Editors' note, January 29, 2015: This review was updated with comparisons to LG's new dual-curved screen phone prototype and additional impressions of using the Note Edge for several months. There are also thoughts on Android Lollipop and extended discussion of the phone's second interface.
In Samsung's vision of the electronics future, curved is the new flat. Since 2013, the Korean conglomerate unveiled curved wearables, TVs and even a smartphone, the Galaxy Round. (Rival LG has two too.) Here, the Galaxy Note Edge -- first released in November 2014 -- furthers the curved campaign with a subtly arched "second screen" that's devoted to productivity. If a phone like the Edge could one day redefine the flat face of smartphones, Samsung wants to be at the crest of that wave.
While it isn't hard to use per se, the Galaxy Note Edge still isn't a phone you master overnight. Both its asymmetrical shape and wraparound Edge display require you to navigate this handset differently than you would any other phone.
On the one hand, Samsung's new Revolving UI and Edge display apps and widgets make the most of the curved portion of the screen, opening up new possibilities for interacting with your phone controls. On the other hand, it's really expensive and there's no actual need for the waterfall effect, other than to showcase its makers' ingenuity with material properties. And now, in the wake of an even bolder LG attempt at a screen with two curved edges, this original here is looking a little passe.
When I first reviewed this phone, I vacillated between really liking the Note Edge's conveniences and finding them redundant. Now that I've used the Note Edge as my go-to Android phone for several months, my perspective is much more crystallized, and a little more wearied. Read more below to see what I mean.
On the balance, the Edge is a clever, well-designed piece of aspirational hardware that probes future shapes and modes of interaction. It's also a little too clever for its own good. Those looking for a showpiece of a phone will love it, but more conventional devices like the Galaxy Note 4, LG G3 and Sony Xperia Z3 or Z3v are simply better for mainstream buyers.
It's almost expected that phones using new technologies or methods could cost more, but it's a cost few could be expected to bear. The off-contract Edge goes for $840 to $946 in the US (or $400 on-contract with AT&T), about £650 in the UK and AU$1,249 in Australia, so those rival phones are much cheaper, too.
Note Edge versus Note 4: What's different
Apart from its different physical shape and Edge display screen, the Note 4 and Note Edge share top-of-the-line hardware and the Samsung-tinged version of Android 4.4. A few differences include:
SAMSUNG GALAXY NOTE EDGE VERSUS NOTE 4
| Note Edge | Note 4 | |
|---|---|---|
| Screen size | 5.6-inch 1,440p HD AMOLED display | 5.7-inch 1,440p HD AMOLED display |
| Battery | 3,000mAh quick-charging battery | 3,220mAh quick-charging battery |
| Dimensions, Imperial | 5.96 x 3.24 x 0.33 inches | 6.04 x 3.09 x 0.33 inches |
| Dimensions, Metric | 151.3 x 82.4 x 8.3mm | 153.5 x 78.6 x 8.5mm |
| Weight | 6.1 ounces / 174 grams | 6.2 ounces / 176 grams |
| Colors | Black, white | Black, white, silver, gold, blue, pink |
Since the Galaxy Note Edge and Galaxy Note 4 have nearly identical specs, this review focuses on the differences between the two models. There are a few tiny variations with the TouchWiz UI as well. For any other details, see CNET's Galaxy Note 4 review.
