The controversial new Samsung Galaxy S6 sheds its plastic construction, removable battery, expandable storage and environmental protection for slicker looks.
Samsung Galaxy S6: Learning a new design language
No two ways about it, the Samsung Galaxy S6 is a stunner, framed in cool-to-the-touch aluminium, and with a coloured Gorilla Glass 4 rear and front, it's a beautiful phone to behold. It's clad in Gorilla Glass 4 front and back, and the way it gleams and glistens in the light is quite entrancing. The S6 is available in "White Pearl", "Gold Platinum" and "Blue Topaz", but we think it looks best in "Black Sapphire", which you see pictured here.
As you'd expect from a modern smartphone, the S6 is extremely slim (6.8mm) and light (138g), and it feels surprisingly compact in the hand, especially considering there's a 5.1in display up front.
In our view, the S6 delivers the perfect compromise between screen size and one-handed comfort – in fact, it's slightly smaller overall than the Samsung Galaxy S5 – and it combines that with impressive build quality and attention to detail. Even the volume, power and home buttons feel like they've been upgraded: everything about this phone feels perfectly on point.
There are some downsides to the design, however. First, in order to produce such a gorgeous work of art, the removable rear panel, replaceable battery and microSD slot for storage expansion have been consigned to the dustbin.
Second, neither the S6 nor the S6 Edge has an IP rating, so they're not not water and dust resistant like last year's Samsung Galaxy S5 was.
And third, the glass rear of the phones picks up fingerprints like they're going out of fashion. It's easy to clean, but if you own one of these phones, you're going to be spending a lot of your time wiping it on your jeans or the hem of your T-shirt to keep it spotless.
Samsung Galaxy S6: Specifications
The fact that Samsung has gone with its in-house Exynos processor for all global versions of the Galaxy S6 signals the company's growing confidence in its ability to compete with top-tier technology firms such as Qualcomm. The Exynos 7420 SoC has four 1.5GHz ARM Cortex A53 cores and four 2.1GHz Cortex A57 cores, allowing the phone to strike a balance between performance and power consumption for all kinds of tasks. There's 3GB of RAM, which is standard for top-end phones now.
With no microSD card slot, Samsung has made the Galaxy S6 available in multiple storage configurations. The strategy and pricing follow Apple's precedents, but the base model comes with 32GB rather than 16GB, which seems like a direct shot across the bow.
Like last year's Galaxy S5, the physical Home button has an integrated fingerprint sensor, but now you don't have to swipe your finger across it - a simple touch will do. The heart rate sensor on the rear is also still around. We found the one on the Galaxy S5 gimmicky and ultimately forgettable. This one is positioned to one side of the camera hump, making less likely that regular usage will become a habit.
OS: Android Lollipop with TouchWiz user interface
16 megapixel camera with LED flash, f1.9, autofocus, optical image stabilisation, digital zoom, UHD 4K video recording
5 megapixel front camera with 1080p HD video recording
Display: Super AMOLED, 16 million colours, 1440 x 2560 pixels (5.1 inches) capacitive touchscreen
Music player
Integrated handsfree speaker
S-Voice natural language commands and dictation
GPS, Glonass, Beidou positioning
Messaging: SMS, MMS, instant messaging, email
Processor: Quad-core 1.5 GHz Cortex-A53 & quad-core 2.1 GHz Cortex-A57
Memory: 32GB, 64GB or 128GB, plus 3GB RAM
Connectivity: Wi-Fi, Wi-Fi Direct, Bluetooth, micro USB, 3.5mm audio jack, NFC, infrared, MHL, ANT+
Sensors: Gesture Sensor, Fingerprint Sensor, Heart Rate Sensor, Hall Sensor, Accelerometer, Geomagnetic Sensor, Gyro Sensor, Light Sensor, Barometer, Proximity Sensor
LTE 4G, HSPA+, EDGE / GPRS
Size: 143 x 70.5 x 6.8 mm
Weight: 138g
Battery: 2550mAh battery with wireless charging
Read more: vietreader.com/tech/page,2,270-samsung-galaxy-s6-review-the-iphone-6s-killer.html
I think you forgot to mention why is it "the iPhone 6s killer". I think you need to compare them meaning you do need to mention about the iphonr
Not to be a party pooper but, this phone came out months ago. We have had the device for a months. A review now is kinda pointless..
