A Fresh Look at the Samsung Galaxy S7

I love technology. I'm constantly following the latest developments from the likes of Google, Apple, and friends. I love to apply technology throughout my life, in as many ways as possible. To me, technology is the future of everything.


It's rather ironic then that I've had the same underwhelming phone for the past two years. Granted, when it was released, the Motorola Droid Turbo was a flagship to be reckoned with. All the specs were maxed out, and with Google now at Moto's helm, the future looked bright. But something just... didn't work out. Not long after release, the phone was all but abandoned. Lenovorola completely ignored its former flagship. We were lucky to even get a security patch. Finally, I decided I had had enough. Cue the Samsung Galaxy S7.

Time for Anew

I'll be honest, I wasn't planning on purchasing a Samsung device. I was holding out for the new Google Pixel. But with each leak, I became more and more underwhelmed with the Googles new offering. Don't get me wrong, Pixel is currently one of the best Android devices available, but it just wasn't for me. Like I said, I love technology, and the Pixel is a safe phone. It's the iPhone of Androids: clean, simple, basic. I mean that in the best way possible. But the S7 is more my style, it's a powerhouse of features all wrapped up in an elegant package. The first thing I noticed about the S7 was how well it felt in my hand. (The second thing was how slippery it was. We'll get back to that...)

Captured from the Start

The very first photo I took with my Galaxy S7.

There are many things I've come to love over my past week with the Galaxy S7. I'll start with one of the first things that truly amazed me: the camera. I'm certainly no professional when it comes to photography, but I'll call myself an amateur+. My old Droid Turbo had a large 21MP lens, but that didn't necessarily mean good photos. Honestly the camera was pretty mediocre. I did manage to get many quality shots, but they were more the exception, and I really had to work to get them.

The S7's camera does something amazing. Nearly every shot, no matter what I do on my part, looks beautiful. Even a quick snap I quickly take as I'm hurrying to my car looks at least half decent. I've only been with my new phone for a week, but already I have managed to take wonderful pictures. Wonderful pictures without any though or work. This phone's ability to make average shots look professional is uncanny. 

Every photo I've taken so far has been with Samsung Camera's automatic mode. Tackling the "pro" mode is still on my to-do list. And that reminds me, there is plenty to explore in the default camera app. Beyond your standard HDR and fun filters, there are numerous "modes." Selective focus, video collage, live broadcast, virtual shot, hyperlapse, there's so much to do! Heck, there's even a "food" mode! 

And there is one other thing that captures me. This camera is fast. A double click of the home button and the camera is instantly ready to shoot. Also when taking shots, there is no waiting between photos. Even when using HDR, snap, snap, snap, as quickly as you can move your finger.

The Gift that Keeps on Giving

There are many other touches that keep impressing me about the S7. Expandable storage, waterproofing, and wireless charges are just a few reasons. But most of all, it's Samsung's little touches to Android. Now, if you were to browse /r/Android for a few minutes, you would quickly gain the impression that Touchwiz is the Antichrist of the tech world. I was hesitant of leaving Motorola's nearly stock Android, but any doubts were quickly erased. There are so many little tweaks in the user interface that I'm still discovering all the time. For instance, screenshots on the S7 make much more sense then stock method. Also, Samsung's split screen mode on 6.0 Marshmallow rivals even the newest versions of Android. Qualcomm Quickcharge 2.0 is just as fast as ever. The convenience quick charging along with the S7s wonderful battery life means I rarely have to worry about running out of juice. These are just a few of the small touches sprinkled throughout the device. 

Every Rose has it's Thorns

Not every change from Touchwiz is perfect though. One of my biggest complaints about the interface is the default app screen. Samsung has, by default, turned off the ability to select an app "just once." Any app you select, that will be the default until you go into settings and remove the defaults for said app. I only just was informed of the ability to change this in settings. Also, the front facing camera is rather low quality. I'm not a huge selfie taker, but the photos are always very soft, blurred and somewhat washed out, especially for a 5mp camera. Samsung has said a few times they are going to fix it with a software update, but I've yet to see any real improvements. 

But my biggest gripe is with the physical device itself. As I mentioned earlier, the device looks wonderful. The glass and aluminum is well built and elegant, but that is also its downfall. This device is slippery. Both in my hand and when I set it on a sloped surface, the S7 loves to slide around. I'm not a fan of cases on my phone, but I just had to add a very thin case to mine for grip.

A Solid Device

Every device has a couple of faults, and the S7's positive points more than make up for it. Even at 9 months old (and with the S8 release only a few months away), the Samsung Galaxy S7 is one of the best phones you can buy right now. And with Nougat not far in the future, the S7 is poised to get even better. I'm very happy with my purchase and will easily recommend the S7 to anyone wanting a well rounded flagship, touting the best of Android plus a little more.