Now when I do a review I'm not doing it because someone sent me a device to test and write a review. No one is paying, I'm not getting anything in return for posting about any of the things I do review. Which might explain why I don't do a ton of reviews. I pay for my devices just like you do. I think it lets me give a more open and honest review.
I pre-ordered the S6 Edge from T-Mobile on the 27th of March. I called in at 3:30 am when I got up to go to work. By the time I got home I had already recieved notice that it had shipped. I pony'd up and got the overnight shiiping and it was in my hands on Monday. (UPS doesn't deliver on Saturdays here anyway) Once I saw the device on all the blogs and videos posted from Mobile World Congress (MWC) I had to have it. I read and watched everything I could find on the device. If I'm going into debt for something I like to know as much as I can. I knew I was going to be giving up a few things, like SD card slot for more storage and a removable/replaceable battery. Also that the battery wasn't going to last as long as it does with my Note 4. But there are ways around those short comings, and they are short comings. OTG cable and sticks are an easy way to move things around like music amd movies and other files. Portable battery packs have been out for a long time as well. With these options I was confident I would be able to live with my choice.
My first impressions of the device were as I expected. I love the look of the phone and its "six appeal". Lets face it this phone is down right sexy. I was lucky enough to have that first Tuesday off from work so I was able to play with the device and set it up. Normally I can only go a day if that on stock UI's no matter who's it is, and if I had to leave it as it came out of the box touch wiz would of drove me crazy already. But Samsung has a new twist, you can change theames without changing the whole UI. I am at this time using the "Avengers" theame that you have to download from Galaxy apps. It's not perfect but it has allowed me to hang this long without pulling my hair out.
The Galaxy S6 Edge has some cool extras to go with that sexy look. One is called "Peoples Edge"
You pick 5 of the people you contact most and add them to the list. Each contact has a different color. You can change the order in which they are in if you want purple in the middle you just long press and slide it there and it will switch with the yellow that was there before. Changing the contacts is just as easy. Long press on a contact and slide it to the top of the screen where the trash can is and the contact is removed from the list. The color circle will remain waiting for you to replace that contact
The edge also has a cool feature for when your contacts in the "Peoples Edge" call. If you have the phone laying face down and one of the edge contacts calls or text you the side that you have chosen (Left or right) will lite up and if not on silent it will ring as well. Here is a short video of the Edge in action.
Samsung chose not to go with the Snapdragon processor and went with their own in house SoC and I'm happy with the results. Its snappy and handles anything I through at it. There are rumors going around about the Snapdragon 810 over heating.. whether it is true or not I can't say.. Not my job, not my worry. I just know that the Exynos 7420 will do the job just fine. No matter how you feel about benchmarks you can't dispute that the new Galaxy flagship flies. Here are 2 of the test that I ran AnTuTu and Quadrent. This phone is 100% stock, its just how the tests came out.
Now for my favorite feature of the phone, its the main reason I wanted it and for that matter it was the main reason I wanted the Note 4 as well. The camera. Hands down the best camera on a phone to date that I've owned! at close range it out does even my Canon Rebel. I haven't had the chance to head out at night/evening to test the low light function yet as I don't do cold if I don't have to and living in Oregon at 3700 feet its still cold when the sun isn't out. But in daylight... Oh baby.
No settings where changed on these shots, basically just point and shoot.
So you've read what I like and the features that standout to me. Here are the things that I don't really like about the device. Holding the device in your hand it seems slick, like it could slip out of your hand at any second. It never did, but it did feel as though it could happen while pulling it out of your pocket. Which brings me to the one that bugged the HELL out of me for days. Now I ordered this thinking it wasn't going to ship for over a week. S o hadn't ordered any cases for it. I always have a case or two waiting for when the device arives. Well as you know the device came on the following Monday. No stores even sold cases for it yet. I could order them from Amazon or Ebay but they wouldn't get here in time. So I thought I would just tough it out and go with the phone being naked. Bad idea, bad bad idea. No I didn't ever drop it, but.... The phone was coming on all the time in my pocket and I even managed to take about a dozen photos of the inside of my pocket
This is the first device that Samsung has added wireless charging to right out of the box. I have never used that feature before but the chargers are dirt cheap and you can get them from web sites like Amazon. I found one that was only $10 and I also seen them for $40. Samsung has one that looks great that runs $50 but you can cut that in half by regestering your device with Samsung. They will send you a code to get 50% off any accessory under $50... Well the wirless charger is actually $49.99 so you win! I am going to hold on to my code for a bit and see what other things Samsung puts out for the S6 and S6 edge.
So after a full week of playing with the phone what are my thoughts.
I love it, once I got the kinks like the in to pocket deal taken care of I have nothing but praise for the phone. Will this bring Samsung back on top of the heap? I don't know... I only hope they keep making devices like the Edge and the Note. They are what I like. I am not using Samsung because they are the biggest cell phone manufacture, I'm using them because they are making the phones that I want. I'm not going to buy a phone because Joe Blow says its the best or to keep up with the Jones'.
Duck signing out
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