Evaluation Part I: Introduction to Real Machine
Key point one: new
New hardware, new flagship, but for Samsung, which is eager to return to the peak through a product, these are actually not enough. Therefore, in this year's Samsung S6 series, we have seen a brand-new model (double-sided glass+double-sided curved surface), a brand-new material (glass+metal middle frame), a brand-new upgraded fingerprint recognition (recognition rate is greatly improved), and an industry-leading 14nm process chip.
▲ No matter how experienced, the double-sided surface can provide a brand-new visual impression.
At the same time, "no contrast, no gap", perhaps after the official appearance of HTC M9, people are willing to leave more praise to S6 edge. So when all these reasons come together, the words "beautiful, thin, advanced and technological" naturally come out after the author got Samsung S6 edge. This may also be a major factor for Samsung S6 to be well received in the media.
After getting the real machine, the white glass and metal frame together create an elegant visual effect like a promotional picture; Whether it is a double-sided curved surface screen or a glass backboard with rounded corners on the back, it gives people a very round visual impression. The flagship of the year, innovative shape, so this phone is nothing more than.
Key point 2: hyperboloid visual effect is good+one-handed operation is ok.
In the process of playing seriously, although I have seen one side of Note4 Edge, the symmetrical beauty brought by two sides is much better than that of Note4 Edge. At the same time, due to the visual extension effect, the concept of mobile phone frame has also been weakened. With curved lines and silver borders, Samsung S6 edge is absolutely excellent in vision.
▲ Metal is an area that Samsung has not been involved in before.
In addition, due to the curved surface screen design, although the screen is 5. 1 inch, the size of the whole machine is consistent with the mainstream five-inch screen mobile phone, and there is no problem with one-handed operation. But after getting started, the left and right sides do not "cooperate smoothly." After opening the WiFi of more than a dozen applications, the version on the mobile phone is obviously "burned", which seems to be the focus of our next evaluation.
Two weeks after the start:
Key point one: the choice of feel and safety
The fuselage thickness is 7mm, the grip of the whole machine is similar to that of the 5-inch model, and the shape of double-sided glass. It stands to reason that Samsung S6 edge is different, and it should be that the grip problem is too big. However, in the experience in the next few days, behind the exquisite Samsung S6 edge, there are actually some "helplessness" in design, and the first thing is the frame part.
▲ Effectively protect the screen, but it feels slightly lacking.
In fact, Samsung has no problem in controlling the metal frame process, which is very telling because of the round touch of Samsung S6. However, due to the design of Samsung S6 edge curved surface screen, Samsung had to make a more prominent protection design on the metal frame, and the overall metal ring was higher than the glass surface. I have to explain the reasons and feelings of the beginning.
▲ The front of the glass is exposed and protruding. Although it is thickened, it is still easy to break.
It's a pity because we have to start from scratch. The glass panel protrudes without frame support. This design was first seen in borderless mobile phones, and the more famous one is Sharp SH305. After the launch of this product, the unified problem is that "the mobile phone will break the screen when it falls" (Sharp adopts a new crystal display technology, crystal glass touch panel, the thickness and resistance are increased compared with ordinary screens), which is also the same problem that Samsung has to face after the curved surface protrudes from the border.
So if you look closely, the four corners of the front of Samsung S6 edge are higher than the glass surface, which greatly reduces the possibility of the glass directly bearing the collision. But the two bumps on the left and right lower sides will definitely make you feel bad when holding it. Of course, in fact, many brands will provide extra screen breakage insurance at present, but because the Super AMOLED inner screen is more fragile than IPS, once the screen is broken, the maintenance cost is actually higher. These are the practical problems that Samsung has to consider in the border design.
Key point two: thicker may feel better.
As early as when the mobile phone was just released, in fact, the author had a feeling of deja vu about Samsung S6 edge, such as this one. However, when you adjust the lens angle, you will be particularly embarrassed to find that the most comfortable arc is moved to the front by Samsung. Even more embarrassing, Bian Xiao often holds the screen in his hand as a back shell. As for the reason, of course, it is "it feels good." Therefore, the author can't help but feel that the S6 edge with bilateral radians seems to be better, but Samsung is not so early. In fact, it also has its own reasons.
▲ The radians of the two mobile phones are similar.
▲ But ... the familiar back curvature has become Samsung's screen.
