Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge Review: All Premium, Just Not Pro

Not everybody is aware of it, however not everybody wants a ‘Pro’ smartphone. Sometimes, you get a Pro or an Ultra smartphone since you merely need the perfect. Others might merely decide a Pro gadget as a result of they really want that digicam efficiency, or the attain of the telephoto digicam. There’s additionally one other set of people that get a Pro telephone as a result of till now, no producer has been gutsy sufficient to construct a premium telephone, minus the Pro items. What would one even name such a telephone? Will anybody even purchase one whether it is costly and doesn’t ship on all fronts?

Well, that is precisely what Samsung has performed. Samsung has taken a bet similar to it did with foldables, and brought a daring step simply earlier than Apple did. It has launched the premium Galaxy S25 Edge, a tool that’s glossy, slim and lightweight. But in comparison with the common Galaxy S25 lineup, it has a smaller battery and two rear-facing cameras. I need to admit that I used to be blown away by how mild this gadget felt once I obtained it for assessment. But a number of weeks in, I’m not assured that there’s a marketplace for such units except they get a number of issues proper.

Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge Design: A light-weight marvel

• Dimensions – 158.2 x 75.6 x 5.8mm
• Weight – 163g
• Durability – IP68

You do not need to imagine me. But the Galaxy S25 Edge makes a giant and lasting impression solely once you maintain it. As somebody who typically makes use of foldable units, 5.8mm is not a giant deal, as most foldables like Google’s Pixel 9 Pro Fold, when opened, are rather a lot slimmer.

The Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge (proper) versus the thickest foldable, the OnePlus Open

 

I’ve proven the Galaxy S25 Edge to lots of people, younger and previous, and most didn’t even discover that it is a slim smartphone. Tell them it is one, and so they acknowledge, “Oh! It’s a slim phone…”.

Their impression of it solely adjustments once I hand it over and ask them to make use of it. It’s then that there is a mind-boggling reveal. Almost everybody is straight away impressed by how mild it’s. Whether it is a Pixel proprietor, an iPhone proprietor or perhaps a price range telephone consumer, its slim and lightweight USP positively feels “unreal”.

But this was the primary and clear indicator that Samsung’s Galaxy S25 Edge doesn’t make an excellent first impression. It could also be actually mild, however for a lot of, together with myself, it isn’t as slim or skinny as many anticipate a “slim” telephone to be. In quick, it is simply not as thrilling once you first see it or present it to somebody.

The Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge (proper) versus an Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max (left)

 

Indeed, one thing round 5mm or beneath 5mm will certainly impress from a visible standpoint. Visual methods like a curved “edge” show would even be welcome on such a tool, as slim smartphones have historically been all about aesthetics and design. Samsung’s present design philosophy of monolith design with flat sides, accompanied by aggressive corners, seems to be good on the remainder of its Galaxy S25 sequence, however doesn’t work properly for its “Edge”, regardless that the telephone has loads of them.

In reality, even having its personal distinctive design id would have helped the Galaxy S25 Edge stand out from the S25 sequence. But because it at the moment seems, it seems to be similar to them, with half the thickness.

The Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge’s slim and lightweight design provides an IP68 score and wi-fi charging

 

I do believe that it’ll final a back-pocket take a look at, as a result of Samsung makes use of a mix of titanium for its body and chassis, and a sandwiched glass design. You additionally get the standard IP68 score for mud and water. However, that doesn’t imply it is best to take it for a swim, as a result of, like each different producer, Samsung will not cowl injury as a result of water ingress.

Regardless, I’m impressed by how a lot Samsung has managed to do given the very restrictive boundaries of this manner issue. Dust and water resistance, vapour chamber cooling, wi-fi charging, two rear cameras (200-megapixel main, which is identical as on the Galaxy S25 Ultra), stereo audio system, and a fingerprint reader constructed into the show. And there’s nonetheless area for a 3,900mAh battery in there!

Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge Display: Top notch

• Display dimension – 6.7-inch, 1,440 x 3,120 pixels
• Display sort – AMOLED, LTPO, 1-120Hz
• Display safety – Gorilla Glass Ceramic 2

Samsung’s performed a fantastic job of going above and past with the Galaxy S25 Edge’s show. It has skinny bezels similar to the Galaxy S25+, it will get a lot brilliant each indoors and outside, and it even has a fingerprint reader (which labored flawlessly) constructed into it!

The Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge has a beautiful QHD+ Super AMOLED show with skinny borders

 

While the telephone does get brilliant sufficient to deal with direct daylight, I’ve observed a small drawback. Use the telephone below daylight, and the show type of provides up and switches to a decrease brightness degree. This isn’t as a result of this beautiful AMOLED panel is incapable of maintaining with the ambient lighting, however primarily as a result of the telephone will get fairly sizzling when utilizing it outside, particularly when utilizing the digicam.

The show stays seen after a couple of minutes of use, however you will have to squint a bit, particularly when holding it up to make use of the digicam. Indoors, every little thing is image good, and I had no points by any means. As anticipated, it additionally helps HDR10+ and content material from OTT apps appeared brilliant and vivid as anticipated.

The 1-120Hz refresh fee does a fantastic job of managing the smaller battery. I used to be additionally impressed by the telephone’s 480Hz contact sampling fee, which was helpful when enjoying FPS video games.

Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge Software: AI all the way in which!

• Android model – Android 15
• Software – One UI 7
• Software dedication – 7 years OS + 7 Years SMR

Compared to the mid-range Galaxy A26 I reviewed not too way back, the One UI expertise on the Galaxy S25 Edge does really feel rather a lot higher. The animations and transitions are buttery clean, and software program interactions really feel fluid and quick due to the underlying premium {hardware} that powers it.

I just like the AI-enhanced climate results wallpapers (proven above is “cloudy”) on the Galaxy S25 Edge lock display

 

Samsung has added AI bits in all places. Since Samsung has its personal Galaxy AI mannequin, one can find AI making it to locations that you wouldn’t see on a Pixel smartphone or an Android gadget from one other model. Samsung’s Live Translate characteristic could be very helpful and can be utilized when inserting a name (to hearken to the translated voice) and to translate your personal into one other language. Live Translate additionally makes it to WhatsApp and reveals translated textual content previews beneath the unique textual content bubbles.

The Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge’s Now Bar is each enjoyable and intuitive

 

Even although Now Briefs usually are not as helpful, the Now Bar characteristic seen on the lockscreen certain is. It works in a fashion just like Apple’s Dynamic Island. It can relay info from Live Notifications from numerous apps, be it the timer app, music, Google Maps and lots of extra. You may even dismiss or carry out sure actions relying on app assist. Unlike Apple’s Live Activities and Dynamic Island, Samsung’s Now Bar and Live Notifications present a pleasant stackable interface, which is less complicated to work together with when you may have many apps utilizing it.

Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge Performance: A hot-headed performer

• Processor – Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite (for Galaxy), 4.47GHz, 3nm
• RAM – 12GB (LPDDR5X)
• Storage – 256GB (UFS 4.0)

Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Elite often is the strongest processor on the Android facet of issues at the moment, nevertheless it additionally will get fairly sizzling when careworn, as we have now seen in smartphones in earlier evaluations. So, it is no shock that regardless of its skinny waistline, Samsung has managed to squeeze in a vapour chamber cooling system into its Galaxy S25 Edge.

While that will deliver a sigh of reduction to consumers, in our testing, we have now discovered that it is solely efficient in sure conditions. In our 3DMark Wild Life Extreme Stress take a look at, the telephone’s efficiency dropped by 1 / 4 by the sixth loop and remained there till the twentieth loop. It reveals that, regardless of having a VC cooling system, the telephone does throttle, so it’s possible you’ll not essentially expertise the complete uncooked energy of the Snapdragon 8 Elite processor.

The Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge by some means manages to accommodate a vapour chamber cooling system in its slim design

 

With informal utilization, I didn’t discover the telephone heating up an excessive amount of. When enjoying video games, gaming efficiency (when enjoying Call of Duty Mobile at Max graphics settings) didn’t appear to decelerate or get sluggish, even after half an hour of intense gameplay.

