Samsung Galaxy S7 edge Review

Introduction

Last year we saw the introduction of the Samsung Galaxy S6 edge, the first time in the Korean-based company’s history to complement a flagship with another variant. While the S6 and S6 edge featured the same specifications, the difference between them turned out to be the slicker aesthetics that accompanied the S6 edge – as well as its unique edge features, and heftier price too.

Having two very similar options to choose from makes for tougher decisions amongst consumers, but this year’s offering is substantially more ambitious. The Samsung Galaxy S7 edge isn’t just an S7 clone with a dual-curved screen. Oh no! Rather, it’s a bigger sized smartphone this time around, which should help to differentiate the two right from the onset, as there’s now more of an incentive (given its cost too) to eventually go for the S7 edge.

Samsung knows the importance of variety, evident in how they brought out the largerGalaxy S6 edge+ back in the fall to give consumers another option to think about. But with the introduction of the S7 edge, Samsung is replacing both the S6 edge and S6 edge+, leading us to believe that this year, it'll be the S7, S7 edge and Note 6 that are going to form the company's high-end line-up: three phones spanning three different sizes; unlike last year, when we had four phones covering just two sizes.

The package contains

• Samsung Galaxy S7 edge
• Rapid wall charger
• microUSB cable
• SIM ejector tool
• Stereo headphones
• User guide

Design

Improved premium design made better with a water-resistant construction.

From the surface, it might not appear as though there are remarkable changes to the S7 edge’s design, but there are in fact several subtle refinements that carefully address some of the shortcomings with last year’s design. First and foremost, the same premium design is present once again here, boasting that attractive metal and glass package that ceremoniously elevated Samsung to a totally new level last year. Our particular unit, a gold platinum Verizon variant, shimmers in a distinctive gold hue when it’s tilted in the sunlight. However, it’s still something that attracts nasty baddies such as fingerprints and smudges – so a lot of care and wiping is necessary in keeping it clean.

Of course, the same slick aesthetics are achieved thanks in part to how its dual-curved edges just makes it look great near and far. The most notable change here with the S7 edge is its size, one that finds itself in middle of the S6 edge and S6 edge+. For a 5.5-incher, though, Samsung’s engineers continue to trim as much of the fat off the phone, almost giving off the illusion that it’s a phone with a smaller sized screen. In fact, its 76.09% screen-to-body ratio is recognizable when it’s placed alongside the iPhone 6s Plus, which boasts a 5.5-inch screen as well, but looks considerably larger due to its lower screen-to-body ratio of 67.91%. In comparison with something like last year's LG G4 and its 72.46% screen-to-body ratio, the S7 edge's compactness isn't all that impressive, but it still comes across as remarkably narrow and easy-to-handle device considering the screen size.

Believe us when we say that the S7 edge doesn’t look like your typical 5.5-incher! And it’s quite revealing when we hold the phone in our hand, as we’re able to grasp the entire width of the phone without having that feeling of stretching our hand more to compensate its size – such as the case with the iPhone 6s Plus. Sure, people with smaller sized hands will feel it’s still quite goliath in size, but we’re digging how they’re able to keep its frame within the bounds of reasonable.