Samsung Galaxy S6 - Specifications. Review of Samsung Galaxy S6: exquisite design and cool filling Photos in the interior

Release expensive smartphones that look and feel cheap? Even the market leader cannot afford this in 2015 - the top devices of competitors have become too good, too many excellent devices offer good characteristics and stylish appearance for half or even a third of the price of flagships. Probably, the Galaxy S smartphone made of glass and metal should have appeared a year earlier - then Samsung might not have had one in 2014. But still, better late than never.

Appearance

The Galaxy S6 is the most beautiful smartphone Samsung has ever released. Previous S-line flagships have always caused discomfort due to the combination of high prices and plastic housings. In the case of the Galaxy S6, this dissonance is absent. An aluminum frame, front and rear glass with elegantly rounded edges, record thinness and convincing weight - all this is designed to convince that the price tag of 47,000 rubles is justified. We are talking here about a simple version of the Galaxy S6, not an Edge with a curved screen (there will be a separate article about it).

Some sources of inspiration for Samsung designers are still easy to guess, but this time the rounded frame with a perforated speaker grille, already seen in more than one or two smartphones, does not hurt the eyes.

The Galaxy S6 may not speak a new word in design, but it organically combines current trends with the body contours that are classic for the company’s flagships.

It cannot be said that the device makes passers-by turn around on the street (this only happens today with), but looking at it and turning it in your hands is much more pleasant than the Galaxy S5 or Note 4. The only thing that hurts the eye is the protrusion under which the camera is hidden. However, given the quality of the images, which is discussed below, this sacrifice is more than justified.

Convenience

For better or worse, the smartphone is becoming one of the main items in their lives for more and more people, competing with their work PC and car. Comfortable shoes and clothes, a comfortable bed are important to us, and a smartphone should also be comfortable - after all, we often devote several hours a day to it. How good is the Galaxy S6 in this regard? Based on the rather modest dimensions for a device with a 5.1-inch display (143.4 by 70.5 by 6.8 mm), as well as the frame without sharp edges, one would assume that the device is very convenient.

In fact, believe me, everything is not so simple. Yes, when you take the Galaxy S6 in your hand, the smartphone fits perfectly in it. You don’t experience any problems during a conversation either, but then nuances begin. The fact is that “premium” aluminum and glass are very “slippery” materials. In addition, the shape of the case makes the grip area between the smartphone and the palm minimal.

Bottom line: The Samsung Galaxy S6 is one of the most easily dropped phones I've ever handled. That is, the user either constantly risks dropping the device when manipulating with one hand, or is forced to work with a fairly compact device like a phablet with both hands. To be fair, it is worth noting that the iPhone 6 and especially the 6 Plus have the same problems - they slip out of your hand very easily. One solution is to buy a bumper case. But then it’s not clear why spend money on a beautiful new smartphone, because in the case the Galaxy S6 from half a meter cannot be distinguished from the Galaxy S4 from the year before.

The location of the power/lock button on the right edge of the smartphone is very good, but changing the volume with the keys on the left edge is not so convenient; they are placed too high for pressing with the index finger. The home button with a fingerprint scanner that finally works quickly and without problems is quite convenient, although I personally prefer devices with on-screen keys. In the case of off-screen touch buttons, it is very common to accidentally press them while playing a game or watching a movie, which is annoying. On the Nexus 5, for example, the virtual buttons are hidden in full-screen mode until you specifically call them up by swiping from the edge of the screen.

Screen

Samsung could not help but install an ultra-high-resolution Quad HD screen (2560 by 1440 pixels, 5.1-inch diagonal, pixel density 557 ppi, Super AMOLED) in its newest flagship. On the one hand, it’s nice, high-tech, and the picture is great. On the other hand, Full HD with such a screen diagonal is more than sufficient; the vast majority of users in life will not distinguish a clearer display from a less clear one with a pixel density above 300-350 per inch. And rendering a super-clear image requires additional processor resources and uses up the battery faster. In general, I still don't see the point (except for marketing, of course) in smartphone displays with a pixel density higher than 400 per inch.

In terms of brightness and color reproduction, the display is excellent, and you can choose the color profile (more saturated or more natural colors) to suit your taste. In bright sunshine, the mode of increased brightness and contrast is automatically turned on, color rendition suffers from it, but the picture becomes visible almost as if in the shadow.

Gorilla Glass 4 promises to protect the screen glass from cracking and scratches. However, reality can be cruel even with the most high-tech materials. Our test unit showed one greasy scratch and a couple of smaller scratches after a few days of use. Before this, the smartphone fell with its screen on the floor a couple of times (linoleum in the office, parquet at home), perhaps it encountered a couple of especially durable grains of sand there. Frankly speaking, the appearance of scratches, despite the fact that the device has not been through any serious alterations such as falling on asphalt or tiles, was upsetting. So you shouldn’t expect sapphire invulnerability from Gorilla Glass 4. If you want a smartphone without scratches, buy protective films or book covers.

Cameras, sound

Do you know what's the best thing about the Samsung Galaxy S6 as a pocket camera? It's not even the quality of the pictures, but how quickly you can launch the camera by double pressing the home button. Firstly, this function works equally well both on a “sleeping” smartphone and when you are in some application. Secondly, it seems to me that finding and pressing the large enough “Home” button is easier than feeling for the dedicated camera button that some smartphones from other manufacturers are equipped with. But the main thing is speed; a picture can be taken literally in one and a half to two seconds after the thought came to you: “Stop, just a moment, you are wonderful!” and you reached into your pocket for your smartphone. The camera's stated startup time (whether via double-tapping Home or via the home screen icon) is 0.7 seconds.

