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.
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.
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.
