• Hey, guest user. Hope you're enjoying NeoGAF! Have you considered registering for an account? Come join us and add your take to the daily discourse.

Galaxy S6 and S6 Edge |OT| I just had six, and it felt so good

Status
Not open for further replies.

Ranvier

Member
Ugh, just got a crack right across the middle of my edge. Anyone know the best way to get this fixed? Maybe I should just live with it as long as I can. The only thing ive seen online costs 375 dollars which is more than the 200 i paid for the phone.
 

3phemeral

Member
Been playing around with my 64GB S6 for a few days now and I was suffering from major lag already.

For example: waking the phone and attempting to slide-to-unlock, it would take so long to respond it would just go back to sleep. I'd do this several times only to give up and eventually have to just wait. Phone would stutter for practically every task I tried when initially, it was smooth as butter.

Turns out wiping the cache helped out. Phone runs smooth again so I'm hoping that was it. I'm guessing something must have happened during the setup because I was trying to install a bunch of apps while also having applied two firmware updates.

Love the fingerprint scanner as LastPass has implemented that feature into unlocking the app, which is a time saver. I thought the phone would feel too big and unwieldy compared to my 1st gen Moto X but with my big hands, it actually feels more comfortable to hold and less likely I'll drop it. Screen is gorgeous. Auto-Selfie recognition mode is also amazing as it somehow makes you look like you have naturally flawless skin. I'll wait and see on battery life as I'm using the phone tons right now so it'll be a bit before I dip into normal usage.
 
Been playing around with my 64GB S6 for a few days now and I was suffering from major lag already.

For example: waking the phone and attempting to slide-to-unlock, it would take so long to respond it would just go back to sleep. I'd do this several times only to give up and eventually have to just wait. Phone would stutter for practically every task I tried when initially, it was smooth as butter.

Turns out wiping the cache helped out. Phone runs smooth again so I'm hoping that was it. I'm guessing something must have happened during the setup because I was trying to install a bunch of apps while also having applied two firmware updates.

Love the fingerprint scanner as LastPass has implemented that feature into unlocking the app, which is a time saver. I thought the phone would feel too big and unwieldy compared to my 1st gen Moto X but with my big hands, it actually feels more comfortable to hold and less likely I'll drop it. Screen is gorgeous. Auto-Selfie recognition mode is also amazing as it somehow makes you look like you have naturally flawless skin. I'll wait and see on battery life as I'm using the phone tons right now so it'll be a bit before I dip into normal usage.

the memory issues won't go away with simply cleaning the cache. We're still waiting for an update to fix it. If it ever gets really bad to the point you can't do absolutely NOTHING without shit restarting/stopping/freezing then do restart the phone. That always helps me.

As to battery life, with decently decent/heavy usage it can last me anywhere from 8-10 hours depending on the day.
 

3phemeral

Member
the memory issues won't go away with simply cleaning the cache. We're still waiting for an update to fix it. If it ever gets really bad to the point you can't do absolutely NOTHING without shit restarting/stopping/freezing then do restart the phone. That always helps me.

As to battery life, with decently decent/heavy usage it can last me anywhere from 8-10 hours depending on the day.

Is the memory leak really that bad where it makes the phone unusable? My mom's phone ran fine for the entire week I was there. I was already suffering from issues 2nd day in to the point where I was considering returning it. Then again, I use literally a few dozen more apps than she does, so I wonder if it has to do with all those processes running + memory leak.

I'll keep an eye on it for a few more days and see if it gets anywhere near as bad as it was. During the height of the lag, even a restart wouldn't solve it.

I'm not too concerned with battery life. Coming from the 1st gen Moto X, I got about a day's worth on a charge with a few hours of browsing/reading. So far I haven't run out of juice even with heavy usage; I just have a habit of charging the phone whenever I get the chance to for those just-in-case scenarios. I also have two 10kmAh external batteries I carry with me for that very reason. =)
 
Is the memory leak really that bad where it makes the phone unusable? My mom's phone ran fine for the entire week I was there. I was already suffering from issues 2nd day in to the point where I was considering returning it. Then again, I use literally a few dozen more apps than she does, so I wonder if it has to do with all those processes running + memory leak.