The main camera of the Galaxy S6 uses a fast lens (minimum aperture f 1.9), optical stabilization and a 16-megapixel Sony IMX240 sensor with back-illumination. There is an LED flash, Live HDR, 8x digital zoom, ISO up to 3200, 4K or Full HD video recording at 60 frames per second, slow motion and time lapse shooting. The sound is recorded in stereo mode from two microphones. The front camera is 5 megapixel, uses a matrix manufactured by Samsung.

Samsung programmers have continued to improve image processing algorithms for years, as a result, the company’s smartphones have become the best photo solutions among Android devices. And due to the higher sensor resolution, the presence of optical stabilization and the superbly implemented “night” mode, the device manages in many situations to outperform even Apple devices that are traditionally considered the photo standard among smartphones. Here are some photos (click to view full size image in new tab):

All pictures taken during the test on the Samsung Galaxy S6 can be viewed (Dropbox).

The only complaint regarding the camera is that if you want to immediately view the photo you just took, you will have to wait an agonizing couple of seconds; the delay is noticeably longer than on most smartphones released last year and this year. It is hoped that this is a software bug that will be fixed in future software updates. After all, the Galaxy S6 has the most advanced flash memory in terms of speed, so in theory there should be no delays in writing and reading images into it.

The built-in music speaker of the Galaxy S6 sounds loud, but for my taste the sound is too “metallic”, the same iPhone 6 Plus plays music more pleasantly, more details are heard. Through the audio output, the playback quality is simply excellent, including with expensive headphones, there are no complaints.

Performance, software features

In short, the Galaxy S6 is the fastest Android smartphone today. At least this is what the results of popular benchmarks indicate.

The device runs on the proprietary Samsung Exynos 7420 system-on-chip (64-bit processor, 4 Cortex-A57 cores with a frequency of 2.1 GHz and 4 Cortex-A53 1.5 GHz cores). This is the world's first mobile chip produced using the 14nm process; Qualcomm will use this technology only in the upcoming Snapdragon 820 (which, according to rumors, will again be produced by Samsung, and not TSMC, like previous models of chips in this line). 3 GB of RAM is so far more than enough for any scenario, although the 64-bit SoC can work with a large amount of memory.

Built-in memory is 32, 64 or 128 GB, but there is no support for microSD cards. This is disappointing - after all, 32 GB, and this is the version that will most likely be the best-selling, is not enough in these times. If you take full-resolution photos and 4K videos, save TV series from Amediateka for offline viewing (all smartphone buyers receive a free trial monthly subscription to the service), install modern games with advanced graphics, then the free space will run out very quickly.

By the way, about games - the ultra-high screen resolution makes itself felt, and the result in the Epic Citadel test at maximum graphics settings is not exactly record-breaking. The coveted 60 fps is achieved only with simply “high” graphics quality:

At the same time, in practice, no slowdowns were noticed in modern games like Real Racing 3, Dungeon Keeper 5, NOVA 3. By the way, the device heats up quite a lot during the game, but, fortunately, the temperature does not reach an uncomfortable level.

However, it is not only the performance of the SoC and memory that determines whether the device will seem fast to the user or not. Samsung's flagships have never had any problems with the number of points in benchmarks and frames per second in games, but quite often with the speed of the interface. It’s gratifying that the branded Touch Wiz in the version for the Galaxy S6 is much less different from stock Android than before and is not overloaded with unnecessary bells and whistles. Even the Briefing panel with news and other content based on Flipboard recommendations is now disabled.

I have only one major complaint left with TouchWiz, and it is purely subjective - the blue color of the notification “curtain” is disgusting to me personally. You can change it only by installing another theme from the theme store, where, unfortunately, nothing decent could be found. Samsung clearly needs to add at least one professionally made theme in the style and colors of stock Android, since a Google Play version of the flagship is no longer planned.

The updated Touch Wiz still lacks the reasonable and neat organization of the system “curtain”, like in stock Android 5.0 - notifications are displayed on the first swipe, and a panel with settings shortcuts and switches on the second. A more traditional all-in-one scheme for Samsung interfaces is used here.

Battery

The Galaxy S6 does not set autonomy records - Samsung engineers clearly prioritized minimizing the thickness of the case; they had to sacrifice the battery capacity, it is 2550 mAh. At the same time, the energy-efficient AMOLED screen and the “smart” battery-consuming processor help the device last from morning to late evening during standard use (without games and videos). Streaming the House of Cards series from Amediateka in HD 720p resolution over Wi-Fi at maximum brightness takes up about 22% of the battery (that is, in this mode the smartphone will last a little over 4.5 hours on a full charge). The same indicator when watching an hour of video from the smartphone’s built-in memory was 12% in our testing - that is, a 100% charge will last for about 8 hours 20 minutes. Half an hour of playing the slasher game with poor graphics Dungeon Hunter 5 “cost” me 14% of the charge (3.5 hours on 100% battery). The indicators are weaker than those of such “hardy” devices as the iPhone 6 Plus, Xperia Z3, or especially the Huawei Mate 7, but slightly better than the Nexus 5.

