The Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge prices an excessive amount of to supply this little

Because it was first teased at Unpacked in January, the Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge has been one of many largest telephones on my radar — largely out of curiosity and confusion. It’s a shock fourth addition to the usual Galaxy S25 household, and within the months since that preliminary tease, I’ve been scratching my head attempting to grasp the “why” round it.

Samsung has lastly revealed the Edge in full, and based on the corporate, the telephone’s objective is that this: to be as skinny and light-weight as doable whereas nonetheless delivering a flagship smartphone expertise. That’s what we assumed up till this level, however now that we all know the entire S25 Edge’s nitty gritty particulars — together with its exorbitant worth and missing specs — I don’t perceive how Samsung thinks it achieved that purpose.

The extra I have a look at the Galaxy S25 Edge, the extra I don’t perceive it. And, except I’m wildly out of contact with most customers, it’s arduous to see that not being the conclusion most individuals come to.

Let’s begin with the elephant within the room: the value. The Galaxy S25 Edge prices $1,100, placing it $100 above the Galaxy S25 Plus and $200 under the Galaxy S25 Extremely. That’s an uncommon worth proper off the bat, however there might be a world the place it is sensible. If you would like a telephone that’s a bit higher-end than the S25 Plus however can’t justify going all the best way as much as the S25 Extremely, you would perhaps see how the S25 Edge would slot itself between the 2.

However then you definitely begin trying on the specs, and that concept instantly begins to collapse.

The digicam is likely one of the most evident. It begins on an excellent be aware in that the first digicam is a 200MP sensor — the primary time we’ve seen it on a non-Extremely Samsung telephone. That ought to translate to very related (if not equivalent) picture high quality in comparison with the Extremely, and for a telephone that prices $200 much less, that’s not unhealthy in any respect. Sadly, that’s the place the positives finish.

The S25 Edge’s ultrawide digicam isn’t the 50MP sensor discovered on the S25 Extremely. As an alternative, it’s the identical 12MP sensor used on the S25 and S25 Plus. And as you’ve doubtless observed by now, these are the solely two rear cameras on the S25 Edge.

There is no such thing as a telephoto digicam in anyway on the Galaxy S25 Edge, and even with that 200MP essential sensor, most zoom functionality is proscribed to 10x. As a reminder, the S25 Extremely’s two telephoto cameras allow it to go as much as 100x, and even the S25 and S25 Plus stand up to 30x. And people telephones price $700 and $1,000! But, for no matter cause, Samsung’s $1,100 telephone can’t go previous 10x.

And it’s not simply the cameras the place the spec sheet appears misplaced for the $1,100 asking worth. The three,900mAh battery is the smallest of any Galaxy S25 gadget, the 25W wired cost speeds are behind the S25 Plus and S25 Extremely, and the S25 Edge’s show specs are equivalent to these of the Plus, that means you don’t get the anti-reflective coating that’s on the S25 Extremely.

On the finish of the day, the Galaxy S25 Edge is an S25 Plus-sized telephone with a a lot smaller battery, slower cost speeds, and fewer succesful zoom. Positive, you get a nicer main digicam and a slimmer design, however is that price a $100 premium over the Plus? I don’t assume so in any respect.

Whereas I’m positive different folks might imagine in a different way, at the very least lots of you studying Android Authority appear to agree with me. A latest ballot we performed indicated that lower than 18% of you have been all in favour of an excellent skinny telephone a la the Galaxy S25 Edge, whereas the remaining ~80% of you stated you have been both positive with present telephone thinness or needed corporations to go in the wrong way and make telephones thicker. And from what I’ve seen anecdotally on social media, that appears to be the consensus there, too.

Samsung should see demand for a telephone just like the Galaxy S25 Edge. In any other case, it wouldn’t exist. Apple does too, with the iPhone 17 Air seemingly on the horizon for later this fall. However is that this actually what nearly all of folks need because the “subsequent massive factor” in smartphones? Slimmer designs on the expense of different (and essential) options for a better worth? Nothing about that future excites me, however for no matter cause, Samsung sees potential in it.

I want I noticed that potential, too, however regardless of how I have a look at it, I don’t.

If I have been available in the market for a Samsung telephone in the present day, in what state of affairs would I need to select the Galaxy S25 Edge over any of the corporate’s different choices? If a lightweight, easy-to-use telephone have been my high concern, the $700 Galaxy S25 could be a lot simpler on my pockets and nonetheless match the S25 Edge in areas like battery capability and cost speeds. If I needed a much bigger telephone with longer battery life, the S25 Plus suits the invoice completely. For a similar $1,100 retail worth because the Galaxy S25 Edge, I may purchase the Galaxy Z Flip 6 as a substitute and get a telephone that folds. And if you’d like the most effective that Samsung affords, that title nonetheless belongs to the S25 Extremely (which we’ve seen discounted to as little as $1,055).

Possibly there may be that individual on the market for whom the Galaxy S25 Edge checks each field. However as somebody who’s been protecting this trade for over 10 years, I don’t assume that individual exists, and positively not sufficient of them will have a look at the S25 Edge as a greater buy than Samsung’s different telephones.

Does that matter to Samsung as long as individuals are shopping for Samsung-branded telephones? Possibly not! However then, what’s the purpose of the Galaxy S25 Edge within the first place? What drawback is it fixing? What hole is it filling that presently exists within the S25 household? I don’t assume there may be one, at the very least not with how the telephone was executed.

I feel there’s an argument to make in most telephones’ favor, however I haven’t discovered that but for the S25 Edge. It’s not priced nicely, the specs aren’t there, and your complete concentrate on a slim design is misplaced the second you placed on a case.