Galaxy S7 edge or Galaxy Note7 – Which one should you buy?

Samsung’s been on a roll lately with an impressive array of phones starting with the Galaxy S7 and S7 edge earlier this year and the release of their Galaxy Note7. Of the trio, the Galaxy S7 edge and the Note7 are almost similar to each other, what with their curved edge screens and hardware though they come with quite a few subtle differences.

If you’re stuck on what to get, here’s how the S7 edge and the Note7 stack up phone to phone. In terms of hardware, here’s the nitty gritty on paper:

What’s The Same

The Exynos 8890 processor
Both the S7 edge and the Galaxy Note7 for Malaysia come with an identical Samsung-made Exynos 8890 processor running Android Marshmallow 6.0.1 paired with 4GB RAM.

The camera
Both phones come with an identical 12-MP sensor with an F/1.7 lens and Dual Pixel imaging tech to capture 4K video and stills too. Both offer the same excellent performance. The Note7 does have a slightly revamped UI update for the camera though that allows you to access the front and rear by swiping up and down vertically while swiping left and right accesses different modes and filters on the fly.

The IP68 water resistance
Both phones come with the same robust IP68 water resistance, allowing you to use them both in up to a meter of water for up to 30 minutes without having to fuss about with plugs, casings or whatnot straight out of the box.

The hybrid SIM
Both phones come with a hybrid SIM card that lets you pop in two SIM cards or one SIM card and a microSD card for the phone. For Malaysia, both phones are emblazoned with a Duos logo on the back to indicate its hybrid SIM status.

The fingerprint sensor
Both the Note7 and S7 edge sport a home button that doubles as a fingerprint sensor so you’ll get the same deal on either phone. Once Samsung Pay rolls around near the end of the year to Malaysia, you can use your phone as a payment gateway. Sweet.

What’s Different

The onboard storage
Where both phones differ is in terms of storage as the S7 edge comes with 32GB storage while the Note7 packs 64GB. Both are expandable via a hybrid SIM card slot.

The new Note7 Iris Sensor
The Galaxy Note7 one-ups every phone on the planet as it comes with an iris sensor that adds another level of security to the phone. You hold the Note7 up to your eyeballs to unlock it in seconds. Alas the S7 edge lacks that option but both phones have a fingerprint sensor.

The size of the Super AMOLED display 
The Galaxy Note7 has a slightly larger display by 0.2-inches for a grand total of 5.7-inches while having a slightly lower pixel per inch than the S7 edge at 518ppi; the S7 Edge is slightly higher at 534ppi while having a smaller 5.5-inch display. Both are Super AMOLED for vibrant, punchy colours but the Note7’s display is sheathed in the latest Corning Gorilla Glass 5 which has enhanced resilience against drops by 1.8 times on paper versus Gorilla Glass 4. The difference in ppi is undetectable by the naked human eye so it’s more a matter of screen size.

The new Note7’s USB Type-C port
While both the Note7 and the S7 edge support fast charging, they differ in that the Galaxy Note7 comes with the new USB Type-C port for docking and charging duties while the S7 edge has a current-gen microUSB charger that does the same thing. It’s a toss-up between either one but the Type-C port is the wave of the future. You still get an adaptor to make use of one of your old microUSB chargers bundled with the Note7 though. In the case of the S7 edge, you’ll likely have a ton of microUSB chargers in service along with the associated cables, which saves a bit on dosh.

The battery
The S7 edge has a slightly larger 3,600mAh battery while the Note7 has a 3,500mAh battery.

The new Note7’s S Pen stylus
The Galaxy  Note7’s S Pen stylus offers additional functionality over the S7 edge as you’re able to draw, doodle and write notes, reminders and more. The Note7’s stylus also has several improvements like a finer, more precise nib and more responsiveness compared to the older generation Note5’s stylus. It’s also water resistant too in case you have the burning need to draw something when you’re underwater.

Top: The Galaxy Note 7 with the USB Type-C port and S Pen stylus. Bottom: The Galaxy S7 Edge with a microUSB port

Which one should you buy?

It depends on what you need, really. The Galaxy Note7 retails for RM3,199 while the S7 edge, which retailed at that price has been reduced to RM2923 on contract if you purchase it with Digi, Celcom, Maxis or U Mobile though the official price is still rated at RM3,099 out in the open market. Both phones have a similar processor and camera but where they differ is that the Note7 comes with the S Pen stylus, a slightly smaller battery, a larger curved display and more storage at 64GB over the S7 edge’s 32GB. The Note7 is also a wee bit larger and heavier as well with a design that’s symmetrical on the front and rear unlike the S7 edge that has more aggressively curved edges. Both will handle the same gaming, paperwork and other associated tasks in a suitably swift fashion. Both also have a relatively similar set of official accessories including the Keyboard cover casing for road warriors, the snap-on Battery back casing that effectively doubles its battery life in the field and a host of flip and S View casings so you’re not missing out on either front in terms of official kit.

If you’re a power user who needs to make the most out of their phone and are willing to pay top dollar, the Note7 is a sweet proposition especially if you have a need for every inch of that screen for crunching e-mails, spreadsheets and the like. The S Pen stylus adds an extra edge to the Note7 that the S7 edge lacks as it offers a new means of interactivity; it’s one thing to use a touchscreen; it’s another thing entirely if you can use that stylus to jot down your notes and annotate your paperwork. If you have less need for a stylus and need slightly longer battery life, the slightly cheaper S7 edge is an option. If you’ve missed out on the recent preorder sales which bundled extra goodies for the Note7, you can still wait for occasional e-retailer bundles that usually bundle discounts with them and a gift or two while the repriced S7 edge is still widely available nationwide with occasional freebies or discounts depending on where you shop.