In practice, it looks like this: when I use an iPhone 6 Plus, I don’t have the thought of connecting it to a charger in the car on the way home from work (I usually arrive at the editorial office around 7:30, leave around 3-4 p.m.), there’s usually more 60-70% charge. The Galaxy S6 remains at 40%, and “automatic recharge” occurs almost always. Nexus 5 usually receives an additional dose of electricity even earlier, around 2 o'clock in the afternoon - because you never know. Fortunately, the Galaxy S6 features fast charging technology; the device can be charged from zero to 70-80% using the included adapter in about an hour; a full charge takes another 30 minutes. The weaker charger from the Nexus 5 fills the Galaxy S6 battery to 100% in two seconds. half an hour.

Purchase, conclusions

The Galaxy S6 is an ideologically different smartphone than all previous devices in the Galaxy S line. The previous Korean flagships were a geek's dream - top-end specifications, support for memory cards, a replaceable battery, water protection (in the Galaxy S5). In the new product, flexibility and security were sacrificed for the sake of style, and the result was not only a powerful, but also a really very beautiful phone, which for the first time does not lose out in appearance to its main competitors, including Apple devices.

The Galaxy S6 is also, perhaps, the best mobile camera today, in many situations it takes nicer (clearer and brighter) photos and videos than the iPhone 6. At the same time, the ergonomics of the smartphone are not “slippery” due to the selected materials. ideal, typing text with one hand or operating applications is uncomfortable - you are afraid of dropping the device. It's probably just a matter of habit, but it was a relief to switch back from the Galaxy S6 to my good old plastic Nexus 5. Firstly, a device with a cover made of soft-touch plastic simply cannot slip out of your hand. Secondly, dropping 20 thousand on the asphalt is still not as unpleasant as almost 50.

In large retail chains and mobile operators, the Galaxy S6 is sold at 46,990 rubles for the 32 GB version. “Gray” phones without an official warranty can be found somewhat cheaper - from 41,000 rubles. The price does not depend on the color - white, gold, blue-black. The version with two SIM cards in official retail is equipped with 64 GB of internal memory and costs more - from 49,990 rubles.

Let's summarize the Samsung Galaxy S6 review.

Pros:

The best design in the history of the Galaxy S line
Premium case materials
Record-breaking performance for the Android ecosystem today
The best mobile camera among Android smartphones, superior to the iPhone 6 in many shooting scenarios

Minuses:

High (especially in conditions of a slightly strengthened ruble) price
Doesn't fit securely in the palm; typing with one hand is awkward
Unremarkable battery life
No slot for microSD memory cards

Specifications

Model: SM-G920F
Screen: Super AMOLED 2560 by 1440 pixels, 5.1-inch diagonal, pixel density 557 ppi, Gorilla Glass 4
Chipset: Exynos 7420 (64-bit, 4x 2.1GHz Cortex-A57 and 4x 1.5GHz Cortex-A53)
Graphics: Mali-T760MP8
Memory: 3 GB RAM, built-in flash drive 32, 64 or 128 GB
Cameras: 16 MP, optical stabilization, autofocus, flash and 5 MP front
Network: 2G, 3G, LTE
Wireless interfaces Wi-Fi dual-band 802.11b/g/n/ac, Bluetooth 4.1, NFC, infrared port, wireless charging with support for Qi and PMA standards
Geolocation: A-GPS, GLONASS, “Beidu”
Sensors: accelerometer, gyroscope, proximity sensor, light sensor, compass, barometer, heart rate sensor
Battery: 2550 mAh
Dimensions: 143.4 by 70.5 by 6.8 mm (thickness excluding camera protrusion)
Weight: 138 g

I’ve been using the Samsung Galaxy S6 for a year and a half now, and I’m still amazed at how innovative this device is. Considering the low price of the smartphone and its year of release (2015), it can still compete with the new iPhone, LG, Sony, and the same Galaxy S7! Quite durable glass, because... Several times the device slipped out of my hands and fell onto the carpet, tiles and even asphalt, but there was no visible damage (only a small scratch on the back of the smartphone). The design is very attractive, in bright light it shimmers from black to blue, which is why the color is sapphire. The software has not changed much recently, it is just as comfortable. Throughout my use of the S6, I was able to fall in love with the high-speed charging and amazing sound, but it’s a pity that Samsung got rid of moisture protection. Once water got into my smartphone, I was scared that the screen was flickering in different colors, but it went away). The camera is at the highest level, the brother Sony Z5, the company claims that their 23MP camera is the best, but my Galaxy has it many times better, especially in the dark. About the processor, I can say that all programs and games like asphalt run smoothly. I want to say that this phone deserves 1st place in terms of price/quality ratio!

