Is the Galaxy S25 Edge really worth $1,100? I went hands-on and here are my thoughts

This got me thinking -- is the compromise of fewer cameras and diminished battery performance worth it when the design upgrade isn't actually huge, especially when you can often get the 512GB Galaxy S25 Ultra on sale for a very similar price? After all, the Galaxy S25 Ultra itself is already 0.32-inches (8.20mm) thick.

While I still need to spend more time with Samsung's flashy Galaxy S25 Edge, at this point, I'd probably opt for the Galaxy S25 Ultra instead.

It's a thinner Galaxy S25 Ultra with fewer cameras

Other specs are identical to the rest of the Galaxy S25 lineup

If you've seen a Galaxy S25 series device before, you'll know what to expect from a design perspective. The phone features a smudge-resistant matte rear, squared-off sides, and a camera bump with two lenses. Instead of sitting flush with the Galaxy S25 Edge, the pair of shooters and the flash are mounted on an iPhone 16-like oval. I don't mind this look at all, but it's worth noting that it's strikingly similar to the iPhone 16'scamera bump.

From a specs perspective, the Galaxy S25 Edge is very similar to the Galaxy S25 Ultra. It features an f/2.2 12-megapixel ultra-wide lens coupled with a 200-megapixel f/1.7 wide sensor, but it lacks the f/3.4 50-megapixel periscope lens and the f/2.4 10-megapixel telephoto shooter. As someone who finds getting close to images more useful than a wider field-of-view, this is disappointing. That said, I appreciate the macro shots the ultra-wide camera offers.

I only spent a brief period trying the Galaxy S25 Edge's cameras, but they seem to perform just as solidly as the Galaxy S25 Ultra's, which makes sense since they're identical, right down to the sensor size. This means they offer crisp shots with that signature Samsung look that emphasizes overall brightness and highlights, alongside unfortunate issues with capturing rapid movement clearly (like with the Galaxy S25 Ultra, it still feels like there's a bit of shutter lag compared to the Pixel 9 series). I'm looking forward to testing the camera more when I get my hands on a review device soon.

Sticking with the above theme, the Galaxy S25 Edge features the same Snapdragon 8 Elite (3nm) chip as the rest of the lineup, along with 12GB of RAM, support for 25W fast wireless charging, and reverse-wireless charging. Its display comes in at 6.7-inches with a 3,120 x 1440 QHD+ pixel resolution, making it the same size as the Galaxy S25+'s 6.7-inch screen and just under the Galaxy S25 Ultra's 6.9-inch display.

"Samsung says that it has optimized the device's performance for long-lasting battery life, but any way you look at it, the Galaxy 25 Edge will likely feature the lowest battery life in the S25 lineup."

The phone felt great in my hand and very blade-like in some ways, at least partly because it's so thin and features stark edges (this made it really easy to slide into my pocket, too). At the same time, the Galaxy S25 Edge doesn't feel like it will easily snap. I wouldn't go so far as to put it into my back pocket and sit down, but if you're worried about it bending with regular use, it doesn't seem like that will be an issue (I'll never forget the iPhone 6 series' "Bendgate").

Interestingly, it's not the lightest device in the Galaxy S25 lineup at 5.7oz (163g). That honor goes to the Galaxy S25, which weighs 5.7oz (162g) -- it still feels feather-like next to the Galaxy S25 Ultra, though. There's an on-screen ultrasonic fingerprint scanner that feels very responsive, just like the rest of the Galaxy S25 series.

Other specs include a 3,900 mAh battery, which, as expected, is the smallest cell in the Galaxy S25 series. This falls considerably short of the Galaxy S25's 4,000 mAh, the Galaxy S25 Plus' 4,900 mAh, and the Galaxy S25 Ultra's 5,000 mAh. Samsung says that it has optimized the device's performance for long-lasting battery life, but any way you look at it, the Galaxy S25 Edge will likely feature the lowest battery life in the Galaxy S25 lineup. Will it make it through a full day, the ultimate test as far as I'm concerned? My guess is it probably will, but it may need a quick top-up to push into the evening hours. I won't know for sure until I've tested the battery life thoroughly myself.

Do we really need super-thin phones?

The verdict is still out

In some ways, the Galaxy S25 Edge is a tough sell. It starts at $1,100 for the 256GB version, coming in just $200 under the more feature-rich $1,300 256GB Galaxy S25 Ultra (the 512GB Galaxy S25 Ultra is often on sale for the same price). I'm a sucker for a flashy design, and in theory, I like the idea of thinner smartphones becoming a thing. In reality, though, we're only talking about a few millimeters, and side-by-side with most modern phones, the average person might not even notice the difference. The expected battery life and the camera trade-offs don't feel worth it with this first-generation Galaxy S25 Edge, unless you're really sold on the idea of a slightly thinner smartphone.

One of the main questions on my mind now is whether Apple will push thin smartphone design further with its rumored iPhone 17 Air in a few months. If you could get the phone down to 4mm or so, the specs downgrade would be far easier to accept if you're like me and appreciate cool smartphone design shifts.

The Galaxy S25 Ultra is available starting at $1,100 for the 256GB version and $1,220 for the 512GB in titanium silver, titanium jet black, and titanium icyblue. Pre-orders are available now and the phone releases on May 30, 2025. Samsung is offering a $50 pre-order credit alongside a free upgrade to the 512GB version of the smartphone. I'll have more on the Galaxy S25 Edge in the coming weeks, including a review of the smartphone.