PlayStation VR

With the PlayStation VR, the world of virtual reality has made its way to consoles in a big way. 

Previous headsets have not only been expensive themselves, but have also required expensive gaming PCs to have enough power to run them. 

The PlayStation VR is different. Not only is the headset itself much cheaper than its competitors, but it also only requires a PS4 console to run. 

Frankly, it's remarkable that such an affordable solution is as capable as it is. 

It has its problems – the most notable of which is the fact that you'll need to buy a PlayStation Camera if you don't already own one, and then shell out for PlayStation Move Controllers on top of that to get the full experience – but by and large PlayStation VR proves that not only is console VR viable, but it's actually enjoyable, too.

Over a week's time we tried close to a dozen games on the console, from Rocksteady's impressive (but short) Batman: Arkham VR to the laugh-out-loud funny Job Simulator to the tear-jerking Wayward Sky and even a horror game – Until Dawn: Rush of Blood.

Some of these titles were more fun than others, obviously, but all of them made the same point: PlayStation VR doesn't suck.

Before we go on talking about PlayStation VR's finer points (and foibles), let's get the basics out of the way.

The system is sold in two varieties: the basic PlayStation VR package that only includes the PS VR system, headphones and all cabling required for $399 / €399 / £349 / AUD$549, and a PlayStation VR Launch Bundle which includes the PS VR system, PlayStation Camera, two PlayStation Move Motion Controllers, and a copy of PlayStation VR Worlds for $499 (about £390/AU$655). Another interesting pack-in is the PlayStation VR demo disc that comes with both packages and has a dozen-or-so titles ready for you to check out.

If you don't already own the PlayStation Camera or Move Motion Controllers, the Launch Day bundle is the better bet here – especially considering that you'll get one of the best games on the platform, PlayStation VR Worlds, for free.

Besides the PlayStation VR unit itself and the PlayStation Camera, all you'll need is a PS4 (the recently released Slim version, the three-year-old original or the ultra-powerful PS4 Pro will do), a PS4 DualShock 4 controller and a 6-foot by 10-foot play space that's well lit, but not too bright.

Setting up the unit can be done in a matter of minutes and the provided instructions offer a clear visual guide to get you up and running.

How does PlayStation VR work?

Like other virtual reality headsets on the market, PlayStation VR has the arduous task of completely immersing you in a video game by producing two images simultaneously and then sending them to a headset a few feet away. But unlike the competition who require expensive graphics cards to get the job done, PS VR can do it using only the PlayStation 4's built-in GPU.

It achieves this by using the PlayStation Camera to track nine different points of light on the headset and the lights on either the Move controllers or on the DualShock 4, depending on which game you're playing.

It's surprisingly accurate given the fact that it's only using a single camera to track what's happening ... but it's not foolproof by any stretch of the imagination. We'll cover performance in detail in a minute, but be prepared for the camera to lose track of the controllers. A lot.

But the real bummer here is that because Sony only uses one camera instead of two, it's harder for PlayStation VR to track you if you get up and walk around than it is for a system like the HTC Vive which can offer true room-scale VR. That said, it still can support you if you decide to get up and wander around, but don't expect to take more than a few steps in any direction without a warning from the system that you're straying too far away.

To that end, most PlayStation VR games can recommend that you stay in one of two positions, either sitting down or standing up and stationary. If you're prone to motion sickness, sitting down might be a bit more comfortable, however, certain games are definitely better played on your feet.

Depending on where and how you angle your camera, switching between the two might not be so easy, so it's best to find an angle that covers the majority of the room in case you want to switch from one to the other without having to get up, move the camera and recalibrate.

But let's back up. Up until now, I've thrown the words "VR" and "virtual reality" around a lot and haven't provided much explanation for them.

VR has existed in one form or another for decades, but the modern version of the technology is more immersive and less nausea-inducing than it's ever been. In more or less words, virtual reality is just that – a virtual world that gives you the experience of being somewhere else in a different time, at a different place, sometimes as far as an alien world, all without ever leaving your home.

