Phablets are dead. Long live huge phones. There are a few stragglers left, clutching their iPhone 5s and claiming that life was better when everyone was squinting at tiny screens. But most people have come around. Good thing, too: Big phones are great.

You can't beat these displays, or these cameras; Samsung's learned how to make beautiful hardware; Big phones are best phones

Bloatware is still hanging around; These things are fingerprint magnets; Beauty don't come cheap

There's a number that makes me uneasy about Verizon's Samsung Galaxy S6 edge+. That number is $768 (for the 32GB model). The S6 edge+ is the single most expensive smartphone Verizon Wireless sells, and it's likely to stay that way.

Fast performance; Premium materials; Excellent cameras

Expensive; Lacks Samsung Pay; Edge functionality is limited

The Galaxy S6 Edge+ shows some of Samsung's best, and worst, tendencies. It's a gorgeous phone with some of the finest hardware available right now, but its key feature is relatively useless, and still somewhat experimental.

Gorgeous; Feels like a premium phone; Fast performance; Great camera

Uncomfortable to hold; Curved display not very useful

Editors' note (March 28, 2017): Samsung has unveiled the Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8 Plus , the follow ups to 2016's excellent Galaxy S7 and S7 Edge . Priced at $750 (￡689 and AU$1,199), the Galaxy S8 features a beautifully curved 5.8-inch screen with an ultra-narrow bezel; facial recognition as an...

Samsung's Galaxy S6 Edge+ has a compelling design, top-tier specs and excellent battery life; Its second menu for the curved display adds some useful shortcuts

One of the most expensive handsets on the market, the Edge+'s usefulness doesn't live up to its sky-high price; Fans of removable batteries and microSD card slots will be disappointed that this has neither

A year ago, the conversation about Samsung revolved around design. Or more specifically, the lack of it. Devices such as the Galaxy S5 were technically solid and performed well, but were just plain ugly.

It's gorgeous; Fast performance; Great camera

Shape is awkward; Shiny finish collects fingerprints; High price tag

Another year brings another Galaxy Note-this is the fifth version of Samsung's category-defining device. Samsung has had the big-phone market to itself for years, with only a small amount of competition from other Android OEMs.

A great camera that can hold its own with the best of them; The glass and metal materials choice makes this the most premium-feeling Note device ever; A cool; speedy Exynos 7 SoC; The fingerprint reader from the Galaxy S6 is still fast and accurate; The Note 5's pull-and-write stylus feature is an...

TouchWiz is still slow and quits apps too aggressively. Other devices will be faster because they aren't reloading apps into RAM all the time, The Flipboard home screen is still a laggy hack; you swipe over to the knock-off Google Now screen and the whole home screen pauses so Flipboard can load, A...

The Galaxy S6 Edge Plus is one of the most expensive smartphones you can buy, and it's a full $100 more than the regular S6 Edge . Is jumping from 5.1 inches to 5.7 inches worth it?

Stunning curved design; Best-in-class display; Convenient App Edge shortcuts Very good pictures in low light; Speedy performance; SideSync 4.0 lets you text and make calls from PCs

Very pricey; Some shots overexposed in bright light; Live Broadcast mode no Periscope killer

The Galaxy S6 Edge+ is available now from all major US carriers, priced at $299.99, with a two-year contractual commitment, for the 32 GB version, with the 64 GB option setting you back an additional $100. Off-contract, the device can be found for an expensive $815 and $915 respectively.

Premium metal/glass build Large vibrant display Fast and responsive performance Excellent camera reliable fingerprint scanner Fast charging Fast WIRELESS charging Good battery life

Non removable battery (subjective) No microSD (subjective) Edge software provide little value No IR blaster

The Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge+ is the best Android phone money can buy, and is a showcase for innovation and futuristic style. In our opinion, it beats the iPhone 6+ hands down. It's super expensive, but if you want the very best that smartphone technology can offer in 2015, the Edge+ really does have...

Samsung has always favored function over fashion. Even as some of its closest competitors were churning out exciting new designs, the Korean company stubbornly remained unchanged, almost ignoring the evolving market around it.