# Samsung Galaxy S7 and S7 Edge coming soon



## editor (Feb 2, 2016)

Here's a leaked preview. it sounds to be a winner with a big battery and SD card support.


> This pre-release review comes from Russian publication _Mobile-Review_, home of mobile blogger Eldar Murtazin, who leaked quite a few details about unreleased devices in the past, including the Galaxy S7. Murtazin apparently had access to a treasure-trove of information about the Galaxy S7 series, and while he was not able to test a real device, he shared a ton of details about it.
> 
> According to him, the Galaxy S7 will be virtually similar to the Galaxy S6 when it comes to overall design. However, the handset will get IP68 water and dust certification, and will feature a more durable screen. In fact, it looks like Samsung will offer some promotion for screen repairs in the first year after purchase.
> 
> ...


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## LeslieB (Feb 2, 2016)

Battery's still non removable though.......


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## editor (Feb 2, 2016)

LeslieB said:


> Battery's still non removable though.......


I can live with that if it has a decent battery life. My Sony z3 can keep going for two days, unlike my s4 which would need about four batteries over the same period.


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## LeslieB (Feb 2, 2016)

editor said:


> I can live with that if it has a decent battery life. My Sony z3 can keep going for two days, unlike my s4 which would need about four batteries over the same period.


Obviously everyone is different. If I was in the market to spend £500+ on a phone, I would want to be able to replace a worn battery myself, rather than it being a repair shop job. 

Even if you are in a money-no-object situation, I would want to be able to buy a spare battery once mine started getting a bit worn and fit it at my leisure. That's something that's easy to do on most lower end Samsungs but of the flagships only the LG G4 offers this (and it's not clear if that will continue on the G5)

Since I'm not in the market for a new phone I guess it's all a bit moot, but I doubt I'm the only one who feels this.


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## Teenage Cthulhu (Feb 2, 2016)

My nexus 6p lasts two days of heavy use. I think the battery life on high end phones is far better than it was only 3 or 4 years ago so manufacturers are less inclined to go down the removalable route. Plus you  can get USB power packs the size of a bar of soap that'll top you up!


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## Kid_Eternity (Feb 2, 2016)

I thought it was some kind of sin to have a non removable battery for an android phone?


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## friedaweed (Feb 3, 2016)

They always bring a new one out after I upgrade 

The s6 battery lasts me 2 days. I'm really chuffed with the camera


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## mhendo (Feb 3, 2016)

Teenage Cthulhu said:


> My nexus 6p lasts two days of heavy use. I think the battery life on high end phones is far better than it was only 3 or 4 years ago so manufacturers are less inclined to go down the removalable route.


But the desire for a removable battery is not really about battery life, _per se_. That is, it's not about how long the battery lasts on a single charge when the device is new.

It's about battery longevity. And even newer devices and batteries with very good single-charge endurance lose that endurance over time. A device that lets you get two full days in the first few month's of the device's life might barely get you one day after 18 months of use. For users who change their devices regularly, this might never become an issue, but for people who hang onto them longer, it can be a deal-breaker.


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## UnderAnOpenSky (Feb 3, 2016)

mhendo said:


> But the desire for a removable battery is not really about battery life, _per se_. That is, it's not about how long the battery lasts on a single charge when the device is new.
> 
> It's about battery longevity. And even newer devices and batteries with very good single-charge endurance lose that endurance over time. A device that lets you get two full days in the first few month's of the device's life might barely get you one day after 18 months of use. For users who change their devices regularly, this might never become an issue, but for people who hang onto them longer, it can be a deal-breaker.



Nail and head. Although I can remove the battery I tend not and charge from a usb power bank. It's about having the option for when it's had enough charge cycles you can just swap it over. It won't be a deal breaker on my next phone, but it will massively influence it.

I also find peoples usage stats not that helpful as we all use phones differently. I've a Note 4 which is supposed to score highly, but it's charge every night for me. To much browsing urban I guess.

It's a very capable phone and I struggle to see why I'd want to upgrade after the contract runs out. In fact the move from Note 2 was the least inspirational upgrade I've done.


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## UnderAnOpenSky (Feb 3, 2016)

Kid_Eternity said:


> I thought it was some kind of sin to have a non removable battery for an android phone?



Depends the cost of having it professionaly done I guess.


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## editor (Feb 4, 2016)

LeslieB said:


> Obviously everyone is different. If I was in the market to spend £500+ on a phone..


Well, I did only spend £279 on my z3 Compact


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## dlx1 (Feb 4, 2016)

S7 coming out so soon!

Got a S6 still don't understand why the headphone socket is at bottom of phone.
Don't want phone upside down in pocket coins can scratch camera lens.


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## The Octagon (Feb 4, 2016)

Kid_Eternity said:


> I thought it was some kind of sin to have a non removable battery for an android phone?



I'm meh on a removable battery (although what happens when the phone freezes as my S5 has done a couple of times?), but had they stuck with a non-alterable SD card I'd have been out, that's my deal breaker.


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## LeslieB (Feb 4, 2016)

FWIW, 'deal breakers' for me would be a non removable battery and the lack of an FM radio. Yes the latter is a bit old school, but there you go. It's something I want and if I was paying that sort of money I think I'd have the right to be a bit picky.