Photos in the interior

Contents of delivery

Telephone
Charger with USB cable
Wired stereo headset
SIM Card Clip
Instructions

Specifications

Android 5.0.2 (5.1 in early summer), latest generation TouchWiz shell
5.1 inches, SuperAMOLED screen, 577 ppi, 2560x1440 pixels, automatic brightness adjustment
Exynos 7420 chipset, 8 cores (4 A53 cores, 4 A57 cores), maximum clock frequency up to 2.1 GHz, 64 bit
MALI-T760 GPU
3 GB LPDDR4 RAM, no memory cards
32/64/128 GB of internal memory, UFS 2.0
Front camera 5 megapixels, main camera 16 megapixels, OIS, True HDR, tracking autofocus, F 1.9, white balance detection by IR sensor, Pro shooting mode
Payment system Samsung Pay
Wi-Fi: 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac (2.4/5GHz), HT80 MIMO(2x2) 620Mbps, Dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct, Mobile hotspot, Bluetooth®: v4.1, A2DP, LE, apt-X, ANT+, USB 2.0, NFC, IR port for controlling household appliances
LTE cat.6
Wireless charging built into case (WPC1.1(4.6W Output) & PMA 1.0(4.2W)
Li-Ion 2550 mAh battery, extreme power saving mode, fast charging in one hour
Dimensions – 143.4 x 70.5 x 6.8 mm, weight – 138 grams

Positioning

The 2015 flagship was created with two goals - traditionally to compete with the current iPhone model, in our case the iPhone 6, and also to partially rehabilitate the Galaxy line after the rather sluggish sales of the Galaxy S5, which many perceived as a step to the side. In the S5, Samsung focused on water protection and the presence of the IP67 standard, but it turned out that these functions are not very important for consumers; they rather pay attention to the image component. And it is traditionally lower for Samsung phones than for the iPhone. As a result, sales of the Galaxy S5 turned out to be good, but very far from the company's internal plans. Suffice it to say that the Galaxy S5 was the best-selling Android flagship among all phones, but it did not reach the level of iPhone sales.

In 2015, Samsung is relying on metal, glass and the highest technical specifications possible. That is, the bet is on high-quality case materials, even if the continuity with the previous generation of Galaxy, which was considered a failed experiment, is broken. It's interesting how many people claim that the lack of protection from water has now suddenly become a disadvantage. I highly doubt that this is the case, although the function looks interesting for any model.

The focus is on design, quality of the case and direct competition with the iPhone. Numerous claims that this device is an exact copy of the iPhone are not entirely true. It is made in the style of the iPhone, but is not an exact copy. When you look at it, you see the same Galaxy line, there are no special differences.

Those who want to see an iPhone in this device will still see it, there is no point in convincing them otherwise. In real life, phones are very different and look like different models. It is impossible to confuse an iPhone and a Galaxy S6 in real life; not a single person has made a mistake in determining which hand is holding which phone, even from a distance of several meters. Another indicator will be the absence of legal claims from Apple, although the indicator is indirect, since last time the similarity of the models was also very far-fetched.

The flagship from Samsung will be of interest to ordinary users who want to get a modern smartphone with maximum camera quality, a good and large screen, and one-day operating time. This model is also suitable for those who can be called technology enthusiasts, since it implements the latest developments, which will last for at least a couple of years. Although there was a fly in the ointment, which we’ll talk about in this review.

The Galaxy S6 is a key device for the entire market in 2015/2016, as it was for previous Galaxy. We can expect global sales of the S6 (along with the S6 EDGE variant) to outpace the S5 over a comparable time frame. Interest in this model is noticeably higher. Let's take a look at the strengths and weaknesses of this solution together.

Design, dimensions, control elements

The phone turned out to be compact for such a screen diagonal, its dimensions are 143.4x70.5x6.8 mm, weight - 138 grams (for comparison, S6 EDGE - 142.1x70.1x7 mm, 132 grams). Fits well in the hand and does not slip.

Compared to Apple iPhone 6 Plus

Compared to Samsung Galaxy Note 4

Compared to Samsung Galaxy S5

The side frame and back wall are made of metal, special attention was paid to the strength characteristics, it cannot be bent even with great effort. This was especially emphasized at the presentation. Since Samsung decided that the model should pamper the consumer with variety, they presented it in many colors. To achieve this, the back wall is painted over and covered with Corning Gorilla Glass 4. Exactly the same glass covers the front surface. To avoid creating confusion, Samsung calls the glass fourth generation, but in fact, it differs from what other manufacturers get (fewer scratches, more drop resistance, which is important with such a screen). You can call this piece of glass Gorilla Glass 4+, although this name will be very arbitrary.

Each color looks metallic due to the glass, and they play well in the sun. Just like on Sony devices, hand marks remain on the glass; it is easily soiled, but not excessively. In bright light the marks are almost invisible, but in the room they become noticeable.

In real life, the devices play in the light and look dull indoors.

Other color solutions will appear, but this is a matter of the near future. The accessories for the Galaxy S6/S6 EDGE also turned out to be quite bright, playing with the theme of the body color.

In the S6 EDGE you can feel the cut of the body due to the beveled screen; in the regular S6 there is nothing like that, it fits very well in the hand. The metal frame has recesses on the side edges, which also adds convenience.

The nanoSIM card tray is located on the right side surface, and there is also an on/off button. Volume keys are on the left. At the top end there is an IR port for controlling household appliances and a microphone, another microphone is located at the bottom end. There is also a microUSB connector (USB 2.0), 3.5 mm for a headset or headphones, and a speaker output.

On the back surface, in addition to the flash, there is a heart rate sensor; it also performs a number of other functions; more about this in the section about S Health. There is a physical button on the front panel, it contains a fingerprint sensor (you can unlock the device by placing your finger, no need to swipe it). There are also two touch keys, everything is familiar to other devices from Samsung. Above the screen there is a proximity sensor, as well as a 5 megapixel front camera.

