Early reviews peg Samsung's Galaxy S7 as a serious contender for best smartphone

Posted:
in iPhone
Two generations into its campaign to push Apple and the iPhone in the premium smartphone segment, Samsung seems to have hit on a winning formula -- though the software could still use some work.

Galaxy S7
Samsung Galaxy S7


Ed Baig, USA Today

Baig compares the Galaxy and iPhone lineups to Pepsi and Coke, and found Samsung's model to be winning the challenge. He praised the S7's industrial design, though found that the shiny new back was too prone to showing smudges and fingerprints.

Most components received high marks, including the display, camera, and battery. Baig wished for USB-C, however, as well as a removable batteyr.

Until Apple releases its next major iPhone update, Baig says, Samsung has "the extra fizz."

Dan Seifert, The Verge

Seifert's take was much the same, including a minor complaint about the device's slippery rear finish. He especially liked the displays, calling out the S7 Edge's design that packs a large screen in a smaller overall package.

One area where Samsung falters, Seifert believes, is in software. Samsung includes too many default apps, while carrier bloatware -- in this case, from Verizon -- adds an additional 13 apps. He also found the interactive Edge features a bit buggy; in his words, "mostly a gimmick" that he "turned...off after a few days."

Seifert scored the S7 at 8.8 and the S7 Edge at 9.1 overall. The latter just..edges..out the iPhone 6s Plus, which garnered a 9.0 last year.

Geoffrey A. Fowler, Wall Street Journal

Fowler calls the S7 "head of the smartphone class," continuing the overall effusive praise for its hardware. The camera garnered extra praise, with Fowler saying that it handily beat his iPhone 6s Plus in side-by-side comparisons.

He did wish for more wiz-bang features, however, like USB-C or a Samsung take on Apple's 3D Touch.

On the software side, Fowler actually enjoyed many of Samsung's built-in apps, though -- unlike other reviewers -- he did fault the battery life.

Sascha Segan, PC World

According to Segan, Samsung's best trick was packing a larger display into an overall smaller shell than its competitors. He particularly likes the AMOLED displays, saying both S7 models "put the iPhone 6s to shame."

Like Seifert, Segan panned the inclusion of so many Samsung and Verizon apps. The non-removable bloatware took just over 9 gigabytes of Segan's 32-gigabyte storage.

In all, Segan prefers the S7's hardware but "can't unequivocally recommend it instead of an iPhone, because of the apps and services that are exclusive to Apple phones."
krontabulous
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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 121
    ceek74ceek74 Posts: 324member
    "He did wish for more wiz-bang features, however, like USB-C or a Samsung take on Apple's 3D Touch."  Don't worry, Sammy's copy machines are working overtime on it.  And since there's absolutely no worry of patent enforcement, it'll be a lot sooner than later.
    calibrian greenjahbladeicoco3manfred zornjony0redgeminipa
  • Reply 2 of 121
    rob53rob53 Posts: 3,239member
    And how many of these reviewers actually like anything from Apple? As for camera reviews, I'll wait to hear from actual photography websites instead of journalists. Oh wait, I don't really care what Samsung makes, I'll never buy one anyway. What was that article I read recently, millions of Android phones infected with malware.....
    calijahblademagman1979manfred zornjony0lolliver[Deleted User]baconstangredgeminipaapplepieguy
  • Reply 3 of 121
    irelandireland Posts: 17,798member
    Samsung's junky software, by default bloop-in-water sounds, copycat hardware and lack of Apple-level aftersales/support and PRIVACY make it no contest with any iPhone. My friend got an S5 a year ago for two reasons (free on contract and water-resistance) but after one day of ownership the bottom port cover (helping to keep water out) literally fell off and Samsung wouldn't offer him any support for the problem they deemed was cosmetic. Idiot company.
    edited March 2016 calimagman1979jony0lolliverbadmonkredgeminipaapplepieguy
  • Reply 4 of 121
    SpamSandwichSpamSandwich Posts: 33,407member
    In the real world, the number one concern is always battery life. Samsung still cannot beat Apple on that front.
    calimagman19791983jony0lolliverbaconstangredgeminipaapplepieguy
  • Reply 5 of 121
    doggonedoggone Posts: 377member
    So essentially the new Samsung phones are as good as iPhones that are 6 months old.  I didn't read the original articles but was surprised not to hear about the fingerprint recognition or pay features that make the iPhone stand out.
    jimmenziesjahbladelolliverbadmonkredgeminipaapplepieguy
  • Reply 6 of 121
    Headline: "Early reviews peg Samsung's Galaxy S7 as a serious contender for best smartphone", but not before it copies other tech its lazy-ass marketing department can't or won't think up themselves...
    edited March 2016 calimagman1979badmonkredgeminipaapplepieguy
  • Reply 7 of 121
    macapfelmacapfel Posts: 575member
    It's a very mature market. I don't expect this to change. iPhone and Galaxy will be like Mercedes and BMW. The best you can get, and it comes down to your personal preference. I don't see how one could gain a real technological advantage over the other in the near future. But of course, iPhone will always be smarter, more stylish and simply the best. I'll never change for Samsung!
    fotoformatbadmonknetmage
  • Reply 8 of 121
    anantksundaramanantksundaram Posts: 20,402member
    No security. No TouchID-equivalent. No ecosystem (remember Milk Music)? Inferior battery life. Blatant knock-off of the iPhone 6 design. And comparisons with a 6-month old device. This is what passes off for 'top of the class' with these reviewers? Pathetic...

