Samsung galaxy s7 what processor. Samsung Galaxy S7 smartphone test: an unrivaled phone

Advantages

unrivaled system speed
fast autofocus
great camera
waterproof
microSD slot

Flaws

non-removable battery
Home button is difficult to press

Samsung Galaxy S7 test results

• Price/quality ratio
  Great
• Place in the overall ranking
  6 out of 200

• Price/quality ratio: 85
• Performance and Control (35%): 92.6
• Equipment (25%): 92.3
• Battery (15%): 87.8
• Display (15%): 95
• Camera (10%): 88.2

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A look at will make you grin: if in 2015 it was ahead, then with the release of the seventh generation of Galaxy devices the situation changed to the opposite.

Despite the larger screen diagonal size, a useful set of display edge functions and a more capacious battery, the Galaxy S7 Edge was inferior to its “flat” and more affordable counterpart - the Galaxy S7 model (recommended retail price in Russia - 49,990 rubles).

There is absolutely nothing to say about its predecessor: the Galaxy S6, according to the overall assessment, lags behind the new Galaxy S7 by three percentage points. Why Samsung's new top model is currently unbeatable (almost) is explained in our test report.

Hooray! Galaxy S7 memory can now be expanded

With the return of the memory card slot, Samsung has answered all the critics who condemned the S6: now using a microSD card you can increase the storage space of the Galaxy S7 by an additional 200 GB. The capacity of the built-in storage is 32 or 64 GB - there are no options with a different amount of built-in memory. Moreover, the latter option will not be available in all countries. We are not very sad about this fact, but this version is more convenient to use in Dual-SIM mode, when the memory card slot is occupied by a second SIM card.

Smartphones Galaxy S7 Edge and Galaxy S7 received a slot for memory cards

Samsung makes the Galaxy S7 waterproof

While the Galaxy S5, despite its removable battery, was protected from dust and moisture in accordance with the requirements of the IP65 standard, the Galaxy S6 did not have such protection. The new Galaxy S7 is “sealed” according to IP68 guidelines. Consequently, now the smartphone is not afraid of long-term immersions in water; dust and sand will not penetrate inside the S7 either. In a conversation with Samsung, we found that dust and moisture resistance, along with the need to ensure compatibility with the Gear VR headset, played a key role in the decision against introducing a USB Type-C connector. Water protection has not yet been developed for this type of USB connector.

Galaxy S7 is a pleasure to hold in your hands

In terms of workmanship, the Samsung Galaxy S7 has moved even further forward compared to its predecessor. We particularly like the sleek black mirror back of our review unit - at least until it gets marred by fingerprints. A pleasant tactile sensation is facilitated by the slight roundness of the body, which was first implemented in this design in Note 5. The aluminum frame also adds a sense of expensiveness. The Home button can be subjected to minimal criticism - it is relatively difficult to press.

No smartphone takes better photos than the S7

At the time of the test, the Galaxy S7 set a new record - so it is now a benchmark for other smartphones. Although the resolution is only 12 megapixels, the quality of images has improved significantly compared to the Galaxy S6.

Samsung says that the pixel size of the matrix has increased from 1.12 microns to 1.4 microns. Together with the wider f/1.7 aperture, this allows each sensor element to capture more light. The result: laboratory photographs taken in poor lighting amazed us - the pictures turned out clear and almost noise-free. Daytime shooting results, in our subjective assessments, are better than those of the S7 Edge, since vignetting is less pronounced and the edges of the test photo look much sharper.

Autofocus is stunning in its speed even after prolonged use of the device. Here, Samsung has adapted the Dual-Pixel technology known from Canon products and uses two independent photodiodes per pixel. Strictly speaking, in terms of camera capabilities, we only lack a front-facing LED flash, and the “on-screen” backlight that replaces it is also quite suitable for taking good pictures.

Nothing has changed in terms of video shooting (4K mode is available), and the front camera still has a resolution of 5 megapixels. For particularly creative mobile photographers, there are various modes, including professional for fine-tuning. For example, even such a mode as “Food” appeared. Slow motion can be recorded at up to 240 frames per second.

The power of Exynos - full speed ahead!

The latest generation of Samsung processors significantly contributed to another record in . In a special Burst mode, the maximum clock frequency is 2.6 GHz. In normal operation, the eight-core processor copes with its work at a clock frequency of 2.3 GHz - and does it extremely quickly. During the entire test period, we did not notice any jerks or delays when launching applications. The pre-installed Android 6.0.1 operating system is harmoniously combined with a redesigned TouchWiz user interface and 4 GB of RAM.

To prevent the smartphone body from “melting” with such high power, Samsung keeps heat generation under control using a liquid cooling system. During testing under full load, the smartphone certainly became warm, but not so much that it became uncomfortably hot.

