Verdict on the Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge: Extra-thin smartphone lasts longer than expected

Thin smartphones are exactly what buyers have been waiting for, or so Apple and Samsung seem to think. The latter has now taken the first step with its 6.7-inch Galaxy S25 Edge, its thinnest Galaxy S smartphone to date. With a body thickness of 5.8 millimeters, it is only slightly thicker than the Apple iPhone 17 Air, which is expected to be released in September and said to be 5.5 millimeters thick.

A thin smartphone body inevitably reduces the space available for internal components, which usually means compromises in battery size. This is also the case with the Galaxy S25 Edge. Its battery has a capacity of 3900 mAh, even undercutting that of the 6.2-inch Galaxy S25 (4000 mAh).

Runs almost as long as the Galaxy S25...

In our tests, the Galaxy S25 Edge still performs remarkably well in terms of battery life. Yes, the battery life lags behind that of the Galaxy S25 sister models. Overall, however, it's hardly worse than the Galaxy S25.

For comparison, both smartphones manage almost 18 hours of simulated web browsing at a display brightness of 150 cd/m². In continuous video playback, the difference between the two phones is just under one hour (25:39 hours for the Galaxy S25 Edge vs. 26:30 hours for the Galaxy S25). Considering the Galaxy S25 Edge's significantly larger display and smaller battery, this is quite remarkable.

… but doesn't stand a chance against the iPhone 16 Plus and the Galaxy S25+

In comparison with smartphones of the same form factor, the comparison is admittedly less flattering. The 6.7-inch Galaxy S25+ (4900 mAh) lasts significantly longer and the Galaxy S25 Edge is also no match for the Apple iPhone 16 Plus (4674 mAh).

Samsung's thin smartphone is therefore less suitable for power-hungry users, even if it should survive a day of intensive use. The Galaxy S25 Edge scores points primarily due to its low weight. At just 163 grams, the 6.7-inch device feels very light and almost makes other smartphones look like heavyweights. And despite its 5.8-millimeter casing (around 4 millimeters in height if you include the camera hump), the Galaxy S25 Edge is very sturdy. In another test, its titanium frame could not be bent or dented under lots of force.

The full review of the Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge can be found here.