Sent from my SM-G920F using Tapatalk
This review is considered old. The latest devices in the market boast 4GB RAM and 4K display. The S6 was a great phone at its prime but it has now lost its footing to the Note 5 and other more powerful phones out there. While the camera is a game changer, most of the things you find on it can be found on other phones as well. Furthermore, most developers are put off by the Exynos processor as there is no way to develop custom ROMs for phones with Exynos processor without proper documentation from Samsung.
Also don't forget to mention that the STOCK Galaxy S6 multi-tasking and UI smoothness is... well, not good.
Thread closed.
Please use the existing discussion thread here:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/galaxy-s6/general/s6-user-reviews-opinions-t3068540
Thank you.
The_Merovingian
Forum Moderator
Well as far as I've checked, the Galaxy S7 will be as it was with other models the fastest smartphone. Here is a short specs that I can almost be assured
____________________________________
1. Chipset
=> Exynos 7422 Octa (Indian)
=> Exynos 8890
=> Snapdragon 820
2. Display
It might sport the same QHD resolution at 5.2 inches or maybe a 4K. With presaure touch solution, it'll take androiding to a whole new level.
3. Extras
Just like the previous models, S7 will also feature a fingerprint sensor. Again it is rumored that it might have an Iris scanner like Lumia 950.
It must have a heart rate sensor
4. Camera
Samsung may use a smaller camera to make the device slimmer.
==> 16 MP Sony Exmor Camera with OIS. Front facing 5-8 MP camera with DIS/EIS and autofocus.
This is all i've currently. Please stay tuned and check every websites for more
With QHD and especially 4K resolution combined with TouchWiz software it's going to need a HUGE battery. The S6 with its 2,550mAh battery and QHD screen had crap battery life.
A lot of your rumors are obvious (like having a fingerprint scanner), some are wrong (like it likely having a 16MP sensor), and you're missing the useful specs and anything new.
geoff5093 said:
A lot of your rumors are obvious (like having a fingerprint scanner), some are wrong (like it likely having a 16MP sensor), and you're missing the useful specs and anything new. it also won't have a heart rate sensor, as the Note 5 and S6 didn't.
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Note5 and S6 both had heart rate sensor, actually...
mikeyinid said:
Note5 and S6 both had heart rate sensor, actually...
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Click to collapse
You're right, I heard something about that changing on the S6 and Note 5 but I think it was the dedicated flash for the heart rate sensor that was removed.
Probably no chance for FM radio...?
So I got myself a Galaxy S7 (SM-G930F) to replace my almost 2 year old Galaxy S5. After a few days of usage, here is what I think.
What I like on S7 compared to S5:
- much more responsive interface and overall experience, UI feels silk-smooth, the phone is properly fast
- all glassy (front and back) and beautiful, feels expensive (judging from posts on this forum, a very important feature for some users ;])
But that's about all to like. And this is what I dislike about it:
- While glass back of S7 looks very nice, it is much more slippery than plastic back of Galaxy S5. It is so slippery, that sometimes it is scary just to take it out of the pocket. So while I never needed a case with my S5, I may need it with S7
- No IR blaster. No idea why Samsung ditched such useful feature (LG G5 has it). It is very small and exists in waterproof S5, so space and waterproof-ness should not be a problem. And it is really useful, because you can skip renting remotes for TV and airco units in the hotels, if you already have IR blaster on your phone. So, Samsung, why to remove a useful feature which is also fun and helps to save money?
- No removable battery. This is not a very big issue for me, since I rarely needed extra battery on my S5, but some people (especially those traveling) are relying on it. Definitely nice to have in a phone. However, it may be that having non-removable battery helped to achieve IP68 dust/water-proof rating compared to IP67 on S5.
