Galaxy S6 Edge/Edge Plus

[MRU]

Seriously MRU, you want to try to get some hands-on time before purchasing, especially with that price difference. When I stopped by the Samsung area earlier today, the beauty of the edge is immediately noticeable. My affection however, quickly dissapated once I picked it up. The sides are really sharp, made worse by the metal frame, what little there is, curving away towards the back so what you predominately grip is the point where the curved glass meets the metal.

And as far as benefits of the curved edges, what Samsung has added on are little gimmicks--the few contact bubbles and the mobile device equivalent of what tuners do to their old Honda Civics with LED strips. The detriments far outweigh any benefits, IMO, and I consider myself to be reasonably objective regarding mobile devices.

The standard S6 on the other hand, was a joy--and you know that's hard for me to say about any Samsung device. If I was in the market for a new Android phone, I have to admit, <gulp>, it would likely be the standard S6.

Thanks Yeah I'm gonna have to try and find somewhere that has them - Vodafone tell me it'll likely be mid-april that they are here.

What your saying about the ergonomics are things that I did find with the Note 4 Edge when I got to use one - however I put that down to the greater edge section that functioned independently and the fact that it was one side of the device only and it was not intended for lefties like myself.

I was glad then to see the S6 Edge take a different approach and treat the edges just as parts of the same screen just curved and on both sides. However I am worried the practicalities of using the Edge will outdo the 'ooo' factor. Especially as I have managed to activate/interfere with the screens on my Moto X & Note 4 just gripping them.

The only thing is the €200 whilst a big difference is also doubling the storage size from 32gb on the S6 to 64gb on the Edge (as there is no 32gb Edge here). But even then I think I would cope easily with 32gb tbh .....

aghhhh decisions like this are terrible for someone as impulsive as myself.

 

[tbayrgs]

Thanks Yeah I'm gonna have to try and find somewhere that has them - Vodafone tell me it'll likely be mid-april that they are here.

What your saying about the ergonomics are things that I did find with the Note 4 Edge when I got to use one - however I put that down to the greater edge section that functioned independently and the fact that it was one side of the device only and it was not intended for lefties like myself.

I was glad then to see the S6 Edge take a different approach and treat the edges just as parts of the same screen just curved and on both sides. However I am worried the practicalities of using the Edge will outdo the 'ooo' factor. Especially as I have managed to activate/interfere with the screens on my Moto X & Note 4 just gripping them.

The only thing is the €200 whilst a big difference is also doubling the storage size from 32gb on the S6 to 64gb on the Edge (as there is no 32gb Edge here). But even then I think I would cope easily with 32gb tbh .....

aghhhh decisions like this are terrible for someone as impulsive as myself.

To give a little extra perspective, I'd choose the standard S6 if they were the same price. Hell, I'd choose the standard S6 if it was more expensive than the edge--there was that pronounced of a difference in user experience. The edge really is an 'oooo' factor, and that's about it.

 

[epicrayban]

I'm in the standard s6 camp as well.

 

[tbayrgs]

I'm in the standard s6 camp as well.

I think the edge will garner potential buyer's attention when they first visit a store but once they pick it up, I think a lot of minds may change.

 

[epicrayban]

I think the edge will garner potential buyer's attention when they first visit a store but once they pick it up, I think a lot of minds may change.

I could see it going both ways to be honest. I'm not as turned off by the edge as you might be but I do feel the standard s6 is the safer one and more stable experience.

 

[tbayrgs]

I could see it going both ways to be honest. I'm not as turned off by the edge as you might be but I do feel the standard s6 is the safer one and more stable experience.

Yeah, you may be right---it's all personal preference of course. I was just a bit taken aback how much less enjoyable using the edge was for me. I initially thought maybe I just needed to get used to it because it is quite different from pretty much anything out there. Unfortunately, additional time spent with the device just reaffirmed my initial impressions.

 

[jamezr]

I think the edge will garner potential buyer's attention when they first visit a store but once they pick it up, I think a lot of minds may change.

I am at BB now. The edge does have a thinner sharper feel to it. But not to the point of it being annoying or uncomfortable . After handling both phones side by side I would still go with the edge. That's my personal choice. The edge screen is amazing!
Here is a pic of the application manager. There was 24 apps/processes running in the background including the Samsung demo software.

 

[MRU]

I am at BB now. The edge does have a thinner sharper feel to it. But not to the point of it being annoying or uncomfortable . After handling both phones side by side I would still go with the edge. That's my personal choice. The edge screen is amazing!
Here is a pic of the application manager. There was 24 apps/processes running in the background including the Samsung demo software.
Image

Thanks Jamezr. And we can take 140mb off that as we wouldn't be running in retail mode (why does settings app itself use so much memory?)