Display

Screen 5.1 inches diagonal, SuperAMOLED, 577 ppi, 2560x1440 pixels, automatic brightness adjustment. This is one of the best screens from Samsung; it traditionally has customizable colors - from bright and sometimes acidic to muted. Here everyone will choose their own option, but the main thing is that, according to reviews from professionals testing screens in various devices, AMOLED matrices in previous models have already become very accurate in terms of color reproduction and behavior in the sun. In this device, the quality of the screen has also increased and the brightness of the backlight has been improved (everything is readable in the sun with a bang).

Communication capabilities

If you can imagine that a device has all possible technologies, then this is the case with the S6/S6 EDGE. I’ll just list them: Wi-Fi: 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac (2.4/5GHz), HT80 MIMO(2x2) 620Mbps, Dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct, Mobile hotspot, Bluetooth®: v4.1 , A2DP, LE, apt-X, ANT+, USB 2.0, NFC, IR port for controlling household appliances.

Memory, RAM, performance

The device has 3 GB of RAM (LDPPR4), which has a maximum bandwidth of 3.2 GB/s (64 bits) today. The built-in memory capacity may vary - 32, 64 and 128 GB. Memory type is UFS 2.0, which also provides maximum writing and reading speeds; it is actually an SSD array. The speed of the memory subsystem is such that no other device yet has comparable characteristics.

The Exynos 7420 chipset belongs to the latest generation, made at 14 nm. Technically, this is an 8-core solution, 4 Cortex-A53 cores, 4 Cortex A57 cores. The graphics core is Mali T-760, but its version is updated compared to Note 4 (more frequency, etc.). It is also the fastest processor available, which together with the memory makes this device very fast. In life, he just flies, there are no brakes at all (Android 5 also contributes to this). During my time with the phone, I did not experience any slowdowns or application crashes.

And here's what the results look like in synthetic tests. These are the best values possible for devices of this kind. With performance in synthetic tests, everything is more or less clear, see the values below.

What’s more interesting is how the device behaves in 3D tests, that is, how predisposed it is to graphics, since the MALI graphics processor has always been inferior to similar solutions from Qualcomm, and even more so from NVidia. Increased frequency, eight cores - all this, in theory, should contribute to performance, but on the other side there is an increased screen resolution.

There are other tests, we present their values here.

But it was interesting to see how, for example, Epic Citadel is going. In the initial test on an almost clean device, the result was about 60 frames per second.

But then, when I tried to repeat it, it turned out that the program produces, at best, 50 frames, and after heating, even 30 frames. This is one of the Galaxy S6's weakest points in terms of performance - the 3D graphics and how repeatable the results you get.

Having looked at the 3D toys, I can say that the range of results in Dead Trigger 2, NOVA3, Asphalt 8, Real Racing 3 is from 30 to 60 frames per second. In some games the level stays at 60 almost constantly, in some it is closer to 30. But this is with maximum settings for textures, resolution, and so on. Even taking this into account, you as a user will not see any problems in the game, since stuttering at 30 frames per second simply does not exist. And this is the lowest value.

For those who want to approach performance in a straightforward and stupid way, I recommend comparing the gaming component in GTA, since this game is not optimized for MALI graphics, does not load the best textures and is guaranteed to have problems with graphics display. In my opinion, this is a flaw in the game and a lack of optimization for a specific platform, but as an example of “disadvantages” it will do. The question in 3D games today is simply which platform they are optimized for and how well. The same solutions from NVidia tear everyone apart in terms of 3D performance and graphics rendering quality, but they are not popular. Apparently, not everyone needs this.

Battery

The built-in battery has a capacity of 2550 mAh (2600 mAh in S6 EDGE), operating time is approximately a full working day under load. This is about 3 and a half hours of screen operation (automatic brightness adjustment, turned to maximum), data transfer in 4G. The video device plays for about 10.5 hours.

One of the nice things to note is that fast charging of the battery is supported - it takes one hour. If you use a regular 2A charger, the battery charging time will be 2 hours. The phone has built-in wireless charging that supports several formats, meaning you can buy a branded device or any other. I had a charger from Lumia (DT-601, Qi standard) on hand; it charges the device perfectly.

You shouldn't expect this model to last as long as the Note 4. But the result turned out to be slightly higher than that of the iPhone 6 with the same load (number of calls, data transferred). The difference is almost imperceptible; we can say that these devices live for the same time. Again, for most people this will be full time.

Many people do not understand how changing the chipset and process technology, speeding up the memory, or introducing a different screen with a higher resolution may not lead to an increase in power consumption. The logic is simple - all new technologies consume more energy. But the logic is flawed and far from reality; it’s precisely the new technologies that make it possible to achieve lower power consumption, which Samsung consistently shows on its Galaxy line, and the same Note has long become the standard in terms of operating time.

Camera

A separate detailed and extensive material is devoted to a description of the camera and all its capabilities.

Software features – Android 5.x and TouchWiz

Samsung has begun to simplify the TouchWiz shell, and this is clearly noticeable in Android 5. While this is not pure Android, a lot of unnecessary junk has been removed, useful and not so useful functions have been added, the system has begun to look simple and understandable. I will try to describe the changes sequentially.