SD expansion is certainly a 'nice to have' but I'd rather have at enough built in storage to keep everything on board.

But everyone's priorities are different.


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## editor (Feb 4, 2016)

LeslieB said:


> FWIW, 'deal breakers' for me would be a non removable battery and the lack of an FM radio. Yes the latter is a bit old school, but there you go. It's something I want and if I was paying that sort of money I think I'd have the right to be a bit picky.
> 
> SD expansion is certainly a 'nice to have' but I'd rather have at enough built in storage to keep everything on board.
> 
> But everyone's priorities are different.


Some of the external battery chargers are small enough to make it less of an issue for me.


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## mhendo (Feb 4, 2016)

The Octagon said:


> had they stuck with a non-alterable SD card I'd have been out


Can you explain what you mean here by non-alterable? Doesn't an SD card have to be alterable, by definition, if you're writing files to it? Is this something peculiar to Samsung?


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## LeslieB (Feb 4, 2016)

Did s/he mean non expandable?


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## skyscraper101 (Feb 4, 2016)

I like the 2TB of storage via micro SD.

Where would one find such a SD card and how much would it cost?


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## The Octagon (Feb 4, 2016)

LeslieB said:


> Did s/he mean non expandable?



Yes, struggled for the word. 

Got a 128gb micro SD in my S5, would hate to be restricted by the manufacturer.


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## skyscraper101 (Feb 5, 2016)

skyscraper101 said:


> I like the 2TB of storage via micro SD.
> 
> Where would one find such a SD card and how much would it cost?



Anyone?


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## bi0boy (Feb 5, 2016)

skyscraper101 said:


> Anyone?



Currently 512GB is £200, so it will be a while until a 2TB card is cheaper than several smaller cards.


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## TheHoodedClaw (Feb 5, 2016)

bi0boy said:


> Currently 512GB is £200.



Not in micro SD size though.


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## bi0boy (Feb 5, 2016)

TheHoodedClaw said:


> Not in micro SD size though.



Well yes, I'm just indicating that the optimum price per GB point isn't quite at 2TB yet. For microSD cards it's currently at 64 GB with prices doubling with doubling size up to 64, but more than doubling after.

Anyway you can get SD to microSD adaptors, whether it would spoil the aesthetics of a phone to have one sticking out is a matter of opinion.


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## editor (Feb 5, 2016)

MicroSD cards are ridiculously cheap now; £11.79 gets you 64GB!


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## LeslieB (Feb 6, 2016)

editor said:


> MicroSD cards are ridiculously cheap now; £11.79 gets you 64GB!



Which makes the price premium between different versions of the S6 and Iphone 6 look even more ridiculous. 

The problem with just shoving a micro SD in there is that most apps can't be moved to the SD card.


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## mhendo (Feb 6, 2016)

LeslieB said:


> The problem with just shoving a micro SD in there is that most apps can't be moved to the SD card.


I've never quite understood how this is a problem.

If you've got a 16GB phone, it takes a LOT of apps just to fill the phone up with apps alone. The only storage problem most people face is when they want to have all their apps AND a whole bunch of downloaded/stored  files like ebooks, or photos, or videos, or mp3 files.

I have all the apps i will ever need loaded onto my 16GB Galaxy S5, and the phone itself still has over 25% of its storage space available. The microSD card in my phone, however, has space for 64GB of music, pictures, video, ebooks, whatever. And while not all the apps that use these files can be moved to an SD card, they can all be set to automatically save to the SD card. Whenever i listen to an album from my collection on Google Play, it automatically puts the album on the SD card. Whenever i take a picture or a video with the phone, it goes straight to the card for storage.

I admit that it's probably possible to fill up your phone with apps alone if you're someone who likes to play games. Some of the game downloads are in the hundreds of megabytes, and even gigabytes, but i'm not really interested in gaming on my phone. I just can't see the combination of 16GB phone + 64GB SD card (or 128GB, if i decide i need more space) being any sort of problem, at least for someone with my set of priorities for my phone use. The card does exactly what i need it to do: it stores my media files, which leaves plenty of space on the phone for the apps.


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## LeslieB (Feb 6, 2016)

Yeah. My 8gb core prime is running out space but a 16 or 32 gig phone would take some filling to be fair.


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## gosub (Feb 6, 2016)

Samsung kills Galaxy S7 Edge+ in UK to go big with the Note 6


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## mhendo (Feb 6, 2016)

LeslieB said:


> My 8gb core prime is running out space


8Gb is certainly a bit tight.

If i had an 8Gb phone, i'd have to be ruthless about clearing the cache, or preventing apps from doing any sort of sync. There are so many apps that download a whole bunch of stuff in the background, and it adds up quickly.

I subscribe to the New York Times, and the default behavior for the app when you open it is to begin downloading all current news stories, including images and video, in the background while you browse. This makes browsing faster, of course, but it eats up bandwidth and storage in a hurry. And the app itself doesn't even let you turn off background downloading. You can set it to only update over wireless, which solves the problem of eating into your data plan, but the best you can do in order to save storage space is have it download only the "Top stories" rather than ALL stories.


