Samsung's Revolutionary Galaxy S25 Edge Impresses Me. Yet, Who Are the Ideal Preorder Candidates?
Fresh Take on Samsung's Slimmest Flagship: Galaxy S25 Edge
Picking up the svelte Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge, I couldn't help but feel a quiet "wow." I've put numerous Galaxy phones through their paces - even the entire 2025 S25 series - but nothing felt this remarkably thin and light upon first touch. Coupled with the same superb performance and solid features that make the existing S25 our pick for the top-of-the-line smartphone, the Edge offers a hard-to-resist package. But does it justify the steep $1,100 price tag? And should you consider upgrading to the even more feature-filled Galaxy S25 Ultra instead? Here's my initial assessment after an hour with Samsung's newest ultra-slim flagship.
Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge
The S25 Edge packs most of the key features from the S25 lineup into Samsung's slimmest and lightest design to date. If you preorder through our links below, you'll score a free storage upgrade and $50 in online credit.
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Pre-Ordering the Galaxy S25 Edge
Already available for preorder at Samsung, Amazon and Best Buy, the S25 Edge drops officially on May 30. Preorder through Samsung's website, and they'll give you a $50 online credit and upgrade the phone's storage to 512GB. If you're trading in your old device, Samsung is offering up to $630 in trade-in credits. Various carriers, like Verizon, have also jumped on the preorder bandwagon, offering a free Galaxy S25 Edge if you trade in just about any phone.
The Slimmer, Sexier Galaxy S25
Sporting a sophisticated titanium frame and a sleek, streamlined design, the S25 Edge doesn't stray too far from its S25 relatives at first glance. However, once you get a feel for the Edge, you'll be amazed by its thickness and weight. The slim 5.8mm edges are among the thinnest I've seen on a phone, beating the standard S25 by 21% and the S25 Ultra by a whopping 34%. These are two seriously slick phones, and even with cases on, the S25 Edge still outshines them. Kudos to Samsung for making protection hardly a hassle.
The trio of color options (Titanium Icyblue, Titanium Silver, and Titanium Jetblack) are pleasant enough, but I'm starting to tire of expensive phones being saddled with less-than-exciting shades. It'd be nice to see a broader spectrum of hues in the S25 family, considering the S25, S25+, and S25 Ultra all outshine the S25 Edge in that department.
Despite its svelte figure, the S25 Edge comes armed with most of the specs and features that make the existing S25 lineup shine. It's powered by the Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset, which cruised past every device we've ever tested in performance benchmarks. Its 6.7-inch quad HD display looked vibrant and crisp when I fired up the latest Superman movie trailer. Boasting the latest Corning Gorilla Glass Ceramic 2, the display should withstand drops without cracking into a million pieces.
AI tools are sprinkled throughout, a feature Samsung seems to be doubling down on in 2025. We've found these capabilities to be hit-or-miss in terms of overall usefulness, but if you dig the idea of being able to whisk away photobombers, generate ridiculous AI images, or promptly recognize a basketball player's sneakers just by circling them with your finger, you'll be pleased to know that the S25 Edge handled everything effortlessly.
Compromises for the Compact
Despite the similar feature set as its S25 cousins, Samsung did make some small design sacrifices for the Edge. A thinner phone means a smaller battery, resulting in a 3,900mAh power pack that, according to Samsung, falls somewhere between the Basic S24 and the S25 in terms of endurance. We don't expect the same colossal 28-hour runtime we saw from the S25 Ultra earlier this year, but we do expect better runtime than the S24's paltry 11-hour showing. We're eager to put the S25 Edge through our battery looping 4K video test to see what kind of battery life you're really getting from this petite powerhouse. Stay tuned!
The S25 Edge's camera setup combines elements from the entire lineup, boasting the 200MP main shooter from the S25 Ultra alongside a more middle-of-the-road 12MP ultrawide camera and 12MP front camera. The absence of a telephoto lens means you won't find the jaw-dropping amount of camera zoom available on the rest of the lineup (10x zoom versus 30x for the S25/S25+ and a mind-bending 100x on the Ultra). However, thanks to the powerful main lens and capable ultrawide sensor, you'll still enjoy perks such as Nightography for low-light photography, 4K video at up to 120 frames per second, and macro shots for capturing tiny details up close. Even the front camera boasts a wider field of view than the rest of the S25 family, which is fantastic for group selfies.
The Verdict
The S25 Edge is a stunning phone initially, but I have to wonder who it's intended for. The slim and light design definitely catches the eye, but it doesn't solve any problems I've encountered with the rest of the S25 family - all of which are already slip-free and stack up nicely in the pocket.
I liken the S25 Edge to the midpoint between the $1,000 S25+ and the $1,300 S25 Ultra, both in terms of price and features. If you fancy the idea of a 200MP main camera for those ultra-sharp shots but don't want to splurge for an Ultra - or if the S25+ leaves you yearning for a slightly thinner design - the S25 Edge could be worth a look. But based on paper specs, it seems most folks would be better off either saving some dough with the S25+ (which excels at battery life and offers a more versatile camera) or splurging for the Ultra, which nabs you Samsung's finest (complete with a bonus stylus).
We can't wait to put the S25 Edge through our complete testing process to see if it's more than just a contender for the title of "most pocketable phone ever," so stay tuned for our comprehensive review.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Galaxy S25 Edge Dimensions
The S25 Edge's thinness of 5.8mm makes it the slimmest phone in the S25 lineup.
Galaxy S25 Edge Display
The S25 Edge boasts a 6.7-inch AMOLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate.
Galaxy S25 Edge Storage
Storage options start at 256GB, with 512GB available if you preorder before May 30 (netting you the higher capacity for free).
Trust Us
CNN Underscored's dedicated team of writers and editors, with years of experience testing, researching, and recommending products, ensures each article undergoes careful editing and thorough product vetting. We confer with experts when necessary to ensure testing accuracy, advising only the best products - considering the upsides and downsides of each item. Senior tech editor Mike Andronico has been reviewing the latest smartphones for over a decade, from Apple's earliest iPhones to the Galaxy S25 series that just dropped this year.
The S25 Edge incorporates most of the essential features from the S25 series into Samsung's thinnest and lightest design to date. It boasts a 200MP main camera similar to the S25 Ultra, along with a 12MP ultrawide and 12MP front camera.
With the S25 Edge's pricy $1,100 price tag, you will receive a free storage upgrade and $50 in online credit if you preorder through the given links. This slimmer and sexier model is now available for preorder at Samsung, Amazon, and Best Buy, and it officially drops on May 30.