And yes, it's just as cool as it sounds.

If you want to be specific about it, PlayStation VR can handle 1080p games on its 920 x RGB x 1080 OLED display at either 90Hz (meaning that the image refreshes itself 90 times per second) or at 120Hz depending on the VR game or application.

And for those concerned about latency, Sony says that PlayStation VR's response rate is locked in at around 18ms – which is about 0.002 seconds faster than the highest acceptable latency before you would notice the lag in VR.

Those numbers are great, but they're matched by both the HTC Vive and Oculus Rift. The one advantage Sony has that neither Oculus nor HTC can claim is that it's actually a world-class game publisher. While the other two have been trying to create connections with developers over the past few years, Sony already has them.

To that end, Sony is promising 50 new titles on the platform before the end of the year, some of which will be made by Sony's extremely competent first-party studios. (The first of them, PlayStation VR Worlds, is absolutely incredible – you'll go from being put in a shark cage to holding up a bank and end by careening downhill on your back, dodging cars while going faster than the bobsled team in Cool Runnings.)

PlayStation VR on PS4 Pro

There's also another piece of hardware to consider when looking at buying a PlayStation VR, and that's Sony's brand-new, ultra-powered PS4 Pro. 

With additional processing power, the PS4 Pro is capable of creating an even more immersive virtual reality experience for the games that support it – there's around 30-or-so titles at the moment, with about 15 more coming before the end of the year. 

The improvement PS4 Pro promises can take many forms – from more detailed textures to better draw distances, and even a small reduction in graininess. The advantages differ from game-to-game, and PS4 Pro is currently setup to only support games where the developer has enabled "Pro Mode", a hardware boosting technology that tells the PS4 to use extra processing power

While writing the PS4 Pro review, we got the chance to try the upgraded hardware with the PlayStation VR and the results were noticeable, if a bit underwhelming.

There's definitely a distinct difference between PS4 and PS4 Pro versions of VR games, however, it's probably not one that can be spotted by the unwitting non-techie – it's something that you can only spot if you're paying close attention to how certain textures look in-game or how objects look in the distance. Lag felt less prevalent on the Pro system though, in all fairness, it wasn't something we felt was a major problem while using the standard issue console. 

Whether the minor improvements are worth paying extra for the more powerful hardware is ultimately a decision we'll leave up to you, however it's our opinion that you can get by with a standard PS4 just fine.

Asus ZenBook UX305

With the ever shrinking size of 13-inch laptops, the line that separates small laptops and Ultrabooks gets thinner every day. Laptop makers are pushing the envelope on compact systems: Lenovo unveiled its Yoga 900S, a convertible notebook thinner than the 12-inch MacBook while keeping its USB 3.0 ports. Similarly, the HP EliteBook Folio G1 is also puts the MacBook to shame with its slimmer body despite incorporating a 4K touchscreen.

However, before the MacBook and all its challengers, there was the Asus ZenBook UX305. This 13-inch Ultrabook comes with a stunningly svelte aluminum frame that is, again, thinner than the MacBook while packing a newly-added Skylake Core M processor and plenty of flash storage space. All of this might sound like the makings of an expensive compact laptop, the Asus ZenBook UX305 is actually one of the more affordable Windows 10 laptops, starting at $699 (£599, AU$1,199).

• Buy Asus Zenbook UX305 at Amazon Marketplace for $649.00

This makes the Asus ZenBook far more affordable than most premium Ultrabooks, like the glass-surfaced Acer Aspire S7. And yet, this machine is just as carefully crafted as the all-metal Samsung Ativ Book 9 Spin. Asus has once again struck the perfect balance of affordability and luxury with its latest offering.

Latest news

The latest in an ostensibly never-ending series of “MacBook killers,” Asus debuted its ZenBook 3 Deluxe at CES this year to some promising first impressions. In essence, it’s the ZenBook 3 but bigger, opting to rock a 14-inch display rather than a measly 12.5-incher.

