It’s been seven years since the first Galaxy and we can say that Samsung has finally come of age. With the new Galaxy range, composed of S7 and S7 Edge, Samsung seems to have taken the best decisions possible to please everyone and not disappoint anyone. Rightly it says that it is essential to learn from their mistakes, and the Korean company has taken all the criticism manufacturing a product that, as we shall see, has very few weak points if we look at the simple “piece of glass and aluminum.” The first wise choice of Samsung was to launch two smartphones with different dimensions: last year the user was forced to choose between the version “smooth” and the “edge” of a product that was substantially identical, today to guide the choice is the size of the screen. Samsung also touches on other hot spots: the autonomy improves thanks to a battery with greater capacity, the camera loses resolution but changes format and earn an innovative focusing system and finally, back to the treatment waterproof , he appeared and disappeared sull’S5 nell’S6, to give more security and peace of mind.
A more mature product, with the knowledge that all smartphones can now offer excellent performance and are gone now the times where people vied to change the smartphone each year. It would be wrong to say that the Galaxy S7 Edge is a photocopy of the Galaxy S6 Edge : the changes that Samsung has made are many and not only regarding weights and dimensions but also the ergonomics and features , something that remains on the street (IR emitter) and something that comes back to the fold (the microSD slot). But you can not say the same thing for the Galaxy S7 smoothly: except for a slight rounding of the back inherited from Notes 5, the new S7 for screen sizes and feeling seems a simple dell’S6 upgrade, definitely improvement but unable to a miracle. For the S7 Edge, however, it is another story.
Un wonderful riot of glass and aluminum
The Samsung Galaxy 7 Edge is fantastic: every time we turn it in his hands, we can not help but appreciate the incredible work done by Samsung Construction level. They do not want Apple fans, but this S7 with its slim design, small frame and the refined materials has definitely an edge to a line, the iPhone 6S, which begins to have his years. The S7 Edge dimensions are perfect for those who want a great smartphone: is without problems in the jeans pocket, and thanks to the double curved glass also on the back is able to ensure a good grip . As a little gem the Galaxy S7 is still kept very carefully and beautiful polished: black finish the specimen we tested is a magnet for fingerprints, and the particular play of reflections of the panel immediately puts emphasis both fingerprints is scratches.
Rispetto all’S6 Edge, who had a construction somewhat similar, the S7 loses at the top the IR transmitter and However, gains a very useful treatment waterproof . As evidenced by the teardown at iFixit, known site that “dissects” smartphone and tablet pieces of all kinds, Samsung has used a series of seals around all the possible ways of water failing to ensure IP Rating of IP68. This means that the Galaxy S7 can be dipped in water to over a meter deep, although as with the Xperia Sony conditions vary from manufacturer to manufacturer . The important thing is to know to be quiet in case your smartphone falls into the sink full of water or swimming pool: even if the connectors are open and there are holes for the microphone and loudspeaker smartphone is safe.
> You may notice the small rubber seal around SIM slot and microSD
Compared to an iPhone, which however no case is quite slippery, the S7 has a little only firm grip with dry hands, , but in most cases the intake is firm and safe . In terms of ergonomics the only criticism is related to the curved display: those who have large hands may touch the screen with your palm or with a finger and not always the “palm rejection” system is flawless . Among the other small improvements made by Samsung appreciate the perspective of much less protruding camera on the new model and the slot for nano Sim that can accommodate a microSD to upgrade memory.
Sparisce IR emitter, but in our opinion it is not much damage while they remain in the lower part, the monaural speaker, the audio jack, the hole for the microphone and the standard micro USB connector. Here, too, we believe that Samsung has made the right choice: it is true that more and more manufacturers are focusing on the USB Type C, but there are still true that except for the reversibility today certainly more advantages to keep a microUSB connector than USB Type C . The Micro USB is certainly more widespread, there are many products that use it and it is also easy to find a cable to charge the smartphone, also borrowed; without forgetting that the GearVR key accessory for Samsung, has a microUSB connector.
the Samsung a few years ago, suffering from “innovazionite” and will do anything to win the war with Apple, would surely have adopted the new connector, but as we said this Samsung is much more mature and has created a product designed for its consumers, the same ones who maybe bought a GearVR last year and now they want to change smartphone without being faced with incompatibility problems.
