Samsung Galaxy Note 4 review

The Galaxy Note 4 is getting a bit long in the tooth in mobile terms, but that don't think that means it not worth buying especially at less than £400/$500 without a contract. That is a lot of phone for the money and in some ways plenty of people will prefer it to the newer Galaxy Note 5, a phone that's not actually available in the UK.

The newer Note gives you a better camera and faster processor, but doesn't have the removable battery or microUSB slot of the Galaxy Note 4. Both these features have been key to the Note 4's success so we're not quite sure why Samsung chose to omit them in its latest phone. We wish it hadn't.

If you want inspiration for your next handset however, then check out our Best Smartphones 2015 round-up, alternatively read on for the full Samsung Galaxy Note 4 review.

What is the Samsung Galaxy Note 4?

The Galaxy Note 4 is Samsung's phablet follow-up to the Note 3. The Note really isn't cheap at launch. If you buy it directly from Samsung it will cost you an eye-watering £629 SIM-free, but you can find it for less if you shop around. These days it costs a lot less.

You get a lot for that price, though. A '2K' QHD screen, speedy Snapdragon 805 processor, fast charging and a new, improved S-Pen stylus all come as part an parcel. It also features a new premium metal design.

Thankfully Samsung has also listened to the moans of displeasure at the copious amounts of bloatware it packs on its handsets, and has significantly cut down on its own, often overwhelming, bundled apps.

The Galaxy Note 4 is one of those big phones that grows on you the more you use it. There are slicker phones around, but there's a whole lot to like about this giant. With an update to Android 5.0 Lollipop on the horizon, things can only get better for the Note 4, but it's facing ever stiffer big-phone competition from the iPhone 6S Plus and the Google Nexus 6P.

Samsung Galaxy Note 4: Design

The Galaxy Note 4 is a big phone and big phones pose some handling issues. The Note 4, much like the Note 3, actually doesn't feel too ridiculous to use in one hand or to hold up to the ear to take a call. But it doesn't mask its stature as well as the LG G3 or LG G4, but even for our smallish hands it didn't take long to adjust.
Compared to the Note 3, it’s taller, thicker and heavier, but the key difference is that it’s not as wide. It’s not by a great deal but this does slightly reduce the area you need to stretch fingers across to reach the other end of the virtual keyboard. You will want to type holding it in two hands, but it’s not a pain to use it in one hand either. Samsung does include a one-handed operation mode to shrink the screen size, which should help those who are really struggling.
Inevitably comparisons are going to be made with the iPhone 6 Plus and having had the big iPhone to compare, the Apple smartphone is taller and wider but slimmer than the Note 4. The curved sides on the Apple make it slightly nicer to grip, but both designs have their good and bad points.

Samsung Galaxy Note 4: Design

The Galaxy Note 4 is a big phone and big phones pose some handling issues. The Note 4, much like the Note 3, actually doesn't feel too ridiculous to use in one hand or to hold up to the ear to take a call. But it doesn't mask its stature as well as the LG G3 or LG G4, but even for our smallish hands it didn't take long to adjust.
Compared to the Note 3, it’s taller, thicker and heavier, but the key difference is that it’s not as wide. It’s not by a great deal but this does slightly reduce the area you need to stretch fingers across to reach the other end of the virtual keyboard. You will want to type holding it in two hands, but it’s not a pain to use it in one hand either. Samsung does include a one-handed operation mode to shrink the screen size, which should help those who are really struggling.
Inevitably comparisons are going to be made with the iPhone 6 Plus and having had the big iPhone to compare, the Apple smartphone is taller and wider but slimmer than the Note 4. The curved sides on the Apple make it slightly nicer to grip, but both designs have their good and bad points.
SEE ALSO: Best Phablets 2015