A capacious battery and solid acoustics ensure a pleasant phone experience

The Achilles heel of the S7 could only be the battery. But the new Galaxy passes our tests in this category quite well. The Galaxy S7's built-in 3000 mAh battery is enough to last for almost 9 hours of phone calls and 9.25 hours of web surfing. Thanks to QuickCharge 2.0 technology, the battery is fully charged in just 1.75 hours.

We see little potential for improvement in telephone acoustics: despite acceptable volume and intelligibility, the sound could still be better. Individual syllables sometimes sound with a slight noise, the line does not always remain “transparent as glass.”

Samsung Galaxy S7: an alternative

What other smartphone might appeal to someone interested in the Galaxy S7? Most likely, only the predecessor is . In the smallest version with 32 GB of internal memory, the S6 costs only about 35,000 rubles. As already mentioned, it does not have a microSD slot or an IP certificate. However, when it comes to speed, the S6 is still better than many of its newer competitors. The 16-megapixel camera takes excellent photos, and the predecessor's battery also makes a good impression.

Characteristics and test results of Samsung Galaxy S7

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 Samsung Galaxy S7 technical specifications

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 the 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 are high-performance and 4 are 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 the ability to connect flash drives was returned in the S7. 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 2560x1440. An interesting new feature was the placement of the display's polarizing filter at an angle of 45°. What is this 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 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 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.

Galaxy Labs is testing new features

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.

Always-On is a new and unusual feature

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 for the 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 has 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.

Specifications

• Android 6.0.1, TouchWiz 2016
• Display 5.1 inches, QHD resolution, 576 ppi, SuperAMOLED, automatic backlight adjustment, Always On function, different operating modes, Corning Gorilla Glass 4
• 4 GB RAM, 32/64 GB internal memory, memory card up to 200 GB
• nanoSIM (there will be options for 2 SIM cards)
• Exynos 8890 chipset, 8 cores up to 1.8 GHz per core, MALI T880 MP12 graphics coprocessor (in some countries there is an option for Qualcomm Snapdragon 820)
• LTE cat12/13 support with software update, operator support also required
• Front camera 5 megapixels, flash (screen), BRITECELL main camera, 12 megapixels, time-lapse shooting, slow-motion, video effects, 4K video
• Wi-Fi: 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac (2.4/5GHz), HT80 MIMO(2x2) 620Mbps, Dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct, Mobile hotspot, Bluetooth®: v4.2, A2DP, LE, apt-X, ANT+, USB 2.0, NFC
• Wireless charging built into case (WPC1.1(4.6W Output) & PMA 1.0(4.2W)
• Li-Ion 3000 mAh battery, extreme power saving mode, fast charging in one hour up to 70 percent
• Water protection, IP68 standard
• Dimensions – 142.4x69.6x7.9 mm, weight – 152 grams

Scope of delivery

• Telephone
• Charger (Fast Adaptive Charge) with USB cable
• USB adapter, microUSB-USB
• Instructions
• Wired stereo headset
• SIM tray clip

Positioning

In 2015, there were changes within Samsung that affected the positioning of devices, their release schedule and what the company was doing. In particular, for flagships they experimented when they abandoned memory cards (Apple doesn’t have one, and no one is complaining!), made the cases monolithic, and this scared off many consumers. The fact that two models appeared on the market at once - S6 and S6 EDGE, in the same body size, but one with a side edge and the other without, confused the situation even more.

The very first sales showed that the fashionable EDGE is in overwhelming demand, while the simple S6 is not so popular. The difference in demand did not affect the total sales volume, but rather their distribution in the S6/S6 EDGE pair. The shortage at EDGE was noticeable during the first three months; the company did not have time to produce matrices for them and was forced to launch additional production.

But then what was supposed to happen happened, the S6 with a flat screen took its toll, this device, due to its price, pulled sales to itself. For example, in Russia the cost of the S6 is about 35 thousand rubles in the basic version, while the similar EDGE costs 10-12 thousand more. On the Russian market, it was the S6 that became the most popular flagship on Android, one of the best-selling models from Samsung. I am sure that the same thing will happen with time with the S7; this device has a long life cycle and, over time and with price adjustments, will gain more and more fans.

What is the beauty of this model? For me, the first priority in a phone is always the screen; you get used to the large diagonal quickly, and it’s difficult to give it up. Last year I had a pair of two phones - S6 EDGE and Note, then gradually switched to Note 5 and EDGE Plus. It so happened that my choice settled on two flagships with a large screen diagonal. In addition to the screen, the main reason was the operating time; the “small” EDGE did not allow me to comfortably survive until the evening, despite the fact that it was the second device paired with the large Note. It is clear that my phone usage scenario is different from the vast majority of people, I use smartphones to the fullest, I have different devices connected to them, a wireless headset, a hands-free kit and various sensors.

