Longer battery life typically ranks at or near the top of phone owners’ wish lists when it comes to the things they want most. After all, a phone is no good if the battery is dead. And yet, phone makers often appear not to care. We need only consider the latest handset from Samsung as yet another example of a $1,000-plus piece of hardware that intentionally downsizes the battery to achieve a design goal.
The Galaxy S25 Edge ($1,099.99) is a thinner, lighter version of the Galaxy S25+ ($999.99). It’s thinner and lighter mostly because Samsung trimmed 1,000mAh of capacity from the battery so it could tighten up the dimensions. The S25+ has a 4,900mAh battery and the Edge pares that back to 3,900mAh. What does that loss of battery get you? A device that measures 6.23 by 2.98 by 0.23 inches (HWD) and weighs 5.75 ounces compared with 6.24 by 2.98 by 0.29 inches and 6.70 ounces. The Edge is 0.06 inches (1.5mm) thinner and weighs about one ounce less than the S25+. There are other differences, but the phones are otherwise much the same.
(Credit: Eric Zeman)
We haven’t tested the S25 Edge battery life yet, but Samsung says the phone gets more battery life than the S24 (13 hours, 6 minutes in our testing), but not as much as the S25 (14 hours, 15 minutes). It considers this good enough to call “all-day battery life.”
Despite a much smaller battery than the rest of the Galaxy S25 lineup, the Edge will likely deliver good-enough results for most people, and it shouldn’t factor too heavily into your decision-making. Here’s why.
The S24 and S25 are not class leaders in battery life, but they suffice. Each has a 4,000mAh battery that outlasts plenty of competing Android phones, including the Google Pixel 9 (11 hours, 45 minutes) and the Pixel 9 Pro XL (12 hours, 25 minutes).
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Moreover, folding phones continue to capture our attention and sell despite having some of the shortest battery lives of any phones we test. Samsung’s $1,899.99 Galaxy Z Fold 6 lasted just 11 hours and 30 minutes in testing, while the $1,799 Pixel 9 Pro Fold lasted 11 hours. Longer battery life would be nice, but people aren’t returning these phones in droves because they need an extra hour or two.
(Credit: Eric Zeman)
Charging speed is another factor to consider. Samsung plays it conservative and keeps the S25 Edge’s maximum wired charging speed at 25W. This is about the same as the latest iPhones (25W) and Pixels (27W), and is still plenty fast. Though we haven’t tested it yet, the S25 Edge should recharge fully in less than 1 hour and 15 minutes. You can likely expect the battery’s charge to jump by 50% if you plug it in for about 30 minutes, which helps offset the shorter battery life.
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There are also tricks to consider for extending battery life when necessary. For example, turning off your phone’s always-on display will save lots of battery life. Taming notifications, putting apps to sleep, and using the phone’s battery saver mode will also conserve power.
So while the Galaxy S25 Edge isn’t primed to be a battery life champion, many people will likely delight at its svelte design and enjoy a phone that’s lighter and easier to hold. That’s a fair trade to me.
You can preorder the S25 Edge now ahead of its May 30 sale date. Check back soon for a full review.
About Eric Zeman
Managing Editor, Consumer Electronics
