First Look: Samsung S7 Edge

The S7 Edge has a waterproof (IP68) unibody made from metal and 3D glass with curved edges, providing far better grip and handling than its predecessor. 

 

The Edge has a QHD Super AMOLED display, with a 5.5-inch (534 PPI) screen. The newest feature on the display is the always-on function, which keeps a dim display turned on with information like missed calls, schedules, reminders and such.

 

The device comes with 4GB RAM and 32/64GB storage options. Samsung also brings back the microSD slots, which allow memory expansion up to 200GB.

 

The S7 Edge introduces the first dual-pixel camera on a smartphone, which is concentrated on providing better picture in low-light conditions. Thanks to the technology, brighter lens with wider aperture and bigger pixels, the camera has a faster shutter speed and a more accurate autofocus even in low-light conditions. 

 

Motion Panorama, similar to iPhone’s Live Photo, brings movement to traditional panoramic photos. We did try out the camera at MWC and were impressed with its low-light imagery. 

 

The S7 Edge comes with 4K video recording, which eats up the battery pretty quickly, but is still an important feature considering the number of 4K TVs out there. Recording in 1080p is perfectly smooth too. 

 

The device has a 3,600mAh battery. Liquid cooling has also been implemented in the system to prevent overheating during heavy usage. It runs on Android 6.0 Marshmallow. 

 

On the gaming front, Samsung has partnered with Epic Games to bring users the Vulcan API. It also introduced the Game Launcher, a new add-on for gamers that allows users to manage battery consumption and minimise notifications.

 

The Edge screen also gets a major update. It is now larger with two rows and more space for contacts and apps. Secondly, it will now have enough room for third-party apps such as  Yahoo News, Yahoo Sports, Yahoo Finance, your calendar, weather and more. You can customise the screen in settings, removing panels you don’t want and downloading new ones from the Samsung app store. Lastly, like its predecessor, when the screen is face down, the Edge will light up in a customised colour based on who is calling. 

 

SPECS

 

Processor: Snapdragon 820/Exynos 8890 Octa-core

 

Operating System: android marshmallow

 

Memory: 4GB RAM, 32/64GB

 

Cameras: 12MP/5MP

 

Battery: 3,600mah