Samsung Galaxy Note 7 review

Our ongoing Samsung Galaxy Note 7 review now includes price and release date information, and it takes a deep look at what's been dubbed the "world's best phone display." We'll continue to test it out up until the release date.

The Samsung Galaxy Note 7 is a phone that's designed for a very specific user base: those who want a larger screen but are craving a stylus too. That's not to say others might not get some benefit from it, but it's mostly centred around the functionality of the S Pen.

The S Pen is, indeed, back again, and comes with more features and tricks to justify its existence. I'm still not sold on the point of it, but there are those out there who crave its unique feature set, it seems around 50,000 signed a petition to bring the Note 5 to Europe, for example.

(By the way, if you're confused about the naming, the Note 6 moniker was skipped over so Samsung could bring its S and Note ranges onto the same numbering system, rather than making its yearly heavyweight phablet look last-generation before it's even announced).

• Here's everything else you could want to know about the new Samsung Galaxy Note 7
• Or want to see everything in one easy place? Check out our Samsung Galaxy Note 7 hands-on video review!

There are some other cool elements here though: the screen is once again the most advanced on the market, gaming is faster than ever, and there's additional security offered through new biometric sensors.

Still, I can't shake the sense that the Note 7 is a phone that doesn't stray far enough from the excellent Galaxy S7 Edge – but then again, I wouldn't sign a petition to bring it to Europe when that territory already had the decentSamsung Galaxy S6 Edge+.

Release date and price

The Samsung Galaxy Note 7 launch event left us with multiple release dates for the phone, all dependant on where you live in the world. The US and Australia get it first on August 19.

However, the Samsung Galaxy Note 7 UK release date is near the top of next month: September 2. UK pre-orders for the phone begin on August 16, when it'll only be available in Black Onyx and Coral Blue

In the US, it'll cost between $33 and $36.67 a month on a device payment plan with AT&T, Verizon, T-Mobile and Sprint. That's basically the price of the phone spread out over 24 months. At full price, it can be anywhere from $849.99 (T-Mobile and Sprint) to $880 (AT&T). Sprint is the only one offering two-year contracts in exchange for $349.99 upfront.

Samsung is charging UK customers a simpler, but still pricey £749. In Australia, it's expensive, too, at AU$1,349. But if you preorder the Galaxy Note 7 certain stores, you'll receive a bonus: either a Samsung Gear Fit 2 or a Samsung 256GB microSD card, your choice. Shop around,

Key features

The Note 7 does feel like an incremental improvement over the S7 Edge, taking in some updates to the S Pen and making the new phablet feel more business-like and, well, grown up.

One thing I love on the Galaxy S7 and S7 Edge was the always-on display, which showed a static image of a clock, calendar or image so you don't need to keep switching on the phone to simply see routine updates. And with the S Pen you can now write directly onto the almost-blank screen – it's like you've always got a piece of paper and a pen to hand.

Your scribbles can then be pinned to the front screen as a reminder, or saved to your notes for looking back at later – not having to open the Notes app every time you want to jot something down seems to be a real win here.

There are some new always-on display images to check out, such as space images – and the good news is that these have already come to the S7 range, via a recent update.

The main changes to the S Pen's toolbox are adding a GIF maker, the ability to instantly translate text, the option to magnify the screen and – for some reason – the ability to paint directly from the Notes app and then blend those colors as if they're real oils.

The latter feature is a neat trick, although it doesn't feel like something that's going to change the world – I'm thinking the notes section is going to be more used as a to-do list rather than an entertainment centre – but I'm really impressed that Samsung is still looking to enhance this area, and keep making it more attractive to a wider selection of users.

The Magnify option feels rather pointless; I get that it can be used to help accessibility, and that's a great thing, but so much of this phone's UI is small and precise to make use of the S Pen's direct input, so it doesn't feel that user-friendly in that case.

It's the same with Translate – it's a cool feature to have, but there are equally good apps out there which can do the same thing. I'm on the fence with this one, as I'll be interested to try it out and see how often it really does come in handy.

The GIF maker is another contentious issue. My colleague loved the idea, as it gives you a granular level of control frame by frame, and you can add stickers and other pictures over the top for the ultimate in social network sharing.

But you can only use it to pull GIFs off video, not capture the screen as you're working, which feels more like the sort of business-like implementation you'd expect here – it's a shame that's missing.

The Samsung Galaxy Note 7 is - like the Galaxy S7 - IP68 rated, which means you can lob it around i the dust and water. However, the screen has been retooled to support the S Pen even underwater, meaning that with water drops all over the screen you'll be able to take some notes.

Are you desperate to make lists in the rain? Well, then the Note 7 will work perfectly for you.

The user interface is a lot more muted than the colorful overlay on the Samsung Galaxy S7 range, which again makes it feel like Samsung is leaning the Note 7 towards a more business-like audience; one that doesn't want to be seen with a device that's too ostentatious.

