Galaxy S25 Edge Review: Samsung’s Slimmest Flagship Yet

Samsung has taken a fresh turn with the Galaxy S25 series, introducing a new member to the lineup—the Galaxy S25 Edge. This model stands out for its sleek, ultra-thin design, aiming to deliver flagship-level performance in a more lightweight and compact package. But does the slim form factor come with compromises? Here’s a deep dive into what the Galaxy S25 Edge offers and whether it holds up against its siblings in the S25 lineup.

Design & Build: Thin Is In

Right off the bat, the Galaxy S25 Edge impresses with its dimensions. Sporting a 6.7-inch display—the same size as the S25 Plus—it’s just as light as the regular S25 and even thinner at only 5.88mm. Compared to the bulky S25 Ultra, the Edge feels almost razor-sharp in the hand.

Samsung managed to trim down the profile without sacrificing premium materials. The back is made of Gorilla Glass Victus 2, seamlessly meeting a titanium frame that curves into a distinct edge. Despite being featherlight, the device still carries IP68 certification for water and dust resistance, ensuring it doesn’t skimp on durability.

Display: Smooth, Sharp, and Stunning

The Galaxy S25 Edge features a 6.7-inch OLED panel with a QHD resolution and a buttery-smooth 120Hz refresh rate. The screen is protected by Samsung’s new Gorilla Glass Ceramic 2, offering extra resilience. Colors are vibrant, details are crisp, and viewing angles are excellent.

Brightness isn’t a concern either. In manual mode, it peaks around 770 nits, but in auto mode under bright conditions, it can push past 1,400 nits. The display also supports HDR10+, though—true to Samsung’s tradition—it doesn’t offer Dolby Vision.

Thanks to LTPO technology, the screen can scale down its refresh rate all the way to 1Hz when needed, helping conserve battery.

Audio & Biometrics

While the Edge includes stereo speakers, they’re slightly quieter than those on the other S25 models, and there’s noticeably less bass. If sound quality is high on your priority list, this could be a minor letdown.

For unlocking the device, there’s a reliable ultrasonic fingerprint sensor under the display, which is both fast and accurate.

Software & AI Features

Running on One UI 7 based on Android 15, the S25 Edge offers the same feature-rich software experience as its flagship siblings. Samsung has also baked in a host of Galaxy AI tools, including a new Visual Engine debuting with this model. It allows you to point your camera at an object and ask questions about it—blending AI assistance with visual input.

Importantly, Samsung promises seven years of major Android updates and security patches, making the S25 Edge a long-term investment.

Performance & Thermal Management

Under the hood is the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 for Galaxy—an overclocked version of Qualcomm’s top-tier chip. Performance-wise, the Edge delivers excellent benchmark scores and snappy everyday performance. However, there’s a catch.

Due to the slim chassis, thermal throttling kicks in sooner during extended use. Performance dips were noticeable just five minutes into stress testing, which suggests that while this phone is powerful, it isn’t built for sustained heavy loads like gaming marathons.

Battery Life & Charging

One trade-off of the thin design is a smaller 3,900mAh battery, which is a significant drop from the 4,900mAh unit in the S25 Plus. In real-world use, the battery held up reasonably well, scoring 12 hours and 6 minutes in active use tests.

Charging is capped at 25W, with no adapter included in the box. A 30-minute charge gets the battery to 59%, while a full charge takes just over an hour. Wireless charging is supported as well.

Cameras: Great Main Shooter, but No Telephoto

The S25 Edge borrows the 200MP main sensor from the S25 Ultra, which delivers excellent results in daylight. Photos are full of detail, with balanced colors and strong dynamic range. The camera also performs well for portraits, and even the 2x digital zoom yields solid images—though not quite as sharp as the originals.

In low light, the default camera performance isn’t great. Images tend to be soft and grainy unless night mode is manually activated, which significantly improves sharpness and contrast.

There’s also an ultrawide camera with autofocus, making it handy for close-up shots. In daylight, it produces consistent results in line with the main shooter. At night, activating night mode is again essential for usable results.

The 12MP selfie camera supports autofocus and maintains the same high standard seen across the S25 series. Selfies are natural-looking with excellent dynamic range and detail.

Video Quality

The main camera supports up to 8K video recording, while the ultrawide and selfie cameras can shoot in 4K. Video quality is top-notch in 4K—clean, detailed, and stable. Samsung’s electronic image stabilization is among the best available, delivering smooth footage even during movement.

In low-light video, the main camera still shines, offering clean footage with impressive sharpness and contrast.

Final Thoughts: Is the S25 Edge Worth It?

The Galaxy S25 Edge brings a unique flavor to Samsung’s flagship lineup. It offers nearly all the premium features of its siblings, but in a slimmer, lighter form factor that’s easier to carry and handle. The design is undeniably stylish and comfortable.

However, the compromises are hard to ignore. Battery capacity, speaker performance, and thermal management have all taken a hit. And the absence of a telephoto lens could be a dealbreaker for some.

If you’re someone who values portability and a sleek look above all else, the Galaxy S25 Edge could be the right fit. But if you’re after the best all-around performance and features, the S25 Plus or Ultra might still be the better buy.