Now it's time to get acquainted with the new generation of the company's flagship smartphones. Let me remind you that last year we considered the Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge+ as the most interesting representative of the Galaxy S6 family.

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Thanks to First-Store, we got the opportunity to review the latest Samsung product.

In the current generation, we will see a slight rethinking of the top-level line, as well as a fundamentally new hardware component, so there is no need to talk about a slight “facelift,” but let’s talk about everything in order.

In the last generation, the manufacturer created as many as three devices within one line: the familiar flagship Galaxy S6, also known as the Galaxy S6 Edge, but with a curved screen, and a “tablet” with a rounded screen, the Galaxy S6 Edge plus.

Now the approach is somewhat different: the Galaxy S7 remains the usual size, and the Galaxy S7 Edge gets a 5.5" screen with a diagonal diagonal of “neither fish nor fowl”, right between the flagships of the past. And this is quite logical, since just recently the Samsung Galaxy hardly fit into this collection Note 5 with its 5.7" screen. Now everything has fallen into place.

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Specifications Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge

Model	Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge	Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge	Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge plus
Device type	Smartphone	Smartphone	Smartphone
CPU*	Samsung Exynos 8890, 4 x 2300 MHz + 4 x 1600 MHz, Mongoose + Cortex-A53	Samsung Exynos 7420,	Samsung Exynos 7420, 4 x 2100 MHz + 4 x 1500 MHz; Cortex A57 + Cortex A53
Video processor*	Mali-T880 MP12	Mali-T760 MP8	Mali-T760 MP8
operating system	Android 6.0	Android 5.1.1 +TouchWiz	Android 5.1.1 +TouchWiz
RAM, GB	4	3	~4
Internal memory, GB	32/64	32/64/128	32/64
Screen	5.5" SuperAMOLED, WQHD (2560 x 1440)	5.1" SuperAMOLED, WQHD (2560 x 1440)	5.7" SuperAMOLED, WQHD (2560 x 1440)
Cameras, Mpix	12.0 + 5.0	16.0 + 5.0	16.0 + 5.0
Net	GSM 850/900/1800/1900	GSM 850/900/1800/1900	GSM 850/900/1800/1900
Number of SIM cards, pcs.	1/2	1	1/2
MicroSD support	Yes (combined**)	No	No
Data transfer		Wi-Fi, WAP, GPRS, EDGE, NFC, HSDPA, 3G, LTE	Wi-Fi (b/g/n/ac), WAP, GPRS, EDGE, NFC, HSDPA, 3G, LTE
aGPS/GPS/GLONASS/Beidou	Is/Is/Is/Is	Is/Is/Is/Is	Is/Is/Is/Is
Battery, mAh	3 600	2 600	3 000
Dimensions, mm	150.9 x 72.6 x 7.7	142.1 x 70.1 x 7.0	154.0 x 76.0 x 7.0
Weight, g	157	132	153
price, rub.	50 000 – ?	37 000 – 45 000	41 000 - 60 000

*In the version for our market. There is also an option with Qualcomm Snapdragon 820, 2 x 2150 MHz + 2 x 1600 MHz, Kryo, Adreno 530.
**The combined slot is typical only for the dual-sim version, otherwise the slots for the SIM card and memory card are separate.

When looking at the table, you can understand that almost everything has changed. Now the sales market is divided into two segments, one of them will be supplied with devices with Snapdragon 820, the other with Exynos 8890. By the way, the latter is intended for the Russian Federation.

The manufacturer responded to user complaints and returned the memory card slot, and also removed the “compromise” option with 3 GB of RAM. The high-capacity battery looks especially attractive, which, by the way, has become even “thicker” than the one installed in the 5.7" Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge plus. Plus, to all this, “official” moisture resistance has appeared, although the previous generation devices resisted splashes and dust well .

One of the oddities worth noting is the lack of a 128 GB version of the smartphone. That's basically it.

Packaging and equipment Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge

The packaging design has a slightly different color scheme, but the typography remains almost untouched.

On the reverse side it is clearly indicated for which region the smartphone is intended.

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The design has also changed; now it is a lid that is attracted to the box using a magnet and opens to the side.

The following set of supplies awaits us inside:

• Charger;
• MicroUSB cable;
• Stereo headset;
• Data transfer attachment;
• Documentation.

Yes, yes, the Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge is equipped with a MicroUSB port, and not the usual USB Type-C in 2016. On the one hand, this is good because it does not require replacing all accessories, if any, but on the other hand, the new format is more convenient, more reliable and has a longer service life. So the situation here is twofold.

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The charger is exactly the same as what we saw earlier. Even the charging current has not changed.

And here is the same device for quickly transferring data from an old smartphone to a new one. In order to use it, you need to connect it to the Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge, and insert a MicroUSB cable into the female port, which at the other end is directly connected to the old gadget. This algorithm works using proprietary software.

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The stereo headset is packaged in an individual plastic box.

Its sound quality is quite decent, and the kit includes an additional pair of rubber tips.