Then again, you can get it in a silver option that's clearly more gold (we're not sure how that's come about either), so perhaps being a little more bling is on Samsung's roadmap.

The 5.7-inch screen is larger than anything in Samsung's current range though – with the S7 Edge side by side it looks very much the big phablet of the group that we expected.

Next to the iPhone 6S Plus it seems smaller and more refined, despite packing in so many more pixels and a larger display.

Better display

That display also comes with a big headline element: mobile HDR. For the uninitiated, this means you're getting a screen that can display dark areas and bright zones equally well – as long as the content is filmed that way.

More studios are filming in this format each year, with Netflix and Amazon being big supporters of the technology, and now you'll be able to get those benefits on the go too.

Right now, though, there isn't a whole host of mobile HDR footage out there. It feels a bit like when Sony launched the Z5 Premium with the 4K screen... yes, there is Ultra HD content coming, but it's not being piped into your phone at the moment.

I couldn't see the larger screen on the Note 7 benefiting from the tech in general use, but that could be because the Super AMOLED technology Samsung is using these days is so good that it's hard to see the incremental improvements.

Sure enough, the experts at DisplayMate has crowned the Samsung Galaxy Note 7 the best phone display ever, citing its higher brightness levels, contrast ratio and color gamut. It also sports the lowest reflectance rate of any phone, which means it'll be easier to see in direct sunlight.

Iris scanning

It's hard to know precisely why Samsung decided to bring iris scanning to the Galaxy Note 7 – it feels very much like a luxury addition when there was already something good there. The fingerprint scanner is present and correct, and is as swift as ever: press the home button to wake the phone and you're already into the main display – exactly what you want to see.

But with the iris scanner, you need wake the phone, swipe right and then place the phone perfectly in front of your face to make it work. Yes, when it's held in the right position it works instantly – and that's mega impressive – but it was too erratic in my early tests for me to see it as a winning feature – especially when there's already a great security feature right there in the fingerprint scanner.

Perhaps you can argue that the iris scanner is more secure, as it comes with 200 points of recognition over the approximately 80 for a fingerprint. But neither are flawless, and given that this is just a safer way to avoid having to put in a PIN, I'm not convinced.

I suppose if you have wet fingers A LOT (wait... what are you actually doing? You're not a dolphin trainer) then this could be a good alternative – or if you could use it by simply lifting the phone up to your face, without having to wake it first. But as it stands, it feels a little bit like a feature for the sake of it.

That said, you can put a fun cartoon mask on the iris-scanning screen if the night-vision eyes scare you too much.

Design and specs

The design of the Samsung Galaxy Note 7 is pretty impressive – it's like the S7 Edge, but slightly refined to cater for a new audience. There's a slimmer curve into the metallic rim around the edges, and the back is curved into the same frame.

The Note 5 had the curved rear, as does the Galaxy S7, but the combination of front and back is more reminiscent of the S7 Edge. It's not quite as pronounced and smooth, which is a shame, but it does mean fewer accidental taps of the screen.

The edge display is on offer though, which is great, as you can add in your favorite apps and shortcuts to quickly get to things that matter to you – and hopefully more elements to download to here will appear soon, as Samsung expands the feature.

In terms of specs, things are a little confusing – in the US you're getting a Snapdragon 820 CPU, which is quad-core, but the UK and other parts of the world will be getting the Exynos option instead (Samsung still hasn't confirmed which model this will be), to deliver a little more power.

There's 4GB of RAM backing up both CPUs, and 64GB of internal storage, with the option to expand that by up to 256GB with a microSD card.

One of the surprising additions here is a USB-C port, which is something the brand decided against just a few months ago for the new S range – apparently the technology has matured enough in that time to make it worth including here.

That means faster data transfer and charging – and don't worry about having to upgrade all your leads, as there'll be an adaptor in the box. Phew.

Camera and battery

The camera is largely the same as the one found on the Samsung Galaxy S7 and S7 Edge – which means a 12MP snapper with optical image stabilisation and the customary bump on the back to allow for the larger sensor.

It takes the sort of great pictures you'd expect from a Samsung handset, and as fast as you'd expect, and you can flip between the modes really quickly with a flick of the finger. The South Korean brand has been working hard to make the user interface more one-hand-friendly, and you can easily flip between filters and the front-facing camera now.

The battery is confusing though: it's 3500mAh, which is smaller than the Galaxy S7's (although bigger than the Note 5's from last year), despite being in a bigger chassis.

I can only assume this is because the S Pen takes up a lot of room down the side... but it does mean that battery life will be compromised. That said, the Note 7 will charge up super-fast – and the wireless charging options mean it'll start topping up the instant you pop it down on a charging pad.

Early verdict

The Samsung Galaxy Note 7 is all about refinement, while bringing a key product line back to the whole world. The S Pen is a great addition for those that like the precision it brings, and some of the new features seem fun, if not exactly indispensable.