iPhone 6 Plus, Note 4 and Note 3 compared
When you peer into the Note 4 box for the first time, you could easily mistake the Note 4 for the Note 3. It has the same sized screen and the bezel around the display is virtually identical, although the decision's been made to use a slightly lighter shade of grey. Take it out of the box and it doesn’t take long to notice the new design elements – and some of the old ones that we're still not the greatest fans of.
The first change is the new aluminium metal trim that has a darker, cooler shade than the one on the Galaxy Alpha. The metal-look plastic trim was one of the naffest features on the Note 3 and thankfully it's gone. The lighter silver finish on the Alpha is nicer, in our opinion, but on the whole this is a step in the right direction for Samsung. The corners on the trim are slightly raised, which is barely noticeable and doesn’t really have an impact when holding the Note 4.
Around the back is that thin, leather-effect plastic, now thankfully without the horrible fake stitching and a little softer to the touch. It’s nice to grip and fits in with the more sophisticated, business-like design approach of the Note 4, but it's still a bit tacky. Compared to the all-metal One M8 or the iPhone 6 Plus, it simply doesn’t ooze class in the same way. It’s a big step up from previous Note handsets, but it also serves as a reminder of the design inconsistencies across the Samsung handset range. We’d have preferred to see the softer-touch back finish on the Alpha, which is more comfortable to hold.

The back is still removable and here you’ll find the microSD card compartment, along with a removable 3220mAh battery and Micro SIM slot. Slip the cover back on and you'll notice a small speaker, repositioned from the bottom edge, along with the protruding 16-megapixel camera sensor, single LED flash and a heart-rate sensor.
Flip the phone over to its front and the big change here is the new curved glass display. It’s the type of screen technology we’ve seen on Nokia Lumia smartphones and aims to promote stronger viewing angles. What it also means is that because it doesn’t lie flat against the metal trim, it creates a small gap that can be a magnet for the dust and muck from inside your pocket. It's not the ridiculously sized gap that some people have reported it as, though. The earpiece above the screen has shrunk a little and it’s very evident that there’s a larger 3.7-megapixel camera sensor now included for better-quality video calling and selfies.
There are some features you'll miss from the Note 3 and the S5. The Note 4 isn’t waterproof, although the lack of a dedicated camera shutter button would have made it tough to take photos submerged anyway. Samsung will no doubt suggest Note users don't want waterproof phones, but we'd rather have the feature than not.
The micro USB 3.0 charging port is gone, just as it is on the Galaxy Alpha. The Note 3 was one of the first phones to support the new faster data-transfer technology, which increases the rate of recharging. If there was a Samsung phone where the technology made sense, it was the Note, so it’s strange to see Samsung has dropped it.
Elsewhere, the better-looking volume rocker, standby button and headphone jack are all in the same place, as is the home button, which also supports fingerprint recognition. We found the biometric sensor far more responsive than it is on the S5.
The S Pen is still hidden away in a compartment at the bottom of the handset, where it sits securely and shows no signs of falling out. The S Pen uses the same ribbed plastic and shiny silver top

Samsung Galaxy Note 4: Screen

The Note 4 sticks to the same 5.7-inch screen, but it’s the resolution where things have changed. Following the lead of the LG G3 and the Oppo Find 7, Samsung has moved from a Full HD 1080p resolution display to a much sharper 1400 x 2560-pixel QHD (Quad HD) display. That means it has four times the pixels as a 720p HD display like you’d find on a Moto G for instance.
Samsung still uses a PenTile Super AMOLED panel to deliver the punchy colours and excellent black levels, making it a great canvas for video and reading. The pixel count is 515ppi, which is less than the 534ppi on the G3, but it’s still more than the 432ppi on the Galaxy S5.
One key benefit is that you gain the ability to view multiple apps on the same screen, which will come in handy for the Note 4’s Multi Window feature. There are some disadvantages, too, such as the impact on battery life with the extra processing power needed to deal with the higher resolution.
Most will probably not appreciate what the higher pixel density adds, but there’s no doubting that this screen is super sharp. It’s more noticeable when running video, but web pages are exceptionally crisp as well.

