Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge Features Review (Video)

Samsung’s Galaxy S6 Edge is a very interesting device when compared to the Galaxy S6. This device has a dual-curved display and may easily be the most unique smartphone we’ve seen in 2015. There are several features that come along with the Galaxy S6 Edge and today we’re taking a look at all of them…

At the moment, there are only 4 main features that work with the Edge screen, but some of them are very convenient to have around. Keep in mind that more features could be added to the S6 Edge in the future, but for now this is what we’re given. Even though the device has two curves, you’ll only be able to take advantage of one side with its software features. If needed, the settings allow you to adjust which side the Edge screen is lives on.

The design of the S6 Edge is very different from the S6. Because of the curved edges, the metal sides are much slimmer and it has a different feeling in the hand. Aside from what’s mentioned above, there’s nothing else that makes the S6 Edge different or better than the Galaxy S6. Are these added features worth the extra money you’ll spend on the Galaxy S6 Edge? Let’s find out.

Check out our Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge features review video:

[youtube=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=adDzdf4klEE]

People edge

First up, we have “People edge” and this feature isn’t necessarily as silly as its name. People edge will allow you to add up to five contacts which can easily be accessed with a swipe from the Edge screen. Each item in People edge features full contact details for that specific person. Along with that, you can setup specific colors for your contacts in People Edge to make them easily identifiable for People edge’s dedicated notifications and Edge lighting, which is the next feature we’re going to discuss.

When you’ve missed a notification from someone in People edge, a small color matched nub will appear on the screen. Swiping out this nub from the side will allow you to see the missed notifications from that specific person. You can also set up the device to alert you when picking up the phone if you have pending notifications from a contact.

Edge lighting

Edge lighting will light up the Edge screen with flashes of light when you receive a call, email, or text message. By default this light is white, but if you have People edge configured, the light’s color will match the color of that specific contact. It’s very convenient to have identifiable colors with People edge, but unfortunately, you can only add up to five at the moment.

Along with Edge lighting you can also setup quick reply options to use with this feature or when you have an incoming call. If you’re receiving a phone call, but would prefer to reject it you can simply place your finger on the heart rate sensor for two second to reject the call and send a pre-configured text message.

This is a great feature when you can identify the incoming call based on the colors configured in People edge, but for anyone else it’s a shot in the dark. Overall, Edge lighting is a cool feature, but mainly helpful for those contacts added in People edge.

Information stream

With information stream, you can quickly access the time/date, news, stocks, sports scores, and more by swiping up and down across the Edge screen while the display is off. Though, it’s not the easiest action to perform without the device sliding around on a desk. I’d prefer this to be a simple double tap.

Information stream feeds can be managed within the settings for the Edge screen, but at launch there’s not too much to choose from. There’s also a download section for new feeds, which has only two additional download available at the moment. For a detailed look at all of Information stream’s feed, check out the above video.

Night clock

This is probably the least exciting feature of the Galaxy S6 Edge. Night clock will place a small dimmed clock on the Edge screen. The clock can be enabled/disabled within the settings and you can set up a custom time frame in which it is shown (up to 12 hours). It’s definitely a nifty feature if you don’t have an alarm clock and would like to quickly check the time without lighting up the room, but not too exciting.

Design

Since there are only four major features with the Galaxy S6 Edge (at least right now), it’s important to consider the design as one of its features. As mentioned earlier, the design is very different from the Galaxy S6. The sharp edge provides a very firm feeling in the hand. Along with that, there’s something very satisfying about swiping in a menu or sidebar from the edge screen. It’s unlike anything you’ve experienced before unless you’ve owned the Galaxy Note Edge.

Should you buy the Galaxy S6 Edge?

At the moment, there aren’t very many exciting features that come along with the S6 Edge. If you’re into the design, it may be worth the extra money, but overall you’re not getting much more than is offered with the Galaxy S6. The Galaxy S6 and S6 Edge have the same beautiful display, processor/RAM configuration, and glass/metal design. You may be better off with the Galaxy S6 or wait around until more features are added with the S6 Edge at some point in the future.