Introduction
Do we have a good one for you today – the Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge Plus goes up against the Samsung Galaxy Note 5. These two flagships from Samsung have more in common than differences. Both are a redesign made with glass and metal – no more plastic for Samsung – however, this does away with Samsung’s former always-present removable battery and internal memory expansion. They did add quick wireless charging for both formats – Qi and PMA – but Samsung loyalists were not happy and it gave those that are anti-Samsung even more ammunition. Let’s look at some of the similarities of these two devices before we look at each one individually – this section will be much longer than the individual descriptions.
The Galaxy S6 Edge Plus and the Galaxy Note 5 have many specifications in common – starting with their physical dimensions, although the Note 5 weighs in 18 grams heavier. They both have a fingerprint sensor embedded in their Home key and Samsung Pay built-in, but will also handle Android Pay and PayPal authentications. Both devices have a 5.7-inch Super AMOLED QHD display with a resolution of 2560 x 1440 pixels and 518 pixels-per-inch (PPI), but the S6 Edge Plus does have the dual-curved display edges on the left and right sides.
Both the S6 Edge Plus and the Note 5 use the exact same 64-bit Exynos 7420 processor from Samsung, as well as the same Mali-T760MP8 GPU for graphics. The 7420 is an octa-core design with four cores clocked at 1.5GHz and four cores clocked at 2.1GHz and the first to use the 14nm technology. They both use 4GB of faster DDR4 RAM and faster UFS 2.0 internal memory in 32GB and 64GB variants and neither one is expandable. They sport the exact same excellent 16MP camera with an f/1.9 aperture, autofocus, LED flash and automatic HDR. They also have the same 5MP front-facing camera with an aperture of f/1.9, wide-angle and HDR shots for capturing selfies and video chatting.
When it comes to ‘extras,’ the S6 Edge Plus and the Note 5 also share quite a bit – WiFi, v4.2 Bluetooth, GPS, NFC, v2.0 MicroUSB port for charging and data transfer. They both offer quick wireless charging for either Qi or PMA formats and they both share a 3000mAh non-removable battery. They both share a heart rate monitor and oxygen saturation sensor and they both have their speaker at the bottom of the device.
Please take a deliberate look at the detailed Specifications Comparison chart below and here you will see just how these two great devices stack up against one another – click on the “View Full Comparison” link at the end of the chart to expand the details. After that, we will look at each individual device in greater detail and point out some of its pros and cons. From all of this information we will try to determine the winner based on specs and execution of design and functions.
Specifications
Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge Plus
Looking strictly at the Galaxy S6 Edge Plus, it is the more stunning of the two with its dual-curved front display – there is a certain sexiness to them that attracts bystanders. The curves themselves are more eye-candy than they are functional, but a few Apps are taking advantage of utilizing them beyond the baked-in uses that Samsung gives you. Stock features include People Edge – you can set up five friends, assign them one of eight colors and they will live on the edge of your lock screen, ready to quickly contact. Edge Lighting – works if your phone is lying face down (not recommended) and one of your five friends you added to People Edge calls, texts or emails you, their color will glow on the edge. Information Stream is a brief feed that will list notifications, Twitter trends, Yahoo News, Finance or Sports even if the phone is asleep, if you swipe back and forth on the edge, the Stream will appear. Night Clock is a nice feature that will show you the time and date. You can pick only the left or right edge for these to appear – no splitting up the Night Clock on the right and the other notifications on the left.
Samsung Galaxy Note 5
The Galaxy Note 5 gives up the curved display edges and gains a highly refined S-Pen. While the curved display looks cooler, the S-Pen adds more functionality than the gimmicky ‘edge’ functions, which are more like ‘party tricks.’ With the S-Pen, you can pull it out of its silo and jot down a quick note or telephone number even while you are on the phone. You can use the stylus for a quick sketch or an intricate drawing. It is also useful for manipulating photos with PhotoShop and other programs as well as a tool to cut out an object on the web to save for later. It makes playing games more fun and easier than using you finger. It is a very powerful tool developed with Wacom and you can use it whimsically for fun or seriously for work.
…And The Winner Is…
Summary
Okay, I have said all along how the Galaxy S6 Edge Plus and Galaxy Note 5 are very similar, so you may be asking yourself how did I make a final decision on the winner…purely personal taste. I have always been a huge Note fan and just feel that while these two devices are technically very much alike, the Note 5 offers more versatility with its S-Pen. What is nice about the S-Pen is that it stays out of your way if you do not want to use it or only use it occasionally, but it is always there for taking a quick note or jotting down a phone number.
If you like the curved display on the Galaxy S6 Edge Plus – which I do – and do not feel that the S-Pen is something you would ever use, then pick up the S6 Edge Plus and you will not be disappointed. In fact, my ideal phone here would be to add the dual curved display on the Note 5 – the best of both worlds. Choosing either one of these devices you will be getting arguably the best display, camera and specifications of any device currently on the market – it all comes down to ‘S-Pen’ or to not ‘S-Pen.’
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