Choosing Between iPhone 7 Plus and Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge: A Comprehensive Analysis
Recently, I had to choose between the iPhone 7 Plus and the Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge, and ultimately, I opted for the latter. This decision was driven by several factors that I will elaborate on in this article.
Battery Life
The iPhone 7 Plus, known for its impressive battery life, did not quite match up to the S7 Edge in this department. The Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge boasts a 3600mAh battery, which is a significant improvement over the iPhone 7 Plus. In my experience, the S7 Edge provided much longer battery life, especially when it comes to heavy usage like streaming videos or downloading large files.
Display and Bezel Size
Both the S7 Edge and the iPhone 7 Plus have a 5.5-inch display. However, the bezels on the iPhone 7 Plus are unreasonably large, making it difficult to use comfortably. In contrast, the S7 Edge’s curved display makes it seem smaller than it actually is, and the overall design is more elegant.
Screen Resolution and VR Capabilities
The S7 Edge features a 1440p resolution, which is considered QHD, offering superior details compared to the 1080p FHD display on the iPhone 7 Plus. Additionally, the S7 Edge offers better VR capabilities, as it is compatible with the Gear VR, a platform supported by Oculus, a major player in the VR market.
Charging and Port Types
The S7 Edge supports Qualcomm Fast Charging 2.0, which significantly reduces charging time, whereas the iPhone 7 Plus does not have this feature. The S7 Edge also comes with a Micro USB port, which is widely available, whereas the Lightning connector from Apple is expensive and not as widely available.
Data Transfer and Headphone Jack
One of the biggest drawbacks for the iPhone 7 Plus is the lack of a microSD card slot, meaning you are limited to the storage you purchase with the device. The S7 Edge, on the other hand, supports MicroSD cards up to 256GB. Moreover, the iPhone 7 Plus lacks the traditional headphone jack, which I found quite inconvenient for wired headphones and earphones.
Design and Network Compatibility
Design-wise, the S7 Edge with its dual curved display and full glass rear panel is more aesthetically pleasing compared to the iPhone 7 Plus, which has a bulky screen and a metal back. Furthermore, while both devices have the same LTE bands and are supported worldwide, the S7 Edge offers 9 out of 10 bands in the USA, while the iPhone 7 Plus covers a wider range of bands.
Software Updates and Device Support
One of the critical factors in my decision was the support for software updates. The iPhone 5S, as well as the iPhone SE, is still receiving iOS updates from Apple, whereas the S7 Edge will receive its last system update in 2018. This means that the iPhone 7 Plus has a more reliable long-term support and better device support compared to the S7 Edge.
These factors collectively led me to choose the Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge over the iPhone 7 Plus. Although the iPhone 7 Plus has its own set of impressive features like the dual-lens camera, these were outweighed by the advantages of the S7 Edge in terms of display quality, battery life, and long-term software support.