Samsung Galaxy S7 review: a smartphone without weak points. Brief description of the Samsung Galaxy S series. Let's remember how it was New Samsung 7

Part 1: general introduction and comparison of performance with iPhone 6s Plus and Moto X Force

The announcement of the Samsung Galaxy S7 and S7 Edge at the Mobile World Congress 2016 expectedly became one of the main IT events in recent weeks. And although in general there is nothing revolutionary in these smartphones - it is, rather, an evolution in relation to the S6 Edge, and not a revolution, nevertheless, from first impressions and from the totality of the information voiced about the new products, I got the impression that this is really almost the best flagships of the first half of 2016. Now that we have received the Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge for testing, it's time to check whether this is true or not.

We talked about our first impressions of the Samsung Galaxy S7 and S7 Edge in a report from the presentation. Here we emphasize that although Samsung, like a year ago, releases two smartphones at the same time and maintains its positioning, there are still more hardware differences between them than between the Galaxy S6 and S6 Edge. Firstly, the display of the two new products differs not only in the presence or absence of curvature, but also in diagonal - 5.1 inches in the case of the Galaxy S7 and 5.5 inches in the case of the S7 Edge. Secondly, the battery capacity, which was almost the same in the S6 and S6 Edge, now differs quite significantly: in the S7 this figure is 3000 mAh, and in the S7 Edge it is already 3600 mAh.

Apparently, the manufacturer decided to more thoroughly justify the price difference between the S7 and S7 Edge. On pre-order in Russia, smartphones cost 49,990 and 59,990 rubles, respectively. 10,000 rubles difference just for the spectacular curve of the screen is a bit much, but if you add to this a more capacious battery and a larger screen area, it turns out much more interesting.

We especially note that when pre-ordering, the user receives a second-generation Samsung Gear VR helmet as a gift, which individually costs almost 8,000 rubles. Nice bonus!

Let's take a look at the specifications of the Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge.

Specifications Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge

• SoC Samsung Exynos 8890 Octa
• CPU Mongoose @2.6 GHz (4 cores) + Cortex-A53 @1.6 GHz (4 cores)
• GPU Mali-T880
• Operating system Android 6.0.1
• Touch display 5.5″ SuperAMOLED, curved on both sides, 2560×1440, 534 ppi
• Random access memory (RAM) 4 GB
• Permanent memory: 32 GB
• Supports microSD memory cards up to 200 GB
• SIM cards: 2 × Micro-SIM
• Communication GSM/GPRS/EDGE/3G/LTE Cat.9
• Bluetooth 4.2 LE, NFC, ANT+
• Wi-Fi 802.11b/g/n/ac 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz
• GPS with A-GPS, Glonass
• Sensors: accelerometer, geomagnetic sensor, gyroscope, light sensor, proximity sensor, barometer, Hall sensor, fingerprint scanner, heart rate sensor
• Cameras: 5 MP (front) and 12 MP (rear) Dual Pixel, with LED flash, optical stabilization system and autofocus, f/1.7, 4K video shooting
• Battery: lithium polymer 3600 mAh, non-removable
• Dimensions 150.9×72.6×7.7 mm
• Weight 157 g

For clarity, we decided to make a table with the characteristics of the Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge and its immediate predecessor Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge+, and also added to the table Moto X Force and iPhone 6S Plus - the most obvious competitors of the new product.

	Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge	Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge+	Moto X Force	Apple iPhone 6s Plus
Screen	5.5″ Super AMOLED, curved on both sides, 2560×1440, 534 ppi	5.7″ Super AMOLED, curved on both sides, 2560×1440, 515 ppi	5.4″ AMOLED, 2560×1440, 540 ppi	5.5″ IPS, 1920×1080, 401 ppi
SoC (processor)	Samsung Exynos 8890 Octa (4 Mongoose cores @2.6 GHz + 4 Cortex-A53 cores @1.6)	Samsung Exynos 7420 (4 Cortex-A57 @2.1 GHz + 4 Cortex-A53 @1.5 GHz)	Qualcomm Snapdragon 810 (4x Cortex-A57 @2.0 GHz + 4x Cortex-A53 @1.5 GHz)	Apple A9 (2 cores @1.8 GHz, 64-bit ARMv8-A architecture)
GPU	Mali-T880	Mali-T760	Adreno 430	Apple A9
Flash memory	32 GB	32 GB	32 GB	16/64/128 GB
Connectors		Micro-USB (with OTG support), 3.5mm headset jack	Micro-USB (with OTG support), 3.5mm headset jack	Lightning dock connector, 3.5mm headset jack
Memory card support	microSD (up to 200 GB)	No	microSD (up to 2 TB)	No
RAM	4 GB	4 GB	3 GB	2 GB
Cameras		rear (16 MP; 4K video), front (5 MP)	rear (21 MP; 4K video), front (5 MP)	rear (12 MP; 4K video), front (5 MP)
LTE support	There is	There is	There is	There is
Battery capacity (mAh)	3600	2600	3760	2750
operating system	Google Android 6.0.1	Google Android 5.1 (updated to 6.0.1)	Google Android 6.0.1	Apple iOS 9.0 (updated to 9.2.1)
Dimensions (mm)*	151×73×7.7	154×76×6.9	150×78×9.2	158×78×7.3
Weight (g)	157	153	170	190

*according to official data from manufacturers

The table clearly shows what major changes have occurred in the new product compared to the Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge+. First of all, there is support for microSD memory cards. In addition, the smartphone is now equipped with a new SoC and a significantly more capacious battery. True, two parameters may confuse those who are choosing between the Galaxy S7 Edge and S6 Edge+. Firstly, the new product has become a little thicker, and secondly, the rear camera now has a resolution of 12 megapixels instead of the previous 16 megapixels. However, both of them are justified by some technological features, which we will discuss later, so you shouldn’t immediately write them down as disadvantages.

As for comparison with the Moto X Force, the smaller amount of RAM is noteworthy here. And, of course, the screen has no curve (although, according to Lenovo, which owns the Moto brand, it is also plastic). As for the remaining differences (SoC and camera parameters), this needs to be tested. The same is true for the iPhone 6s Plus, where direct comparison of characteristics is generally pointless due to different operating systems. But it’s worth noting that compared to the Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge and Moto X Force, the iPhone 6s Plus has a much less capacious battery, although the dimensions are no smaller (only thickness).

However, let's move on to direct testing and in the process we will answer a number of questions that arose when comparing the characteristics. Including the main one: which smartphone is the most productive at the moment.

Equipment

The smartphone arrived to us in a test box, different from those that will be on the counter. Alas, it was not a beautiful suitcase at all, like our colleagues from Poland, but just a white cardboard package. However, the packaging inside appears to be in line with what shoppers will get in store.

This is a charger with Quick Charge support, a Micro-USB - USB cable, a key for removing the SIM card and memory card cradle, an OTG adapter (for connecting external USB drives with a full-size plug), as well as headphones in a separate plastic box and with an additional a set of rubber ear pads.

The Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge+ had the same headphones, and, admittedly, it was not for nothing that the manufacturer included them again. They have a tangle-free flat wire, a very comfortable ear pad shape, and most importantly, decent sound. We tested it on the FLAC version of the new Massive Attack EP "Ritual Spirit" (by the way, the smartphone plays FLAC tracks without any problems) and were pleasantly surprised by the transmission of deep bass in the songs Dead Editors and Take It There.

As for the charger, we will talk in more detail about all the issues related to the battery and recharging in the second part of the article, but for now we will report only one result: in 15 minutes, using the included charging unit, the smartphone was charged by 20%. Quite a good result!

Design

In terms of appearance, the differences between the Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge and the S6 Edge+ and 6S Edge are minimal - first of all, they relate to slightly changed dimensions. And yet, the Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge can without any doubt be called one of the most beautiful modern smartphones.

Almost the entire front panel is occupied by a screen that effectively wraps around both edges along the long sides. And this is not only admirable in itself, but also creates the illusion of a complete absence of frameworks. In fact, of course, there are frames, but they are already quite thin, and thanks to the rounding of the screen they seem quite insignificant.

Both the front and rear panels are completely covered with glass. They are quite easily soiled, especially if we are talking about the black version of the smartphone (silver and platinum versions will also be on sale), but they still look great. Very narrow zones below and above the screen are also a plus. Thanks to this, with the same screen sizes, the Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge is significantly more compact than the iPhone 6s Plus. True, the iPhone is just a little thinner, but this is completely unnoticeable. And thanks to the narrowing of the side edges, the Samsung smartphone seems even thinner than the Apple device.

