless charging standards, you can use either one. There is support for fast wireless charging. There is also fast wired charging - in 110 minutes you will charge the device to 100 percent. To get half a charge, less than half an hour is enough. Many flagships of other companies can only dream of such technology fast charging, which saves you, even if you forgot to charge the device the night before, it will only take a few minutes in the morning.

The most important improvement in the current flagships, and indeed all 2016 models from Samsung, is the increased operating time. A huge amount of work has been done here, and this should be noted. On average, they will work 1.5-2 times longer than previous devices in the same segment. The reason is an increase in battery capacity, but also optimization of software and hardware. On average, on the S7 EDGE in Spain I got two days of work with 4-4.5 hours of screen time and LTE always on, which is noticeably higher than for EDGE Plus, the gain is the same 1.5-2 times.

A few words about the microUSB connector, which the progressive part of humanity has already decided to scrap and is waiting for USB Type C. Personally, I am tired of carrying the second cable, I constantly forget it, and therefore some of my phones are charged only at home, where such cables are available. The value of Type C is still greatly overestimated; such a connector is needed by a small audience that considers itself technology enthusiasts. Therefore, it was not used in mass products. A gradual transition to it will begin in the fall of 2016, and even then, this is an issue that has not been fully resolved. Now Samsung has decided that the compatibility of all accessories is much more important than supporting a fashion trend.

Speaking of AMOLED, Exynos and operating time. IN Meizu Pro 5 used this combination of components from Samsung to achieve maximum battery life in their flagship. Other companies are starting to adopt Samsung's experience, this is becoming a trend.

USB, Bluetooth, communication capabilities

Bluetooth version 4.2, it was created for the Internet of Things and works great with various sensors. Otherwise, there are no significant changes; new profiles have appeared and power consumption has improved. Let me remind you that there are some interesting things in the new standard.

Firstly, this is an extended range, which can reach several tens of meters, depending on the device settings and how the manufacturer configured this option. Secondly, the IP protocol is used for addressing, that is, devices now have their own unique addresses and communication with many such devices is supported.

From technical points The interaction between Bluetooth and LTE has been improved, now the operation of these technologies is synchronized within one device, and mutual interference is not created (for our LTE frequencies not relevant). Plus, Bluetooth devices can now access the cloud and transmit their results directly, bypassing the companion device, as was previously necessary.

USB connection. USB 2.0 is used here, that is, the data transfer speed is about 20 Mb/s. These are not theoretical, but real results on devices. They may vary depending on the operating system and the computer you connect your phone to. Both up and down.

WiFi. The 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac standard is supported, the operation wizard is similar to that for Bluetooth. You can remember selected networks and automatically connect to them. It is possible to set up a connection to the router in one touch; to do this, you need to press a key on the router, and also activate a similar button in the device menu (WPA SecureEasySetup). From additional options It is worth noting the setup wizard, it appears when the signal is weak or disappearing. You can also set up Wi-Fi on a schedule.

The 802.11n standard supports HT40 operating mode, which allows doubling throughput Wi-Fi (requires support from another device).

Wi-Fi Direct. A protocol that is intended to replace Bluetooth or begin to compete with its third version (which also uses Wi-Fi version n for transmission large files). On the menu Wi-Fi settings select the Wi-Fi Direct section, the phone starts searching for devices around. Choose required device, activate the connection on it, and voila. Now in file manager You can view files on another device and also transfer them. Another option is to simply find the devices connected to your router and transfer to them necessary files, this can be done from the gallery or other sections of the phone. The main thing is that the device supports Wi-Fi Direct.

Wi-Fi repeater.

It's impossible to write a review when you only use the phone for a few minutes at the company's stand and this device is not your main one. Then materials appear that lack many “tricks” that the manufacturer himself did not talk about, just as others did not discover them. I am constantly working with the Galaxy S7; I have already discovered many “little things” that distinguish Samsung flagships from other Android smartphones and will later become part of Android itself. I want to tell you about one of these features.

Usually, when you turn on an access point on your phone, it immediately turns off Wi-Fi; you cannot use both at the same time.

On Galaxy S7/S7 EDGE I unexpectedly discovered that when turning on Wi-Fi connecting to wireless network, but your access point is not disabled. There are two icons in the status line.

