MWC 2015: Samsung Galaxy S6 ditches the plastic, goes super high-res

The wait is finally over and the Samsung Galaxy S6 is here. And it’s the most beautiful Galaxy phone yet.

What’s different? The Galaxy-staple plastic is gone, replaced with metal on the sides and glass on the back. So while it might look a bit like the Galaxy S5, it sure doesn’t feel like that phone.

With this shift comes an Apple-like unibody design and a sadly also-Apple-like approach to storage. There’s no memory card slot any more, but you do get to choose between 32GB, 64GB and 128GB Galaxy S6 models.

Samsung’s phone designs are changing, but otherwise it’s business as usual for the Samsung Galaxy S6. You get an octa-core Exynos processor – not Qualcomm this time – and 3GB of super-fast RAM for tip-top performance, plus a Note 4-matching screen. While the display is a conservative 5.1-inches across its QHD resolution means it’s much sharper than last year’s Galaxy S5.

TouchWiz is back too, with multiple improvements and the phone, as you’d hope, runs the latest version of Android, 5.0 Lollipop.

The cameras of the Galaxy S6 are improved too, without really being the stars of the show. On the back sits a 16MP sensor with OIS and a fast f/1.9 lens, while there’s a 5MP f/1.9 up front. It’s Samsung’s best camera load-out yet, but not necessarily masses better than that in the Galaxy Note 4. Battery capacity is not massively bigger than before either, at 2550mAh.

So this year it’s all about the fancy, pricey feel Samsung phones have traditionally missed out on. It’s about time, eh? Also make sure you read up on Samsung’s more dynamic S6 Edge – it’s this year’s eye-opener.

The Samsung Galaxy S6 will be available from 10 April (we’re waiting on a confirmed SA date), in black, blue, white and gold. Just like that damned dress.