In general, the size of the Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge is optimal. The S6 Edge+ was still a bit big and didn’t feel as comfortable in the hand. But the S7 Edge is just right! Of course, because of the glass in front and behind, it is slippery, you are afraid to drop it, but it is still pleasant to hold in your hand.

All edges, like its predecessor, are made of metal, as are the buttons. They press with pleasant elasticity. The layout of buttons and connectors is similar to the previous model. On the right is the power button, on the left are separate volume buttons.

On the bottom edge there is a speaker, a Micro-USB connector with OTG support (it’s strange that Samsung is not switching to USB Type C, unlike many other manufacturers), a 3.5 mm headset jack and a built-in microphone hole. Interestingly, the location of this hole has changed, meaning that the internal layout of the components appears to have undergone significant changes. As for the speaker, its maximum volume is quite sufficient not to miss a call/alarm clock, and for watching movies or videos, but, of course, it should not be used for listening to music due to unnecessary overtones and the not very pleasant nature of the sound in in general. However, it would be strange to expect something different from a device of such a form factor.

On the top edge we see another microphone hole and a combined slot for a SIM card and a microSD memory card. Yes, as we already said, Samsung has fixed one of the main shortcomings of the Galaxy S6 Edge and S6 Edge+ by adding memory card support to the Galaxy S7 Edge. And considering that the manufacturer is especially proud of the smartphone’s camera, this is especially relevant, since 32 GB of internal memory for a camera phone that shoots video in 4K is frankly not enough.

At the top of the front panel, next to the eyes of the front camera and sensors, there is an LED event indicator. The large round dot lights up in different colors depending on the battery charging status or incoming messages. This element was there before, but I’m glad that Samsung didn’t sacrifice it.

The rear camera lens still protrudes quite a bit above the glass of the rear panel, but this can hardly be considered a serious drawback.

The Home button on the front panel also protrudes. But this is even a plus, since it is easier to find it by touch. And you will have to do this every time you turn on the smartphone, since this button contains a fingerprint sensor. It works very quickly, the recognition rate is very good, so there are no complaints here.

Despite the fact that the external design has changed minimally, the new smartphone has one very important quality: water resistance according to the IP68 standard. At the same time, there are no plugs on the ports here. That is, moisture protection is ensured thanks to the design and materials. This is, of course, a wonderful and unexpected gift, a real feat of engineers!

Overall, the design deserves the highest marks. Of course, its subjective perception depends primarily on how much you, in principle, like the screen that bends on the edge. There are people who don't like it. But even they are unlikely to argue with the fact that the design of the Galaxy S7 Edge is certainly original (except, of course, for its predecessors), and thanks to the excellent ratio of dimensions and display size, the smartphone is also very practical. It will fit into any pocket without any problems and will fit comfortably even in a small hand. As a huge plus, we note the appearance of a slot for memory cards, and among the minuses is the absence of a green option. For the Galaxy S6 Edge, it was the green (“emerald”) version that was one of the most attractive, original and stylish.

The color options for the new member of the Edge family are also quite good. But here is a strange situation: only black, gold and silver options are available for pre-order in Russia. But white - no. Although we saw it at the exhibition and, to be honest, it was the one we liked the most. It has a very interesting pearl shade. The black device that we are currently testing seems a little less advantageous and practical (due to fingerprints), although the color is still interesting, deep, and not banal.

Performance

The smartphone runs on the new Exynos 8890 Octa SoC, made using a 14 nm process technology, improved with FinFET LPP (Low-Power Plus) technology. It uses new Mongoose CPU cores (four cores with a frequency of 2.6 GHz) and the already familiar four Cortex-A53 cores with a frequency of 1.6 GHz.

The Mali-T880 acts as a graphics accelerator.

Samsung has not used this SoC before, meaning this is our first look at it. Therefore, it is necessary to compare it with the main competing solutions: Qualcomm Snapdragon 810 and Apple A9. Of course, it would be even more interesting if the comparison involved the Qualcomm Snapdragon 820, but we have not yet had devices with this SoC. So we’ll be content with what we have, and at the same time we’ll try to answer the burning question that worries the Internet community so much: who is more powerful – the Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge or the Apple iPhone S6 Plus?

Let's start with browser tests: SunSpider 1.0.2, Octane Benchmark, Kraken Benchmark and . We used the Chrome browser on all Android devices and Safari on iOS. If there is a dash in the table field, it means that the corresponding smartphone was not tested in this benchmark (or in this version of this benchmark).

As you can see, the Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge is confidently ahead of its Android competitor and its own predecessor, but the iPhone is still ahead in the overall standings.

Now let's see how the gadget performs in complex benchmarks - AnTuTu 6 and Geekbench 3.

Unfortunately, we do not have AnTuTu 6 results for the previous Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge+, since we tested it in the fifth version of the benchmark, and it was radically different in the principles of scoring, so it is incorrect to compare the results. But AnTuTu finally worked fine on iOS. So we added the iPhone to the table too.

And again the picture repeats itself, although the superiority of the iPhone is already less, and in the multi-core Geekbench 3 mode, the Apple smartphone is completely inferior to the new Samsung product.

In addition to our ongoing testing methodology, we decided to compare the Galaxy S7 Edge and iPhone 6s Plus in the cross-platform Basemark OS II benchmark. The results are in front of you. The screenshot on the left is Samsung, on the right is Apple.

As we can see, Samsung lost here. Although not in all subtests (see Memory).

The last group of benchmarks is dedicated to testing GPU performance. We used 3DMark, GFXBench and Bonsai Benchmark. All of them show real 3D scenes and allow you to clearly see how the devices cope with them.

Let's start with GFXBench. Let us remind you that Offscreen tests involve displaying images in 1080p, regardless of the actual screen resolution. And Onscreen tests mean displaying a picture in the resolution that matches the device screen resolution. That is, Offscreen tests are indicative from the point of view of the abstract performance of the SoC, and Onscreen tests are indicative from the point of view of the comfort of the game on a specific device. Additionally, this year's Android devices featured a new Car Chase scene using OpenGL ES 3.1. This standard is not supported on iPhone, so this scene is not available there, nor is the Manhattan version of the scene with ES 3.1. However, there is enough data to draw conclusions.

	Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge (Samsung Exynos 8890 Octa)	Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge+ (Samsung Exynos 7420 Octa)	Moto X Force (Qualcomm Snapdragon 810)	Apple iPhone 6s Plus (Apple A9)
GFXBenchmark Car Chase ES 3.1 (Onscreen)	7.9 fps	—	3.2 fps	—
GFXBenchmark Car Chase ES 3.1 (1080p Offscreen)	15 fps	—	5.1 fps	—
GFXBenchmark Manhattan ES 3.1 (Onscreen)	24 fps	—	10 fps	—
GFXBenchmark Manhattan ES 3.1 (1080p Offscreen)	26 fps	—	18 fps	—
GFXBenchmark Manhattan ES 3.0 (Onscreen)	25 fps	—	—	39 fps
GFXBenchmark Manhattan ES 3.0 (1080p Offscreen)	38 fps	—	—	40 fps
GFXBenchmark T-Rex (Onscreen)	52 fps	37 fps	40 fps	59 fps
GFXBenchmark T-Rex (1080p Offscreen)	84 fps	57 fps	53 fps	80 fps

As we can see, the Galaxy S7 Edge and iPhone 6s Plus performed approximately equally. The difference in Onscreen mode is naturally explained by the higher screen resolution of the Galaxy S7 Edge. As for comparison with other Android smartphones, the picture here is clear and requires no comment.

The next tests are 3DMark and Bonsai Benchmark. In 3DMark, the Sling Shot scene ran in OpenGL ES 3.1 on Android devices, and in OpenGL 3.0 on iPhones.

One can immediately say about Bonsai Benchmark that it is no longer indicative for such productive SoCs - in particular, this is evidenced by the results of two Samsung smartphones. But with 3DMark it’s more interesting. And here the iPhone is still in the lead.

In general, the benchmarks allow us to draw the following conclusions. Undoubtedly, this is a powerful device that has no equal among Android smartphones. At least until the appearance of devices powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 820. However, Samsung’s new product failed to surpass the iPhone 6s Plus - Apple’s flagship is the leader in most tests. Although the gap is minimal and is rather of theoretical interest. The practical result (performance in games) will depend primarily on how well the game is optimized for a specific SoC.

In the second part of the article you will find detailed testing of the screen, a story about battery life, a description of the software, as well as a test drive of the camera in field conditions - on the Kola Peninsula, including during underwater shooting! Do not miss!

The phone is already two years old, so a large number of users were able to touch it and try it out in “combat” conditions. Accordingly, there are many reviews, some of which are positive and negative. We’ll probably start our review of the Samsung Galaxy S7 with reviews.