Uno 5.5 “screen that is close to perfection
The new Galaxy S7 Edge is built around a 5.5 “screen, a golden mean between 5.1″ dell’S6 Edge and the 5.7 “of the Plus version of last year’s model. A perfect choice for a large screen virtually borderless that makes super AMOLED technology one of its strengths. Needless to spend too many words on a screen that already in the previous generation offered excellent performance: in “basic mode” The S7 Edge AMOLED panel returns an image perfectly balanced chromatically and go over with a portable device is virtually impossible . The peak brightness is much higher than that of the Galaxy S6, the definition is the whole (2.5K is a Quad HD 2560 x 1440 pixels), the anti-reflective coating and the screen works fine, very importantly, has a refresh very high which means you can use the GearVR without excessive trails in the fast movements. Improvements related to display of the S7 do not in any case color, pixels, or other definition, but two features that are worth significantly more in our opinion: detection of automatic brightness finally works and the Always On display it is one of those things to which it will be difficult to give up. We start from the light: like all top of the range smartphone the S7 has a sensor that reads the ambient light and adjusts the screen output to make it readable in the sun and less annoying in the dark, but that no one was allowed smartphone today customization of this adjustment. The S7 Edge is able to store our preference in any lighting condition: , the sensor works, but we decide we want to keep that level of brightness when there is so much light and when we in bed under the covers.
L'altra What is new is the Always On display: thanks to the OLED panel that allows you to control each individual pixel and subpixel Samsung leaves a portion of the screen always active to show notifications, charge and time level. While it is very useful the Always On screen is not too “interactive”: does not allow for example to show third-party notifications and above is not possible to interact with the screen off . We believe the Always On really useful, especially with your smartphone resting on the desk: just a glance to see right away the time and figure out if someone called us. Of course, it could do more, but that “something more” that would have impact on a system that still impacts on the autonomy of the smartphone? Those who would give up an hour of battery life for an Always On interactive color?
L'ultima known we want to leave the curved screen: Edge sull’S6 the presence of the curved screen to the edges has been judged as a pure marketing gimmick. There is no doubt that the curved screen to the edges is more useful to design the pure functionality , but in this case due to the curves also improves ergonomics and reduces the overall dimensions. Web browsing and watching a video in 16: 9 is still more enjoyable with a flat screen, although after having got used to the interface that curve at both ends do not mind that much.
4GB of RAM to tame a delicious memory interface
Samsung Galaxy S7 injected into Edge the best hardware available to him, and we Europeans has touched the version with Exynos 8890 processor eight-core (2.3GHz Quad + 1.6GHz Quad) made with a 14 nm production process and with Mali T880 GPU. The Americans, however, can count on the new Snapdragon 820, excellent Exynos processor probably faster than the artist made by Samsung itself. However, there is the case of complaining choices Office: we are in front of two first-class processors and if you Snapdragon looking at various benchmark seems faster, the Exynos has the advantage of being produced by the same and there is no doubt that Samsung knows better use of processor manufactured by the American company. As was done by Microsoft on the Lumia 950 Samsung has included a heat pipe to improve the heat dissipation, but it would be wrong to talk about liquid cooling is a small copper pipe containing a liquid refrigerant moves from the heat of the processor area to distribute it on a wider surface. We must say that in everyday we never felt a feeling of warmth, but after a long gaming session with the Gear VR on the back of the smartphone is not really “cold” .
Samsung He had to put the Galaxy S7 a 4 GB RAM: 2 are reserved for the operating system, the other two are instead allocated to background services and applications that are running. On the one hand there are those who applaud the abundance and enjoys reading “4GB” in the data sheet, the other must always remember that as long as the manufacturers of Android smartphones will put on a mobile device the same amount of RAM a computer , those who produce applications, launcher and Android developers will feel almost “forced” to use the memory available without optimizing anything .
Il Galaxy S7 mounted 32 GB of storage with fast UFS 2.0 controller, but of these only 22 GB are available to the user that can be remedied by installing an external memory slot. The Internal storage speed is approximately 483 MB / s read and 138 MB / s write, but that which in this case could make the difference is the SD slot that integrates the UHS-II technology. For example, using one of the newest Sandisk Extreme Pro UHS-II announced in Barcelona you can achieve in reading on the card 275 MB / s, an incredible transfer rate higher than the built-in storage in many Android smartphones. Samsung does not adopt the Adaptive Storage Android 6.0 technology, but still allows you to move apps on : a choice this wise, because with games, videos and photos moved on a fast card as the Sandisk mentioned above (190 euro the 64 GB and 300 € to 128 GB) you find yourself in front of a real lightning. The alternative is the card UHS-II Lexar, costs less but is also slower, about 100 MB / s. Under the “technical” other relevant data are the presence of bluetooth 4.2, the fast X12 Qualcomm LTE modem and Wi-Fi 802.11a / b / g / n / ac MU-MIMO; also supplied the sensors division, with barometer and cardio sensor that complement the basic equipment.
The camera changes everything. And the Dual Pixel works fine
Apple, after having preserved the 8 megapixels in the camera for four generations, and at the end, with the iPhone 6S, had to give in to pressure by switching to a new 12-megapixel module. Samsung, paradoxically, come back: the 16-megapixel sensor (Sony or Samsung Isocell) used sull’S6 Edge is replaced with a new sensor in 4: 3 12 megapixel thanks to larger pixels can provide performance best in low light . The new sensor has a feature particularly innovative, or the Dual Pixel Technology, which is combined with an optical image stabilizer.
