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Samsung Galaxy S6 review

8.5/10 AVG.
RATING
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Samsung Galaxy S6
Samsung Galaxy S6
Samsung Galaxy S6
Samsung Galaxy S6
Samsung Galaxy S6
Samsung Galaxy S6
Samsung Galaxy S6
Samsung Galaxy S6
Samsung Galaxy S6
...


8.5/10
Informr score
The Samsung Galaxy S6 currently has an Informr score of 8.5 out of 10. This score is based on our evaluation of 57 sources including reviews from users and the web's most trusted critics.

What's good

  • Performance
  • Display quality
  • Camera
  • Design
  • Wireless charging
  • Android 5.0 Lollipop

What's bad

  • No microSD support
  • Non-removable battery
  • Price

It’s time for another round of flagship upgrades from the big names in mobile devices. With the Galaxy S6, Samsung has finally made some recognizable changes to the familiar Galaxy S formula that users have either loved or hated. Will the S6 help Samsung claim the best phone of 2015? Let’s see what the initial reviews are saying!

One of the first things mentioned in many reviews of this new flagship device is the switch to a metal chassis design with Gorilla glass on the front and rear. At a thin 6.8mm thick, the phone appears to fix one of the biggest problems that many had with the design of the S5. Many reviews compare the design and sturdiness to the iPhone, with Trusted Reviews noting, “The fine detail on the S6 is on another level.” Forbes declared that it “makes some great gains in terms of style.”

Unfortunately, this upgraded design comes with a few drawbacks and two of the most criticized changes to the phone compared to previous models. To create a unibody design, Samsung decided to remove microSD card support and go with a non-removable battery pack. However, to help account for this, they have upgraded the storage of the base model to 32GB, with 64 and 128GB models available as well. The phone also supports both Qi and PWM wireless charging as well, a feature that Samsung is touting heavily about the new handset. They claim that with a single 10-minute charge you can pull more than 4 hours of battery life out of the phone.

Fortunately, this is virtually the only potential issue that reviews had with the S6. All reviews were positive for the phone’s 5.1-inch Quad HD Super AMOLED display. Running at a resolution of 1440-by-2560 pixels, it packs in more than enough pixels for watching a movie on the plane or checking email. Trusted Reviews put the display through its paced and found that it “impresses with the brightness of its colours and outstanding contrast evident in videos and photos.”

Pushing all those pixels is a Samsung-exclusive octa-core Exynos processor with speeds up to 2.1GHz and 3GB of RAM. Samsung claims that the processor offers a 35-percent increase in efficiency while boosting performance as well. This is good news if you’re worried about the non-removable battery. Overall, performance appears stellar in most reviews. Engadget tried to find a hiccup in the device and failed, stating, “Thumbing through webpages, jumping in and out of open apps with the manic frenzy of a rabid squirrel and generally just trying to be a jerk didn't phase the S6 or S6 edge in the slightest.”

The S6 also runs Android 5.0 Lollipop with the latest version of Samsung’s TouchWiz UI. While reviews of past versions of TouchWiz were often less than great, Engadget, Trusted Reviews and Forbes all noted how much they liked the latest edition of Samsung’s interface. Most reviews found that it is less cluttered and more streamlined than previous versions, fixing many of the issues that reviewers and users had with it. The Verge noted, “Samsung also trimmed back the software features, claiming that there are 40 percent fewer features in the Galaxy S6 than the S5. Overall, the software feels largely the same as before, however.”

Lastly, if you like to snap photos and post selfies with your phone, reviews indicate that you’ll be more than pleased with the camera on the Galaxy S6. Boasting a 16MP rear-facing camera and optical image stabilization, reviews were surprised as just how fast the camera launched and captured shots. Both the front- and rear-facing cameras see upgrades to f/1.9 lenses and optimized software from Samsung. One of the biggest claims from Samsung is low-light performance and according to Trusted Reviews, the handset delivers, stating, “the low-light features blow the competition out of the water.”

Overall, reviews indicated that the S6 is one of the most refined Android devices to date. While die-hard fans of removable batteries and expandable storage might be disappointed, there are plenty of other reasons to love the phone. From wireless charging to LTE Cat 6 support, the phone offers plenty of cutting edge bells and whistles to keep even the most tech-savvy gadget lover happy.


Android
Operating system
Operating system
Android
2.1 GHz
Processor
Processor
2.1 GHz
5.1"
Screen Size
Screen Size
5.1"
16+ MP
Camera
Camera
16+ MP
2550 mAh
Battery


What the Critics Are Saying...


Expert Reviews
Expert Reviews

There's no doubting that the S6 is a much better phone, both in terms of features and build quality than the original S5. If you're not bothered about the curve and want to save money, the Galaxy S6 is still one of the best Android phones you can buy today.

- David Ludlow, Expert Reviews
Gadgets 360
Gadgets 360

We mostly approve of Samsung's new direction. The company has clearly identified why the Galaxy S5 didn't look so great against its competitors, and has taken steps to rectify every problem. The Galaxy S6 is perfectly in line with what we expect a 2015 flagship phone to be. It isn't perfect, but the...

- Jamshed Avari, Gadgets 360
About
About

With the Galaxy S6, Samsung has given its customers exactly what they wanted, albeit sacrificing a few of its major selling points in the process. Samsung’s latest flagship is nothing like what I have ever seen from the company in the past, it has given the Galaxy brand the long-awaited reboot...

- Faryaab Sheikh, About
PC Magazine
PC Magazine

Five months after its release, the Samsung Galaxy S6 remains the best Android smartphone we've seen this year. The S6 has a revamped design that incorporates a premium glass-and-metal build, a gorgeous display, an improved camera, and a blazing-fast processor—making it one of the best-looking...

