Although Expert Reviews was a big fan of last year's Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 Edge, the two phones were extremely similar and there wasn't a lot of choice between them. This year, Samsung has made more of an effort to distinguish it's two phones, with the Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 Edge having a few pointed differences. In this article, I'm examining both phones to find out what the differences are, to help you make the right choice. At the moment, this article is based purely on my hands-on time with both phones and official specifications, although I will update this article with full benchmarks and specs when I've had a chance to review the phones.
Design
Dimensions: This is one of the biggest differences between the phones, with the curved S7 Edge larger than the regular S7, due to its larger screen (5.5in vs 5.1in). So, the S7 Edge measures 151x73x7.7mm and weighs 157g; the S7 measures 142x70x8mm and weighs 152g. It has to be said that, side-by-side, the differences are slight. This is because the curved display in the Edge takes up less room, compared to a flat 5.5in display, making the two handsets very similar in size. So, with the S7 Edge you get a larger screen, but don't really have to pay for it with a much larger handset.
Materials: As with the S6, the new S7 models are constructed with glass and metal, giving them a premium feel and look. The overall designs haven't changed a lot since last year, which works for me, as I thought that the S6 was one the best-looking phones and the same applies now with the S7. Both new handsets are gorgeous, available in a range of colours and look absolutely fantastic.
One big difference is that the S7 and S7 Edge are now IP68 certified, which makes them dustproof and waterproof (they can withstand being submerged in 1.5m of water for 30m). With both phones, then, you know that you've got a tough body to match the good looks.
Design conclusion: I'm a much bigger fan of the Edge, compared to the regular S7. I think it's curved screen looks better and there's nothing else quite like (well, expect the S6 Edge and S6 Edge+). However, both phones have the same rugged finish and attention to detail, so the right phone for you will come down to personal preference.
Display
Screen size: The S7 has a 5.1in screen while the S7 Edge has a larger 5.5in display. Both have the same QHD resolution (2,560x1,440) and use the same Super AMOLED screen tech. Due to the screen size differences, the S7 has the slightly higher pixel density: 577ppi vs 534ppi); however, in use you simply can't tell the difference and both phones are exceptionally sharp.
Both displays support Samsung's Always On Display technology, which lets a portion of the screen always display information, such as a calendar or clock. Samsung has said that it's OLED technology means that this doesn't have an impact on battery life, but I'll confirm when I get the chance to review the phones.
Otherwise, the big difference is the Edge's curved screen. This has a neat trick: you can swipe in from the right to pull up widgets from apps, launch shortcuts and quickly access your favourite contacts.
Display conclusion: Both screens are excellent. The Edge has a few more features, but they're not big enough to make this handset an absolute must have: I'll have to call this one a draw.
Performance and storage
Processor: Samsung is using an Exynos 8890 Octa Core SoC (2.3GHz quad-core + 1.6GHz quad-core) in both handsets. This is a 64-bit processor, manufactured using an efficient 14nm process. I haven't been able to run any benchmarks on the phone, but Samsung has said that the CPU is 30% faster and the GPU is 64% faster.
There's a chance that the bigger case of the S7 Edge will be more efficient at cooling, which could mean that this phone is slightly faster in our tests: we had a similar result with the S6 Edge vs the S6.
Battery: Samsung should be applauded for putting a larger battery in both handsets. The S7 has a 3,000mAh battery and the S7 Edge has a 3,600mAh battery. It should mean that the S7 Edge will last a chunk longer, although I'll have to confirm when I get the final review units. Both phones support fast charging (50% charge from 10m of power) and wireless charging.
Storage: Both phones are available in 32GB and 64GB base models, although everyone will be pleased to see that there's a microSD card slot, which will let you expand storage by adding a memory card up to 200GB in size.
Performance conclusion: The S7 Edge may just have the (sorry) edge: better cooling could make it faster and it's battery life is likely to be longer. Still, it's good to see microSD card slots for both phones.
Camera
The S7 and S7 Edge have new 12-megapixel sensors, down from 16-megapixels in the S6 range. However, each pixel is larger (1.4um vs 1.12um), which means that each pixel will get more light to it, helping to reduce noise. In addition, the sensor has 100% focus pixels, so focusing is extremely quick. It all looks very impressive, but I'll have to wait to see final shots to know how good the camera really is.
Camera conclusion: There's no difference on paper, so I'll have to wait until we have review samples to tell if there are any real-world differences.
Features
Fingerprint reader and Samsung Pay: Both handsets have a fingerprint reader, which can be used to unlock the phone. The reader can also be used with the integrated NFC chip for Samsung Pay, which is launching in the UK this year.
Wireless: Both handsets have got 802.11ac Wi-Fi and support LTE Cat.9 4G (up to 450Mbit/s), so they'll both be as quick as they can be, wireless and cellular network supporting.
Operating system: Both phones ship with Android Marshmallow, with Samsung maintaining its cut-down approach: the OS doesn't ship with bloatware.
Features conclusion: It's a draw, as both phones have the same range of features and options.
Conclusion
The big difference is down to price: the S7 Edge costs £639 and the S7 costs £70 less at £569. These prices are for unlocked 32GB phones, direct from Samsung. To me, the S7 Edge is worth the extra money: it has a bigger battery and a larger screen, and it's the most attractive handset to me. That said, if you want to save a bit of cash and don't care for the looks of the S7 Edge, the regular S7 has practically all of the same features.