Let's talk about the good stuff first. Users note that top-end hardware does not allow the smartphone to be loaded so much that it exhibits lags or slowdowns. And even despite the fairly high performance, even after two years, the battery charge even lasts for two days with average use of the gadget.

As for appearance and ergonomics, this is almost the most common reason for positive feedback. Users say that the smartphone fits comfortably in the hand and looks very stylish in appearance. The advantages also include many successful solutions of innovative technologies implemented in the phone - fast charging, Always On Display function, high screen resolution, payments directly from the smartphone. In general, there are more positive reviews of the phone than negative ones.

Now a little about the disadvantages. The frame of the case is made of soft metal, which can cause quite significant dents if dropped even from a low height. Although the glass is declared as protected, scratches still remain on it. Also, the glass on both sides of the smartphone is very easily soiled and marks remain.

It’s interesting that users sometimes consider low battery life as a disadvantage, that is, it is obvious that for people who actively use their smartphone to the fullest, the battery charge is clearly not enough. There are also infrequent failures with the fingerprint scanner. Also among reviews of the Samsung Galaxy S7 and S7 Edge, a common problem with AMOLED screens is noted - the display becomes overexposed over time. Less significant details include the insufficient quality of images from the front camera and the presence of unnecessary applications in stock.

Design and construction of Samsung Galaxy S7 with photo model

Following fashion trends in screen sizes, the Galaxy S7 chose its ideal diagonal - 5.1 inches. It was liked by many users. It fit comfortably in any hand and was of sufficient size for comfortable use.

Although both sides of the gadget are covered with glass, it does not slip out of your hands and lies confidently. The frames of the case are made of aluminum and contrast effectively with the color of the front and rear panels. In Russia, three main colors are available - golden, silver and black.

The design of the smartphone is non-separable. That is, you won’t be able to remove the battery yourself. The case is protected from moisture according to the IP68 standard. This means that it can be sunk to a shallow depth. The board and key contacts of the components are treated with a special compound that repels water, preventing it from accumulating inside. An overheating protection system is installed inside with a heat sink that runs through almost the entire structure of the smartphone, taking heat from the hottest components and releasing it to other areas.

Review of technical characteristics of Samsung Galaxy S7

The parameters of this smartphone are probably ? The most interesting thing in this review. Let's slowly go through them all and figure them out.

Processor type and memory parameters

Despite Samsung’s refusal to work with Snapdragon processors, a version with the 820 model will still be released in some countries. A larger number of flagships will be equipped with a self-developed Exynos 8890 processor. Also, the company did not use foreign cores inside the processor and made its own. Exynos has 8 of them: 4 of them? high-performance and 4 ? energy efficient. The former can operate at a frequency of 2.3 GHz, and the latter - 1.6 GHz. The GPU used is Mali-T880 MP12. Supported memory type is LPDDR4.

The gadget’s own memory can be set to 32, 64 or 128 GB. The rejection of memory cards in previous models was apparently perceived negatively, so in the S7 the ability to connect flash drives was returned. The amount of RAM in the smartphone is 4 GB.

Display type and parameters

The Samsung S7 uses an AMOLED screen with a resolution of 2560×1440. An interesting new feature was the placement of the display's polarizing filter at an angle of 45°. What is it for? In order for the screen to have the same degree of brightness when working with a smartphone in sunglasses, regardless of the orientation - portrait or landscape.

The smartphone also has a nice system for semi-automatic adjustment of screen parameters. That is, a person configures all the parameters for himself each time, and over time the system begins to recognize under what circumstances the user would like to use certain settings and automatically activates them.

Always-On technology also turned out to be innovative. This is surprising, but even a locked screen can constantly display some information - time, date, missed calls and SMS. And at the same time - in color. You can set the screen to display a background or screen saver. Contrary to all concerns about battery charge, Always-On, according to test results, consumes only 4-5% per day.

Battery

The key to autonomy of any device? This is not only the battery size, but also a bunch of other factors - software optimization, use of energy efficiency of electronic components. The Galaxy S7 smartphone has a 3000 mAh battery. The duration of work has another important factor - the use of the gadget by a specific user. One may not get out of games, another may turn on the screen from time to time to send a couple of messages and read the news, and a third may use the smartphone simply as a dialer. Therefore, the effectiveness of autonomy may vary for different people. In general, the charge should be enough to continuously watch videos for 15 hours.

An interesting solution was the fast wired charging function, which allows you to charge 100% of the battery within 1.5 hours. This is an excellent result, which not all even modern flagships can boast of. It is also worth noting the support for wireless charging in the smartphone, and two standards.

Characteristics of the main and front camera of the Samsung Galaxy S7

The main camera uses the Sony IMX260, created specifically for Samsung. Therefore, such a camera cannot be found in other devices.

The camera uses advanced autofocus, which uses 100% of the pixels of the matrix, according to the developers. This means that autofocus is very fast in almost all lighting conditions. In general, Samsung cameras have always been excellent. And the Samsung Galaxy S7 was no exception - the photos are juicy and clear.

Software

At the time of the release of Samsung S7, the current and stable version was Android 6.0. As a result, the gadget received version 6.0.1. The OS is highly optimized and works quickly, without delays or crashes. There is also TouchWiz - Samsung's own development, which is a graphical interface for Android.

Perhaps someone will be interested in an innovation - the Galaxy Care application. This program can monitor the status of the device’s hardware and software, contains a knowledge base, frequently asked questions about working with the gadget, and also allows you to get support directly from the developers. The Galaxy Labs application is a kind of testing ground for innovations from Samsung. Here the user can enable or disable new features, as well as rate. The company analyzes information about this and decides whether to include the new functionality in the next build or abandon it.

It is also worth noting that the smartphone has the ability to change the screen size for more convenient one-handed operation. You can resize individual windows, the dialer, parts of the menu, etc.

The Always-On mode, which we talked about earlier, can also be customized. There are already predefined themes that affect not only the turned off screen, but also the system as a whole. Themes can be downloaded to further diversify the appearance of your desktop and menus. Freelance developers may be interested in a separate SDK for creating their own themes.

Communication capabilities and interfaces of the Samsung Galaxy S7

The smartphone has the following interfaces: USB 2.0, Wi-Fi, Wi-Fi Direct, NFC, S Beam. There is nothing special to note about USB; it is a standard interface with a data transfer speed of 20 Mb/s. Wi-Fi is capable of operating in modes up to the ac standard. Wi-Fi Direct is intended to replace Bluetooth, which it does successfully. Now you can transfer data to neighboring devices directly, without intermediaries, at Wi-Fi speeds. S Beam is a combination of two related solutions - NFC and Wi-Fi Direct. In short, it allows you to transfer large files instantly.

Sensors and fingerprint scanner

There are simply a ton of sensors in this Samsung. Starting with the accelerometer and ending with the humidity sensor. Here is their detailed list:

• accelerometer Determines the position of the smartphone in space. Present in almost every modern phone;
• gyroscope. It differs from an accelerometer only in that it can determine the angle of inclination of the phone relative to the ground;
• magnetometer, also known as digital compass;
• barometer. Serves to determine atmospheric pressure;
• light sensor. Measures the brightness of ambient light so that the smartphone can adjust the screen brightness accordingly;
• proximity sensor. Reacts to the distance of the object to the smartphone to ensure the screen is locked during a conversation;
• heart rate sensor;
• humidity sensor. Reacts to humidity in the microUSB connector and blocks charging.

As for the fingerprint scanner, it is built into the “Home” button under the smartphone screen. To activate it, you must first “wake up” the device by pressing it. It is noted that the button itself tends to leave scratches, which impairs finger readability.

Comparison of Samsung Galaxy S7 parameters with other Samsung smartphones

The S7 in some ways repeats previous models, in some ways it is inferior to subsequent flagships. For an objective picture, we need to compare it with other representatives of the Samsung Galaxy family of smart phones, find out how much the S7 itself costs.

Comparison of characteristics of Samsung Galaxy S7 with Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge

In relation to the older model, the S7 is slightly inferior in some characteristics to the Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge. For example, its screen diagonal is 5.1 inches versus 5.5? at Edge. But many fans rightfully appreciated the compactness of the smartphone. At the same time, the resolutions of both smartphones remain the same - 2560x1440. This means that the final pixel density will be higher in the S7.

Both gadgets have the same amount of RAM - 4 GB. In general, the performance of the two models is exactly the same, as the same components are used. Edge, apparently taking into account that the model’s screen is larger and, therefore, will consume more energy, received a more powerful 3600 mAh battery. The price difference between the Samsung Galaxy S7 and Edge can be about 4,000-5,000 rubles.