- Ajay Kumar, PC Magazine
AndroidPIT
AndroidPIT

The Galaxy S6 is clearly a new lease on life for the Galaxy S line, with significant changes made to the design and TouchWiz UI, and I can safely say that it has been for the better. While Samsung decided to kill off two of its most defining characteristics – the removable battery and mic...

- Camila Rinaldi, AndroidPIT


Prices (Where to Buy)




Common Questions


We've got you covered! Download a free PDF copy of the Samsung Galaxy S6 user manual here.


Samsung backs up the Galaxy S6 with a 2 Years parts & labour warranty.


If your Galaxy S6 has problems and is still within its warranty period, you could contact Samsung support or the retailer you purchased the phone from. You'll find Samsung's contact information here. If your phone is off warranty and needs repair for a physical problem such as a broken screen or bad battery, you should visit an authorized service centre or a local phone repair shop. You can also connect with others in The Informr Community Forum to find and share answers to questions.




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Quick view

Screen Size
5.1"

The Samsung Galaxy S6's screen size is 5.1 inches with 1440 x 2560 pixels resolution.

Processor
2.1 GHz

There is a Samsung Exynos 7420 Octa core 2.1 GHz processor (CPU).

OS

The phone runs on the Android 5.0 Lollipop (Update Available: 7.0 Nougat) operating system (OS).

Camera
16+ MP

You can take photos with the phone's onboard 16+ MP camera.

There is also a secondary front facing camera with 5+ megapixels resolution.

Storage
32/64/128 GB

Internal memory is 32/64/128 GB. No external card slot is available for expansion.

Battery
2550mAh

The phone is powered by a Lithium-Ion (Li-Ion), 2550 mAh battery. Samsung's performance ratings are 1380 minutes, 720 minutes Wi-Fi surfing.

Galaxy S6 Specs

Overview
Release Date April 10, 2015
Regions Available USA, Canada, United Kingdom
Operating System Android 5.0 Lollipop (Update Available: 7.0 Nougat)

Compare Android Smartphones

Processor Samsung Exynos 7420 Octa core 2.1 GHz
Internal Storage 32/64/128 GB
RAM 3 GB
Hearing Aid Compatible Yes
TTY/TDD Yes
Noise Cancellation Yes
SAR Head: 1.58 W/kg
Body: 1.45 W/kg
Manufacturer Warranty 2 Years
Accessories Included AC Charger, Manual
Cellular
Networks
GPRS, EDGE, HSUPA, HSPA+, LTE
Mobile / Cellular Data
4G/LTE
Push-to-talk (PTT) No
Wi-Fi Calling Yes
Voice over LTE (VoLTE) Yes
SIM card size
Nano-SIM
Dual SIM No
Connectivity
USB Micro-USB 2.0
USB OTG Support No
GPS Type A-GPS
Infrared Yes
Bluetooth 4.1
Bluetooth Profiles A2DP, AVRCP, OPP/FTP, HFP, HSP
Bluetooth Audio Codecs SBC, aptX
Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n
Mobile Hotspot Yes
Memory Expansion Slot No
NFC Yes
Data Tethering Compatibility Yes
Camera
Main Camera
Resolution / Aperture
16+ Megapixels
Zoom
Yes
Flash
Yes (LED)
Additional Rear Camera Info
Auto focus, Effects, Face detection, Geotagging, ISO, Multi-shot, Panorama, Self-timer, HDR
Video Recording Formats
3GP / 3GPP, 3G2 / 3GPP2, H.264 / AVC, MPEG-4, WMV, ASF, FLV, AVI
Video Recording Parameters
Front Camera
Resolution / Aperture
5+ Megapixels
Additional Front Camera Info
No
Video Recording Parameters
Display / Screen
Type Color
Technology Super AMOLED
Colors 16.7 million
Resolution 1440 x 2560 pixels
Pixel Density 577 pixels
Size 5.1 inches
Secondary Display No
Sensors Ambient Light, Proximity, Motion / Accelerometer, Gyroscope, Digital Compass
Multi-Touch Yes
Fingerprint-Resistant Coating No
Additional Display Features Capacitive touch screen, Corning Gorilla Glass 4
Power & Battery
Battery Type Lithium-Ion (Li-Ion)
Battery Capacity 2550 mAh
Removable Battery No
Wireless Charging Yes
Fast Charging No
Video Playback Time Up to 780 minutes
Internet Use (Wi-Fi) Up to 720 minutes
Internet Use (Cellular) Up to 720 minutes
Talk Time Up to 1380 minutes
Standby Time Up to 13 days
Mixed Usage
Physical Characteristics
Design Type Bar
Material Aluminium
Colors White Pearl, Black Sapphire, Gold Platinum, Blue Topaz
Dimensions [H x W x D] 14.3 x 7 x 0.7 cm (5.6 x 2.8 x 0.3 in)
Weight 138 grams
Water Resistant / Waterproof Unknown
Rugged design No
IP Rating No
Headset Jack 3.5mm
External Speakers Yes
Input / Navigation
Sleep / Wake Key Yes
Home Key Yes
Input / Keyboard Type Touchscreen
Navigation Type Touchscreen
External Volume Control Yes
Fingerprint Sensor Yes
More
Additional Information Other Names (AKA):

Also available in a dual-SIM model.

Additional Sensors
- Barometer

Additional Features
- Ultra Power Saving Mode
- Download Booster
- S Health 4.0
- Quick Connect
- Private Mode

Related Links Manual (PDF)
Samsung Galaxy S6 Reviews
Where to buy Samsung Galaxy S6
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