Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge vs S25 Ultra: There’s only one winner for me

The Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge and the Galaxy S25 Ultra may belong to the same range-topping family, but they couldn’t be more different. The newly-launched Edge is a slim, lightweight handset determined to lighten consumers’ pockets (in more ways than one), while the Ultra is a big smartphone laden with everything and more. We have two very different design and marketing philosophies here, so which device is best for you?

While both phones have their merits, there’s one obvious choice for me. If design made the difference, Samsung’s newer model would have this contest won. But value is king in my book, and the Edge just can’t come close to the Ultra.

Let’s touch on the design of both devices. Samsung clearly wanted the Edge to stand out. Not only does it offer a unique rear camera module which breaks the Galaxy S25 series’ aesthetic, it’s also incredibly thin and light. At 5.8mm thick and 163 grams light, it’s one of the most pocketable modern Samsung phones ever made. These values are impressive in their own right, and make the Galaxy S25 Edge far more compact than the 8.2mm thick, 218 gram Ultra. I appreciate Samsung’s fat-trimming exercise, and as a Pixel 8 user, I do value a more pocketable handset.

However, I’ll never consider a phone on measurements alone. Smartphone design is all about compromise. Manufacturers are constantly giving and taking between internal features and overall size. Larger phones have more room for components, but they sacrifice usability. Alternatively, thinner, lighter phones are far more pocketable, but that reduced volume means less space for components. The Edge absolutely suffers from the latter.

The most significant shortcoming with the Edge, especially versus the Ultra, is its limited battery capacity. At 3,900mAh, it’s even smaller than the stock Galaxy S25, and a massive 1,100mAh short of the Ultra. At least Samsung hasn’t skimped on the horsepower. Both devices use the Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy chipset, although the Ultra has a larger 6.9-inch AMOLED screen versus the 6.7-inch panel used on the Edge. There’ll be a sizeable endurance difference between these two phones, and personally, I’d take a longer lasting handset any day of the week.

To give Samsung credit, the Edge’s pancaked body does include a larger vapor chamber than the Galaxy S25 Plus. That should contribute to cooler temperatures in demanding processing tasks. But, if top-end performance was important to me, I’d sooner snatch up a purpose-built gaming phone than a Galaxy S25 series device.

And as for its imaging chops, I mentioned that the Edge offers a deviant camera module design compared to its Galaxy S25 Ultra, and that’s because it’s two cameras short. Yes, it is the only other Galaxy model to boast a 200MP main camera, which Samsung uses for digital zoom up to 10x, but the Edge only offers a 12MP ultrawide and no dedicated zoom lenses. I do prefer a zoom camera to brings subjects closer to me, so this is an immediate problem. Nevertheless, its selfie camera is the only front facing Samsung snapper that currently supports Log video recording, which is a boon for vloggers craving more control of the output.

Finally, I want to touch on my biggest issue with the Galaxy S25 Edge: its price. At $1,099 for its 256GB version, it’s $100 more expensive than the 256GB Galaxy S25 Plus and just $200 cheaper than the 256GB Galaxy S25 Ultra. That’s awkward pricing for a phone that doesn’t offer anything novel.

While the Galaxy S25 Ultra is expensive, it can largely back up its price. It’s packed to the brim with features. Compared to the Edge, it includes a more comprehensive quad camera system with two dedicated telephoto lenses, a much larger battery, a bigger display, and an S Pen for artists and jotters. And, when factoring in its smaller wins, like its anti-reflective screen coating, it’s a tough act to beat.

Of course, this is just my opinion. If you fancy the Galaxy S25 Edge, pre-orders are now live. The phone will start shipping on May 30, so you have plenty of time to weigh your options.