I'll keep an eye on it for a few more days and see if it gets anywhere near as bad as it was. During the height of the lag, even a restart wouldn't solve it.

It becomes unusable every once in a while not so often but it's ALWAYS frustrating when you consider you just bought this fancy ass phone that runs like ass when it really shouldn't. My galaxy s4 had less issues.
 

3phemeral

Member
It becomes unusable every once in a while not so often but it's ALWAYS frustrating when you consider you just bought this fancy ass phone that runs like ass when it really shouldn't. My galaxy s4 had less issues.

I'm thinking my issue might have been the infamous memory leak + something else with how bad it was. At least, that's what I'm hoping. I'll keep my fingers crossed and see what happens. If it is a memory leak, it's not just this device but all Lollipop ones, right? So switching to another Lollipop device won't solve anything, other than going Nexus because the potential for quick fixes from Google, I assume?
 
I'm thinking my issue might have been the infamous memory leak + something else with how bad it was. At least, that's what I'm hoping. I'll keep my fingers crossed and see what happens. If it is a memory leak, it's not just this device but all Lollipop ones, right? So switching to another Lollipop device won't solve anything, other than going Nexus because the potential for quick fixes from Google, I assume?

My understanding is that lollipop has memory leaks, but Galaxy S6 have an even worst memory leak due to how it handles memory.

As to how bad it should run on a day to day basis I might struggle occasionally with unlocking the phone or getting an app to load. Chrome also closes multiple times throughout the day but it tends to reload the website when you open it back up
 

3phemeral

Member
My understanding is that lollipop has memory leaks, but Galaxy S6 have an even worst memory leak due to how it handles memory.

As to how bad it should run on a day to day basis I might struggle occasionally with unlocking the phone or getting an app to load. Chrome also closes multiple times throughout the day but it tends to reload the website when you open it back up
Ah, thanks for that your help. I'll have to consider whether or not I want to return this for something else or stick it out for a fix because really, the camera and the build is amazing. Conflicted.
 

Chanser

Member
Ah, thanks for that your help. I'll have to consider whether or not I want to return this for something else or stick it out for a fix because really, the camera and the build is amazing. Conflicted.

Might as well return it and get Moto X Style or new OnePlus Two. Though S6 Edge+ and Note 5 is coming soon.
 

3phemeral

Member
Might as well return it and get Moto X Style or new One Plus Two.

That's a few months down the line, isn't it? I originally was going to wait but I unfortunately shattered the screen on my original Moto X (like, severely shattered). I was able to keep my Verizon unlimited data plan while also using my upgrade to get a cheap price for the S6, so I don't know if I'd be able to do that again next time around for the new Moto X. I also don't have any usable phone lying around that I can use as a stopgap since all the additional devices I have lying around are T-Mobile ones from my partner.

I guess I can ask the manager that pulled off the unlimited data deal for me, but it might be a huge hassle considering he added an LG Tone bluetooth headset, Tempered glass screen protector, and a Spigen kickstand case completely free of charge. Plus he's in California while I reside in Michigan.

Decisions, decisions.
 
Have had my Edge since launch, but only used the "adaptive fast charger" twice. The 2nd time I tried it, the phone got so hot I could barely even hold it after I checked on it. It's completely fried and won't turn on. No charging LED, and no connection established when I plug it into a computer. :-/
 

UFO

Banned
Cell standby is killing my battery right now. This is with 15 min screen on time:

hSyQhSa.jpg
 

Hex

Banned
SO I somehow got a crack on the screen of my Xperia Z1 so ended up having to upgrade alot sooner than I wanted so I went with the S6 Edge,
I like it, though it really seems to eat battery alot faster than the Z did.
Still getting used to what it can do.
 

3phemeral

Member
Decided to do a factory reset even though I was against it after setting everything up: best decision I made in terms of regaining performance. It wasn't as bad as the very first initial lag I experienced, but wiping the cache didn't entirely solve that either. I would experience stutters with the keyboard or just most types of input when multitasking, for instance, or the camera would take a bit of time to start up. I suspect I may have to do this again when the 5.1.1 update comes, whenever that may be.