The Dual Pixel Technology is an absolute novelty in world of smartphones, but not in the world of photography, because it made its debut on the Canon EOS 70D few years ago. It is essentially the evolution of hybrid sensors, where in addition to making a contrast research fire using some pixels to detect even the phase: a 12 megapixel sensor as used on the Samsung actually has 24 megapixels, where however, for each pair of pixels it is used a single lens . The two pixels of each pair represent a single pixel photo but two distinct pixels when it comes to read the image to the focus. The result is a system of focusing very fast especially in difficult situations (subject approaching rapidly), and especially a system that does not suffer from the low-light conditions. The pixels used for the focus in hybrid sensors, in fact, only in the middle part of the lens is used because it is covered with a black stripe that does not let light pass through, while in the new sensor, all pixels are used for whole with enormous benefits especially in low-light conditions.
on the hybrid sensor, where few pixels are used” in half “after being covered with a black stripe, under the Dual pixel
The photo sensor Samsung (which registered a patent on the DuoPixel) is made by two different manufacturers, Sony and Samsung: basically we are facing exactly the same sensor , which in the first case IMX260 is signed, the product does not exist in the catalog and then Sony made about Samsung’s specifications. No sensorgate therefore simple production optimization. In the short video that we show below it is easy to see how the technology used by Samsung allows a much more responsive autofocus that used on the iPhone 6S.
Here you have some pictures taken in different lighting conditions: it is a small sensor like a nail The result is very significant , about even with the lens greater openness, F1.7 is on the posterior chamber is the 5-megapixel front-end module.
24 hours of battery life are not a
Battery, battery and battery yet: who uses a smartphone today can give up everything but not to a good battery life. Hence the S7 Edge with its 3700 mAh is able to offer a capacity of about 40% higher than that of the previous model: a marked improvement, but we must consider that a small percentage is eaten by larger screen and another the function Always on. However thanks to the improvements of Android 6.0 related to battery management and applications in stand by, we can say that Galaxy S7 Edge you quietly a whole day, where for the day we do not intend to morning to evening but the entire 24 hours. Given that we are now accustomed to the nightly charge we are faced with a smartphone that hardly come off the evening. Like other Samsung smartphone has the quick charge function (but we’re not so sure that is good for the batteries) and induction charging convenient if one already has a charger on the nightstand. In terms of usability The biometric sensor in the home button is fast but not fast (those of Huawei and Apple are more reactive), while we must commend the quality of calls, with a crystal yield and a good cleaning audio both incoming and outgoing. Good reception, although we must consider that we are in front of a metal and glass armored smartphone: the arrangement of antennas facilitates the signal coupling but some smartphone with plastic body manage to be slightly more sensitive. In a basement room that we use as a reference some smartphones can take the only TIM operator with a good signal coupling, others receive it as soon as (and in the case of the iPhone and S7) while others do not engage at all.
A hardware excelled deserves a different software
Dreaming does not cost anything, and probably a Galaxy S7 with iOS on board would be today the perfect smartphone both in terms of design from the point of view of applications, the stability and the ecosystem. The Galaxy S7 Edge instead runs the new Android 6.0 version dressed with Samsung’s TouchWiz interface, a solution that reflects the strange situation that has arisen between Samsung and Google.
Samsung does not like Android: Google’s operating system does not allow her to earn on services and apps, but despite this, can not do without the Play Store and all its applications. At the same time Google with Android and its minimalist interface does not meet the requirements of Samsung who wants a more user-friendly and intuitive product. Samsung wants Knox security, Google has its own policies and its systems, Google wants Chrome as browser while Samsung has its own browser. Google has Google Play, Gmail and Google Fit, Samsung has its E-Mail client, S-Health and the Galaxy App store, and you could go on except that at some point the user is in front of a well all apps Microsoft. That’s right: Samsung has made a partnership with Microsoft, and on board the S7 there are Excel, Powerpoint, Word, OneNote, Skype and OneDrive, other applications that somehow they do more or less what other apps Samsung or Google. All this has an impact of course on users: of 32 GB of storage that Samsung offers many of these are occupied by double app that Samsung installs, which then must also be added to the app of the various operators. The same goes for RAM: just turn on the smartphone, go to the section Smart Manager and check who is using the 2 GB of RAM that Samsung makes available to apps: Skype will eat 60 MB even though no one has started, and the same goes for Facebook (130 MB), Google Play Music (37 MB), One Drive and many other services that we have not even set up but are loaded into memory and eat RAM.
despite the icons a little ‘playful we must say that the TouchWiz certainly has strengths compared to stock Android, many of which will be appreciated by a user who prefers to be driven into certain decisions with service messages and pop-up confirmation, but the work that Samsung has to do, especially in the “diet” level it is great. Sailing in the available menus are in each case also some goodies: useful global control panel for smartphone management, interesting experimental features “Galaxy Lab” that activate certain features in beta. One of these allows for example to use Android as iOS, without the applications folder and all apps arranged on different home screen grid.
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