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## mauvais (Feb 6, 2016)

mhendo said:


> I've never quite understood how this is a problem.
> 
> If you've got a 16GB phone, it takes a LOT of apps just to fill the phone up with apps alone.


Not particularly. 16GB on an S4 is more like 9 once you account for the system. Plus some more for cache etc.

Then usual stuff like Facebook is 300MB alone. Then a game like say Plants vs Zombies is 600MB, without any data.

I've run out before in fairly normal usage.


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## LeslieB (Feb 6, 2016)

Yes Samsungs do tend to use a lot of space for the OS and stock applications.  My 8 gig is more like 4 in practice.

To be sure of having enough room  I would expect 32 gig  plus SD expansion at this sort of price point, or 64 gig if non expandable.  128 is probably overkill for now at least.


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## LeslieB (Feb 16, 2016)

Well the price has (apparently) been leaked and Digital Spy reckon 600 squid. Ouch indeed.

Samsung Galaxy S7 price leaks and it's VERY expensive

Of course they could be totally wrong, but DS is one of the more reliable tech-rumours sites.


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## editor (Feb 16, 2016)

LeslieB said:


> Well the price has (apparently) been leaked and Digital Spy reckon 600 squid. Ouch indeed.
> 
> Samsung Galaxy S7 price leaks and it's VERY expensive
> 
> Of course they could be totally wrong, but DS is one of the more reliable tech-rumours sites.


It's what I'd expect a high end phone to cost. The iPhone 6 Plus is £620, for example.


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## LeslieB (Feb 16, 2016)

I would have expected something nearer 500 although it obviously depends what the pounds to euros conversion is.

But I wonder how much they *really* cost to make and what the mark up is....


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## UnderAnOpenSky (Feb 16, 2016)

With companies like Oneplus popping up it makes it harder to justify. Still I expect most people will buy on contract and once they have been out a few months you can normally get better deals.


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## LeslieB (Feb 16, 2016)

Yes, you can get the S6 for £22 a month now, or £21 with a small upfront payment. 

Samsung Galaxy S6 32GB 					 							  	tariffs   | The Carphone Warehouse

If you can hold on until Black Friday (admittedly a long time if you like your phones) you'll probably get a similar deal on the S7


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## 2hats (Feb 16, 2016)

mhendo said:


> If you've got a 16GB phone, it takes a LOT of apps just to fill the phone up with apps alone. The only storage problem most people face is when they want to have all their apps AND a whole bunch of downloaded/stored  files like ebooks, or photos, or videos, or mp3 files.



True; it's the data that chews up the space. I have 15GB of OS maps (entire UK 1:250K, 1:50K, 1:25K) on the SD card on my phone, ignoring the space needed for photos, audio recordings and HD video I have shot. Then there are TV programmes, movies, music for killing time on flights, etc. Fortunately many (decent) Android apps, most in my experience, are well behaved and you can specify the SD card for data storage (if not transfer the app itself to the SD card). An Android phone with no removable media option is of no interest to me. Battery life is going to have to improve to near-'Nokia 6210' levels before I buy a phone with one welded in.


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## LeslieB (Feb 16, 2016)

2hats said:


> True; it's the data that chews up the space. I have 15GB of OS maps (entire UK 1:250K, 1:50K, 1:25K) on the SD card on my phone


Nice. Very nice.


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## editor (Feb 21, 2016)

It's been announced today:












Samsung Galaxy S7 and S7 edge: In pictures


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## editor (Feb 21, 2016)




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## LeslieB (Feb 21, 2016)

I can't tell from the pictures if they have gone for USB C or not. 

If they have, every charger you own is instantly obsolete.


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## editor (Feb 21, 2016)

LeslieB said:


> I can't tell from the pictures if they have gone for USB C or not.
> 
> If they have, every charger you own is instantly obsolete.


The S7 does not use USB Type-C, but sticks with the traditional Micro USB port.


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## LeslieB (Feb 21, 2016)

editor said:


> The S7 does not use USB Type-C, but sticks with the traditional Micro USB port.



Probably the right decision. The USB C makes more sense in that you can insert it either way up, but it took long enough to get everyone onto a standard charger type without changing it without a very good reason.


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## Teenage Cthulhu (Feb 21, 2016)

LeslieB said:


> I can't tell from the pictures if they have gone for USB C or not.
> 
> If they have, every charger you own is instantly obsolete.



My phone is USB C and I simply removed the old cable from the back of my old micro USB chargers and replaced them with USB C.


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## LeslieB (Feb 22, 2016)

My Core Prime (only 3 months old) came with a sealed charger, so that wouldn't be an option. Not that I'm looking to upgrade anyway, but I have 5 chargers that I use on a regular basis (2 home, one work, one parents house and one car) and so an 'upgrade' to USB C would mean junking the lot.

*******

I'm probably in a UK wide minority of one in caring about this, but I wonder if the new phone has an FM radio. It's something Samsung junked after the S3 and I never really knew why. I'm guessing most people don't care about it.