For Samsung S6 edge, the front panel is prominent and the back panel is also prominent, so the overall anti-fall ability of the mobile phone will inevitably decline again; At the same time, due to the small tolerance of glass material, the yield of glass made by radian will also decrease, so the machine can be called a breakthrough in appearance, but the details may still be "better looking and more comfortable"; It is also a more stable and safe multiple-choice question. "
▲ The back is thicker, you can make some radians, and you can put a stepped battery with larger capacity.
Of course, such a choice is still a matter of opinion. However, for the author, if the back is curved, the fuselage can be placed with a stepped battery, which has a larger battery capacity, which can increase heat dissipation and enhance the feel; On the contrary, it is a more stable shape, which is undoubtedly more practical for users who often slide their mobile phones.
More interestingly, foreign media have released the drop tests of Samsung S6 edge and iPhone 6. Due to the slight bulge of the frame and the ingenious design of the center of gravity, the S6 edge, which looks more fragile, actually has obvious advantages in the test. In the test, the iPhone 6 screen that fell face down from 5 meters has been completely scrapped, while the S6 edge has only some slight textures.
So the question once again returned to the previous proposition "How to balance the curved glass and the fuselage against falling". In fact, Samsung has indeed achieved a balance between the two. But more radical considerations, in fact, in terms of appearance, control, and even battery life, Samsung S6 edge can be improved.
Focus 3: Lens protrusion and wear
First of all, although the highlight of the lens has changed from the iPhone 6 to the slot of Samsung S6 edge, compared with the current photo effect of Samsung S6 edge, it is actually acceptable. On the contrary, it is unwise and beyond reproach to sacrifice the photo quality for the so-called flat lens.
▲ The lens retaining ring is obviously worn.
However, after getting the real machine, it can be clearly seen that the protective ring of Samsung S6 edge lens has been painted. As the fulcrum of the whole back, the metal ring of the fuselage has faded after only a few weeks of use. Although normal use will inevitably lead to wear and tear, it is not an exaggeration to say that the paint is falling off so quickly.
To sum up, Samsung S6 edge not only realizes the appearance innovation, but also takes into account the quality assurance; It's just that the treatment on the back of the fuselage seems a bit conservative. At the same time, although the projection of the lens has greatly improved the photographing effect of the fuselage, there is still some lack of consideration for the wear and tear in daily use. Overall, the shape design of S6 edge is innovative, excellent and stable.
Point 1: Visual exploration on the surface.
As mentioned earlier, hyperboloid technology has brought completely different visual effects to S6 edge under the information screen. But whether adding two screens out of thin air can bring some practical functions and what the actual experience is, we still have to talk slowly.
▲ News sources have not been well expanded since Note4 Edge.
The first thing to say is that the information is displayed in the non-unlocked interface, and the scrolling screen can be activated by sliding on the surface once in the locked state. In addition to folding the weather date and application notification on the second screen above, you can also add news source and message push on the screen. However, there are not many customized push source files at present, which is a pity.
▲ Cooler and more diverse, but more difficult to implement and operate.
In addition, in fact, the technology of not waking up the phone for local preview has also been realized in Moto series before. The main principle is to wake up the sensing device at any time through co-processing, and then use Super AMOLED local display to complete it. Among them, Super AMOLED is exclusively produced by Samsung, which shows that the power consumption is extremely low under the all-black background, which is naturally unique to Samsung; At the same time, using the side screen display is indeed cooler and richer than displaying information in the middle of the screen by Moto.
But I want to say that it is not very practical to wake up the screen by sliding back and forth. In daily experience, sliding the side of the mobile phone on the desktop will inevitably move the original position of the desktop; Because the recognition sliding area is relatively small, the displacement of this kind of mobile phone increases the difficulty of operation, such as in the video above.
Similarly, using the side of the curved screen, you can also set the quick outgoing call of common contacts and set the color to distinguish them. When the phone is upside down, the side screen will also display colors. In this way, on the one hand, the mobile phone can also check the phone, on the other hand, it can judge who is calling in advance by color. At the same time, a simple flip can complete the mute function.
▲ The shortcut bar on the side has a good visual effect.
At night, you can also set your mobile phone as a clock and display the time locally. The pro-test shows that the power consumption of the mobile phone is about 10% all night, which is about 5% of the normal battery life, and the screen power consumption is not large.
Point 2: What is the practical significance of curved screen?