Further - more and even more interesting. All phones connected to the Galaxy S7 start using its Wi-Fi connection instead of mobile transmission data from it. Until this moment, the Wi-Fi router script has never mobile phones was not used that widely.

Who might need it and why? For example, when traveling, I often encounter restrictions on the number of connected devices in hotels. By using Galaxy features S7 these restrictions on the number of devices are a thing of the past, now I’m writing a text, and a dozen of my phones hang on one connection through the Galaxy S7 EDGE. And most importantly, I don’t have to waste time at all and enter my last name, room number and postal address on each one. It's the same story in restaurants, cafes, and other places where I can share my connection without having to enter Wi-Fi settings on each device. Cool? Undoubtedly.

Another question is that this function is not so necessary for the vast majority of people. At home, this is an opportunity to distribute your Internet to those corners of the apartment where your router does not reach. At the same time, check whether it’s worth buying a regular Wi-Fi repeater and whether it will work.

As always, I think it's better to have additional functions, which are not required so often, but when they are needed, you will be grateful for them, than you will not have such functions. Do you need a Wi-Fi repeater function?

NFC. The device has NFC technology, it can be used with various additional applications.

S Beam. A technology that allows you to transfer a file of several gigabytes in size to another phone in a few minutes. In fact, we see in S Beam a combination of two technologies - NFC and Wi-Fi Direct. The first technology is used to bring up and authorize phones, but the second is used to transfer the files themselves. The creatively redesigned way to use Wi-Fi Direct is much simpler than using a connection on two devices, selecting files and so on.

Software – Android 6, TouchWiz and other things

Inside Android 6.0.1, the current flagships and two-year-old models will receive the same software, at the same time or a little later than the S7/S7 EDGE goes on sale. As before, this device has TouchWiz, but it is heavily redesigned for Android style, and now the whole system is perceived as very airy and light, everything together looks organic. The speed of the UI is excellent, it flies, there are simply no slowdowns. Again, it all depends on personal perception, someone sees brakes in what other people consider immediate.

There are a lot of features in the software, you will need to talk about them separately, which is what I did, read full review and watch a video about this software.

Additional accessories

A new wireless charger will be available for these models; it differs from the old one in that it has a 50-degree tilt and you can place your phone on it. There will be leather bumpers (leather back), as well as a case with two interchangeable lenses.

From what I was able to try, I would like to note standard book covers, including those with an LED screen. Look at the pictures of these accessories and then you can watch the video where I explain and show how they work.

Samsung has prepared an infographic showing why the new device is better than the S6 EDGE Plus, everything is very clear in it.

Impression

There are no complaints about the quality of speech reproduction or call volume; these devices are excellent; perhaps, their radio path quality is one of the best on the market. And this has long become a kind of mania; Samsung is finishing off what is already good. However, as we saw in the review, they do this for many components of their flagships.

It’s a thankless task to evaluate new devices based on pictures or even photographs. In the case of S7/S7 EDGE it is doubly ungrateful. It seems to be the same materials, the same design, but you need to take them in your hand to realize the difference. And it is not in favor of the previous generation. You need to touch these devices in person and see how they work, how responsive the menu is, how the camera records, and it is advisable to do this in the twilight to understand the differences.

We are accustomed to the fact that each new generation of flagships from Samsung provides new technologies and sets the bar for performance, as well as for what can be built into the devices. Today these are the most functional solutions of all, but last year the refusal of memory cards upset many. Now this flaw has been corrected, and everything is back to normal. But they also added enhanced shock protection, IP68 protection against drowning. Plus, we increased the battery and optimized the system so that the operating time increased by 1.5-2 times. All this together suggests that the models turned out to be not just successful, but extremely successful.

The new camera module gives excellent results; it is a breakthrough in a direction where no one expected serious improvements. I didn’t expect at all that the difference would be visible in life. And this is a serious bid to maintain its advantage in this area; other devices are approaching Samsung in terms of photography, but they cannot catch up.

