Slim, sleek, but slightly too short-lived: Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge review

It's no secret that phones have been getting larger over the years with higher screen-to-body ratios than ever before.

Smartphone companies seem to be in a constant race to produce phones with the best functions and features, cramming as much as they can into a small device to cater to consumers' every desire.

Now, however, it appears Samsung has turned that trend on its head, building their slimmest and lightest phone yet — the Galaxy S25 Edge — which I got to try out for a week.

A phone that 'disappears'

If you've ever seen a magician make something disappear into thin air, placing this phone in your pocket may just evoke a similar sensation.

Even before trying out the phone's functions, it is the device's weight — or lack thereof — that hits me.

At just 163g, the Edge is ridiculously lightweight, so much that the heft you would usually feel with phones is almost completely gone.

When placing the device in your pocket, it virtually disappears, if not for the cool sensation of the screen against your skin.

Granted, I used the phone without a case which could contribute to the overall weight it has, but no other smartphone I've tried even comes close to how light the Edge feels.

How slim the device is also adds to the Edge's allure — it boasts a 5.8mm thin chassis, making it the slimmest Samsung flagship to ever hit the market.

Combined with the sleek titanium frame, the Edge presents one of the best tactile experiences I've ever had holding a phone, giving off an unignorably premium feel.

Does the Edge edge out the S25 flagships?

When it comes to premium smartphones, Samsung's Galaxy S25 Ultra stands at the absolute peak for the electronics brand.

So how does the slimmer and lighter Edge fair against the product that precedes it?

For starters, it is worth noting that the Edge comes with the suite of AI functions from Google Gemini, connecting your requests across multiple Google and Samsung-based applications seamlessly.

This means that the day-to-day use of Google Gemini is no different across the Edge and the Ultra for the average user — although this also applies to any frustrations with AI assistants you may encounter along the way.

The elephant in the room is the decrease in the number of cameras on the Edge compared to the Ultra, going from a quad camera setup to dual cameras.

While it may appear that the Edge presents a downgrade in terms of photograph quality, this may likely have been a necessary sacrifice for the sake of the phone's thinness.

Admittedly, I found the camera quality good enough for everyday use as well — photographs taken were beautiful and clear, capturing colour well across both the selfie and main cameras.

All good things must come to an end

Although the Edge does perform its job splendidly, it still falls a little short of expectations, especially when comparing to recent Samsung flagships.

With a battery capacity of 3,900 mAh, it can withstand a full day of use, but only if you don't use more energy-intensive applications like games or watching videos.

Comparatively, the base S25 model has a battery capacity of 4,000 mAh, while the S25 Plus and Ultra have 4,900 mAh and 5,000 mAh respectively.

With how a battery's lifespan would naturally decay, that means the Edge may not be your go-to if you're looking for a phone that will last you multiple years — but it may be sufficient if you're going for a contract plan.

Something else I noticed was that the Edge seemed to heat up faster than I'd expect, ramping up quickly to a toasty feel when I would browse the Internet, game or watch videos.

The temperature never got to an unbearable level, however, and the phone would always cool down speedily enough - possibly a testament to the strength of the cooling system within.

The price point of the Edge also does make it less desirable for me — at $1,628 for the base Edge, some may balk at the amount they would have to fork out to obtain this cutting-edge device.

That it has a lower battery capacity and an arguably weaker camera than other recent flagship models also make the Edge potentially less of a bang for your buck.

Speaking of models, however, the Edge is possibly best described as a supermodel — a glamorous and elegant alternative that would handle a catwalk with ease.

While it may fall short of other flagship models, it is definitely the most premium phone that I've handled thus far, and definitely one that those with deeper pockets would appreciate more.

khooyihang@asiaone.com

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