So it's not hard to see that although Samsung explored the curved screen in S6 edge, it didn't actually satisfy many functions. Except for the double-sided curved surface, the visual effect is better, and the left and right handedness modes can be set alternately, in other cases, the single-sided curved screen is completely abandoned.
▲ Back, home button, background, setting and sliding to adjust the volume. If these are all adjusted at will through the sidebar.
In short, hyperboloid is called a revolutionary product because it can solve the pain points in application. For example, if the left and right sides are replaced by screens, there are two more display areas visually, but in practice, there are two more touch layers. Compared with physical buttons, the actions completed by the touch layer are undoubtedly more diverse. For example, you can customize gesture sliding instead of returning, Home, and multitasking; You can also search the position of your finger pressing the phone through the screen to determine the most convenient control area of your thumb to adjust the display content; You can also add other shortcut gestures instead of volume unlocking. In this way, the chin of the mobile phone can also be cancelled.
In short, with the addition of coprocessor, what can be achieved through the curved screen far exceeds what can be achieved by S6 edge today. If the curved screen+coprocessor is a treasure chest, then Samsung has only found a golden key at present. And if you want to know what the curved screen can do, you can click the link here. We have a special curved screen function. Click to view details.
Focus 3: the outbreak of coprocessor
Interestingly, the fuselage sensor, which has received widespread attention before, provides some practical functions. For example, sliding on the top of the screen to light up the screen of the mobile phone can easily light up the screen to check the time and notice through the sensor of the front lens. Function points are similar to the local display of curved screens. Although there are not many contents displayed, the advantage lies in the quick operation. In contrast, Moto X, which can also start the screen with gestures, placed four sensors on the front. At this point, Samsung's efforts in sensors for many years have shown its advantages.
Point 4: Do subtraction on the system.
Finally, back to the system itself, this time Samsung has adopted the idea of system subtraction as a whole, which may be a boon for users who are watching Samsung's setting menu become more and more complicated. Of course, the overall "slimming" is a matter of course for a mature system. The most intuitive feedback is that the mobile phone has only one and a half screens, and the setting options of the mobile phone are much fresher than in the past. However, the system itself relies on sensors and algorithms to carry out a large number of "humanized functions", and its own memory occupation is still serious. The total available RAM of the mobile phone is 2.6 GB, and only 0.8GB may be left for users.
▲ Samsung's new system still does not have 3 GB of RAM.
Therefore, in this part of the system, the performance of Samsung S6 edge surface does not seem to score high. Aside from our subjective YY function, hyperboloid still only provides higher value for this product; On the contrary, the coprocessor operation that was previously spit out in turn provided many simple operations for the mobile phone. At the same time, the simplification of the system from vision to function is not only more worry-free, but also in line with the mainstream aesthetics, so I won't go into details here.
Although it took four years for Android phones to go from single core to eight nuclear, the battery capacity has been stagnant these days. In the end, the capacity of most mobile phones was increased to 3000mAh, but this time Samsung compressed the power to 2600mAh for a "thin" word. Fortunately, the CPU is 14 nm architecture, which theoretically reduces energy consumption. Therefore, in today's chip performance surplus, we leave more room for fever and battery life in the experience.
Say an endorsement parameter first, and then a popular science. Samsung S6 edge adopts 14nm FinFET technology, Exynos 7420 processor and A57+A53 big. Small building. 14nm, as a symbol used by mobile phone chip manufacturers, refers to the distance between components. The smaller the distance between components, the lower the mutual capacitance, the higher the switching frequency and the lower the dynamic power consumption. Finally, the performance of Exynos 7420 is improved by 20%, the power consumption is reduced by 35% and the production efficiency is improved by 30% compared with 20nm HKMG chip.
▲FinFET process and the best process combination of current 14nm level.
As for the final performance of this chip on S6 edge, we have described it in detail in the previous special test. Interested parties can click on the link directly to view the details. What we are talking about today is endurance and fever.
▲WiFi informs that there is a local high fever in the download status.
Let's start with a fever. Of course, the first thing for mobile phones to start working is networking and downloading applications in batches. Basically, due to the high-speed transmission of WiFi data, the operation of CPU and the reading and writing of RAM and ROM, most mobile phones will have a process of temperature rising at this stage, and S6 edge is no exception. The measured temperature of the lens is 40 degrees. On the one hand, the temperature is really not hot, on the other hand, the mobile phone is basically not in this position, so the performance of S6 edge in this link is quite good.