- Only 32 GB version at launch. Keeping in mind that Samsung gives away Samsung Gear VR virtual reality headset with all S7 pre-orders (and VR demos/games take lots of space), 32GB suddenly does not seem quite a lot.
- Finally (and this annoys me most, since I am living in a place where winter is something that happens every year), for some unfathomable reason Samsung removed "Touch Sensivity" option from the ROM, which allows to operate the phone with the gloves on. This is just a software feature (since the touchscreens are crazy sensitive these days anyway) and it doesn't cost anything for Samsung to keep it in the phone. Nevertheless, on a new Galaxy S7 it is nowhere to be found. Samsung, are you listening - what the hell??? Now we can only hope someone (maybe even from XDA developers) will add this feature back as a standalone program/xposed framework module/etc.
There is one more problem - there is still no root for SM-G930F, at least not yet, but hopefully Chainfire will soon get his hands on it. So overall, even if the phone is faster and smoother, compared to Galaxy S5, it feels more like downgrade than the upgrade...
Best,
satanxda
One of the primary reasons as for why Samsung went for the complete glass redesign on the S6 (and later the S7) were the lackluster sales of the S5 as compared to the S4, the best selling android phone of all time. According to a list on wikipedia the S5 sold approximately 11 million units, while it's predecessor landed at an impressive 80 million. This probably wasn't the only reason for the design change though, as Samsung have been going after Apple's marketshare aggresively in the past two releases.
The removable battery and IR blaster were most likely removed because there were too few people using them.
I agree completely on the last two points though. It's odd if they removed the touch sensitivity thing, but there might be a technical reason behind it.
i just upgraded from the s5 to the s7 as well. I agree the back s5 felt a lot better in hands. I hate using a case, it defeats the purpose of making the phone so thin. I also didnt realize that there is no IR blaster until i read your post. whats move fun than getting drunk in bar and changing the tv channels or turning up or down the music
So the better camera, bigger battery, higher res screen, no ugly waterproof flaps you don't like? You're right it really is a downgrade, but only in your eyes.
Lol
Last year "No expandable storage! Screw you Samsung"
gives expandable storage
This year "Only 32GB's? Screw you Samsung!"
samsung cry cry
peachpuff said:
So the better camera, bigger battery, higher res screen, no ugly waterproof flaps you don't like? You're right it really is a downgrade, but only in your eyes.
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Don't get it wrong - this post is not about the inevitable progress in CPU, screen and camera areas. It is about Samsung killing useful features for no reason.
P. S. You loose 4 Megapixels for camera as well with S7, so it may not be a camera upgrade in all ways ;] And the bigger battery only compensates for more pixels on the screen.
satanxda said:
Don't get it wrong - this post is not about the inevitable progress in CPU, screen and camera areas. It is about Samsung killing useful features for no reason.
P. S. You loose 4 Megapixels for camera as well with S7, so it may not be a camera upgrade in all ways ;] And the bigger battery only compensates for more pixels on the screen.
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Click to collapse
Uhh no. Megapixels do not make a quality camera. That's like saying your S5 would be an "upgrade" over some DSLRs. The reason some of the features were removed is just that they aren't practical. Sure, the IR blaster is cool, but I played with it once and never used it again. I'd imagine that's how 95% of the people who buy the phone are.
32gb internal memory is not a problem when you have 200gb expandable storage.
Removable battery is a non issue when you have both QC2.0 wired charging and fast wireless charging. If you're that concerned, buy a $20 power bank and charge your phone 3+ times on a single charge.
I went from an S5 to the S7 too. Expandable storage is a must. Hands down it's an upgrade. Yeah, I was bummed there was no IR blaster but then after setting it up on my S4 and S5 later I found I never used it. Wireless charging is built in and on the S5 you had to add it on and if you wanted a case after going wireless charging on the S5 you were limited. Wife heard the S7 didn't have that flap on the USB port and immediately said order me one. Granted root is not available yet but how soon after the S5 came out did it get root? Themes built in........ I can go on and on and on.