The iris scanner doesn't seem to have much of a point to it at the moment, as it's too slow and doesn't seem to add much over the fingerprint scanner that's already there.

But with a brilliant camera and a design rebooted slightly, as well as IP68 waterproof smarts, it's hard to see how anyone is going to dislike this compact, yet intensely, powerful, phablet.

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Samsung Notebook 7 Spin Review

Samsung’s gone and done it guys. It’s made a perfectly wonderful laptop that retails for under $US1000, is of exceptional quality, and is neither under-powered nor teeming with crappy finishes. This is the college-bound laptop everyone, including Apple, has failed to make for the last couple of years.

AU Editor’s Note: The Notebook 7 Spin isn’t sold in Australia, unfortunately. But you can buy it internationally if you like the look of it, and have it shipped from a reseller like Amazon to your doorstep. — Cam

What Is It?

We’ve been busting Apple’s balls a lot lately, and it definitely has everything to do with my four-year-old Macbook Pro being on its last legs and my refusal to spend $2000-plus on the paltry-arse upgrade that is the current Macbook Pro. While other laptop companies furiously pack whiz-bang features and new ideas into a slab of aluminium and plastic, Apple’s been moseying along with a product so long in the tooth you might mistake it for an elderly relative who says inappropriate things at family gatherings.

Meanwhile, there is Samsung. Last year it had exactly one laptop in its line up. It was a great laptop, but it was hardly going to help the company take the computer business by storm. This year Samsung has been quietly rolling out a multitude of devices. It started with the brutally efficient Samsung 9, and now it’s back with the chunkier, and much more affordable, Samsung Notebook 7 Spin. The Notebook 7 Spin is the rare quality “do everything” laptop for under $US1000.

Yeah, it’s bigger than the laptops we usually prefer here at Gizmodo — large enough that it feels clunky opening and closing and making use of the 360-degree hinge. And at 2kg for the 15-inch, it’s heavy enough to be used in your daily workout routine. Yet it’s also got a 1TB hard drive, space for a zippier M.2 SATA drive, a 15.6-inch 1080p display, USB and USB-C ports, and the 15-inch even has an Nvidia Geforce 940M video card — in case you need to get in some clutch play of the games in Overwatch. More importantly, it’s a lot more satisfying and easy to use that similarly priced laptops like the Dell Latitude 5000 series or HP Envy 15.

This may sound shocking to a lot of you cheapskates, but it is actually very hard to find a really good Windows laptop for under a thousand dollars. There’s always a drawback. They’re all huge, and screens are washed out and ugly, or keyboards feel like your typing on marshmallows. The worst offender, though, is the trackpad. Budget laptops always have trackpads designed in the seventh pit of hell and put on this earth to destroy our will to compute.

The Notebook 7 Spin has a remarkable trackpad. It’s every bit as intuitive and responsive as a MacBook trackpad — the gold standard. There are no misclicks. No accidental icon draggings. No “oops” right clicks when you meant to click left. The trackpad doesn’t feel buggy and the mouse doesn’t hop around the screen as if possessed. For a Windows machine it’s exceptional.

There are other little nods of quality that are unexpected in a laptop so cheap. The 45Wh battery in the 15-inch variant gave me a solid 6 hours of Nyan Cat streaming at full brightness, and the 13-inch version, which features the same battery and much less battery-consuming screen, should perform even better.

The Notebook 7 Spin also features “fast charging,” so in my testing it went from zero to 20 per cent battery in under twenty minutes, and it would be fully charged in less than two hours. I don’t know if I would characterise it as the fastest-charging laptop available, but it’s certainly in the upper echelons.

The ability to upgrade keeps it up there. The bottom of the laptop is covered in soft-touch plastic and held together by glaringly shiny screws. Remove the screws and you have instant access to the hard drive, M.2 SATA slot, and RAM slots. You can also peer at the latest generation i7 Skylake processor, if you really want to (the 13-inch comes with an i5). That means in addition to being cheap and powerful, it’s also user upgradable. This instantly tags another two years onto the lifespan of the computer.

Samsung’s also included an Ethernet port. That’s usually the first port to get sacrificed to the thinness gods, especially in a world in which Wi-Fi is more or less a given just about everywhere you go. Its inclusion here is a deliberate move and not just a vestige of the wired times of yore. Thin laptops and super-light laptops are still a luxury in Samsung’s book, and Samsung is betting that most people would be happy to forgo that luxury to experience a laptop that can tackle any need that might arise.

 In other words, Samsung is trying to build a Swiss Army Laptop for everyone. So there’s an ethernet port for lugging this thing to college where the dank library basement or science lab might have spotty wireless. A USB-C port for the nerd who needs to run their 4K monitor, an HDMI port for streaming anime on a TV, and three regular USB ports for thumb drives, hard drives, and the charging of the countless USB-powered devices we’re all stuck with.

