At a time when there are fewer reasons to upgrade smartphones, Samsung has delivered Galaxy S25 Edge, which is generating a renewed interest in the slab form factor and, at the same time, has kicked off a wave of exceptionally slim handsets expected to launch this year.

Only 5.8mm thick (minus camera bump) and weighing 163g, the new handset hardly makes compromises in the hardware department. The Edge is only one gram heavier than the regular Galaxy S25 that comes with a 6.2-inch screen. At 5.8mm thick, it’s thinner than any Samsung slab phone.

For context, iPhone 16 is 7.8 mm thick and weighs 170 grams. If you think the difference is small, consider the screen size — the Apple device has a 6.1-inch screen while the Edge has a 6.7-inch OLED display. Compared to the same-sized Galaxy S25+, the Edge is 1.5 mm thinner and 27g lighter.

At the same time, Samsung has managed to retain most of the hardware chops — a titanium frame, Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy chipset, 200MP rear camera and high-end artificial intelligence capabilities (on the software side).

Unusual timing

At 5.8mm thick, the phone is comfortably thinner than any Samsung slab phone in years. Picture: Reuters

The launch is taking place less than four months after Samsung staged its annual flagship phone launch for the S25 series. The Edge was displayed at the event in January, but journalists were not allowed to get a feel of the phone. It is unusual for Samsung to launch a new high-end device this soon after the January event and the usual timeline involves the company’s next foldable lineup arriving in July or August.

Samsung could be capitalising on the success of the S25 range. At the same time, there is an uncertain macroeconomic environment because of US President Donald Trump’s economic policies.

Last month, Samsung reported a jump in revenue and profit in the first quarter of the year at its mobile division because of strong sales of its Galaxy S25 series.

Trump’s “reciprocal” tariffs took effect in April but were paused shortly after. Meanwhile, the US and China have agreed to pause most of their tariffs on each party.

Also, the launch has taken place months ahead of Apple’s rumoured iPhone 17 on a diet. Many expect it to be called iPhone 17 Air, it is expected to come in at around the same thickness as the Galaxy S25 Edge and may have a single back camera, compared with two on the new Edge handset.

Solving an old issue

There are two cameras on the back of the phone — 200MP main and 12MP ultra-wide. The camera module has been reengineered to fit the chassis. Picture: Reuters

It’s difficult to understand the slim factor of the Edge and, at a glance, appears like a regular phone until you pick it up. The phone addresses a gripe that users have had for years — big phones weigh too much.

Edge uses the same titanium frame as the S25 Ultra to ensure it’s tougher than the aluminum of the other models. Further, there is the newly-announced Gorilla Glass Ceramic 2 on the screen, and an IP68 rating for dust and water resistance.

Can the battery hold up? In our upcoming review, we will focus on that point.

The 3,900mAh battery on the Edge is the smallest across the S25 range, compared to 4,000mAh in the S25, 4,900mAh in the S25+ and 5,000mAh on the Ultra. Samsung said it’s a full-day phone and can deliver 24 hours of nonstop video playback. But that’s moderate usage. How will it hold up after extreme usage involving GPS and video recording? Charging speed taps out at 25 watts wired and 15 watts wireless.

The other sacrifice users will make is the absence of telephoto. Users will probably not worry about the telephoto because they’re probably going to buy this phone for its design.

The camera module had to be newly engineered to fit the frame. The camera actuator is 13 per cent slimmer, and so is the main camera. The ultra-wide snapper is 12 per cent slimmer. The 200MP main camera also acts as a macro camera. The entire circuit board has also been reengineered. No compromises have been made on the heat dissipation structure.

When the iPhone arrived nearly two decades ago, companies tried to make handsets thinner. It was a key marketing point for a device like iPhone 6. In recent years, companies have taken a different approach to focus on improving battery life and offering better cameras. The marketing game appears to be changing.

The new phone takes advantage of all the Galaxy AI features and will receive seven years of software updates. There are several handy features, like Screen Sharing (ask directly about anything on your screen and get instant answers) and Video Sharing (show Gemini live video of your room/space and get instant responses).

All Samsung service centres can handle the new device, in case there are accidental damages. Finally, what does Edge signify? Engineering marvel.

(L-R) Soon Choi, corporate EVP, JB Park, president and CEO, and Raju Pullan, senior VP, Samsung India, launch the Galaxy S25 Edge in India

At a glance

Device: Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge

Colours (in India): Titanium Silver and Titanium Jetblack

Display: 6.7-inch QHD+, dynamic AMOLED 2X Display

Dimensions: 75.6 x 158.2 x 5.8mm, 163g

Cameras: 12MP ultra-wide, 200MP main camera and 12MP front camera

Processor: Snapdragon 8 Elite Mobile Platform for Galaxy

Storage: 12 + 512GB and 12 + 256GB

Battery: 3,900 mAh

Price: Upwards of ₹109,990