But many people use only one device and at the same time they do not want it to be large, they strive for compactness. In my opinion, the golden mean of the modern market is 5 inches; this is the overwhelming majority of smartphones sold; about half of all devices in the world come in this diagonal. And this is exactly what the Galaxy S7 is, which offers that golden mean.

Who is this phone interesting for? First of all, these are those who are switching from the iPhone and want to maintain a compact body, and at the same time get longer operating time and a better screen. Switching from the previous generation of sixes from Samsung does not make much sense, unless you have extra money and are itching that a model has appeared that is better in many respects. Among the flagships, the S7 looks like a balanced solution; on the one hand, this is a typical price for the basic version (the most affordable flagship of 2016), on the other hand, it has maximum technology and noticeably improved ergonomics of the solution. Despite my love for phablets, I am now again considering the S7 as a second phone in pair with the S7 EDGE/S6 EDGE Plus, since it is more compact and at the same time is not inferior to its older brothers in anything except the screen diagonal.

Design, body materials

Time passes, and yesterday's ideas about beauty evaporate like fog. Remember, not long ago we considered thin devices with a thickness of one and a half centimeters, and this was only ten years ago. Exactly the same situation is with what is considered a compact phone today, in my opinion, these are models with a diagonal of 4.5-4.7 inches, while the most popular are devices with a 5-inch screen. And gradually people are switching to such phones, considering their size convenient; today this is the majority of smartphones on the market. The same S7 fits well into the cohort of such devices, has a good size for them - 142.4x69.6x7.9 mm, weight - 152 grams.

The ergonomics of the device is something that we worked on day and night; impressions of the model in comparison with the S6 vary greatly. This device fits into your hand like a glove. Compared to the S7 EDGE, due to the lack of a chamfered front edge as it does, you feel the S7 is much more comfortable. No slipping in the hand, fits as if it was always there. Of course, these impressions are individual, some may not like the device, it all depends on your habits and the size of your hands. But it suited me perfectly. And the most important thing is that there are no difficulties in dialing a number with one hand on the go; this is quite possible without acrobatic performances.

Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 Edge

Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S6 Edge

For Samsung in 2015, the redesign of the flagships was successful; now they are all built on a metal frame, have a back surface made of Corning Gorilla Glass 4. In 2016, nothing changes, except that the glass on the front and back panels becomes 2.5D ( this is fashion and nothing more, now all companies make such glass with a curve). Samsung, in order to position itself differently from competitors, calls 3D glass, they have reasons for this; no one uses such bends for Gorilla Glass 4 in their products.

As you can see, these smartphones are completely identical in appearance to the 2015 flagships; it will be difficult to see the differences. Moreover, the same A-series of 2016 looks similar to these devices, only the colors will differ, due to which they will try to highlight the older models. But it is difficult in real life to distinguish the richness of the color of the case, to notice what kind of device a person uses. A successful design, which is reproduced in a dozen models, quickly becomes boring. And, perhaps, it is precisely this moment that will stop many; people will think that it will be difficult to stand out with the help of such a device. As I see the situation, Samsung switched to a two-year design cycle, like Apple, but decided to play counterbalance, that is, change the appearance of the handsets not in the same year as Apple. This year, the iPhone 7 will get a different appearance, but the Galaxy S7 will resemble its predecessor.

From the point of view of color solutions, the black device (Black Onyx) looks more interesting; the gold color is somewhat boring in the previous model. And most people order a black or silver phone, which is also good.

In total, these are the colors available for now, but they will not appear in all markets at the same time.

Now a few words about dreams about a collapsible body. This model does not and will not have it; the design itself does not involve replacing the battery yourself. But this can be done at any service center. The second point is protection from water. Just like in the Galaxy S5, it is returning to Samsung devices, and to all flagships. The protection standard is IP68, phones can be drowned, and nothing will happen to them. There is impregnation of the components on the board with a special solution that repels water (they like to use it in Motorola phones), but the design itself does not allow water to get inside; there are special membranes on the speakers and microphones.

And this is how they protected the microUSB connector so that water does not get inside, and if this does happen due to an impact, then there is a special controller that prevents short circuits.

All metal surfaces have undergone additional anti-corrosion treatment. In the picture you can see painted parts that were additionally protected from water.

We conducted an IP68 test and the phone passed it with ease. There are no problems with it, watch the video. I would like to note right away that in order for the speakers to not sound dull after water, the device must be dry; this is a simple logic that for some reason is not clear to some people.

Pay attention to how the tray for the SIM card and memory card is designed; it has a rubberized insert that is lower than the top edge. As a result, dust from pockets quickly accumulates here, but it does not penetrate inside the phone. The peculiarity of its protection affects it. Some people may not like this from an aesthetic point of view, but there is no problem with this, since dust does not penetrate inside the case and cannot get there.

