Samsung (SSNLF) took a beating with last year’s Galaxy S5 smartphone, particularly the company’s instance on sticking with plastic when rivals like Apple (AAPL) were using premium materials like metal and glass.
This year, it took no chances and the Samsung Galaxy S6 was a flagship phone that looked the part: thin, with aluminum, glass and no plastic to be seen.
However, that new design resulted in a few shortcomings compared to the outgoing model. The thin case has limited battery space, and users can no longer replace it themselves, so no swapping for a spare. It lost its water resistance, too.
For those who are pining for those features, the company has released the Samsung Galaxy S6 Active. You still can’t replace the battery, but it’s much higher capacity. Water resistance is back, too.
The cost? The Galaxy S6’s Home button fingerprint scanner is gone, it’s thicker and the plastic is back. It’s also an AT&T (T) exclusive.
Is this rugged smartphone worth considering? Read our Samsung Galaxy S6 Active review to find out.
Samsung Galaxy S6 Active Review: Keeps Most of What Makes the Galaxy S6 Great
The metal-and-glass design of the Samsung Galaxy S6 was the focus of its release. After years of using lower-rent plastic, Samsung wanted to show off its new upscale look.
However, that smartphone was also a powerhouse with Samsung’s own Exynos Octa-core CPU and a brilliant Quad HD Super AMOLED display that offers a razor sharp 577 pixels-per-inch. The Galaxy S6 Active shares the original’s specs, so by choosing the ruggedized version instead of the glass and metal model, you aren’t giving up performance.
With one exception.
The Galaxy S 6’s Home button fingerprint scanner is missing. Samsung says you’ll still be able to use Samsung Pay when it launches, but you’ll need to use a PIN code.
Samsung Galaxy S6 Active Review: Plastic Done Differently
With all the grousing about the use of plastic, Samsung was obviously a little cautious going into the design of the Galaxy S6 Active.
Rather than trying to mimic the appearance of its flagship — but in plastic — the company went with the same rugged look (complete with camo color options) it offered with last year’s Galaxy S5 Active; the overall effect is reminiscent of protective cases from companies like Otterbox.
When Samsung isn’t trying to pull off the “premium” look, the plastic seems much more acceptable.
In return for the plastic shell and a bit of added bulk, Galaxy S6 Active buyers get a battery that should last 30% longer and ability to drop their smartphone from four feet or dunk it in three feet of water for thirty minutes without destroying it.
The one Samsung Galaxy S6 complaint the Galaxy S6 Active doesn’t address is the loss of microSD card storage expansion.
Samsung Galaxy S6 Active Review: Specs
- 5.1-inch Quad HD Super AMOLED display at 577 ppi
- Exynos 64-bit Octa-core CPU with 3GB RAM
- 32GB Storage
- 16MP primary camera
- 5MP front camera
- 802.11 ac dual-band Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.1, NFC, Infrared, microUSB
- 3500 mAh battery (Qi and Powermat wireless recharging supported)
- Plastic case (Camo White, Camo Blue or Gray)
- IP68 water resistance, shock resistance and dust resistance
- 0.34-inches thick, weighs 5.29 ounces
- Runs Android Lollipop
- $695, or $199 on contract
Samsung Galaxy S6 Active Review: Conclusion
How badly does the Samsung Galaxy S6’s lack of water resistance and inability to swap its battery bug you?
I suspect most people won’t care — after all, that has been the standard with iPhones from day one, and there has hardly been an outcry. The majority of Android phone shoppers will be fine with the decidedly svelter and more premium looking Samsung Galaxy S6.
However, if you use your smartphone outdoors and are lugging it around in a protective case, the Galaxy S6 Active is definitely worth considering.
Even though it’s bigger and bulkier than the Galaxy S6, this ruggedized version is still much more compact than most phones strapped into protective cases. It offers the same excellent performance and display as the Galaxy S6 and ups its battery life by a third. That’s not quite the same as a swappable battery, but a definite improvement. And it comes at a mere $10 premium, much less than you’d pay for a third-party protective case.
As of this writing, Robert Martin did not hold a position in any of the aforementioned securities.