There are, of course, other qualities that make a good screen and the Note 4 does well on those fronts as well. It’s much brighter than the Note 3 and on par with the iPhone 6 Plus, making it useful for night-time use and offering great visibility in the bright outdoors.
It’s colourful, too – perhaps too colourful out of the box, so you might want to dip into the Display options in the Settings menu to make adjustments. Samsung includes Adaptive, AMOLED Cinema, AMOLED Photo and Basic display modes. The Adaptive and Basic modes help to mute the erratic colours and high contrast for a more balanced experience.
Video watching is where it really impresses, though. Whites are exceptionally white, blacks are gorgeously deep, and bigger is generally better when it comes to viewing pleasure.
Lying on top of that curved Super AMOLED Quad HD display is Corning Gorilla Glass 3 to add some extra durability and protection, which is almost a necessity for a big screen like the one on the Note 4. It also uses a Wacom digitized layer to sense the difference in pressure when using the S-Pen to help create an experience closer to writing on a piece of paper.

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Samsung Galaxy Note 5 review

Samsung Galaxy Note 5 review: the best big phone just got better

Update: Our Samsung Galaxy Note 5 review is nearly a year old and, next week, we expect to see its replacement: the Samsung Galaxy Note 7, not a Galaxy Note 6. It'll almost certainly launch on August 2, 2016. Before that happens, here's what we think of the current, S-Pen-equipped Android phone.

The Samsung Galaxy Note 5 is a large phone that's either a game changer or deal breaker for longtime fans of the Android phablet, now that it has a premium look and feel.

Its 5.7-inch display, super-fast processor, improved camera and S Pen stylus are joined by a new, glass-and-metal design that reflects the solid construction of last year's Samsung Galaxy S6 and the newer Samsung Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 Edge.

That makes it a huge leap over last year's Galaxy Note 4, which backed the phone in cheap, textured plastic. Samsung's build quality is finally fit to compete with the aluminum iPhone 6S Plus, Huawei Mate 8 and Nexus 6P.

All of this comes at a cost, however. There's no microSD card slot for expandable storage or removable battery to swap out, like on the Note 4, LG G4and the Samsung Galaxy S7, and the new sealed-shut glass design is slippery. This is far from the modular and upgradable Moto Z.

The microSD card slot feature is expected to return inside the Galaxy Note 7, however. You may want to wait for the new version, which is expected to be announced on August 2. Just don't expect it to support adoptable storage (to offload apps on the microSD card) without diving deep into the developer settings and tinkering around.

The Samsung Galaxy Note 5 is still among the best phones in the US, but it isn't for everyone who can't grip a two-handed phone, or its compromises in the name of style.

It never came to the UK nor the rest of Europe. Samsung instead focused on theGalaxy S6 Edge+ in the UK. For now, anyone outside of North America who wants a new phone with a stylus is out of luck until the Note 7 launch.

Its price remains competitive, even with its fancy new design, thanks to a price drop from a high of $249 on two-year contract in the US. It now costs $49 on contract via Verizon and Sprint. AT&T Next plans start at $24.67 a month for a 30-month duration, while the full retail Note 5 price is $696 at Verizon. It'd likely have cost £600 in the UK if it launched, the same as the Note 4 price.

Design

The Samsung Galaxy Note 5 has the same basic shape as the Note 4, but the construction of the two phones couldn't be any more different.

Gone is the faux leather back that was made of plastic but felt more like cheap snakeskin. It's been replaced by a glass sheet that's infused into a metal frame, just like on the Galaxy S6.

At 153.2 x 76.1 x 7.6mm, the Note 5 dimensions are certainly bigger than Samsung's 5.1-inch flagship, but it's actually a hair smaller and noticeably thinner than the Note 4. It's lighter too, at 171g, shedding 5g, even with its metal-and-glass construction.

Its back glass also curves inward on the right and left sides. This smaller footprint and curved back made it easier to hold in my palm, despite its phablet size.

Glass does make gripping this 5.7-inch phone more of a challenge, breakable and a fingerprint magnet compared to its faux leather predecessor. There's less traction, but it's nowhere near as slippery as a super smooth aluminum iPhone 6S with rounded corners.