So you think you'd go Edge too. Can you open a few apps up and bring them out of background and see if they have to refresh.

 

[epicrayban]

I think the Edge does offer a unique experience, and I don't mean the extra features. To be honest, the extra Edge-features actually don't excite nor interest me that much. If I own the Edge some day, I could see myself actually turning some of those Edge-features off.

The beauty of the Edge is the screen. Everyone should see it first, I suppose, but the screen is captivating. It's truly immersive.

And like I described earlier, the reason for this is because the screen feels like it "pops" out -- almost as if it's protruding from the device -- at you. It feels "3D" for lack of a better term. It just feels like you're looking at nothing but screen; like it shouldn't be this "wide". It makes you almost forget there are top-bottom bezels.

Ergonomic-wise, I actually thought the Edge felt more comfortable. The edges of the Edge didn't bother me at all nor did they feel sharp. They actually felt nice. I could see why people would think the opposite though (and the S6 does feel great in hand, too). I think this is more of a personal preference/exerpeince type thing.

And swiping on the screen with the Edge just felt more... fun, so to speak. It felt like there was more screen to reach for, more screen to respond to you, and more screen to help you access side pull-out menus. When you scroll through contacts using the alphabetical list on the side, it felt like that was a cool, almost-separated, section of the phone. It's a very unique experience.

I suspect it's the little things like that of the Edge's screen that'll make the experience. And not so much about the actual Edge features.


EDIT:

Here's a crummy pic of the side that I took, which sort of shows you what I mean by the "pop" effect of the screen. The design of the phone's curves too really help add to this effect:

 

[jamezr]

Thanks Jamezr. And we can take 140mb off that as we wouldn't be running in retail mode (why does settings app itself use so much memory?)

So you think you'd go Edge too. Can you open a few apps up and bring them out of background and see if they have to refresh.

I did nit notice any app refreshes. But I haven't noticed any on my N4 either. Here is a side by side with my N4
Got my preorder for the white 32GB S6 edge at BB. It will come with a free Samsung wireless charging pad and a $50 BB gift card.

 

[MRU]

I did nit notice any app refreshes. But I haven't noticed any on my N4 either. Here is a side by side with my N4
Got my preorder for the white 32GB S6 edge at BB. It will come with a free Samsung wireless charging pad and a $50 BB gift card.



Image

its not that small. Yeah ill likely get the 64gb white one myself.

 

[jamezr]

its not that small. Yeah ill likely get the 64gb white one myself.

One thing to point out that tbayrgs brought up. The edge has very thin edges. So it has a thinner and sharper feel. Much like the sharp edge on the Note 4 but rounded and thinner if that makes sense. To me MRU the Edge feels a lot like the alpha does in the the hand.

 

[tbayrgs]

I am at BB now. The edge does have a thinner sharper feel to it. But not to the point of it being annoying or uncomfortable . After handling both phones side by side I would still go with the edge. That's my personal choice. The edge screen is amazing!
Here is a pic of the application manager. There was 24 apps/processes running in the background including the Samsung demo software.
Image

Exactly, too each their own. Hope you enjoy it.

One more thing though--take a look at the picture you included. See how the coloring of the screen at the edge is noticeably different (same in Epicrayban's photo)? That's what I was talking about and what I found distracting. I don't take a photo when I was at the store so I'm glad I wasn't imagining it. That doesn't drive you guys a little nuts?

 

[MRU]

One thing to point out that tbayrgs brought up. The edge has very thin edges. So it has a thinner and sharper feel. Much like the sharp edge on the Note 4 but rounded and thinner if that makes sense. To me MRU the Edge feels a lot like the alpha does in the the hand.

Oh well that would be grand by me. I liked the way the alpha felt

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. That doesn't drive you guys a little nuts?

It doesn't in photos, it may do in reality.

 

[jamezr]

Exactly, too each their own. Hope you enjoy it.



One more thing though--take a look at the picture you included. See how the coloring of the screen at the edge is noticeably different (same in Epicrayban's photo)? That's what I was talking about and what I found distracting. I don't take a photo when I was at the store so I'm glad I wasn't imagining it. That doesn't drive you guys a little nuts?

Lol it didn't bother me. I didn't notice until you pointed it out. What I did notice was some apps and pages engulfed the whole screen. The edge included and it makes the screen so immersive!!!

 

[tbayrgs]

Lol it didn't bother me. I didn't notice until you pointed it out. What I did notice was some apps and pages engulfed the whole screen. The edge included and it makes the screen so immersive!!!

Sorry, wasn't my intention. Now I feel like one of those guys who obsesses about the LCD edge light bleed that you only notice once someone points it out to you on a dark screen.

