One of the stars of the recently wrapped Mobile World Congress was Samsung Elect LTD’s (OTCMKTS:SSNLF) Galaxy S6 Edge, with its display that wraps down and over both sides. The new smartphone isn’t Samsung’s first kick at wrapping display information over the side on a curved screen smartphone: that honor belongs to the Galaxy Note Edge phablet, released at the end of 2014.
The latest generation Galaxy Note was the first to face direction competition from Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) — in the form of the iPhone 6 Plus. Samsung was also reeling from disappointing Galaxy S5 sales and criticism of its reliance on cheap-looking plastics.
Now was not the time to play it safe, Samsung had to do something to fight back.
While it released a regular Galaxy Note 4, Samsung decided to launch a premium variation alongside it. The Galaxy Note Edge incorporates a curved display that wraps down the right edge. It is intended to be the new leader in premium phablets while showcasing Samsung’s design chops.
That curved display has now showed up in the Galaxy S6 (although in the newer device it wraps around both edges). Clearly, the company thinks it’s on to something.
Did Samsung succeed? Is the most expensive Galaxy Note ever also the best? Do curved displays have a future? Read our Galaxy Note Edge review to find out.
Galaxy Note Edge: Visually Stunning
There’s no disputing the fact that the curved display on the Samsung Galaxy Note Edge makes a visual impact.
It doesn’t hurt that the display pops so well. The main display is a Quad HD Super AMOLED panel while the side strip is 1440 x 160 pixels. Both are bright and razor sharp. Together they dominate the front of the device and one side.
There are still top and bottom bezels, but they are covered by glass, too, so the plane is unbroken except for the home button at the bottom and small speaker grill for the ear at the top (in case you actually use the Galaxy Note Edge to make voice calls).
Flip it over and you get the faux leather plastic (that’s been banished in the Galaxy S6 and S6 Edge) and a protruding camera lens, but from the front and right edge views, this phablet stands out.
I think Samsung succeeded in creating a device that can hold its own when compared side by side with the iPhone 6 Plus (at least from the front…).
Galaxy Note Edge: Does the Edge Make it Better?
The big question is: does the namesake edge display on the Galaxy Note Edge make it a better phablet, or is it a gimmick? The answer is an important one, since Samsung charges a considerable premium for the Edge compared to the Galaxy Note 4 (which we put head-to-head against an iPhone 6 Plus here) and has doubled down on the features of the Galaxy S6 Edge.
In my time with the Galaxy Note Edge review unit Samsung sent, I found the edge strip display a mixed bag.
On the plus side, it can do things that aren’t just cool, they’re actually useful.
For example, at night, the edge display can be turned on independently to display the time and date. With the phone lying on its back, you can easily see the information (like an alarm clock) without draining the battery the way leaving the primary screen on all night would do.
On the other hand, the edge drove me crazy when using the camera.
Holding the Galaxy Note Edge in landscape mode, the camera controls were mapped along the edge display –which looks good. It gets those icons off the main display so it can be devoted to showing what you’re shooting. In practice, my fingers were accidentally brushing the controls constantly, taking photos at random, switching to selfie mode and other nonsense.
Then, there’s the fact that the edge display is only on the right side. Left-handed users can flip things 180 degrees, but that’s an imperfect solution, as it means the home button would then be on the top.
Galaxy Note Edge: Specs
- 5.6-inch Quad HD Super AMOLED display + 160 x 1440 pixel edge display
- 2.7 GHz quad-core Qualcomm (NASDAQ:QCOM) Snapdragon 805 with 3GB RAM
- 32GB built-in storage, up to 128GB additional with MicroSD card slot
- 16MP primary camera with LED flash and optical image stabilization and Ultra HD capability
- Bluetooth 4.0, ANT, 802.11ac
- Includes S Pen stylus
- 3000mAh user replaceable Lithium Ion battery rated at 22.4 hours talk time
- Ships with Android 4.4 (KitKat) and Samsung TouchWiz
- Weighs 6.4 ounces
- MSRP $945.99, currently $399.99 on contract through AT&T (NYSE:T)
The Galaxy Note Edge review unit was black; white is also an option.
Galaxy Note Edge: Conclusion
The Galaxy Note Edge is certainly a good phablet.
Is it better than the iPhone 6 Plus, its primary competition? I’m not sure the curved display would be enough to convince anyone to give up an iPhone — the Android versus iOS debate is likely to be a much more important consideration.
The more appropriate question might be whether the Galaxy Note Edge is worth paying an extra $120 over the Galaxy Note 4. Given that the Galaxy Note 4 is already $825 off-contract, I think the move up to $945 is probably worth it. Not everyone will agree, though. That’s a big chunk of change for basically the same device with just an extra strip of display real estate tacked on.
After having used the Galaxy Note Edge, I think the curved display idea has merit, but I wouldn’t suggest buying this, or the Galaxy Note 4, unless you need something immediately — I’d wait until the holiday season when we should see a new version.
Blame the dual-edge Galaxy S6 Edge.
If Samsung can make the most of a display that wraps around both edges of a smartphone, expect that feature to show up on the 2015 Galaxy Note Edge. Add the glass and metal design aesthetic introduced with the Galaxy 6, and that will be a phablet that’s tough to beat.
As of this writing, Brad Moon did not hold a position in any of the aforementioned securities.