Cases will help with the grip and prevent my overarching palm from interfering with the touchscreen, due to its ultra-thin bezel. This happens more often as bezels wane, phone sizes increase and my hands get fat. But I don't suggest Samsung's default case offering. I know from my time with the Galaxy S6 – its slick plastic makes the phone even more slippery.

The Galaxy Note 5 colors include Sapphire Black, White Pearl and, as of November, Gold Platinum in select sizes in the US. The Silver Titanium option is offered outside of North America. Interestingly, it's one of three new colors for the Samsung Galaxy Note 7, as is Black Onyx and Blue Coral. Better late than never.

The Galaxy Note 5 aluminum frame is silver in all cases, with a color-matching power button on the right and volume rocker on the left. These buttons are thin, but feel strong when pressed and, importantly, are situated in the upper portion of the frame, exactly where my fingers clutch the phone.

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Samsung Galaxy S4 Zoom, S4 mini and S4 Active

Samsung Galaxy S4 Zoom, S4 mini and S4 Active to be announced at the end of May

Samsung must be quite busy these days as it's helplessly trying to keep information leaks from happening. However, the company doesn't seem to be doing a great job at that and so we already know that the camera-centric Galaxy S4 Zoom, rugged Galaxy S4 Active and mid-range Galaxy S4 mini are all in the works.

According to the unofficial info that's currently available, the Galaxy S4 Zoom is to be released sometime in the summer. When it comes to the release dates of the other two, the sources have been a bit more specific, claiming that both the S4 Active and S4 mini will come out in July. Whether or not that is indeed going to be the case, we can't be sure.

Samsung fan-site SamMobile, though, has now published a new rumor going that Samsung is to announce all three devices by the end of this month. This information is important because it provides more credibility to the previous rumors about the release dates. A period of about a month or so between announcement and launch seems perfectly believable for Samsung devices.

Even though all three models have the Galaxy S4 branding, they are all expected to sport mid-range specs, although each will good at something. For example, the Galaxy S4 Zoom is expected to have a very capable camera in order to rival strong competitors from Nokia and Sony, while the Galaxy S4 Active will aim to be a rugged smartphone without much compromise in the design department. The Galaxy S4 mini, on the other hand, will be a more compact solution for those users who aren't into the gigantic smartphones of today.

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Samsung Galaxy Note 7, Note 7 edge review

Samsung Galaxy Note 7, Note 7 edge rumor review: design, specs, features, and everything we know thus far

To say that the Galaxy Note 5 raised the bar on the smartphone market, and especially in the large-screen niche, would be absolutely correct. It's still among the better and more functional large-screen phones you can get, and this probably won't change until... Well, until it gets succeeded by the Galaxy Note 6 Note 7, of course! We are already hearing a lot of things about the Note 7 and most of them seem pretty saucy. Join us on a wild ride exploring the surplus of rumors surrounding one of the most anticipated phones of 2016!

TL;DR:

• Design: We do not expect a redesign; the Note 7 is to sport slightly improved Note 5 looks, whereas the Note 7 edge will flaunt a curved edge display up front. IP68 water resistance and a microSD card are probably a go, too. There is an iris scanner at the front; as well as a USB Type-C port on board, probably.
• Hardware: A Qualcomm Snapdragon 823 could be making the Note 7 click and tick, alongside 4 or 6GB of RAM. A 3,500-3,600mAh battery could be running the show. 64GB of native storage could be making the rounds in the basic version.
• Display: A 5.7 or 5.8-inch Quad HD Super AMOLED display could make the cut, with Gorilla Glass 5 providing protection.
• Camera: Galaxy S7 is largely expected to donate its 12MP f/1.7 camera to the Note 7/Note 7 edge. At this point, we think the rumors about a dual camera setup are a bit far-fetched.
• Release date: The Note 7/Note 7 edge will likely be announced on August 2 and will probably become available for pre-order immediately. 