There’s an SD card slot for the photographer too. There’s also a touchscreen for the dad who insists he needs one (whether he actually uses it or not), and there’s a 360-degree hinge because some people actually like to use their 15-inch laptop like a tablet, or prop it up so they can lie on their beds watching new episodes of Orange is the New Black.

Another feature meant to please the crowd is the “HDR mode” that alters the colour of the 1080p display. I’m using quotations when calling it “HDR mode” because it is an infuriatingly confusing feature. HDR is a term currently used to describe two things.

1. HDR in photography, where identical photos with different exposures are layered together to provide a highly detailed image (either static or moving).
2. HDR in video, where those highly detailed images are then reproduced perfectly on very expensive TVs.

Samsung has introduced a third HDR mode that has nothing to do with HDR and everything to do with the rising popularity of the term. Samsung’s HDR mode is really just “brighter colours and higher contrast at the cost of accuracy.” It’s not so much HDR as a badly named display preset for people who don’t know any better.

Which is a lot of people! I review displays for a living, so I’ve gotten very good at judging the accuracy of one and I deeply value that accuracy, but I also know that friends and family often find “accurate” to mean “dull and sort of brown.” This mode is absolutely for them — too bad it couldn’t have a different name.

As it stands, calling the preset “HDR mode” is bound to lead to people proudly showing off their $US800 ($1,048) laptop and saying it’s got a display that’s better than the one on an $US8000 ($10,481) TV. This would be inaccurate, so if you buy this laptop do not do this.

Should You Buy It?

And you should buy this laptop — at least if you’re in the mood for a not-so-lean but very mean Windows machine. Sending a kid to college? Are yourself a kid headed to college? This is the perfect device for you. It’s what used to be the bread and butter of Apple and Dell. This big guy can go anywhere and do just about anything, and won’t make your bank account cry in the process. Apple take note, this is what people are actually looking for in a laptop under $US1000.

README

• I really, really hate that HDR mode, but if you don’t know any better it makes video look real pretty
• Between this and the 9, Samsung knows what they’re doing with regards to trackpads.
• A 360-hinge and touch screen. Because reasons.
• Memory and storage can easily be upgraded by the end user.
• It is not attractive unless you think soft touch plastic and fake silver finishes are hot, but hey, appearance isn’t everything you jackass.

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Samsung Galaxy S7 Review

Go back a couple of years and Samsung was THE dominant force in the Android market. While on the whole the company hasn't exactly been in trouble since then (sales of its flagship and non-flagship devices in total have been more than adequate to keep it in a market-leading position), it is true that interest in its flagship phones did take a downward turn since 2013. In short, Samsung couldn't catch a break when it came to its lead models, the Galaxy S5 crashed and burned in terms of user uptake and sales, as well as being panned critically.

The Galaxy S6 series was much better received by reviewers, but for whatever reason (perhaps just lingering hesitation) the Galaxy S6 also didn't shift in anywhere near the numbers Samsung had expected. However, looking at the bigger picture, that 2014-2015 period was not a particularly good one for smartphone innovation generally, flagships across the board were pretty dull really and market saturation seems to have peaked. It has taken until 2016 for things to really kick back into a high gear, and Samsung's Galaxy S7 series really did signal the start of that as the first new model out the gate in February.

Following earlier estimates from both industry analysts and Samsung itself for the firm's Q2 2016 performance, the firm has now revealed actual sales, revenue, and profit figures in its latest earnings report. Previously analyst has estimated $6.8bn operating profit for the quarter, while Samsung itself predicted near $7bn ($6.94bn to be precise), but trumping both bets Samsung's actual figure came in at $7.2bn; a year-on-year increase of $1.1bn up from the same period in 2015.

Total revenue for the quarter was $45.3bn up from earlier estimates of $43.2bn, a year-on-year growth of $2.1bn. Earlier estimates also pegged Samsung's mobile division as accounting for around 49% of total profit at around $3.5bn of the earlier $6.94bn prediction; according to the official figures now released Samsung mobile actually generated ang operating profit of $3.84bn, an increase of $382 million on the same period last year and, again, it's believed the Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 EDGE are largely responsible.

Off the back of the Galaxy S7, Samsung doesn't show any signs of slowing down. According to the rumour mill the firm has plans for at least five, possibly as many as six flagships in 2017; there's said to be a new Galaxy S8 with a 4K (UHD) display designed for VR applications and a dual-sensor camera, as well as a Galaxy S8 EDGE, a Galaxy Note 8 and Galaxy Note 8 EDGE, and the first fully flexible and foldable OLED smartphone with the Galaxy X, aka Project Valley. We have since heard of a second folding OLED Galaxy handset too; allgedly, between the Galaxy X and this other model, one will feature a 5in display that can be unfolded into an 8in tablet, while the other will have a standard display size that can be folded in half to make the phone more compact - much like old clamshell flip phones, but with a touch display that folds down its middle. According to reports the Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8 EDGE will come to MWC 2017 in February/March once again, but we may also see something to do with the Galaxy X/Project Valley folding OLED phones in the same time-frame, even if not a full launch.

