Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd. on Sunday unveiled its new flagship smartphones, the Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 edge. Since these handsets will hit the market in March, a full six months ahead of Apple’s next iPhones, the Galaxy S7 and S7 edge are going head-to-head with Apple’s current lineup of phones, the iPhone 6s and 6s Plus.

Below we take a look at how these devices compare and we dive deeper into some of the standout features and differences.

Galaxy S7 and S7 edge vs. iPhone 6s and 6s Plus: Tech specs

Design

Galaxy S7 / S7 edge: Although Samsung stuck to the same design language as that seen in the Galaxy S6 and S6 edge, there are some subtle differences. The new devices have curved backs, making them easier to pick up from flat surfaces and easier to hold. The S7 and S7 edge are both narrower than the S6 and S6 edge yet have the same 5.1-inch and 5.5-inch screen sizes thanks to slimmer bezels.

iPhone 6s / 6s Plus: In keeping with Apple’s tick-tock release schedule, the 6s and 6s Plus changed very little from the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus except for the introduction 7000-series-aluminum for the cases and a new rose gold color option.

Display

Galaxy S7 / S7 edge: The quad-HD (2560 x 1440) Super AMOLED screens on the Samsung devices have remained unchanged and far outpace the LED displays on the iPhones. Samsung also introduced a new Always-On display feature that displays the time, notifications and more on a customizable screen without the user having to touch the display.

iPhone 6s / 6s Plus: Despite their lower resolution, the iPhone 6s and 6s Plus feature Apple’s new 3D Touch technology that allows users to interact with apps and content in unique ways based on how hard they are pressing on the screen. Despite rumors suggesting it might, Samsung has not introduced a similar feature on its latest handsets.

Internal components

Galaxy S7 / S7 edge: In the U.S., the S7 and S7 edge are powered by Qualcomm’s latest quad-core Snapdragon 820 SoC coupled with 4GB of RAM while other markets will get Samsung’s own, equally powerful Exynos 8890 octa-core SoC.

Samsung has made two changes that trump Apple’s offering: its brought back support for a microSD card (via a hybrid SIM tray) and reintroduced water and dust resistance (last seen on the Galaxy S5). Both devices are IP68 rated, meaning they are dust resistant and can withstand immersion in shallow water for up to 30 minutes.

The S7 and S6 edge have 3000mAh and 3600mAh batteries respectively, both with support for wireless charging.

iPhone 6s / 6s Plus: The 6s and 6s Plus are fitted with Apple’s A9 SoC (which is no slouch) coupled with 2GB of RAM. Storage options range from 16GB to 128GB, making it possible to live without a microSD slot and expandable memory if you own the 128GB model.

The iPhones have smaller batteries than the Galaxy devices, but some clever software tricks still allow Apple to deliver a decent battery life.

Cameras

Galaxy S7 / S7 edge: At 12-megapixels, the S7 and S7 edge may appear to have downgraded cameras, but Samsung has introduced what it call “Dual Pixel” technology. The Dual Pixel tech supposedly  has a brighter lens with wider aperture, bigger pixels, faster shutter speeds, and more accurate autofocus. What this equates to, claims Samsung, is brighter, sharper images, even in low light.

There’s also a new camera mode, called Motion Panorama, that “brings movement to traditional panoramic photos, giving the user a completely immersive visual experience.”

iPhone 6s / 6s Plus: At 12-megapixels, the iPhone 6s and 6s Plus have the best cameras seen in an iPhone to date and Apple also introduced “Live Photos” that effectively record whatever happens just before and just after a picture is taken, allowing the user to turn their image into a mini-movie complete with sound.

Release date and price

The Galaxy S7 and S7 edge are expected to become available for pre-order on February 28 and go on sale instore on March 11. Prices are said to start at $700 for the S7 and $800 for the S7 edge, slightly more expensive than last year’s iPhones.

Image via Samsung