The case has increased slightly in size, this is a consequence of both the larger battery in the S7 and a different frame design, it was made stronger so that the device could withstand serious falls (6013 aluminum alloy). I have absolutely no complaints about the latest generations of Galaxy regarding resistance to falls. They immediately completely recalculated the location of the components and parts of the phone to ensure even greater survivability and safety of the glass that covers the screen and back surface. There are no miracles in the world, and any device can be broken, but users of the Galaxy/Note line know that they have very reliable devices that are difficult to break.

One of the disadvantages of the black version is the speaker grille, which is also painted black. The paint wears off in a few weeks in the pocket, and white metal appears. In the gold color of the case it is simply imperceptible, it creates the feeling that everything is correct, but here it is clearly visible. In my opinion, this is an obvious drawback, but it cannot be called critical.

Overall, the S7 turned out to be very good in terms of materials and feel. Fits perfectly in the hand, good in pockets.

To prevent the device from heating up, a special cooling system was created inside. Look at her description.

Memory type, RAM, memory cards

When Samsung decided to stop producing its flagships with memory cards, the company reasoned that memory capacity of 32, 64 and 128 GB would, in theory, be enough for anyone. In practice, the company got confused in logistics, and the 32 GB devices appeared first, then the 64 GB ones, but the 128 GB models turned out to be difficult to find, and few of them were produced. This is a fundamental difference from Apple, where you can buy a device with any amount of memory and they are always in stock. Therefore, the experiment inside Samsung was considered unsuccessful, and the groan of consumers turned out to be so loud that all Samsung top managers felt it.

Apparently, in order to please people, you must first take something away from them. This happened with memory cards; they were removed in 2015 and they realized what a mistake it was in 2016. Now memory cards have been returned to all flagships, you can use them of almost any size. The 200 GB card is recognized and works. Later, support for 2 TB memory cards may appear, there is no reason not to do this, there are no technical restrictions.

The main models will be those that offer 32 GB of internal memory, while 64 GB devices will become less common. I think there is nothing wrong with this, and users will choose exactly such solutions.

Since Samsung smartphones use fast UFS 2.0 memory, the company had to abandon the proprietary Android 6 feature of combining memory cards and internal memory into a single array. This is necessary for those who do not intend to use their memory card anywhere else, but only in one phone. The risks of this are quite high, if the memory card fails, you will lose most of your data, if not all of it, except for those stored in the cloud.

As a result, Samsung decided to make an intermediate solution. You get 24 GB of space out of 32 GB, while 8 GB contains system and space for working with external memory, for example, it is used as a buffer for video recording, cache and other system functions. But, as before, you can transfer most of the applications to a memory card rather than store them in the internal memory of your smartphone. As a result, there are no de facto restrictions; you can use your smartphone as you please.

The type of RAM has not changed; these are chips built on 20 nm technology; we first saw them a year ago. The peak data transfer speed is 3.2 Gb/s, which can be considered the maximum speed in mobile devices in the next year, or even a year and a half. The amount of RAM has increased to 4 GB.

The memory manager, which appeared in the previous generation and caused complaints from many users because it unloaded applications from memory, remains. But they added an operating mode in which the latest applications are kept in RAM and unloaded only when necessary. That is, it turned out to be a kind of mixed mode: until the memory is needed, applications hang in it, and as soon as it is needed, they go into the buffer.

But due to the speed of the processor, the time it takes to load applications from the cache has been reduced by at least half; it seems that they are hanging in memory. Visually, and in feel, this is a big increase in speed in this particular aspect.

Chipset and performance

In 2015, Samsung stopped using Qualcomm in its flagships; the processors got very hot and had many flaws. In particular, it was the Snapdragon 810, which Qualcomm was able to finalize only a year after the first samples. This processor and Samsung's rejection of it brought down Qualcomm's shares and even caused a wave of layoffs and a reorganization of the chipset manufacturer.

Until 2015, the prevailing stereotype said that Exynos versions of flagships were noticeably worse than their Qualcomm counterparts. Often this was not the case; they were equivalent from the point of view of the average consumer. Qualcomm has traditionally been stronger than Samsung's own solutions in LTE modems. In 2016, the difference is leveled out even more, since Exynos modems also received an update and began to work better. Are they inferior to Qualcomm? I think so. Will you notice this difference in real life? I think not.

The vast majority of countries will receive flagships from Samsung with the Exynos version, and not with the Qualcomm 820. Operators who want to get the Qualcomm version for some reason do so consciously and for their own reasons. Among the disadvantages of the Qualcomm version, I note that the operating time in various modes is approximately 10 percent shorter, which, with the same performance, looks like a huge difference. Also, the lesser integration of the Qualcomm chipset with the Samsung camera may affect the autofocus speed (but you most likely won’t notice it). The preferred version of the flagships will be the one that uses the Exynos 8890 inside.

