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

Abstract

I used to be initially fairly crucial of Samsung’s new super-slim Galaxy S25 smartphone.
After spending the previous few days with the product, I now suppose it is likely to be nearly the proper Android system for me.
Regardless of being a typically stable, cool-looking telephone, the Galaxy S25 Edge is way from good, nevertheless.

I used to be fairly crucial of Samsung’s super-slim Galaxy S25 Edge in my hands-on preview. I used the telephone for a quick interval at a hands-on occasion, however I simply did not perceive the draw. Certain, it is thinner, nevertheless it’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 powerful promote.

“Who precisely is that this telephone for?,” is the important thing query that stored operating by my head. However after spending the previous few days with the Galaxy S25 Edge, I feel it is likely to be nearly the proper Android system for me.

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It is delightfully skinny and light-weight

I proceed to be shocked that it seems 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, nevertheless it does 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 seems like there’s nearly nothing there, in contrast to my weighty iPhone 16 Pro. The S25 Edge seems like an enormous 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 encompasses 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. Nonetheless, now that I’ve spent extra time with the telephone, I not solely see it however really feel it too. At occasions, it is tough to imagine 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, and that we’d see this fall.

It additionally does 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 not been nervous concerning the system bending in any respect. It is sturdy and stable, identical to the remainder of the Galaxy S25 lineup.

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The battery life is not as unhealthy as I anticipated

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

On the battery life entrance, issues have not been as unhealthy 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 social media doom-scrolling, sending a couple of messages, and listening to podcasts — I have not actually felt the distinction in battery life. This has shocked me, notably as a result of the Galaxy S25 Edge options the identical Snapdragon 8 Elite chip as each different system within the S25 collection (on that be aware, it is very responsive and snappy, too).

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

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I am a sucker for distinctive telephones that look cool

It takes so much 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. Each single system is a slab that is outfitted with highly effective cameras and, for essentially the most half, the identical sensors, together with a fingerprint scanner and a few type of facial recognition. That is why folding telephones initially garnered a lot consideration from tech media. Whereas that luster has light significantly, foldables had been thrilling and completely different a couple of years in the past and actually felt like the way forward for the smartphone trade.

Though I did not expertise this pleasure immediately with the Galaxy S25 Edge, I’ve grown to essentially 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 probably 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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It does have a couple of downsides, although

Fewer cameras and a less-than-ideal value

Regardless of being a typically stable, cool-looking telephone, the Galaxy S25 Edge is way from good. It is costly at $1,100, a price 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. Whilst 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 consumers which might be on the lookout for a high-level expertise.

That is the place my main concern with the Galaxy S25 Edge arises. Whereas the Galaxy S5 Extremely affords a quad-rear digicam setup, together with a 200-megapixel major, a 50-megapixel ultra-wide, a 10-megapixel telephoto, and a 50-megapixel telephoto, the Galaxy S25 Edge’s rear-facing iPhone 11-like digicam array solely encompasses a 200-megapixel major and a 12-megapixel ultra-wide. It affords 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. Getting nearer to no matter I am capturing has all the time been extra helpful to me than snapping a wide-angle picture. In fact, this would possibly not be a difficulty for everybody, although.

Nonetheless, I really feel just like the thinness and weight trade-off is price it for rather less optical zoom, and I’ve a sense a number of different folks on the lookout for a novel, cool-looking smartphone will really feel the identical. That mentioned, this can be a trade-off calculation these within the Galaxy S25 Edge must make for themselves.