The new Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge vs S25+ and S25 Ultra: What are the differences?

Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge vs S25+ vs S25: What are the differences?

May 13, 2025 - 01:10

The new Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge vs S25+ and S25 Ultra: What are the differences?

Galaxy S25 Ultra smartphone at the company's annual general meeting

There’s a new contender in the Samsung Galaxy S25 lineup, and it’s aimed squarely at the phone obsessives who want just a little bit less. With the ultra-thin S25 Edge, Samsung is officially celebrating the age of the thinner smartphone. The new Galaxy S25 Edge offers similar features to even the flagship S25 Ultra, only with a slimmer body.

The Galaxy S25 Edge debuts as the fourth model in the series, lining up alongside the S25, S25+, and S25 Ultra.

Let’s not waste time: we're focusing on how the Edge compares to the S25, S25+, and S25 Ultra in terms of price, specs, and overall performance.

On paper, the quartet might look like close cousins. But dig a little deeper, and you'll find distinct differences that matter — especially if you're the type who geeks out over camera systems or counts every dollar. (You can also read up on our first-hand impressions of the new S25 Edge.) Here's how it shakes out:

Meet the S25 Edge, the new ultra-thin Galaxy phone from Samsung. Credit: Alex Perry / Mashable

Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge vs S25, S25+, and S25 Ultra: Price

Samsung is leaning into premium with the S25 Edge, which launches at a starting price of $1,099. That puts it above both the standard S25 and the Plus, but still shy of the Ultra’s $1,299 price tag. For the money, you’re getting 256GB of storage and 12GB of RAM right out of the gate.

S25 Edge:

256GB/12GB RAM: $1,099.99
512B/12GB RAM: $1,219.99

S25 Ultra:

256GB/12GB RAM: $1,299.99
512B/12GB RAM: $1,419.99
1TB/12GB RAM: $1,659.99

S25+:

128GB/12GB RAM: $999.99
256GB/12GB RAM: $1,119.99

S25:

128GB/12GB RAM: $799.99
256GB/12GB RAM: $859.99

If you're watching your wallet, the S25 is the obvious pick. It skimps on storage compared to the Edge and Plus, but still packs the same 12GB of RAM. And since all three models run on Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Elite chip, performance is nearly identical across the board — unless you’re the kind of person who insists on squeezing every frame out of AAA mobile games.

Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge vs S25 line: Design

The S25 Ultra... Credit: Joe Maldonado/Mashable

...and the noticeably slimmer design of the S25 Edge. Credit: Alex Perry / Mashable

Design-wise, the Edge — well, takes the edge. With curved sides, a sleek titanium frame, and a profile that’s both slimmer and just as light as the S25 and Plus, it’s clearly the more refined piece of hardware. That said, you’ll have to settle for fewer looks: the Edge launches in just three color options, while the S25 and Plus come in a rainbow of seven.

The Edge also features a 6.7-inch display with a peak brightness of 2,600 nits — bigger than the base S25 and matching the Plus. All three have AMOLED panels, but the Edge gets an upgrade with new ceramic glass out front, adding a bit more durability (and flair) to its face.

S25 Edge:

6.7-inch display
Thickness: 5.8mm
Weight: 163 grams
Colors: Titanium Silver, Titanium Jetblack, and Titanium Icy Blue

S25 Ultra:

6.9-inch display
Thickness: 8.2mm
Weight: 218 grams
Colors: Blueblack, Coralred, Pinkgold, Navy, Mint, Icy Blue, Silver Shadown

S25+:

6.7-inch display
Thickness: 7.3mm
Weight: 190 grams
Colors: Blueblack, Coralred, Pinkgold, Navy, Mint, Icy Blue, Silver Shadown

S25:

6.2-inch display
Thickness: 5.84mm
Weight: 162 grams
Colors: Blueblack, Coralred, Pinkgold, Navy, Mint, Icy Blue, Silver Shadown

Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge vs S25 Ultra, S25+, S25: Camera

The rear cameras on the S25 Edge. Credit: Alex Perry / Mashable

The rear cameras on the S25 Ultra. Credit: Joe Maldonado/Mashable

For the mobile photographers — or just the friend in the group who always nails the shot (shoutout to you) — Samsung’s camera game is still strong across the board. But here’s the twist: to keep the S25 Edge slim and slick, Samsung made one major cut. Literally. The Edge drops one camera compared to its siblings. However, on balance, the average user won't miss much. The S25 Edge has the same 200MP main rear camera and all of the same AI photo editing features as the S25.

So, while you do lose out on the ultra-wide and ultra-zoom lenses, it doesn’t exactly feel like a huge downgrade. Plus, that 200MP main sensor blows past the 50MP shooters on the S25 and Plus. Here's the quick breakdown:

S25 Edge

200MP main
12MP ultra-wide
12MP front

S25 Ultra

200MP main
50MP ultra-wide
50MP telephoto
12MP front

S25+

50MP main
12MP ultra-wide
10MP telephoto
12MP front

S25

50MP main
12MP ultra-wide
10MP telephoto
12MP front

Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge vs S25: Battery and Performance

The rear camera wasn’t the only casualty in the Edge’s quest for sleekness. Battery capacity took a hit, too. While the S25+ leads the pack with a hefty 4,900mAh cell, the Edge trims things down to 3,900mAh. The base S25 splits the difference at 4,000mAh. On paper, that might sound like a loss for the Edge, but battery life is more than just numbers.

Early reviews peg the S25 and S25+ at around 14 hours of runtime. The Edge doesn’t have official estimates yet, but given its smaller cell, expect slightly less — unless Samsung’s software optimization pulls off something impressive.

As for raw performance, all three phones are powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Elite chip, tuned for serious multitasking, mobile gaming, and AI-enhanced everything. You’re also getting top-tier memory and storage across the board: LPDDR5x RAM and UFS 4.0, just like the S24 line. In other words, no one's getting left behind in the speed department.

S25 Edge

Battery size: 3,900mAh

S25 Ultra

Battery size: 4,900mAh

S25+

Battery size: 4,900mAh

S25

Battery size: 4,000mAh

Which should you buy?

The new Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge launches in three colors. Credit: Alex Perry / Mashable

If you’re all about value, the base S25 is hard to beat. It delivers flagship-tier performance, the same Snapdragon 8 Elite chip, and a solid camera setup at the lowest price point. The S25+ is the sweet spot for battery life and versatility, offering the best endurance and a more complete camera system thanks to that telephoto lens. And if you want true flagship performance, the S25 Ultra is for you.

But if design, display, and pure camera power matter more to you than an extra lens or a few hundred milliamps, the S25 Edge earns its name. It’s sleeker, bolder, and packs that beastly 200MP sensor — though you’ll give up a telephoto and a bit of battery to get it. This is the model for people who want premium, but not Ultra-premium.

Most importantly, the S25 Edge manages to offer a much slimmer body without sacrificing too many flagship features. So, if you had your eyes on the S25 Ultra but the price or size put you off, then the S25 gives you the best of all worlds.