I also made sure to install only apps I use frequently and reserve the others for my tablet just to keep an eye on performance. I still have most of my apps installed (which I did manually rather than the auto backup you're given the option to use during setup), so it's not a huge loss. I did, however, get the 64GB version to be able to install as many apps as I want without worry, but I suppose that may not account for misbehaving apps anyway.

I also disabled a lot of bloat using a Debloater tool to disable most anything I wasn't allowed to via the system app menu (no root required!). And bonus! Google Now commands work like they should unlike before, where I'd have it set to listen while asleep and it'd take anywhere from 15 to 45 seconds to even register that it recognized my voice (thanks, S-Voice).

Lastly, I might be going full nude with this as using either the Spigen Kickstand case or the Otterbox Defender, I'd get frequent overheating warnings. The phone just isn't designed to dissipate heat very well with a case on and I find the phone rarely gets warm without one (unless I'm charging during use). Even every phone's nemesis, Summoners War barely caused a rise (insofar as my hands can detect).

I may have to get insurance now because I know this slippery sucker is going to be a headache for sure.
 

Cheddahz

Banned
My Galaxy S6 wasn't on low battery, it decided to turn itself off, and now I can't turn it back on (I've hooked it up to a charger and it's not even charging)

Any tips on how I can turn it back on or am I toasted?
 

spuckthew

Member
Do Samsung roll out updates to TouchWiz? I got an Edge two weeks ago and it's been great so far, but I really like the new aesthetic of the default icons in their latest TouchWiz revision (a la Edge+ and Note 5).

Also this is my first Android phone. I did get a Nexus 7 2012 on release, though, and acquired a Nexus 10 from work a few months ago
 
My Galaxy S6 wasn't on low battery, it decided to turn itself off, and now I can't turn it back on (I've hooked it up to a charger and it's not even charging)

Any tips on how I can turn it back on or am I toasted?
Sounds dead.

Did you try holding the power button for 30 seconds



Do Samsung roll out updates to TouchWiz? I got an Edge two weeks ago and it's been great so far, but I really like the new aesthetic of the default icons in their latest TouchWiz revision (a la Edge+ and Note 5).

Also this is my first Android phone. I did get a Nexus 7 2012 on release, though, and acquired a Nexus 10 from work a few months ago
Nope.
 
Do Samsung roll out updates to TouchWiz? I got an Edge two weeks ago and it's been great so far, but I really like the new aesthetic of the default icons in their latest TouchWiz revision (a la Edge+ and Note 5).

Also this is my first Android phone. I did get a Nexus 7 2012 on release, though, and acquired a Nexus 10 from work a few months ago

It'll probably be a theme pack. Guaranteed.
 

3phemeral

Member
Just got the 5.1.1 update on Verizon. I'm hoping the memory issues are resolved. Still vulnerable to Stagefright, though, according to the Lookout security app.
 

DrPoolips

Neo Member
I'm having the same RAM slowdown issues. Always at the worst times too. Do you think if I were to bring the phone into AT&T they would replace it? Maybe I would get lucky and get one without the RAM issues. Some people don't seem to have this problem at all.
 

3phemeral

Member
Verizon beat AT&T? What the hell..
I was under the assumption Verizon got it last again. That's surprising.

I'm having the same RAM slowdown issues. Always at the worst times too. Do you think if I were to bring the phone into AT&T they would replace it? Maybe I would get lucky and get one without the RAM issues. Some people don't seem to have this problem at all.

A factory reset helped my issue. When I got the phone, I was in the middle of installing all apps from my old phone when it updated twice. Had horrible lag and slowdown and a factory reset with individually installing apps seemed to remedy that. I have occasional lag, but nowhere near as bad as I had in the beginning. And that was the kind that rendered the phone unusable. I couldn't even slide to unlock without it sleeping before it would register my finger.
 

NH Apache

Banned
I'm really surprised that Sprint is beating Att and Verizon. We've had the 5.1.1 for over a month and Stagefright was patched over two weeks ago.
 