It just caught my eye immediately and I found the consistency of the standard S6 more pleasant. Both displays are really beautiful though.

 

[jamezr]

Sorry, wasn't my intention. Now I feel like one of those guys who obsesses about the LCD edge light bleed that you only notice once someone points it out to you on a dark screen.



It just caught my eye immediately and I found the consistency of the standard S6 more pleasant. Both displays are really beautiful though.

No worries it might bother me at some point. It's hard to get to know a phone until you use it as your daily driver. Then the gloves come off!

 

[ricktat]

I looked at them today at BB too.

The Edge looked really cool but the sides felt sharp to me as others mentioned.

I would go with the regular S6 if I was buying one.....just my opinion.

 

[MRU]

No worries it might bother me at some point. It's hard to get to know a phone until you use it as your daily driver. Then the gloves come off!

It likely would bother us less as we upgrade phones so often it would never become an issue

 

[Itsedstech]

As an apple fanboy, and samsung hater, ive got to admit, the s6 edge is absolutely gorgeous. I got to check one out at bestbuy yesterday before they put them out on display and my god did the design amaze me. Im not a fan of android like i was back in middle school but this s6 edge is really tempting me to buy one. it feels soooo light!

 

[jamezr]

It likely would bother us less as we upgrade phones so often it would never become an issue

Yep!!! I plan to keep on IOS and one Android phone all the time. So the S6 edge will no doubt be replaced by the Note 5 edge!!!

 

[epicrayban]

I mean, the screen is bending... I think a slightly different color tone is to be expected. I don't know if it's actually a different color so much as the way the bending glass reflects/refracts the screen's lights?

I don't know. Personally, I didn't notice nor was bothered by anything about it when using it either. Like I said, it just felt like extended screen. One that is so immersive you just get completely drawn in.

 

[Lava Lamp Freak]

I mean, the screen is bending... I think a slightly different color tone is to be expected. I don't know if it's actually a different color so much as the way the bending glass reflects/refracts the screen's lights?

I don't know. Personally, I didn't notice nor was bothered by anything about it when using it either. Like I said, it just felt like extended screen. One that is so immersive you just get completely drawn in.

Yeah, it seemed like a shadow or light dropoff caused by bending. I noticed it the second I picked it up and it turned me off of it immediately. I didn't get the impression that it was immersive like you did. I couldn't get past every app looking distorted. What you call immersive to me looks distorted because straight lines are curved. For instance the notification bar is curved at the edges instead of straight across, and that bothers me. Movies and pictures are also curved, and that is distracting. I also don't like Samsung's curved TVs. I'm glad they gave us a choice with the S6. Unfortunately, with their TVs, if you want the top of the line, you have to get it curved.

 

[epicrayban]

Yeah, it seemed like a shadow or light dropoff caused by bending. I noticed it the second I picked it up and it turned me off of it immediately. I didn't get the impression that it was immersive like you did. I couldn't get past every app looking distorted. What you call immersive to me looks distorted because straight lines are curved. For instance the notification bar is curved at the edges instead of straight across, and that bothers me. Movies and pictures are also curved, and that is distracting. I also don't like Samsung's curved TVs. I'm glad they gave us a choice with the S6. Unfortunately, with their TVs, if you want the top of the line, you have to get it curved.

I can completely understand this.

I'm going for the standard S6 myself. Just need to see that gold version in person first...

Looks like I'm waiting until April, since it doesn't seem like anyone has the Gold yet.

 

[Savor]

I was reading some reviews from Time and Wired. I forgot the latter has Apple fan boy from The Verge, David Pierce. He actually makes decent points but is wrong on the Galaxy Note.

He mentions the Galaxy Note will forever be a niche product. LOL. Yet, without the Note, the iPhone 6 Plus wouldn't exist and we wouldn't have this upward trend in bigger screen sizes. LG is even copying Samsung with a stylus. Selling 10M Notes within a couple months is niche? If that is niche, what are the Moto X, Nexus, and HTC Ones which have sold FAR LESS? Hypocrisy from a guy who kept complaining about Samsung design/build quality and now calls the coolest-looking Samsung smartphone ever pointless. The same pretty boy strategy that drives reviewers like him in buying anything with an Apple logo on it as long as it’s pretty! At least The Verge will stop having those terrible videos of BEST SMARTPHONE YOU CAN GET. Pierce did it twice last year going from 5s to 6. So predictable from such a Samsung hater and Apple Kool-Aid drinker. If Apple emulates it, I expect David to praise them for their innovation and not label it niche... K.

http://www.wired.com/2015/03/galaxy-s6-edge-pointless/