Used to propose a 5 Galaxy Note at the IFA salon, this time Samsung has changed his plans and decided to start his current PHABLET August to avoid excessive competition with the iPhone 6S, expected in the same period. Last year, Samsung has also released a Galaxy Note Edge, but this time he opted for a mobile to the two curved edges: the Samsung Galaxy S6 + edge. Devoid of stylus, this smartphone is proving a most impressive single variant (5.7 inches instead of 5.1 inches) of its S6 edge, and attempt to seduce lovers of large diagonals. But it needs for it to correct some of the shortcomings of its predecessor.
Data sheet
| Model | Samsung Galaxy S6 edge + |
| Android version | Android 5.1.1 Lollipop
Touchwiz interface |
| Screen Size | 5.7 inch |
| Display resolution | 1440 x 2560 pixels |
| Screen Resolution | 518 dpi |
| Protection | Corning Gorilla Glass 4 |
| SoC | Exynos 7420 |
| CPU | 4 x Cortex-A53 1.5GHz
Cortex-A57 4 x 2.1 GHz |
| GPU | Mali-T760MP8 |
| RAM | 4 GB |
| Internal memory | 32/64 GB |
| back camera | 16 megapixel sensor
ISOCELL
OIS |
| Video | 2160p @ 30fps 1080p @ 60fps
720p @ 120fps |
| Front camera | 5 megapixel 1440p @ 30fps
|
| td> | 3000 mAh |
| Sensors | Accelerometer, Gyroscope, Proximity
Ambient light, heart rate, SpO2 |
| 4G LTE | 450/50 Mbps LTE Cat9
800/1800/2600 MHz |
| Wireless | 802.11 a / b / g / n / ac |
| NFC | Yes |
| Bluetooth | v4.2, A2DP, Low Energy |
| GPS | A-GPS, GLONASS, Beidou |
| USB | microUSB v2.0 |
| SIM | 1 x nano SIM |
| Dimensions | 154.4 x 75.8 x 6.9 mm |
| weight | 153 grams |
| Price | 799 euros |
Bigger, imposing, less convenient
Grand winner of the last edition of the Mobile World Congress, the Samsung Galaxy S6 edge had seduced the crowds with a detail not exactly trivial. Besides the metal outline that now adorns the instrument, and it was a novelty for the Galaxy S range is the curved screen on both edges of the mobile that earned him acclaim. It must be said that such a differentiating element has a way of seducing an audience constantly looking for new and certainly too accustomed to seeing dozens of nearly identical smartphones out every year.
The Galaxy S6 edge + therefore incorporates aesthetic features of its predecessor, offering two beautiful curves in his screen, and maintaining a metallic outline where only a few elements move away. At the bottom of the mobile, for example, previously placed right near the microphone audio output, this time taking up the other side, near the 3.5mm jack. The left and right slices do not move a muscle, and always feature the volume control buttons and the power button located on the other side and staying under the thumb of a right-handed. Some changes are noted on the upper edge, which absolves the infrared sensor and the second microphone moves from right to left.
At the back of the phone, there is no more change to note. As for the façade, it is similar, except for one detail: there seems to be a new sensor on the top edge, which takes place alongside the two, clearly visible on the left side
Finally. this is although the size of change that can seduce or pushes on this mobile. If the 5.1-inch Galaxy S6 format was ideal for edge grip, despite screen edges that give a strange sensation in the palm, 5.7 inch format makes navigation difficult or impossible with one hand. Glass surfaces are attractive, but slippery, as the curved edges. It will therefore be careful to avoid bad surprises. We can not say that the grip is ideal. By comparison, the LG G4 (almost similar in width and height) is more pleasant to use because of its curved back. The situation is somewhat similar with the OnePlus 2, we fear less to cast down.
Also note, and one does not necessarily account made with the Galaxy S6 that white edge we used for comparison, the glazed area is beautiful, but very messy. The blue model S6 + is a true edge catches fingerprints after a few hours of use. Despite its various points raised, the S6 + Edge addresses anyway to a niche market. And difficult to make for a more elegant PHABLET. More practical ? That’s another story.