So, in the drop-down curtain, everything is different from Android 5 - Samsung retained one row of shortcuts, but the list scrolls horizontally, and you can also select the icons that are shown here. I like the way it’s done in pure Android, where you just have to pull it again and the full list opens, I think it’s more convenient this way.

Some icons have additional functionality, for example, the Wi-Fi icon now displays part of the Wi-Fi network name. This is a small thing, but quite convenient, which I found very interesting.

Traditionally, the drop-down curtain contains S Finder, in which you can search for content both on the network and in the phone’s memory. You can limit your search by category. This is a convenient search client for the device. Nearby is a utility for connecting to other devices; everything in it is also familiar.

How do I open notifications from the lock screen? When clicked, they redirect you to the appropriate application. If the screen lock is set, for example, to a fingerprint, then you receive a warning that you need to press the central key - touch, and again the phone opens the desired item. Everything has become much clearer and simpler than it was. If you don't need a notification, you can simply swipe it aside.

Of the minuses in the menu, I’ll note this for myself - I have about 6 screens with icons, previously you could click on the square of a specific screen in the line below. Now, when clicked, the transition goes only to the adjacent screen. Inconvenient.

Dialer and contacts. By dialing a number, you can quickly call a contact by simply entering the first numbers or letters of the first and last name correctly. Matches will appear in the list. The call log has a filter by call type.

Just like on previous models, you can swipe left or right on a name to send a message or make a call; this setting can be disabled, but many people liked it. In Favorites, in addition to the selected contacts, there is also a list of numbers that you often use. When you call, information related to the contact, recent SMS, mail, and calendar events are displayed.

In the contact list, you can scroll through names by letter of the alphabet (Russian comes first, then Latin).

The changes are purely visual, the UI has become simpler and lighter, but the functionality has been maintained at the level of the previous version of TouchWiz. This seems wrong to many, but it is purely a matter of taste and habit.

Messages. Some people are upset only by the lop-eared man, which is in the menu for rooms without an icon set by the user. It remains as before, although its size has greatly decreased. You can choose the design of the windows, their style, and set your own wallpaper. Also, by choosing a different theme or your own screensavers, you can get rid of this little man. Messages are sent on a schedule.

The range of features is typical and will be enough for ordinary users. I have no complaints about working with messages on this device.

Among the unusual functions, I will note shortcuts for quickly inserting text - they work in all menus. That is, when the T9 function is activated, by typing the letter assigned to the shortcut, you will see in the list of hints not only words, but also a recorded pattern. So far this only works for the English language, but it is a very useful and convenient thing.

Gallery. Sorting photos works by time, place, event or category (here the phone itself determines what is in the photo - food, landscape, portrait, and so on). There is also access to Picasa from the menu.

Calculator. In a horizontal position it is scientific, in a vertical position it is normal.

Watch. Alarm clock, world time, stopwatch and timer. The usual sections, but externally they have been redesigned and look more interesting.

Notes. Regular text notes that are synchronized with the cloud and transferred from phone to phone.

My files. A regular file manager that also supports Google Drive. Convenient and simple, there are all possible operations with files.

Dictaphone. In addition to regular voice recording, you can turn on the Interview mode (first seen in Note 4), then the microphones at the ends work in turn, and the recording quality is good. There is also a voice note mode, when text entered by voice is immediately recognized.

Peel Smart Remote. A program for controlling household appliances using an infrared port. Automatically detects your location, shows a list of channels and programs, and can work with any equipment. On other devices it is not so interesting, since they do not have an infrared port.

S Planner. The calendar was made visually lighter and simpler. There are birthday reminders, synchronization with any network calendars, and a separate task list. I like the way this application is designed, there is nothing superfluous in it and everything is clear.

S Health (ver. 4). A completely updated S Health application, which now includes motivational rewards (walk more, do more, etc.). A sensor on the back of the phone is used to measure heart rate, blood oxygen saturation, stress levels and emotions. Now you can enter a food diary, there is a database of foods and their calorie content. In every sense, this application has become richer, and at the same time it is not necessary to use all the options. You can also keep track of your workouts here, plus there is a virtual trainer who can help you train.

S Voice. The engine from Nuance is used, just like on previous models. The speech synthesizer is very clumsy, like from the past, command recognition is stupid and completely inferior to Google Now. It’s definitely not worth using this voice control, although it has a wide range of functionality. It's not very pleasant.

Smart Manager. A new utility that combines several programs from different companies, but in one interface. So, there is Clean Master, which is able to remove application caches and various garbage. The battery management utility shows how long it can last, and you can switch between modes. In the Security section you can install KNOX, plus there is an antivirus from McAfee. There is also a utility for cleaning RAM, which is more of a tribute to the needs of users and their desires than an urgent need for Android - it is more of a harmful utility than a useful one.

Microsoft Applications. The folder contains three pre-installed applications - OneDrive, OneNote and Skype. These are applications whose pre-installation is paid for by Microsoft; there are no differences or integration into the system. It’s worth tearing them down right away, at least the first two deserve it. The user is given 100 GB of cloud space from Microsoft free of charge for two years.

Mail. A regular email client that supports multiple accounts, HTML layout. There is nothing unusual here, nor are there any advantages over the GMail client. Outwardly they became very similar.

Settings. The usual set of settings for the Galaxy S, I won’t list everything, I’ll list the main screens, everything is clear from them.