From an engineering point of view, these devices are small masterpieces, they were stuffed with the latest technologies and made them work. What are the improvements in the display that are not visible, but make our lives better and easier? It would not be amiss to note that other companies, and primarily Apple, get to the point of using similar technologies only years later; they simply do not have the opportunity to do something similar. They are too far behind in development, and this can be seen in almost every piece of hardware. I have a very positive perception of the new flagships, and the fact that the previous generation sold well in Russia says a lot about the changed orientations of people during the crisis. Same S6 thanks affordable price became the most popular flagship, followed by the iPhone 5s 16 GB. The choice of a three-year-old model remains a mystery to me, but people see some meaning in it. But everything is gradually changing, slowly and surely ordinary people are realizing what fast charging is in real life, what high-quality screens look like and why Android gives freedom of use. I have no doubt that the seventh generation Galaxy will be very successful, there are all the prerequisites for this, the devices turned out to be interesting. Considering that the S7 EDGE comes out at a price of 59,990 rubles, that is, at the start it is no different from its predecessor, this is a good bid for success. You can and should change S6 EDGE Plus to S7 EDGE only if you have a lot of money and really want a new device. You won’t notice much difference between them, especially since the “old” EDGE comes with the same software as the new one, with the exception of working with the side edge. These are equivalent models, and the price of S6 EDGE Plus at 49,990 rubles makes it even more interesting, many will look closely in its direction. It will remain on the market for the foreseeable future.

The choice between S7 and S7 EDGE is obvious; I like the older model better, it looks more interesting. Another thing is that perhaps you are a fan of more compact sizes. A small comparison in the video will help you.

But as a final word, I can say that Samsung has produced models that are head and shoulders above their competitors, and they are not just good quality, they are the best that is on the market today. And without compromise.

In 2015, Samsung made a breakthrough and radically changed the concept of creating smartphones. Then new unusual flagships entered the market - S6 and S6 Edge. The version with curved display edges became the most popular, so in the first months the developers did not have time to make up for the shortage of this model in store windows.

The following year, the manufacturer decided not to delay the release of a new phone, so the S7 and S7 Edge immediately appeared. This time the “couple” was more balanced, and therefore the “plus” version was not worth expecting.

At the time of the release of the Galaxy S7 Edge, this model became the most popular in the world. Pre-orders again show buyer preference curved screens. In addition, the new smartphone was able to fix problems with the display. Let's find out what else has changed in the phone.

Equipment

The new Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge, the pre-sale price of which was about 60 thousand rubles, comes in the usual configuration for the company. The box contains Charger with support for Fast Adaptive Charge and, accordingly, a USB cable. There are also instructions, a clip for the slot and headphones. This kit is quite sufficient for any user.

Appearance

Compare with last year's flagship S6 edge, it is noticeable that the display diagonal of the new model was immediately increased, so the Galaxy S7 Edge is no longer a smaller copy of its older brother, but a smartphone with the same dimensions.

At first glance, there are no external changes. But still, the developers refined the sharp edge of the body and made it more curved. Now the smart phone has become more convenient to hold in your hand. Its dimensions have also increased slightly due to the new voluminous battery and durable finishing materials.

The main changes that affected the flagship's body are the return of the protective coating against water and dust. There is the familiar IP68 standard, which works stably without any errors. The phone is protected in every possible way from dust and especially water getting inside. It can stay for about half an hour at a depth of up to one meter.

I was also pleased that the body was rid of the already boring, ugly plugs. All connectors are protected by a special membrane. The new Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge, the price of which meets all expectations, has become a monopod. Now you can only get to the battery at a service center. The cover of the smartphone is taped with a special protective tape, which allows you to immerse the phone in water.

Everything is in its place

Basically the design remains the same as before. Naturally, there are no frames around the screen. There is a speaker above the display, sensors on either side of it, and the company logo flaunts right there. A classic button is located under the screen.

On the back panel there is a main camera with LED flash. The logo was placed under it again. At the bottom end of the case there is a speaker, a microphone, a connector for a charger and a place for headphones. At the top end there is only a small hole for an additional microphone and a SIM card tray. On the right side there is a lock button, on the left there is a volume rocker.

Unusual design solution

The screen of the new flagship did not become a sensation, but still continued to delight customers. For the Galaxy S7 Edge, the price depends specifically on the rest of the smartphone is no different from its brother S7.

The display resolution has not changed, as in last year’s smartphone, Quad HD with a resolution of 2560x1440. The screen has been noticeably improved. We increased the overall brightness reserve. The matrix remained the same - juicy and rich it turned out to be of very high quality. The black color looks “charcoal”, the contrast is balanced, and the brightness is comfortable both at night and at midday in the sun.