Design

Click for a 360 of the Note 7

Now, let's start with the important bits: from the looks of it, the Galaxy Note 7 will only come in an "edge" variant, with a dual-sloped display. There most likely won't be a flat-screen version, much to the discontent of many of our readers. This will be a "first" for Samsung - so far, it has released both flat and edge versions of its high-tier devices.

Lucky for us, the Note 7 has already leaked profusely and thanks to the rumor mill we've laid eyes on many renders and leaked images. As far as the design is concerned, it does not take a genius to spot that the Note 7 is the next logical, albeit minor evolutional step over the Note 5 and the S7/S7 edge.

We bet that the frame is metal-made, while the back is a glass one. Judging from some of the renders, it seems to be featuring a lined pattern at the back, which looks fresh and appealing, but we have to check it out live to say for sure. 

We also expect the Note 7 to be water-proof, which will be the first time Samsung has employed this feature on a Note device. Well, bring it! With Samsung's advances in waterproofing its devices without any flaps or whatnot, we are certain the Note 7 won't have any of these either.

That would be more than welcome, as it will be beneficial to the sleek looks of the handset. Down at the bottom, Samsung is most likely put a reversible USB Type-C port. Less hassle with finding the correct position for the cable, yeah!

Chipset

Now, when it comes to hardware, we've heard some interesting tidbits of info. First and foremost, judging by what we saw on the Galaxy S7, it's pretty logical to conclude that the Note 6 could arrive in two flavors - a Qualcomm Snapdragon and a Samsung Exynos one. Apart from the safe bet—the Snapdragon 820—Samsung could also spice things up by employing the new Snapdragon 821 chipset, which sounds like the more logical choice. 

Said silicon that is not yet official, and we've heard few snippets of info about it, though it's generally believed to be a slightly refined version of the SD 820. The Snapdragon 823 could engage higher clock speeds: up to 3.0GHz, an improvement over the 2.2GHz clock rates of the SD820).

Camera

The Galaxy S7 and S7 edge already employ one of the best camera setups around, performing as good as it gets in most lighting conditions and scenarios. We are talking about the 12MP, 1/2.5" sensor that sports large 1.4-micron pixels and a pretty wide f/1.7aperture; additionally, the Dual Pixel focusing technology basically enables all sensor pixels to take part in the autofocusing, making the latter rather fast. That's why we wouldn't be surprised if the Note 6 scores the very same camera setup. 

This will potentially bring the Note 7 in the same ballpark as the iPhone 7 Plus/Pro, which is also expected to boast such a camera setup. Reportedly, that one will allow for lossless optical zoom thanks to a folded telephoto mechanism. Samsung's next big thing could use its camera system to do the same, but one can't be certain at this point.

We also heard that Samsung's Electro-Mechanics branch, often referred to as SEMCO, have been working on a dual-lens camera setup for the Galaxy Note 7 and the Galaxy Note 7 edge, if the latter exists at all. It is expected to use Samsung's own camera sensors. The dual-cam setup will seemingly make a debut on the Note 7 Edge, but we are not exactly sure how's it going to work or what functionalities it will unlock.

S Pen

Now, if there's an aspect of the Galaxy Note series that can be safely regarded as signature one, the S Pen is a no-brainer. This highlight feature gets improved with almost each and every Note generation, and while it's already a pretty good functionality enhancer, there's always room for improvement. 

There is a new leak circulating on the interwebs that reveals what some of the new S Pen features of the Note 7 might be. According to iGyaan.in, which has reportedly obtained an internal memo, Samsung has thrown in improved Bluetooth LE connectivity that will enhance the proximity accuracy and allow users to use the stylus longer.

The Air Command is also reportedly getting a functionality update. iGyaa claims the Galaxy Note 7 will score Dictionary and Speaking features — the first one will probably allow users to quickly translate words from one language to another, whereas the other sounds like it could be a text-to-speech functionality.

Another new could be Magnify, which will most likely allow you to magnify parts of the interface with the help of your S Pen. Judging from all the leaks so far, the S Pen stylus looks largely similar to the one of the Note 5, with the biggest difference being that the Note 7 S Pen is reportedly waterproof. Oh, and judging from the leaked videos of the unit it seems that the clickable button is there to stay.