Depending on the operator and/or chipset used, the letters in the model markings will differ; the standard name is SM-G930. Let's dwell a little on this processor. So, it is made on a 14 nm FinFET process, has eight cores, and also has a new MALI T880 MP12 graphics coprocessor. In the graphics department, the processor is claimed to be 80 percent faster than the MALI-T760, while power efficiency is 40 percent higher at maximum load.

Among the interesting features of the chipset, I note support for LTE cat.12/13, which ensures data downloads at speeds of up to 600 Mbit/s (a 1 GB movie can be downloaded in one minute if your operator supports these categories). Check out the infographic on this processor.

In synthetic benchmarks, the Exynos version shows better performance.

The S7 wins in the tests, it is the fastest device at the moment (my phones are Exynos). Look at the test results.

I would like to separately note that the new processor is very fast. In every sense, this is one of the best processors on the market, and at the same time it has good energy efficiency, reduced power consumption, which, together with other technical solutions, makes these models very interesting.

The phone also has an additional Exynos M1 processor, which is responsible for calculating movements. Dedicating a separate, dedicated processor for this is justified. Currently, S Health has an erroneous count of steps when moving in a car; shaking is perceived as walking. This defect will be corrected in the coming months.

Display

The phone has a SuperAMOLED screen, 5.1 inches, QHD resolution. There is simply nothing better on the market, and the fact that all companies are trying to switch to AMOLED and are ready to buy screens from Samsung that are several generations old only shows how good this technology is.

DisplayMate traditionally conducted a study of screens in S7/S7 EDGE, and the result is quite interesting, the previous leader in the person of S6 EDGE Plus lost the crown, displays from the latest generation were named the best screens in mobile devices, nothing better simply exists in the world. , it is quite detailed and thorough.

Let's look at several technologies, each of which is not obvious, but improves the use of these devices in everyday life. So, let's start with how screens behave in bright sunlight. The S7 has no problems with this, no glare, no reflections, the brightness in automatic mode can be set to such a level that you will see bright and colorful colors, all the contents of the screen will be readable. But it depends on your preferences, however, more on that later.

Now let's imagine the unimaginable. Many people use sunglasses in the summer, many of them have polarized lenses. The problem with most screens in portable electronics is that they are difficult to see, especially in normal, portrait orientation. The screen of the same iPhone 6/6s becomes darker than it actually is. Flip the screen to landscape orientation and it will be brighter. Miracle? Just the arrangement of the elements.

The screen for the Galaxy S7 took care of this “little detail” and placed the polarizing filter at an angle of 45 degrees, so that no matter how you look at the screen with glasses, the picture remains bright. This is the first device on the market in which even such little things for the screen were thought through.

Another thing that has changed for screens and appears for the first time in the S7/S7 EDGE is personal automatic brightness adjustment. What does it mean? How can tuning be both personal and automatic? The answer lies in the fact that we are all different and perceive the brightness of screens, their colors and other parameters differently. Samsung has implemented an intelligent system that evaluates the level of ambient light and what lighting options we choose, what we consider a comfortable level for ourselves. And this data is used to subsequently adjust the backlight in a way that is convenient for you. It is enough to use both manual and automatic backlight adjustment for about one week for the phone to understand what you like and work in automatic mode. I'm really excited about this feature because it predicts what I want to see, what the screen brightness should be under different conditions.

The screen also has an Always On mode, when the time is constantly shown, as an option, a picture or a calendar, and you can select themes in which these images will be different.

This is simply a wonderful feature, since, unlike competitors, the picture is displayed in color, it is always visible, whether at night or during the day, and is quite bright. For those who are afraid that this will affect the operating time of the device, on the S7 EDGE, 12 hours of display operation in this mode consumes from 1 to 2% of the battery (depending on external lighting conditions, the picture changes in brightness automatically). This is nothing, but you always have a watch in front of your eyes, and this sharply distinguishes this phone from all others.

Cameras – front and main

The front camera has a resolution of 5 megapixels, and light sensitivity has been slightly increased. The screen itself can act as a flash. It is possible to improve complexion, remove artifacts on the skin, and at the same time correct facial geometry. Girls will definitely like these facial enhancements.

But there is no intrigue here, everything is clear and familiar. The intrigue is what happened to the main camera, because in the S6 its resolution was 16 megapixels, and in the S7/S7 EDGE the camera suddenly became 12 megapixels.

The Galaxy S7/S7 EDGE uses the Sony IMX260 camera module (a year earlier IMX240), which was created specifically for Samsung. Such products usually do not receive descriptions on the Sony website; moreover, they cannot be purchased from other manufacturers.

I was unable to find a sane description of the IMX260, and this is not so important, since the main innovations were explained during the presentation of the Galaxy S7. So, the company increased the lens aperture f/1.7 (a year earlier f/1.9), while also increasing the pixel size to 1.4 microns, which makes it possible to obtain more information on the matrix. In Britecell, the pixel size is one micron, and it immediately turns out that this technology is not used in the IMX260, judging by the information that we had before. But everything is not so simple, let's try to figure it out.