Free apps with S6/S6 Edge

Samsung is used to giving flagship customers subscriptions to paid services or applications, sometimes this is quite a significant saving. I will try to list the main gifts, they may differ from country to country and may not be available everywhere:

The Economist – 6 month subscription;
Audible, audiobooks, 3-month subscription, one book free every month;
NY Times - news, 12-week subscription;
Pocket
Parallels Access – 6-month subscription, access to up to 5 computers;
PayPal – discount on various goods;
Evernote - premium subscription;
Flexy keyboard;
Entrenador – personal trainer;
Magisto Video Editor – three months subscription to the service;
Keepy – note-taking service, 6-month subscription;
Shazam – version without restrictions and without advertising;
Hancom Office 2014 – unlimited time license;
Kindle – subscription for 12 months, you can receive one book monthly;
Deezer – music subscription for 6 months;
Kick is an application for football fans, match results.

Additional accessories for Galaxy S6/S6 EDGE

For several years now, Samsung has been creating the widest possible range of accessories for its flagships. Starting with 6, the set comes with headphones of a new design, which are built similarly to Level In, provide good sound and are noticeably better than the previous model.

In terms of cooperation with famous brands, I would like to mention cases from Burton, protective cases with crystals from Swarovski, leather covers from Montblanc, women's handbag cases from Rebecca Minkoff, cases painted by Britto. These accessories are almost impossible to find on the market; their cost is very high.

Now let's look at the standard set of accessories, they are completely the same for the two models, only the article number and color options differ. Wireless charging is available in two colors – white and dark gray. I recommend taking a dark color, since the rubber insert at the top, which prevents the phone from sliding, gets dirty very quickly on white. A dark color is more practical.

The QI 1.1 standard is supported (backwards compatible with 1.0), charging speed is about 4-5 hours, which is typical for such devices. The cost of the charger in Russia will be 3,490 rubles. The fast charger included in the kit costs 2,000 rubles if you buy it separately, so you shouldn’t lose it. The same price applies to a car charger that supports Quick Charge technology.

A regular transparent bumper covering the back of the phone will cost 2,590 rubles.

But the opaque cover can be of almost any color, it is of good quality, but it also needs to be matched to the color of the phone so that they match. Its price is 2,290 rubles.

The book case is also available in different colors, the price is 2,990 rubles; these types of cases make the device very thick.

The S View Cover with a window has become very popular. Different fabric or leather, a huge number of colors - all together create an alternative. You can activate the camera, enable dialing of favorite numbers, listen to music, open the quick shortcuts panel - the latter was previously unavailable. In the video I show how this case works, it's worth watching. But the price is steep - 4,490 rubles.

The mirrored book case can also be selected in different colors, it has an NFC tag, so Chinese craftsmen will not do anything like that. In the closed state, you can answer calls, reject messages and reminders. There is no need to open the device.

You can see how all these accessories work in our video.

Impression

I was pleasantly surprised by the loudness of the Samsung S6 speaker, despite the fact that there is only one speaker and is located at the end - it is very clear and loud, the device is clearly audible in different conditions. In the video I showed the differences with the S5, they are noticeable to the naked eye. We can say that the sound is one of the loudest and most pleasant devices from the company. The vibration alert is average in strength, there are no achievements here.

The phone's connection quality is not satisfactory in any way. I tried to find differences from my Note 4, but could not find them. The quality of work in LTE is also flawless; I noticed that the phone is better able to connect to Wi-Fi networks than the Note 4. Subjectively, it seemed that in general the quality of communication was a little better.

I like how the one touch fingerprint works, you can watch this feature in the video.

The speed of launching the camera from any menu is less than a second. Just press the Home key twice. And it's convenient. The camera is excellent and comparable to the Note 4, which I consider (and not only me) the best device on the market in this regard.

We could go on and on about how the S6 differs from most devices on the market - the fastest processor, the best camera, a display that has already been recognized as outstanding. But this is all lyricism, since we need to dwell on several negative aspects that may discourage you from purchasing this device.

The obvious thing is the lack of memory cards. I'm so used to having the option of having a memory card that I feel uncomfortable without it. A memory capacity of 32 GB seems to me clearly insufficient for full use of the device - listening to music, watching videos, taking photographs. This is an annoying limitation that came with the iPhone. I really hope that the “brilliant” idea to do this will not come to the company’s engineers in the Note line.

Now about another point - the device warming up, which is often felt when working in heavy applications (3D toys) or transferring large amounts of data (Wi-Fi or LTE/3G does not matter). The housing near the camera gets hot, as does the metal frame. It gets quite hot, but you can hold the device, it’s warm, it doesn’t burn. This moment upset me a little, and not at all because of the heat as such; in the end, all fast devices heat up. Rather, here we come to another issue - replacing the battery. After about a year and after 350-400 charging cycles, the battery capacity will drop by at least 20 percent. If in other devices of the Galaxy line you could replace it yourself, then you will have to contact a service center or read instructions on how to disassemble the phone, look for a replacement battery and pervert in such ways. In the same iPhone, this is a standard story that its owners have learned. The fact that the Galaxy S6 abandoned the collapsible case is understandable, but it doesn’t add any joy.