    (I am impressed by the wireless charging, though. Assuming it works as advertised).
    magman1979postmanminicoffeeai46lolliverbaconstangpropodbadmonkredgeminipaapplepieguy
  • Reply 9 of 121
    calicali Posts: 3,494member
    The iPhoney that pays websites millions in advertising always gets "good reviews" before launch. How is this news?

    macapfel said:
    It's a very mature market. I don't expect this to change. iPhone and Galaxy will be like Mercedes and BMW. The best you can get, and it comes down to your personal preference. 

    NOT AT FUC*ING ALL

    Mercerdes and BMW are different from one another.
    iPhone and iPhoney will be like Jordan shoes and cheap knockoffs named Jurdan's. People who can afford the real thing will have iPhones, broke and dumb people will buy the knockoff and pretend it's "just as good". This is already happening.

    magman1979JanNLlolliverbaconstangcornchipbrakkenbadmonkredgeminipaapplepieguy
  • Reply 10 of 121
    levilevi Posts: 344member
    Though I'm an iPhone fan through and through, there are a couple features I'd like to see Apple adopt - mainly higher resolution OLED displays, improved battery and more screen real estate. Samsung phones can be laggy, and the amount of bloat ware is staggering (had a Galaxy 3 before my carrier offered iPhone). Regardless, I'm glad for the competition. Like it or not, we can probably thank them for the larger displays of the 6 series. 
    netmage
  • Reply 11 of 121
    MrXMrX Posts: 1member
    Yah, but the over all design of the phone looks suspiciously similar to umm let me see.....The iPhone. And for the shiny aluminum foil finish, never mind. And don't get me started with the crappy OS. The only think Samsun has going for them is a slightly better camera.
    nolamacguylolliver
  • Reply 12 of 121
    clemynxclemynx Posts: 1,552member
    I'd never buy this phone, I prefer iOS and what Scamsung does with Android is horrible. Still, I like the appearance of the phone, less "inspired" from the iPhone than last year's model. I say it's even original in some ways and the enhancements they've made over the S6 are impressive. Thinner borders, bigger screen, better build. And I love the color. Black. I want a deep black iPhone.Enough with the space-gray that isn't even what it used to be. Black ! If only the SE could be like that!
    edited March 2016 6Sgoldfishnetmage
  • Reply 13 of 121
    boltsfan17boltsfan17 Posts: 2,294member
    Almost 9 gigs of bloatware? That is ridiculous. If Apple had that much bloatware, you would see a media frenzy followed by a class action lawsuit. 
    magman1979pscooter63theunfetteredmindbaconstangcornchipapplepieguy
  • Reply 14 of 121
    clemynxclemynx Posts: 1,552member
    rob53 said:
    And how many of these reviewers actually like anything from Apple? As for camera reviews, I'll wait to hear from actual photography websites instead of journalists. Oh wait, I don't really care what Samsung makes, I'll never buy one anyway. What was that article I read recently, millions of Android phones infected with malware.....
    Now now. The camera is better than the one on the iPhone 6s, look for comparisons and it's obvious. The iPhone still has one of the best cameras out there so no big deal.
  • Reply 15 of 121
    croprcropr Posts: 1,120member
    In the real world, the number one concern is always battery life. Samsung still cannot beat Apple on that front.
    Are you sure? When I think about the strong points of my iPhone, battery life does not cross my mind.