Let me start with the fact that the S7 is the first device on the market that has focusing over the entire area of ​​the matrix, that is, one hundred percent of the pixels are involved in phase detection autofocus.

But, perhaps, the most important thing is the increased clarity and brightness of the picture (although, to be honest, I don’t know which is better, current flagships shoot very well). Here the possibilities of shooting in the evening and in the dark have increased. New scenes and plots, camera settings have appeared. Samsung was able to improve the camera, although it seemed impossible to do so.

Sample photos

Comparison with S6 Edge+

S7 Edge	S6 Edge+

For example, the “Food” mode has appeared, this is a kind of filter in which the background is blurred; note that the picture on the left is without a filter, on the right – with it.

Ordinary	Food mode

For video recording, a slow-motion mode has appeared, as well as time-lapse, examples of which you can see in the video below.

And here is an example of a regular video on this camera.

From year to year I say that Samsung’s flagships shoot better and better, they are of very high quality. And I’m tired of constantly answering the question on social networks about what this photo was taken with. In the S7/S7 EDGE the camera has become even better, making these devices the undoubted leaders. Now the time when you can be guaranteed to get a high-quality photo has expanded; this is not only during the day, but also at dusk and evening. In short, the camera is, as before, one of the strengths of these devices.

Extracurricular reading

Battery

The slightly increased size is also due to the battery capacity – 3000 mAh. The operating time of a device is always a combination of factors, in particular, software stability and optimization, quality of components, and screen power consumption. It is difficult and sometimes impossible to consider operating time in isolation from these parameters.

A typical scenario for using a modern smartphone involves running various programs in the background, not only browsing pages, but connecting a wireless headset, and so on. Everyone has their own usage scenario, for example, I use my phones to the fullest - I take photographs, listen to podcasts on a wireless headset, watch social networks, movies, web pages, receive mail from different mailboxes every fifteen minutes. My EDGE Plus lives with three to three and a half hours of screen operation from morning to late evening with the backlight at about 70 percent. And this is a good indicator. For many, the operating time of this device is on average two days. Some manage to make it work for up to three days, and say that this is enough for them to actively use. Here it should be noted that the word “active” is different for everyone, everyone puts their own worldview into it.

For S7 I get a full day, from morning to evening, there are no restrictions here. The operating time of the screen with automatic backlighting is from 3.5 to 4.5 hours (brightness is 50-60%, which is very noticeable; among competitors this is considered full brightness). It is the operating time that becomes one of the advantages compared to S6/S6 EDGE.

Video playback time at maximum brightness is from 13 to 14 hours on average (the radio module is not disabled).

The phone has two built-in wireless charging standards, you can use either one. There is support for fast wireless charging. There is also fast wired charging - in 90 minutes you will charge the device to 100 percent. To get half a charge, less than half an hour is enough. Many flagships of other companies can only dream of such fast charging technology, which saves you even if you forgot to charge the device the night before, in the morning it will only take a few minutes.

The most important improvement in the current flagships, and indeed all 2016 models from Samsung, is the increased operating time. A huge amount of work has been done here, and this should be noted. On average, they will work 1.5-2 times longer than previous devices in the same segment. The reason is an increase in battery capacity, but also optimization of software and hardware.

A few words about the microUSB connector, which the progressive part of humanity has already decided to scrap and is waiting for USB Type C. Personally, I am tired of carrying the second cable, I constantly forget it, and therefore some phones are charged only at home, where such cables are available. The value of Type C is still greatly overestimated; such a connector is needed by a small audience that considers itself technology enthusiasts. Therefore, it was not used in mass products. A gradual transition to it will begin in the fall of 2016, and even then, this is an issue that has not been fully resolved. Now Samsung has decided that the compatibility of all accessories is much more important than supporting a fashion trend.

Speaking of AMOLED, Exynos and operating time. Meizu Pro 5 used this combination of components from Samsung to achieve maximum operating time in its flagship. Other companies are starting to adopt Samsung's experience, this is becoming a trend.

USB, Bluetooth, communication capabilities

Bluetooth version 4.2, it was created for the Internet of Things and works great with various sensors. Otherwise, there are no significant changes; new profiles have appeared and power consumption has improved. Let me remind you that there are some interesting things in the new standard.

Firstly, this is an extended range, which can reach several tens of meters, depending on the device settings and how the manufacturer configured this option. Secondly, the IP protocol is used for addressing, that is, devices now have their own unique addresses and communication with many such devices is supported.

From technical points, the interaction between Bluetooth and LTE has been improved; now the operation of these technologies is synchronized within one device, and mutual interference is not created (LTE is not relevant for our frequencies). Plus, Bluetooth devices can now access the cloud and transmit their results directly, bypassing the companion device, as was previously necessary.