I managed to drop the Galaxy S6 a couple of times, it did not cause any problems - but this is not an indicator. I am sure that Gorilla Glass 4 will not have any problems, as, indeed, this can be seen from the Note 4. As part of the VIP program, the first replacement of the screen you cracked will cost up to 3,000 rubles. No manufacturer provides such conditions, and this is a significant advantage, as well as confidence in the quality of the product (the cost of replacing the screen on an iPhone 6 is approximately half its cost).

For many, the choice will be between the Galaxy S6 and the iPhone 6; the arguments for both devices were presented in a short video. But I can say that these are devices of different classes - the iPhone is fashionable and empty in functionality and capabilities, the Galaxy S6 is the best in its class.

The cost of the Galaxy S6 in Russia will be 49,990 rubles (in Europe the price will be at the same level as for the Galaxy S5 - 650 euros). Many will consider choosing between S6 and S6 EDGE; the second device will cost about 55,000 rubles. Sales start in mid-April.

I like both the S6 and S6 EDGE. Although from an image point of view the second is more interesting, but the first is more practical. Functionally there is no difference between them.

By and large, the Galaxy S6 turned out to be very nice in appearance and functional, which is what you expect from a device in the Galaxy line, but it also does not have memory cards, which many will consider a minus. Comparing this model with similar devices in the same price category, we can say that they are much inferior in all respects. This is a device without any compromises, the best in almost everything. From subjective things, personal dislike of the design and/or Samsung may interfere. But these matters are so subtle that there is no point in discussing them. From a market perspective, the Galaxy S6 sets the bar very high in both performance and everyday usability. The ergonomics of this device are simply excellent.

The South Korean smartphone manufacturer will undoubtedly continue to release flagship models of the Galaxy S line in 2015. The Galaxy S6 has been featured in various rumors for months now, and we already know something about its hardware specifications and the timing of its announcement. In any case, the S6 model is already in the works and in the coming months there will be a lot of information from various sources.

The Samsung Galaxy S5 has been on the market for about six months now, so the media, analysts and fans are already turning their attention towards the Galaxy S6. Based on previous presentations and leaks that have surfaced online in various articles, we hope to get an idea of what we can expect from the unannounced flagship.

Over the course of a couple of years, we have already gotten used to the fact that Samsung introduces its Galaxy S smartphones in February or March. We also expect the Galaxy S6 to be unveiled in the first quarter of 2015 - probably either in February at MWC 2015, or maybe at CES 2015 in January (but there's very little chance of that). In any case, sales could begin in March next year.

In recent news, we said that Samsung is working on the flagship Galaxy S6 literally from scratch. The smartphone is being developed as part of Project Zero, which is not surprising, since sales of smartphones have dropped significantly compared to its predecessors, and the company clearly does not intend to lose fans.

At the beginning of this year, there were already rumors that the Galaxy S5 will receive a display with Quad HD resolution. Samsung considered that a Full HD screen would be sufficient for a flagship, and therefore in 2015 we should definitely expect an increase in the screen resolution of the S6 to QHD (2560 x 1440 pixels). This is because already in the second half of this year an unspoken standard for flagship smartphones was established. Again we will see a Super AMOLED screen, but its diagonal should grow to at least 5.2 inches, but no more, so as not to threaten sales of the Galaxy Note 4. By the way, Samsung is quite capable of fitting a slightly larger display into the dimensions of the Galaxy S5 due to narrower frames .

We all know that Google recently introduced a new version of its operating system - Android 5.0 Lollipop with built-in support for 64-bit processors. There are already rumors that the Galaxy S6 will run on a self-produced processor – Exynos 7420, and the second flagship model will already have Qualcomm Snapdragon 810 processors (depending on the sales market). Yes, let's clarify about the processors - the Exynos 7420 will have LTE support thanks to the built-in Exynos Modem 333 modem, but the Snapdragon 810 will already be eight-core with four Cortex-A57 and four Cortex-A53 cores, with an Adreno 430 graphics accelerator and support for 64-bit calculations.

As for the design, this should be the first flagship of the Galaxy S line with a metal body. Enough steps have already been taken to produce affordable premium smartphones. Firstly, this is the Galaxy Alpha with its metal frame, which we also saw on the Galaxy Note 4 phablet. Secondly, a separate line of premium Galaxy A smartphones with metal cases has appeared. It's a pity, but this means one thing - we lose access to a replaceable battery.

The Galaxy S6 will “get fatter” due to an increase in memory - the RAM will already be 3GB, and the built-in volume will increase to 128GB. The initial model will have 16GB of internal memory, but is only available in the Asian market, while the international market will have 3 variants: 32, 64 and 128GB. But what about MicroSD card support? I hope Samsung doesn't give up on this.

Samsung is also already setting a new standard for front-facing cameras - it makes sense to expect a 5-megapixel selfie camera, given that this is already a popular trend. As for the main camera, Samsung may limit itself to a 16-megapixel camera, as in the Galaxy Note 4, with optical image stabilization, smart autofocus, support for Ultra HD video recording, as well as the possibility of accelerated recording (slow motion). It looks like low-light shooting will also be improved.

Apple set a new rule in the smartphone market by introducing its iPhone with a fingerprint scanner. Samsung supported the initiative, so the S6 will also have this sensor, and there will also be a heart rate monitor and an ultraviolet sensor, which gives a significant advantage. Perhaps a retinal scanner will also appear, but the chances are slim.