Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge Review: Beautiful, Thin, and Baffling

Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge Review: A Beautifully Confusing Flagship

In a move that feels almost intentional, Samsung has stirred the tech community with a device that’s as fascinating as it is divisive — the Galaxy S25 Edge. Much like someone tossing fuel onto a fire, Samsung has thrown what feels like a social hand grenade into an otherwise settled smartphone landscape.

The Galaxy S25 Edge has become one of the most polarizing pieces of tech we’ve seen in a while. Some hail it as a refreshing evolution, while others are baffled by its existence. So what’s the real story behind this $1,100 smartphone? Let’s break it down.

A Thin Flagship with Big Ambitions

At first glance, the Galaxy S25 Edge appears straightforward: a sleek design, lightweight build, and premium hardware. It features a large display, a relatively small battery, top-tier performance components, and a peculiar combination of camera modules.

The phone’s standout specs are its weight and thin profile (Z-dimension), making it noticeably slimmer and lighter than most phones in its class. But behind the elegant form factor lies a series of decisions that make it one of the most debated smartphones on the market.

The Battery Compromise

The first major talking point? Battery life.

With a smaller battery crammed into this ultra-thin design, it struggles to match the endurance of its siblings — the S25 Plus and S25 Ultra. Lab tests by GSM Arena revealed that its battery life falls behind these models, which is expected given its compact battery.

In real-world use, the S25 Edge can comfortably get through a day for light-to-moderate users, especially when relying mostly on Wi-Fi. However, those coming from devices like the OnePlus 12 may notice the drop in longevity.

Some argue that Samsung could’ve included a silicon-carbon battery to boost capacity within the tight space — maybe pushing it to 4,500mAh instead of the 3,900mAh that it ships with. But since the rest of the S25 lineup didn’t include that tech, it’s no surprise that the Edge didn’t either. Still, it’s fair to expect such innovation in the next generation, especially given the price.

Charging speed is another sticking point. While overnight charging isn’t an issue, the overall charge speed — both wired and wireless — feels underwhelming for a phone at this price point.

A Mixed Bag of Hardware

At $1,100, you expect clarity in a phone’s purpose. But the Galaxy S25 Edge seems unsure of its identity.

It includes the flagship 200MP main sensor from the S25 Ultra, a basic ultrawide lens from the Plus, and no telephoto lens at all. The display is more comparable to the Plus than the Ultra, and it’s powered by the top-tier Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 for Galaxy (a.k.a. 8 Elite).

This mix leaves the phone in a strange place. Is it a mainstream flagship? An enthusiast device? Or just a premium lightweight alternative?

The main camera performs excellently — it’s the same one as the Ultra’s, and most users primarily shoot at 1x anyway. The ultrawide and selfie shooters are just decent, but not exceptional. And that’s probably okay for most people. After all, this isn’t positioned as a photographer’s dream device.

However, the decision to retain the huge 200MP sensor raises eyebrows. A smaller sensor might have allowed for a sleeker camera module — something that might align better with the Edge’s thin profile.

Performance vs. Practicality

Samsung packed in the Snapdragon 8 Elite, one of the best chips available. It’s a performance beast — capable of running intense 3D games, video editing, and AR tasks with ease. But was it the right choice for a phone this thin?

This chip is also thermally inefficient. The S25 Edge tends to run hot, even during relatively light tasks like installing apps or using GPS. It’s not unusable, but it raises questions about whether a less powerful — and cooler — chip might’ve made more sense for this design.

Fans of the phone argue that the heat isn’t a problem because they don’t push the phone hard. But if the target user doesn’t need flagship performance, why include a flagship chip?

What It Gets Right

Despite the confusion, there’s a lot to appreciate here.

The OLED display is stunning — bright, fluid, sharp, and beautifully tuned. Samsung’s panel expertise shines through. The thin bezels add to the immersive experience.

The feel in hand is another major win. This is one of the lightest and thinnest large phones in recent memory, and you feel that the moment you pick it up. Compared to the S25 Ultra, it’s much easier to carry, hold, and slip into a pocket or bag.

Where It Misses the Mark

The size is both a strength and a drawback. While it’s thin, it’s still a big phone, likely because that’s what sells. But this also feels like a missed opportunity. A smaller version — say 6.2 or 6.3 inches — could’ve filled a real gap in the market for compact premium phones.

Then there’s the case dilemma. The moment you slap a protective case on this expensive, fragile device, you start losing the very advantage that made it unique — its thinness.

A Luxury Experiment?

Ultimately, the S25 Edge feels less like a Galaxy S and more like a Galaxy Z. Like Samsung’s foldables, it’s a luxury-tier product with a distinct form factor. It offers a fresh feel in the hand, lightness in the pocket, and a bit of exclusivity. But it’s not trying to be the everyman’s phone — and it shows.

Samsung possibly made this phone to beat Apple to the punch. Rumors suggest Apple is prepping a thinner iPhone “Air,” and Samsung wanted to be first. It succeeded, but perhaps rushed the execution.

Final Verdict

There’s a market for the Galaxy S25 Edge, no doubt. Some people will love the design, the screen, the lightness, and even the uniqueness. It does stand out — and that matters.

But this phone is not for everyone. Most buyers might be better off with the standard S25, which offers a better balance of size and battery, or the S25 Plus or Ultra, which offer more features and often better value.

The Galaxy S25 Edge is one of the most divisive smartphones in recent memory — and that feels entirely intentional.