Samsung Galaxy S8 vs S8 Plus vs S6 vs S6 edge: what's the difference

Why You Can Trust Pocket-lint

(Pocket-lint) - Samsung's Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 edge were announced in 2015, taking things to a whole new level for Samsung in terms of design, especially in the case of the Edge model. They were the first to offer a more premium design with their glass and metal sandwich, moving away from the plastic devices that came before them.

Two years later, Samsung has done it again. Where the Galaxy S7 and S7 edge offered only minor changes to the S6 models, the Galaxy S8 and S8 Plus put Samsung back in the spotlight, for all the right reasons.

Here's what changed between 2015 and 2017 and how it

Galaxy S8

and

S8 Plus

compare to the

Galaxy S6

and

Edge S6

, for those of you considering an upgrade.

Samsung Galaxy S8 Overview

Samsung Galaxy S8 Plus Overview

Samsung Galaxy S8 vs S8+ vs S6 vs S6 edge: Design

S8 and S8+ have thinner bezels, no home button and a rear-mounted fingerprint sensor

S8 and S8+ are IP68 waterproof

S6 and S6 edge are thinner and smaller overall, but only

The Samsung Galaxy S8 and S8 Plus offer identical designs aside from physical size. They both feature a metal and glass body that redefines what we thought we wanted from a smartphone with an almost all-screen front. and super slim bezels. The Galaxy S8 measures 148.9 x 68.1 x 8mm and weighs 155g, while the S8 Plus is a bit larger at 159.5 x 73.4 x 8.1mm with a weight of 173 g.

There's no physical home button on the newer devices, with built-in pressure-sensitive controls placed at the bottom of the curved screens instead, while the fingerprint sensor has moved to the back of the devices to the right of the camera lens. Both devices are IP68 waterproof and they both have iris scanning capabilities.

The Galaxy S6 and S6 edge also feature an aluminum frame with glass for the front and back panels. They have a similar design but the Galaxy S6 edge has a dual-edge display, differentiating it from the standard flat model. Both have a physical home button on the front with an in-display fingerprint sensor.

The Galaxy S6 measures 143.4 x 70.5 x 6.8mm, while the edge dimensions of the Galaxy S6 are 142.1 x 70.1 x 7mm, which means they are both slimmer than the S8 and S8 Plus, although the S6 is wider and taller than the S8. which means they are both lighter than the newer models.

Samsung Galaxy S6 edge review

Samsung Galaxy S8 vs S8 Plus vs S6 vs S6 edge: Display

S8 and S8+ have much larger screens despite similar footprint as S6 devices

18.5:9 aspect ratio on S8 and S8+, as well as Mobile HDR Premium

S8 and S8+ have Quad HD+ screens, but S6 devices have higher pixel densities

The Samsung Galaxy S8 has a 5.8-inch screen, while the Galaxy S8 Plus has a 6.2-inch screen. They have 18.5:9 aspect ratios instead of the standard 16:9, which which allows them to fit a similar footprint as the S6 and S6 Edges, despite having significantly larger screens. The screens are taller but not wider, meaning you'll still be able to use both devices in one single hand.

The S8 and S8 Plus both have Quad HD+, 2960 x 1440 resolutions, which translate to pixel densities of 570ppi and 529ppi, respectively. They also both offer AMOLED Infinity displays, which translate to bright and punchy curved screens and they both have

Mobile HDR Premium

, certified by the Ultra HD Alliance. This means that the two new devices will be compatible for watching HDR content like Netflix and Amazon Video.

The Galaxy S6 features a 5.1-inch 2560 x 1440 Quad HD Super AMOLED display that has a pixel density of 577 ppi, which is the same as the Galaxy S6 edge.The Galaxy S6 has a standard display, while the Galaxy S6 edge features a dual-edge design, as we mentioned.

Both 2015 models have wider bezels than the newer models and while their screens were great when they launched, they're not as special as the Galaxy S8 and S8 Plus. They offer sharper screens on paper, but they miss mobile HDR as well as the wider aspect ratio and nice thin bezels.

Mobile HDR: Dolby Vision, HDR10 and everything you need to know about future mobile entertainment

Samsung Galaxy S8 vs S8+ vs S6 vs S6 edge: Camera

S8 and S8+ 12MP rear camera, 8MP front with autofocus

S8 and S8+ have Bixby Vision

Multi-frame processing on S8 and S8+, plus a wider aperture

The Samsung Galaxy S8 and S8 Plus feature the same rear camera as the Galaxy S7 and S7 edge, which is a 12-megapixel Duo Pixel snapper, sports optical image stabilization, phase-detection autofocus and a aperture of f/1.7.Samsung has however introduced multi-frame image processing on the new models, meaning the camera will take three shots and combine the information to produce a more detailed final image.

