Introduction
Do we have a good one for you today – the original Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge Plus goes up against the newest Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge. Outside differences are subtle, but the inside components are all upgraded and the expandable memory is back. Last year, Samsung produced a Galaxy S6 Edge, the same size as the Galaxy S6 and a Galaxy S6 Edge Plus, the same size as the Galaxy Note 5. It looks like this year, Samsung is only doing one Galaxy S7 Edge that is coming in at 5.5-inches – a little larger than the standard Galaxy S7 (5.1-inch) and a little smaller than the Galaxy Note 5 (5.7-inch). It makes a lot more sense and now the Galaxy S7 Edge will not cannibalize the Galaxy S7 quite as much. This section will look at what is common between the two devices and then we will look at each one and see where they differ.
Let us see just how much these two devices have in common. For starters, they are very close in physical size with the Galaxy S6 Edge Plus just slightly larger, but it weighs 4 grams less – most likely due to the larger battery in the new Galaxy S7 Edge. They both have the QHD Super AMOLED display with 2560 x 1440 pixels with dual curved edges, although different sizes. They both use an Exynos processor, but a different model – although the Galaxy S7 Edge could also sport a new Snapdragon 820 depending what country you make your purchase. They both come with 4GB of DDR4 RAM and both offer a 32GB or 64GB model. Both cameras offer stunning pictures, but arrive at those photos with much different hardware. The front-facing cameras are very similar – 5MP, 22mm wide-angle and auto HDR – only the larger aperture on the Galaxy S7 Edge differentiates them. They both have non-removable batteries, rapid charge and quick wireless charging.
The S6 Edge Plus and the S7 Edge both have the usual Samsung suspects – fingerprint sensor, Samsung Pay, WiFi, Bluetooth v4.2, GPS, NFC, heart rate monitor, oxygen saturation sensor and microUSB port for charging and data transfer.
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.
Specifications
Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge Plus
In redesigning the Galaxy S6 series – Samsung retained its basic physical look but went with a sculptured metal frame and all glass design, which certainly gives it a much more premium look and feel. Samsung upset many loyal followers when they did away with their traditional removable battery and expandable memory slot. In addition, Samsung added the Galaxy S6 Edge model with a dual curved display that really upped its appeal factor and eventually added a Galaxy S6 Edge Plus model.
The Galaxy S6 Edge Plus sports a 5.7-inch QHD Super AMOLED display with a resolution of 2560 x 1440 pixels and 518 pixels-per-inch (PPI) with the display curving on both the left and right. This goes up against the 5.5-inch QHD LCD display on the Galaxy S7 Edge with 534 PPI and an ‘always-on’ feature. The S6 Edge Plus uses the 64-bit Exynos 7420 octa-core processor with four cores clocked at 1.5 GHz and four cores clocked at 2.1 GHz. This goes up against the newest Snapdragon 820 quad-core processor or newest Exynos 8890 octa-core processor used in the S7 Edge. The S6 Edge Plus and the S7 Edge both pack 4GB of DDR4 RAM with 32GB or 64GB of faster USF 2.0 internal memory – with no expansion available in the S6 Edge Plus, but up to 200GB of expansion in the Galaxy S7 Edge.
The Galaxy S6 Edge Plus uses a 16MP main camera with large 1.12µm pixels, f/1.9 aperture, autofocus and an LED flash and OIS. It has a 5MP FFC for selfies and video chats. This goes up against a new 12MP main sensor with an improved 5MP FFC on the S7 Edge. The S6 Edge Plus has a smaller 3000mAh non-removable battery while the S7 Edge has a larger 3600mAh non-removable battery. Both devices should make it through a full day and both devices have rapid charge capabilities and built-in quick wireless charging.
The Galaxy S6 Edge Plus comes with a fingerprint sensor, as does the S7 Edge. Android 6.0 Marshmallow, the newest Android OS, should be arriving in March for the S6 Edge Plus. With Marshmallow, you will be able to use the fingerprint sensor to authorize mobile payments using Android Pay, along with Samsung Pay. It comes in White Pearl, Black Sapphire, and Gold Platinum. It will cost you about $680 (on sale) for the 32GB model, measures 154.4 x 75.8 x 6.9mm and weighs in at 153 grams.
Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge
The new Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge is more evolutionary in nature after last year’s newly redesign Galaxy S6 series and are in fact difficult to tell apart. The Galaxy S7 Edge is still a beautiful device with a solid build quality and premium look, but did Samsung do enough to tempt users to upgrade from the Galaxy S6 Edge to make people want to go out and buy the S7 Edge?
The Galaxy S7 Edge has a beautiful 5.5-inch Super AMOLED display with a QHD resolution and 534 PPI as compared to the 5.7-inch Super AMOLED QHD display on the S6 Edge Plus with 518 PPI. The S7 Edge also sports the dual-curved display that can function on its own for quick access your ten favorite contacts and more. The Galaxy S7 Edge uses either an Exynos 8890 octa-core processor or the Snapdragon 820 quad-core processor depending where you live. The S6 Edge Plus uses the Exynos 7420 octa-core processor in all models. The S7 Galaxy Edge and the S6 Galaxy Edge Plus pack 4GB of DDR4 RAM and either 32GB or 64GB of UFS 2.0 memory – however, the S7 Edge offers room for expansion up to 200 GB via a microSD card.
The camera area of the Galaxy S7 Edge was changed quite a bit this year – gone is the highly rated 16MP shooter from the S6 models and instead, there is a new Dual Pixel 12MP with a larger sensor, allowing it to take in more light and information than the smaller 16MP sensor. They also added a very large aperture of f/1.7, made autofocus much faster and retained OIS. The S7 Edge uses a 5MP wide-angle lens, f/1.7 aperture and Live HDR for its FCC. This goes up against the highly rated 16MP camera and a 5MP FFC set up in the S6 Edge Plus. The S7 Edge includes a large 3600mAh non-removable battery with quick charge and quick-charge wireless charging as well. This goes up against the S6 Edge Plus’s smaller 3000mAh non-removable battery, also with quick charge and quick wireless charging.
The S7 Edge adds IP68 water and dust protection – great for those users that work in dusty environments. The S7 Edge brings back the highly desirable expandable internal memory. The S7 Edge measure 150.9 x 72.6 x 7.7 mm, weighs in at 157 grams and available in Black, White, Gold and Silver at approximately $770.
…And The Winner Is…
Summary
This was mostly a comparison to see what changes Samsung made to these two devices – obviously, the Galaxy S7 Edge is the way to go. It may be 0.2-inch smaller in the display area, but everywhere else it comes out on top in the specification department and is why it is the winner in this comparison.
The Galaxy S7 Edge retains the same great display and adds the ‘always-on’ feature that will really help save your battery life. Whichever processor you end up with in your S7 Edge – the Exynos 8890 or the Snapdragon 820 – it is a step above the Exynos 7420 found in the S6 Edge Plus. While the 4GB of DDR4 RAM is the same, as is the 32GB or 64GB of internal memory, the Galaxy S7 Edge now allows for expansion of that memory by 200GB via the return of the microSD card slot. Samsung also made improvements throughout the camera area and testing so far is showing the Galaxy S7 series taking better photos than last year’s excellent camera. The battery is much larger than last year and it retains its rapid charge feature and quick wireless charging as well.
The Galaxy S6 Edge Plus is…well, a year older and not as up-to-date as the newer Galaxy S7 Edge. Given that Samsung made the displays about the same size and already stripped the S6 Edge Plus of its IR Blaster, there is just nothing that could justify choosing the S6 Edge Plus over the S7 Edge.
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