And here's what Koh Dong-jin, the President of Samsung Mobile, had to say about the renewed focus on the stylus: "We have improved ‘note’ functions this time, upgrading software for user convenience.” What could he mean by that? Well, the new Note UX interface that is currently in beta testing on some Note 5 handsets in Korea, folds all the disparate stylus applications that we had so far, like Action Memo or S Note, into one app called simply Notes, so that's what the exec might have meant by saying that the S Pen software will be more "convenient" for its future users.

Software and iris scanner

There's also an interesting rumor flying around that claims the Note 7 will sport an iris scanner for added security benefit.

Well, it seems this one is confirmed - a recently leaked set of images seemingly shows us the setup process of the Note 7 and walks us through all the needed prerequisites that will allow you to unlock the device with your irises.

With the iris scanner, the Galaxy Note 7 user adjusts the phone so that his eyes are positioned within two circles found on the screen.

The unit should be held 25 to 35 cm (10-inches to 14-inches) from the face, states a leaked screenshot listing the directions. Reportedly, it takes the Note 7 one second to get unlocked with the iris scanner, but there is a hefty amount of disclaimers included.

First of all, the Note 7 might not unlock when “some parts of your irises are hidden by narrowed or puffy eyes.” 

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Galaxy note 7

GALAXY NOTE 7 

 SAMSUNG BAT TOUS LES RECORDS DE PRÉCOMMANDES EN CORÉE LOIN DEVANT LE GALAXY S7

Le Galaxy Note 7 est officiel depuis maintenant une semaine. Samsung n’a pas été avare en compliments concernant son nouveau smartphone star. Et visiblement le discours a fonctionné. En Corée du Sud, fief du constructeur, la marque aurait enregistré des pré-commandes record, loin devant le Galaxy S7.

Décidément, la gamme Note de Samsung nous réserve toujours quelques surprises. Et cette année, elles sont plutôt bonnes pour Samsung. Il y a quelques jours, le responsable de Samsung Mobile expliquait qu’il s’attendait à ce que le Galaxy Note 7 se vendrait beaucoup mieux que le Note 5. Les choses semblent bien parties.

En effet, les premiers chiffres de précommandes en Corée du Sud du Galaxy Note 7 sont tout simplement incroyables. La firme avait enregistré des précommandes folles avec le Galaxy S7. Avec le Galaxy Note 7, la marque fait encore mieux, et beaucoup mieux. Lesprécommandes du Galaxy Note 7 s’élèvent à 200 000 unités en à peine deux jours. C’est deux fois plus que le Galaxy S7.

Mieux encore, ce démarrage en Corée est tout simplement le meilleur depuis la création de la gamme Galaxy. Il faut dire que Samsung a mis le paquet pour séduire les utilisateurs. Le produit semble réussi et le matraquage marketing fonctionne.

Par ailleurs, en Corée du Sud, Samsung offre un Gear Fit 2 pour toute précommande d’un Galaxy Note 7. En prime, la marque offre une remise de 50% sur la réparation de l’écran si jamais l’utilisateur le brise. Et cela fonctionne même en cas de chute.

Lire également : Prix, date de sortie, tout savoir sur le Galaxy Note 7

Généralement, les premiers chiffres délivrés en Corée du Sud donnent le ton sur l’accueil qui sera réservé à un produit Samsung dans le reste du monde. Attendons de voir comme le Galaxy Note 7 sera accueilli en France. Rendez-vous le 16 août ! On a hâte de voir ce que ça va donner.

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Samsung Galaxy S5 review

The Samsung Galaxy S5 can be defined by one word: evolution.