USB connection. USB 2.0 is used here, that is, the data transfer speed is about 20 Mb/s. These are not theoretical, but real results on devices. They may vary depending on the operating system and the computer you connect your phone to. Both up and down.

WiFi. The 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac standard is supported, the operation wizard is similar to that for Bluetooth. You can remember selected networks and automatically connect to them. It is possible to set up a connection to the router in one touch; to do this, you need to press a key on the router, and also activate a similar button in the device menu (WPA SecureEasySetup). Among the additional options, it is worth noting the setup wizard; it appears when the signal is weak or disappearing. You can also set up Wi-Fi on a schedule.

802.11n supports HT40 mode, allowing you to double your Wi-Fi throughput (requires support from another device).

Wi-Fi Direct. A protocol that is intended to replace Bluetooth or begin to compete with its third version (which also uses Wi-Fi version n to transfer large files). In the Wi-Fi settings menu, select the Wi-Fi Direct section, the phone begins to search for devices around. We select the desired device, activate the connection on it, and voila. Now in the file manager you can view files on another device, as well as transfer them. Another option is to simply find devices connected to your router and transfer the necessary files to them; this can be done from the gallery or other sections of the phone. The main thing is that the device supports Wi-Fi Direct.

Wi-Fi repeater.

It’s impossible to write a review when you only use the phone for a few minutes at the company’s stand and this device is not your main one. Then materials appear that lack many “tricks” that the manufacturer himself did not talk about, just as others did not discover them. I am constantly working with the Galaxy S7; I have already discovered many “little things” that distinguish Samsung flagships from other Android smartphones and will later become part of Android itself. I want to tell you about one of these features.

Usually, when you turn on an access point on your phone, it immediately turns off Wi-Fi; you cannot use both at the same time.

On the Galaxy S7/S7 EDGE, I suddenly discovered that when I turn on Wi-Fi, it connects to the wireless network, but does not disable your access point. There are two icons in the status line.

Further - more and even more interesting. All phones connected to the Galaxy S7 start using its Wi-Fi connection rather than using mobile data from it. Until now, the Wi-Fi router scenario in mobile phones has never been used so widely.

Who might need it and why? For example, when traveling, I often encounter restrictions on the number of connected devices in hotels. With the Galaxy S7 features, these restrictions on the number of devices are a thing of the past; now I'm writing text, and a dozen of my phones are hanging on the same connection through the Galaxy S7 EDGE. And most importantly, I don’t have to waste time at all and enter my last name, room number and postal address on each one. It's the same story in restaurants, cafes, and other places where I can share my connection without having to enter Wi-Fi settings on each device. Cool? Undoubtedly.

Another question is that this function is not so necessary for the vast majority of people. At home, this is an opportunity to distribute your Internet to those corners of the apartment where your router does not reach. At the same time, check whether it’s worth buying a regular Wi-Fi repeater and whether it will work.

As always, I think it's better to have extra features that you don't need very often, but will be grateful for when you need them, rather than not have those features. Do you need a Wi-Fi repeater function?

NFC. The device has NFC technology, it can be used with various additional applications.

S Beam. A technology that allows you to transfer a file of several gigabytes in size to another phone in a few minutes. In fact, we see in S Beam a combination of two technologies - NFC and Wi-Fi Direct. The first technology is used to bring up and authorize phones, but the second is used to transfer the files themselves. The creatively redesigned way to use Wi-Fi Direct is much simpler than using a connection on two devices, selecting files and so on.

Software – Android 6, TouchWiz and other things

Inside Android 6.0.1, the current flagships and two-year-old models will receive the same software, at the same time or a little later than the S7/S7 EDGE goes on sale. As before, this device has TouchWiz, but it has been heavily redesigned to match the Android style, and now the entire system is perceived as very airy and light, everything looks organic together. The speed of the UI is excellent, it flies, there are simply no slowdowns. Again, it all depends on personal perception; someone sees brakes in what other people consider immediate.

The software has a lot of features, you will need to talk about them separately, which is what I did, read the full review and watch the video about this software.

Additional accessories

A new wireless charger will be available for these models; it differs from the old one in that it has a 50-degree tilt and you can place your phone on it. There will be leather bumpers (leather back), as well as a case with two interchangeable lenses.

From what I was able to try, I would like to note standard book covers, including those with an LED screen. Look at the pictures of these accessories, then you can also watch the video where I explain and show how they work.

Comparison with Galaxy S6

Samsung has prepared an infographic showing why the new device is better than the S6, everything is very clear in it.

Impressions

There are no complaints about the quality of speech reproduction or call volume; these devices are excellent; perhaps, their radio path quality is one of the best on the market. And this has long become a kind of mania; Samsung is finishing off what is already good. However, as we saw in the review, they do this for many components of their flagships.

