As an owner of a Galaxy S5, I was very disappointed with the S6’s lack of removable battery and Micro SD card slot. I was also upset with the S6’s loss of waterproofing as well as the loss of battery performance versus the S5. While features like the pretty metal & glass design, improved fingerprint reader, and built-in wireless charging are definitely welcomed enhancements, they simply don’t justify upgrading your S5 to an S6. So why the 5 star rating and a wholehearted recommendation to buy the S6, even if you already own an S5? Read on! (TLDR at bottom)
Battery Life:
To start off with, the S6 battery is, in fact, not as long lasting as the S5's, which, combined with the non-removable battery, makes battery life the worst aspect of the S6. However, Samsung’s standard power saving mode (not ultra-power saving mode) is extremely easy to turn on and only has a minor impact on performance. The standard power saving mode is ideal for when the phone sits on your desk or in your pocket since it lowers background performance as well as cutting down display brightness and CPU performance when you're checking simple things like texts or email. The performance loss is negligible and the battery life boost has been at least 25% in my experience. You can also easily turn on gray scale mode via the S6 settings so that you eek out that much more battery by turning off all colors. It is also worth noting that the fast-charging feature is actually extremely fast, even compared with the S5’s USB 3.0 fast charging, so the shorter battery life is somewhat easier to cope with. I do find myself carrying spare battery packs around though, so I guess I finally feel the battery pain that iPhone users have felt for years.
Screen Display:
There is really no comparison between the S5 and the S6’s screens. The curve on my S6 Edge is neat, but what really blows every other phone display out of the water is the ultra-high pixel count. At a certain point, high resolution gives you diminishing returns. Contrary to what I’ve read in so many professional reviews, the 2560x1440 display is a clearly visible enhancement over the S5’s screen. Colors are insanely vivid and details are crisp and clear. The brightness of the screen is almost ridiculous and I have been able to read every word even in the brightest of sunshine. I could not say the same about my S5’s display.
Speed:
The speed of the S6 makes it seem truly next generation compared to the S5. I test-drove T-Mobile’s service about 6 months ago using an iPhone 5s and I’ll never forget how disappointed I was when I switched back to my S5. The iPhone was buttery smooth and the Galaxy S5 was… well, not. Try to quickly open up the camera on the S5 and you’ll likely run into a sputtering camera that doesn’t react fast enough to catch a fleeting moment. Accidentally tap a game app on the S5 and watch as your phone has a brain fart trying to go quickly switch to the right app. Load one too many apps at the same time and watch as your phone crashes more often than you’d appreciate. The S6 eats the S5 alive and matches the iPhone’s buttery smooth response to each swipe and each loading app. The camera loads even faster than the iPhone 6s and that’s pretty huge. Which brings me to…
Camera:
Just when the S6 had me sold on its screen and speed, what is arguably the best camera on any smartphone came along and dazzled me. To be sure, the S5 had a gorgeous camera, but it had a tendency to leave you with shaky pictures, mainly in low light conditions. The newly added Optical Image Stabilization (OIS) in the S6 makes itself feel essential after using it in low lighting and in videos; you’ll wonder how you ever took pictures without OIS. In bright conditions, the S5 and the S6’s cameras are about equal in detail, but what makes them seem years apart is the light sensor. The light sensor on the S6 is stunningly good at picking up details, even in the dimmest of conditions (coupled with the stability of the OIS, say goodbye to low light shaky photos). The multitude of Samsung photography modes are still there, but they are deactivated by default to make the user experience that much more enjoyable. As the nail in the coffin in the comparison game between the S5 and S6’s cameras, the camera app itself loads in under one second. You read that right. No matter what screen you are on, by double-tapping the home button, the camera loads in less than one second and is ready to take pictures. In the middle of farming in Clash of Clans and see a cool moment you want to photograph? No problem! Just double tab your home button, take the photo, and press the back button to continue with Clash of Clans, which didn’t even need to reload. It really is that fast.
Conclusion (TLDR):
While I was upset with the loss of so many features that the S5 had, I underestimated just how much faster, reliable, and downright enjoyable the S6 would end up being. While there are videos out there showing how “waterproof” the S6 is, I wouldn’t let a raindrop touch it if I could avoid it, unlike my S5 which I fearlessly used during many rainstorms. And while there are battery packs and battery cases out there for the S6, I do miss being able to swap out the battery at will, especially if (and when) it eventually dies from usage. There are indeed faults with the S6, chief among them the poor battery life in comparison to the S5, but there are just too many triumphs with the S6 to even knock off one star. The best display I’ve ever used, the best camera I’ve ever used, the fastest phone I’ve ever used is the best phone I’ve ever owned: it’s my Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge.
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From the manufacturer
Six Appeal
The Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge embodies the best of form and function – packing incredible performance into a beautifully sleek frame and Lightning-fast 64 bit, Octa-core processor.
