Samsung Galaxy Note Edge review

The Samsung Galaxy Note Edge falls into a bit of a no mans land in the mobile market.

It's got a lot of power, a decent screen and a range of features, but the Galaxy Note 4 does pretty much everything the Edge does, just better. It's therefore difficult to see where the Galaxy Note Edge would fit into someone's buying cycle.

We liked

Samsung's Super AMOLED displays have always been impressive and the 5.6-inch, QHD offering on the Note Edge is no different, providing an excellent base for games, movies and general larking about.

There's plenty of power on board to deal with pretty much everything, although high intensity games may prove a bit of a stumbling block, and the rear facing camera is certainly capable of taking excellent shots.

The curved second screen isn't a necessity in everyday life, but I did find myself using it quite often just because it's there, sitting under your thumb most of the time.

It's a feature I can easily live without, but it's a nice touch and if the rumours suggesting the Galaxy S6 will have this curved screen on either side turn out to be true then I'll be all for that.

We disliked

Samsung keeps banging the S Pen drum, but I'm still not fully behind the glorified stylus - I find myself using it very infrequently, and when I do I can usually perform the task quicker with my finger.

Battery life on the Galaxy Note Edge was also disappointing - it appears the second screen is a bit of a power drain and you'll be dashing to the charger every night.

The price is also pretty eye watering - the Galaxy Note Edge is one of the most expensive smartphones on the market, up there with the Note 4 and iPhone 6 Plus.

It doesn't quite hit the heights of its Note rival, while the supersized iPhone will gobble up all the iOS users looking for a larger screen.

Verdict

The Samsung Galaxy Note Edge is a sign of things to come. There are several rumours pointing towards a similar curved screen set up on the Galaxy S6, but like the Galaxy Alpha testing out the firm's next metal frame, the Edge looks to be a proof of concept rather than a fully fledged device in its own right.

The fact it sports near identical specs to the Note 4 shows Samsung was just keen on getting that second display working, and while it's done a commendable job in implementing the new technology, in its current form it's still a little half baked and overpriced.

It's unlikely that many people you know will pick up an Edge, so if you really want to stand out from the crowd than this is a good option - just make sure you're near a charger each night.

First reviewed: November 2014