Comparison of the characteristics of the Samsung Galaxy S7 with other models

More interesting is the comparison of S7 with the previous version – S6. The screens of both gadgets are absolutely identical. Only the S7 also has Always-On. The categories of 4G network standards differ slightly. S7 can work with category 9, and S6 – 6.

For performance, both gadgets use 8-core processors made by Samsung. The difference lies in generations: S7 has Exynos 8890, S6? Exynos 7420, as well as in frequencies. There is also a fairly significant difference in moisture resistance: S7 has an IP68 level, while S6 does not have it at all. Also, the previous model is inferior in terms of the amount of RAM per 1 GB, that is, it has 3 in total.

Unfortunately, it is quite difficult to find the S6 on sale now, so there is no current data on its price.

Today, January 3, the debut of two new smartphones from the South Korean brand took place, and they were named exactly as we expected: Samsung Galaxy Note 10 Lite and Galaxy S10 Lite. In Russia, both new products will go on sale in the middle of this month at an affordable price.

Samsung Galaxy S10 Lite will get better optical stabilization

Insider Ice Universe surprised everyone by tweeting that the Samsung Galaxy S10 Lite will receive unprecedented optical stabilization technology. He said that it will be better than any other current flagship smartphone.

The user manual confirmed guesses about the design of the Galaxy S10 Lite

Just a few hours ago, a user manual for the Samsung Galaxy S10 Lite leaked online, confirming its upcoming debut. This leak also made it possible to once again confirm that the new product will have a hole for the front camera in the middle of the display.

Galaxy S10 Lite and Note 10 Lite smartphones may debut at CES 2020

Most of the information about the unannounced Samsung Galaxy Note 10 Lite and Galaxy S10 Lite smartphones is already known, but we still do not know the exact date when the manufacturer will introduce them. Some speculate that both gadgets will debut in late December, while others suggest it will debut in early January.

Samsung Galaxy S10 Lite and Galaxy A91 turned out to be different devices

For several months, many people thought that the Samsung Galaxy S10 Lite and Galaxy A91 were the same smartphone, but under different names. Insider Steve H.McFly denied our assumptions and even revealed the technical characteristics of the unannounced Galaxy S10 Lite.

Samsung Galaxy S10 Lite will receive a macro camera

More than two months ago, we learned that Samsung was preparing another more affordable version of the Galaxy S10, and after some time it became clear that it would be called the Galaxy S10 Lite. Today, sources revealed that the gadget, which carries the model number SM-G770F, will receive a macro camera.

Samsung Galaxy S10 Lite and Galaxy Note 10 Lite pose in fresh renders

In addition to the new Galaxy A series smartphones for 2020, Samsung is preparing a couple of models of the flagship Galaxy S10 and Galaxy Note 10 lines. It is expected that Seoul residents will present their Lite versions, and now we will show you what they will look like.

Android 10 update released for Galaxy S10 in Russia

Readers of our site report that they have begun to receive the long-awaited Android 10 update for the Galaxy S10 and S10 Plus. A week ago, an update was released for those participating in the One UI 2.0 beta testing program, and Samsung took a whole week to please ordinary flagship users.

Samsung Galaxy S10 Lite appeared on the company's official website

Along with the Galaxy S10 came an affordable version called the Galaxy S10e, and we were surprised to hear that Samsung is preparing a Galaxy S10 Lite. Everything suggests that this is another cheaper version of the flagship that will be released this year.

Samsung Galaxy S10 received a stable version of Android 10

Samsung has suddenly released the final build of Android 10 for the Galaxy S10. It's available to those participating in the One UI 2.0 beta testing program, and for now only in Germany, but it's clear that an expanded release is just around the corner.

Seoul residents will release Galaxy S10 Lite with 45-watt charging

This morning, the unannounced Samsung Galaxy S10 Lite smartphone was spotted on the website of the Federal Communications Commission of the United States of America. She confirmed that the future device with model number SM-G770F will be called that way.

Samsung will introduce Galaxy S10 Lite, Galaxy Note 10 Lite and A51 in December

Our colleagues at 91Mobile report that Samsung will unveil the Galaxy S10 Lite, Galaxy Note 10 Lite and Galaxy A51 in December. It's likely that all three models will be announced at different times since they are quite different, at least two of them.

Samsung has released the third build of Android 10 beta for the Galaxy S10

You may have missed the notification about the release of the new, third build of Android 10 beta for the Galaxy S10, so open your phone's settings and check for the update. It includes another series of fixes to the operating system.

Samsung Galaxy S10 Lite may be equipped with a 4500 mAh battery

Despite the fact that a new flagship line of smartphones is due to debut in just a few months, Samsung is going to expand the current Galaxy S10. The company is rumored to be planning to introduce the Galaxy S10 Lite, some of the characteristics of which have already become known.

Galaxy S10 certified with Android 10 on board

Sooner or later, Samsung will release Android 10 for the Galaxy S10, but for now the company is testing the latest version of the operating system on three smartphones in this line at once. Today's news comes from the Wi-Fi Alliance certification center, which has certified three LTE models Galaxy S10e, S10 and S10 Plus with Android on board.

How much will the Samsung Galaxy S10 Lite cost?

Over the past few weeks, we have heard several times about a new smartphone called the Samsung Galaxy S10 Lite. Despite its flagship specs, it will be more affordable than the Galaxy S10. However, we have a simplified model, and it’s called Galaxy S10e.

Samsung Galaxy S10 Lite visited the Geekbench benchmark

A few months ago it became known that Samsung was preparing another version of the Galaxy S10, which would have the prefix “Lite” in the name. Its corresponding model, the SM-G770F, was tested in the Geekbench 5 benchmark.

The second build of Android 10 beta has been released for the Galaxy S10

If you are participating in Samsung's Android 10 beta testing program, then the second build is probably already available to you. It fixes a huge number of bugs from the previous build, so install the latest update as soon as possible.

The second beta of Android 10 for the Galaxy S10 will be released in the coming days

Apparently, Samsung is preparing a second beta version of Android 10 for the Galaxy S10, but it is unknown when it will be released. Today, an update to the Samsung Video video player libraries was released, the changelog of which indicates that it now supports the second Android 10 beta update for the Galaxy S10.

Samsung Galaxy S10 Lite will appear in three colors

Like the Samsung Galaxy Note 10 Lite, the new Galaxy S10 Lite will come in three colors, but they will be different. Experts believe that this is the same Galaxy A91, but under a different name. It is reported that it will go on sale in blue, white and black colors.

One UI 2.0 beta for Galaxy S10 available in Germany

From now on, you can enroll in the Android 10 testing program with One UI 2.0 beta and update your Samsung Galaxy S10 to the latest version of the OS. To do this, you will need to install the Samsung Members program from your app store, be it Google Play or Galaxy Apps.

Samsung is preparing Galaxy S10 Lite and Galaxy Note 10 Lite

At the end of September, we first learned that Samsung was planning to introduce a more affordable version of the Galaxy Note 10. Today it became known about a new version of the Galaxy S10 at an even more interesting price. Both smartphones will have the prefix “Lite” in the name, which indicates simplicity.

The Android 10 beta testing program will launch in three countries from October 14

On Monday morning, Galaxy S10e, Galaxy S10 and Galaxy S10 Plus users will be able to take part in the Android 10 and One UI 2.0 beta testing program. The first build was leaked the other day, but the day after tomorrow it will become available to more people in Germany, the United States and South Korea.

Samsung has delayed the release of the first One UI 2.0 beta build for the Galaxy S10

Yesterday, Samsung announced the launch of a new testing program for One UI 2.0 based on Android 10 for its flagships, and many expected the first build to be released today. However, the company has just officially confirmed that the One UI 2.0 beta release is delayed.

The S10 series of phones now has the ability to take selfies in night mode and background blur in videos

Samsung has pleased us all with the release of an update for the Galaxy S10 series of smartphones, which brings a number of features that debuted with the Galaxy Note 10. We are talking about a night mode for the front camera, background blur in videos.

News archive

Mobile World Congress 2018 took place not long ago, where the company’s new flagship, the Galaxy S9, was presented. However, before users have time to study all the features of the new product, they are already eager to know everything about the future Samsung Galaxy S10. There are already a lot of rumors and all kinds of leaks appearing on the network, but we will try to find out what is true and what is fake.

First of all, you should pay attention to the rumor about solid-state batteries in future generation devices. According to technical parameters, such batteries have an increased energy capacity in smaller dimensions, and also do not overheat or explode, unlike conventional lithium-ion batteries. Despite all the colorful development, the introduction of such a battery in the Samsung C10 may slightly slow down the release date of the smartphone. According to the company, the developers have not yet fully studied all the nuances of the technology.