Things I don't like compared to my S4:
No removable battery - this I think I can live with without much angst, although I'd prefer removable
Glass back - slippery and fragile, might force me to use a case, which adds bulk that I do not like and have never needed with any phone. I really don't care at all what it looks like
Size and weight - about same width and thickness, but it's unnecessarily tall, and it's substantially heavier, which is a negative and will be an even bigger negative if I have to use a case
Otherwise, it's a pretty sizable upgrade in every other way. 32GB - hopefully there will be a 64GB or 128GB variant that will fully work on T-Mobile (WiFi calling is still an important feature to me), although it is a step up from the 16GB that I'm used to, and I can plunk in my 128GB SD.
I'm going to wait for prices to drop a bit, for Samsung to push out an update or two, and see how root/ROMs shake out.
satanxda said:
Don't get it wrong - this post is not about the inevitable progress in CPU, screen and camera areas. It is about Samsung killing useful features for no reason.
P. S. You loose 4 Megapixels for camera as well with S7, so it may not be a camera upgrade in all ways ;] And the bigger battery only compensates for more pixels on the screen.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
On paper, the Galaxy S7 camera has lower specs: 12 MP on the back (compared with the S6 16 MP) and 5 MP on the front. While the new camera may produce a lower number of pixels, it makes up for this with dual-pixel technology; a feature that promises an increase in image clarity despite the lower pixel numbers.
The S7's camera focuses up to four times faster than the S6's. The camera's aperture is also lower, at f / 1.7, which means better low-light performance. Together, these enhancements mean that the Galaxy S7 focuses up to four times faster in low-light conditions and twice as fast in daylight.
TonyStark said:
On paper, the Galaxy S7 camera has lower specs: 12 MP on the back (compared with the S6 16 MP) and 5 MP on the front. While the new camera may produce a lower number of pixels, it makes up for this with dual-pixel technology; a feature that promises an increase in image clarity despite the lower pixel numbers.
The S7's camera focuses up to four times faster than the S6's. The camera's aperture is also lower, at f / 1.7, which means better low-light performance. Together, these enhancements mean that the Galaxy S7 focuses up to four times faster in low-light conditions and twice as fast in daylight.
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Click to collapse
Well, you said it - faster focus in exchange for a loss of 4 Megapixels. Less megapixels is not necessary a bad thing if the pixels are bigger (this way you get less noise), but it is still 4 Megapixels less ;] (which matters since there is no optical zoom in the phone, so zooming digitally means cropping your photo)
satanxda said:
Samsung removed "Touch Sensivity" option from the ROM, which allows to operate the phone with the gloves on. This is just a software feature (since the touchscreens are crazy sensitive these days anyway) and it doesn't cost anything for Samsung to keep it in the phone. Nevertheless, on a new Galaxy S7 it is nowhere to be found. Samsung, are you listening - what the hell???
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Click to collapse
Thank you for sharing this deal breaking piece of information, looks like I'm stuck with my S5. It's frustrating that Samsung never really "gets it". They can't compete with Apple on design aesthetics, they can't compete with Nexus on Android integration. We buy Samsung phones because they have features that other manufacturers overlook. I love my S5 because it's better than my S2. I would love the S7 if it was better than the S5, but it's not. Removing valuable features keeps people from upgrading. If you're correct about this being a software feature, there is hope, but I'm guessing it's hardware.
32 GB Memory with no 64 GB Option = Unforgivable
Loss Of IR Blaster = Not a deal breaker for me, but I understand why this will piss a lot of people off.
Loss Of FM Radio = Could care less.
Loss Of Removable battery = Get over it, fast charging and portable chargers are perfectly acceptable solutions for me.
No Root = I used to care about this, but it bothers me less and less with each new version of Android. I just don't have the time to invest in the complications of rooting anymore. Being on Verizon just makes this worse.
No USB 3 = Bummer, doesn't make sense to remove it.
I'm headed to the Verizon store with my motorcycle gloves to see what happens. If there's a complete loss of touchscreen functionality, I'll probably just keep going with my S5.
i bought the same phone today and it shows signal without putting the sim on.//
how to remove this??