It doesn’t house the fanless cooling system of the Asus ZenBook UX305, but for those on the prowl for a full-fledged Core i7 processor, the Asus ZenBook 3 now serves as a more contemporary alternative to the UX305, brushed aluminum shell and all.

And while sat on the edge of our seats in anticipation for the Windows 10 Creators Update to grace us with its presence in April, Asus UX305 users can enjoy – in the meantime – a helping of refreshing changes to Skype for Windows 10, including SMS and improved search functions.

Design

You could easily mistake the Asus ZenBook UX305 for a sketchbook when holding it. It's stunningly thin, measuring just 0.5 inches thick and weighing 2.6 pounds (1.17 kg). This makes the ZenBook one of the skinniest Windows 10 machines in existence but don't think it's flimsy.

The UX305 is entirely made of aluminum. The interior deck is one solid piece of metal that features an anodized and fine grit finish. By no means is the surface abrasive – rather it adds an extra bit of texture for your wrists to sit on. The underside also sports an anodized sheen, and it's also made with a separate sheet of metal.

For a bit more style on the UX305's screen lid, Asus went with a brushed aluminum finish. However, instead of going with the traditional straight lines, the top panel features a radial pattern that's both attractive and conveniently draws your attention to the Asus logo in the center.

Despite the small size of this Ultrabook, the trackpad is extremely roomy and extends over a third of the laptop's width. The trackpad almost looks comically large, but you'll appreciate the extra space and the frictionless surface. Better yet, clicks are tactile and audible whether you're pressing on the dedicated left and right buttons or pressing anywhere on the surface.

Similarly, the keyboard is spacious and follows the standard layout with a full-length backspace and enter key. The keys bottom out to a defined thump and spring back instantly for a responsive typing experience.

Asus Zenbook UX305 (2015)-10

Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery

There's no denying the Asus ZenBook UX305 looks exactly like a MacBook Air. From the hinge, the bezel around the screen, the position of the trackpad to the recessed keyboard, you can easily see the similarities to the MacBook Air. The hinge even helps to prop up the entire book at a tiny angle – just like Apple's ultralight notebook.
One of the few original touches Asus has added to the design are its chamfered edges, as opposed to the MacBook Air's razor sharp sides. Otherwise, the UX305 looks like the MacBook Air after it's gotten a nip-tuck job to make it marginally slimmer and lighter.

While the new ZenBook seems extremely derivative, that isn't necessarily a bad thing. If the MacBook Air helped set the benchmark for Ultrabooks, then the UX305 has surpassed it and improved on the design.

What's more, you also get a lot more ports too. This 13-inch laptop comes packing three USB 3.0 ports – which isn't even available on premium laptops, like the MacBook Pro and Surface Book. There's also an SD card reader and micro HDMI to round out the selection of ports.

Sony Bravia XBR-55X900E review

Getting 4K HDR right is no easy task. TV manufacturers have tried a variety of technologies and techniques to solve the challenge of high peak brightness, often making image quality worse rather than better. 

The ultimate LCD solution is widely thought to be full array backlighting with local dimming. So-called FALD LED screens give better results with HDR than edge-lit LED, but have typically been limited to super-large screen sizes. No longer is that the case. 

With its X900E series, Sony is offering the technology on the full range of the X900E’s screen sizes, from the massive 75-inch screen down to the petite 49-incher, effectively making FALD available to all enthusiasts.  That said, the X900E model we have here, a 55-incher, comes in at $1,700, but the series is also available in 49-, 65- and 75-inch sizes if you need something a bit larger. 

Design

When it comes to design, Sony continues to knock the ball out of the park on its TV line-up.

The X900E has a premium-looking thin matt black bezel, offset with aluminum trim, while the silver-slate pedestal stand provides crafty cable management. This central support marks a refreshing alternative to screen-wide feet which almost never fit on non-Ikea TV furniture. The set is moderately slim, given the provision of a direct backlight, but it still comes with a sizable power brick which you'll need to accommodate and could complicate wall mounting somewhat.