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## skyscraper101 (Feb 22, 2016)

LeslieB said:


> My Core Prime (only 3 months old) came with a sealed charger, so that wouldn't be an option. Not that I'm looking to upgrade anyway, but I have 5 chargers that I use on a regular basis (2 home, one work, one parents house and one car) and so an 'upgrade' to USB C would mean junking the lot.
> 
> *******
> 
> I'm probably in a UK wide minority of one in caring about this, but I wonder if the new phone has an FM radio. It's something Samsung junked after the S3 and I never really knew why. I'm guessing most people don't care about it.



I care about it actually. But I think it's probably not going to return, which is a shame because listening to live radio then requires having a constant 4G data stream, which even where accesible in big cities like London is still unreliable. When out in the sticks it was always reassuring to know you can catch up with some live news/sport/music via FM. Plus you could scan for local and pirate stations.


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## LeslieB (Feb 22, 2016)

skyscraper101 said:


> When out in the sticks it was always reassuring to know you can catch up with some live news/sport/music via FM. Plus you could scan for local and pirate stations.



Yeah that's bascially why I care about it. Lower end Galaxy phones like mine still have it though


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## skyscraper101 (Feb 22, 2016)

LeslieB said:


> Yeah that's bascially why I care about it. Lower end Galaxy phones like mine still have it though



I have one on my ageing Orange San Francisco (aka, my second phone for travelling). But annoyingly the FM only works when it's got headphones or a speaker plugged in.


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## LeslieB (Feb 22, 2016)

skyscraper101 said:


> I have one on my ageing Orange San Francisco (aka, my second phone for travelling). But annoyingly the FM only works when it's got headphones or a speaker plugged in.



The headphone/speaker wire acts as an aerial, yes it's annoying if you want to listen to FM via a built in speaker.


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## mauvais (Feb 22, 2016)

skyscraper101 said:


> I have one on my ageing Orange San Francisco (aka, my second phone for travelling). But annoyingly the FM only works when it's got headphones or a speaker plugged in.


That's because the headphone/speaker wiring serves as the FM aerial.

Most phones have FM capability in the chipset (the Bluetooth piece), even ones that don't make it available as a feature. I guess it'd require more software, possibly some hardware, and they don't want the costs. Plus everyone in the industry would rather you paid for music services and/or the data used in streaming.


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## editor (Feb 22, 2016)

Arstechnica like it:








> So that's a waterproof phone with a quad-HD AMOLED display, gorgeous design, solid metal construction, expandable storage, probably an excellent camera, and above average battery life. I even dig the mirror-like chrome finish in all its fingerprint-grabbing glory. If the S7 Edge also has a decent headphone amp—sadly, I don't yet know what audio hardware is inside—Samsung may have just made the phone I've been looking for. Those with who prefer the feel of a smaller phone will likely love the regular S7 too.
> 
> If there's catch—and let's face it, there's always a catch—it's the price. At €699 (~$700) for the S7 and €799 (~$800) for S7 Edge, these are expensive phones. That's a price tag that's becoming increasingly hard to swallow as phone makers like Huawei, Xiaomi, and OnePlus churn out premium phones at mid-range (or lower) prices. But I think Samsung's done enough to warrant a premium price tag. No other phone can boast this many thoughtful features in such a svelte and attractive package.


Galaxy S7 and S7 Edge hands on: So good you can almost forgive TouchWiz


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## pesh (Feb 23, 2016)

shudder. TouchWiz. 
after spending a week or so playing with a rooted £40 Kindle the main opinion i've formed is just how much Samsung suck at Android.


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## LeslieB (Feb 23, 2016)

I'm one of those strange people who actually likes touch wiz.....


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## editor (Feb 23, 2016)

OK, it's definitely waterproof.


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## UnderAnOpenSky (Feb 23, 2016)

pesh said:


> shudder. TouchWiz.
> after spending a week or so playing with a rooted £40 Kindle the main opinion i've formed is just how much Samsung suck at Android.



It's not really an issue though. First thing I've done on my Notes is install a different launcher.


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## pesh (Feb 23, 2016)

i tried lots of different launchers, still hated it.


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## editor (Feb 23, 2016)

pesh said:


> i tried lots of different launchers, still hated it.


It took me about 30 secs to install the excellent Nova Launcher. Job done!


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## UnderAnOpenSky (Feb 23, 2016)

editor said:


> It took me about 30 secs to install the excellent Nova Launcher. Job done!



Yup. Another vote for Nova. I don't have to see any Samsung software, but my banking apps still work, which is the problem with rooting.


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## pesh (Feb 23, 2016)

i had Nova. it was more that the phone got worse and worse after each OTA upgrade. it was fairly usable for the first 6 months or so.


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## editor (Mar 9, 2016)

The reviews are so good - particularly for the camera - I sort of want one now. The Edge. Well, if I had a pot of gold hanging about.

Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge review
Samsung Galaxy S7 review









Galaxy S7 review roundup: Samsung has made a masterpiece


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## hash tag (Mar 10, 2016)

I am very old school as I also like an FM radio in my phone; keeps the data useage down. I see the S7 has wireless charging and display permanently on. Think that would be distracting. It doesn't really offer much over what I have now to warrant the upgrade. Happy to pay £12.00 per month on 30 day rolling contract for now.


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## editor (Mar 10, 2016)

hash tag said:


> I see the S7 has wireless charging and display permanently on.