The company has also added filters, augmented reality (like Snapchat) and stickers to the rear camera of the S8 and S8 Plus, while also offering a feature called Bixby Vision. for information or purchase options. As for the front camera, the S8 and S8 Plus have an 8-megapixel front snapper with autofocus.

The Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 edge, meanwhile, feature 16-megapixel rear cameras, both featuring an f/1.9 aperture, as well as Auto HDR and OIS. Both devices also have a 5-megapixel front camera, which also features an f/1.9 aperture, which is a bit narrower than the newer devices and there's fixed focus instead of autofocus.

Samsung Galaxy S6 review

Samsung Galaxy S8 vs S8 Plus vs S6 vs S6 edge: hardware and specs

S8 and S8+ have faster and more advanced processor and more RAM

S8 and S8+ have 64 GB of storage and microSD

Larger battery capacities and USB Type-C on S8 and S8+

The Samsung Galaxy S8 and S8 Plus are both equipped with the Exynos 8895 chip or the Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 chip, depending on the region. It has not yet been specified which country will get which processor. All models will have 4 GB of RAM , 64GB of storage and microSD support for additional storage expansion.

There's a 3000mAh battery capacity under the Galaxy S8's hood and a 3500mAh capacity in the Galaxy S8 Plus, both of which are charged via USB Type-C and support both fast charging and power charging. wireless. A 3.5mm headphone jack is also built in, and the Galaxy S8 and S8 Plus come with AKG in-ear headphones in the box.

The Galaxy S6 and S6 edge both have the Exynos 7420 processor and 3GB of RAM. They were snappy and very fast at launch, providing a great experience, but the S8 and S8 Plus will no doubt offer a big and noticeable improvement. performance. Coming to storage, the Galaxy S6 comes in 32GB, 64GB, and 128GB on-board storage variants, with no microSD card support. The S6 edge comes in 64GB with 128GB options, again without microSD support.

In terms of battery capacity, the Galaxy S6 offers a 2550mAh battery while the Samsung Galaxy S6 edge has a very slightly larger 2600mAh capacity, although both are smaller than the S8 and S8 Plus. The S6 devices are charged via Micro-USB, but they have wireless charging. A 3.5mm headphone jack is also on board, although when the S6 models were launched whether or not the headphone jack was present wouldn't even have been questioned.

Samsung Galaxy S8 vs S8+ vs S6 vs S6 edge: Software

Android Nougat for S8 and S8 Plus with continuous updates

Bixby and Samsung DeX for S8 and S8+

S6 and S6 edge will miss some features

The Samsung Galaxy S8 and S8 Plus launch on Android Nougat with the TouchWiz interface on top, offering a familiar yet much more refined experience with several additional tweaks and features.

Bixby

is the biggest change in the new devices, a new AI system similar to Google Assistant, but it wants to go even further. It can be launched through the new dedicated on the left of the devices.

The S8 and S8 Plus are also compatible with

Samsung Connect Home

, as good as

Samsung DeX

, the latter lets you use a special dock to attach your phone to a monitor for a desktop view of Android. Once connected, you'll be able to see notifications, take calls, and view apps on a desktop.

The Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 edge launched on Android 5.0 Lollipop with a lighter version of the TouchWiz interface at the time. will then receive the next Android update. The software experience will be similar on these four devices, but the S6 and S6 edge will miss many of the new features.

What is Bixby? Samsung's smart AI explained

Samsung Galaxy S8 vs S8 Plus vs S6 vs S6 edge: Price

S8 and S8+ cost £689 and £779

S6 and S6 edge now available for £375

The Samsung Galaxy S8 will cost £689, while the Samsung Galaxy S8 Plus will cost £779. Both are available for pre-order from March 29 and go on general sale on April 28.

The Galaxy S6 started at £599.99 when it first launched, although it's now available for around £375. The Samsung Galaxy S6 edge started at £760 at launch, but can now also be had for around £375.

Conclusion

The Samsung Galaxy S8 and S8+ offer a big change in design from the Galaxy S6 and S6 edge, but don't let that put you off. Both new devices look good, while offering improvements in all departments.

They have bigger and more advanced screens, camera improvements, software improvements, and faster and more powerful hardware.

The Galaxy S6 and S6 edge were both great devices when they were launched, but technology is changing rapidly and the S8 and S8 Plus are embracing many of the new trends, while the handsome 2015 devices now lack useful features. the S8 and S8+ are expensive and if you're not sure about the big screen or the lack of a physical home button, you can always consider the

Galaxy S7

Where

S7 edge

.

Written by Britta O'Boyle. Originally published on

March 1, 2015

.