It is also known that the company intends to move away from the Galaxy S name in a different direction. At the moment, there are speculations that the new flagship will be called Galaxy X or some similar name. Obviously, this is due to the new design that the future smartphone will have.

Galaxy S10 release date

Traditionally, all Galaxy S devices will be presented at Mobile World Congress, which takes place in the first quarter. Accordingly, we should expect the future flagship no earlier than January-March next year.

Samsung Galaxy S10 will be officially launched on February 20, 2019.

DJ Koh, who is the head of the mobile division of the Korean company, said that most likely the name of the future “Galaxy” will be slightly changed. It is worth noting that the line itself will remain called Galaxy, but its one-letter name “S” will be replaced with something else.

Samsung has already made a similar decision in the case of the Galaxy A line of budget smartphones, when all the existing Core, Prime, Mini and other brothers were combined into one “A”. It seems that now it’s time to change the name of flagship smartphones. Let's hope that with the new name the smartphone will also get a new appearance.

Again, do not forget the possible delay in the official release of the Galaxy S10 due to the introduction and testing of a new type of battery. After all, the company certainly doesn’t want a repeat of the old incident with exploding batteries.

Specifications Samsung Galaxy S10

The exact characteristics of the Galaxy S10 are still unknown, however, there are already quite a lot of leaks and insights about the screen, processor, camera, RAM and some features. We invite you to familiarize yourself with them.

• Screen- 4K Ultra HD Super AMOLED
• CPU- 7nm Qualcomm Snapdragon of the latest generation at the time of launch of smartphone production (presumably Snapdragon 855).
• Camera- main (18 megapixels), front (10 megapixels, dual with optical stabilization and phase detection autofocus).
• RAM- 6 GB, memory type - LPDDR5.
• Main memory- 64, 256 or 512 GB.
• Battery- ~3800 mAh.
• Networks- 2G/3G/4G/5G (600-700 MHz).

For now, that's all that is known. However, even this list is not accurate, so take everything with a grain of salt. But, having this list, it’s worth considering each item in detail, as well as some of the specifications of the future flagship.

Screen

The future smartphone will feature a 4K Ultra HD Super AMOLED display that will cover at least 93% the entire front panel of the device. In addition, Samsung continues to sow rumors about a flexible display patent, which will obviously be used in the Galaxy S10.

The point is that the new “Galaxy” may acquire a screen that will cover the front, one side and part of the back panel. The display itself will be made in a single form factor, which, according to the design idea, should “envelop” the smartphone. The corresponding photos are already on the Internet.

A similar idea has already been implemented in Meizu Pro 7, which has 2 displays. The second screen is designed to display notifications and the clock. In addition, the rear display of Meizu Pro 7 has found its use as a selfie mirror. However, the rear screen was separate and not integral with the front panel, but the developers' idea turned out to be very interesting. We hope that Samsung will be able to put the flexible display patent into practice, and the Samsung C10 will become a truly revolutionary and new device in every sense.

Processor, RAM, network

As befits all flagships, the future Samsung Galaxy S10 will have the highest specifications to satisfy all user needs. It is expected that the heart of the device will be the Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 series, made according to 7nm process technology. Qualcomm may create this processor in collaboration with Samsung specialists.

The amount of RAM and user memory is still just a guess. Obviously, the user will be allocated about 256 GB to store applications, photos, videos and other multimedia data. Perhaps a version of the smartphone will be released with 512 GB of memory on board. It is not known exactly how much RAM the future Galaxy S10 will have. However, Samsung plans to use LPDDR5 chips, which are significantly superior to the current LPDDR4.

It is also known that the Samsung Galaxy S10 will definitely support 5G networks. This network allows data transfer with a maximum latency of 1 millisecond at speeds of 15 GB/sec. It is worth noting that in Russia MTS, Megafon, Beeline and Tele2 are actively working on the 5G network. A record has already been set in which the operation of a new generation network was tested - a Huawei smartphone using 5G from Megafon reached a speed of 35 GB/sec.

Note that 4G reaches a maximum speed of 1 GB/sec with a latency of 10 milliseconds. Presumably, Russians will be able to enjoy the new speed no earlier than mid-2018.

Design

What can make the Samsung S10 stand out from the crowd of Chinese copies? That's right, a design that will exceed all critics' expectations. If Korean experts nevertheless call the new smartphone Galaxy X, then it should clearly surpass its direct competitor, the iPhone X.

Considering that the future device will have a curved display, which was written about earlier, we can roughly imagine the new design. It should be a monolithic block with curved side frames like the Galaxy S9; the screen occupies almost the entire front panel - at least 93%; from the front, the display goes through one side frame to the rear panel; no buttons other than the power/lock key.

Battery

Samsung devices have no complaints when it comes to battery capacity. The battery charge is enough for a whole day of active use of the device - 4G, games, watching and shooting 4K video and long-term use of the device at maximum display brightness, which should significantly “exhaust” the smartphone.

However, recently Korean specialists have been actively working on a new, solid-state type of battery. This is evidenced by all kinds of reports, as well as news from Samsung. The developers' plans include introducing new batteries into their wearable gadgets, and then mass production of solid-state batteries for electric cars. As experts say, this will increase the charge capacity, while the dimensions of the battery will be quite compact.

For the future Galaxy S10, this is at least another couple of hours of work and minus a couple of centimeters in the thickness of the device. However, there is no exact data on this matter yet. Therefore, we can only hope for the success of the developers before the release of the smartphone.

Galaxy S10 Features

You certainly won’t be able to win top sales with just the design, screen and new processor. Therefore, the Samsung Galaxy S10 simply must have its own characteristics. Everyone knows that Samsung specialists have been working for a long time on introducing a fingerprint scanner into the device’s display. However, it has not yet been possible to achieve the desired result. According to critics, by the release of the Galaxy S10, Korean developers should finish work on an in-display fingerprint scanner.

In addition, we should also not forget that Samsung has not yet presented its analogue of the Face ID technology, which is popular with iPhone X users. The iris and face scanner, even in simultaneous tandem, does not provide the comfort of use that Apple provides . Comparing the security of Face ID and Samsung's face and iris scanner simply doesn't make sense - alas, the fruity winner is obvious.

Also, there is information that the Samsung C10 will hide speakers under its display - both conversational and stereo. This is evidenced by Samsung data, which speaks of a new development by the company’s specialists. Judging by experts, with the right approach from developers, the result should have a “wow” effect. At the same time, the maximum volume of the device should not be affected. We hope that everything will be successful in the Korean laboratories.

Despite the demands of users to make the future flagship extremely frameless, the company still faces some difficulties even at the concept development stage. In particular, by abandoning the frames, the device risks being left without a place for the front camera. According to experts, to locate the selfie camera matrix, at least 3-5 millimeters must be allocated at the top of the device. Accordingly, the Galaxy S10 will not be so frameless. At least in the upper part for sure.

A solution to this problem could be a mechanical retractable front camera module. However, Korean experts cut it off at the concept stage, explaining that with such a module the risk of device breakdowns increases. In addition, introducing something mechanical into a new product while all over the world is increasingly abandoning it is absurd.

We saved the most interesting things for dessert. Perhaps the S10 will implement a revolutionary single-chip system that works in a single combination of processor, graphics module and neural network chip. Such a module will significantly speed up the operation of the entire system, as well as its overall performance and efficiency. The work of specialists on this technology is most closely followed by critics and tech bloggers.

Price of Samsung Galaxy S10 in Russia and the world

Taking into account all the development features, new components and production costs, the cost of the Samsung Galaxy S10 in Russia should start at 56,990 rubles. For other CIS countries, it may traditionally increase slightly due to local legal peculiarities. However, it is unlikely to be higher than $1,100 in equivalent.

This is not to say that in terms of design, the Samsung Galaxy S7 is radically different from the Samsung Galaxy S7 - the 5.1-inch screen and glass body make it similar to its predecessor. True, there are still noticeable differences, and besides, the new product has become a little thicker and noticeably heavier.

The dimensions of the flagship are 142.4x69.6x7.9 mm, weight - 152 grams. It is smaller in size than Huawei Honor 7, but larger and thicker than its predecessor. The smartphone is quite heavy, comparable in weight to the Samsung Galaxy A5 (2016). The new product has become a little thicker, but thanks to the rounded edges of the case it is practically not felt in the hand. The front and back panels of the device are covered with protective glass Gorilla Glass 4, and the edges of the smartphone are framed by a metal frame. The device fits comfortably in the hand, but the glass body quickly collects marks and fingerprints. At the same time, it is surprising that it is almost non-slippery and lies quite securely in the palm of your hand. At the front, it differs from its predecessor in that the glass on the front panel is more curved at the edges. The side bezels are quite narrow, with a screen-to-surface ratio of 72%. Directly below the display is the main Home key, and it has a built-in fingerprint scanner. It works quickly, but not always right the first time; the point here is rather in the geometry of the sensor. For example, in the same Huawei P9 it is square and large, so when you put your finger on the sensor, you will almost certainly hit it with the desired area of ​​the pad. But the Samsung Galaxy S7 has a narrow and small area, which is where these “extra”, unsuccessful unlocking attempts can come from.

