Introduction

We have another good one for you today – the new Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge goes up against the Samsung Galaxy Note Edge…the ‘edge’ that started it all.  Rumors made their way around that Samsung was working on a Galaxy Note Edge, but most were surprised when they actually announced it at the same time as the Galaxy Note 4 and that it would be ready for sale the same time in selected markets.  Critics were not quite sure how to react to it – some called it innovative and others called it a gimmick…but they all agreed it was cool looking.

Samsung has once again thrown us a ‘curve’ with the dual curved display on the new Galaxy S6 Edge.  Many critics of the Galaxy Note Edge thought it looked a little odd and was uncomfortable to hold with just the right side of the display curved, so Samsung took this to heart and made the new Galaxy S6 Edge’s display curved on both sides, giving it that symmetrical look that so many of us like.  Not quite as large or functional as the Galaxy Note Edge’s curved display, but it offers a great look and is very comfortable to hold.

Although they are both Samsung ‘edge’ devices, they have very little in common – they both use Samsung’s Super AMOLED Quad HD (QHD) displays, but use different sizes.  Gone are the removable battery and expandable microSD card slot from the Galaxy Note Edge.  They use different processors, although they do both pack 3GB of RAM and offer 32GB storage models – however, in both cases the Galaxy S6 Edge offers new and improved memory.  The cameras, although very similar, were improved in the new Galaxy S6 Edge, as is the fingerprint scanner.  They both have the usual dual-band Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.1, GPS, NFC, and IR Blaster, active noise cancellation with a dedicated microphone, heart rate sensor and microUSB port v2.0 for charging and data transfer.

Please take a look at the detailed specifications comparison found below – expand it by clicking on the “View Full Comparison” at the bottom and you will get a real sense of how these two devices match up against one another.  After that, we will look at each individual device, talk about it, and weigh out some of the pros and cons in an effort to pick a winner for this comparison.

Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge

The new Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge is a complete rebuild from the ground up.  It uses a solid metal unibody construction with a Gorilla Glass 4 display and Gorilla Glass 4 on the back as well.  It is solid, well-built and premium looking from any angle, and the rounded edges make it comfortable to hold in your hand.  Samsung really needed the Galaxy S6 series to be a winner, and it looks like it may be a hit.

It sports a 5.1-inch Quad HD display – the same size as last year’s Galaxy S5, but with increased resolution to 2560 x 1440 pixels and 577 pixels-per-inch (PPI) compared to QHD display with 524 PPI on the Galaxy Note Edge.  Samsung dropped the Qualcomm processor this time around, even on the US model, and chose to go with their branded 64-bit Exynos 7420 octa-core processor.  It has four cores clocked at 1.5GHz and four cores clocked at 2.1GHz.  It is packing 3GB of DDR4 RAM, much faster than the 3GB of DDR3 RAM used in the Note Edge, and it comes with Samsung’s new and faster flash memory offering 32GB/64GB/128GB models with no room for expansion – a first for Samsung’s Galaxy S series.

The camera is the same as the Galaxy Note Edge, except for some very significant improvements.  It comes with a 16MP Sony sensor, autofocus, LED Flash, ISOCELL technology, real-time HDR and OIS, but now the aperture is a larger F1.9 for better low-light pictures.  The camera speed was dramatically increased and now takes less than a second to open and ready to shoot.  The front-facing camera (FFC) increased from the 3.7MP in the Note Edge to 5MP and added the F1.9 aperture and live HDR for excellent low-light selfies.  The 2600mAh battery is much smaller than the 3000mAh in the Note Edge, but it should easily get you through the entire day.  The new Samsung non-removable battery can charge up to 4 hours of usage in only 10 minutes, and they have added built-in wireless charging for the first time.

