Samsung has announced two new flagship phablets just two weeks after Motorola introduced us to two new Moto X handsets, one of which sits well within the phablet territory.

Although Samsung isn't bringing its Galaxy Note 5 to the UK just yet, its partner in crime with its dual-edge display is heading this way, meeting the Motorola Moto X Style on its travels to keep the large screen market interesting.

We have put the Galaxy S6 edge Plus up against the Galaxy Note 5 and the Motorola Moto X Style to see which of the new 5.7-inch Android smartphones deserves the crown based on its specs.

The Galaxy S6 edge Plus is the slimmest and lightest

The Galaxy Note 5 measures 153.2 x 76.1mm,  the Galaxy S6 edge Plus measures 154.4 x 75.8mm and the Motorola Moto X Style measures 153.9 x 76.2mm. Based on this, the Galaxy S6 edge Plus is the smallest width wise, but the tallest height wise, while the Moto X Style sits in the middle of S6 edge Plus and the Note 5 in terms of width and height.

At 6.9mm, the S6 edge Plus is the slimmest with the Note 5 measuring 7.6mm and the Moto X Style featuring a curve between 6.1mm and 11.06mm, making it the thickest of the three handsets at its thickest point. The S6 edge Plus hits the scales at 153g, making it significantly lighter than the Note 5's 171g weight and the 179g Moto X Style.

But which is the nicest in terms of actual design? Well that depends on what you like and what you want from your smartphone. The Moto X Style is IP52 rated so it will survive a water plunge, while the S6 edge Plus and the Note 5 aren't water resistant but they do have metal builds. Motorola's option has plenty of finish options though as it is available through Moto Maker, which means seven accents and 18 inlay options to choose from, compared to the three offered by Samsung.

The Note 5 looks very similar to its predecessors but introduces an aluminium rear instead of plastic so if you love the Note handset and it's accompanying S Pen, you'll more than likely love the Note 5. The S6 edge Plus is the fanciest of the three smartphones being compared here thanks to its dual-edge display but while we think it's beautiful, it won't appeal to everyone.

All sharp displays, but different technologies

The Samsung Galaxy S6 edge Plus, Samsung Galaxy Note 5 and the Motorola Moto X Style all feature 5.7-inch displays, as we mentioned previously, but the S6 edge Plus opts for dual-edge while the other two are standard.

They also all feature the same QHD resolution at 2560 x 1440, meaning a pixel density of 515ppi. Not the sharpest displays on the market, with LG's G4 and Samsung's own S6 and S6 edge both higher, but 515ppi should deliver lovely crisp images.

Samsung opts for a Super AMOLED display on both its S6 edge Plus and the Note 5, which is the same as technology they use in most of their devices including the Galaxy Note 4 that delivers a fantastic viewing experience. Motorola opts for a TFT LCD display in the Moto X Style.

Typically AMOLED displays are known for their vibrant, punchy colours, as well as deep blacks, while TFT LCD displays are a little more realistic in terms of their colour delivery but they don't have quite have the same oomph.

The Moto X Style wins the rear camera megapixels contest

The Samsung Galaxy S6 edge Plus has a 16-megapixel rear snapper with an aperture of f/1.9, which is the same as what the Samsung Galaxy Note 5 offers. The Motorola Moto X Style bumps its rear camera megapixels up to 21 but it has a slightly smaller aperture at f/2.0.

In terms of the front-facing snappers, the S6 edge Plus, Galaxy Note 5 and the Moto X Style all have 5-megapixel sensors, but the Samsung handsets again have an aperture of f/1.9 and the Moto X Style opts for f/2.0.

For those really interested in the camera specs - f/1.9 lets in around 15 per cent more light than f/2.0 (it's less than one-sixth an f-stop different). Which device has the better camera depends on more than just aperture and megapixels though. The sensor size, optics, how good the focus systems are and the software on board will all contribute to the the overall user experience.

We were impressed by the Note 4's camera, placing it as one of the most powerful smartphone cameras out there when we reviewed it. With that in mind, we would expect good things from the Note 5 and the S6 edge Plus, while the Moto X (2014)'s camera didn't impress us as much so it will be interesting to see what the Moto X Style does with the extra megapixels.

The S6 edge Plus and Galaxy Note 5 will be faster

Both the Samsung Galaxy S6 edge Plus and the Galaxy Note 5 have an octa-core Exynos chipset, made up of four 2.1GHz cores and four 1.5GHz cores running the show. The processor is supported by 4GB of RAM and there are 32GB and 64GB models available in both smartphones.

The Motorola Moto X Style has a 1.8GHz hexa-core Qualcomm chipset under its hood, supported by 3GB of RAM. There are 16GB, 32GB and 64GB models available, all of which have microSD support for storage expansion up to 128GB. Therefore, while the Samsung devices might handle more strenuous tasks better, the Moto X Style delivers on the storage front.

All three devices have 3000mAh battery capacities and they all have some form of turbo charging, enabling them all to offer a few extra hours juice after being plugged in for 15mins.

All Android, but different software experiences

The Samsung Galaxy S6 edge Plus, Samsung Galaxy Note 5 and the Motorola Moto X Style all run on Android Lollipop but Samsung adds its own skin to the Android system, while Motorola keeps things simple with just a couple of extra Motorola-specific apps.

If you want close to pure Android, the Moto X Style is the device you'll want. But if you are after a few extra features, the S6 edge Plus has specific apps that take advantage of its dual-edge display, while the Note 5 has great multi-tasking software that works with the accompanying S Pen.

It's also worth mentioning the two Samsung devices will offer Samsung Pay.

Conclusion

The Samsung Galaxy S6 edge Plus is the slimmest and lightest of these three handsets, whilst also offering the coolest design thanks to its dual-edge display.

The Galaxy S6 edge and the Samsung Galaxy Note 5 deliver the more impressive under-the-hood specs, with more RAM and a faster processor over the Motorola Moto X Style, but the Moto offers better storage and more rear camera megapixels. They all have the same battery capacity.

The Moto X Style is also water resistant, runs on near enough raw Android and it has the biggest selection finish options if you want something a little different in terms of looks. It is also likely to be the cheapest of the three handsets by at least £200.

All three devices deliver on the spec sheet but they are all very different. The decision lies with how much cash you have to splash, how long you're prepared to wait, what design is your favourite and what software experience you are looking for.

 

Related read: Samsung Galaxy S7 edge review: The new smartphone champion