PCMag editors select and review products independently. If you buy through affiliate links, we may earn commissions, which help support our testing.

Samsung Galaxy S7 Active (AT&T)

 & Ajay Kumar Contributor

Our team tests, rates, and reviews more than 1,500 products each year to help you make better buying decisions and get more from technology.

Our Expert
LOOK INSIDE PC LABS HOW WE TEST
65 EXPERTS
43 YEARS
41,500+ REVIEWS
With the Galaxy S7 Active, Samsung adds a shatter-resistant build and a bigger battery to the already spectacular Galaxy S7, making it the best rugged phone AT&T subscribers can get. - Mobile Phones
4.5 Outstanding

The Bottom Line

With the Galaxy S7 Active, Samsung adds a shatter-resistant build and a bigger battery to the already spectacular Galaxy S7, making it the best rugged phone AT&T subscribers can get.

Pros & Cons

    • Rugged build.
    • Fast performance.
    • Long battery life.
    • Excellent camera.
    • Sharp, bright display.
    • Customizable Active button.
    • Middling call quality.

Samsung Galaxy S7 Active Specs

Battery Life (As Tested) 10 hours, 30 (LTE video streaming) minutes
CPU Qualcomm Snapdragon 820
Dimensions 5.86 by 2.95 by 0.39 inches
Screen Resolution 2,560 by 1,440 pixels
Screen Size 5.1

The Samsung Galaxy S7 Active isn't just a Galaxy S7 in rugged clothing. Exclusive to AT&T, the S7 Active ($749.99; full retail price) does indeed have a more durable, shatter-resistant build than its predecessor. It also has a bigger battery and a customizable Active button, which makes it an even better smartphone for anyone into camping, hiking, or any other outdoor adventures. Aside from a bulkier build than the standard S7, the Active has the same beautiful display, sharp camera, and blazing performance that makes the S7 one of the best Android phones available (along with our Editors' Choice, the Galaxy S7 Edge). Fittingly, that makes the S7 Active the best rugged Android phone on the market, and worthy of Editors' Choice honors.

Design and Features

When it comes to rugged phones, you need to be prepared to make a bit of a compromise in the design department. The S7 Active is an attractive phone in its own right, but it's no Galaxy S7. Gone is the glass-and-metal build that makes the S7 so attractive, replaced by a matte green reinforced metal frame, rubberized edges, and a textured camouflage back. You can also get the phone in gold or gray color options, but at the end of the day, aesthetics come second to functionality here.

Final Thoughts

With the Galaxy S7 Active, Samsung adds a shatter-resistant build and a bigger battery to the already spectacular Galaxy S7, making it the best rugged phone AT&T subscribers can get. - Mobile Phones

Samsung Galaxy S7 Active (AT&T)

4.5 Outstanding

With the Galaxy S7 Active, Samsung adds a shatter-resistant build and a bigger battery to the already spectacular Galaxy S7, making it the best rugged phone AT&T subscribers can get.

About Our Expert

Ajay Kumar

Ajay Kumar

Contributor

Ajay has worked in tech journalism for more than a decade as a reporter, analyst, and editor. He got his start in consumer tech reviewing hundreds of smartphones and tablets at PCMag as a Mobile Analyst, and breaking the hottest Android news at Newsweek as a tech reporter. 

In his most recent role, he’s worked in content marketing for a B2B SaaS company and in a PR capacity at an AI startup. Previously, he was Managing Commerce Editor at Android Police and Section Editor, Mobile at Digital Trends, where he spearheaded his team's coverage of breaking news, features, reviews, roundups, deals and more. He also worked at Lifewire as a Tech Commerce Editor, putting together tested best-of lists and assigning product reviews. 

As an avid tech enthusiast and traveler, Ajay loves tinkering with the gaming PC he built, adding new smart home devices to his apartment, and scoping out ancient ruins in new countries.

Read full bio