    6Sgoldfishnetmage
  • Reply 16 of 121
    rogifan_newrogifan_new Posts: 4,297member
    Am I the only one that doesn't really care for these designs? Still look very Samsung-y and look like fingerprint magnets.
  • Reply 17 of 121
    sog35 said:
    macapfel said:
    It's a very mature market. I don't expect this to change. iPhone and Galaxy will be like Mercedes and BMW. The best you can get, and it comes down to your personal preference. I don't see how one could gain a real technological advantage over the other in the near future. But of course, iPhone will always be smarter, more stylish and simply the best. I'll never change for Samsung!
    That's a horrible comparison. Merc and BMW are neck and neck as regards to luxury car sales and unit sales.  Apple sells 2x or 3x more high end phones than Samsung.

    The better comparison is Merc vs Infiniti or BMW vs Acura.


    I think a better example would be Chevy.  They have a lot of features, but the underlying car is still average and won't age as well as a BMW or Mercedes.

    Also Samsung is an evil chaebol.  They wouldn't have issues with murdering people via crappy ignition switches or whatever.

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chaebol#Criticism


    magman1979baconstang
  • Reply 18 of 121
    jcs2305jcs2305 Posts: 1,336member
    In the real world, the number one concern is always battery life. Samsung still cannot beat Apple on that front.
    Yet it seems like all the comments here and other places from Galaxy fans say the same about the iPhone and it's weak battery life? It's like well which is it? Personally my 6s Plus battery life is outstanding and I have no complaints. 
  • Reply 19 of 121
    While it might be a fine piece of hardware from the most successful and shameless fast-follower iPhone knockoff company, the reviews left out a few important features that prevent me from ever considering the phone.

    1) The operating system and primary applications are from a creepy surveillance advertising company who will track everything done on the phone and track every movement of the user. The information collected will be used to line the pockets of employees, executives and investors of said creepy company. The user gets nothing other than a deep invasion of his or her privacy.

    2) A second layer of applications and interface "enhancements" are provided buy a hardware company with a notorious reputation of sleazy, unethical and unscrupulous behavior.

    3) A third level of applications provided by the wireless carrier. Wireless carriers are so sleazy and corrupt you could write a 4000 page tome documenting their sleaziness and corrupted-ness.

    In other words, the phone is a layer cake of privacy invading software sleaze.

    So it has a better camera than the current iPhone? Great.  A case with an Apple level of fit and finish? Great. None of that matters when it runs three levels of sleazy software from sleazy companies who don't see their users as customers but rather soulless biological entities whose privacy is ripe for the taking.
    jbishop1039icoco3magman1979bdkennedy1002pscooter63ai46radarthekatcornchip6Sgoldfishapplepieguy
  • Reply 20 of 121
    hentaiboyhentaiboy Posts: 1,252member
    cali said:
    broke and dumb people will buy the knockoff

    You do realise that the these phones cost between $650 and $750 don't you?
    icoco3levinetmage
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