Whether you’re looking at the phone for the first time, or are thinking about upgrading to the S6’s edgier brother; you should know everything that’s in store. This isn’t a full review of the Galaxy S6 Edge, but it is a close look at the curved device. I’m going to highlight the good, the bad, and if this phone didn’t already look great, the ugly.
Cons About the Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge
Let’s start with the negatives for two reasons: there aren’t a lot of them, and I like to end things on a positive note. There aren’t very many problems with the S6 Edge, but it isn’t a “no-brainer” upgrade for the standard S6 either. I’m going to try and focus on problems that plague the Edge specifically, but expect some issues with the old S6 to be discussed.
1. The Curved Screen
This sounds like a pretty strange complaint at face value. Honestly, it sounds like a pretty strange complaint on any level, but hear me out on this one. The curved screen is practically the whole point of buying an Edge series phone, but what if those edges detract from your experience? It sounds obvious that you shouldn’t buy a Galaxy S6 Edge if you don’t want a curved screen, but I think it’s worth mentioning. For all the good the curved screen brings (which I’ll talk about when I get to pros), it isn’t all sunshine. My biggest problem with the curved sides is how much of a hassle it makes the phone to handle. It downright feels unwieldy at times, and sacrifices comfort over form. You’ll adjust to the screen before long with constant use, but should you have to in the first place? I’m just glad that finding good cases for the S6 Edge isn’t a nightmare.
2. Non-Removable Battery
It still surprises me whenever you aren’t allowed to remove a phone’s battery. Not every user is going to take advantage of it regularly of course, but why isn’t it an option for easy repairs and charging? Being able to slip a spare battery into your phone is an amazing advantage, but one you’re going to sorely miss. For reference, the standard S6 doesn’t have a removable battery either, but it’s a big enough con to list additionally on this list. It’s also worth noting that while both models don’t technically have a removable battery, the standard S6 at least makes removing or replacing the battery easier.
3. No MicroSD Card
I hope you don’t like expandable storage, because of the Galaxy S6 Edge microSD cards are not allowed. This is a pretty big negative to me, even if the largest storage size available for the S6 Edge is 128GB. If having a finite amount of storage, if you aren’t using different methods for external storage, scares you, this is a big problem. It’s the same story for the standard S6, but it’s still just as disappointing.
Pros About the Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge
Now that we’ve blown through the very small amount of negatives about the S6 Edge let’s focus on the good points for a breath of fresh air. There are plenty more pros about the Edge model than cons, but many of them are subjective. Any positive can be a negative from the right angle, so keep that in mind.
1. The Curved Screen
Alright, so I know I listed this as a negative just a minute or two earlier, but the curved screen isn’t just one big con. Since the Edge’s biggest selling point is the curved screen, it still has a few good points that balance the inherent negatives. Despite there not being a large amount of support for curved screen apps, the extra utility is useful and is aesthetically beautiful. There’s no way to look at the S6 Edge screen and not think it looks great.
2. A Bigger and Better Battery
One reason to upgrade from the S6 to the Edge, or just to buy the Edge over the standard S6 is the battery. On the S6 Edge, even with the enhanced display, the battery lasts longer and charges faster. Only have a few minutes to charge your phone? The Edge can go from 1 to 100 in under half an hour. This is the phone’s biggest pro to me because I hold battery life above all else. No matter how great a phone is, if you can’t keep using it throughout the day; it isn’t worth much.
3. Previous Model’s Standard Features are the Same
This is a pro for anyone wondering if there are any drastic internal changes between the S6 and S6 Edge. If you liked the S6 setup, you’d be happy to hear that there isn’t anything different here. If you were looking for some massive changes, then this winds up being a major con instead. The Samsung Galaxy S6 already has an impressive feature list, so more of the same can’t be a bad thing.
4. Only a Marginal Price Increase
When the S6 Edge first launched, you could find Edge models for $100 more than their standard counterparts. Now, the difference is even smaller, and in some cases nonexistent. While before you needed to give the price increase serious consideration since they’re now so close in price it all comes down to preference. Let’s look at the 32GB model for both, and see how close the price is between the two. First up, there’s the standard S6: It’s going for $459.00 right now, but then let’s take a quick look at the Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge: Currently, the Edge is just $3 more depending on the size and color you want! With the difference being so small, it is just down to personal preference.
5. Nice Lightweight Form All Around
The S6 Edge is slightly lighter than the standard S6, which is a pro for most users. However, it’s also wider than the standard S6 by a small margin, which is a definite con with how unwieldy the phone is to hold. All of that said, the phone still looks amazing at a glance from the sides, bottom, and the top. If you hold an S6 and an S6 Edge side by side; it’s clear who walks away with the best appearance.
Conclusion
When it comes to pros and cons for the S6 Edge, I’m mostly comparing it to its earlier, and rounded counterpart, the Galaxy S6. The two phones are fairly similar, which always made me hasty to recommend the Edge over standard S6 with their past price difference. Now that the two are practically the same price, the Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge has even more pros that make it a good choice over its older model. If you want what a curved screen brings to the table, pick it up! What do you like most about the S6 Edge? You can tell us about it in the comments below. Featured Image Credit