What's also interesting is that 2017 is shaping up to be THE year of OLED displays. As well as Samsung's own efforts with flexible OLED the firm is reported to be investing $6.8 billion into its production facilities with the goal of upping output by as much as 50%, up from its current 300 million OLED units per year to at least 500 million. Samsung's introduction of flexible OLED is expected to drive the market towards wider adoption, in conjunction with Apple adopting OLED for the iPhone in the same year. Samsung is also expected to be one of the main suppliers of OLED for Apple's new model, to the tune of 100 million units per year. Samsung is also keen to fend of rivals such as LG, which is also thought to be investing $8.6 billion in its own OLED production for TVs, with plans for smartphones to soon follow.

Samsung has now launched the Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 EDGE in the US again, except this time the new models being introduced are UNLOCKED handsets that will work on any network! That includes Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile, Spring, and US Cellular. The Galaxy S7 is designated SM-G930U, while the EDGE model is the SM-G935U. In all other areas, the duo are the same as the existing models including the Snapdragon 820 processor - these are officially released, supplied and supported handsets and will be given software updates from Samsung. Retail outlets which will stock the new models include Amazon, Best Buy, Ebay, Sam’s Club and Target.com. The regular unlocked Galaxy S7 is priced at $669.99, while the EDGE is $769.99.

Indeed, they are pricy handsets. But they do pack in a HELL of a lot of specs, features and hardware. In fact, these are likely the most advanced phones in the world right now. And with credentials like that you’re ALWAYS going to be paying top dollar. How things pan out for the rest of the year remains to be seen; Apple will return with two iPhone 7 handsets and Samsung will renew its Note line in the UK with the arrival of the Galaxy Note 7 on August 2.

Basically, if you’re in the market for a new phone there has never been a better time than right now — or the very immediate future.

The Galaxy S7 has pushed Samsung back into the limelight, after a two year slump the firm is back on form. Samsung Galaxy S7 units are selling by the boatload. So what is so compelling about this smartphone? What makes it so good when it doesn't look that different from a Galaxy S6? We spent some quality time with the device to find out what all the fuss is about.

Samsung Galaxy S7 Review: Design

• Dimensions: 142.4 x 69.6 x 7.9 mm
• Weight: 152g
• IP68 Certified Waterproof
• Corning Gorilla Glass 4

It’s fair to say that design wise the Galaxy S7 is near identical to 2015’s Galaxy S6, so anyone expecting some major visual overhaul may be in for a disappointment. But, with that said, I don’t think a repeat of the design is a bad thing - for whatever reason the Galaxy S6 didn’t sell so well, but I find it pretty hard to believe the design was in any way a factor in this large-scale shunning. Last year’s Galaxy S6 design was the first time Samsung had implemented a metal and glass premium build on a flagship model, and, just so that there’s no confusion here I won’t mince words - it made every Galaxy handset that came before it look like crap. So I for one am very glad to see it make a return for the Galaxy S7.

The matte finish metal surround has a enjoyably high-end look and feel to it, you really do get that satisfying ‘cold steel’ feeling when gripping the device and it makes the Galaxy S7 have a rigid and sturdy presence during operation. It’s solid, in other words. I must confess that I was quite surprised when I first picked up the phone, I can only describe my immediate reaction is that I’d describe it as “chunky”, although I acknowledge this doesn’t feel entirely fair, it remains something I can’t quite get away from.

To be clear, I don’t see this as a negative factor, and also, the Galaxy S7 is not a thick, awkward, or heavy phone by any means. It simply has a heftier look and feel when actually using it than I expected, but I find this reassuring and it remains far from being cumbersome in any way. I particularly like the measurement Samsung has gone with for the edge-to-edge width for the handset when held in the hand in profile; it’s just really comfortable and easy to hold; the  join from the curvature from the back panel into the surround has also been well executed and does help with grip while also making the phone look thinner and more refined on its edges. The only minor downside there is it makes the top and bottom edges look a little bit disproportionately chunky by comparison, but this is a minor gripe.

The antenna bands have again been nicely concealed in the top and bottom of the surround, while the power and volume keys are well positioned on either side of the handset for easy operation with either hand using the thumb and index finger. The curved back panel design contrasts the flat front and mirrors the curved display front of the Galaxy S7 edge and certainly gives things an elegant appearance, and both front and back panels have a particularly neat join with the metal surround (there’s no chance of fitting a credit card in between).

As with all glass-backed phones, particularly like this one with a dark colour finish, fingerprints do show up and spoil things a little - if that bothers you - but realistically this isn’t enough to damn an otherwise fantastic looking bit of kit. Plus if you really hate fingerprints just get a white or gold one and you won’t even notice them. The display bezels are nicely thin so that the front fascia is mostly screen (72.1% display to body ratio, in fact) - always a good look - while on the rear the only disruption to the sweeping expanse of curved glass is the now-familiar softened square camera port, flanked on one side by a dual-LED flash module; this setup is not quite flush but it must be said it’s close, probably one of the more unobtrusive camera ports on the current market.

