Should you upgrade? Samsung Galaxy Note 7 vs. Galaxy Note 5 vs. Galaxy S6 Edge Plus

“For the benefit of consumers’ safety, we stopped sales and exchanges of the Galaxy Note 7 and have consequently decided to stop production,” Samsung told Digital Trends in a statement.

If you have a Galaxy Note 7, please return it immediately to the place where you purchased it. You are entitled to a full refund or an exchange for a replacement device of equal value, as per the Consumer Product Safety Commission’s recall. Please see our full guide on how to return your Note 7 here. The guide also includes recommendations of which device to buy instead.

Below is our original comparison between the S6 Edge Plus, Note 5, and Note 7.

Specs

It’s a little odd comparing old tech to what’s a little more current — there’s no doubt the Galaxy Note 7 will beat out its predecessor and the Galaxy S6 Edge Plus. It’s powered by Qualcomm’s quad-core Snapdragon 820, which placed above any other chips when it was first released. Samsung even has a newer Exynos 8890 chip that will be powering the international variant of the Galaxy Note 7, compared to the default chip found in the other two smartphones. That’s not to say that the 7420 Exynos chip is poor — it’s still a high-performing chip, but both the 8890 and 820 are a step above it.

All three devices have 4GB of RAM, which should be plenty enough for multi-tasking. They all also have the same 2,560 x 1440p Super AMOLED Quad HD 5.7-inch screen and a fingerprint sensor.  Hardware-wise, the Galaxy S6 Edge Plus is the lightest, but the Note 7 comes in second. In terms of internal storage, the Note 7 wins thanks to its support for a MicroSD card. The Galaxy S6 Edge Plus and Note 5 have 32GB and 64GB options — the Note 7 only has one 64GB option, but the added slot lets you bump that number up to 320GB if you get a 256GB MicroSD card.

But of course, the most chalked up feature of the Note 7 is its iris scanner — it lets you unlock your phone just with your eyes. In our initial tests, it was fast, though it did have trouble unlocking the device in certain lighting conditions. You can also use it to unlock apps and folders, and while it’s a little more than a gimmick — the S6 Edge Plus and Note 5 don’t have one.

The battery for the Note 7 also has gotten a 500mAh boost, and the addition of USB Type-C is certainly a plus thanks to its fast-charging capabilities. All three devices support wireless charging and quick charging.

Even the S Pen is better all around on the Note 7, compared to the Note 5. Spec-wise, the stylus has a smaller tip and improved pressure — that allows writing with it to feel a little more natural. The S6 Edge Plus doesn’t come with a stylus.

Overall in terms of internals and the S Pen, it’s clear that the Galaxy Note 7 is the winner here.

Winner: Samsung Galaxy Note 7

Design, display, and durability

We all know design is purely subjective, but what’s not subjective is that all three of these devices look incredibly similar. Samsung hasn’t changed the design theme much — save for the fact that the Note 7 has the same dual-edge display as the S6 Edge and S7 Edge. In that regard, the Note 5 is the odd one out as it still retains the normal flat display. The Galaxy Note 7 offers the most comfort with the dual-edge panel thanks to new improvements, and it’s the most refined iteration of the Edge devices to date. It’s also much more comfortable than the S6 Edge Plus, which dug into your palms. If you’re thinking about a non-edge display device, there’s always the Galaxy S7 variant if you want something more contemporary and not the year-old Note 5.

The Galaxy S6 Edge Plus, Note 5, and Note 7 all have the same resolution of 2,560 x 1,440 pixels, as well as the same pixel density at 518 pixels-per-inch. They also carry the same Super AMOLED screen size at 5.7-inches — Samsung has some of the best OLED panels in the market, and you won’t go wrong with any of the displays on these three smartphones.

But what allows the Note 7 to take the cake is its durability. It’s IP68-rated, meaning it’s dust-and water-resistant — you can hold it under a meter of water up to 30 minutes. You can’t do that with either the Galaxy S6 Edge Plus or the Note 5. The Note 7 may be wrapped in glass, but it’s also one of the first smartphones to come shipped with Gorilla Glass 5 — its glass is tougher and more scratch-resistant than ever before. The latter devices are stuck on Gorilla Glass 4.

The Note 7’s design allows it to be held more comfortably than the S6 Edge Plus, and it certainly beats its predecessors through durability thanks to an IP68 rating and Gorilla Glass 5.

Winner: Samsung Galaxy Note 7

Camera

You may think the Note 7 suffers in camera quality because it has a 12-megapixel rear camera instead of the 16-megapixel camera on the S6 Edge Plus and the Note 5, but you’d be wrong. Samsung increased the pixel size to allow the Note 7 to capture more light for low-light settings. So yes, the cameras are indeed better on the Note 7 than the other two devices.

You won’t find much of a difference with the front camera, though, as all three have one that’s packed with 5-megapixels.

Winner: Samsung Galaxy Note 7

Software

You would think this category would see a draw, but no — the Galaxy Note 7 reigns here as well. While the Note 7 is layered with Samsung’s TouchWiz like the other two devices, the company has significantly improved the Android skin’s aesthetic and simplicity. The Note 7 comes with Android 6.0 Marshmallow, but you can upgrade the other two to the same version. Where the Note 7 beats out the competition again is that it will be the first of the three to receive Google’s upcoming Android version — 7.0 Nougat.

The Note 7 also has a few new S Pen features, such as the ability to create GIFs, and also Magnify. You can also write a note on the always-on display, when the smartphone is in standby mode.

Winner: Samsung Galaxy Note 7

Pricing and availability

Of course, pricing and availability play an important factor in your decision. Being a new smartphone, it’s obvious the Note 7 will be priced higher than its predecessors — though you can’t get it anymore because of its recall. At launch, the Galaxy Note 7 started at $850 for the only 64GB variant. Unfortunately, none of the phones are available through any of the major carriers right now.

Winner: Samsung Galaxy Note 5

Conclusion

Of the three devices, the Galaxy Note 7 is hands down the best device — but none of the three are available at any major carrier. We don’t recommend trying to find a Galaxy Note 7, and you really can’t go wrong with either of the other two devices. They feature almost identical specs, and the real deciding factor is whether or note you want the edge display or the larger display.

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