PROS

• Fantastic screen
• Still one of the best cameras around
• Now updated to Android 5.0 Lollipop
• Update has improved fingerprint sensor
• Better battery life than S6
• Has microSD and water resistance

CONS

• Not the prettiest of 2014 phones
• Processor still decent, but behind the times

KEY FEATURES

• 16-megapixel camera
• 5.1-inch 1080p Super AMOLED screen
• Android 4.4 with TouchWiz
• Manufacturer: Samsung
• Review Price: £329.00

The camera has evolved to give clearer, faster snaps. The fitness-tracking abilities of the S5 are enhanced over the Galaxy S4 by packing in a more powerful S Health app and a dedicated heart rate monitor on the rear. A fingerprint scanner adds to the most secure Galaxy phone ever made.

The battery is larger, the screen bigger and brighter, the processor quicker and the design altered.

The spec sheet certainly doesn't let it down: a 2.5GHz quad-core CPU, 2GB of RAM, a 2800mAh (removable) battery, 16 / 32GB of memory (with up to 128GB extra through microSD), one of the world's most vibrant that's been extended to 5.1-inches and added biometrics.

However, it's hard to point to one stand out feature that will grab the prospective user when they handle the Galaxy S5 for the first time.

To many, that won't matter, as Samsung's built a fan-base that only Apple can rival, and a number will be picking up the new Galaxy without a second thought over whether it competes adequately with its rivals.

Price-wise, if you're shocked by the cost of the Samsung Galaxy S5 then you've not really been paying attention to the previous flagship models. It's actually a little cheaper than previous years in some territories, coming in at around $900.

As you can imagine contract offers are flying all over the place at the moment, but the Galaxy S5 is being offered for a near identical price to the HTC One M8and the iPhone 5S give or take a few dollars.

The messaging around the launch of the Galaxy S5 was that Samsung had listened to the consumers and dialled down the gimmicks, focusing instead on what makes a phone special to the consumer.

It promised a 'fashionable' and 'glam' design, a camera that works in the way you'd want it to and strength through being water resistant.

There's also the small notion of an improved version - I was told that it was very likely the Galaxy S5 was going to launch with a Samsung Galaxy S5 Primeversion in February, with oodles more RAM, a faster processor and QHD screen on board.

However, that was pushed back (likely to do with issues in creating the screen in high enough volumes) and has since appeared in the South Korea-onlySamsung Galaxy S5 LTE-A version. This one has a Snapdragon 805 CPU, a WQHD screen and all the high end features you can wish for. In short, it's the amazing phone I wish Samsung had announced a few months ago and sold all over the world.

Then there's also the Samsung Galaxy F, which is rumoured to be coming in September and will essentially be the Galaxy S5 in a metallic chassis... and possibly with a QHD screen too. It would be amazing if this phone was the combination of the S5 LTE-A and the metal chassis, but I get the feeling that's slightly wishful thinking.

And if you want something a little smaller, then the Galaxy S5 Mini is here now as well. It's a lot like the bigger brother, and the specs have only been dialled down slightly. It's not quite got the raw power but the design aesthetic is there and the heartbeat monitor as well - well worth checking out if you don't want to spend as much.

he simple answer, from the second you hold it in the hand, is no – because the design simply isn't up to the same level as the likes of Apple and HTC. That's only a small part of the story though, and underneath the hood Samsung has continued its play of stuffing all the latest specs in and optimising them in a way that doesn't suck down oodles of battery.

Is this phone good enough to keep Samsung fighting with Apple at the top of the sales charts? Yes, but that's mostly through the impressive marketing machine that rolls out in every territory. Samsung needs this to be the last phone that rolls with such design language - the Galaxy S6 needs to be the dawn of a new age for the South Korean company, something to give consumers real lust for the way it looks.

Critically, it feels like there's very little to shout about with the Galaxy S5 – but perhaps that's no bad thing for a brand that was accused of bringing pointless innovation with last year's model.

The coverdoes give me slight cause for concern when you consider it from a water-resistant point of view, as it can be hard to make sure all the clips are securely fastened when snapping it back on.

A warning message does come up on the screen to remind you of this, but it can take a couple of passes to make sure it's completely fixed on.

If you look under the battery cover, you'll see that the battery is protected by a tight ring of rubber - if you've just dunked it in water, it's a little disconcerting to see how much fluid is in the phone already... but this seems to be fine.

