Things to check while inside the 14day return window

[toolwarrior]

Hi all. I thought this might be a useful thread, especially for noobs. With all the reported issues/concerns with the new GS6, I think it would be helpful if the experts could summarize what things should be checked/verified while still in the return period and how to check them.

 

[dynomot]

The obvious springs to mind, but supposedly it is in a sealed Samsung box, all accessories wrapped properly, the phone is in a cellophane wrapper and the camera and flash/heart rate monitor have screen protectors (the latter being minute and a bitch to get off) then you switch it on.

On switch on, is the battery fairly well charged ? Then from the dialler dial *#0*# to get a diagnostic menu and check everything there.

After your satisfied test the camera, put the phone in standby mode and shake it next to your ear. You should hear a gentle rattle - this is perfectly normal. It part of the image stabilisation of the S6 you can hear. Now immediately open the camera from the lock screen and take a picture (of anything - just be as quick as you can). It should be crisp and in focus.
Then we're back to the obvious again, set your phone up, test as you go, notice how the battery does.

A useful thread, I hope others can add to.

 

[toolwarrior]

The obvious springs to mind, but supposedly it is in a sealed Samsung box, all accessories wrapped properly, the phone is in a cellophane wrapper and the camera and flash/heart rate monitor have screen protectors (the latter being minute and a bitch to get off) then you switch it on.

On switch on, is the battery fairly well charged ? Then from the dialler dial *#0*# to get a diagnostic menu and check everything there.

After your satisfied test the camera, put the phone in standby mode and shake it next to your ear. You should hear a gentle rattle - this is perfectly normal. It part of the image stabilisation of the S6 you can hear. Now immediately open the camera from the lock screen and take a picture (of anything - just be as quick as you can). It should be crisp and in focus.
Then we're back to the obvious again, set your phone up, test as you go, notice how the battery does.

A useful thread, I hope others can add to.

Thank you for the input, Dynomot. I was quite surprised that you were the only responder, but your suggestions were very good. The diagnostic was a great starting point. However, without any instructions, I am not sure how to interpret the tests that are not the simple "Pass" or "Fail" in nature. Do you know how to interpret the results/graphs of the other tests?

I have also been doing some battery testing. One data point I think would be valuable to myself and others is what the average rate of battery depletion (in percent) is for a common usage - in this case lets choose surfing the web. I know this can be effected by other factors, so I thought I would narrow the field so folks can test the same way with roughly the same conditions. So here is how I set my phone:
Wifi on (and being used)
Bluetooth off
Location on
Screen brightness set to auto (testing in a dimly lit room)
Power saving set to off
Under these conditions, I began surfing the web. I watched the battery icon (percentage) at the top of the screen and found that my phone would drop 1 percent every 3 minutes or so. It would be interesting to see what others report for the same test.

 

[mikedt]

Something I always look for with a new device, dead or stuck pixels, which sometimes might not be immediately apparent.

 

[toolwarrior]

Thanks Mike. I used the diagnostic test that Dynomot spoke about to look for that. There is one section in the test where you can turn on each of the colors. I looked for any irregularities and did not see any spots.
I have discovered two new things that I am unsure about. First is the test that Dynomot stated about shaking the phone and listening for a "gentle rattle" - I did not hear one.
Second item is lack of GPS positioning at the airport. When using GPS only, the phone is not showing a location. Not sure if it is a problem with the phone, or if it has something to do with the airport terminal construction.