The Samsung Galaxy S7 has only recently been released, and it already has features great enough to be considered a phone of the year contender. We’re barely into Spring, and we already have a phone that could be the phone of the year? That sounds too good to believe to me, but after reading some user reviews, it may be true. I’ve gathered ten reviews, some mixed, some negative, but most of them are positive. I haven’t intentionally skewed the list to sound positive; the Galaxy S7 just has that great of a reception. In fact, these negative reviews are mixed at best; it’s just that difficult to find any complaints about the phone. If that isn’t already a telltale sign, I don’t know what is.
Mixed and Negative Reviews
Since there aren’t many of them, let’s start with the negatives for the Samsung Galaxy S7. You won’t find anyone giving this phone a 0/10, but a few users have had some issues.
1. “I’m plagued by the Android System battery drain bug.” – by igacek (Reddit)
Here we have an issue that isn’t the fault of the Galaxy S7 itself, but an Android bug that drains the battery quickly. Additionally, this user isn’t the only Redditor plagued by the bug on the S7. The problem here lies with Doze mode not functioning properly. If the phone never goes into Doze, you have a massive battery drain on your hands. In the comment thread, one user reports that disabling Google Now cards could solve the issue. If this is true, that makes one less complaint for the Galaxy S7.
2. “OMG.. galaxy s7 is worse than galaxy s4..” – by Wolter (Gadgets360)
The title of this review sounds like a kneejerk reaction, but the body of the complaint has a few points that are worth mentioning. The first sticking point is the non-removable battery. While many positive reviews claim the Galaxy S7 has phenomenal battery life, not being able to swap it out is always a negative. This user additionally calls the price into question, which is a point that resonates with me personally. I’m the type of Android user that’s fascinated with the latest and greatest but often defaults to older phones. The Galaxy S7 retails for around $700 with a carrier, and that’s a steep, albeit fair, price to pay.
3. “Battery life could still be better.” – by Donald (Trusted Reviews)
Here we have some more comments about the battery life, but this short review isn’t all negative. One thing this user mentions that I don’t often see brought up, is how difficult the SIM card can be to work with. Removing the SIM card isn’t something that most users do often, but if you do, keep this in mind. It’s hard to mention the S7 and not talk about its build quality, and that’s exactly what Donald does here. It’s clear that, at least in this review, the S7 isn’t lacking in appearance or power.
This review is much more of a list of points instead of an analysis, but those points are still worth analyzing. There’s talk of the non-removable battery again, and now the fact that the S7 still uses USB 2.0. This may not seem like a large offense, but it’s strange that Samsung’s new flagship hasn’t upgraded to USB type C or even 3.0. One more point that’s worth mentioning is how difficult it is to remove the microSD card. This wasn’t as big of an issue with the SIM card, but I can guarantee you’ll be removing a microSD card more than that. If you want to move the card in or out, you’ll need tool assistance.
5. “Too much bloatware,” – by stephen (Trusted Reviews)
This review hits a point about bloatware that I haven’t covered yet. Depending on your carrier, the Galaxy S7 will come loaded down with specific apps that you can’t remove. Unless you decide to root your Android phone, you’ll be stuck with these apps taking up precious space. Thankfully, the S7’s storage can be increased with microSD cards, but bloatware is never a plus.
Positive Reviews
Alright, now we can get to the glowing reviews that make up the majority. I’ve done all I can to help expose the very few flaws the Galaxy S7 has hiding under its sleek hood. Now it’s time to take a look at everything amazing it has to offer Android users.
There isn’t any bad to mention here that we haven’t already covered, so let’s instead focus on one of the good. The point that needs mentioning is the camera. I’ve seen a few user comments, that weren’t long enough to include here, mentioning the camera could be better. While the camera isn’t the best on the market, 12MP on the rear camera is more than enough for casual shutterbugs.
2. “Another good Galaxy phone so far.” – by Susan7531 (Cnet)
The positive takeaway from this review is the speed of the Galaxy S7. This has been backed up by other positive reviews, and even some of the mixed ones. However, I feel it being listed as the biggest Pro by a previous S4 user was worth pointing out. This user mentions battery issues, but this is a tossup from case to case. It could be the dreaded Android bug mentioned in the negative Reddit comment.
3. “Amazing phone and features.” – by karl (Trusted Reviews)
This reviewer places most of the phone’s stock in its number of features, and their quality. The body of their message gets muddled in places, but the point remains that they’re glad they upgraded to the S7 from the S6. The Galaxy S7’s waterproof features come up, and the user is grateful for them being in place. If water damage is a major concern of yours, the S7 should put you at ease.
Considering the Galaxy S7 is mostly glass, this is sure to concern many users. At least in this case, the Galaxy S7 proves to be much sturdier than it appears. I wouldn’t try tossing a brick at it, but it should at least survive a fall better than a priceless vase.
5. “Best Android phone ever!” – by FranklinJL (Cnet)
This user brings up the camera, much like another review, but mentions how fast it can snap pictures. Aside from picture quality, being able to snap great photos quickly is essential for any camera. Each perfect shot has a window of opportunity, and the S7 sounds fast enough to make the mark. The concerns about the SD and SIM card removal and insertion come up again, but one perk we haven’t seen yet is about data transfer. If you’re upgrading to the S7 from another phone, this user claims the process is fast and painless.
Conclusion
It’s very difficult to find faults to discredit the Samsung Galaxy S7 with. If anything, the phone’s biggest flaw is not being a very big improvement over the Galaxy S6. Not every Android user will make the plunge to upgrade, as the changes aren’t revolutionary. However, groundbreaking or not, the Samsung Galaxy S7 is a flagship that will continue to sail for some time to come. Are you a new Galaxy S7 owner, or are the features packed inside of the Edge more your style? If you’re thinking about buying either, why not drop a comment down below to explain why? Featured Image Credit
