The Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge+ has a lot going for it: leading-edge hardware specs, premium materials, and well-liked software. And wow does it look good. But all of those great parts don't come together into a practical whole -- something you'll be happy using everyday for a long time -- especially considering the price.

The Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge+ is the result of blowing up the Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge into Samsung Galaxy Note 5 proportions. While that may seem like the perfect evolution of Samsung's 2015 flagships, in fact, the result is a bit of a Frankensteinian monster -- albeit a monster with the distinctive chiseled looks and gorgeous curves of Hollywood royalty.

Here's what we found after spending time with the Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge+.

Hardware

First off, the Galaxy S6 Edge+ is a Samsung flagship phone, so nearly every hardware spec is maxed out, as you would expect.

Sporting Samsung's own octa-core Exynos 7420 system on a chip, with two quad cores running at 1.5GHz and 2.1GHz with 4GB of RAM, the engine behind this curvy phablet is capable of taking on any smartphone task, and then some. Even the most CPU-intensive games and apps run smoothly, and there's seemingly nothing you do on the phone to cause stutters or pauses (even with TouchWiz).

It comes with a built-in fingerprint scanner and heart rate monitor, support for wireless charging, NFC for Samsung or Android Pay, fast-charging capabilities, Bluetooth 4.2 LE, GPS, Gorilla Glass 4 on both front and back, and all the other cutting-edge bells and whistles you can think of. The 3000mAh battery is more than sufficient for a day's use, though not very much more.

Noticeably absent is support for microSD expansion, which is making a comeback in the Android market right at the same time Samsung ditched it. The Galaxy S6 Edge+ comes with 32GB minimum internal storage, with a 64GB option but no 128GB variant, so media hogs probably should steer clear. There should be enough storage for the average user though, especially if you take advantage of Microsoft OneDrive's 100GB cloud storage. Also missing on this Samsung phablet is a stylus, so high-productivity phablet users should opt for the Galaxy Note 5.

The Galaxy S6 Edge+ has a 16-megapixel camera with a f/1.9 aperture, optical image stabilization, 4K video recording capability, auto-HDR for video and pictures, and Samsung's ever-reliable camera software, which includes a pro mode that gives you granular control over the settings.

But just casual point-and-shoot photographers will find gorgeous results from the camera's simple, automatic mode -- even in low light. Selfie fanatics will find the 5-megapixel front-facing camera more than adequate to fit their needs.

Like its flagship cousin, Galaxy S6 Edge+ has a Super AMOLED screen that's 5.7-inches. With its 1440 x 2560p quadHD resolution, you end up with over 500 pixels per inch packed on the large display.

And did I mention the screen has two curved edges?

Design

The Galaxy S6 Edge+ looks incredible, and will definitely catch peoples' eyes when you're using it out in the world. With the two curved glass edges cascading towards the back of the phone, there's barely any visible bezel around the screen. Samsung kept the top and bottom borders relatively thin, and the metallic rims around the front of the phone and home button make the phone look quite refined.

Although the Galaxy S6 Edge+ not the slimmest smartphone out there, it's incredibly lightweight for its overall size, and the screen's curves lend to the illusion that it's thinner than it really is. Only a top or bottom side-on view reveals the girth of the phone. Well, that, and holding it in your hand.

"Hand-feel" has become one of the most overused and useless clichés in smartphone reviewing (not that I'm among the innocent), because in the near-decade since the first iPhone, smartphone manufacturers have had plenty of time to experiment, steal, and refine the designs of their devices.

These days, the vast majority of smartphones generally "feel good in the hand." The Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge+ is a rare exception -- especially considering its popular and experienced manufacturer, its flagship status, and the sticker price that comes with.

For all its beauty and uniqueness, the Galaxy S6 Edge+ is much more awkward to hold than other smartphones with exactly the same sized screen, including past and current phablets from Samsung. It's more cumbersome to manipulate than cheaper large-screen smartphones made by rival manufacturers.

Navigating the touchscreen, reading with it, talking on it -- simply holding it -- with one hand is just uncomfortable.

This isn't one of those "what were they thinking!?" situations. We know what Samsung was going for with the design, because they got it to work with the Galaxy S6 Edge. When you lay it flat on a table, the completely flat back and curved screen of these Edge variants make it look like it's just melting into the surface. It's a unique, very distinctive, and cool effect.

But the Galaxy S6 Edge was small enough to fit relatively cozily in the hand. Upsized to a Galaxy Note screen, the Galaxy S6 Edge+ is too big to fit while being too glassy to grip. And avoiding drop-and-shatter anxiety while using it means that attractive sharp metal trim on the back edges digs into the meat of your hand.

Not Much of an Edge

Samsung has steadily been introducing features to make its products stand out in an Android world full of premium, black slate similarity. The curved edges definitely accomplish that, aesthetically, but it's hard to say if it will ever add much of a practical benefit.

The main way I found myself using the Galaxy S6 Edge+'s unique screen was to check the time when in bed without having to pick up the phone. Samsung provides People Edge and Apps Edge, essentially quick-launcher widgets for contacts and favorite apps. And you can get some notifications or alerts going on the edge of the screen as well.

But overall, especially a whole two years into making curve-screened devices, the extra features you get with the edges feel vapid and gimmicky.

Maybe it's just early days and there's more innovation to come. It's not uncommon to build something that eventually feels essential after developers figure out what to do with it.

But especially on the Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge+, it kind of feels like one of those quirky gadget features that's quickly forgotten once the next real innovation strikes.

It's like the Nintendo Virtua Boy of smartphone screens.

Likewise, the Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge+ is pricy. You might find a trade-in deal for up to $100 off, but the standard 2-year contract price is $300 for the 32GB model. Unlocked, it can cost from $750 to over $800.