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 confused by the lack of USB Type-C in the new product, 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 really should get something uncompromising. Is it so? We have already done the preliminary and the difference is not great, in some places the Samsung is a little better, in others the iPhone is a little better. 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 many modes, but I'm most interested in a few: a pro mode with completely manual settings, an auto mode for most tasks, a live broadcast mode on Youtube and the ability to take photos in RAW. It's all here. In RAW photos can be stretched quite a lot; 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

Out of the box, the user has access to the latest version of Android – 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.

Until the Note 7 came out, the Samsung S7 Edge was rightfully the most expensive device in Samsung's 2016 smartphone lineup. As a larger, more curved version of the standard Galaxy S7, the S7 Edge is much sexier than its flatter little brother and has a much larger battery, giving the device more staying power.

No worse than Note 7

The Samsung S7 Edge, whose reviews remain commendable even after the release of the Note 7 (it continues to be produced), will be the best choice for many due to its relatively low cost and lack of a stylus. The smartphone has a lot in common with the Note 7, as they share the same processor, camera and screen resolution. Plus, the Note 7's 5.7-inch display is only a few millimeters larger than the S7 Edge's, which is unlikely to affect the experience when gaming or watching downloads on iPlayer.

But the user will most likely notice the difference if they compare the S7 Edge with the regular S7, which only has a 5.1-inch diagonal display size. Here, the larger screen creates a distance between the models so that the buyer feels the need to upgrade the flat phone.

Before delving into the device of the smartphone, it is worth mentioning that on September 7, 2016, the new iPhone 7 was announced - the main competitor of the model in question. In addition, the Samsung S7 Edge Plus is expected to appear, the characteristics of which are still unknown. Although it was previously reported that the company excluded the model from its product line.

If you have one, the S7 Edge can be powered all day long, which changes everything radically. It's convenient, it just doesn't require attention. As long as the phone is on the charging pad, everything is fine.

Camera

There is a new 12 MP camera on the back. It may seem like a step down from the 16-megapixel sensor in the S6, but more megapixels doesn't always mean better image quality. In the camera (32GB), the specs have changed, with individual pixel size increasing from 1.12µm in the S6 to 1.4µm, allowing everyone to get more light and less noise in low light conditions. The aperture has been increased to f/1.7, letting even more light into the sensor for higher-quality images.

It's a risky move, but the S7 Edge lives up to expectations. When shooting outdoors, the smartphone allows you to take beautiful photos, high-contrast and bright, accurately conveying colors. Some parts of the frame are a little overexposed, especially in bright sunlight, but this is easily corrected thanks to the camera's exposure compensation slider. It appears when you tap the screen while focusing, but you can switch to HDR mode if you wish.

Less is more

The camera takes even better photos indoors. Not only do the photos have a very high level of detail, but there is also no visible noise even when shooting in low light conditions, which is pretty impressive for a phone. However, if you compare the test shots with the S6 photos, they look almost identical.

This is true, at least on the surface, but if you dig deeper into the shutter speed data, the S7 Edge allows you to shoot in low light conditions at a shutter speed of 1/25 second, rather than the S6's 1/15 second. This means that the Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge SM-G935F's camera performance offers greater reliability in low-light conditions, as faster shutter speeds result in less blurring of moving objects, resulting in an overall benefit.

A virtual reality

Another feature of the phone worth mentioning is that it fits perfectly with the new Gear VR headset. This is a relatively affordable way to immerse yourself in virtual reality, since you don't have to shell out for an expensive PC or the likes of the HTC Vive or Oculus Rift. The implementation is a bit basic, but it handles a lot of entertainment applications like virtual roller coasters and even some shooters like Suicide Squad: Special Ops VR. And if you purchase the Gear 360 camera, you can record your own VR video and view it using a virtual reality headset.

The best you can buy

Currently, the Samsung S7 and Samsung S7 Edge, whose specifications are among the best among Android phones, except, of course, the Samsung Galaxy Note 7, are beyond competition. Since all three models are very similar in terms of performance, display and camera quality, the question becomes, is it worth paying more for the S7 Edge when the S7 is cheaper? Just like last year, the curved edges look nice, and the large screen alone will be enough to convince some of the model's superiority, especially when you take into account the better battery life.

However, the software of the side screens still does not convince of their advantage. And the amount of time it takes to scroll through each edge doesn't make the device any more practical than having all the information on one main display.

Right choice

According to users, the best option is S7. The Samsung S7 Edge is a large smartphone, but the S7 is more convenient, has the same performance and battery life is not short either. According to reviews, for those who want to buy the most beautiful phone that money can buy, the S7 Edge will be the right choice, while more practical users are better off sticking with its flat “brother.”

The new smartphone from Samsung has become the most anticipated new product of 2016. We are, of course, talking about the Samsung Galaxy S7 series, and, as all fans of this brand’s products know, the new product will come in two versions: regular and with a curved screen (edge). As you know, the tradition dates back to the time of Samsung Galaxy Note 4. We can say that the new curved device has replaced the Galaxy S6 Edge, which is still very popular among fans of unusual design.

