I still remember the afternoon I first lifted the Galaxy S25 Edge out of its box, expecting heft but feeling something closer to levitation. Samsung’s titanium frame doesn’t just look aerospace-grade—it practically feels weightless — it’s impossible to describe until you hold it for yourself. Priced at $1,849 for the 256 GB version in Australia, this is not casual tech. This is a statement piece, the kind you reveal slowly in conversation and watch eyebrows raise. But beyond the titanium and prestige pricing, one question lingered: does it deliver a flagship experience that justifies its place at the top tier?
The S25 Edge stands out for its impressively thin and lightweight design, making it a joy to hold and carry. Compared to the Galaxy S25 Ultra, the Edge feels almost ethereal, shedding the bulk while maintaining a premium build quality. It’s the kind of difference that transforms how you interact with your phone daily—no more hand fatigue, no awkward juggling, just effortless comfort. Holding the Edge feels like holding a piece of the future, where technology and design merge seamlessly to enhance your everyday experience.
The Edge measures just 5.8 mm in thickness and weighs 163 grams, making it the slimmest and lightest Galaxy S device to date. In comparison, the Ultra is 8.2 mm thick and weighs 218 grams. This makes the Edge 2.4 mm thinner and 55 grams lighter than its Ultra counterpart. And dno’t even tak about the iPhone 16 Pro Max’s comparatively earth shattering 277 grams. These differences might seem tiny but they translate into very real-world differences in the hand and how you use the phone. The Edge is the most comfortable flagship phone I’ve ever held by a long mile.
That slimness doesn’t stop the S25 Edge from sporting flagship specifications and one of Samsung’s masterful displays. You get a 6.7-inch QHD+ Dynamic AMOLED panel with a 120Hz refresh rate. It’s a similar panel to that found on the rest of the S25 family which means perfect blacks, vibrant, punchy colors, and buttery smoothness. Scrolling and swiping through apps is smooth and responsive and you’ll easily get sucked into doom scrolling.
However, the lack of anti-reflective coating, a feature present in the S25 Ultra, becomes apparent in bright environments. While the AMOLED panel delivers stunning visuals indoors or under controlled lighting, outdoor usage under direct sunlight reveals noticeable glare and reflections. This can detract from the immersive experience, especially when viewing photos, videos, or reading text. For users who prioritize outdoor visibility, this omission might be a dealbreaker, highlighting the Ultra’s advantage in this regard.
Beneath the surface, Samsung’s bespoke Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy screams through tasks with unapologetic intensity. There’s no hesitation, no drama. In fact, it feels distinctly more fluid than its Plus sibling, despite near price parity. And compared to $999 rivals? It’s a different league. You don’t just run apps—you glide through them.
Gaming on the S25 Edge is good but you quickly run into some bottlenecks thanks to the slimmer design and lack of a vapor chamber. The bespoke Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy can certainly run the best games at high settings but just not for very long before it starts to throttle back performance. Oh, and while the lightweight form factor makes holding the phone for long periods easy, it gets rather toasty quickly so you might want to use a controller attachment for longer sessions. And, you will chew through that smaller battery even faster. Gaming phone this is not — maybe stick with the S25 Ultra for that.
For cameras, the S25 Edge is well-equipped. A 200 MP main camera captures highly detailed images with excellent dynamic range, ensuring both shadows and highlights are well-balanced. Textures, such as skin and fabric, are rendered with impressive clarity, making it great for everyday photography needs. I rarely took a photo that I wasn’t happy with, as long as I stayed within the 1x and 0.6x. The selfie camera is also very good in most lighting and I was more than happy with images and video captured on it.
Samsung’s controversial omission of a dedicated telephoto lens doesn’t go unnoticed. Push past 2× zoom and the software strains, softening edges in that familiar digital haze. But here’s the surprise: AI-driven Super Resolution gets clever. It’s not perfect and I sorely missed the 5x optical zoom whenever I was at my kids’ school concerts.
Video recording capabilities on the S25 Edge are impressive, but not without limitations. The phone supports 8K video recording at 30fps, delivering stunning detail and clarity for high-resolution content creation. The 4K recording mode at 60fps is equally remarkable, offering smooth and vibrant footage that’s ideal for most scenarios. Samsung’s advanced stabilization technology ensures steady shots, even during handheld recording or dynamic movements.
However, the absence of a dedicated telephoto lens severely impacts zoom quality in video mode, with noticeable softness and reduced detail at higher magnifications. Additionally, extended recording sessions can lead to overheating, which may affect performance and battery life. Despite these drawbacks, the S25 Edge remains a strong choice for casual videographers and content creators seeking a sleek and capable device.
If you need true optical power, the S25 Ultra remains the best choice. But for most people, especially creators dabbling in mobile photography or video, the Edge hits the sweet spot with style and substance.
Battery life on the S25 Edge has been a common point of contention among reviewers but I’ve found it quite adequate for a full day of moderate use, lasting up to 24 hours with activities like browsing and occasional streaming. On occasion, I’ve even managed to go two whole days on a charge when I’ve been busy at work, leaving the phone relatively untouched for hours at a time.
However, heavier use involving lots of messaging, video calls, and doom scrolling, Android Auto can drain the battery by early evening. The 3,900 mAh capacity is smaller compared to the 5,000 mAh batteries found in many competitors, which may be a concern for power users.
Charging is unfortunately not fast enough to give you comfort at the smaller battery capacity. That 25 W wired speed tops you off at 55% in half an hour—not slow, but certainly no warp drive. The bigger issue is wireless charging which is so slow and also gets the phone so hot that it gave me a warning while in my car charger. Compare it to mid-range devices flying to 80% in the same window, and the thin silhouette starts to look like a luxury surcharge.
One UI 7 is smooth and intuitive, with AI-driven Edge Panel features that enhance productivity and convenience. Live Translate during multilingual calls allows seamless communication across languages, making it a valuable tool for international business or travel. The Edge Panel provides quick access to your calendar, weather updates, news headlines, and to-do lists, streamlining daily tasks and enhancing productivity. All of this easily accessible one-handed thanks to the ergonomics of the phone.
Additionally, features like Smart Suggestions adapt to your usage patterns, offering shortcuts to frequently used apps and settings. While Now Brief never quite added value for me, its attempt to provide a personalized news feed and updates might appeal to some users. Every other feature from the S25 Ultra, including advanced multitasking tools and enhanced security options, is present here, ensuring a comprehensive and seamless user experience.
When I first unboxed the S25 Edge, I was prepared to be impressed by its specs and design. What I didn’t expect was how much I would genuinely enjoy using it. Beyond the titanium frame and the stunning 120 Hz QHD+ display, the Edge surprised me with its sheer functionality and comfort. Whether I was gaming, shooting video, or juggling calls and messages, it felt like an extension of my daily rhythm.
I found myself reaching for it repeatedly, not out of habit but because it simply felt good in my hand—lightweight yet sturdy, sleek yet grippy. Every time I picked up my iPhone 16 Pro Max, I literally groaned inside at just the size and weight of the thing. In contrast, the Edge made me smile literally every time I picked it up.
The S25 Edge isn’t just a phone you flaunt—it’s one you fall for. It bridges the gap between headline-worthy specs and actual enjoyment. Sure, it doesn’t make financial sense, costing almost as much as the more potent S25 Ultra but, I actually loved using the Edge more than its better brother and that’s saying something. something.
Samsung Australia kindly loaned the S25 Edge to PowerUp for the purpose of this review.