It’s a thankless task to evaluate new devices based on pictures or even photographs. In the case of S7/S7 EDGE it is doubly ungrateful. It seems to be the same materials, the same design, but you need to take the device in your hand to realize the difference. And it is not in favor of the previous generation. You need to touch these devices in person and see how they work, how responsive the menu is, how the camera records, and it is advisable to do this in the twilight to understand the differences.

We are accustomed to the fact that each new generation of flagships from Samsung provides new technologies and sets the bar for performance, as well as for what can be built into the devices. Today these are the most functional solutions of all, but last year the refusal of memory cards upset many. Now this flaw has been corrected, and everything is back to normal. But they also added enhanced shock protection, IP68 protection against drowning. Plus, we increased the battery and optimized the system so that the operating time increased by 1.5-2 times. All this together suggests that the models turned out to be not very successful, but extremely successful.

The new camera module gives excellent results; it is a breakthrough in a direction where no one expected serious improvements. I didn’t expect at all that the difference would be visible in life. And this is a serious bid to maintain its advantage in this area; other devices are approaching Samsung in terms of photography, but they cannot catch up.

From an engineering point of view, these devices are small masterpieces, they were stuffed with the latest technologies and made them work. What are the improvements in the display that are not visible, but make our lives better and easier? It would not be amiss to note that other companies, and primarily Apple, get to the point of using similar technologies only years later; they simply do not have the opportunity to do something similar. They are too far behind in development, and this can be seen in almost every piece of hardware. I have a very positive perception of the new flagships, and the fact that the previous generation sold well in Russia says a lot about the changed orientations of people during the crisis. The same S6, thanks to its affordable price, has become the most popular flagship, followed by the iPhone 5s 16 GB. The choice of a three-year-old model remains a mystery to me, but people see some meaning in it. But everything is gradually changing, slowly and surely ordinary people are realizing what fast charging is in real life, what high-quality screens look like and why Android gives freedom of use. I have no doubt that the seventh generation Galaxy will be very successful, there are all the prerequisites for this, the devices turned out to be interesting.

The cost of the S7 is 49,990 rubles, this is the most affordable flagship of the latest generation, the price has not changed compared to when the S6 came out a year ago. You can choose the S7 EDGE as an alternative to this device.

Considering that the S7 EDGE comes at a price of 59,990 rubles, this can be considered an additional payment for a larger screen, battery and better image component.

The choice between S7 and S7 EDGE is obvious; I like the older model better, it looks more interesting. Another thing is that perhaps you are a fan of more compact sizes.

But as a final word, I can say that Samsung has produced models that are head and shoulders above their competitors, and they are not just good quality, they are the best that is on the market today. And without compromise.

As we know, there are two variants of the Samsung Galaxy S7 smartphone: the American version with a 4-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 processor and the international version with an 8-core Exynos 8890 processor. I wonder which of these options is better? Let's find out.

To photo 1: Which version of the Galaxy S7 is better?

Differences in the processors of the two versions of the Galaxy S7.

Since we did not have the chance to hold the American version of the S7 in our hands, we will use information from the PhoneArena website. According to it, in benchmark tests related to the browser and multi-core, both chips showed almost the same result. In principle, this is not surprising, since these processors are almost indistinguishable in terms of processing power, and once we can get our hands on the US version of the S7, we will be able to do a more thorough comparison of both versions against each other.

Exynos vs Snapdragon: efficiency

If the Exynos processor has twice as many cores as its Snapdragon 820 counterpart, then, in theory, it should consume more power. Since we do not have any numerical data yet, we cannot draw a definitive conclusion. We'll discuss battery life later.

Exynos vs Snapdragon: moddability

Another important question in terms of processor differences between the two versions of the Samsung Galaxy S7 is whether it is possible to install third-party software. It is also equally important to know how difficult it is for users to root. At first, the international version had a clear advantage, but now it seems that the American version of the S7 has taken the lead.

Note that programs such as CF-Autoroot S7 and S7 Edge Custom Recoveries were previously available only for the international version. After March 18, the bootloader lock was removed from the US version and the situation changed.

After this, the Snapdragon model received some clear advantages. Samsung has released Qualcomm processor documentation to developers so they can create third-party hardware software. In the long term, it is possible that CyanogenMod firmware may be released for Galaxy devices intended for the US. And the S7 version with Exynos is unlikely to receive modified software beyond root access.

In principle, it is not surprising that Samsung decided to release two different versions of the Galaxy S7. This will allow the manufacturer to track differences in performance and satisfaction across a device with different variables. For now, the processor in the US version of the S7 seems to have some advantages, but buyers of the international version shouldn't worry at all. The Exynos version is also very decent, and in many respects is similar to the US version.

What do you think about the differences in processors? Tell us about it in the comments.

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

⇡ 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.