One of the key differences between the Galaxy S7 series and its Galaxy S6 counterparts is the reintroduction of waterproofing for the latest generation. It’s quite impressive that Samsung has managed to reintroduce this feature that was present on the plastic Galaxy S5, lost aboard the  metal Galaxy S6, and then reintroduced to the metal Galaxy S7 in only a single product cycle. Of course, such a feature is great to have because of the peace of mind it offers; you can use your phone in the bath or near a swimming pool absolutely care free.

It’s something that goes unnoticed a lot of the time, but once you’ve had this feature in a phone you’re unlikely to want to go back to anything that won’t survive a dunk in the wet stuff and gives you that freedom not to care or even think about such mishaps. Also bonus points for Samsung having implemented this via internal nanocoatings, meaning there are no horrible rubber grommets or fiddly port covers to contend with every time you want to plug in a charger or set of headphones, and you don’t have to worry about forgetting to “seal” the phone properly to keep it waterproof either.

Lastly, on the subject of design, there’s the physical controls on the front of the phone; a fingerprint scanner Home key flanked on each side by capacitive Android controls for multitasking and navigation. On reflection I think I prefer on-screen controls myself, although I do get that if you’re going to have a fingerprint scanner this is probably the best setup (not keen on those rear-mounted ones), and although I’m not fond of the capacitive keys having just these two on-screen without a home button would probably have looked weird.

Regardless, this is again another minor gripe and not enough to sour me on the rest of the phone. I think it's quite telling that any criticism I can come up with is a minor nitpick and I still like the phone regardless!

Samsung Galaxy S7 Review: Display

• Display Size & Type: 5.1in Super AMOLED (72.1% screen-to-body ratio)
• Resolution: 2560 x 1440 pixels QHD
• Pixel Density: 577 pixels-per-inch (ppi)
• Corning Gorilla Glass 4

You may have already read our in-depth article looking at the technology behind the Samsung Galaxy S7’s display and examining DisplayMate’s extensive testing and research on the hardware.

If not, we'd strongly encourage you to take a gander by clicking this link.

Put simply, regardless of what anyone thinks of it from just eyeballing the Galaxy S7’s screen, the data doesn’t lie - Samsung’s Super AMOLED tech present on this handset is empirically the best display tech on the market. It uses a diamond sub-pixel layout and is one of the sharpest QHD phone displays available - it’s a 5.1in screen at 2560 x 1440 pixels and 577ppi. It has the highest maximum brightness levels, the most accurate colour gamut, the best contrast, lowest reflectance, and best performance in high ambient light - those last two means it’ll perform better than anything else in terms of being able to see what’s on the screen when you’re out on a sunny day.

It also offers some of the best user customisation of your visual experience (if delving into fine tuning such things is your bag) - it even has something called Personalised Automatic Brightness Control where the phone will learn how bright you like the display in certain conditions and automatically adjust it accordingly. In addition, there’s the new Always-On feature, which admittedly isn’t entirely new as we’ve seen it on some rival devices before, but it is nice to have the time, date, and battery percentage displayed constantly when the phone is idle and in a low power mode that doesn’t seem to impact much on the battery life.

All of which sounds great on paper, but when you pick it up, crank up the brightness and just use the thing you can see exactly how this is all true. It’s incredibly sharp, bright and vibrant with loads of pop from the colours and contrast. In a word, gorgeous, undoubtedly one of the best displays we've ever seen.

Samsung Galaxy S7 Review: Specs & Hardware Performance

• Chipset: Samsung Exynos 8890 Octa
• Cores: 2.3GHz "Mongsoose" Quad-Core Cluster & 1.6GHz ARM Cortex-A53 Quad-Core Cluster
• GPU: Mali-T880 MP12 650MHz
• RAM: 4GB LPDDR4
• Storage: 32GB OR 64GB & microSD card up to 256GB
• Wi-Fi Connectivity: Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, Dual-Band, Wi-Fi Direct, Hotspot
• Other Connectivity: Bluetooth 4.2 (LE), NFC, A-GPS/GLONASS, microUSB 2.0

As usual, Samsung has produced two processor variants for the Galaxy S7, but the one we have for our review is the model available in the UK and Europe (SM-G930F) equipped with the firm's own Exynos 8890 SoC. This is a 64-bit octa-core chipset with a 2.3GHz clockspeed , a Mali T880 GPU, and 4GB RAM. Performance in the high-end Android space seems to have more-or-less levelled out across the board (not that this is a bad thing) and in no small part this is probably due to the fact that most of them are running Qualcomm's latest Snapdragon 820 chip.