You can turn it off. I'd find it really handy myself.


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## LeslieB (Mar 10, 2016)

hash tag said:


> I am very old school as I also like an FM radio in my phone; keeps the data useage down.


Yeah me too.  Sadly our options are closing.  Does the new G5 have one?


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## mhendo (Mar 10, 2016)

editor said:


> The reviews are so good - particularly for the camera - I sort of want one now.


The phone looks great, and i'm sure that i'd love it.

Still, some of those reviews go a bit overboard in their gushing praise. It's the same when Apple brings out a new product. One problem is that these things have become so sophisticated that most of the improvements in the new models are incremental, but the reviews often make it seem like there has been a massive and game-changing transformation from one model to the next. The fact is that, for about 99 percent of the population, and for about 99 percent of their needs, the S6 probably does the job pretty much as well as the S7. If there's a truly transformative phone coming, it might be LG's new modular effort, with interchangeable functions.

Funnily enough, some of the biggest improvements (at least, in my opinion) seem to be things that were ditched for the S6 but make a return for the S7, like water resistance and microSD support. My S5 has both of those things.

I admit that part of my annoyance at all the gushing over new cellphones might be, at least in part, a function of my attitude to the camera. I like photography, and when i want to take pictures that have any real significance for me, i pull out my DSLR. The improvements in camera quality on cellphones really doesn't tick an important box for me. Sure, i use the camera on my phone, and it's taken some perfectly decent pictures for me, but it's not really what i want the phone for.

The appearance stuff is also over-rated, for me at least. I think the S7 Edge looks great; it's a lovely piece of design. But you know what just about every smartphone user i know - whether Apple or Android or even Windows - has in common? They put their phone inside a clunky protective case. I do the same thing. I have an Otterbox Commuter case for my S5; sometimes i just use the rubber sheath, but for longer trips or if i'm more concerned about drops, i'll put the hard cover over the top. And it makes my phone look like everyone else's.


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## xslavearcx (Mar 10, 2016)

I got my galaxy s6 edge at the end of December there. I was dead chuffed with it. my first ever marquee phone - something to make my job seem not bad now I get this fancy phone.

imagine my annoyance about a week later to find an email in my inbox from Samsung stating the imminent launch of the s7 and s7 edge.

grrr

shoulda checked that out in the first instance.


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## xslavearcx (Mar 10, 2016)

oh yeah and it's already got a big crack down the screen


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## LeslieB (Mar 10, 2016)

xslavearcx said:


> I got my galaxy s6 edge at the end of December there. I was dead chuffed with it. my first ever marquee phone - something to make my job seem not bad now I get this fancy phone.
> 
> imagine my annoyance about a week later to find an email in my inbox from Samsung stating the imminent launch of the s7 and s7 edge.
> 
> ...


It's pretty much always going to be the case.  All the flagship phones seem to get annual updates at the moment.  If it's any consolation the s7 will be out of date soon enough and the next update is likely to be a more substantial one if past experience is anything to go on.


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## mauvais (Mar 10, 2016)

xslavearcx said:


> I got my galaxy s6 edge at the end of December there. I was dead chuffed with it. my first ever marquee phone - something to make my job seem not bad now I get this fancy phone.
> 
> imagine my annoyance about a week later to find an email in my inbox from Samsung stating the imminent launch of the s7 and s7 edge.
> 
> ...


I bet you didn't pay £629 for it, so it's not all bad


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## xslavearcx (Mar 10, 2016)

mauvais said:


> I bet you didn't pay £629 for it, so it's not all bad



dunno . . I've never done the sums on what it all adds up to on my contract. so it could be more than that haha! That's what I get for getting sold on the phone when the sales dude referred to as "a beast". . .


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## LeslieB (Mar 10, 2016)

It's a bit late now but *always* do the sums. If you're not sure, post it up on here and I or someone else will work it out.


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## mhendo (Mar 10, 2016)

xslavearcx said:


> imagine my annoyance about a week later to find an email in my inbox from Samsung stating the imminent launch of the s7 and s7 edge.


The only practical advice regarding this problem is: get over it. 

It's basically inevitable with technology. With almost any piece of new tech you buy, there will probably be a newer and flashier model coming along well before your current model has outlived its usefulness.

I've rarely been an early adopter, and i can think of very few cases where i feel short-changed by my foot-dragging. My current cellphone is a Galaxy S5, purchased new quite recently. It is currently one generation behind, and when the S7 is released, it will be two generations back. But it does what i need it to do, and it cost me less than $US300 unlocked, which is considerably cheaper than the S6, and much cheaper than the S7 is going to be.

About my only early adoption in the last few years is with my latest desktop computer. I built it back in September, and used a brand new Intel Skylake processor, only released a few weeks before, along with the latest Z170 motherboard chipset and DDR4 memory. I wanted a box that would last quite a few years, and that would be easily upgradeable, so i went for the newer gear. My decision was helped by the fact that it didn't cost much more than an older processor/chipset/memory combination would have.


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## LeslieB (Mar 10, 2016)

I've had a text today from CPW asking me to call them about the S7 and the great deals they have. They only sold me my current Core Prime 3 months ago!


