Compare The Samsung Galaxy S7 vs S7 Active

When it comes to storage, we came up with a win-lose situation for both the S7 and S7 active. The S7's maximum internal memory caps off at 64GB (a 32GB version is available, though), compared to the S7 active's 32GB-only capacity, which is a huge difference for anyone who knows his way around high-tech Androids. However, the S7 active blusters with a whopping 2000GB (2TB) external memory support, making the S7's up-to-200GB microSD allowance sound rather insignificant.

Note, though, that 2TB microSD cards still resided in the theory-crafting realm at the time of writing, but when they do invade the market, the S7 active will be one of the first few Androids to support such colossal storage cards. Either way, both these models' storage caps potentially enlist them among 2016's best smartphones.

The S7 active, right off the bat, alarms us with its bulkier frame, which measures 9.9mm thick (compared to the plain S7's mere 7.9mm) and weighs 181.4 grams -- the S7 is significantly-lighter at only 152 grams. The S7's mere IP68 rugged rating, however, pales in comparison to the S7 active's bundle of a similar IP68-grade dust- and waterproofing as well as a MIL-STD-810G rating for resistance to shocks, vibrations, extreme temperatures, etc. -- rugged features that we rarely see from premier major-brand smartphones. The active also waved goodbye to its mother model's glass-finished battery cover in favor of a textured anti-slip backing. Simply put, physical differences may make the plain S7 look sleeker, but the S7 active more-than-likely bests it in the outdoor environment.

What both models do share is the lack of Samsung's dual-edge technology, which is offered by the PUT Galaxy S7 Edge.

Jumping over to battery life, the Galaxy S7 active potentially lasts longer vs the Galaxy S7, considering that it raised the formerly-3000mAh battery capacity to 4000mAh, obviously to accentuate its outdoor-ready feature set. Additionally, with the active's much-taller stamina bar (roughly 33% difference), the split-quad-core Snapdragon 820 CPU, which power both devices (non-US versions of the S7 use an Exynos 8890 chip), will likely feel more-empowered inside the newer model's shell. In essence, when compared to the S7 with regards to battery power, the S7 active clearly wins this round.