In the settings, you can adjust the screen display if AMOLED seems too artificial to someone. There is a mode that allows you to adjust the color scheme to be closer to more realistic.

Energy costs

The press release featured a special Always On option that looks really good. It works as follows: when the user locks the device, the calendar, clock and some notifications are still displayed on the screen. That is, the phone is still partially active. The developers claimed that Always On only consumes 1% of charge per hour. In practice, it turned out that the function is quite expensive for the smartphone’s energy. If you turn it off, the phone will live 20-30% longer.

"Filling"

Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge, whose price fluctuates around 60 thousand rubles, received the top version of the operating system - Android 6.0.1. It works in tandem with the already familiar TouchWiz. In this model, the option has been redesigned for the OS, so everything looks very harmonious and balanced.

Considering the cost of the device, it’s probably not worth saying that you can find some errors or lags in the system. There were no slowdowns, the OS “flies”. Thanks to the redesigned corporate shell, the menu is collected on one screen, which looks quite concise. IN separate folder they placed “Google applications” and, of course, branded software.

"Memorable" changes

Last year, the company decided to remove support for memory cards from all its flagships. Most likely, such changes occurred in pursuit of fashion. What followed was a series of mistakes. It was decided to release smartphones with 32, 64 and 128 GB. In practice, it turned out that finding the latest version of the device is almost impossible. Naturally, such problems could not go unnoticed.

In 2016, microSD support was returned. The situation with internal memory remained the same for the Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge. The price depends on the version of the device. The most expensive is the 64 GB model.

Considering that you can now put microSD in a smartphone, the 64 GB version has become less popular. By the way, the tray for memory cards and SIM cards is combined. The user can choose what he needs: two SIM cards or one, but paired with a memory card.

The new flagship also has more RAM - 4 GB. Naturally, this improvement affected the phone's performance.

Performance

The company changed its preferences and instead of the famous Qualcomm, there is an Exynos 8890 inside the smartphone. Fans were at first skeptical about replacing the processor, but, as various tests show, the device with 8 cores not only outperformed the latest Qualcomm Snapdragon 820, but also had moderate power consumption.

Testing of the new Mali-T880 graphics chipset also showed stunning results. Compared to previous version, this one has become “faster” by as much as 80%.

Activity

The new Galaxy S7 Edge has acquired powerful battery at 3600 mAh. Its battery life shows excellent results considering its display size, performance and multitasking. The developer also took care of excellent optimization, which allows you to maintain the device’s charge for a long time.

Despite the newfangled Type-C connectors, Samsung did not move away from the proven microUSB. The kit includes a charger that allows you to charge your phone from 0 to 100% in just 100 minutes. There is also the possibility of wireless charging.

Pleasant trifles

At the time of the release of the Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge, it could not be found in Svyaznoy. Which seriously upset fans, especially those who had been waiting for a new product with an amazing camera since the press release.

There's not much to say about the front. Its resolution is 5 megapixels, it copes well with its “selfie” function. Correcting the face, changing color and correcting its geometry have been added to the menu.

But the main surprise was the appearance of a 12 megapixel main camera. At first, this news shocked fans, because the previous Samsung model had as much as 16 megapixels. It turned out that a module from Sony IMX260 was developed specifically for the company. Its aperture ratio increased to 1.7, and the main “trick” was the change in pixel size to 1.4 microns. Thus, the developers increased not the number of pixels, but their size, which qualitatively affected the photographs.

conclusions

At the beginning of the year, the Galaxy S7 Edge became the highest quality and strongest smartphone. Outwardly, it has not changed much in comparison with the previous version, but many innovations have been placed inside it, which have significantly improved the performance of the device.

Beautiful design and quality of materials are the first thing that catches your eye. But behind the metal shell lies a huge number of features that make this smartphone the best on the market. Large 3600 mAh battery. High-quality camera module with increased pixel size. Switch to Exynos and an improved version of the graphics chipset.

After entering the market, for some reason the model never appeared in the Svyaznoy store. “Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge” can now be purchased at prices ranging from 40 to 70 thousand rubles. It can be ordered both in China at a low price, and purchased in an online store in any city and country.