A still impressive screen
The This edge screen S6 + is reputed to be even better than the S6 and S6 edge. No wonder that, Samsung is constantly improving in this field and having had six months to make some improvements. From the fact that it was possible to measure with this probe, the brightness is slightly improved from 390 cd / m2 at 100%. It should also know that this luminosity sprang up over 600 cd / m2 when a strong light source is indicated by the light sensor.
This screen also keeps the same definition (1440 x 2560 pixels) as the Galaxy S6, but with a screen of 5.7 inches, he slightly loses pixel density. It was therefore a screen displaying 518 dpi while the Galaxy S6 displays 577 ppi. But no need to be sad because such difference is undetectable to the naked eye.
Really useful sidebar?
Samsung Galaxy S6 advantage of his edge + to slightly upgrade its software. TouchWiz had changed between the 4 and the Galaxy Note the jewels of early this year, and Samsung is now taking small steps. The manufacturer has changed the icons here, giving them rounded more pronounced. We suddenly feel that a new theme is present on the mobile, but it simply replaces the old
Another element of change ahead. Side Screen. First, there are now two panels, one containing quick contacts, and one for configuring various applications to launch faster. As the S6 edge “classic” is added favorite contacts via small “plus” buttons, except that when you click on a contact, it is now displayed centrally on the screen, and proposes options sending the message, email, or call origination.
The second sidebar, containing favorite applications, is decked out with a tutorial explaining the addition of apps. Base, the calculator and the camera are added to speed applications, but you can delete them or add new ones. They will be a maximum of five in this menu. As for the practicality of it, it has some reservations and even the tendency is to say that uses very little side bar every day, if it is to realize a notification (placed on the screen it can light up to alert you to a call, message or email receipt). We assume that we must get used to that operation becomes intuitive.
Improved performance
Surprisingly, the results of the main benchmarks are better than the Samsung Galaxy S6. It’s very light, but still notable. He said that Samsung’s Exynos 7420 probably optimized, and so this would explain the increased performance. But when one looks at CPU-Z or any other application giving access to hardware information, there are no major differences between the two mobile.
| Benchmark / Model | Samsung Galaxy S6 edge + | Samsung Galaxy S6 |
| AnTuTu v5 | 62,623 | 61,150 |
| PC Mark | 5240 | 5000 |
| 3DMark Ice Storm Unlimited Total | 24,177 | 22,265 |
| 3DMark Ice Storm Unlimited Graphics | 27,246 | 23,630 |
| 3DMark Ice Storm Unlimited Physics | 17,341 | 18,521 |
| GFXBench T-Rex (onscreen / offscreen) | 37/57 FPS | 37/54 FPS |
| GFXBench Manhattan (onscreen / offscreen) | 15/25 FPS | 7.6 / 23.3 FPS |
| Read / sequential write | – | 318/143 MB / s |
| Read / random write | – | 20,023 / 5,146 IOPS |
In an attempt to better stick to reality, we also used the protocol overview in the comparative iPhone 6 – Galaxy S6 and more recently with the focus on performance 2. OnePlus of reminder, the test is to start, following 9 different applications (Netflix, Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, Candy Crush Saga, Expedia, YouTube, Skype, Spotify) and calculate the time needed for task. The Galaxy S6 + puts edge 38 seconds, the same time as the Galaxy S6, which is the fastest smartphone on the test. In contrast, 4 GB of RAM does not seem to have solved the small problem of multitasking. Indeed, after opening 9 applications (ending with Spotify), we tried to reopen Netflix since multitasking. The application needed to recharge. Other smartphones have 2 to 3 GB of RAM does not have this behavior and allow Netflix to reopen a glance, without having to reload.