The solely occasion the place you’ll really feel the warmth is when utilizing the digicam app. Be it evening or day, the digicam app takes only a few minutes to warmth up the telephone. While the telephone’s body and again really feel bodily sizzling to the touch, I used to be a bit shocked to see the Camera app and Gallery chugging alongside simply fantastic. It’s in all probability all the way down to the VC cooling system, which is able to allow you to really feel the warmth (unfold out over an space) however permits this slimmer than typical telephone to maintain performing or working easily just like the “This is Fine” GIF. Still, the underside line is that after a degree, it will get too sizzling to carry, and this isn’t what anybody expects from a premium gadget in 2025.

When it involves benchmarks, the Galaxy S25 Edge performs as anticipated, as will be seen within the comparability desk beneath.

 

Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge Cameras: Premium, not Pro

• Primary digicam – 200-megapixel, f/1.7, OIS
• Ultrawide digicam – 12-megapixel, f/2.2, PDAF
• Selfie digicam – 12-megapixel, f/2.2, PDAF

Given that foldables additionally pack in slim digicam tech and need to take care of comparable design restrictions, I made a decision to stack the lately launched Motorola Razr 60 Ultra in opposition to Samsung’s slimmest and lightest smartphone. I’ve squeezed in a number of digicam samples between to present our readers a greater thought of the Galaxy S25 Edge’s efficiency.

It’s Samsung’s Galaxy S25 Edge versus Motorola’s Razr 60 Ultra

 

With a main digicam sourced from Samsung’s high-end Galaxy S25 Ultra, I did have massive expectations from this digicam and even its lossless telephoto zoom efficiency. It shoots pictures with correct color and wonderful dynamic vary, be it day or evening. The particulars are spot on, however I’d have most well-liked barely sharper pictures. The giant sensor managed to seize loads of knowledge within the binned 12-megapixel default decision. There’s loads of element wherever you go searching for it.

A cropped collage of digicam samples captured at 12-megapixels, 50-megapixels and 200-megapixels (L to R) (faucet picture to develop)

 

Being an even bigger than typical sensor, you possibly can shoot at 12-megapixel, 50-megapixel and 200-megapixels. I attempted all of them (as you possibly can see within the collage above). And similar to the outcomes from the 2X lossless zoom pictures, the 50-megapixel scaled pictures seem a bit delicate, whereas the 12 and 200 megapixel pictures seem tack sharp. Overall, I see no real-world profit in taking pictures on the 200-megapixel decision, except you need to edit your masterpiece in put up. In this case, you’d be fidgeting with Samsung’s Expert RAW mode (must be downloaded), which will provide you with what you want, offered you understand what to do with all that knowledge. The customary/auto 200-megapixel taking pictures mode leads to large 32MB recordsdata, so it isn’t advisable to shoot at this decision when you’re an informal consumer.

Motorola’s Razr 50 Ultra (backside) is on par with Samsung’s Galaxy Edge 50 Ultra (prime). Still, it provides higher sharpness and shoots barely saturated pictures as compared, which at instances change into near correct. (Tap pictures to develop)

 

The Galaxy S25 Edge’s foremost disadvantage in comparison with the Pro telephones is the shortage of a telephoto digicam. (Tap picture to develop)

 

There’s no getting round it, even with an enormous 200-megapixel sensor and lossless functionality. Samsung manages high quality pictures in daylight, however even overcast circumstances lead to delicate pictures with low element when captured at 2X zoom.

Motorola’s Razr 60 Ultra (proper) does a improbable job with 2X lossless zoom, taking pictures sharp pictures with some juicy bokeh backgrounds. (Tap picture to develop)

 

The Galaxy S25 Edge’s low-light 2X captures are low on resolved element (faucet picture to develop)

 

The Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge’s 2X Portrait pictures come out properly in daylight however lack element in low mild. Edge-detection is not very correct or “pro-grade” both. (Tap picture to develop)

 

The ultrawide digicam isn’t the one from the Galaxy S25 Ultra, and so it doesn’t carry out as properly. The 12-megapixel pictures are good, however they are not as massive on detailed as most premium flagships out there at this worth level. Top: Galaxy S25 Edge, backside: Razr 60 Ultra (faucet pictures to develop)