Having spent a bit of time with a few other high-end 2016 Android phones using this setup (and others) such as the HTC 10 I can say that the Exynos 8890-based Galaxy S7 is definitely in a similar ballpark. In general operation things are silky smooth for navigating Android and hopping between apps, and even when playing intensive 3D games this phone definitely packs a punch. I can't say I noticed any latency issues or lag whatsoever, even when trying to deliberately push the device out of its comfort zone, although it must be said the back panel did heat up a fair bit.

Benchmarks tests do show that the Snapdragon 820 edition does ever-so-slightly outperform the Exynos hardware, in particular when it comes to graphics, but the main takeaway here is the difference between the two in most scenarios is a handful of frames-per-second; importantly not enough to be noticeable in actual real-world use. A quick glance at most benchmarking test results and databases online shows that the Galaxy S7 Exynos model is still one of the top performing smartphones on the market, and I for one think this is reflected in actual operation. NOTHING seems to shake this handset, it just waltzes through whatever you throw at it effortlessly.

Both storage options are pretty ample with the base model being 32GB going up to a full 64GB if you're splashing out. Certainly we can see the sense in the modern app and content market of ditching a 16GB lower-tier, but although the presence of 256GB of microSD support is a welcome one it's only really any good for multimedia as Samsung hasn't implemented Android Marshmallow's native Adoptive Storage feature - in other words it can't use cards for storing apps. While the flexibility is nice, we can't help but wonder why Samsung wouldn't either open up support for Adoptive Storage OR introduce a 128GB top-tier storage model above the 64GB one. Without either option, some power users may be in for a tricky time, but most users shouldn't have too much of a problem.

A quick comment on audio. I think it's fair to say that as long as no-one but HTC is investing in precision-made and amplified front-facing stereo speakers then nothing else will really top BoomSound, but with that said I was really quite impressed with the Galaxy S7's audio quality from its single base-mounted speaker. It has a nice range on it and decently high volume capabilities, and although as mentioned I have heard crisper audio quality elsewhere this is pretty damn good; I couldn't discern any tinniness from the handset.

Samsung Galaxy S7 Review: Battery Life

This is it. The big one. For many users these days good battery life is the holy grail feature for smartphones, one that is so often elusive, and there's a simple reason why: the more flashy display tech and high-end processors that are crammed into a phone the more juice it will glug. Happily, there seems to be more and more flagships coming out where the battery consumption has been carefully optimised, most recent high-end Android devices and the last few iPhones have all impressed us with their capable battery life often spanning a couple of days now with at least moderate usage. In Android's case this is no doubt due to leaps and bounds made by chip manufacturers and Google's own software optimisations in the last couple of Android builds, such as Doze.

Samsung was making some headway in this regard with some innovative features like Ultra Power Saving mode (to put the phone into a bare-minimum, calls-only, black-and-white state) are now permenant fixtures and offer over a week if you're off exploring some wilderness, for example. However, with that said, although it was similar to its contemporary peers the Galaxy S6's battery performance was one of the main let-downs of the handset and wasn't exactly amazing.

Clearly someone was paying attention. The Galaxy S7 battery life is noticably better than its predecessor and easily one of the best battery performers from the current crop of flagships. For a start, it's a bigger cell than the Galaxy S6 at 3,000mAh instead of the old 2,550mAh. But it also seems plenty of optimisations have been made, with the phone clocking up a 17 hours and 48 minute result in our continuous video playback test. To put that in perspective, the Galaxy S6 result was 13 hours, so you get nearly five hours more life out of the Galaxy S7 - that's most of a working day! As you can see from the graph, it also outperforms the iPhone 6s and Google Nexus 6P, both impressive juicers already.

From my time with the phone I can say this is reflected in the hands-on, real-world performance. With low-key operation you will probably be prompted once every few days or so with a low battery warning, which really is a refreshing change. With moderate use you're looking at a breezy day and a half at least.

Even the most voracious power users should get at least a full day out of this phone, if not more, and when we say a full day we mean from when you wake up to bed time, not just when you get to the front door!

The only handset we've seen outclass the Galaxy S7 so far is the Huawei Mate 8, but that thing is mostly battery anyway and although it's a nice phone it doesn't have all the shiny bells and whistles this device does.

However, one important thing to note is that the Galay S7's metal and glass sealed body design doesn't allow for a removable battery cell in the old Samsung style; while this isn't particularly unusual in the current market, there are now manufacturers offering premium design with this functionality, most notably LG with the LG G5. Is this a big deal? It's debatable. Old schoolers understandably miss being able to remove the battery because it gives you more flexibility, you can carry a spare, or if the battery develops a fault (as they sometimes do) you can easily replace it rather than the troublesome and sometimes costly process of having it fixed by a professional. The other argument is that battery deterioration is inevitable in every electronic device, so being able to replace it seems like a good idea, however, typically this isn't likely to occur until the phone is at least a few years old, by which time many people's contracts will be offering them an updated model anyway. The counter to that is if you're buying SIM-free and want your phone to last longer than a couple of years, but this all comes down to personal taste and what you're prepared to accept from your purchase.