At the rear are the most interesting changes in terms of design. Lo and behold, the camera no longer sticks out from the body and no longer causes aesthetic displeasure. Although for this we should thank the thickness of the phone, which has increased somewhat this year. Another change is the shape of the back: in the center it is flat, but closer to the side ends, tapering and smoothly bending. This not only looks impressive, but is also very comfortable - thanks to this shape, the phone fits more comfortably in your hand.

There is nothing to say about the build quality; it is at the maximum level. In addition, this year the phone received protection from water and dust, which disappeared after. Some people won’t like the fact that the phone is non-separable and the battery is not removable, but that’s the price to pay for a metal case. Despite the protective glass on all sides, the smartphone cannot be called shock-resistant, like the Samsung Galaxy S7 Active.

The Samsung Galaxy S7 smartphone is available in three colors: Diamond Black (black), Dazzling Platinum (gold) and Titanium Silver (silver).

Screen - 4.6

The display of the Samsung Galaxy S7 is one of the best on the smartphone market today; it is juicy, bright, ultra-clear and perfectly readable in the sun. True, many colors on it may seem too saturated.

The device received a 5.1-inch Super AMOLED display with a resolution of 2560×1440 pixels and a density of 577 ppi. AMOLED technology provides excellent sunlight readability, maximum viewing angles and infinite contrast.

The measured brightness range turned out to be very wide - from 2 to 396 cd/m2. And if you set auto brightness and go outside with it, then it will be all 525 cd/m2. The display is easy to read in the sun, but will remain comfortable for the eyes even in the dark. The color rendition of the screen is very accurate - the color deviation does not exceed three units. If the screen seems too juicy to you, then in the display settings you can switch to the “Basic” image mode. In it, the color gamut of the device is narrowed from the unusually wide to the narrower sRGB standard.

One of the innovations regarding the display is the Always on Display function - it means the active screen throughout the day. Even if the device goes to sleep, the display will always show information about missed calls, time or date. However, it significantly affects the autonomy of the device, “eating” about 1% of the charge per hour.

The only pity is that there is no separate mode for working with gloves. Since this is already a flagship that tries to incorporate everything it can, we expected to see this function. It must be said that the display is already quite sensitive, but you can only work with it with very thin fabric gloves, and even then this is not very convenient.

Camera

Samsung Galaxy S7 received top-end cameras of 12 MP and 5 MP. They can be called one of the best among mobile devices, if not the best.

The company suddenly stopped chasing the number of megapixels (by the way, the Samsung Galaxy S6 and S5 had 16), and began to improve the quality of shooting through the use of instant phase autofocus and changing the quality of pixels. Thus, the physical size of the sensor has not changed - 1/2.6", but the size of the pixels themselves has increased from 1.12 to 1.4 microns, which allows you to “capture” more light and brightness even in low light conditions. However, this figure is not the highest on the market. So, with the same resolution, the Huawei Nexus 6P has a larger sensor - 1/2.3", and the pixels themselves are slightly larger - 1.55 microns. But the Samsung Galaxy S7 also received an optical stabilization system (which the Nexus does not have) and a wider f/1.7 aperture to let in more light. For comparison, the LG G5 and Lenovo Vibe Shot have at same, f/1.8 and f/2.2 respectively.

So how does all this affect in practice? In fact, the Samsung Galaxy S7 is one of the leaders in mobile photography. In our opinion, on average it shoots better than phones like the Motorola Moto X Force, Huawei P9 or iPhone 6s. It focuses correctly and almost instantly. Because of this, there is even a feeling that everything happens somehow by itself, as a matter of course. The camera takes pictures with an excellent level of detail; even small fonts or inscriptions located far from the camera can be read in the photo, although some small details are still blurred. The smartphone copes well with difficult lighting conditions, and in the dark it is an order of magnitude less noisy than most smartphones. However, sometimes the camera can be a little off with the white balance, producing cool shots or making greens unnaturally saturated. It’s not that this is a big problem, rather, it’s an acquired taste; Samsung phones often embellish the reality.

The camera interface is familiar and understandable. At the top there is a quick settings bar, at the bottom there are buttons for taking photos and videos (you can take photos simultaneously with videos), going to the photo gallery and selecting one of many modes. Manual or “Pro” shooting will please you with the following selection of adjustable parameters:

• Exposure (−2 to +2)
• Shutter speed (1/2400 to 10)
• ISO (50 to 800)
• White balance (from 2300 to 10000 K)
• Focus (from macro to infinity)
• You can add any filter from a small list.

In fact, such a choice is not so wide; for the same LG G4 it was somewhat wider, inferior only in the range of color temperatures.

The main camera also boasts the ability to record video in 4K resolution and slow-motion HD (1280x720 pixels) at 240 frames per second, similar to the iPhone 6. At the same time, the phone can shoot with the “Hyperlapse” effect (accelerated video with a large number of frames skipped) and in the “Virtual shooting” mode of objects from all sides.

The 5 MP front camera does an excellent job of taking selfies, they don’t look blurry even indoors. Its arsenal includes a decoration mode, group selfies (mini-panoramas), an HDR mode, virtual shooting, and even a flash using the screen in the manner of the iPhone SE. It's funny, but the front camera can also shoot video not only in Full HD, but also in QHD resolution (2560x1440 pixels).

Photo from camera Samsung Galaxy S7 - 4.8

Photos from the front camera of Samsung Galaxy S7 - 4.8

Samsung Galaxy S7 HDR feature comparison

Working with text - 4.0

The Samsung Galaxy S7 uses a proprietary keyboard, and we find it convenient for working with text.

It provides continuous text input using strokes (Swype) and a separate row of numbers. True, for most additional characters, including the comma, you will have to call an additional menu each time. But the keyboard has the ability to access the so-called clipboard, which can store many individual phrases or even sentences. If you wish, you can adjust the height of the keyboard on your smartphone or select a keyboard of the old 3x4 format (looks like on old push-button phones).

Internet - 3.0

The browsers in the Samsung Galaxy S7 are convenient and well suited for browsing the Internet. Thus, the smartphone does not slow down when working with at least ten tabs at once. Initially, it comes pre-installed with Google Chrome and its own Internet browser. The first one can synchronize with the desktop version of Chrome and adjust the text to a pre-selected size. And the proprietary Internet browser does not offer any interesting settings, except perhaps saving pages. There is no automatic adjustment of text to fit the screen width or reading mode.

Communications - 5.0

As expected, the Samsung Galaxy S7 received a top-end set of communications:

• Wi-Fi a/b/g/n/ac, high-speed and dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct available
• Bluetooth 4.2, energy efficient, supports A2DP profile and Apt-X codec
• LTE Category 9 support (up to 450 Mbps)
• A-GPS with support for GLONASS and Chinese BeiDou
• NFC with Samsung Pay proprietary function.

It’s not clear where the IR port that the predecessor had went to. Perhaps he is destined to “die out” again, as happened ten years ago. Also, some may not like the lack of FM radio. The device supports two NanoSim cards, but the slot for the second is hybrid, it is combined with a slot for a MicroSD card. The presence of a memory card slot in itself is another advantage of the new product (the Samsung Galaxy S6 did not have it). But the fact that it is combined with a SIM becomes a “minus to plus”, which irritates many consumers who are faced with the problem of choice. Many probably expected to see a new USB Type-C connector, but instead the still more common MicroUSB 2.0 is used. Why did the company abandon such an innovation? There are three reasons for this - firstly, some accessories (for example, Samsung Gear VR virtual reality glasses) do not support USB type C, secondly, the low prevalence of the new connector on the market is reflected, and thirdly, the Galaxy S7 is already fast charges (fast charging is one of the advantages of USB Type-C). Separately, we note that the connector supports USB OTG for connecting flash drives and other peripherals. Moreover, a small OTG adapter is already included with the phone - this is just some kind of unprecedented generosity.

Multimedia - 4.6

The company traditionally pays attention to the issue of supporting audio and video codecs, so the Galaxy S7 can be called almost omnivorous. In tests, it performed almost the same as the Samsung Galaxy S6. The phone was unable to play only audio in AC-3 and DT-S formats, as well as some MPG and RMVB videos.