Early last year, Samsung released the Galaxy S6 and its curved display version, the GalaxyS6 Edge. Everything was fine until confusion appeared in the second half of the year in the form of the Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge+, which was presented along with the Note 5. And recently clarity has come, now we have the S7, S7 Edge with a 5.5″ display, and in August - September we will see Note 6. Of course, these are guesses, but they seem obvious to me. Today we’ll look at the first wave of Galaxy flagships.

Video review of Samsung Galaxy S7 & S7 Edge

Design and ergonomics

The design of the S7 clearly shows the features of last year's models. The S7 is similar to the S6, the S7 Edge is similar to the S6 Edge+, but in life, at the first meeting, you notice quite serious differences. Firstly, in all models the glass on the front and back is now 2.5D (except for places where it is 3D, it was previously 2D), which is why the smartphone feels more comfortable in the hand. This is especially true for the S7 Edge; the previous model had almost sharp edges and cut straight into the palm. Although some people like it, the new product wins in terms of convenience.

The materials remain the same: glass on the front and back, metal on the sides. The arrangement of the elements has also not changed, except for a few points. The camera doesn’t stick out that much, which bothered many people, and the IR port has disappeared from the top edge. This is a pity, before it was possible to control household appliances. Although it was no longer present in the SGS6 Edge+ and Note 5.

From the point of view of design and ergonomics, I liked the new products. The regular S7 turned out to be more convenient to use, it is more compact and there are no false clicks on the side edges. But the impression of the curved edges of the display in the Edge still remains; nevertheless, this is still rarely seen anywhere. I didn’t like the fact that the glass is very easily soiled, fingerprints and stains are constantly visible on it, it needs to be wiped. Well, the logo on the front, how long, Samsung? I know which manufacturer’s smartphone I’m paying for, and if I forget, I can always look at the back. To be fair, somewhere common sense is beginning to take precedence over ambition and, at least for the domestic market, the S7 should be available without a logo on the front panel. I hope it's not fake.

The fingerprint scanner is located in the home key, as before. I liked it in terms of response speed, but Touch ID is still inferior, errors happen more often. You can add up to four fingerprints in total.

Many are embarrassed by the lack USB Type-C new, but, as for me, this is easily explained. Firstly, Samsung themselves have been releasing all sorts of things for MicroUSB, like power banks and Gear VR 2. The transition would mean the incompatibility of the new flagships with other new devices within the company itself. Secondly, the market is not ready yet; such a sharp transition would have a rather detrimental effect on ordinary people. And so, LG, Huawei and other manufacturers will prepare the ground and S8 will solemnly acquire a new port next year. Or maybe Note 6 will come with it, we'll see.

But there are two things that came back to us straight from 2014, namely from the Samsung Galaxy S5 - a Micro SD memory card slot and, THANK YOU SO MUCH, IP68 protection. This means you can take your smartphone with you to the bathroom, to the pool, to the beach, in the rain, and generally anywhere. And instead of a memory card, if necessary, you can insert a second SIM card. This is not common among A-brands, you must agree.

Display

Of course, the screens in the new Super AMOLED products, which are getting better every year. Unlike the Galaxy S6 and S6 Edge, the new generation has a diagonal split between the regular S7 and S7 Edge. The first display has a diagonal of 5.1″, the second – 5.5″. The resolution for both is QHD, or 2560x1440 pixels.

There is not much to say about the quality, it is gorgeous here, however, as in the case of the S6, in the regular S7 at maximum deflection angles, the glass shimmers with green and purple tones. There are no such gags with Edge. I don’t know why they didn’t do this before, but now, finally, information can be displayed on the display even in a locked state. This feature is called Always On. Why has Nokia had this since time immemorial, when no one had ever heard of Amoled displays, and Samsung has only just now implemented it? After all, Super AMOLED was simply created for such features, when only individual pixels can be displayed on the display, without including the entire display. Naturally, energy is spent only on those pixels that are active. So, the locked display can display the time, calendar, alerts, and even some individual pictures. Moreover, you can choose display styles, colors and even backgrounds. Yes, the picture does not have to be monochrome, because the model does not care how exactly an individual pixel will work. If the phone is in your pocket, thanks to the proximity sensors, it buys it and extinguishes this information until you take out the smartphone again. In short, it’s a small thing, but it’s so convenient, I’m very happy about it!

