The ultra-slim Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge is an impressive feat of engineering – but how does it compare to the compact Galaxy S25?
While both are flagship smartphones with specs to prove it, there are some pretty big differences between the two variants of S25 that go beyond the S25 Edge’s slimline design.
It’s a big decision that we aim to make much easier; we’ve used both the Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge and Samsung Galaxy S25 extensively, and here’s how the two compare.
Pricing & availability
The Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge is the more expensive of the two flagship smartphones, coming in at £1099/$1,199 with 256GB of storage, while 512GB will set you back £1199/$1,219. It’s available to pre-order now ahead of release on 30 May.
The Galaxy S25 is relatively cheap in comparison, starting at £799/$799 with 128GB of storage, though you can get 256GB or 512GB of storage for £859/$859 and £959, respectively. The phone was released in January 2025 and is readily available to buy at retailers worldwide.
Pricing and availability
The Samsung Galaxy S25 is the more affordable of the two flagships, starting at £799/$799 with 128GB of storage, although it is available with up to 512GB in the UK for £959, and caps out at 256GB for $859.99 in the US. It’s available now, following release back in January 2025.
The Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge is a much more premium device than the regular Galaxy S25, with a single 512GB variant costing £1099/$1099. It’s now available for pre-order, with the ultra-slim phone set to go on sale on May 30, 2025.
Design
One of the biggest differences between the two flagship phones comes in the design department. While both sport the same general, rather minimalist look, complete with flat edges, rounded corners and a vertically aligned camera setup on the rear, the S25 Edge is undoubtedly the thinner of the two.
It’s probably not a surprise given the S25 Edge’s whole ‘shtick’ is that it’s thin and light, but even compared to the pocketable 7.2mm-thick S25, it’s notably slimmer at just 5.8mm.
Granted, it might not sound like much of a difference on paper, but the real-world feeling is notable – especially when paired with the S25 Edge’s 6.7-inch screen. This phone should be thicker and heavier – but it’s just not, and it’s an absolute joy to hold and use as a result, making phones like the S25 Ultra look comparatively brick-like.
However, it’s the regular S25 that wins in the weight department – though just by a single gram, at 162g compared to the S25 Edge’s 163g. But as with the thickness, you really don’t expect that lightweight nature from a large smartphone, and the impact is more noticeable as a result.
The compact Galaxy S25 isn’t overly bulky in comparison, but it offers the same experience as other compact phones, including its predecessor, the Galaxy S24. It’s nice to hold one-handed, and it’s indeed light, but you’re sacrificing some screen size to achieve that aim. With the S25 Edge, there is no compromise – in terms of screen size, anyway.
Core design aside, the Galaxy S25 Edge is slightly more durable than the S25. Both offer flagship-level protection in the form of IP68 dust and water resistance, but the S25 Edge takes it a step further with Gorilla Glass Ceramic 2 glass protection – up from the still durable Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2 on the S25 – and features a more durable titanium frame than the aluminium alternative.
The Galaxy S25 has the more colourful finishes of the two, available in Icy Blue, Mint, Navy, Silver Shadow, Pink Gold, Coral Red and Blue Black compared to the understated Titanium Icyblue, Titanium Silver and Titanium Jetblack finishes of the Edge.
Winner: Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge
Screen
The Samsung Galaxy S25 is a pocketable phone, and that means it comes with a smaller-than-average 6.2-inch AMOLED screen. That does mean it’s really easy to hold and use one-handed, but on the other hand, it does result in a smaller canvas when watching movies and playing games.
If those are activities you see yourself doing often, the Galaxy S25 Edge and its 6.7-inch AMOLED screen might serve your needs better. It also features thinner bezels than the regular S25, adding to the immersive experience provided by the larger panel.
Size aside, there are a few key differences in display tech on offer here. The Galaxy S25’s panel is essentially the same as that of the S24, complete with the same FHD+ resolution.
Though the FHD+ resolution isn’t noticeable with a smaller 6.2-inch screen, with pin-sharp images and plenty of detail, it doesn’t compete with the QHD+ resolution of the S25 Edge. Even with a larger screen, the jump from FHD+ to QHD+ (an option in the phone’s Settings menu) is noticeable. App icons and text, in particular, look sharper when using the QHD+ resolution.
Elsewhere, the screens are pretty evenly matched; both offer an LTPO-enabled 120Hz refresh rate for smooth, responsive scrolling, HDR10+ support and a peak brightness of 2600nits.
Winner: Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge
Cameras
The Samsung Galaxy S25 and S25 Edge have wildly different camera setups – though not for the reasons you might expect.
The S25 shares the same camera hardware as its predecessor with a combination of a 50MP main lens accompanied by a 12MP ultrawide and a 10MP 3x telephoto sensor. The main lens is the best of the trio, offering good detail, dynamic range and colour, even if the latter is a little oversaturated at times. The ultrawide isn’t as noteworthy, lacking the autofocus tech to really boost performance.