The Google Play Music music player is pre-installed on the phone, it is equipped with an equalizer with settings for different frequencies, sound effects and various “improvements”. The proprietary video player displays subtitles, can play only sound without images (listen to a movie or video lecture in the background) and show videos in a small window on top of desktops and applications. It is also equipped with a simple editor - cropping, adding effects (blur, color filters) and adjusting sound volume.

Battery - 4.4

Compared to its predecessor, the Galaxy S7 received a more powerful battery, and along with it, autonomy increased. True, some new functions negatively affect the operating time, but if you wish, you can disable them - then the phone will last you for one and a half to two days of operation.

The smartphone has a non-removable battery with a capacity of 3000 mAh (remember, the Galaxy S6 had 2550 mAh). The phone showed an almost record operating time in video mode - 14 and a half hours of watching HD video at maximum brightness. For comparison, the large Samsung Galaxy Note 4 lasted “only” 12 and a half hours. In other tests, the time was also at a high level, but not so outstanding. So, in audio player mode, the Galaxy S7 worked for 85 hours, a little longer than its predecessor, but less, for example, than the LG Nexus 5X. In an hour of playing games, the battery lost about 16% of its charge, therefore, the phone can last about 6 hours, and this is one of the best results. It took only 3% to shoot a 10-minute Full HD video, also a kind of record. It is worth special mentioning the new Always On Display feature, which we talked about above - if you use it, it will drain approximately 1% per hour. Personally, we didn't find it that useful, so we turned it off and ran all our tests without it. Still, an additional 24% per day is already a significant drain on the battery.

Samsung Galaxy S7 supports Quick Charge 2.0 and wireless charging of two types common on the market - Qi and PMA. It's a bit of a shame, but the latest type of fast charging (QuickCharge 3.0) is not supported by the phone. But you are immediately given a network adapter that supports accelerated charging. With its help, the phone is fully charged in about an hour and a half, which is really fast for a large battery capacity.

Performance - 4.6

The new flagship immediately received 4 GB of RAM and runs on a fast processor that copes well with everything that can be thrown at a smartphone. At the same time, the phone does not overheat and remains cool.

Samsung Galaxy S7 is equipped with a powerful top-end 8-core Exynos 8890 processor (4 cores at 2.3 GHz + 4 cores at 1.6 GHz), which is made using a 14 nm process technology. The phone immediately received 4 GB of RAM, the same amount as, for example, Asus Zenfone 2 ZE551ML. Although, up to half of this memory will always be occupied by the system itself. Based on the specifications alone, we can assume that the Galaxy S7 is an extremely powerful device. The manufacturer claims that the computing power of the GPU has increased by 60%, and the central one by 30%. And judging by various tests, this is indeed the case.

The smartphone works quickly and smoothly and copes with any task. In addition, the Samsung Galaxy S7 is the first flagship to work with the Vulkan graphics API. It provides higher performance, gives a deep level of access to the hardware and helps you use it most efficiently. Although in daily use you won't notice any particular difference between the Galaxy S7, last year's Galaxy S6 or any other top-end smartphone. By and large, only synthetic benchmarks see the difference, and in them the new product showed almost maximum results, again “breaking through the ceilings”:

• GeekBench 3 - 6336 (Galaxy S6 received about two thousand less)
• AnTuTu 6.0 - 129,842 (for example, Apple iPhone 6s gets a little more)
• 3DMark Ice Storm Unlimited - up to 29,036 (Sony Xperia Z5 Premium - up to 26,114 points).

You can rest assured that the Samsung Galaxy S7 is one of the leaders in terms of performance and speed. Only the latest iPhones, for example, work faster. We were a little annoyed that at times, about once a day, the smartphone still manages to “choke” in its own interface and suddenly become thoughtful simply when switching between applications or somewhere in the settings.

We also checked to see if the device overheats during operation, like some 2015 Android flagships. It turned out that no, in half an hour of playing NOVA 3 the case temperature did not exceed 37 degrees. In fact, the smartphone heats up more during fast charging, but we no longer take this into account.

Memory - 5.0

So far, a model with only 32 GB of internal memory is presented in Russia. The 64 GB version is still not on sale, it seems that it will not be available in our country at all. 32 GB is not that much for a phone with a top-end camera that shoots both slow-motion and 4K video. But the memory can be increased using a MicroSD card (up to 256 GB). Apparently, the company listened to the criticism of experts and consumers that fell upon the Galaxy S6 due to the lack of a slot for a MicroSD card, and finally returned it. Really, first spoil it, and then put it back the way it was, so that everyone is happy. True, we were still unhappy with the fact that applications cannot be installed on the memory card. Why and why? It’s not clear, apparently the manufacturer doesn’t trust “third-party” cards; after all, they work slower than the flagship’s internal memory.

Peculiarities

The Samsung Galaxy S7 smartphone runs on the latest Android 6.0 and its own proprietary TouchWiz UI interface.

This phone has special features - a cart and a small cart, perhaps it is one of the most special on the market. Moisture and dust protection has returned. I returned because I was already on the Samsung Galaxy S5, but disappeared on the Galaxy S6. By the way, the protection has now been updated to the IP68 standard. We would not recommend swimming with it, but if you accidentally spill liquid on it or use it in the rain, it will not be harmed. The phone has an unusual body - it is made of metal and covered with glass on both sides, curved at the edges (2.5D) on the front panel. Even the shape of the back is not simple - it gradually tapers closer to the side ends. Perhaps the most unusual thing is the abundance of sensors - a fingerprint scanner, a heart rate monitor and even a blood oxygen level meter. Yes, the Galaxy S6 had all this, but it didn’t become commonplace a year later. The only sad thing is that the last two can only be used in the S Health application, that is, a person who does not know and does not use this software may never come across such functions on their phone. Other features include an extremely, even overly clear display, as well as a number of features such as an always-on screen (although this does drain the battery quite a bit during the day), fast wired and wireless charging, and top-end performance. In addition, we note the extended package - the manufacturer did not spare you a charger with support for fast charging, good headphones and even a USB OTG adapter for connecting peripheral devices. Samsung is actively promoting an expensive ecosystem in addition to the device - VR virtual reality glasses, the Samsung Gear S2 smart watch and the Gear S360 camera. We think these are nice bonuses, but they belong to separate product categories. Still, the smartphone is self-sufficient without them.

Despite the deservedly high ratings from critics and the status of the main Android smartphone in the visible Universe, the Samsung Galaxy S6 could not boast of record sales, not only in Russia, which could be explained by the financial crisis, but in the rest of the world too. Lack of memory card slot? Weak battery? Lack of moisture protection? It seems that the engineers were going through the reasons for the lack of success of the S6 in the same way, simply “adding” what was missing into the new Galaxy, without touching its very essence.

Samsung also got rid of the strange abundance of smartphone variations, throwing out the version with a curved display of the same diagonal as the “regular” one. There is now a Samsung Galaxy S7 with a 5.1-inch display and a Samsung Galaxy S7 edge with a 5.5-inch display; edge+ version is not planned. We got to test “just” the S7, which differs from the edge, in addition to the price, only in dimensions, a less capacious battery, and the size and design of the display. And, of course, design: many people love edge for its uniqueness and elegance; I, in turn, just prefer the regular version with the ideal size display for me. However, all this is a matter of taste, let’s move on to a more substantive conversation.