Ixian

Member
Got the 5.1.1 update on Verizon a few days ago and it improved the performance of my device drastically. Before the update, I was constantly frustrated by how stuttery the device was given the amount of raw horsepower it has; prior to the S6 I owned a Droid Razr MAXX and later an Xperia Z3V and they were so much smoother by comparison. It was getting to the point where I was really looking forward to the next line of Motorola devices in hopes that they had an even somewhat comparable camera. With the latest update though, I'm pretty happy with the S6 again minus the battery life. Quick charging helps obviously, but I'd love to have a bigger battery in this thing.
 

Persona7

Banned
I'm having the same RAM slowdown issues. Always at the worst times too. Do you think if I were to bring the phone into AT&T they would replace it? Maybe I would get lucky and get one without the RAM issues. Some people don't seem to have this problem at all.

I swapped the one I had and still had the same issues.
 

UFO

Banned
I don't really feel like my phone has any RAM slowdown issues. Seems to be as fast with nothing open and 50 apps open.
 
Just got my S6E back from Samsung after i sent it out 2 weeks ago to get it fixed my cracked screen ....and HOLY SHIT they just sent me a new one and it seem to run better after i reinstalled all my apps and disabled the bloatware ....let see how long it last
 

Wreav

Banned
I don't really feel like my phone has any RAM slowdown issues. Seems to be as fast with nothing open and 50 apps open.

You don't understand the issue. No one said the phone is SLOW. Apps close themselves when a very small amount of other apps are open, leading to app reloads/refreshes that shouldn't be happening, killing one's ability to multitask.
 

3phemeral

Member
Just got my S6E back from Samsung after i sent it out 2 weeks ago to get it fixed my cracked screen ....and HOLY SHIT they just sent me a new one and it seem to run better after i reinstalled all my apps and disabled the bloatware ....let see how long it last

After the 5.1.1 update I haven't had any lag issues other than one: while playing Summoners War, I'll get huge frame drops randomly whereas before the update. I also had one issue where the phone wouldn't wake up from sleep for some reason and responded all at once by waking/sleeping 4-5 times back to back.

Aside from that, I haven't had any issues with the phone awake and using it (though, Chrome still refreshes).. Summoners War seems to be unoptimized for this device as it crashed a lot before the update. Only two days in so can't really say for certain.
 

Skilotonn

xbot xbot xbot xbot xbot
Just getting a little feedback although I already made up my mind - I'm someone who never took the smartphone plunge as I practically worked from home for myself so I always used my laptop for everything.

Now, near the launch of the S6, I can remember reading how disappointing the S5 was said to be compared to other brand flagships, and how so many people praised the S6 being that much better than the S5. This being despite no more SD card expansion, being water proof or having a removable battery, things I would want in my first smartphone.

Now that so much time has passed, do you all still think that the S6 is that much better than the S5, aside from the power increase of course?
 

Skilotonn

xbot xbot xbot xbot xbot
S6 is leagues beyond the S5 in every way, unless you care about minor water resistance.

Hmmmm. I'll see if that's worth a $250 price difference where I'm getting it, but I know I still won't be on it as often as most people.
 

3phemeral

Member
Well, I think it's been long enough where I can safely say 5.1.1 (on Verizon) has been way better with memory management. Recent Apps doesn't stutter when pulling up the App list and I haven't had any major stuttering or lag (even in power-saving mode, which happens more often but still nowhere near as laggy or unusable). Haven't really had any wake-up problems like before. Chrome still refreshes though, even if it was just used.

Keyboards rarely have that takes-so-long-to-register-it-thinks-it's-a-long-press issue. One thing did get worse, though, and that's Summoners War's performance. Frame rate will drop and the game will frequently crash. That's the only game I've played frequently so I can't say if it's the update or optimization as there were issues before the update (3d objects disappeared).

Oh, and Google Now voice recognition is still horrendously slow. Whether it's already on and responding to my voice or plugged in and listening, it just doesn't know how to prioritize those requests. The only added Samsung feature I like is how Google Now will act as an overlay over your currently used app, so it won't take you out of what you're doing when you set an alarm but that's negated by a slow and often unresponsive implementation. Even on my Moto X's laggiest days (which were rare) it would almost always instantly respond to Google Now requests.
 

jwk94

Member
So Edge users, how are you faring? Friend wants the Edge but i'm not sure if I'm willing to get it for them given the lack of expandable memory.
 

spuckthew

Member
So Edge users, how are you faring? Friend wants the Edge but i'm not sure if I'm willing to get it for them given the lack of expandable memory.