The telephoto does a great job at 3x, getting you closer to the subject without relying on digital zoom, though the quality degrades quite quickly and by the 10x mark, results are markedly less impressive.
The S25 Edge, on the other hand, only offers a main and ultrawide sensor. Telephoto sensors need physical space for magnification, and that comes at quite the premium on the ultra-thin flagship.
However, it doesn’t actually make as much of a difference as you might first expect. That’s because the S25 Edge sports a high-res 200MP camera.
It’s not the exact same camera as the S25 Ultra, sporting a different sensor powering the high-res lens, but it still has an excess of pixels. This not only improves low-light imagery with the phone’s ability to blend 16 pixels into one, but it also provides pretty solid digital zoom capabilities.
Like the S25, the S25 Ultra’s digital-only zoom is great at the 3x and even 5x mark, with artefacting only appearing once you push it to the 10x mark. You can’t hit the 30x mark with the S25 Edge, but given the results from the regular S25, it’s not really a problem. It also means that images look consistent in terms of colour, as all are captured from the same sensor.
If it were compared to the S25 Ultra’s dual telephoto and periscope zoom lenses, it might be a different conversation, but compared to the S25, you’re not missing out on all that much.
The S25 Edge’s 12MP ultrawide sensor is also marginally better, offering autofocus tech for improved detail in group selfies while also doubling up as a macro lens.
Winner: Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge
Performance
In terms of spec, the S25 and S25 Edge are evenly matched. Both smartphones sport a custom version of Qualcomm’s ultra-powerful Snapdragon 8 Elite, paired with 12GB of LPDDR5X RAM and plenty of storage for top-end performance.
With that in mind, it’s unsurprising that regardless of the phone you opt for, the experience is smooth and lightning-fast, regardless of what you’re up to. Apps open instantly, multitasking is smooth and you can hit high frame rates in mobile games to boot.
However, the Galaxy S25 Edge struggles to keep cool with its ultra-thin chassis, and this translates to the phone getting noticeably hot when playing games – especially high-end titles like Genshin Impact or Call of Duty Mobile. The S25, on the other hand, got slightly warm to the touch, but not uncomfortably so.
Those warm temperatures also have a knock-on effect on the S25 Edge’s battery life – but more on that a little later.
When it comes to storage, the S25 is available in 128-, 256- and 512GB options, while the S25 Edge is available in a single 512GB configuration. Neither offers microSD card support, so there’s no potential to expand storage further down the line.
Winner: Samsung Galaxy S25
Battery life
The Samsung Galaxy S25 has pretty solid battery life considering it has a 4000mAh cell – 1000mAh short of most large flagships. It didn’t struggle to last a single day without needing a mid-day top-up, usually left with around 30% charge after a day of average use. It’s not a two-day phone then, but it’s good enough to alleviate your battery anxiety.
The same simply cannot be said for the Galaxy S25 Edge. It actually houses an even smaller 3900mAh cell than its compact counterpart, and when paired with a 6.7-inch QHD+ screen and Snapdragon 8 Elite power, it really struggles.
Not once during testing did the S25 Edge manage to go a full day – instead, it tends to run flat by the evening unless you give it a top-up during the day – and even then, it’ll likely still end on single digits.
On one occasion, it ran out of power after just nine hours away from the charger. It’s easily the weakest element of the S25 Edge experience, and means a power bank is a necessity.
The two phones sport the same 25W wired charging, and that, unsurprisingly, translates to similar charge times – though neither will win awards for charge speeds, taking well over an hour to get a full charge. This isn’t as big a problem for the S25, which can last all day, but it would have made the S25 Edge’s abysmal battery life a little easier to handle.
The S25 also offers 15W wireless charging as a bonus – tech that couldn’t fit into the ultra-thin chassis of the S25 Edge.
Winner: Samsung Galaxy S25
Final thoughts
The Samsung Galaxy S25 is a traditional compact phone, offering a solid blend of a pocketable design, nice screen, great performance, solid cameras and all-day battery life. It’s dependable, though it’s also predictable.
The S25 Edge, on the other hand, offers something completely new with its ultra-slim design. It’s a real treat to hold and use, especially for a phone with a 6.7-inch screen. It also has great cameras even without a dedicated telephoto lens, while offering the same QHD+ resolution as the S25 Plus.
However, the S25 Edge’s razer-sharp focus on design has come at a cost. Not only does the S25 Edge heat up much faster than the S25, but it also offers much worse battery life, arguably some of the worst of any smartphone in the past couple of years.
So, while there is a lot to love about the Galaxy S25 Edge, there are compromises on offer. The S25 may be a safer bet, but it offers better performance across the board as a result.