The set has four HDMI inputs (one back facing, the others side-mounted), all of which are 4K HDCP 2.2 compliant. This means you’ve plenty of room for 4K Blu-ray, games consoles and set top boxes.

There’s also a component AV input, three USBs (one of which is a fast blue 3.0 variant), and an optical digital audio output for outboard sound systems. Ethernet and Wi-Fi are standard. 

The set ships with the same rubber-keyed remote we saw on Sony’s 2016 TVs, much to our chagrin. With barely raised buttons, it doesn’t offer a great user experience. That rubbery surface also picks up fluff non-stop, making your new investment look rather unkempt. There’s an IR blaster in the box, so you can control other devices using the Sony remote.

Screen sizes available: 49, 55, 65 and 75 inches | 4K: Yes | HDR: Yes (HDR10, firmware upgrade for HLG planned) | Panel technology: Full array backlighting with local dimming | Smart TV: Yes, Android TV | Curved: No | Dimensions: 122.8 x 70.7 x 6 cm (W x H x D) | 3D: No | Inputs: 4x HDMI with HDCP2.2, component, stereo audio, 3x USB, Ethernet

The set has four HDMI inputs (one back facing, the others side-mounted), all of which are 4K HDCP 2.2 compliant. This means you’ve plenty of room for 4K Blu-ray, games consoles and set top boxes.

There’s also a component AV input, three USBs (one of which is a fast blue 3.0 variant), and an optical digital audio output for outboard sound systems. Ethernet and Wi-Fi are standard. 

The set ships with the same rubber-keyed remote we saw on Sony’s 2016 TVs, much to our chagrin. With barely raised buttons, it doesn’t offer a great user experience. That rubbery surface also picks up fluff non-stop, making your new investment look rather unkempt. There’s an IR blaster in the box, so you can control other devices using the Sony remote.

Screen sizes available: 49, 55, 65 and 75 inches | 4K: Yes | HDR: Yes (HDR10, firmware upgrade for HLG planned) | Panel technology: Full array backlighting with local dimming | Smart TV: Yes, Android TV | Curved: No | Dimensions: 122.8 x 70.7 x 6 cm (W x H x D) | 3D: No | Inputs: 4x HDMI with HDCP2.2, component, stereo audio, 3x USB, Ethernet

Headline apps consist of Amazon Video, Netflix and YouTube. Both Netflix and Amazon support 4K and HDR streams. If you need more there’s Google Play, Wuaki, PlayStation Video, Spotify and other stuff you’ll never explore in a month of Sundays.

All said it's not great, but Android TV fast to start and responsive to navigate.

HD/SDR performance

When it comes to image quality, the X900E is a winner. Straight from the box, it dazzles with clarity and punch. Sony doesn’t reveal how many direct LED zones the set employs, but ultimately it’s not the number of bulbs clustered behind the glass that matters but the uniformity of the illumination – and in this regard, the X900E certainly impresses. 

Picture presets comprise Standard, Vivid, Custom, Cinema Pro, Cinema Home, Sports, Animation and Game.  In addition to the usual Brightness, Color, Light Sensor adjustments, the Advanced settings include Auto local dimming, X-tended Dynamic Range and Advanced Contrast Enhancer. It’s worth experimenting with these. 

The 4K panel is native 100Hz, which really helps motion handling. Sony’s Motionflow processor, incomprehensibly labeled XR 1000Hz, comes in Standard, Clear, True Cinema and Custom implementations. You can also turn it Off (but this should only be done for movies, when you want to avoid that soap opera video effect). Standard does a reasonable job of holding detail without inflicting artifacts. It’s a solid all-purpose choice, regardless of content. 

However, probably our favorite option is the Custom setting, with Smoothness set to 3 and Clear to Min. This retains maximum clarity yet creates only negligible artifacts. It’s ideal for sports. Clear is appropriately the clearest setting for fine detail. It’s also artifact free, but comes with a big hit in terms of luminance – not exactly what you want on an HDR screen. The other setting to avoid is Smooth, which exhibits copious artifacts.