The cameraphone we love
In addition to its superb design, what is the major asset of the Samsung Galaxy S6 edge? For many, it was his performance in photography, apparently unbeatable this year. So, Samsung played it safe and brings no change in the picture of mobile. Except this time, it seems that all the sensors used in the design of the products are type ISOCELL, while Samsung is also provided at Sony (IMX 240) for its S6 and S6 edge. The differences are fairly small between the two sensors, at least for the user “lambda”
In the software for against, Samsung added an interesting feature. Backup photos in the RAW format fashion “Pro”. Note that, however, must be activated by accessing the Photo app’s settings. These RAW shots (about 30 MB) will not be visible in the Gallery application, but only by exporting them to your computer. What is interesting however is that we can now take a RAW picture, save it on his mobile, and work directly with an application such as Lightroom. Few people actually use these tools, but they will be happy to make quite a fingertip tasks.
Autonomy up
The big question of this Samsung Galaxy S6 + edge, it is its autonomy. If at first, the Galaxy S6 and S6 edge had seduced us in this area, it was soon realized that the results were not so good as that. In everyday life, autonomy was very limited, particularly because regular mobile heaters. Here, the heater is much more contained – probably because heat dissipation is more important in this great format and because Samsung have optimized its chip – and is known far fewer situations likely to drain the battery. The S6 edge heated for a yes or a no.
The different tests make us say that this smartphone is much more talented than his predecessor. First, the conventional test an hour on YouTube in airplane mode (Wi-Fi enabled) with HD video we lost 12% of autonomy. The calculation performed by the mobile via our consumption habits, he predicted we also 44 hours of charge left. It is certainly much. The second test consists in reading a Full HD video imported directly on the terminal. This time, it loses only 7% charge. It’s good
We also spent the mobile screened for PC Mark and his endurance test. Fully charged, the smartphone gets 8:05 of Use. This is part of the best results, and it is above the Galaxy S6 (6:13), S6 edge (7:03) or Sony Xperia Z3 + (7:49). In everyday use, we must say that we easily spend the day of use, especially as at least a large sunny outside, it will never be useful to push the brightness of mobile thoroughly. The S6 + edge is actually better than the 5.1-inch versions that ship somehow less impressive battery (2550 mAh for S6).
Conclusion
As it is difficult to give a note to such a product. The elements to be considered are so numerous that gets lost in our calculations, and it took forever to decide whether he deserved more than a September First, the format is enormous, but can not be considered in an objective rating, since some will find their account, and others not. This edge S6 + is obviously aimed at a limited market and is less likely to reach a wider audience than is its predecessor, with its 5.1 inch screen. If we complained about the handling, ergonomics edge of S6, it is even more pessimistic about it on the edge +. Use it with one hand proves complicated, even dangerous, since the glass surfaces slippery course give one side to the product. The slices are superb from the moment yes, but they are not really nice in hand. And not really practical to catch it when it is placed on a table.
Moreover, it also emits more and more reservations about the usefulness of the side screens as Samsung does not provide software side follies, which might have justified the choice of curved edges. If some of us use it to check the time at night, you admit never use the sidebar which includes contact and fast applications in everyday life. So it’s beautiful, it gives a unique mobile side, but that’s it. It has more to do with a luxury, aesthetics, that a product designed for practicality.
However, it should be noted that Samsung has improved things on mobile. If after our performance test, the gigabyte of RAM and more is useless as everything is not perfectly optimized, the processor seems to behave better and benchmark results are even more flattering. We also note that the phone tends to heat much less than did the S6 edge. The photographic performance is equivalent to the S6, plus backup images in RAW format.
The phone embeds a 3000 mAh battery which gives it greater autonomy, with rather impressive test results. On the other hand, the battery size is the bare minimum that we could expect from a mobile with such dimensions.
Our final observation is that the Samsung Galaxy S6 edge + improved slightly compared to S6, but do not actually brings added value, if not the correction of two or three of its defects. Five months after the S6 edge, we finally face a larger variant that caters to a niche market.
- Look (and feel)
- Perfect finishes
- undeniable Photo quality
- Excellent Display, surely the best
- slightly improved performance
- Improved Battery Life
- Getting tough hand as all phablettes
- Very messy, especially on the sapphire black version
- Very high price, from 800 euros without commitment
- Port Absence SD, and thus to data storage extension
- Software Utility curved edges Limited
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