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Every year the top Android manufacturers announce and release their new flagship phones at around the same time. This puts Android users in a bit of a conundrum. Suddenly there are several excellent new phones to choose from. Samsung didn’t make the decision any easier this year, in fact they made it worse by releasing two flagship phones.
Even if you’re a loyal Samsung fan you have to make a decision between two devices: the Samsung Galaxy S6 and the Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge. Making the decision even harder is the fact that these devices share almost everything. The one big difference, obviously, is the “Edge screen” on the aptly named Galaxy S6 Edge. It’s cool, but is it better than the regular GS6? Let’s find out.
Price (Winner: Galaxy S6)
These two devices are identical in almost every way, but that doesn’t mean they cost the same. In fact the price may be the easiest way to decide which one to get. The Galaxy S6 Edge is $100 more than the regular Galaxy S6. Basically, you’re paying for a curved display add-on. Whether the curved display and features that go along with it are worth the extra $100 will be up to you.
Comfort (Winner: Galaxy S6)
For the most part these two devices look identical, which is not a bad thing. Samsung has done a great job with the design and build quality. In place of the cheap-feeling plastic and faux metal they’re using aluminium and glass. The result is a premium device that looks 100% better than previous Galaxy S devices.
Unfortunately, none of that helps you make a decision. Both devices look amazing, but how do they feel? The Galaxy S6 is your typical candybar-shaped phone with slightly rounded edges. It feels fine. The Edge, on the other hand, has a curved display on both sides. The display wraps around the edge almost all the way to the back. This creates a much sharper edge when holding the device in your hand.
Features (Winner: S6 Edge)
The Edge screen is not just there to look cool (though that is a reason why you might want it). Samsung has thrown in some special features for the curved display as well. Some of these features are a bit gimmicky, but others are very handy. Here are a few of the things you can do with the Edge screen.
People Edge
A big part of the Edge screen software revolves around picking your 5 most important contacts and assigning them each a color. These are the contacts who can light up your screen (read below) and show up in the People Edge.
You can swipe in from the edge of the display to bring up shortcuts to call or text your 5 contacts. If you have a missed call or text from these 5 contacts you’ll see a little indicator with their color on the Edge screen. Swipe in on the indicator to see the contents of the notification and respond.
Edge Lighting
One of the niftiest features of the Edge screen is called Edge Lighting. Since the display wraps around the edges you can see part of it peeking out when the phone is placed on its face. Samsung uses this area to flash the appropriately colored lights depending on who’s calling or messaging you. It’s a neat way to put your phone down and only be bothered by important people.
Information Stream
The Edge screen can also be used as your personal information ticker. You can set it up to show new Tweets, get sports scores, display news headlines, RSS feeds, and more.
You can also download more types of feeds. They’ll automatically display when new information comes in, though you can also force the feed to come up by swiping your finger to the left or right across the Edge display. It’s a cool way to use the extra screen real estate that you wouldn’t normally have on most phones.
These are just a couple of the main things you can do with the Edge Screen. Check out our 10 tips every Galaxy S6 Edge owner should know for a detailed look all the unique Edge screen features and how to use them.
Cool Factor (Winner: S6 Edge)
Phones are starting to look a little boring. We used to have keyboards with insane sliding and flipping mechanisms, trackballs, and kickstands. Nowadays, every phone is just a giant touchscreen with a few buttons on the side and maybe a big physical button on the front, Like the Galaxy S6. To really stand out from the crowd you need something unique.
The Galaxy S6 Edge looks like something you might see in a Sci-Fi movie or TV show. No other phone on the market has a display quite like it. When people ask you about it you can show them the nifty Edge screen features. It might be a Galaxy S6 on the inside, but on the outside it’s something else.
Bottom Line
$100 will get you the coolest looking phone in the world… but not much else
Galaxy S6 or Galaxy S6 Edge? It’s a tough decision. On the one hand you have an excellent device with a beautiful design, slimmed down software, and a great camera. On the other hand you have all of that, plus a curved display that looks really cool, but might not be the most comfortable to hold, and it’s $100 more.
If you have an extra $100 to blow and you appreciate the look of a device you should go for the Galaxy S6 Edge. If you just want something basic without all the bells and whistles you should go with the Galaxy S6.
