I had a helluva time trying to get my hands on the latest Samsung Galaxy S6, but thanks to my luck and T-Mobile, my T-Mobile Galaxy S6 order arrived today. This is the latest flagship device from Samsung with 64-bit Octa-core processor, touted as the fastest smartphone in the world (as of this writing).
Upon opening the box, I did a feel test blind-eyed with the Galaxy S5 and the S6. The only real difference? Well, the Galaxy S6 has a complete glass back, which makes it feel like you are holding a smartphone with screen on both sides. While you lose the nice tactile feel of rubbery back on the S5, you gain a nice feel of glass with the S6. I still cannot get used to it but for some, this could be the ultimate game changer, especially those of you coming from iWhore products.
Of course, since the Galaxy S6 does not have a removable back cover nor battery like its predecessors, you would think it would come with fast-charging technology. And it does, just like the Note 4, the Galaxy S6 comes with a fast-charge adapter rated at 9 volts 1.67amps. In fact, this is the identical charger to the Note 4 so you can expect around 50% of charging in less than 30 minutes (probably faster than Note 4 as S6 has much smaller 2550mAh battery). I am still furious that Samsung decided to copy iPhone instead of sticking to their guns. One of the main reasons why I bought Galaxy phones in the past was due to its ability to expand with external micro-SD slot and have infinite battery life with removable battery. Now that advantage is gone forever and I seriously hope Sammy brings it back with Note 5 and S7.
Glass back? Yeah, it is pretty beautiful actually, it’s so smooth you could use it for other things like even chopping up garlic when you are camping. But definitely this glass will need a case for it and we are going to see our local phone repair shop getting more business/calls in the next few months from broken S6 back glass.
Software on the Galaxy S6 has really gotten good. I mean, while other manufacturers launch products with yesteryear Android versions, Samsung always launches with the latest Android OS. The Android 5.0.2 Lollipop runs super-fast, TouchWiz has really been refined, and no longer do you see all that lag you saw with earlier Galaxy S2, S3, and S4. Galaxy S5 last year was pretty good but Galaxy S6 software is definitely top-notch. Now there’s probably no need to run AOSP ROMs just because UI is slow. If you have not tried Galaxy S6 and you thought TouchWiz was slow, think again and try the S6.
Samsung has always been innovating on the battery side of things too. Galaxy S6 comes equipped with Ultra-power saving mode, which can literally make your 50% battery life go for a few days on black and white. This may be number one reason why Samsung decided customers didn’t need a removable battery. But I still don’t like it, it should be customers’ choice, not theirs.
I am so relieved they put wireless charging built-in. Since there’s no removable back cover, it’s going to be impossible to make a wireless charging Qi module for it. The wireless charging works well with any Qi-compatible wireless charger and worked fine with all of my Qi chargers at home.
For storage, Galaxy S6 gives you an option of 32, 64, or 128GB. I opted for the 32GB version since I hate paying extra for storage. One option you have with Samsung products in general is to use an OTG cable so you can use any of your USB flash drives for storage of large files or perhaps clear up your storage when it gets full. And Samsung is one of the only Android manufacturers who don’t require root to use OTG cable.
If I can say one thing about the Galaxy S6 that I really like? It certainly ain’t the glass back but the camera is simply amazing. The new Sony 16MP camera is capable of 4K UHD videos along with 1080P 60Fps. That’s a new high standard for a smartphone. Aside from high-quality video capabilities, the Galaxy S6 also comes with the widest front camera lens I have ever seen. It is super-wide and takes much clearer/better photos than its predecessors.
Wait, there’s more! The Galaxy S6 now offers “Pro” mode, which allows you to easily adjust the exposure, ISO, white balance, and other parameters. If you don’t like lugging your DSLR with you everywhere but you need to take great photos just the way you want it, Galaxy S6 camera could be the answer.
Another cool feature is the tracking auto-focus. This basically can track any object/face/human while you take a photo or video. While auto-focus works well in most situations, if you are recording a video that requires you to follow a moving subject, the tracking auto-focus may help greatly.
For now, I am still holding my grudge to Samsung for removing its core features but overall, Galaxy S6 is definitely at least twice better than the Galaxy S5 from last year. Should you buy one? Sure, if it’s time to upgrade and you like shiny phones that feel like glass or you want a beastly smartphone with the fastest processor and best camera, this is definitely the phone for you. I should have a full review soon but in the meanwhile, enjoy my test videos.
Galaxy S6 4K UHD Test at Golden Gate Bridge:
Galaxy S6 4K UHD Test in Low-light:
Galaxy S6 1080P 60Fps Video Test 1:
Galaxy S6 1080P 60Fps Video Test 2:
Galaxy S6 1440P Front Camera Test 1:
Galaxy S6 1440P Front Camera Test 2:
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