What is Samsung’s iPhone 17 Air competitor like?

When Samsung unveiled the Galaxy 25 Edge, I noted that it was remarkably similar to what we’re expecting to see from the iPhone 17 Air.

I suggested that reviews of Samsung’s ultra-slim phone might provide clues to the likely reception of Apple’s ultra-slim phone – so how are things looking so far … ?

I said that while iPhone and Android smartphones represent different markets, reviews of the Edge would still provide some useful indicators.

Would reviewers be blown away by the slim form-factor, or relatively unimpressed? Would they be concerned about robustness, and the risk of bending in particular? Would they be critical of battery life? Would they consider that making a phone slimmer than ever is enough to justify a relatively high price?

A few early reviews are now in, and we have some answers to those questions.

Does an ultra-slim form factor wow?

Somewhat.

Trusted Reviews says it definitely makes a big impression, and makes other models seem clunky.

Pick up the Galaxy S25 Edge, and you’ll probably want one. Even after handling the Galaxy S25 Edge at a Samsung event a week ago, I was still enamoured with its ultra-slim design. At 5.8mm thick, it’s striking, and tipping the scales at 163g, it’s an absolute treat to hold and use. I found myself constantly marvelling at the phone, looking at it from all angles […] I’d go as far as to say that the S25 Edge has ruined my previously positive experience with the S25 Ultra. Even after just 24 hours, the Ultra feels thick and noticeably heavy, to the point where I wonder how I’ve used this phone for the past few months.

Tom’s Guide says it can only be appreciated in person:

If this is a small taste of what’s in store for the future, then I’m on board with the prospect of ultra thin phones. Samsung’s the first out of the gate with the Galaxy S25 Edge, an unbelievably thin phone at 5.8mm that can only be appreciated seeing it in person.

CNET says it’s more about feel than looks.

While the S25 Edge’s thickness may not be visually striking at first glance, getting your hands on the phone is a different story. Comparing how the S25 Edge’s 5.8mm, 163g frame feels to the S25 and S25 Plus, I registered just how much thinner and lighter it really is […] It’s a noticeable difference. 

But Tech Radar said it was somewhat underwhelming.

It’s very thin, but nobody is going to be shocked. I expect the reaction will be more like ‘huh, that’s pretty thin,’ and not ‘WOW, what a THIN PHONE!’ […] It feels a little bit thinner and a little bit lighter than other phones I’ve used. Just a little bit. It’s not the thinnest phone ever. Even Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold 6 is thinner when it’s open; it’s just the thinnest ever Galaxy S phone. It’s not even close to the thinnest flat smartphone ever. The Vivo X5 Max from 2014 was more than 1mm thinner than the Galaxy S25 Edge at less than 4.75mm.

Is the bending risk a concern?

Tom’s Guide says it feels sturdy.

For a phone that’s this thin and light, it still feels incredibly solid in the hand. That’s due to its sturdy titanium frame and Gorilla Glass Ceramic 2 covering the display. Even with its thinness, it doesn’t feel fragile and still gets the same IP68 rating as the Galaxy S25 Ultra.

CNET agrees.

The moment of truth was applying some force to the phone to see if it gave at all. Impressively, it felt quite sturdy […] It touts a Corning Gorilla Glass Ceramic 2 display, along with a Gorilla Glass Victus 2 backing. My initial impression is that you shouldn’t have to worry about accidentally turning the S25 Edge into a foldable by keeping it in your back pocket, but that’s certainly something I’ll have to test.

Is it worth the battery life hit?

Probably not.

Tom’s Guide’s Philip Michaels thinks not.

I’m beginning to worry that in their quest to produce ever thinner devices, phone makers are losing sight of some of the fundamental things consumers look for in their handsets […] The Galaxy S25 and S25 Plus posted times just shy of 16 hours and 17 hours, respectively. So you’re getting up to 4 hours less battery life with the Galaxy S25 Edge even though you’re paying more for Samsung’s ultra-thin model […] It’s not a trade-off I’d want to make.

Trusted Reviews’ Lewis Painter was quite shocked at how bad it is.

I charged the S25 Edge to 100%, and took it off charge at around 3pm yesterday afternoon. I went out for a couple of hours in the evening, using the phone sporadically to reply to WhatsApps, take a handful of photos and listen to Spotify on my hour-long journey home and, by 10pm, my battery had dropped to 65%. When I went to bed at around 1am, the phone had 54% charge left with only an hour and 15 minutes of screen time. 

Tech Radar says it won’t make it through a full day, and doesn’t offer fast-enough charging to compensate.

If I could charge this phone to full in 30 minutes, I wouldn’t mind that it can’t last all day on a single charge. But with only 25W charging, Samsung says 30 minutes will get me just over halfway, to 55% charged.

Overall

Views on the overall proposition of the device are mixed, with most saying the market will decide – but Tom’s Guide thinks it’s a tough sell at the price.

I honestly believe that the Galaxy S25 Edge is in a tough position, mainly because of how it’s priced and the compromises it makes in order to achieve its thinness. At $1,099, it’s $200 more expensive than the similarly sized Galaxy S25 Plus — and $200 less than the Galaxy S25 Ultra flagship.

So far at least, the big challenge seems to be battery life. If it’s bought by those who use their phone relatively lightly, then maybe that won’t prove a deal-breaker. But heavy users are likely to find it doesn’t make it through the day.

Photo: Samsung