Samsung Galaxy S7 Review: Camera

• Sensor: 12MP, 1/2.6"
• Aperture: f/1.7
• Pixel Size: 1.4 µm
• Focal Length: 26mm
• Flash: Dual-LED
• Features: Optical Image Stabilisation (OIS), dual-pixel phase detection autofocus, simultaneous video and still capture, touch focus, HDR (auto), face and smile detection, panoramic capture, motion panorama, wide angle selfie, "hyperlapse", motion photo
• Video: 4K, 1080p, 720p
• Secondary Specs (Sensor, Aperture, Focal Length): 5MP, f/1.7, 22mm

I've consistently been impressed by Samsung's camera setups for years now and with the Galaxy S7 this doesn't show any signs of changing. Yes, the sensor has a lower 12MP rating than the Galaxy S6's 16MP setup, but then again so does every major flagship on the market right now because, across the board, OEMs have finally twigged that more MP doesn't mean better image quality all on its own. Thus, plenty of other aspects of the imaging setup have been tweaked instead, including a very large aperture, pixel, and sensor size, resulting in much sharper details and less noise. The Galaxy S6's imaging capabilities were already impressive, but this is even more so. 

The dynamic range is very capable as you can see between the shaded roof area and the brightly illuminated street. I also remain very fond of Samsung's approach to photography which is similar to its displays, that is; it is not afraid of punchy colour saturation and contrast. The result of this is really vibrant images, whether that's capturing a really bright blue sky on a sunny day, lush green vegetation, colourful flowers, or the crisp contrast on that statue head pictured below. 

As you can see from this coffee bean shot, close-up work still gets plenty of detail and crispness. Capture speed is lightning quick thanks to the dual-pixel phase detection autofocus and this together with the detail-intensive sensor/aperture AND OIS means there's very little chance of picking up any blurriness.

The camera interface is nice and simple to use too. Just as with the last few generations of Samsung flagships, here again I am a big fan of the ease-of-use with Samsung's camera hardware and software. Too often there are mobile camera configurations which, while actually sometimes a bit more capable in terms of image fidelity, are frustratingly complex to actually get the best results. I am far happier with Samsung's compromise, it makes me willing to actually use the camera and feel confident I will get good pictures from it, where with rivals, even if I know I can get a decent photo, I also know I will have to faff so much I rarely have the patience to even bother.

It must be said, that even these rival cameras which are technically better in terms of image quality (for example, Microsoft's high-end Lumia PureView models) are not very far ahead of the Galaxy S7 at all, while the Galaxy S7 is tons more fun to use and consistently able to produce images you're proud of.

For those who do want to fine-tune their photography the Galaxy S7 does include a "Pro" mode for manual control for key features like focus, brightness, ISO, exposure, and more.

Samsung Galaxy S7 Review: Software

Samsung's TouchWiz UI overlay has gradually shed a lot of weight in recent years, more than likely due to Google's push for some kind of Android cohesion and the introduction of the streamlined, minimalist Material Design aesthetic. Naturally the Samsung flavoured differentiation hasn't disappeared entirely, there are still enough little signature hints scattered around to remind you that this is a Samsung device you're using. But it is different, it's more subtle, there aren't so many silly fonts or crazy colours. Unlike the old days none of it is overblown - it's not at all far removed from Google's vision of Android even if it's not entirely stock. In terms of usability it's quite intuitive too, things are exactly where you'd expect to find them - there is much less faff than ever before, but this comes alongside increased user customisation; for example, the drop-down quick settings menu is nicely set up by default, but a couple of quick gestures and you've got an intuitive screen for letting you pick and choose what takes prominence every time you do that downward swipe.

In terms of features, most of what's on show here we've seen before, including split-screen multitasking, windowed applications, and a fixed news feed homescreen you can toggle on or off; it's just tidier, more discrete, thanks to the new UI. This is a very welcome shift of direction for Samsung, one that arguably has taken its damn time to get here, but now that it's arrived it was definitely worth the wait. My only criticism of the software side of things doesn't even relate to the UI, and it's the fact that Samsung didn't enable Android's native support for Adoptive Storage on microSD - that means that you can't use a microSD card as if it's the phone's own storage and install apps onto one. A big shame.

Still, I don't think that's enough to sour the milk that much. Apart from this it was very enjoyable to interact with the software features of Samsung's latest handset.

Samsung Galaxy S7 Review: Verdict

What can I say? A tremendously pleasing smartphone to use. It's been a while since I test-drove something I didn't want to give back, but the Galaxy S7 fits into that category quite comfortably. It looks sharp, feels reassuringly expensive and robust in the hand, the camera experience is an absolute joy. Performance is what you hope for from a flagship; it's fast, smooth and responsive, while the battery life is amongst the best available. The software is as close to stock Android as Samsung has ever come and as a result is one of the most hassle-free Samsung Galaxy devices I've used to date.

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