The picture processor used here is the freshly baked X1 HDR imaging engine, which borrows a number of features from the X1 Extreme found in the range-topping ZD9 and soon the OLED A1, namely Super Bit Mapping 4K HDR and Object Based HDR Remastering. When receiving 4K HDR, the Light Sensor is locked on. Other settings remain adjustable, including Brightness, X-Tended Dynamic Range and so forth. 

Super bitmapping effectively removes color banding from images, sometimes seen in sky gradations or animation on low bitrate content. More crucially, HDR Remastering is used to upscale Standard Dynamic Range (SDR) contrast and color, by treating onscreen objects individually. This allows the technique more precision, and creates a very convincing dynamic image.

The rub is that HDR remastering is not a user adjustable feature. It’s on by default in all modes except one. This could be an issue if its implementation was heavy-handed and obvious. But it’s not. Indeed, it’s nigh on undetectable. Sure, you can point to a spectral highlight and go ‘oooh upscaled,’ but it all looks supremely natural. 

Sony's 4K X-Reality Pro processor adds subjective detail and texture, and generally appears to work well. However, it can also add unwanted artifacts. While the benefits of X-Reality Pro generally outweigh any visible disadvantage, it's worth keeping at least one preset clean of them (the Custom setting would be the obvious choice). With X-Reality Pro disengaged, native high frequency 4K resolution is delivered unfettered by the panel. If it’s in the source, it’ll make it to the screen.

Helpfully, you can manually adjust the resolution of X-Reality Pro. The point at which artifacts start to become noticeable is actually around 30 on the set’s sliding numerical scale – so you could simply leave the setting on this and accrue some processing benefit.

4K/HDR performance

The X900E boasts X-tended Dynamic Range Pro with XDR, which is Sony lingo to signify that it has five times the contrast of a conventional LED screen. 

By way of comparison, the step-up
X930E, with its Ultra Slim Backlight Plus, is rated at 10x, which is to say ten times the brightness of vanilla LED, while the flagship ZD9 sits at 16x. 

While the screen isn’t leading the charge when it comes to luminance, it still delivers plenty of peak brightness. The Amazing Spider-Man 2 (UHD Blu-ray) bristles with zappy neon highlights and generally looks superb. When the newly Goblin-ised Harry confronts Spidey at Oscorp Power, the backdrop positively sparks. There's a luminescence to the X900E’s images which is beguiling.

Thanks to that FALD backlight, dark tone uniformity is good, too – there are no uncouth splashes of white to compromise fully dark scenes. The local dimming algorithm can be seen at work, for example, when bright white text is held on a black background. A wider halo or bloom can be seen behind, but it's not jarring and can be considered an acceptable consequence of the technology at work.

Test footage of an HDR firework display explodes with appropriate brilliance. The set tone maps to 1000 nits, brightness ramped to the max. To that end, first-generation HDR LED sets often struggled in their quest to deliver peak highlights, causing distracting backlighting effects in the process. Thanks to the full array approach used here, that's not the case on the X900E. When the set needs to get dark, the black level becomes suitably pronounced.

As far as colors are concerned, the Triluminos panel does a terrific job conveying deep reds, they’re more intense than you might expect from a mid-range LED. While UHD Blu-ray is the best image partner for the X900E, OTT streaming can look similarly impressive. The season one North African test drive in The Grand Tour (episode 5) is downright breathtaking. The sun glints off a Mazda MX-5’s bonnet with warming authenticity, while the fine weave in Hammond's denim shirt appears exquisitely detailed. 

Sound

You might expect the audio quality on a modern thin screen with no visible speakers to be generally rather poor. However, the X900E surprises with good stereo separation and a reasonable amount of full-bodied heft, courtesy of two 10-watt amps – Sony has apparently angled the drivers forward rather than just down, creating a less muffled soundstage. 