Bold, Beautiful Display
Finally, a smartphone that's more than simply beautiful. The Samsung Galaxy S6 edge has evolved its design—both inside and out. The Samsung Galaxy S6 edge lets you:
- Easily hold, text, call, and more with its stunning metal bezel, sophisticated glass, and two revolutionary edge screens.
- Watch images and videos come to life on the 5.1-inch Quad HD Super AMOLED display, even in sunlight.
- Work, watch, and game at blazing-fast speeds.
- Capture amazing photos with the fast-focus camera and take epic wide-angle selfies.
- Use Ultra Power Saving Mode, Fast Charging, or wireless charging3 to extend your smartphone’s battery life when it’s running low.
Compact meets stylish
Stay entertained and connected while on the go with this easy-to-hold smartphone. The Galaxy S 6 edge combines a stunning all-metal bezel and sophisticated glass to create an incredibly slim and lightweight smartphone. It’s the perfect size to take with you virtually anywhere: 5.1-inch Quad HD Super AMOLED 2560 x 1440, 577 PPI + dual-edge
Advanced Camera Tech
This is the finest camera we’ve ever put in a Samsung mobile device. Auto real-time HDR, an incredibly fast f/1.9 aperture lens, and smart optical image stabilization lets you achieve brilliant photos in any light. The front-facing camera features 5MP and an industry-leading 120° wide angle lens to let you capture even more with exceptional clarity. And it’s all accessible with a double tap of the home key.
Camera (Back):
16MP for exceptional clarity, 0.7 second activation for faster response, auto real-time HDR.
Selfie Camera (Front):
Best-in-class 5MP with 120° wide angle lens.
Wireless Charging
Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge features built-in, industry-standard wireless charging capabilities. Add a charging pad, and you have the convenience of charging without the need to plug in. And if you ever get in a low battery bind, simply switch to Ultra Power Saving Mode. It lets you continue to text and make calls even if you’re only down to only 10%.
Smart Charging:
10 minutes = 4 hrs of regular use or 2 hrs of HD video. Built-in wireless charging capabilities.
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This Item  Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge, Black Sapphire 32GB (Verizon Wireless) |  | |  |  |  | |
| Price | — | -12% $79.88 Typical: $90.90 | $119.99 | -9% $133.44 List Price: $145.99 | $134.99 | $289.98 |
| Delivery | — | Get it as soon as Friday, May 17 | Get it as soon as Friday, May 17 | Get it May 17 - 22 | Get it as soon as Wednesday, May 15 | Get it as soon as Monday, May 13 |
| Customer Ratings | ||||||
| Battery life | ||||||
| Fingerprint reader | ||||||
| Face recognition | ||||||
| Value for money | ||||||
| Sold By | — | Amazon.com | Amazon.com | thegadgetdeals | MobileCart | All-Out Mobile |
| display size | 5.1 inches | 6.5 inches | 6.5 inches | 6.2 inches | 5.8 inches | 5.8 inches |
| memory capacity | 32 GB | 64 GB | 64 GB | 4 GB | 128 GB | 64 GB |
| model name | Galaxy S6 edge | Samsung Galaxy A14 5G | Samsung Galaxy A14 5G | s8+ | Galaxy S10e | Galaxy S8 |
| operating system | Android | Android 13 | Android 13.0 | android | Android 9.0 | Android 11.0 |
| connectivity tech | Wi-Fi | USB, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, NFC | USB, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, NFC | Wi-Fi | Wi-Fi | Wi-Fi |
| display type | AMOLED | LCD | LCD | AMOLED | AMOLED | AMOLED |
| battery average life | — | 1020 minutes | 1020 minutes | — | — | 1 days |
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Some SIM and Review Information
I thought I'd address the concerns I had before buying this and could not get a clear answer. I purchased this "Without Service Plan", I'm already an old AT&T customer on the Grandfather Unlimited Plan. So naturally I did not want to get the phone with a plan. My concern was would my current SIM work as I've heard conflicting answers. The answer is YES!, I get 4G LTE signal.I normally just buy the unlocked versions but could not find one with the the storage and color that I needed/wanted. So for the time being I'll just have to put up with all the bloatware.The battery was somewhat disappointing but after tinkering with app disabling and stopping certain apps from syncing I can get a full day out of it.I give this Five Stars because it's such an upgrade to any phone currently out (In my opinion). I was on the verge of giving it 4 Stars because my HTC One M8 spoiled me with double-tap to sleep/wake. This has some cool wake features like voice and hovering your hand over the display but I find both features are not as responsive as a simple double-tap. Maybe a Custom ROM or a Software Update might add this feature but I'm not holding my breathe on the latter.All-in-all superb phone that I will probably be using until the next best comes out.EDIT 5/14/15: After further tinkering I can get some great idle battery times.
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