Samsung Galaxy S7 vs Galaxy S7 Edge

Price

There's only one way in which the Galaxy S7 has an "edge" over the S7 Edge: It's cheaper. You pay a price for a chic phone with more pieces of flair.

Samsung Galaxy S7 vs S7 Edge

In the US, the Samsung Galaxy S7 costs $199 upfront on a two-year contract - if you can find it. American carriers have begun phasing out these commitments for device payment plans.

AT&T wants $23.17 a month from you for 30 months. T-Mobile asks for $27.09 a month, Sprint is in that ballpark at $27.91 a month and Verizon charges $28 a month, all for 24 months. There's no unlocked Galaxy S7 in the US just yet, but it could cost as much as $600 to $650. Samsung may introduce it through its official channels in a few months.

In the UK, the S7 costs an easier-to-understand £569 SIM-free, and in Australia, the price has increased dramatically to AU$1,249.

The S7 Edge declares itself premium not just through design and software, but through price. It costs $100 more, at $299, in the US through a two-year contracts again.

Breaking that into a consumer-confusing monthly payment plan, AT&T has it for $26.50 a month for 30 months, while T-Mobile wants $32.50 a month, Sprint is technically cheapest at $31.25 a month, and Verizon finishes things up at $33 a month, again, all for 24 months. There's no unlocked Galaxy S7 Edge, either.

In the UK, the S7 Edge costs £640, and in Australia it's the highest price yet: AU$1,249. No one ever said carrying the flashiest phone around was going to be cheap.

Verdict

Clearly there's a lot that goes into deciding between the Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 Edge, even though the new Samsung phones seem so similar. It matters which one you buy.

Samsung Galaxy S7 vs S7 Edge

I found the 5.5-inch display of the S7 Edge to be manageable enough to hold in one hand and operate properly throughout the day, and I appreciated the extra screen real-estate and curvy look. That said, anyone with smaller hands will naturally prefer the 5.1-inch S7.

The swipe-from-the-side, shortcut-filled Edge UX interface didn't do much for me and the battery life is only marginally better. Everything else, aside from the price, is the same, including a great camera and meaty specs. It's going to come down to the size of your hand and the size of your wallet.

Matt Swider