Cameras

For an inexperienced user, it may seem that the camera has become worse, because in the last generation it was 16 MP, and now it has been downgraded to 12. But back in our first one, I made the assumption that if this happens, the camera may wildly break away from everyone else white light. The white light of smartphones, of course. Why? Each individual pixel has become larger and is now 1.4 microns in size. Let me remind you that in SGS6 the size of an individual pixel is 1.2 microns. This means that each pixel can receive more light. Add here faster optics with f1.7 and you should really get something uncompromising. Is it so? We have already done the preliminary and the difference is not big, somewhere a little better samsung, somewhere there's an iPhone. This is not bad, because we are comparing the strongest, but I expected a gap, as I already said. By the way, the aspect ratio of the matrix has changed and is now 4:3, like in the iPhone.

As before, the camera has a variety of modes, but the few that interest me the most are: Pro mode with full manual settings, auto mode for most tasks, live broadcast mode on Youtube and the ability to take photos in RAW. It's all here. IN RAW photos can be stretched quite strongly, TIFF and regular JPEG were not even close. In Snapseed you can already work with uncompressed formats and there you can extract information from completely illuminated areas, for example the sky. In this generation, SloMo has finally become usable; you can shoot honest 240 fps at 720p. Thanks for that too!

The front camera has a resolution of 5 MP, the aspect ratio of the matrix is ​​the same as the main one - 4:3, but the angle is wide and now there is a lot of room not only on the sides, but also on the top and bottom. Profit! True, not everything is rosy with the detail on the front camera; it deliberately blurs everything a little to avoid the appearance of noise.

Examples of photos and videos are available; soon we will make a separate comparison of top camera phones!

Performance

We have already written a separate post on this part - they happen at maximum settings, but it’s not critical, you can already play. But in GTA SA at maximum speed everything can be bad: there are artifacts and a constant 20 fps feeling. I hope that this is just a game not designed for Exynos, we'll wait and see. In any case, there were no problems with everything else: the interface works quickly, applications and games too.

We have here the latest eight-core Exynos 8890, Mali T880 M12 graphics and as much as 4 GB of RAM, of which 1.5 GB is always available to the user after closing all applications. User memory can be 32 or 64 GB, but the main thing is that it can be expanded using memory cards, up to 200 GB are supported. In Ukraine, a model with 32 GB of internal memory will be available only.

I was pleased with the battery capacity in both cases. In the regular Galaxy S7 it is 3000 mAh, in the Edge it is 3600 mAh. For comparison, the SGS6 Edge+ with a 5.7″ display diagonal had a battery capacity of 3000 mAh! So you can count on two days of more or less active work.

Specifications Samsung Galaxy S7

• Dimensions: 142.4 x 69.6 x 7.9 mm.
• Weight: 152 g
• Graphics: Mali-T880 M12.
• Display: Super AMOLED, 5.1″, 2560 × 1440 pixels, 577 ppi
• Memory: 32, 64 GB flash
• RAM: 4 GB.
• Battery: Li-Pol battery 3000 mAh.

Specifications Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge

• Dimensions: 150.9 x 72.6 x 7.7 mm.
• Weight: 157 g
• Operating system: Android 6.0.1 Marshmallow.
• Processor: eight-core, Exynos Octa 8890
• Graphics: Mali-T880 M12.
• Display: Super AMOLED, 5.5″, 2560 × 1440 pixels, 534 ppi
• Memory: 32, 64 GB flash
• RAM: 4 GB.
• Camera: main - 12 MP OIS, video recording in 4K, front - 5 MP.
• Wireless technologies: Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.1
• Interface connectors: 3.5 mm headphone jack, Micro USB 2.0.
• Battery: Li-Pol battery 3600 mAh.

BY

The latest one is available to the user out of the box. Android version– 6.0.1 Marshmallow. A proprietary TouchWiz interface is installed on top of Android, which has long learned to be normal. It’s cool that there’s a minimum of third-party software; I remember with horror the years when a brand new device had several screens for something unknown and it couldn’t be demolished. Well, themes - they continue to develop, the theme store has been updated, beautiful and clear categories have appeared, there are more and more themes and many of them are of really high quality. If you want naked Android, go for it, if you want Hello Kitty? Stop reading my articles.

Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge A powerful new product that supports two SIM cards in a stylish glass and metal case with a thickness of only 7.7 mm. The smartphone runs on the latest operating system Android and is equipped with a powerful 8-core processor. Basic characteristics of Samsung Galaxy s7 edge: 2 SIM cards, 5.5-inch screen, 8-core processor, powerful battery capacity of 3600 mAh with wireless charging function, main 12 MP camera, 4 GB of RAM, 32 GB of internal memory and support for memory cards with a maximum capacity of up to 200 GB. The Galaxy S7 Edge can cope with any task, it will not freeze even if you open several applications or games on your smartphone at the same time, large RAM and powerful processor provide high performance. The fingerprint scanner allows the owner to quickly unlock the Galaxy S7 Edge, but at the same time guarantees reliable protection personal data on a smartphone from strangers. Despite the fact that Android supports two SIM cards, it is equipped with the most powerful characteristics, and a high-capacity battery ensures long-term operation of the device. Those who actively use the Internet from their phone will be happy to purchase the Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge, it supports 4G LTE networks. Thanks to high-speed Internet, you can watch online videos from the Internet in high format. Big screen high definition allows you to comfortably watch HD movies, read e-books and use the Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge as a real navigator, open the map and indicate the place where you want to get directions and the smartphone will quickly select the shortest route. The main 12 MP camera with LED flash and autofocus will help you save the most important moments in excellent quality, and you can also shoot video in high format; there is a front 5 MP camera for selfies and video calls. At the start of sales, the price of the Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge was close to 60 thousand rubles; for those who want to buy the Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge at a low price, you will have to wait a little until the price of the smartphone drops a little. IN slim body phones collected the latest mobile technologies, it is protected from water and dust, its glass is scratch-resistant, and a powerful battery with fast charging function ensures long-term operation of the smartphone.

• More detailed characteristics and reviews for the Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge, see below.
• If you know anything about pros and cons of Samsung Galaxy S7 edge or you have additional information for users or useful tips to a smartphone, then please share it by adding your review below.
• Thank you for your responsiveness, Additional information and useful tips!!!

Specifications of Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge. Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge specifications.

• SIM quantity: 2 SIM cards
• SIM card type: Nano-SIM format
• Processor: 8-core
• Operating system: Android 6.0
• Display: 5.5 inches diagonal / AMOLED / resolution 2560 x 1440 (Quad HD) / 534 pixels per inch / scratch-resistant glass
• Battery: capacity 3600 mAh
• Internet browsing time on Wi-Fi: -
• Working on the Internet on a 3G network: -
• Working on the Internet in LTE networks: -
• Audio playback: -
• Video Playback: -
• Pending work: -
• Talk mode operation: -
• Main camera: 12 MP / LED flash / autofocus / optical stabilization
• Add. camera: front 5 MPix.
• Video shooting: yes
• Memory: 32 GB
• RAM: 4 GB
• Memory card: up to 200 GB / combined with a slot for 2 SIM cards
• 3G support: yes
• 4G support: yes
• Wi-Fi: Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n
• Wi-Fi Direct: Supports
• Bluetooth: version 4.2
• NFC: supports
• Audio jack: 3.5 mm
• USB: yes
• Navigation: GPS/Glonass
• Sensors: accelerometer / proximity / lighting / hall / compass / barometer / fingerprint scanner / Gyroscope
• Music player: yes
• Phone dimensions: (H x W x T) 150.9 x 72.6 x 7.7 mm
• Phone weight: 157 grams

Samsung Galaxy S7 edge is one of the most unusual gadgets at MWC 2016. This year, the Korean corporation seriously worked on the mistakes of the previous generation and released an even more interesting device.

Design

Improved premium design and moisture resistance.

Galaxy S7 edge is a phone with a captivating appearance. The display, curved on the sides, visually expands the phone, but does not exclude its compactness. The screen unfolds to cover almost the entire front panel of the smartphone, which creates the illusion of no borders.

3D Thermo Forming technology made it possible to hide the edges of the display as much as possible so that the gadget slides easily in your hand. This idea was used last year by the Chinese company Xiaomi.

When you touch the back of the S7 edge, you won't feel the metallic coating. The perimeter of the smartphone is completely covered with high-strength glass - fourth generation Gorilla Glass.

The camera bump on the rear panel has been reduced to 0.42mm, making it barely noticeable.