We liked

Overall, the Sony X900E is a great HDR TV that occupies a sweet spot between performance and price. UHD image clarity is excellent, color performance luscious and its HDR delivery adds just the right level of zing. 

The X900E is an HDR screen for the rest of us. The direct LED backlight with local dimming offers delicious screen uniformity. Inky blacks are largely free of the splotches seen on edge-lit sets, and contrast is high. It’s not in the same league as OLED, but for the price it’s hard to do better. Fine detail and motion resolution are class leading. 

We disliked 

There’s some bloom around peak highlights on black backgrounds, which could be solved by a greater density of LED backlights (but then the price would rise too). The remote control feels cheap in the hand.

Final verdict

With superb 4K image clarity, powerful SDR-to-HDR remastering, and a smooth direct LED backlight, Sony is offering something very different with the X900E. We loved the consistency of its images, the eye-popping vibrancy of its wide color gamut panel and its easy-to-watch HDR – you get spectral highlights without accompanying eye fatigue. 

Given this set’s high-but-fair price point, any niggles we have are negligible. The X900E comes highly recommended and is deserving of our Best in Class award.    

Best smartwatch: the top smartwatches you can buy in 2017

The smartwatch is the ultimate smartphone accessory. It can tell the time, of course, but it can also
beam important notifications straight to your wrist, and run native apps

What's more impressive is that many of today's best models can also perform a ton of novel tricks, such as enabling you to search the internet with your voice, tracking your exercise over GPS, and letting you check-out at the grocery store without reaching for your wallet

Oh yeah – and they look absolutely stunning to boot

1. LG Watch Sport

Google's Android phone on your wrist

OS: Android Wear 2.0 | Compatibility: Android, iOS | Display: 1.38" OLED | Processor: Snapdragon Wear 2100 | Band sizes: Fixed large band | Onboard storage: 4GB | Battery: 16 hours | Charging method: Wireless | IP rating: IP68 | Connectivity: Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, NFC

• Calls and data without a phone

• Excellent strength training

• Appealing design despite big size

• Battery life falls short

• Standalone apps still coming

• Phone calls (US only) require a SIM card

LG Watch Sport is the smartwatch to beat right now simply because it's a full-featured fitness tracker wrapped in a smartwatch running Android Wear 2.0. While other smartwatches can do "fitness tracking" that just amounts to logging runs and calories burned, this watch tracks your all-important strength training, too.

It's also one of the few smartwatches that supports an LTE connection, meaning, if you pop a SIM card into the back of the watch, it can make and receive calls and data – without your smartwatch nearby.

It doesn't have the best battery life, despite its bigger-than-normal size, and apps are still being announced for Google's newly refreshed platform. But it's a proper step up for Android Wear and smartwatches in general.

2. Apple Watch 2

Fitness takes over the Apple Watch

OS: watchOS 3 | Compatibility: iOS | Display: 1.53" OLED | Processor: S2 dual-core | Band sizes: Varies drastically per watch size | Onboard storage: 8GB (only 2GB and 75MB allowed for music and photos, respectively) | Battery: 18 hours | Charging method: Wireless | IP rating: IPX7 | Connectivity: Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, NFC

• Water-resistant
• GPS onboard
• Expensive
• Lack of useful apps

The Apple Watch 2 is the best smartwatch you can buy right now. It's water-resistant, which means it's more durable than most of the other devices on this list and you won't have to worry about getting it wet in the rain when you're out for a jog.

There's GPS onboard to make running that little bit easier plus it comes running the newest watchOS 3 software. Design wise it's looking very similar to the original Apple Watch. Be warned though, the Apple Watch 2 is expensive.