I've had mine exactly four weeks (got it on the 2nd) and it has been perfect. I'm admittedly not a massive power user when it comes to phones, but I do all the usual things like web browsing, listening to music (Spotify), Facebook browsing, checking emails, watching the odd YouTube video, texting (mostly WhatsApp), and making/taking calls here and there. I guess that's actually quite a lot of phone stuff when I list it out like that, but I'm not an app-whore, I don't really play games, I don't take random photos and shove them on Instagram, and I don't customise my phone beyond changing the wallpapers and organising shortcuts.

But despite what I do and don't do, I love it...prefer it over the iPhone 5s I had before. It's also my first Android phone, although I own two Android tablets so am not new to the OS.

As for storage, I grabbed the 64 GB version. But between using Spotify, not downloading tons of apps and games, and not taking photos of every other thing I see or do, I can't see myself running out of space any time soon or at all and I certainly don't need expandable storage. I use Google Drive to backup my photos anywho.
 

UFO

Banned
So Edge users, how are you faring? Friend wants the Edge but i'm not sure if I'm willing to get it for them given the lack of expandable memory.

I have the 64 and have 34.5 gb left.

9 gb from apps
6 gb from pics/vids
1.2gb from music
1.3 cached
11.8 system

Hope that helps your friend.
 

jwk94

Member
I've had mine exactly four weeks (got it on the 2nd) and it has been perfect. I'm admittedly not a massive power user when it comes to phones, but I do all the usual things like web browsing, listening to music (Spotify), Facebook browsing, checking emails, watching the odd YouTube video, texting (mostly WhatsApp), and making/taking calls here and there. I guess that's actually quite a lot of phone stuff when I list it out like that, but I'm not an app-whore, I don't really play games, I don't take random photos and shove them on Instagram, and I don't customise my phone beyond changing the wallpapers and organising shortcuts.

But despite what I do and don't do, I love it...prefer it over the iPhone 5s I had before. It's also my first Android phone, although I own two Android tablets so am not new to the OS.

As for storage, I grabbed the 64 GB version. But between using Spotify, not downloading tons of apps and games, and not taking photos of every other thing I see or do, I can't see myself running out of space any time soon or at all and I certainly don't need expandable storage. I use Google Drive to backup my photos anywho.
Thanks for the response! Have you dropped your phone yet?
 

spuckthew

Member
Thanks for the response! Have you dropped your phone yet?

Never dropped, but before I got used to its slipperiness it had slid off my couch onto the carpet a few times. And a couple of times out of my pocket while sitting at a computer, but I was wearing jersey shorts at the time (jeans or other types of pants won't be a problem). No scuffs or scratches though.
 

Fbh

Member
Oh didn't know the S6 had a thread

I've had mine for about 3 weeks and while I'm overall happy with it, there are some things that I wish would be better.

My biggest issue is that performance just doesn't seem as smooth as you would expect for such a expensive "high end" phone, which is a shame:
- Scrolling feels laggy and janky: scrolling through some sites and even apps just feels more laggy than it should, it often doesn't really feel any smoother than my Moto G (old model). I've even encountered some where for no reason (doesn't seem to be a lot going on in the site) it gets like 1-2 seconds input lag

- Performance in games is that great either. Not that I play a lot of games on my phone. But I downloaded some of the more graphically demanding ones and was surprised by how poorly some of them perform. Asphalt 8 for example feels like it often drops below 30fps

- Agressive background app killing: It's weird how it often has to reload apps I was just using a few minutes ago.

Also it gets pretty hot when using games or the camera. Which I've read is normal but I still find wierd.



Don't get me wrong. I'm still pretty happy with it. I like the design, the screen looks amazing and I love the camera. And while in some areas it feels more laggy than it should, in others it's still really quick and responsive (lots of apps run great and have really good loading times)
 

Zero Hero

Member
AT&T offered me $200 for my S3, a phone I've used for 2 years and 9 months. Uhhh..... who wouldn't take that deal? So I picked out a S6 Active and it's been amazing so far. The camera quality is very sharp. No issues as described above on 5.0.2 using Google Now launcher.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top Bottom