Review: Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge beats Apple to the punch - but was it worth it?

Wales Online

2 days ago

Review: Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge beats Apple to the punch - but was it worth it?
It's a sleek phone that, most notably, does not sacrifice too much to get everything into it think form factor
Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge
There's a new smartphone arms race. First it was the number of pixels in the camera, then the speed of the processor, and then the quality/size of the display. And now it's going to be how thin your device is - well, that's what the manufacturers are betting on anyway.
Apple is expected to release its own slender iPhone this year but fair play to Samsung for stealing a march on the opposition by releasing the Galaxy S25 Edge right now.
It's a sleek phone that, most notably, does not sacrifice too much to get everything in. However, it remains to be seen if users are really going to be that bothered over a few millimeters.
The S25 Edge is an impressive truimph of design and function, but I have to admit I was expecting to have the sheer thinless of the phone take my breath away. It didn't. It's thin OK, but it's pretty much on par with an old iPhone 6 Plus I had hanging around the house due to the camera.
Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge
The main body is two-thirds that of the flagship S25 Ultra, although that's without taking into account the lens which juts out so much there's not much in it by the end, and plenty of wobble when placed on a table.
So the thinless was a bit meh, to be honest. However, getting rid of this extra device meant the phone felt really lightweight and good in the hand. It's a third lighter than the Ultra and you really feel it.
Despite the design, the Edge feels rock solid thanks to a titanium frame and the Gorilla Glass Ceramic 2 covering its display. You get a similar 6.7ins AMOLED display than you do in the cheaper S25 Plus, but it's a lot more conmfortable in the hand. For brightness it actually outdoes the Ultra, which is very impressive.
The major comprimise has been made with the camera, lacking a dedicated telephoto lense. This didn't bother me too much but might be something to keep in mind if you're a keen photographer.
Elewhere, it's pretty impressive how few thing you lose with the slimmer form factor. It's lightning fast, has plenty of RAM and can handle multi-tasking with the best them.
Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge
Battery life is one area I was concerned about. There's just less space for it. Different testers have come up with widely different takes, but I founcd it held up well. Charging isn't as fast, though, which was a shame.
As for the software, you get the full shabang of One UI 7 with the rock-solid performance and AI goodies you've comer to expect. I have reservations about just how usewful any of this AI actually is, but I can't deny it's fun making amazing pictures out of your lame line drawings!
It's a great phone. The weight loss makes a real difference. The form factor not so much. Let's be honest, no matter how strong it is you're going to be getting a case for somthing that costs around a grand. And this might well defeat the whole purpose.
Price-wise it's smack in the middle of the Plus and Ultra. In the end, there are good arguments for all three. Whichever one you choose, you'll have one of the most high-end, capable phones on the market.
The S25 Edge is available in three colours - silver, blue or black - from £1,099 via the Samsung website. You can get the usual generous trade in value for your old phone (up to £468 off), another £100 off for joining the Galaxy Club, plus, right now, a free Tab A9+.
What other reviews say
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BGR: "Apple learned the hard way that compromising features for the sake of thinness isn't really what people want. Sure, folks might think they want a thin laptop — but as soon as they start typing on the butterfly keyboard or realize they only have one or two ports, many will happily go back."
CNET: "I marvel at how the 5.8mm device feels in my hand, about 20% thinner than its Galaxy S25 sibling. Yes, it's skinny, but that's not what stands out most. Rather, it's how utterly light it is. At 163 grams, the S25 Edge weighs one gram more than the baseline S25 but 27 grams less than the S25 Plus, which has the same 6.7-inch display. Meanwhile, in my other hand, the 227-gram iPhone 16 Pro Max feels like a behemoth."