Sign in. It’s quick, free and it’s up to you.
An account is an optional way to support the work we do. Find out more.
Score: 8/10
Verdict: Bigger is certainly better, but not everyone will be enthused about the price or minor improvements.
So much can change in twelve months. This time last year, Samsung released the Note Edge, practically the Note 4 except one side of its screen was curved.
At the time, it felt more like a test to see what worked but it led to the S6 Edge which has (rightly) garnered the most praise and attention of Samsung’s two S6 devices.
Now it’s decided to release a bigger version of it called the Edge Plus as a way of making up for the Note 5′s absence (which hasn’t been released here). It comes with a few small tweaks but does it warrant a look?
Style over substance?
If there was at least one thing the Edge Plus (and the original S6 Edge) has going for it, it’s style.
While the curved display certainly makes it look appealing and have a practical function, side swipes are much easier to do and are almost fun, the important part is it doesn’t distort anything on screen. Everything continues to look normal no matter what you’re doing which is great.
Combine that with an aluminium frame and glass backing makes one of the most stylish devices out there.
The only problem is since it’s now has a 5.7-inch screen, it doesn’t lend itself as well to one-handed use.
If you’re uncomfortable with a larger screen size, there’s little here that will help convince you to change although the curved display means your thumb will be able to reach more of the screen than you would initially think.
Minor adjustments
While the outside is bigger than before, the inside is virtually the same as the S6 Edge apart from two changes. The display and two quad-core CPUs are the same, but it now has 4GB of RAM and a 3,000 mAh battery.
To be fair, you can never have too much RAM and 4GB is good to work with although it TouchWiz can suffer from the odd crash or freeze.
Unlike other phablet devices, the battery life will last you a day but no more. It does charge up quickly, but that is scant consolation for those who aren’t near a charger until late in the day.
The camera is unchanged as well, but it was already one of the best out there, prioritising more vibrant photos instead of more realistic ones, and performing well in low-light conditions.
It’s packed with enough features like selective focus and pro mode allowing you to be more creative with your snaps. Even without that, the auto mode is more than enough for most users to take some great photos.
Edge in name, same in nature
Much like the specs, the software is virtually untouched from the S6. In comparison to other Android versions, TouchWiz is still an interface that requires a bit of time to get to grips with due to the number of differences from stock Android, but like the S6, its decision to tone down the bloatware apps and features it usually offered is a wise one.
The curved screen only really comes into play for three different reasons. The first is calls, putting it face down and getting a call will see the sides flash a certain colour, letting you know if it someone you know well or an unknown number.
The second is quick info like time (which only comes into effect during certain times, usually nighttime) or ticker notifications while the final one is quick access.
Considering this was already in place last year with the Note Edge, it doesn’t feel like much advancement has been made. Swiping the side menu open brings up preselected apps or popular contacts but that’s about the height of it.
It does feel a bit like 3D Touch on the iPhone 6s at this point. A good idea with potential but you feel like more could be done with it. That may be a harsh assessment considering both have only two devices to work with, but you can only hope that Samsung will build upon this idea with future devices.
Should you buy one?
That answer boils down to the same problem faced by those deciding between an iPhone 6s or 6s Plus, or a Nexus 5X or 6P. Do you want a bigger screen than usual? If the answer is yes and you’re on the outlook for a premium Android device, there are few that can match it for specs and style.
If there’s a major criticism, it’s that very little has changed from when the S6 arrived back in April. It’s a refinement but only in a very specific sense and while it already had a great foundation to work with, this is a way to keep things ticking along until the next Galaxy S device arrives.
Pros
- Great design and screen.
- Specs are still high end.
- Fantastic camera.
Cons
- Very little has changed compared to the original S6 or Edge.
- Edge software under-utilised.
- Very expensive.
The Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge Plus costs €899 (PAYG or unlocked) and is available in Three, Meteor, Carphone Warehouse,
To embed this post, copy the code below on your site
Does that mean he will ban the FB accounts of radical Imams who spread hate among their congregation?
No. He said he will protect their rights
Well let’s be fair, as awful as hate speech is you can’t go around censoring people or you’re as bad as they are. Free speech works both ways (for better and for worse).
Guy….that’s my point…how will FB ‘fight to protect rights’, they have very little recourse except to ban?
Muslim terrorists shoots 14 “infidels” dead at a party and it Muslims he thinks need to “create a peaceful and safe environment for you”, leftie logic.
@Guy – That’s a load of bolx…We already censor “Free” speech on Radio, TV & Newsprint. FB is just another type of communication/news/information medium. Therefore, the rules that apply to Radio, TV etc should apply equally to FB, Internet and Twitter. These mediums as we know are extensively used to recruit terrorist and to plan and carry out terrorist attacks!
So now we’re relying on a 31 college dropout to provide moral insights?
Nice of you to do that for us also, Mark, as well as harvesting our private data to sell to advertisers. What would we do without your contribution to society.
“As long as we stand together and see the good in each other, we can build a better world for all people”.
