I used to be fallacious concerning the super-thin Galaxy S25 Edge (it would not suck)

Abstract

I used to be initially fairly vital of Samsung’s new super-slim Galaxy S25 smartphone.
After spending the previous few days with the product, I now assume it is perhaps nearly the right Android system for me.
Regardless of being a usually strong, cool-looking telephone, the Galaxy S25 Edge is much from good, nevertheless.

I used to be fairly vital of Samsung’s super-slim Galaxy S25 Edge in my hands-on preview. I used the telephone for a short interval at a hands-on occasion, however I simply did not perceive the draw. Certain, it is thinner, but it surely’s additionally dear at $1,100, and the telephone options fewer cameras than the remainder of the Galaxy S25 lineup.

On the time, the Galaxy S25 Edge appeared like a extremely robust promote.

“Who precisely is that this telephone for?,” is the important thing query that saved working by means of my head. However after spending the previous few days with the Galaxy S25 Edge, I believe it is perhaps nearly the right Android system for me.

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It is delightfully skinny and light-weight

I proceed to be shocked that it appears like I am holding nearly nothing

Galaxy S25 Edge sliding into a shorts pocket

By far the perfect factor concerning the Galaxy S25 Edge is how skinny (0.23-inches or 5.8mm) and light-weight (5.7oz or 163g) it’s. The telephone is barely heavier than the bottom Galaxy S25, but it surely would not really feel prefer it because it options the identical 6.7-inch 3,120 x 1,440 pixel 120Hz show because the Galaxy S25+. I’ve actually loved sliding it into my entrance pants or shorts pocket as a result of it appears like there’s nearly nothing there, in contrast to my weighty iPhone 16 Pro.

The S25 Edge appears like a giant telephone, however with out the ample bulk I’ve come to count on from bigger units.

Model: Samsung
SoC: Octa-core Snapdragon 8 Elite (3nm)
Show: 6.7-inch 3120 x 1440 pixel decision QHD+ Dynamic AMOLED2X
RAM: 12GB

Samsung’s Galaxy S25 Edge includes a skinny design and a rear-facing dual-camera array with an f/1.7 200-megapixel broad and f/2.2 12-megapixel ultrawide shooter.

A difficulty I highlighted in my hands-on is how I initially did not actually discover the Galaxy S25 Edge’s thinness, even when positioned beside my 8.25mm iPhone 16 Professional. Nevertheless, now that I’ve spent extra time with the telephone, I not solely see it however really feel it too. At instances, it is tough to consider there’s an precise smartphone that is this skinny. It is made me excited for the often-rumored iPhone 17 Air Apple is reportedly cooking up for this fall.

It additionally would not really feel like I am about to expertise “Bendgate 2,” because of the Galaxy S25 Edge’s Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2 again and Gorilla Glass Ceramic 2 show. Throughout my time with the super-thin smartphone, I have never been apprehensive concerning the system bending in any respect. It is sturdy and strong, identical to the remainder of the Galaxy S25 lineup.

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The battery life is not as dangerous as I anticipated

With common use, the Galaxy S25 Edge’s battery feels loads just like the Galaxy S25 Extremely’s

On the battery life entrance, issues have not been as dangerous as I anticipated. The Galaxy S25 Edge has the smallest battery within the Galaxy S25 lineup, however with reasonable use — together with a little bit of all-important social media doom-scrolling, sending a number of messages, and listening to podcasts — I have never actually felt the distinction in battery life. This has shocked me, significantly as a result of the Galaxy S25 Edge options the identical Snapdragon 8 Elite chip as each different system within the S25 sequence (on that notice, it is very responsive and snappy, too).

Typically, I am nonetheless plugging within the Galaxy S25 Edge earlier than going to mattress with about 25-30% cost leftover, which is analogous to my expertise with the Galaxy S25 Extremely.

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I am a sucker for distinctive telephones that look cool

It takes loads for me to get excited a couple of smartphone

Telephones are boring now, and do not let anybody let you know in any other case. Just about each single system is a slab that is geared up with highly effective cameras and, for probably the most half, the identical options, together with a fingerprint scanner, some type of facial recognition, and a USB-C port for charging. That is why folding telephones initially garnered a lot consideration from tech media. Whereas that luster has pale significantly, foldables had been thrilling and completely different a number of years in the past, and actually felt like the way forward for the smartphone trade.

Though I did not expertise this pleasure instantly with the Galaxy S25 Edge, I’ve grown to actually just like the system over the previous few weeks, and I am excited to see how far Samsung can take this skinny design path sooner or later. If the Galaxy Z Fold line is any indication, the second-generation Edge will likely be a notable leap over its predecessor. I am additionally to see what Apple does within the area because the iPhone 17 Air’s rumored launch attracts nearer.

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Fewer cameras and a less-than-ideal value

Regardless of being a usually strong, cool-looking telephone, the Galaxy S25 Edge is not good. It is costly at $1,100, a value that places it $100 above the arguably extra succesful Galaxy S25+ that is priced at $1,000, and simply $200 underneath the top-tier system within the lineup, the Galaxy S25 Extremely. When you can simply make the argument that the Galaxy 25+ is not focusing on the identical telephone fanatic viewers because the Galaxy S25 Extremely, the Galaxy S25 Edge clearly falls into the camp of patrons which are on the lookout for a high-level expertise.

That is the place my major concern with the Galaxy S25 Edge arises. Whereas the Galaxy S5 Extremely provides a quad-rear digital camera setup, together with a 200-megapixel predominant, a 50-megapixel ultra-wide, a 10-megapixel telephoto, and a 50-megapixel telephoto, the Galaxy S25 Edge’s rear-facing iPhone 11-like digital camera array solely includes a 200-megapixel predominant and a 12-megapixel ultra-wide. It provides 2x sensor cropping optical zoom, however that is it. Throughout my time with the S25 Edge, I’ve discovered that I’ve missed the Extremely’s 5x optical zoom fairly a bit. That is possible a technical limitation given how skinny the telephone is, but it surely’s nonetheless disappointing. For me, getting nearer to no matter I am capturing has at all times been extra helpful than snapping a wide-angle picture. After all, this would possibly not be a difficulty for everybody. Fortunately, the lenses which are included on the Galaxy S25 Edge snap wonderful photographs.

However even with this shortcoming, I really feel just like the Galaxy S25 Edge’s thinness and weight are value it for rather less optical zoom, and I’ve a sense lots of different individuals on the lookout for a singular, cool-looking smartphone will really feel the identical.