If you already own an Apple Watch, the Apple Watch 2 may not be worth the upgrade, but there are a few solid improvements that mean it's worth spending that bit extra if this is your first wearable from Apple

3. Samsung Gear S3

Samsung's latest goes big against Apple - literally

OS: Tizen OS | Compatibility: Android, iOS | Display: 1.3" 360 x 360 Super AMOLED | Processor: Dual-core 1.0GHz | Band sizes: S (105 x 65mm) L (130 x 70mm) | Onboard storage: 4GB | Battery duration: 3 days | Charging method: Wireless | IP rating: IP68 | Connectivity: Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, 4G

• Intuitive interface
• Great activity tracking
• Very large on wrist
• Severe lack of apps

Despite a serious lack of original apps, the Samsung Gear S3 is one of the best smartwatch options on the market.

The intuitive controls and Super AMOLED screen from the Samsung Gear S2 are back in full form here. Plus, GPS makes its debut on the Gear S3.

While its look is more executive than the Gear S2, it rocks a IP68-protected build and can last up to 3 days of use before needing a charge.

Samsung recently made the Gear S3 (and Gear S2, for that matter) compatible on iOS. So, if you're looking for a more traditional-looking alternative to the Apple Watch, you may have found your match.

Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge review

The Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge is a phone I'd hate to have had to make. Its predecessor was a multi-award-winning phone, simply because it packed all the power of the 'normal' Galaxy S6 and yet... that curved edge. I wasn't alone in loving it, whipping it out proudly whenever possible.

But that was last year, and the world is bored of the curved design. We've seen it. It's been done. So what can Samsung do to make the new phone a real step forward?

Well, unlike what it's done on the Galaxy S7, which looks (initially) like last year's model, the changes on the S7 Edge are brilliant, adding a zest to a design that could have quickly become tired.

The screen is larger, yet somehow the phone doesn't feel too much bigger in the hand. The rear of the phone is now curved too, making it sit nicely in the hand. It's waterproof. There's a microSD card slot. There's so much power in there I'm pretty sure I could strap it on the back of a speedboat and make my way across the Atlantic.

And that's even more possible because the battery – such a disappointment on last year's S6 phones – is boosted massively too, giving us a handset that's able to last over 24 hours between charges.

Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge price and release date

• Launched March 2016
• Price at launch: £640 / $769 / AU$1249

All this technology comes at a cost obviously, and a pretty hefty one. In the UK that cost is £640 (although if you shop around it can now be found for around £630), while in the US you're looking at a huge $299 on a two-year contract, or the new unlocked price of $769 (again, shop around and you're looking at more $600 now). 

In Australia, the Galaxy S7 Edge attracts the highest price for a Galaxy yet: AU$1,249 for the 32GB version.

That's quite a jump from last year's AU$1,149 starting price, showing this is one of the most expensive phones around.

But, in my view, it's worth every penny.

Design

The Galaxy S7 Edge is a phone that lives and dies by its looks. If you're only interested in the power then just go for the standard Galaxy S7. The smaller, 'normal', model has got all the same smarts, but a slightly sharper screen thanks to packing the same amount of pixels into a smaller area

What it misses is the clever elements that Samsung's used on the Edge. The display curves further away into the sides of the phone than ever before, which means that even though you've got a phablet-sized display, the phone is as compact as possible

Place it side by side with the iPhone 7 Plus or 6S Plus and you'll see what I mean. The amount of bezel used above and below the display on Apple's phone is almost laughable, especially when you compare it to how tightly packed everything is on the S7 Edge – and the Samsung has a much, much larger battery

The S7 Edge is shorter and narrower (150.9 x 72.6mm) than the 7 Plus and 6S Plus (158.2 x 77.9mm), even though both devices have the same 5.5-inch screen size. The iPhone is however, a hair thinner at 7.3mm versus the Samsung's 7.7mm girth

It's also very similar in size to the LG G5 (149.4 x 73.9 x 7.7 mm), which again sports a 5.5-inch display - with the Android manufacturers really sticking it to Apple.

