The Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge, at 5.8mm in thickness, is the slimmest candy-bar smartphone you may splurge your cash on at this cut-off date. For context, the same display screen dimension sibling — the Galaxy S25+ — measures 7.3mm. One might all the time level to the Honor Magic V3 or the Oppo Discover N5 foldables, however they measure 4.65mm and 4.21mm respectively, when unfolded. The Tecno Spark Slim, a candy-bar design once more, remains to be an idea that will or is probably not made because it’s been envisioned. Within the right here and now, Samsung has nicely and really delivered on the slimness facet. The pertinent query due to this fact is, should we compromise on one thing else?
The Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge. (Vishal Mathur/ HT Picture)
The Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge is on the bleeding edge of what’s doable with smartphones, and performs the size versus specs stability higher than anybody could have anticipated. In reality, it could be troublesome to convey precisely how spectacular this mixture of a slim and light-weight (163 grams) construct is. It needs to be held in hand, to get the true sense of the achievement. The one competition actually revolves round battery life, which sees a considerable 1000 mAh discount in capability, in contrast with the Galaxy S25+ (3,900 mAh in contrast with 4,900 mAh). Extra on that, as we contextualise this with efficiency.
By way of the underlying specs, there may be absolute parity with the remainder of the Galaxy S25 vary. The three-nanometer Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite with particular customisations for Samsung, 12GB reminiscence and a 200-megapixel important digital camera main the dual-camera setup as a substitute of a troika (a telephoto has been sacrificed). Considered one of my two key considerations (the opposite being real-world battery stamina) was how this slim chassis dealt with thermals, and due to this fact efficiency. On that entrance, the Galaxy S25 Edge is as a lot at par with the Galaxy S25 Extremely as it’s with the Galaxy S25+, since there is no such thing as a further heating obvious on the again panel and the telephone holds efficiency fairly nicely. Credit score to Samsung’s redesigned cooling structure, it has executed the job.
Particular to the battery capability is an commentary that Samsung isn’t utilizing the silicon-carbide battery pack chemistry, one thing telephone makers equivalent to OnePlus are more and more doing, and the result’s smaller, denser batteries that will be very best for the slimness proposition Samsung goes for with the Galaxy S25 Edge. I had the possibility to emphasize take a look at the battery stamina earlier this month, when protecting Google I/O. There was minimal voice calling on roaming, however in depth knowledge utilization in addition to a number of digital camera use, audio recordings and transcriptions alongside the way in which.
There are software program optimisations Samsung has executed to make this extra frugal, and that does assist to an extent. A Galaxy S25 Edge, totally charged within the morning, would dip to a reasonably uncomfortable degree by round 3pm — wherever between 20% to 30% cost remaining. Even if you happen to’re very cautious with utilization, a display screen time of round 6 hours is probably the utmost you’d have the ability to eke out. That’s the comparative, from shut to eight hours on a Galaxy S25 Extremely, when used equally. You’d have to not be somebody who wants a workhorse battery stamina from a smartphone, to think about shopping for an ultra-slim telephone, any ultra-slim telephone for that matter.
The opposite facet to think about is the digital camera setup. As an alternative of the three-camera setup that has been typical with Samsung’s flagships over the previous few years, this makes do with one much less sensor. The trade-off is definitely to open up some room within the innards. The 200-megapixel main digital camera is admittedly nearly as good because it will get. The shortage of a telephoto digital camera is compensated to an extent with the 2x optical zoom on the 200-megapixel digital camera, going all the way in which to 10x of AI-assisted zoom. For the latter, efficiency could fluctuate relying on composition of shot too.
In case you are utilizing the primary sensor for many of your images, the outcomes are genuinely top-notch, and this I say as somebody who’s had his share of enjoying with Hasselblad, Leica and Zeiss optimised cameras in smartphones over the previous few months. Colors are wealthy and nicely separated, there’s simply the correct amount of sharpness, noise discount doesn’t appear to make an aggressive look and also you’ll just like the dynamic vary in most pictures. Low mild eventualities require some endurance to get the very best pictures, however that’s extra an element of how nicely you are able to do it.
Right now, the singular price ticket for the Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge is ₹1,09,999 although two variants are listed for India — the reason is, for some time, Samsung is upgrading all 256GB storage purchases to the 512GB storage variant. For all intents and functions, that is the fourth addition to Samsung’s flagship Android portfolio, and one which actually has a novel character. But, and it’s a courageous factor to do for any smartphone model, that is focused at a really particular demographic of potential patrons. Ones who detest thick, heavy telephones although they’d not need to compromise on the display screen dimension. And secondly, the consumer base that may work across the barely decrease battery life ceiling.
The Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge does nicely to construct on the distinctive thickness and weight proposition, by being a thoroughbred flagship remainder of the time. High notch efficiency, a 200-megapixel sensor that merely doesn’t disappoint with pictures, and the entire layer of Samsung’s Galaxy AI, all including worth. The factor is, battery compromise apart, you’ll start to seek out each different Android telephone thick and unnecessarily cumbersome, after getting a style of the impressively skinny ‘Edge’ design. That’s maybe Samsung’s, and certainly the Galaxy S25 Edge’s greatest win.