⇡ Specifications

	Samsung GALAXY S7	Samsung GALAXY S6	Sony Xperia Z5	Google Nexus 6P	LG V10
Display		5.1 inches, AMOLED, 2560 × 1440 pixels, 575.9 ppi, capacitive multi-touch	5.2 inches, AMOLED, 1920 × 1080 pixels, 424 ppi, capacitive multi-touch	5.7 inches, AMOLED, 2560 × 1440 pixels, 515 ppi, capacitive multi-touch	5.7 inches, 2560 × 1440, IPS, 515 ppi, capacitive multi-touch
Air gap	No	No	No	No	No
Protective glass	Corning Gorilla Glass (version not specified) on both sides	Corning Gorilla Glass 4 on both sides	no information	Corning Gorilla Glass 4	Corning Gorilla Glass 3
CPU	Exynos 8890 Octa (four ARM Cortex-A57 cores, 2.6 GHz; four ARM Cortex-A53 cores, 1.6 GHz)	Samsung Exynos 7420 (four ARM Cortex-A57 cores, 2.1 GHz; four ARM Cortex-A53 cores, 1.5 GHz)	Qualcomm Snapdragon 810 (four ARM Cortex-A57 cores, frequency 2 GHz + four ARM Cortex-A53 cores, frequency 1.5 GHz)	Qualcomm Snapdragon 810	Qualcomm Snapdragon 808
				(four ARM Cortex-A53 cores, 1.55 GHz +	(four ARM Cortex-A53 cores, 1.4 GHz +
				two ARM Cortex-A57 cores, frequency 2 GHz)	two ARM Cortex-A57 cores, frequency 1.82 GHz)
Graphics controller	Mali-T880 MP12	Mali-T760 MP8	Adreno 430	Adreno 430	Adreno 418
RAM	4 GB	3 GB	3 GB	3 GB	4 GB
Flash memory	32/64 GB	32/64/128 GB	32 GB	32/64/128 GB	64 GB
Memory card support	yes, in the S7 Duos version - a combined slot for a memory card and SIM card	No	There is	No	There is
Connectors	microUSB, mini-jack 3.5 mm	microUSB, mini-jack 3.5 mm	microUSB, mini-jack 3.5 mm	USB-C, 3.5 mm mini-jack	microUSB, mini-jack 3.5 mm
SIM cards	one nanoSIM/two nanoSIM	one nanoSIM	one nanoSIM	one nanoSIM	two nanoSIM
Cellular connection 2G		GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 MHz	GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1700 / 1900 MHz	GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 MHz	GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 MHz
Cellular 3G	HSPA 850/900/1700/1900/2100 MHz	HSPA 850/900/1900/2100 MHz	WDCMA 850/900/1900/2100 MHz	HSDPA 850/900/1700/1800/1900/2100 MHz	HDSPA 850/900/1900/2100 MHz
Cellular 4G	LTE Cat support. 12 (up to 600/50 Mbit/s): bands 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 12, 13, 20	FDD LTE Cat. 6 (up to 300/50 Mbit/s): bands 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 17, 20	FDD LTE Cat. 6 (up to 300 Mbit/s): bands 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 17, 20, 28, 40	LTE Cat. 6 (up to 300 Mbit/s): bands 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 9, 17, 19, 20, 28, 38, 39, 40, 41	LTE Cat. 4 (up to 150 Mbit/s), bands 1, 3, 7
WiFi	802.11a/b/g/n/ac	802.11a/b/g/n/ac	802.11a/b/g/n/ac	802.11a/b/g/n/ac	802.11a/b/g/n/ac
Bluetooth	4.2	4.1	4.1	4.2	4.1
NFC	There is	There is	There is	There is	There is
Navigation	GPS, A-GPS, GLONASS, BeiDou	GPS, A-GPS, GLONASS, BeiDou	GPS, A-GPS, GLONASS, BeiDou	GPS, A-GPS, GLONASS, BeiDou	GPS, A-GPS, GLONASS, BeiDou
Sensors		Illumination, proximity, accelerometer/gyroscope, magnetometer (digital compass), barometer, heart rate	Illumination, proximity, accelerometer/gyroscope, magnetometer (digital compass), barometer	Illumination, proximity, accelerometer/gyroscope, magnetometer (digital compass), pedometer
					Light, proximity sensor, pressure sensor, accelerometer/gyroscope, magnetometer (digital compass), pedometer
Fingerprint's scanner	There is	There is	There is	There is	There is
Main camera	12 MP, ƒ/1.7, phase detection autofocus, LED flash, optical stabilization, 4K video recording	16 MP, ƒ/1.9, laser autofocus, LED flash, optical stabilization, 4K video recording	23 MP, ƒ/2.0, autofocus, LED flash, 4K video recording	12.3 MP, ƒ/2.0, laser autofocus, LED flash, 4K video recording	16 MP, ƒ/1.8, laser autofocus, LED flash, optical stabilization, Full HD video recording
Front-camera	5 MP, fixed focus	5 MP, fixed focus	5 MP, fixed focus	8 MP, fixed focus	5 MP, fixed focus, 80° viewing angle + 5 MP, fixed focus, 120° viewing angle
Nutrition	Non-removable battery 11.4 Wh (3000 mAh, 3.8 V), supports Quick Charge 2.0, supports wireless charging	Non-removable 9.7 Wh battery (2550 mAh, 3.8 V)	Non-removable battery 11.02 Wh (2900 mAh, 3.8 V)	Non-removable 13.11 Wh battery (3450 mAh, 3.8 V)	Removable 11.4 Wh battery (3000 mAh, 3.8 V)
Size	142.4 × 69.6 × 7.9 mm	143 × 70.5 × 6.8 mm	146 × 72 × 7.3 mm	159.3 × 77.8 × 7.3 mm	160 × 80 × 8.6 mm
Weight	152 grams	138 grams	154 grams	178 grams	192 grams
Protection housing	IP68	No	IP65, IP68 Up to half an hour at a depth of 1.5 m	No	No
operating room system	Android 6.0 Marshmallow, Samsung's own TouchWiz shell	Android 5.1 Lolliipop, Samsung's own TouchWiz shell	Android 5.1 Lolliipop, Sony Xperia's own shell	Android 6.0 Marshmallow	Android 5.1 Lolliipop
Current price, rub	from 49 990	40,000-54,000 (depending on memory size)	49 990	49,990-56,990 (depending on memory capacity)	50 990

⇡ Appearance and ergonomics

Externally, the Samsung Galaxy S7 is very similar to the Galaxy S6. Similar, but not identical - due to the beveled and slightly rounded edges, it looks a little lighter and weightless than its predecessor, despite the fact that it is thicker and heavier. This is also helped by the 2.5D glass on the front panel, slightly beveled at the edges. But the essence itself has not changed - tempered Gorilla Glass on the front and back, a metal edge, tiny frames around the screen, a mechanical Home key with a built-in fingerprint scanner.

Samsung Galaxy S7, front panel. Above the screen: earpiece, front camera, light and proximity sensors, and status indicator. Below the screen: the “Home” button with a fingerprint scanner and touch keys for “Back” and calling up a list of open applications

This is one of the most pleasant modern smartphones to use - it just looks slippery, which makes it a little scary (will it slip out? Will it fall?), but in reality it’s okay, the metal frame around the edges allows you to grip it tenaciously. A slightly more than five-inch screen is optimal in terms of the combination of diagonal and ease of use with one hand; you don’t have to reach for the corners with your finger, as well as grab the gadget with your second hand. There are complaints about the volume control keys located too high - but this, firstly, is completely trivial, and secondly, they lie exactly under my index and middle fingers, no problems.

Tempered glass theoretically allows you to carry a smartphone in your pocket along with keys and change - but in practice this is not worth doing, scratches are still inevitable. One of the most important differences between the S7 and the S6 is the camera lens that barely protrudes above the body. This is due both to the new smaller camera module and the thicker body - the new flagship is more than a millimeter thicker than the old one (7.9 mm versus 6.8 mm) - it was possible to pack the camera almost completely into such a body. But, by the way, a slightly protruding camera is good, I am an apologist for this solution: due to the fact that it is easy to feel it blindly, you are less likely to run your finger over the lens and, accordingly, there is less chance of getting it dirty.

But nothing can save you from the back panel getting stuck - the glass looks good, but it also collects fingerprints very well. This is a noticeable drawback of the light colors of the Galaxy S7 (“dazzling platinum”, “titanium silver”). The version that I got to know closely, “black diamond,” looks good even without constant wiping with a cloth.

Samsung Galaxy S7, bottom edge: microUSB port, 3.5 mm mini-jack for headphones and main speaker

The most important feature of the Samsung Galaxy S7 is that the case is waterproof according to the IP68 standard (up to half an hour at a depth of one and a half meters). This, along with an increased capacity battery, led to a thicker body. In my opinion, a more than appropriate fee.

Despite the fact that software support for the fingerprint scanner is built into Android 6.0 Marshmallow by default, it did not work well in the test Samsung Galaxy S7, almost never recognizing the fingerprint on the first try. I attribute this to a feature of the pre-production copy - the idea that Samsung “didn’t finish such a small thing” is simply disgusting when talking about the S7. Using the scanner is the simplest. In practice - to unlock the device with one touch, in theory - also for payment, including through the Samsung Pay application (which will someday appear in Russia, we believe).

The Samsung Galaxy S7, like its predecessor, sports only one mono speaker located on the bottom edge. It is not too loud, but in order to “finish” the call to the next room, it is enough; The call can also be clearly heard when the smartphone is lying on the table. The problem is different - it is easily blocked by a finger with a horizontal grip, and it is often simply impossible to hear its soundtrack and voice acting during the game. The only way out is to use headphones - the sound path here is quite good.

⇡ Software

Samsung Galaxy S7 runs Android 6.0 Marshmallow with the proprietary TouchWiz shell. Starting last year, this is no longer an advantage or disadvantage of Samsung smartphones, but only their feature - the shell has become very close in appearance and logic to pure Android. But at the same time with a lot of additions and a large set of pre-installed software.