The Samsung Galaxy Note Edge, released in 2014, was a unique phone that boasted a revolutionary curved display on one side. This review will delve into the phone’s design, features, performance, and overall user experience to help you decide if it’s the right choice for you, even in today’s market.
Design: A Showstopper with Practical Quirks
The Note Edge’s defining feature is undoubtedly its curved AMOLED display. It stretches across a generous 5.6 inches with a Quad-HD+ resolution, offering stunning visuals and vibrant colors. The curved edge, however, is a double-edged sword. While it feels comfortable to hold and adds a touch of futuristic flair, it’s not always functional. Accidental touches can be an issue, especially when using the phone one-handed. Southpaws might find the edge placement on the right side particularly inconvenient.
Features: Top-Tier Specs with an Edge-clusive Twist
The Note Edge borrows most of its specs from its sibling, the Galaxy Note 4. This means you get a powerful Snapdragon 805 processor, 3GB of RAM, and 16GB of expandable storage. The S Pen stylus is also included, making the phone a productivity powerhouse.
The curved edge acts as a secondary display that can house app shortcuts, notifications, and even a digital ruler. It’s a neat idea, but app compatibility for the edge wasn’t extensive, and the functionality felt gimmicky at times.
Camera: Great Photos, Questionable Placement
The Note Edge packs a 16MP rear camera that takes sharp, detailed photos in good lighting conditions. However, like many phones from that era, low-light performance suffers. The front-facing camera is decent for selfies, but image quality drops off quickly in less than ideal lighting.
One major annoyance is the placement of the camera controls on the curved edge. These can be accidentally triggered by your palm while gripping the phone, leading to frustration.
Performance: A Powerful Phone, But Age is a Factor
The Galaxy Note Edge was a powerhouse in its day, but by today’s standards, the Snapdragon 805 processor and 3GB of RAM might struggle with demanding games and multitasking. The phone also launched with Android 4.4 KitKat, and while software updates were available, it won’t receive the latest security patches or Android versions.
Battery Life: Average at Best
The Note Edge has a decent battery capacity, but the large display and powerful processor take their toll. Expect a day’s worth of moderate usage on a single charge, but heavy users will likely need to reach for the charger in the afternoon.
Overall :
The Samsung Galaxy Note Edge was a bold experiment with a curved display. While the technology is impressive and the phone itself is well-built, the curved edge’s functionality is questionable, and the phone’s age makes it unsuitable for everyday use in 2024.
