Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge

Samsung's finest get more polished

After years of trafficking in plastic flagships, the glass-and-metal Galaxy S6 and S6 Edge proved Samsung still knew how to make jaw-dropping phones. Ah, but there was a rub -- a few of them, in fact. The expandable memory slots were gone. Neither phone was waterproof. The S6 Edge's flat back and slim sides felt awkward. Curvy screens aside, both phones were identical. The shortcomings were few, but they were notable.
Rather than start anew, Samsung's designers instead set about refining last year's formula, smoothing rough edges and making the new S7 and S7 Edge feel meaningfully different. Spoiler alert: It worked, and anyone even considering a new Android phone needs to consider owning one of these things. And yet, for all the polishing Samsung has done, these S7 siblings fall short of game-changer territory -- this is a year of careful, logical upgrades

Pros

• Improved style and ergonomics
• Top-tier performance
• Beautiful screen
• It's (mostly) waterproof!

Cons

• Camera can be a mixed bag
• Slightly underwhelming battery
• SIM/microSD tray is flimsy

Summary

Another year, another Galaxy S. While the new S7 isn't as dramatic a departure for Samsung as the S6 was, it benefits immensely from a year's worth of refinement. It's more powerful, not to mention even more beautiful than the S6, but Samsung hasn't attained perfection just yet. That said, the company has come pretty damned close: A more consistent camera and more modest power consumption would have made this great phone one for the history books.

Samsung

Galaxy S7 Edge

Pros

• Looks and feels amazing
• Curved screen feels more useful
• Strong performance
• It's (mostly) waterproof!

Cons

• Screen exhibits a slight green cast
• Slightly underwhelming battery
• No must-have Edge apps
• Flimsy SIM/microSD tray

Summary

This year's Galaxy S7 Edge is what Samsung's Edge family should have been from the beginning. It combines first-rate horsepower (and the occasional hiccup) with a gorgeous display, all wrapped in an attractive package. The thing is, the Edge's big draw is still its striking design: The software that tries to take advantage of the curved screen still feels gimmicky.

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