 

Even Motorola’s Razr 60 Ultra (backside) does higher, even in low mild, the place Samsung’s (prime) outcomes seem a bit too delicate. (Tap pictures to develop)

 

Samsung’s Galaxy S sequence telephones have at all times been good at selfies. However, the Galaxy S25 Edge (prime) does come up quick when it comes to sharpness and element in comparison with the Motorola Razr 60 Ultra (backside). (Tap pictures to develop)

 

As for video, Samsung’s Galaxy S25 Edge does an outstanding job of taking pictures video in daylight. Both HDR10+ and common 4K footage present loads of element, have a clean framerate and wonderful stabilisation. In low mild, the general high quality takes a little bit of successful. It’s inferior to an iPhone, as Samsung aggressively tries to suppress noise, leading to flatter textures. Video from the ultrawide digicam is not as spectacular as the first. Video recording is stabilised, however textures seem a bit delicate, particularly in low mild.

Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge Battery: Enough for a day

• Battery capability – 3,900mAh, lithium-ion
• Wired charging – 25W
• Wireless charging – 15W
• Charger within the field – No

Yes, this slim and lightweight smartphone from Samsung can final a day even with heavy utilization, however nothing extra. This actually seems like rather a lot for a slim telephone, however energy customers or street warriors who want greater than a day’s battery life can be disenchanted. Samsung might have sweetened the deal and used the newer silicon-carbon battery know-how, however for causes greatest identified to the model, it didn’t. Still, we do have some spectacular numbers, given how slim this telephone is.

The Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge’s slim design creates further restrictions on charging speeds

 

In our HD video loop take a look at, which performs a regionally saved video in a loop (till the battery dies), the Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge managed an honest 16 hours and 25 minutes. In our PCMark Battery Work take a look at, which runs numerous real-world duties and functions on loop, the Edge lasted 12 hours and 17 minutes, which is spectacular given its battery capability and slim kind issue.

Charging the telephone utilizing a 100 GaN charger noticed the Galaxy S25 Edge cost to 41 p.c in half-hour and 84 p.c in an hour, finishing the cost in 1 hour and 29 minutes. This is comparatively sluggish in comparison with what most smartphones at this worth level are able to.

Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge Verdict

Samsung’s Galaxy S25 Edge might not have gained me over, however I now have some new discovered respect for slender smartphones. Samsung has managed to set a brand new development rolling, and it’s downright spectacular when it comes to engineering achievements. However, given its present kind issue and worth (Rs. 1,09,999), which is not too slim, I do not see it successful over audiences that may be heading to a retailer to purchase a Galaxy S25+ (Rs. 99,999 onwards) or perhaps a Galaxy S25 Ultra (Rs. 1,29,999 onwards). However, it makes an excellent case for itself for somebody who’s significantly searching for a premium, slim and lightweight Android smartphone, on condition that there are barely any choices to select from.

The Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge might also attraction to the clamshell foldable house owners. While there have been main leaps in book-style foldable designs over the previous 12 months, the extra accessible clamshell-style foldables are nonetheless fairly thick when folded or unfolded. Samsung’s Edge provides one thing that’s considerably lighter, way more sturdy, and slimmer.

To impress the premium crowd, Samsung’s Edge must be slimmer however by some means pack some Pro DNA (working cooler, have high-capacity silicon carbon battery, higher ultrawide and telephoto digicam). By doing this, Samsung will be capable to ship the “wow factor” that’s lacking from its present product. Another manner for Samsung to realize that is by dropping the Galaxy S25+ altogether and incorporating all its options right into a slimmer design.

As it stands, Samsung’s Galaxy S25 Edge is sort of half a Galaxy S25 Ultra out there at a price ticket that appears a bit excessive given its numerous limitations. Making issues worse for the Edge is Samsung’s Galaxy S25+, which outdoes it in each different manner. It even seems to be comparable with some added weight and thickness, all of which is justified given the efficiency beneficial properties it provides.

On a facet observe, with Samsung leaving room for enchancment and Apple’s iPhone 17 Air on the horizon, I’d not be shocked to see Chinese corporations tackle the slim problem and launch super-slim smartphones within the coming months.