Galaxy S6 Review: Samsung Hits a Home Run

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It’s not much of an exaggeration to say the Galaxy S6 — which launched this weekend — is a make-or-break device for Samsung (OTCMKTS:SSNLF).

Galaxy S6 review, galaxy s6 intro
Source: Brad Moon

Last year’s Galaxy S5 was a disappointment that let Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) re-take the crown as the world’s top smartphone seller.

Since the S5’s release, Samsung revenue and profits have been sliding, and the Galaxy S6 is the device the company is counting on revive its high-margin smartphone business.

At the same time, Samsung has been fighting off Android competitors like HTC and LG who are battling to take a chunk of those profitable flagship smartphone sales, while Chinese manufacturers like Xiaomi are pushing to break into the high-end markets the Samsung Galaxy series once dominated.

With the stakes so high, Samsung broke with tradition and ditched plastic for premium materials in an attempt to win back market share.

Is this the Android flagship that could knock off the iPhone as the world’s top-selling smartphone? Read our Samsung Galaxy S6 review to find out.

Galaxy S6 Review: Some Physical Resemblance to the iPhone 6

Galaxy S6 review, galaxy S6 borrows from iPhone 6
Source: Brad Moon

In its Samsung Galaxy S6 review, CNET calls the device out for being an iPhone copycat, saying it “looks embarrassingly like the iPhone 6.”

This is true to a certain extent, specifically when viewed from the bottom where the rounded metal edges, antenna, headphone jack, power port and speaker grills make it easy to mistake the Galaxy S6 for an iPhone 6.

From this angle, the resemblance is so uncanny, I actually tweeted about this soon after unboxing the Samsung smartphone.

The Galaxy S6 does have a metal edge that superficially looks like the iPhone’s, but Samsung has made a subtle change that works for the better. While I find my iPhone 6 is a little too easy to drop thanks to that smooth, rounded edge, Samsung has squared off the sides a bit and it makes a world of difference in terms of getting a secure grip on the device.

However, the physical resemblance stops there. Viewed from the front, the Galaxy S6 is nearly indistinguishable from last year’s Galaxy S5. The back panel is a sheet of glass, which bears no resemblance to the iPhone 6’s anodized aluminum — think iPhone 4 if you want an iPhone comparison. With Gorilla Glass 4 protection, hopefully it will stand up to abuse.

The overall effect is a flagship smartphone that looks and feels the part, unlike the plasticky Galaxies that came before.

Two issues with the new look (because nothing is ever perfect): The camera sticks out a lot, and the smooth glass on my black Galaxy S6 review unit quickly looked terrible as it accumulated smudges and fingerprints.

Galaxy S6 Review: Stellar Performance and a Few Changes

Galaxy S6 review, galaxy S6 camera
Source: Brad Moon

Concerns about overheating issues with the new Snapdragon 810 CPU from Qualcomm Inc. (NASDAQ:QCOM) led Samsung to opt instead to power the Galaxy S6 with its own chip.

If there were any doubts about the effectiveness of the octa-core Xynos CPU, set those aside. The Galaxy S6 was quick and responsive.

The display is gorgeous, a Super AMOLED panel with Quad HD resolution. Compared to the iPhone 6, it’s bigger, brighter and sharper. Whether QHD is necessary on a device this size is debatable — all those pixels consume more power, and Full HD looks pretty nice, too — but there’s no disputing the fact that this is one of the best smartphone displays out there.

The camera is a worthy competitor to anything Apple puts out, a 16MP shooter with optical image stabilization, ultra-fast auto focus and the ability to shoot 4K video.

Even the fingerprint scanner is dramatically improved, going from an unreliable and fussy swipe affair to a one-touch operation that’s fast and accurate. This is another important piece of the mobile wallet puzzle that will allow Samsung to take on Apple Pay with Samsung Pay.

The Galaxy S6 offers fast-charge technology that will net four hours of run time from just 10 minutes of plug-in time. And it also supports not one, but two wireless charging standards: Qi and PMA.

So far, everything is coming up roses for Samsung fans. However, there are three changes that not everyone is happy about. While the Galaxy S5 was water resistant, the Galaxy S6 is not. And in adopting the sleek look that consumers demanded, two long-time Samsung advantages had to be jettisoned: a removable battery and SD card memory expansion.

Like the iPhone, the built-in storage is your only option (no cheap upgrades using SD cards), power users can’t swap out a depleted battery for a fresh one, and once that battery dies it means paying for a professional replacement.

Galaxy S6 Review: Specs

Galaxy S6 review, galaxy S6 specs
Source: Brad Moon

  • 5.1-inch Super AMOLED display with Quad HD (1440 x 2560 pixels) resolution, 577 ppi
  • Corning (NYSE:GLW) Gorilla Glass 4 front and back with aluminum accents
  • Octa-core Xynos CPU with 3GB RAM
  • 32/64/128 GB storage
  • 16 MP primary camera with optical image stabilization, autofocus and 4K video
  • Fingerprint sensor
  • 802.11ac dual band Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.1, microUSB, NFC, Infrared
  • 2550 mAh battery rated at 17 hours talk time (Qi and Powermat wireless recharging supported)
  • Runs Android 5.0 (Lollipop) with Touchwiz
  • 0.27-inches thick, weighs 4.87 ounces
  • Starts at $199 on contract

Galaxy S6 Review: Conclusion

Galaxy S6 review, galaxy S6 conclusion
Source: Brad Moon

Based on my experiences using the Galaxy S6, it seems like Samsung has done its homework.

The phone is a looker — it both looks and feels like a premium product. Performance is clearly a priority whether you’re snapping photos, launching apps or watching a video on that amazing display.

It still runs Samsung’s Touchwiz user interface, but the clutter that plagued previous Galaxies has been toned down on the Galaxy S6, making it much more enjoyable to use. You’ll even find the fruits of that Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT) partnership with a pre-installed folder containing OneDrive, OneNote and Skype.

The Samsung Galaxy S6 hits Apple’s iPhone in some of its traditionally strong areas: premium look and feel, quality build, excellent camera and a reliable fingerprint scanner. It bests the iPhone in others, including the display and wireless charging support.

Some Galaxy traditionalists may have a hard time getting past the loss of a user-swappable battery and cheap storage expansion, but for most Android fans, the Galaxy S6 is now the phone to beat. And Samsung is in the best position it has been in for years in terms of taking on the iPhone for smartphone supremacy.

As of this writing, Brad Moon did not hold a position in any of the aforementioned securities.

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Brad Moon has been writing for InvestorPlace.com since 2012. He also writes about stocks for Kiplinger and has been a senior contributor focusing on consumer technology for Forbes since 2015.


Article printed from InvestorPlace Media, https://investorplace.com/2015/04/galaxy-s6-review/.

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