The Samsung Galaxy S7 and S7 edge Review: Part 2
by Joshua Ho on July 5, 2016 8:00 AM ESTSystem Performance Cont'd
Now that we've gone over the more general purpose system benchmarks we can focus on new benchmarks that emphasize GPU performance much more strongly. For the most part we haven't had huge issues here like we've had with good CPU and general performance benchmarks, but it's important for us to keep our benchmarks up to date in terms of workload balance and overall performance.
One of our first new benchmarks designed to better test the GPU is 3DMark's Sling Shot ES 3.1 test, which is designed to test a GPU's performance when the application is either using OpenGL ES 3.1 or Metal. As one can see, the Snapdragon 820 and Exynos 8890 have basically comparable GPU performance in this test and in the physics test as well. Once again we're seeing how core count and clock speed are basically the primary determinants of performance in the physics test when the device isn't strongly limited by thermals. I wouldn't draw any real conclusions from this as generally game CPU code can extract ILP unlike what we're seeing in this test.
In this test we start to see that the Mali GPU in the Exynos 8890 and the PowerVR GPU in the A9 are providing a noticeable advantage over the Snapdragon 820's Adreno 530 to a noticeable extent.
With GFXBench we can see that in Car Chase and Manhattan the Adreno 530 actually manages to pull away. However, because we have basically zero architecture disclosure on the Adreno 530 there's really no way for us to explain what's going on here and why. The reasons for the difference in performance could be related to drivers or architecture or architecture implementation and in the absence of information it's probably best to avoid making blind guesses. Regardless of these details, the Snapdragon 820's GPU should be more than enough for playing the latest games, but unless you use Samsung's automatic game optimizer system to set render resolution to 1080p it won't do as well as the iPhone 6s but given that most Android games target a much lower spec level it's likely that you won't have any problems given that the Adreno 530 is on the bleeding edge for Android SoCs.
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Ryan Smith - Tuesday, July 5, 2016 - link
"Some battery tests missing Exynos values or Edge values."This is a pretty common misconception, but AnandTech isn't located in a single, central office, which impacts how we do testing. Most tests are done in isolation anyhow, so it's not an issue, but LTE is by its very nature a location-sensitive test. In this case the International (Exynos) S7 is with our international editor, Andrei, which means that it wasn't able to be tested alongside the North American (Snapdragon) S7.
more-or-less - Tuesday, July 5, 2016 - link
Doesn't make up for the fact that even after 4 months, this review looks rushed and incomplete. One of the most underwhelming reviews I have read in this site, and it's obvious that the quality of articles have gone down massively.I now only trust Andrei to give proper articles, others seem to be reading from a old script.
Chris_m1296 - Wednesday, July 6, 2016 - link
how did the exynos version manage 2800 on the slingshot es 3.1 unlimited test? mine only manages 2200 and even futuremark lists the exynos version at 2200.Newair - Tuesday, July 5, 2016 - link
The S7 edge is without a doubt the worst phone I have ever owned.1st of all, it's texture is very slippery
In fact if I hadn't dropped it within 5 minutes of buying it and doing some damage, I would have returned them by now. Yes them. Bought 2.
Constantly charging battery
Perhaps it's just the way I hold the phone, but constantly touching something on the screen with a finger and off it goes in a different direction
Keyboard is miserable. More often than not, when I press 0 I get 9. Have never had this much trouble typing.
In all, if I could afford it, I would through thing out the window.
dawheat - Tuesday, July 5, 2016 - link
This might be one of the worst reviews I've read on Anandtech and the slide though gradual, is persistent.The S7 Edge is the more exciting device and one of the few genuinely unique Android devices but the review generally ignores it outside of a few token areas.
For example, how many times does the writer have to state that battery life is good only due to size? Who really cares how it accomplishes class leading battery life, considering that it's still much more compact AND lighter than the 6S Plus. Yet the S7 Edge gets incredibly faint praise for battery life - only one of the most important aspects of a device.
And with the comment about it being a heavy phone, I'm befuddled how a 10% heavier phone in the 6S Plus gets a free pass.
The camera review also ends up showcasing nerds in basements where only perfectly still photos matter- in the real world for example, trying to get pictures of your moving kids is hugely dependent on focus speed and the difference between a mushy blur and actually capturing a memory.
Oh and of course, not actually running browser benchmarks on the stock browser that comes with the device...again.
But all together just bleh - compared to someone like Andrei, this writer is just balls.
more-or-less - Tuesday, July 5, 2016 - link
"But all together just bleh - compared to someone like Andrei, this writer is just balls."-- Agree on this entirely. Compared to deep-dive articles that Andre produces, this review is just worthless. How someone could approve this review after 4 months of 'investigation' is beyond my understanding? Better get another reviewers, this Joshua guy doesn't insipre any level of confidence.
How did he manage to get a post in Anandtech to review phones is still a mystery.
They took 4 months to publish this, SMH :(
retrospooty - Tuesday, July 5, 2016 - link
Yup. Totally agreed.msh - Tuesday, July 5, 2016 - link
HiThis snapdragon browser you write you need to install to get acceptable performance on the SD820 variant, where is one able to obtain that?
I cant find it in google play.
variab1e - Tuesday, July 5, 2016 - link
While I greatly value these reviews. They lack what every review I've found lacks , a test of the radio's RF performance. First and foremost these are phones, or in the broadest sense, wireless communications devices; what could be more important than its ability to send and receive data?! I really respect Anandtech for its technical accuracy, and think that adding this component to its reviews would help to differentiate it from other vanilla sites. A lab setup to a standard candle signal source and then real world tests would be nice, but even the latter alone would be useful!anactoraaron - Tuesday, July 5, 2016 - link
hmmm..."The Galaxy S7 and S7 edge are still great phones, but the difference between a $400 phone and a $700 phone are these details when phones like the OnePlus 3 are providing almost the same product at a dramatically reduced price. There are clear points of differentiation between the Galaxy S7 and OnePlus 3 or Mi5 in terms of features, but I don’t think it’s enough to be worth the $300"
Unless you like looking at a 1080 pentile amoled and think that Samsung Pay, a wildly better display, VR capability (not mentioned in this review - although just about everyone who got this device got a VR headset for free) and water resistance isn't worth $300. After owning the G4 and the ridiculously terrible panel on it for a year I was REALLY happy paying just north of $100 more than I did for the G4 at launch time for the S7 Edge.
Seriously I feel betrayed that we all had to wait this long for this review and even given all this time, it feels rushed and as if the reviewer didn't really want to do it, especially the tone at the end. It's like he's saying, "yeah it's the best phone for android - if that matters at all - but it still feels 'meh' to me just like everything else these days. You are better off with the iPhone."
What exactly has apple done to innovate and drive this industry forward the past 2 years? Force touch? Squeeze identical components into a smaller device?
Seriously I don't know how a review like this would be published on Anandtech. It's reviews like this for what has been clearly the best android phone of the year is how this site gets constantly called out for bias. And this time for good reason.