LKS007 said:
i bought the same phone today and it shows signal without putting the sim on.//
how to remove this??
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Click to collapse
I don't think you can remove it - it's for emergency calls
The S7 camera kicks butt, that's coming from someone who use the Canon 5D3 regularly with 35L II, 85L II, 100L 2.8 IS macro, and 70-200L 2.8 IS II lens. I would gladly take lower aperture and give up few megapixel, hell...if S7 came with f/1.4 lens I wouldn't even mind going down to 6~8MP. You shouldn't use your phone to make poster or big prints to hang on your wall so anything more than 8MP on a phone camera is just gimmicky. LOL
ben805 said:
The S7 camera kicks butt, that's coming from someone who use the Canon 5D3 regularly with 35L II, 85L II, 100L 2.8 IS macro, and 70-200L 2.8 IS II lens. I would gladly take lower aperture and give up few megapixel, hell...if S7 came with f/1.4 lens I wouldn't even mind going down to 6~8MP. You shouldn't use your phone to make poster or big prints to hang on your wall so anything more than 8MP on a phone camera is just gimmicky. LOL
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Click to collapse
I agree. I have my self a Canon 6D with high end lenses. The S7 photo quality is really impressive for such a small piece of hardware. Even with less Mpx, the sharpness is way better than with the S6, and the low light photos are impressives. And you can get the Raw. Photographers that opened the RAW files in lightroom are generally impressed by the overall quality of this phone. Hell, I'm finally happy to be able not to bring my DSLR for every situation I might take a photo.
I compared my old S4, my wife S6, and my workplace iphone 6S, believe me, the S7 is the only one that can actually be compared to compact camera
So the s7 camera is a beast? Im an android fan and i admit that in the past apple had the best mobile cameras. The note 3 and 4 had great cameras as well. I think android surpassed apple in the mobile camera area.
I upgraded from S5 also and only feature i really miss is IR.
Ok so the only feature I miss is an unlocked bootloader. I miss my root
From what I've seen in Unbox Therapy's video the camera app (and especially it's portrait mode) on the Galaxy Note 8 seems to be a lot better. Will there be a port like we saw with the Pixel camera? The note 8 had a model with the SD835 like the op5 and I guess other smartphones with the same type of dual camera setups could benefit from this as well. Will we ever see a port of the app and if not why?
B0unze said:
From what I've seen in Unbox Therapy's video the camera app (and especially it's portrait mode) on the Galaxy Note 8 seems to be a lot better. Will there be a port like we saw with the Pixel camera? The note 8 had a model with the SD835 like the op5 and I guess other smartphones with the same type of dual camera setups could benefit from this as well. Will we ever see a port of the app and if not why?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I wouldn't hold my breath. TouchWiz is much further away from OOS than Google's version of android. Too many proprietary files on TouchWiz that we wouldn't have access to.
Doubtful, even if it's got the same chipset, it won't have the same cameras. OnePlus usually use Sony cameras (Apparently the main camera is the Sony IMX 398), Samsung will most likely use their own and the software will be designed to fit their own hardware.
Apparently the S7 has a Sony camera though, so....who knows.
Yeah, probably slim to none. Touchwiz is too proprietary
Sent from my ONEPLUS A5000 using Tapatalk
Before I got this phone I kept seeing the comment about how we technically have the same camera hardware as the S7 but are limited by Moto's software versus Samsungs Superior camera app/software/image processing. So I've been wondering for a while but never seen it brought up around here........ Would an S7 camera port ever be possible? I know TouchWiz is it's own world and this would probably require porting all of TouchWiz, but I wonder if it's worth it, or maybe even possible for just a camera port alone?
It is not the same camera as in S7.
I believe the image sensor is the same as the S7 (a Sony unit), but that's all. Likely, the optics are different, and that's where the differences start. Hard to say if the kernel driver is the same, but I'd expect Sony to supply something to OEMs in that regard.
The only thing that can really help improve image quality on a G5 plus is post processing, ie. Use snapseed or some similar app.
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