I did worryingly notice some grit got into the home key, but after an hour or two it seemed to dislodge itself, although it doesn't make me think this phone is really that dustproof.

Overall, the design of the Samsung Galaxy S5 is likely to be the area that receives the most criticism, and for good reason.

It doesn't command a premium feel in the hand like so many other high-end phones on the market, and while some will point to how strong and high-quality the polycarbonate used is, it still pales in comparison to the competition.

Yes, it's lighter and probably more hard-wearing (you're much less likely to need a case with the Galaxy S5, for instance) but this is the biggest pain point for Samsung and it's one that it needs to improve with the Galaxy S6 edge.

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Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge review

WHAT IS THE SAMSUNG GALAXY S6 EDGE?

Attention may currently be firmly locked on the recently unveiled Galaxy S6 Edge+, but it’s important to remember there’s a smaller alternative option for smartphone buyers looking to reap the benefits of Samsung’s “Edge display tech.”

Unveiled alongside the Galaxy S6 earlier this year, the Galaxy S6 Edge is is the second ever smartphone to feature the Edge display technology Samsung debuted on the Galaxy Note Edge phablet.

Edge displays are curved screens that wrap around smartphones’ sides. They are designed to complement the phone’s main screen and offer increased display space for the users.

This combined with its super sharp 5.1-inch, 2560x1440, 577ppi, Super AMOLED main display and blazingly fast octa-core processor make the Galaxy S6 Edge a great choice for any smartphone buyer.

PROS

• Best cameras on any phone
• Innovative design
• Superb build quality
• Fantastic screen
• Monstrous performance

CONS

• Curve screen just for show
• Tricky to hold
• Costs more than S6
• No SD card slot anymore
• Gaming hurts battery life badly

KEY FEATURES

• 5.1-inch 1440 x 2560-resolution screen
• Octa-core Exynos 7420 chipset
• 2,550mAh non-removable battery
• 3GB RAM
• Wireless charging
• Samsung Pay mobile payments
• Android 5.0 L with TouchWiz
• Manufacturer: Samsung
• Review Price: £695.00 

SAMSUNG GALAXY S6 EDGE – DESIGN

Metal edge; Gorilla Glass 4 rear; 142 x 70 x 7mm; 132g; Home button; Soft keys

There’s a refreshing honesty about the S6 and Galaxy S6 Edge’s design. There’s no attempt to make smooth plastic look like metal, or textured plastic look like leather. No, this time around the edge is made of aluminium alloy that feels just as strong as it looks. The front is covered in Gorilla Glass 4 – the latest version of the popular toughened glass – and so is the back. Nothing feels cheap about the S6 Edge apart from a couple of tiny throwbacks to a bygone era – the ear speaker grille looks like metal-painted plastic and the inside of the SIM tray is plastic.

It’s not just the materials that are top notch, either; it's the way they’re put together. The diamond-cut edging brings a lustre to the metal border that’s reminiscent of the iPhone 5, but thinner and more tasteful. The SIM-card tray sits flush with the top of the phone and looks better integrated than the slightly recessed tray on the HTC One M9.

What’s most amazing is that Samsung has managed to pack a 5.1-inch screen into a body not that much bigger than the 4.7-inch iPhone 6. That means you can easily get to all areas of the screen, even with normal-size hands, which is something you can’t on the 5-inch HTC One M9.

One is how, at first, it’s all too easy to hit the soft keys accidentally. There’s so little space left for them that you’ll often find yourself pressing the Back or App Switch key by accident. You learn to hold the phone more tentatively over time, but it’s an issue.

Another is the home button, which houses the fingerprint scanner. It isn’t flush with the front of the phone and, like the Galaxy S5 before it, this means that it can be unwittingly pressed while in your pocket. It might sound like a small issue, and as long as you have a lock you shouldn’t be calling any people you don’t want to, but it does turn the screen on and this could have a direct impact on the S6 Edge’s battery life.

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