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## UnderAnOpenSky (Mar 10, 2016)

I normally try to pick a phone when it's mid way through its life cycle. You can often get much better deals if you are buying on contract and are willing to spend time shopper around. 

The upgrade from my Note 2 to Note 4 was nice, but yet also probably had the least wow factor of an upgrade yet. 

I'm struggling to think what would make me upgrade, other then breaking it.


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## editor (Mar 30, 2016)

I can't justify the upgrade, but boy oh boy does the S7 Edge look bloody _lovely_.


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## LeslieB (Mar 30, 2016)

editor said:


> I can't justify the upgrade, but boy oh boy does the S7 Edge look bloody _lovely_.



I'll bet you'll have caved in by the end of the year


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## editor (Mar 30, 2016)

LeslieB said:


> I'll bet you'll have caved in by the end of the year


Only if the price goes waaaay down from the current £500-odd.


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## LeslieB (Mar 30, 2016)

editor said:


> Only if the price goes waaaay down from the current £500-odd.



Last year there was a signifcant price drop on the S6 in August and another on Black Friday. Of course if you wait for the latter, you start thinking "will the S8 be worth the wait"....and so it goes on.


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## xes (Mar 30, 2016)

xslavearcx said:


> oh yeah and it's already got a big crack down the screen


WTF did you do to it, aren't they made of bullet proof kryptonite or something?

Does this really mean I'm goign to have to splash out 40 quid for a sexy case?


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## UnderAnOpenSky (Mar 30, 2016)

I've often found that once out a few months that prices are much cheaper buying on contract. I did the sums on my Note 4 by comparing an equivalent SIM only package and adding the cost of the phone and it made sense to sell my soul for 24 months, but understand why that doesn't appeal to some.


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## UnderAnOpenSky (Mar 30, 2016)

xes said:


> WTF did you do to it, aren't they made of bullet proof kryptonite or something?
> 
> Does this really mean I'm goign to have to splash out 40 quid for a sexy case?



If I'm carrying many hundreds of pounds of tech in my pocket, then a case is essential to me. Given the dents and wear to the case I think it was a good investment.


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## xslavearcx (Mar 30, 2016)

xes said:


> WTF did you do to it, aren't they made of bullet proof kryptonite or something?
> 
> Does this really mean I'm goign to have to splash out 40 quid for a sexy case?



just dropped the damn thing. seems it's not just having a non removable battery and no sd port that makes it like an iPhone!


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## xes (Mar 30, 2016)

UnderAnOpenSky said:


> If I'm carrying many hundreds of pounds of tech in my pocket, then a case is essential to me. Given the dents and wear to the case I think it was a good investment.


Yeah I always had a case for phones, but the one i want for this one is a fuck lot more than I'd usually pay. Will check the market in St Albans on saturday, guy there's usually really good, maybe he'll have it cheaper. Will ahve been payed by then anyway, so it'll be easier to part with my money. It's on Amazon for cheaper I can tell you without even looking, but I point blank refuse to ever use them.


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## xes (Mar 30, 2016)

xslavearcx said:


> just dropped the damn thing. seems it's not just having a non removable battery and no sd port that makes it like an iPhone!


Crikey, the ones on the youtube 'hammer tests' must have been sent in with reinforced screens or something.


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## xslavearcx (Mar 30, 2016)

I am very clumsy to be fair. another reason why I should never get a top end phone.


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## UnderAnOpenSky (Mar 30, 2016)

xes said:


> Yeah I always had a case for phones, but the one i want for this one is a fuck lot more than I'd usually pay. Will check the market in St Albans on saturday, guy there's usually really good, maybe he'll have it cheaper. Will ahve been payed by then anyway, so it'll be easier to part with my money. It's on Amazon for cheaper I can tell you without even looking, but I point blank refuse to ever use them.



I really really rate these cases. Not as full on as an Otterbox, but not as bulky either.

Tech21 Homepage | tech21 ●● ●™


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## xes (Mar 30, 2016)

xslavearcx said:


> I am very clumsy to be fair. another reason why I should never get a top end phone.


 Not hitting it with a 2.5lb lump hammer clumsy, surely?


yes, he breaks it in the end, but he hit it several times with a small bit of force, with a lump hammer.


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## UnderAnOpenSky (Mar 30, 2016)

xes said:


> Not hitting it with a 2.5lb lump hammer clumsy, surely?
> 
> 
> yes, he breaks it in the end, but he hit it several times with a small bit of force, with a lump hammer.




It's not massive breakages though, its forgetting that you have keys in you pockets and stuff. Over a couple of years it takes its toll in a way a brute force test doesn't.


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## xslavearcx (Mar 30, 2016)

xes said:


> Not hitting it with a 2.5lb lump hammer clumsy, surely?
> 
> 
> yes, he breaks it in the end, but he hit it several times with a small bit of force, with a lump hammer.




dropped on laminate floor. it's not a very noticeable crack. More like a hairline one. still very annoying though. .


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## xes (Mar 30, 2016)

UnderAnOpenSky said:


> I really really rate these cases. Not as full on as an Otterbox, but not as bulky either.
> 
> Tech21 Homepage | tech21 ●● ●™


I prefer flip cases in I'm honest. The screen is the bit that cracks, so that's the bit I want to protect the most.