The powerful device, with its elegant finish and smooth lines, is also waterproof (IP68). This means that it is able to operate after being immersed in fresh water for 30 minutes at a depth of 1.5 meters. So you can happily use your smartphone in the bathroom or in a shallow pool without fear of dropping it into the water.

Like the original one, there is a card slot microSD memory, which is on the top edge.

Display

Clear, bright and contrasting screen with a larger diagonal.

Galaxy S7 Edge is equipped with a resolution of 2560 x 1440 pixels. Although the image looks a little stretched compared to the previous model, the 5.5-inch screen size provides absolutely clear images. The Super AMOLED technology used has been tested by Samsung for almost ten years and is now successfully used to create premium smartphones.

The display is equipped with a motion sensor that blocks the backlight when the pixel shows a black image. Viewing the functions in the menu is very simple - just swipe your finger over the sensor on the right or left side (you can specify it in the settings).

Another advantage of the S7 edge is access to news, programs, tools and other elements through the edge panel.

Processor and memory

Excellent performance result on Exynos 8890.

The S7 Edge comes in two variants: one is powered by a quad-core Snapdragon processor 820 from Qualcomm (available in the US), the second is based on the eight-core Exynos 8890 from Samsung.

Both chips are paired with 4 GB of RAM. The internal memory can only be 32 GB, but it is expandable with a memory card up to 200 GB.

In synthetic tests, the Snapdragon 820 leads, but the difference is not noticeable either in games or in everyday tasks - everything runs smoothly and without lag. There are some minor complaints about the TouchWiz shell, but more on that later.

Camera

Master of low light shots.

The Galaxy S7 edge's camera specs are without a doubt some of the best out there. modern smartphones. Despite the fact that the resolution was reduced to 12 MP, this in no way affected the quality of the images. This pixel drop is due to fast autofocus and much more impressive low-light photo clarity. Better quality Photography is also facilitated by the f/1.7 aperture, which is currently an absolute record for a mobile device.

It's possible to shoot in RAW for the "right" photos that you can change later, and the "Pro" mode has enough options to let you set the focus, distance, and tone of the shot yourself.

Tip: Use the Volume Down button to take a photo. This way you will have a better feel for the camera, and the phone will be more stable in your hand.

Having tested Galaxy camera S7 Edge in low light, it can be emphasized that the combination of large pixels with a sensor and a fast aperture allows the device to take fairly high-quality pictures. Of course, when daylight The photos are also breathtaking. Examples of photographs can be seen below.

Without HDR:

HDR:

Panorama:

Night shooting:

Macro:

There are no problems with video recording. You can record video in 4K, just like in any modern flagship. The only surprising thing is that slow motion can still only be done in 720p.

Interface and functionality

Edge panels have received additional functionality, TouchWiz performance has improved.

Compared to branded Samsung shell practically nothing has changed. The company just added a little appearance and added new software.

Speaking of new programs, it is worth mentioning Game Launcher, which will appeal to many gamers. The application allows you to turn off notifications during the game, enable screen recording and other things useful to players.

Previously, Edge UX was limited to selecting favorite contacts only. Now the Koreans have seriously taken up side panels and significantly increased their functionality. For example, the width has increased to 500 pixels, which allows you to place applications and contacts in several rows. In addition, the user has the opportunity to display browser bookmarks on the curved part of the display, fast access to panorama or timer, as well as to other functions within applications.

Additional programs for working with the edge panel can be downloaded from Galaxy Apps.

Battery

One of the few areas that still needs work.

If earlier you had to unlock the gadget to view the time and notifications, now there is an Always-On function.

Thanks to AMOLED technology, the smartphone can highlight individual pixels when the display is turned off. This solution helps reduce battery consumption. So, in theory, Always-On should not affect the time battery life. Samsung claims that we unlock phones more than 150 times a day. Now the device does not have to wake up and prepare to transfer data, which can significantly save battery power.

At night, you can only switch to the night display, which differs from day mode in that it displays less information.

The battery capacity is 3600 mAh, and, as a rule, for a new phone it takes several days to “warm up” the battery to the optimal charging level.

According to the results of the experiment:

During the first three days of using the smartphone, about 15–25% of the charge remained before going to bed. Overnight, the Galaxy S7 consumed another 10%, which is quite high with the display always on. Repeating the test with the display turned off (do not disturb mode), only a 2% drop in charging was observed.