Which device did/would you choose? Do you stick with the standard configuration, or are you living life on the edge?
[polldaddy poll=8800721]
It was worth the extra $100 for me… but I was just paying for the sexiness. I’ve recommended the regular S6 to many friends who don’t care as much about phones and mainly care about features 1st and price second.
I care about sexiness so I got the s6
+1 same for me. There is no smartphone like the S6 edge out in the market right now. Form factor is just something never done before.
I spent the extra hundred for the 64GB S6…that is more useful and worth it to me.
Or wait for the G4 :)
Anyway, when I was considering the S6, I no longer am, I wanted the Edge. But the more i played with it, considered the price, considered how it might be hard for devs to root it given locked bootloader for Verizon so hard to leverage the Edge functionality into more than Samsung gives you on launch, and considering you can only use 1 edge at a time and only 4-5 somewhat novelty features of the Edge, I changed my mind and looked at the regular S6 as a smarter buy. I started to see the Edge as a gimmick.
Got s6 edge to replace my m8.. Love it!!
Why do I want vertical bars of glare at the edges of my screen in almost ANY light? It also makes the screen appear smaller to me. Straight S6 for me…
Agree wholeheartedly. While I was initially enamored with the S6 edge, I played with the regular S6 last week and ended up preferring it over the edge. Then when I thought about it, the curved bezels were more form than function. It’s an awesome design but ultimately function won out for me.
The small screen thing is SO true. It’s like the only real usable portion is the flat side, while your eye dismisses anything curved around the sides.
No reason to waste $100 on the Edge, it’s just a gimmick that looks kinda cool, but personally I’d rather have the cleaner S6 design anyway. I don’t want a distorted image curving away from me. I certainly don’t need the edges of a phone to light up as I never keep it upside down on a table.
Unfortunately both of these phones still feature Touchwiz, so I don’t know if I can go through with the GS6 yet.
Yep, I hear that! TW still front and centre… Ok.. No thanks.. Trimmed down or not.. No removable battery? I can manage I guess.. No ext SD? Unfortunate but I suppose I can manage IF I get the 128gb model.. Snapdragon?.. Nope… Exynos.. So poor Dev support.. (ultimate deal breaker) too bad.. Will test it out for a while but won’t become my daily.. Love the camera and Sammy gave IT camera2 support but NOT the Note4 after LP update.. I’m still steaming on that one..
That’s like saying there’s no reason to buy a Nike t-shirt… just go to Walmart and buy the cheapest brand you can find. Some people put value in style and things that look cool, new, and different so while $100 is not worth it to you, clearly it is for other people with different priorities and preferences.
As long as you replace the launcher, there is very little TW visible.
Went with edge because I’m a baller.
Hell yeah pimpin!
Smashed my iPhone to peices because Steve Jobs left a bunch of fools in charge…new member of the android FAM and I already like it more…is anything newer coming out werth waiting for ?
You should of sold it.
Yaa but when your trying to get stuff done n its unresponsive… That’s the line
Went for the edge myself and I love it so far. Been with HTC the last two iterations of the edge and while there are things about touchwiz that drive me crazy so far the experience has been really good. Miss the boom sound but the camera is unmatched and it was worth the $100 to me for the cool factor. Makes me a bit of a fashion whore but I’m ok with it.
I’m curious as to which parts of TW drive you crazy. There is so little of it visible in the S6, as long as you are using a 3rd party launcher. I have been using Samsung phones for years, and am glad to see this VERY toned down version of TW on the S6. The only thing I would change, is the color of the notification shade.
Well yes it is better and I too ALWAYS use a 3rd party launcher but TW unfortunately is more then that (fore and background).. The background parts are smoother and it handles well.. But the colours, the notification panel, the quick launch, the settings and menus… Damn they are ugly and unlike stock.. Just don’t like it and I’m not alone.. But at least on the S6 it has gotten better.. Will give them that
I would have broken the edge of an edge 10+ times by now.
is anyone having any issues with call quality using the S6 Edge? Everyone I speak to has a hard time hearing me and say I sound muffled.
In the long run, spending $100 for a bump in internal storage is a much better value than the $100 Edge display (if you can only pick one).
Neither, wait for the note 5