The 5.7-inch Edge+ isn’t just a larger version of April’s 5.1-inch Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge, but it’s close. A tiny upgrade over the smaller model, the Edge+ - whose screen also curves over on both sides - adds a shortcut menu to the edge screen for quickly opening apps, in addition to the existing menu for contacting your favorite people.
Otherwise, the Edge+ shares hardware guts with the Samsung Galaxy Note 5, including a strong 16-megapixel camera, 4GB of RAM and an octa-core processor of Samsung’s own design(that means it has eight computing chips for completing tasks). Like its brethren, the Note 5, S6 and S6 Edge, the Edge+ shows off a snazzy metal-and-glass construction and loses the removable battery and microSD card slot for add-on data storage - two points of pride for Samsung prior to its design turnabout in 2015.
The S6 Edge+’s presence in Samsung’s smartphone quiver is significant because it capitalizes on demand for Samsung’s smaller S6 Edge, this time in a larger footprint. Samsung is rapidly pulling ahead of LG in creating curved-screen phones that stand out among typical, blocky rectangular smart phone slabs. For Samsung, the Edge line represents its innovation in creating consumer choice. However, the Edge+ marks the fourth similarly appointed handset released in four months, which could confuse shoppers and dilute the sales of any single Samsung device - a real problem Samsung faces amid an ongoing sales slide.
Besides its snazzier design, though, the Edge+ lacks the Note 5’s signature stylus. That leaves potential buyers having to choose between the Edge+’s inviting curves or the Note 5’s scribble-friendly practicality. Maybe next year Samsung can bring those two aspects together into one do-it-all design.
Nevertheless, the Edge+ is a seriously cool-looking phone that belongs in the canon of top smartphones despite its staggering price(see below). Serious buyers who crave those waterfall sides will be rewarded with a large, bright screen unlike most others. For everyone else, there are plenty of other good, large-screen phones out there that you can buy for a lot less.