Still the same "double-edged"

It is unlikely that the company counted on the huge success of the Samsung Galaxy S6 when it released this series for sale. Be that as it may, the demand for them turned out to be serious: for the company this was a regular marketing ploy, which cannot be said about users who lacked fresh solutions. In any case, this is still the same device with two curved edges of the display. And, despite the fact that many users still prefer the classic form factor, the manufacturer is confident in the future popularity of the new product.

In addition, 5.5 inches, and even in a waterproof case, are powerful arguments in choosing. Anyway, live Samsung galaxy s7 edge catches your eye: this is exactly the solution that comes close to the technologies of the future, and not only in design.

Technical capabilities

The device is truly ahead of current capabilities. Firstly, support for microSD expansion cards; in the future, the user will be able to use cards with a capacity of 512 GB, although the manufacturer claims that two more terabytes are completely non-existent. Who said that there are no flagships for many years? Secondly, the device has built-in 4G LTE (with the prospect of up to LTE Cat). It is difficult to imagine when such coverage will appear in our latitudes. The same applies to the new Wi-Fi protocol.

If we talk about the capabilities that are available now, we should note the colossal performance of the new Exynos 8 Octa, which is devoid of all the shortcomings of previous generations. This is an efficient eight-core solution, where four cores are responsible for performance, and the other four are responsible for running in economy mode. Moreover, in Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge there is a 3000 mAh battery with fast charging and an innovative twelve-megapixel camera using the manufacturer's proprietary Britecell technology. What else can you expect from 2016?

Live photos

Specifications

• Android 6.0.1, TouchWiz 2016
• Display 5.5 inches, QHD resolution, SuperAMOLED, automatic backlight adjustment, Always On function, different operating modes, Corning Gorilla Glass 4,
• 4 GB RAM, 32/64 GB internal memory, 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 3600 mAh battery, 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 have one, 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 the same body size, 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, the good old Note line is returning 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 screen shape prevail, and people also choose a large 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. A successful design, which is 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. This year, the iPhone 7 will get 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 at any service center. The second point is protection from water. Just like in the Galaxy S5, it is returning to Samsung devices, and to 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 the back panel of the phone now 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 cooling system was created inside. 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 Samsung smartphones use fast UFS 2.0 memory, the company had to abandon the proprietary Android 6 feature - 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 contains system and space for working with external memory, for example, it is used as a buffer for video recording, cache and other system functions. But, as before, you can transfer most of the applications to a memory card rather than store 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. The 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 the latest applications 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's rejection of it brought down Qualcomm's shares 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 been stronger than Samsung's own solutions in LTE modems. 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 in various modes is approximately 10 percent shorter, 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.

Among the interesting features of the chipset, I note support for 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 at the moment (my phones are Exynos). Look at the test results.

I would like to separately note that the new processor is very fast. In every sense, this is one of the best processors on the market, and at the same time it has good energy efficiency, reduced power 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 S7/S7 EDGE, and the result is quite interesting, the previous leader in the person of S6 EDGE Plus lost the crown, displays from the latest generation were named the best screens in mobile devices, 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 in 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 the S7/S7 EDGE is personal automatic brightness adjustment. 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 really excited about this feature because 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 the Sony IMX260 camera module (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 the strengths of 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 scenario for using a modern smartphone involves running various programs in the background, not only browsing pages, but connecting a wireless headset, and so on. Everyone has their own usage scenario, for example, I use my phones to the fullest - I take photographs, listen to podcasts on a wireless headset, watch social networks, movies, web pages, 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 from other companies can only dream of such fast charging technology, which saves you even if you forgot to charge the device the night before, in the morning it will only take a few minutes.

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 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. Meizu Pro 5 used this combination of components from Samsung to achieve maximum operating time in its 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 (LTE is not relevant for our frequencies). 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). Among the 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.

802.11n supports HT40 mode, allowing you to double your Wi-Fi throughput (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 to transfer large files). In the Wi-Fi settings menu, select the Wi-Fi Direct section, the phone begins to search for devices around. We select the desired device, activate the connection on it, and voila. Now in the file manager you can view files on another device, as well as transfer them. Another option is to simply find devices connected to your router and transfer the necessary files to them; 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 the Galaxy S7/S7 EDGE, I suddenly discovered that when I turn on Wi-Fi, it connects to the wireless network, but does not disable your access point. 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 rather than using mobile data from it. Until now, the Wi-Fi router scenario in mobile phones has never been used so widely.

Who might need it and why? For example, when traveling, I often encounter restrictions on the number of connected devices in hotels. With the Galaxy S7 features, these restrictions on the number of devices are a thing of the past; now I'm writing text, and a dozen of my phones are hanging on the same 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 extra features that you don't need very often, but will be grateful for when you need them, rather than not have those features. 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 has been heavily redesigned to suit the Android style, and now the entire system is perceived as very airy and light, everything looks organic together. 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.

The software has a lot of features, you will need to talk about them separately, which is what I did, read the full review and watch the 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. The same S6, thanks to its affordable price, has become 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.