EDitors' note: This review has been updated to include information about Samsung's newest Galaxy models, the S7 and S7 Edge, which were introduced at Mobile World Congress in March 2016. It also contains updated information about the Note 5,S6 Edge+, Apple's iPhone 6S and 6S Plus, and the February 2016 release of Android Marshmallow 6.0.
Upon its release in the spring of 2015, the Galaxy S6 marked a new start for Samsung. Gone was the utilitarian plastic build of every Galaxy S past; in its place, glass and aluminum alloy, and a new double curve-screen sibling, the Galaxy S6 Edge. Anointed by CNET as the "first great smartphone of 2015," the Galaxy S6 offers attractive aesthetics, first class components, and a few features (like wireless charging support) that cannot be found on any iPhone. Despite its few limitations -- it does not support microSD storage or battery swapping (and nor do the iPhones) -- the S6 earned an Editors' Choice and remains among the best smartphones on the market.
Since then, Samsung has introduced a newer version of the flagship Galaxy at Mobile World Congress in March 2016 in Barcelona. New and notable features of the the Galaxy S7 include a 5.1-inch screen with 2,560x1,440-pixel resolution; a 12-megapixel camera, water resistance; a Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 processor; a 3,000 mAh battery; and a microSD slot, a significant omission from the S6, as mentioned above.
And Apple introduced the iPhone 6S and 6S Plus with upgrades that are more incremental than revolutionary, but which only further cement the venerable smartphone's position as the standard-bearer in the market.
Also, in August 2015, Samsung debuted the relatively pricey Galaxy Note 5, which features a larger, 5.7-inch screen and a stylus that can be used to write, draw, navigate and type. Though it's a great phone, the S6 Edge+ is a relatively minor upgrade to the S6 Edge, especially given its lofty price point.
Bottom line: the Galaxy S6 and S6 Edge remain affordable, competent, full-featured Samsung phones and represent the best value in the lineup. Learn more about which of them is right for you by reading CNET's in-depth comparison of the Samsung Galaxy S6, S6 Edge, Note 5, and S6 Edge+.
Editors' note: What follows is the original review of the Samsung Galaxy S6, which was updated regularly after its publication on March 26. In April 2015, CNET designated the Galaxy S6 an Editors' Choice Award winner.
The Galaxy S6 leaves much of its Galaxy S5 DNA behind. Perhaps even more shocking than this materials about-face are the decisions to seal in the battery and leave out a microSD card slot, both choices made in service to staying slim. These are commonplace omissions in the smartphone sphere, but Samsung has been a die-hard defendant of both the removable battery and the extra storage option, until now. It's a move that makes a difference, too, at least on the power front. The S6's ticker ran down faster than last year's S5 did on a single charge.
In many ways, Samsung had no choice but to adopt this svelte, metal chassis and a pared-down, less "bloated" variation of Android 5.0 Lollipop. (Note that in February 2016 Samsung begun to roll outAndroid 6.01 Marshmallow to the Galaxy S6, bringing with it a number of new features including Google Now on Tap, "doze" mode for automatic extended battery life, support for Android Pay and more.) These moves silence customer complaints about the Galaxy S5's (and the S4's and S3's) plasticky build, while also girding Samsung against staggering iPhone profits and an army of decent low-cost rivals from Lenovo, Xiaomi and Huawei.
Luckily for Samsung, the S6 is good enough to win back straying fans while also surpassing the all-metal HTC One M9 in extra features, battery life and camera quality.
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On top of that, Samsung's S6 follows Apple's mobile payments lead with Samsung Pay, and takes a chance on its sturdy and home-made Exynos processor (versus the Qualcomm Snapdragon 810 that will be found in most of its high-end Android rivals). The S6 also bakes in wireless charging support and compatibility with a new version of the Gear VR virtual-reality accessory -- two features you won't find on any iPhone.
Does the new phone have enough in the way of looks and specs to reverse Samsung's sagging smartphone sales? Without a doubt. Samsung continues to build on its camera strengths while also offering interesting extras its Android rivals don't have. The only real danger is in longtime fans of microSD cards and removable batteries punishing Samsung by finding vendors that do. Samsung's
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