▲ The temperature of the whole machine is rising, but it is still within the acceptable range.
Then go further, that is, the limit test. In this link, we chose the high-calorie combination of "continuous charging+full running". Surprisingly, under this extreme condition, the temperature of Samsung S6 edge is still around 40 degrees. It seems that the low power consumption and low heat generation effect of 14nm is still obvious.
As soon as the battery value of 2600mAh is announced, users who care about battery life may be disappointed. Although Exynos 7420' s 14nm FinFET is at the highest level in energy efficiency, the low-voltage memory of LPDDR4 1. 1V also saves some power. But as a whole composed of motherboard, chip, communication module and screen, the reduction of local energy consumption does not mean that the overall effect can be well controlled. ?
▲ Whether it is 14nm FinFET or LPDDR4 with high efficiency and low power consumption, it is the shutdown of S6 edge.
In the actual test, the endurance performance of Samsung S6 edge actually fluctuates, because when I first started this mobile phone, the subway was beating around, and 10% of the power actually dropped in half an hour; After the power saving mode is turned on, the energy consumption of the whole machine returns to normal. At the same time, the situation of switching back to normal mode the next day never happened again, so battery life has become a concern for the author when he first used it.
Because of the long use time, the author uses the method of calculating the average several times to measure the final data. According to the calculation, mobile phones consume about 12% for reading e-books, 20% for Weibo and web browsing, 9% for music and video, and 30% for playing games. Therefore, it is not difficult to infer that the battery life of this mobile phone is at the "mid-range level", at least in the current products, the battery life is not excellent.
▲ Fast charging may be faster for the original charging head.
However, it should also be noted that Samsung also supports fast charging, claiming that charging 10 minutes can last for 4 hours. When using the standard 5V- 1.2A charging head, it can charge 20% of electric energy every ten minutes on average, and it takes about 80 minutes to fully charge. Although it seems that the charging speed is considerable, considering that the battery of the fuselage is not large, this data is not so amazing. However, considering that the charging head does not match Samsung, this data is still retained.
Therefore, the endurance and fever of Samsung S6 edge are not difficult to define. In terms of power consumption and heat generation, relying on the leading technologies of 14nm FinFET and LPDDR4, Samsung undoubtedly belongs to the category of superior temperature control and performance in the flagship of the same level. Compared with Qualcomm 8 10, Samsung S6 edge is still in the shadow of fever, which is undoubtedly more reassuring; In terms of battery life, although Samsung strives to save energy on the chip, the overall hardware stack still makes battery life less ideal in theory. The battery capacity of 2600mAh provides Samsung with moderate endurance, which may be the only one on this flagship device. A short board.
These days, we have seen a lot of tests and reports about Samsung S6 series' camera effect surpassing that of iPhone 6P, and we also made a special comparison before. So here we are, just putting some samples. For more detailed photo interpretation, please click to view details.
Evaluation summary: Maybe "good" or "bad" can be decided by visual publicity, but the more specific question of "use or not" is positively related to the "good or not" of mobile phones. After this sentence in the code, my first thought is HTC M8. As a product that looks "chubby", M8 gives people the feeling that it is extremely light and fit. On the other hand, S6 edge is of high quality in all aspects, but after a period of time, it can still reflect the problems exposed after the initial design of the product is completed. This is the inevitable result of "bold innovation".
Therefore, in terms of appearance, the S6 edge is beautiful enough and safe enough, but the label of "not fit" of the whole machine may be slowly printed in your mind after you have been operating for a long time. So at the end of the evaluation period, when the author takes out the pile of evaluation machines in the drawer again, I will be very entangled in "continuing to use this most perfect flagship at present or choosing a more suitable one". This may be the difference between "experience" and "evaluation"
Of course, despite the need for more detailed feel and product feedback, Samsung's own technical capital can be seen on the first hyperboloid device. The brand-new appearance has the advantages of anti-fall beauty and material requirements. Relying on display technology, the concept of curved screen is popularized. On the camera with the most exquisite capability of the manufacturer, Samsung S6 edge really regained face for the Android device lost for many years. So S6 edge is the highest technical representative of the Android camp today, but it is also deserved. And if you are a flagship handle and a user who keeps up with fashion, trends and loves to play games, then S6 edge is the best choice.