Samsung’s Galaxy Note5 and Galaxy S6 Edge+ Are Two Big, Beautiful Handsets

Samsung’s Galaxy Note 5 and Galaxy S6 Edge+ Are Two Big, Beautiful Handsets

Big and beautiful — that’s the best way to describe Samsung’s new Galaxy Note5 and Galaxy S6 Edge+ smartphones.

Unveiled Thursday, the handsets pack gorgeous displays, sharp cameras, and a new mobile payment system that lets you pay for items at nearly any store that accepts credit cards.

I spent a short amount of time with both phones prior to their launch, and was impressed with what I saw.

Looks and screens

No, you’re not seeing double — those are definitely two different phones you’re seeing below. I certainly can’t blame you for thinking they’re the same handset, though, considering how similar the Note5 and S6 Edge+ look.

Both phones come wrapped in metal frames that make them look like enlarged versions of the Samsung’s Galaxy S6 and S6 Edge. In fact, the S6 Edge+ is exactly that.

That’s not necessarily a bad thing either, as the S6 and S6 Edge are two of the most attractive smartphones on the planet. I just wish Samsung had done a bit more to distinguish the Note5 and S6 Edge+ from their smaller counterparts.

Both the Note5 and S6 Edge+ sport super-high-resolution 5.7-inch screens. But the Note5 has a classic flat screen, and the S6 Edge+’s screen cascades off its left and right edges like a waterfall, just like the regular Galaxy S6 Edge.

When it comes to size, the Note5 is slightly thicker and heavier than the S6 Edge+ to accommodate its built-in stylus (more on that later). The Note5 measures 6.0 x 3.0 x 0.3 inches and weighs 6.0 ounces. The S6 Edge+, on the other hand, measures 6.1 x 3.0 x 0.27 inches and weighs 5.4 ounces.

Apple’s iPhone 6 Plus, which has a 5.5-inch display, measures 6.2 x 3.1 x 0.28 inches and weighs 6.1 ounces.

Take notes

Though the Note5 and S6 Edge+ look a lot alike, they do have some key differences. The Note5, like previous generation of Galaxy Note phones, comes with a built-in stylus that lets you write directly on its screen.

This time around, though, Samsung has improved the Note5’s stylus to make it feel more like you’re writing on a piece of paper. And while it’s not quite there, I definitely felt more resistance when writing on the Note5’s screen, which made it feel a lot more natural.

Samsung has also added the ability to edit PDF files from the Note5, so if you get a contract you have to sign immediately, you can just open it on the Note5, sign it, and send it off.

Cutting edge

As for the Galaxy S6 Edge+, the phone is largely the same as the original Galaxy S6 Edge. Samsung did, however, add a new Apps Edge feature that lets you swipe in from the left or right side of the Edge’s screen to pull up a list of your favorite apps. As with the S6 Edge, you can also swipe in from the left or right to access your favorite contacts.

Just like the Galaxy S6, the S6 Edge+ also gets Samsung’s Information Stream, which lets you browse apps like Twitter Trends and Yahoo Sports on the curved portion of S6 Edge+’s screen when the phone is locked. I’m not sure how often I’d use this feature.

Another holdover from the S6 Edge that Samsung added to the S6 Edge+ is the People Edge, which lets you assign up to five of your favorite contacts one of five colors. When you leave the phone face down and locked and you get a call from one of those contacts, the curved part of the S6 Edge+’s screen will glow the color you assigned that person.

Cameras

In addition to looking similar, the Note5 and S6 Edge+ also come with the same 16-megapixel cameras with optical image stabilization (OIS), which helps ensure photos come out clear even if your hand is shaking when you take them.

Beyond the usual auto and selfie camera modes, Samsung equipped the Note5 and S6 Edge+ with a new live broadcasting mode that uses YouTube Live to let you live-stream whatever you want via the phones’ cameras.

Just make sure you’re not using this mode when you’re practicing taking your selfies, or the whole world will see how many shots it takes you to get the perfect duck face.

Samsung Pay

Along with the Note5 and S6 Edge+, Samsung is rolling out its long-awaited Samsung Pay mobile payment service. Like Apple’s Apple Pay, Samsung Pay lets you pay for items at stores that accept NFC (near field communication). Unlike Apple, however, Samsung Pay can also be used at nearly any store that takes debit and credit cards.

You don’t have to choose between using your debit card or paying via NFC, as the service automatically toggles between the two until your phone detects the correct payment method.

To use Samsung Pay, you simply swipe up on the Note5 or S6 Edge+’s screen to pull up the app. From there, you swipe left or right to select the card you want to use, and then authenticate your purchase by either using your finger on the phones’ fingerprint sensors or by entering your secret PIN.

Once you authenticate your purchase, you place your phone over the portion of the sales terminal where you would normally swipe your cards, and that’s it.

It’s easy to use, but according to Samsung, you can’t use the service with a sales terminal that requires you to dip your card, such as a gas station pump. Also, I haven’t been able to use Samsung Pay outside of a controlled setting, so I can’t say how well it works in the wild.

Outlook

The Galaxy Note5 and Galaxy S6 Edge+ are both powerful handsets with gorgeous displays and impressive features. Still, I can’t say whether they’re worth buying until I spend more than a few minutes with them.

That said, I have high hopes for both handsets.

The Galaxy Note5 and Galaxy S6 Edge+ will be available this month. Stay tuned for our full review in the coming weeks.

Email Daniel at dhowley@yahoo-inc.com; follow him on Twitter at @DanielHowley or on Google+.