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## xslavearcx (Mar 30, 2016)

xslavearcx said:


> dropped on laminate floor. it's not a very noticeable crack. More like a hairline one. still very annoying though. .


It's not wide but it's long and goes all the way down the screen. so I still stand by my earlier post when I said it was massive.


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## LeslieB (Mar 30, 2016)

xslavearcx said:


> I am very clumsy to be fair. another reason why I should never get a top end phone.


Ditto. I'd love an S6, but even at £299 it's a lot of money to potentially drop and wreck in under a second.


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## mack (Apr 17, 2016)

So I splashed out and got the S7 - really really delighted with the quality of the build, speed, camera, battery life (nearly two days with average use)

I never did get the Nexus 6p was tempted around Christmas but was hoping for a small price drop that never came.

So I#ve been holding off for a while - Thought the LG G5 would be the "one" - but having played with one in store and reading about plenty of issues (build quality) I just thought why drop £500 on something that is not up to it.

The HTC 10 was a further consideration at around the £500 mark - looks nice but ... it's HTC and I've had issues with them in the past about updates.

Also thought about going for a Nexus 6p - but in the hand it just felt too big for me and with a case on it even bigger.

Upcoming phones from the far east don't do it for me and didn't want to hang around for the next Nexus.

So I went the the regular S7 - feels nice and comfortable in the hand with a case on it - really snappy camera, takes some really good pictures.

I have been put off Samsung in the past with the whole "kies" layering but I have to say it's really not bothering me at all and it's not to intrusive.

The other good thing is the Euro version is rootable - I'm in no hurry to root atm but it will be something I'll do in the future, maybe when the next version of Android is out.


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## editor (May 1, 2016)

Speed comparison with the new HTC 10



The Samsung smokes the HTC.


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## editor (May 1, 2016)

Another comparison here 






LG V10 vs. Samsung Galaxy S7 edge: Clash of the titans


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## bi0boy (May 1, 2016)

editor said:


> Speed comparison with the new HTC 10
> 
> 
> 
> The Samsung smokes the HTC.




There wasn't much in it IMO. Especially when you exclude instances when he was comparing different version of apps.


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## unrepentant85 (May 2, 2016)

A refund in bank charges means I was allowed to buy an S7 over the weekend. £400 for an unwanted upgrade from my mate. Bargain.

One complaint I had was that the back casing is very smooth and had the fear that it would fall out of my hand with ease. I have gotten a case with nice grip for it now and sorted my phone insurance so its not that much of a worry any more.

I used the headphones today for the first time and I pulled a wire in them within 10 mins


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## mack (May 3, 2016)

Yeah first thing I bought was a tech21 case - nice and grippy - just got a screen protector as well which I'll fit on thursday and see what thats like, the first few batches of s/p from the majority of suppliers has been pretty poor so far, i.e not covering edge to edge because of the slight curve in the glass or just affecting the touch screen too much.


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## editor (Jan 6, 2017)

So on a whim - and after receiving an unexpected bit of dosh - I picked up a cheapo S7 on eBay. The camera is amazing, the finish exemplary, the wireless charger absolutely fucking brilliant but WTF is going on with the battery life? Two days now I've had the red hot pocket and watched the battery drain faster than Cardiff City's title hopes. I bought an app called Package Disabler which did wonders for one day, and then the battery plummeted for 30 mins before stabilising. 

I'm sending it back.


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## bi0boy (Jan 6, 2017)

editor said:


> So on a whim - and after receiving an unexpected bit of dosh - I picked up a cheapo S7 on eBay. The camera is amazing, the finish exemplary, the wireless charger absolutely fucking brilliant but WTF is going on with the battery life? Two days now I've had the red hot pocket and watched the battery drain faster than Cardiff City's title hopes. I bought an app called Package Disabler which did wonders for one day, and then the battery plummeted for 30 mins before stabilising.
> 
> I'm sending it back.



You should have got an iPhone


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## editor (Jan 6, 2017)

bi0boy said:


> You should have got an iPhone


If I wanted to spend £300 more and be locked into a closed system that I fucking hate, yes. There's plenty of iPhone users complaining about similar issues, btw.


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## mack (Jan 6, 2017)

editor said:


> So on a whim - and after receiving an unexpected bit of dosh - I picked up a cheapo S7 on eBay. The camera is amazing, the finish exemplary, the wireless charger absolutely fucking brilliant but WTF is going on with the battery life? Two days now I've had the red hot pocket and watched the battery drain faster than Cardiff City's title hopes. I bought an app called Package Disabler which did wonders for one day, and then the battery plummeted for 30 mins before stabilising.
> 
> I'm sending it back.



Im getting a full day and more no problem with heavy use - maybe it's some dodgy ebay stock, and ime it's usually certain apps that are the battery drainers. I've been running a moody Nougat beta v1 for a few weeks now and have had absolutely no problems with it.


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## editor (Jan 6, 2017)

mack said:


> Im getting a full day and more no problem with heavy use - maybe it's some dodgy ebay stock, and ime it's usually certain apps that are the battery drainers. I've been running a moody Nougat beta v1 for a few weeks now and have had absolutely no problems with it.


