We’ve known about the Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge for a while now, but the device is finally official and heading to the US this month. I’ll admit, when I first heard about the S25 Edge, I was skeptical. Modern smartphones aren’t exactly bulky to begin with, so did we really need an even thinner Galaxy S25 variant? In my opinion, the answer is still no, even now that we know exactly what’s on offer.
While I haven’t yet had hands-on time with the Galaxy S25 Edge, I already feel the Galaxy S25 Plus is a better fit for my needs, despite the similarities between the two.
Both the Galaxy S25 Edge and Galaxy S25 Plus are powered by the same Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy chip and feature identical 6.7-inch displays. They also share the same RAM and storage configurations. On paper, they offer very similar experiences. Still, the Edge brings some flashy upgrades that might have your mouth watering. Unfortunately, it also comes with trade-offs that make me hesitate.
Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge vs S25 Plus: Which would you pick?
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The Galaxy S25 Plus is the better choice for battery life
C. Scott Brown / Android Authority
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Before we dive into what makes the S25 Edge appealing, it’s important to address what it’s missing and why that’s enough to turn me away. Here’s what Samsung cut to make the Edge’s thin profile possible:
- Battery capacity drops to 3,900mAh, compared to the 4,900mAh found in the Galaxy S25 Plus.
- Charging speed maxes out at 25W on the Edge, versus 45W wired charging on the Plus.
I get that a thinner design demands sacrifices in battery size, but trimming 1,000mAh is a pretty big deal. The Galaxy S25 Plus can easily last through a full day of regular use. It remains to be seen if the Edge can do the same.
Samsung says the Edge’s battery life falls somewhere between the Galaxy S24 and S25. That might sound reassuring, but the Galaxy S24’s battery life has never blown me away — it typically lasts a day, but not always with room to spare. If you’re a heavy user, you’ll need to keep a closer eye on battery levels with the Edge.
Then there’s charging. I’m someone who often charges in shorter bursts throughout the day while working from home, so faster charging speeds matter. My Galaxy S24 has the same 25W limit as the Edge, and while it’s workable, I often wish it charged faster. Losing out on the 45W speeds of the Plus is definitely a step backward for me.
The Galaxy S25 Edge has a sleeker build and upgraded camera, with caveats
C. Scott Brown / Android Authority
The Galaxy S25 Edge isn’t all compromise. If the battery and charging changes aren’t deal-breakers for you, there’s a lot to like here, especially in terms of design and camera upgrades.
The most obvious change? The device’s overall footprint. At just 5.8mm thick and 163g, the S25 Edge is 1.5mm thinner and 26g lighter than the Plus. It’s one of the slimmest mainstream phones ever made. But it’s not just about dimensions, as the materials have been upgraded too.
On the back, it retains the same Gorilla Glass Victus 2 as the Plus, but the front steps up to Corning Gorilla Glass Ceramic 2. This is the same glass used in the S25 Ultra, offering improved durability, though it lacks the Ultra’s anti-reflective coating. Samsung also had to tweak the internal structure, reportedly adding a larger vapor chamber to help offset potential heat buildup due to the compact body.
There’s also a noteworthy change to the camera system:
- While the Galaxy S25 and Plus models both use a 50MP primary camera, the Edge inherits the 200MP shooter from the Ultra.
- You still get a 12MP ultrawide sensor, but lose the dedicated telephoto lens.
According to Samsung, data shows most users only shoot at .6x, 1x, 2x, or 5x zoom levels — and it claims that digital zoom is good enough to replace dedicated telephoto hardware. For casual users, this might be true. But as someone who appreciates optical zoom for clarity and sharpness, I find this to be a disappointing omission. No matter how good the digital crop is, it won’t fully replace a real telephoto lens in terms of sharpness and detail.
Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge vs S25 Plus: Which should you buy?
C. Scott Brown / Android Authority
If battery life, fast charging, and value are your top priorities, the Galaxy S25 Plus remains the smarter pick. It lasts longer, charges faster, and costs $100 less — a win-win for most users. And since it’s been out longer, deals and sales will likely be easier to find in the coming months.
Samsung Galaxy S25 Plus
Snapdragon 8 Elite power • 12GB RAM • 7 years software support
A powerful 6.7-inch phone, with 7 years of updates
The middle offering of Samsung’s 2025 flagship launch, the Samsung Galaxy S25 Plus is a 6.7-inch QHD+ device with a 50MP camera, 12GB of RAM, 256GB+ of storage, and the Snapdragon 8 Elite SoC. UWB connectivity, a 4,900mAh battery, and ProScaler for QHD+ round out the upgrades over the base model phone.
On the other hand, the Galaxy S25 Edge could be worth it if you’re a photography enthusiast who wants that 200MP sensor without springing for the Ultra. The thin design is also likely to turn heads. But is that worth the hit to battery and the loss of optical zoom? That’s the real question.
Personally, I wouldn’t buy the Edge just for its aesthetics. While I appreciate thin and light phones, the Edge’s design doesn’t look better to me, just different. But that difference might be exactly what some users are after. After all, people buy foldables like the Galaxy Z Flip series for their unique look and experience, not necessarily for practicality. If you fall into that camp and want a phone that stands out from the crowd, the Galaxy S25 Edge could absolutely be the better choice.
Bottom line, neither phone is going to be a bad buy as you’ll get a similar experience thanks to the Snapdragon 8 Elite onboard. For power users who demand battery endurance and quicker top-offs, the Plus is a clear winner. For design-conscious buyers and mobile photography fans who can live without a telephoto lens, the Edge might just be worth the extra cost.
I do have to wonder, though. With Samsung now offering an Edge version that feels so similar to the Plus, is the Plus line finally on its way out? There have been rumors pointing to this possibility for years. With thinner phones becoming more mainstream, Samsung may be setting the stage for a shift in its core lineup. Time will tell, but for now, I feel the Plus still holds its own fairly well here.