In an ideal world Mark, but how about the many Millions of Muslims who despise what you stand for and have no intention of building a better world in fact the total opposite, of all the various races and creeds no surprise that it is the Muslims who are the most resistant to Multiculturalism, how about criticising them instead of the white guilt apologetic disease stance so as not to offend the religion of permanent offence and special privilege?.
How about the more than 1 billion Muslims who just want to live their lives in peace?
1 billion consumers.
Always astounds me the amount of people who will bend over backwards to apologise for Muslims when the ideology is so alien to any civilised society?, and often feminists and gay groups who will defend Islam till they’re blue in the face while conveniently ignoring the evil that exists within, need I mention the subjugation of women, gender segregation, the hatred of homosexuals, the constant running down of western values, the constant moaning and grievance mongering for special privilege and of course the appalling violence committed in the name of Islam.
I thought you were “resistant to multiculturalism” William
William…multiculturalism – isn’t that the utopia where lots and lots of people from different cultures all live in the one country but don’t integrate with other cultures?where each culture self-ghettoises and looks jealously and with suspicion at other cultures?isn’t multiculturalism the social nirvana condemned by Merkel and Cameron and hollande? I think you might mean assimilation or integration…
I’ve no problem with multiculturalism Kal and Joachin because in many cases it has worked, but as far as Islam is concerned it has proven to be an unmitigated disaster and anyone with an ounce of savvy can see that to allow hordes more (and hordes is the right word) into an alien Western society is only going to make things an awful lot worse than it already is.
Most of you who are defending this archaic 7th century ideology won’t be alive to see the damage you’re doing to future generations.
William..perhaps then multiculturalism is simply anathema to us Irish…note the conflict between the majority population and our smallest cultural grouping..travellers.
@Larissa – So that leaves about 800 million that don’t want to live in peace? “Mission Control I think we have a problem”!
Billionaire hipster tells the world to have a hug and a wee chat over some fat-free latte
In a recent post a video of Clare Daly was embedded from Facebook into the top of the article..
Why would you screenshot what zuckerberg said instead of doing the same?
Good lad Mark!
He doesn’t discriminate against any Facebook users!
Data harvesting is an equal opportunities occupation.
Uhm yeah I think we need to blindly follow what some jammy billionaire living in 24 hrs heavily secured posh mansion tells us as he must be definitely right.
Is he going to remove that Jihad video promo song with attacks and lyrics about killing and fight I seen recently?
I.e. I don’t criticise him in this particular post, he’s right now, but tired of some detached celebrities telling average people how to live
OK.
The right to sharia law? What rights? No rights have been denied Muslims or any other religions? Keep religion to yourself, that’s the right I want protected.
@ John – why are you arguing with Joachin?
Very funny!!
Love to know his own views as a Jew on Israel-Palestine conflict and settlements , his company is happy to make money off it . https://www.rt.com/news/325097-facebook-petition-palestine-israel/
But John you have no rights in relation to religion being rammed down your throat and if you disagree with any religion “you’re a bigot and a racist” for offending their god. Sure who gives two F’S about people dying over their invisible special friends, once they are not upset about people calling a spade a spade.
For the west the chickens are slowly coming home to roost, the west has obliterated and destroyed the middle east for profit over this last few decades and now we are seeing the repercussions of this.
And now Merkel in her infinite madness wants to invite millions of disgruntled angry Muslims into Europe, what could possibly go wrong? If somebody destroyed your house and then in return they invited you into their house it wouldn’t be long before you started doing damaged to their property. What we have recently witnessed in the western world unfortunately is only just the beginning.
Zuckerberg would not last 10 minutes in an Islamic society. Cheap grandstanding going on here
Zuckerberg would be most welcome in mine.
Cheap grandstanding in your post
Absolutely FA … and christian, and atheist …
Multiculturalism is an oxymoron…in my opinion.
The current climate of Islamophobia is really beginning to resemble the antisemitic mood in Germany before world war 2. Not that i was there.
First we will be told to fear the Muslims, we will grow to hate them, we will dehumanise them and we will eventually be indifferent to their suffering when the powers-at-be decide to ‘deal with them’.
“The Holocaust illustrates the consequences of prejudice, racism and stereotyping on a society. It forces us to examine the responsibilities of citizenship and confront the powerful ramifications of indifference and inaction.”
“…also shows us how a combination of events and attitudes can erode a society’s democratic values.”
Yeah but the Jews were a sound bunch. I’m not so sure about those aul Muslims though, they seem a bit strange.
I lived in Syria and Beirut , I can safely say they are dirty savages . I seen young brides as young as 9 been married off to old men , jus cos Muhammad was a mad paedophile they seem to justify this , I seen women been beaten . A man just has to say to his wife ” I divorce you ” 3 times , then they are legally divorced , she has no rights to her children or home . Homosexuals are thrown from cliffs , now that’s in extreme Islam countries , in moderate Muslim country they are just jailed . It’s mad that our liberals are paving the way for Europe to become an Islamic republic . Everything we fought for since WW2 like gay rights , women’s rights will all be taken away and we be brought back to the dark ages
When wll people wake up and see.. what the hard Left and liberal are trying to do is take away ourccl hard end freedoms and liberty in the west.. and replace them with Islamic fundamental tirery. ..
have your say