I've got an entirely unscientific and untested theory that it's something to do with the phone being unlocked from a US network.


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## mack (Jan 6, 2017)

So it's a not the euro version, could well be the reason.


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## magneze (Jan 6, 2017)

My S7 battery has been fine.


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## mack (Jan 6, 2017)

If you have the time before sending it back - I would factory reset, keep apps the absolute to a minimum and see how it goes for a day or two, if in doubt - return it. 

S8 will be out in March, so either save up or pick up a discounted S7 nearer the time.


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## unrepentant85 (Jan 7, 2017)

I have had my s7 since May and the battery has been naff since day one. Heavy usage during my 50 minute bus journey in the morning can easily wipe 40% off it.


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## Throbbing Angel (Jan 7, 2017)

unrepentant85 said:


> I have had my s7 since May and the battery has been naff since day one. Heavy usage during my 50 minute bus journey in the morning can easily wipe 40% off it.



Jesus - that's terrible


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## mauvais (Jan 7, 2017)

Battery drain & heat will almost certainly be third party app-related, i.e. something you've installed. The battery stats should point out a likely suspect.

The last time I had issues it was the Zenlabs C25K app.


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## mauvais (Jan 7, 2017)

Oh and I've had mine since July and the battery still behaves very well.


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## emanymton (Jan 7, 2017)

unrepentant85 said:


> I have had my s7 since May and the battery has been naff since day one. Heavy usage during my 50 minute bus journey in the morning can easily wipe 40% off it.


What are you doing with it! When i first got mine I could manage a whole day of pretty heavy use. I've already noticed it slipping though, and its only 4 months old.


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## keithy (Jan 7, 2017)

I've had mine for a month and I get a whole day out of the battery using 4g connection for over 11 hours a day whilst at work. If I am indoors on a wifi connection can easily get 24 hours


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## keithy (Jan 7, 2017)

Main things that knock the battery down are if I am connected to my Bluetooth speaker streaming radio or something


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## unrepentant85 (Jan 7, 2017)

emanymton said:


> What are you doing with it! When i first got mine I could manage a whole day of pretty heavy use. I've already noticed it slipping though, and its only 4 months old.


Unplugged from charger at 11.45. Down to 70%. I was on a bus for 25 mins and used it then but besides that very little use. Facebook is a bastard for using juice that's nothing new. And my screen is not bright.


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## mauvais (Jan 7, 2017)

Tap the graph and it probably shows you what the hardware's been doing. I'm on a different phone at the mo so can't check.


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## bi0boy (Jan 8, 2017)

It's probably the font


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## editor (Jan 8, 2017)

unrepentant85 said:


> Unplugged from charger at 11.45. Down to 70%. I was on a bus for 25 mins and used it then but besides that very little use. Facebook is a bastard for using juice that's nothing new. And my screen is not bright.View attachment 98405


I use Swipe Pro for Facebook. Miles better.


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## unrepentant85 (Jan 8, 2017)

editor said:


> I use Swipe Pro for Facebook. Miles better.


Will give it a bash.


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## editor (Feb 14, 2017)

So all is good with my s7 now. I have to say that I'm *loving* the wireless charging!


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## ohmyliver (Aug 23, 2017)

S7 Edge price has dropped to 450 new from John Lewis, Argos, Amazon, etc.  Very tempted as my S5 is long in the tooth.  But it's the fragility of it that's making me go hmmm.

I'm a bit clumsy, and have 4 year old in the house. 

Any owners out there to confirm or allay my fears?


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## Throbbing Angel (Aug 23, 2017)

insure it

and

I have the edge model and bought a tech21 case for v.similar reasons. Jeez -the price has dropped loads 
Tech21 Evo Wallet Case for Galaxy S7 edge - Black

It saved mine when I dropped it onto concrete last weekend.

Of course, when it is wrapped in summat like this, you can't see the Edge notifications etc.


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## ohmyliver (Aug 23, 2017)

I was thinking something like the otterbox defender (which is on sale on Amazon right now)


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## magneze (Aug 23, 2017)

Dropped my S7 loads. Has been fine.


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## marty21 (Aug 23, 2017)

Just upgraded to the S7 edge , very pleased with it . Initially concerned as you can't put spare batteries in but the battery seems to last most of day  camera is pretty good , haven't used the edge thing much but I'm sure I will eventually.


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## ohmyliver (Aug 23, 2017)

Just stumped for it, at John Lewis. Amazon is now 10 quid cheaper, but an extra 10 for buying from a shop that treats it's staff better and pays more tax is more than worth it


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## Throbbing Angel (Aug 23, 2017)

ohmyliver said:


> Just stumped for it, at John Lewis. Amazon is now 10 quid cheaper, but an extra 10 for buying from a shop that treats it's staff better and pays more tax is more than worth it



John Lewis are pretty good at price matching - ask them for a tenner - they can only say no


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## ohmyliver (Aug 23, 2017)

even after the sale? Seems a bit tight to ask 'em for the extra tenner.


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## Throbbing Angel (Aug 23, 2017)

Up to you innit - I know what you mean, though.


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