One of my favorite parts of the design upgrade on the S7 Edge comes on the rear. A process called 3D Thermo Forming – which sounds like it's been named by a sentient marketing machine – enables the brand to curve the rear of the phone into a single metal rim that runs all around the edge

It's a feature that was used last year on the Note 5 (and is also used by brands like Xiaomi) to really help the phone slip into your palm and remove any sharp

metallic edges

Combine that with the same curve on the front of the device and you can see why it feels so smooth in the hand, almost pebble-esque in the way you can roll it around in your palm

Intriguingly, this has left some people with the impression that it's not quite got the same premium feel as previous Samsung phones. By having less metal to grasp on to you're touching the Gorilla Glass 4 covering, which can feel a little like plastic due to its lightweight (but still very strong) construction

Tap the back of the phone and it lacks the sheen of metal, but in fairness that lack of metal allows for the wireless charging that's a key feature of the S7 Edge

That back does have one issue though: it's a fingerprint fairground, a veritable carnival for any crime scene investigators looking to nab you for some dirty villainy

So many phones have that criticism thrown at them, but it's particularly true for Samsung's new curved phone. It's easy enough to wipe the sticky offenders off, but it's annoying to have to do it time and again

The camera protrusion on the rear has been reduced to just 0.42mm, which means it's barely noticeable when you're placing the phone down, while still being strong enough to help protect the lens

And then you remember something else: this phone, with its elegant rim and clean lines, and complete with exposed ports, is waterproof

  
No, sorry, water-RESISTANT, as it's IP68 rated. That means it's still able to

work after being dunked in fresh water for 30 minutes up to a depth of 1.5 metres, so you'll be able to use it happily in the bath, or beside the shallow end of the swimming pool, and not worry about dropping it

It's less of a 'let's take our phone scuba diving to get some amazing pictures' feature, and more of a safety feature – and the phone will even refuse to charge if the port is too wet, such is its ability to manage moisture

Sadly, you're still left with a single speaker firing out the bottom of the Galaxy S7 Edge, which doesn't really have the most premium of sound; however, it's serviceable, and noticeably louder than other mono speakers I've used

Overall, I can't speak highly enough of the S7 Edge's design. It feels amazing in the hand, and Samsung has managed to bring enough upgrades to make this look and feel like a completely different phone; and most people trying it for the first time will – even if they're not a fan – be able to appreciate something different in a world filled with black, rectangular slabs

Screen

The display, while technically part of the Galaxy S7 Edge's design, is worthy of chatting about in its own right – simply because it looks so great

It's the defining feature when you pull this phone out among friends, and while it doesn't elicit the same response that the S6 Edge's display did last year (like I said, curved displays are nothing new these days), it still gets a lot of approving looks, especially as it's combined with the rounded back

The QHD resolution of 2,560 x 1,440 still looks as good as anything I've seen on a smartphone. Despite being stretched a little from last year, the 5.5-inch size still looks absolutely pin-sharp, and it's very hard to see any artefacts lying around on the screen

It's amazing to think that, two years after LG brought out the first mainstream QHD phone, we still don't have any dedicated content that can be viewed at this resolution. Despite that, however, I don't feel like the Galaxy S7 Edge really suffers, as that display makes viewing web pages and photos a really great experience

The S7 Edge uses Super AMOLED technology, which Samsung's been chucking out for close to a decade now, and it really works well to make the phone look premium and the colors really pop

The contrast ratio – the difference between the whitest whites and the blackest blacks – is still pretty sensational, which is because when they're not in use, the pixels are turned off; with something like the iPhone 6S or the LG G5 you've got a display that just blocks out the backlight when the pixel is showing a black image, so there can be a small amount of light bleed-through

The Galaxy S7 Edge screen also has the added benefit of the side display, which is accessed by swiping your thumb along from the right- or left-hand side of the phone's screen (you can specify which in the settings

Where this was a nonsense, useless feature in years gone by, the side display has a much more defined role on the Galaxy S7 Edge. You can easily get access to news, regular contacts, tools (the ruler, for digi-measuring is back – GET IN) and other elements that are currently in development.

Check out the Specs and Performance section of this review to hear a little bit more about this feature – or skip it entirely if you're bored of hearing me witter on about a piece of the display you can swipe.