Things the Galaxy S6 Edge has that the Galaxy Note Edge does not – a larger and improved (read that as louder and clearer) speaker on the bottom of the device, an improved fingerprint scanner – no more swiping your finger several times, just press and go.  It is ready for Samsung Pay, wireless charging is built-in and comes in White Pearl, Black Sapphire, Gold Platinum and Green Emerald.  It will be running Android 5.0 Lollipop, and is set for a worldwide release on April 10.  Pricing for the Galaxy S6 Edge has not been released.

Samsung Galaxy Note Edge

The Samsung Galaxy Note Edge is its best rendition of the incredibly popular series.  It improved on the Galaxy Note 3 in every department – from the display, the build quality, to the processor, the camera and even the S-Pen.  Most people really seemed to like the improved metal frame, trim and faux leather back panel, making it even a more premium looking device with a build quality that feels great in your hand.  And then there is that curved Edge on the right side of the display that simply looks so cool, yet adds functionality to the Note Edge.

The Samsung Galaxy Note Edge’s display was described by DisplayMate, as the best display they have ever tested.  It is 5.7-inch with a QHD resolution of 2560 x 1440 pixels and a whopping 524 PPI – however, it looks like DisplayMate maybe crowning a new champ with the 577 PPI display on the new Galaxy S6 Edge.  The Note Edge uses the go-to processor for the US – the excellent 32-bit Qualcomm Snapdragon 805 quad-core processor clocked at 2.7GHz.  However, for the new S6 Edge Samsung made a bold move to use their 64-bit Exynos octa-core processor and it seems to have paid off so far.  The Galaxy Note Edge packs 3GB of DDR3 RAM and 32GB of internal storage with a microSD card slot for expansion.  The new Galaxy S6 Edge uses a much faster 3GB of DDR4 RAM and a faster flash memory that they developed but offers no room for expansion beyond the 32GB/64GB/128GB models.

Its camera with a 16MP Sony sensor, Autofocus, LED Flash, ISOCELL technology, and added in OIS+ and Live HDR shooting are the basis for the Galaxy S6 Edge that builds on that by increasing the aperture to F1.9 for even better low light shots.  The FFC is a wide-angle 3.7MP sensor and lens for excellent group selfies and conference style video chats, but once again, the Galaxy S6 Edge ups the FFC to 5MP and adds a larger F1.9 aperture and Live HDR for better low-light selfies.  The 3000mAh battery will certainly last you all day and should you need to extend that time you can use Samsung’s UPSM and its Quick Charge 2.0 feature.

As far as additional features that the Galaxy Note Edge possesses over the Galaxy S6 Edge – the much-improved S-Pen with twice the sensitivity and increased mouse-like features.  It is currently running Android 4.4.4 KitKat, however, updates to 5.0 Lollipop are rolling out now.  The Note Edge is available on all major US networks and will cost you approximately $400 on a two-year contract and about $900 off-contract.

…And The Winner Is…

 

Summary

In this case, I am going with the Samsung Galaxy Note Edge as the winner of this comparison.  Both are expensive devices, so I am not letting the pricing be a factor in my decision.  I know that the Galaxy S6 Edge has a better processor and faster memory, but the Galaxy Note Edge works just fine in its environment.  The Galaxy Note Edge has the same amount of RAM and the same amount of internal storage, albeit slower, but it also has room for a microSD card for cheaply expanding that memory and it also retains the removable battery.

The Galaxy Note Edge has a larger curve with more functionality, and with its full metal frame and faux leather backing it has a great premium look and feel.  It would not be the Galaxy Note Edge if we did not mention the S-Pen and all of the options that it brings to the device – especially with the improvements Samsung has made in its design and usage.

When I compared the Galaxy S6 with the Galaxy Note 4, I choose the Galaxy S6 as the winner, discounting the importance of the S-Pen in that comparison.  However, when someone is willing to select the S6 Edge, it seems like innovative thinking wins out and the addition of the S-Pen is certainly an innovative idea that no other phablet has yet to match.  I am saying that if you enjoy the ‘edge’ feature than you would also enjoy the S-Pen and the features it offers.

Please hit us up on our Google+ Page and let us know your thoughts on these two devices…as always, we would love to hear from you.