Samsung S25 Edge: Style Over Substance? An In-Depth Look at Samsung’s Ultra-Thin Flagship

Samsung has introduced a new contender to its high-end lineup: the Samsung S25 Edge. This device stands out primarily for its remarkably thin profile, measuring just 5.8 mm thick, making it almost 30% thinner than the S25 Ultra. This seems to signal the potential start of a wave of ultra-slim, high-end phones. But how did Samsung achieve this thinness, why does this phone exist, and is it a worthwhile purchase or simply a “very prettyl looking money trap”? This article explores these questions based on a hands-on look at the device.

Design and Build: A Focus on Thinness

The most striking aspect of the Samsung S25 Edge is its design. At 5.8mm, it achieves its slimness by making significant changes compared to the S25 Ultra. Beyond being thin, the phone is also approximately 25% lighter than the Ultra. Picking up the S25 Edge can feel transformative, reminiscent of the first time experiencing a MacBook Air or new iPad. Crucially, this lightness and thinness are achieved while maintaining a premium feel, utilizing titanium construction and top-end Gorilla Glass Ceramic 2 on the screen. This Ceramic 2 glass is noted as being similar in strength to the Ultra’s glass and stronger than the Victus 2 found on many other Samsung phones.

Despite its reduced thickness, the Samsung S25 Edge still boasts modern luxuries like an ultra-bright, almost borderless display. However, it lacks the S25 Ultra’s anti-reflective coating which improves screen visibility.

Feature Cuts and Differences

The significant reduction in thickness on the Samsung S25 Edge was accomplished by removing or downgrading several features present on the S25 Ultra.

Key features absent on the S25 Edge include:

• The three-time zoom camera
• The five-time zoom camera
• Laser autofocus
• Built-in S Pen functionality
• The anti-reflective coating on the screen
• Speakers with the same “thump” as the Ultra’s due to less internal space

Additionally, while an ultrawide camera is included, it’s a downgraded 12-megapixel sensor compared to the 50-megapixel one on the Ultra.

Read also: Best Android Phones in South Africa (2025 Guide)

Camera and Other Notable Specs

Despite the cuts, the Samsung S25 Edge does retain some high-end features found in the Ultra line.

The Samsung S25 Edge notably keeps the same top-of-the-line 200-megapixel main camera found on Ultra phones. However, the lens structure has been flattened to accommodate the thin design, which seems to result in slightly softer output compared to the S25 Ultra. The ultrawide camera, while lower resolution, does retain autofocus, enabling close-up macro shots. The phone also includes Samsung’s AI features, such as the object eraser and generative AI editor, plus the more recent realtime visual AI feature, which allows for interactive video calls with Gemini.

The “Why”: Understanding Samsung’s Strategy

The existence of the Samsung S25 Edge becomes a puzzle when considering its price. It launches in the UK at £1,099. While this is £150 cheaper than the Ultra’s launch price, it’s currently the same price as the S25 Ultra can be purchased for directly from Samsung. This leads to the question: why buy a phone without “everything” when you can pay the same price for the phone with “everything”?

The likely reason, as suggested by the source, is to create an alternate path for high-income consumers. For someone with the budget for a premium phone (£1,100 is seen as not crazy for a device used frequently over years), but who doesn’t necessarily need or crave the specific advanced features of the Ultra, such as 100x space zoom or the embedded S Pen, the S25 Ultra might not be the obvious choice. Previously, they might have considered the S25 Plus (£850), which is slimmer and more compact than the Ultra.

The Samsung S25 Edge offers a way for these consumers to spend more, not on superior technical features, but on style and form factor. It’s framed as giving people another option for expression, akin to Samsung’s Z Flip phones where you pay a premium for aesthetics and a “vibe” rather than necessarily better tech compared to traditional devices. This thin premium flagship concept is expected to become more common, with other manufacturers likely following suit.

Potential Downsides and Concerns

Despite its appealing thinness and premium feel, the Samsung S25 Edge comes with significant drawbacks.

Two major concerns stand out:

1. Durability and the Case Dilemma: While materials are better now than on older thin phones like the iPhone 6 Plus, the Samsung S25 Edge is inherently more delicate than a thicker phone. This leads to a counterintuitive problem: to protect such a thin, delicate phone, you might want a thick, hard-backed case. However, adding such a case defeats much of the point of sacrificing features for thinness in the first place. At that point, it might be better to opt for a thicker, more feature-rich phone that is stronger initially and can use a thinner case.
2. Battery Size: This is highlighted as the biggest issue. The Samsung S25 Edge has a significantly smaller 3,900 mAh battery compared to the Ultra’s 5,000 mAh. While phone companies often advertise “all day battery,” this can be misleading. Unlike features like telephoto cameras or the S Pen, which many people might not use, a large battery benefits almost everyone, regardless of how techy they are. Paying an ultra-premium price for a battery that is not just average but small by current standards is not recommended. There’s a risk that within a few years, as the battery degrades, users might regret prioritizing thinness.

The source expresses concern that users might regret the purchase once the initial appeal of the thin design wears off and the battery issues or potential durability problems become apparent.

Price and Value Proposition

As mentioned, the Samsung S25 Edge launches at £1,099 in the UK, the same price as the S25 Ultra currently sells for directly from Samsung. The analysis suggests that feature-wise, the Edge is much closer to the S25 Plus than the Ultra, yet it is priced closer to the Ultra. This means consumers are paying an Ultra-like price for a feature set closer to the Plus, primarily gaining the ultra-thin design.

It’s acceptable to buy a phone based on style over pure functionality, similar to decisions made about clothing, cars, or bags. For someone less concerned with bleeding-edge tech and more interested in a noticeable change like a 30% thinner profile, this could be appealing. It might be ideal for a user who values luxury and doesn’t need pro features but would benefit from the premium feel and thinness.

Conclusion: Should You Buy the Samsung S25 Edge?

The Samsung S25 Edge is a premium, ultra-thin smartphone that offers a different kind of luxury – one focused on form factor and feel over maximum technical features. It represents a potential shift in the high-end phone market towards thinner designs.

While its design is undeniably appealing and the premium materials contribute to a great in-hand feel, the compromises made to achieve this thinness are significant. The reduced camera versatility (missing telephoto), lack of S Pen, and other minor cuts might be acceptable for many users. However, the small 3,900 mAh battery is a major concern, as it impacts virtually every user. Compounding this is the “great case dilemma,” where protecting the phone negates its primary selling point – the thinness.

Given that the Samsung S25 Edge is priced the same as the S25 Ultra, which offers more features (especially a significantly larger battery) for the same cost, it is difficult to recommend universally. It may appeal to a specific niche that highly prioritizes thinness and style above all else, even at the expense of battery life and durability concerns. But for the vast majority, the compromises, particularly regarding the battery, make it a questionable purchase at its current price point compared to the more feature-complete Ultra. The source suggests that while the concept is smart from a market segmentation perspective, buying the Samsung S25 Edge is likely not the best decision for most people.