I don’t recommend the Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge, but it serves a purpose

I disagree with people who say the Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge shouldn’t exist or that no one asked for it. Innovation isn’t always a show of hands, and I can recognize that two things can be true at once. The Galaxy S25 Edge is an impressive piece of technology, fitting a powerful flagship chipset and a 6.7-inch display into a smartphone only 5.8mm thick. However, it’s also not a phone you should run out and buy.

Enthusiasts will always want to be on the bleeding edge of tech, trying out the latest and greatest on release. The Galaxy S25 Edge is a phone for them. For the rest of us, it’s an exercise and proof of concept for Samsung that I hope brings more practical applications. Not every device has to be for every type of customer; whether you like it or not, the Galaxy S25 Edge belongs.

An impractical daily driver

You shouldn’t make this your primary device

I’m not saying that no one should buy a Galaxy S25 Edge. If you’re looking for a sleek and stylish device and are a light user, the Galaxy S25 Edge might fit nicely into your daily routine — if you’re willing to pay $1,100. Better options exist, and for less. The Samsung Galaxy S25+ is plenty thin at only 7.3mm and carries a bigger battery and an extra camera sensor. It’s the Samsung option most people should be going for, and it’ll provide a better experience in the long term.

The Galaxy S25 Edge may not be the phone I recommend you buy in 2025, but I’m looking forward to seeing how Samsung implements what it learned from the device.

If Samsung wanted to turn the Galaxy S25 Edge into a viable daily driver, it would need to fit it with a silicon-carbon battery. It could get a higher-density battery into the same footprint and deliver the expected performance of a $1,100 flagship. I don’t believe that was Samsung’s goal, and I don’t think the company was interested in eating into Galaxy S25+ sales, at least not yet. But just because it doesn’t occupy a clean spot in Samsung’s lineup doesn’t mean it shouldn’t exist.

Innovation is important for Samsung

The company has to try things

I’ve written extensively about Samsung’s unwillingness to innovate and experiment with its phones. It used to be the company that brought us devices like the Galaxy Note Edge, but recently, Samsung seems content playing it safe. Its phones seem designed to placate rather than inspire, hoping to turn off the least number of people possible and blend in on carrier store shelves. Sure, the devices are still premium and pack flagship specs, but I can’t remember the last time I was excited to unbox a Samsung phone.

If the Galaxy S25 Edge is the company’s attempt to break out of that, I’m all for it. I wish the design were a bit bolder, but it’s a step in the right direction. Innovation can happen accidentally, and trying new things leads to knowledge, even if the results are unintended. The Apollo moon missions resulted in countless new technologies to reach the larger goal of getting to the moon. Samsung isn’t doing anything that elaborate, but the point stands, even on a smaller scale. The original Samsung Galaxy Z Fold wasn’t a consumer-ready product but paved the way for folding screen devices. Something doesn’t always have to matter immediately for it to be important.

Possible future applications

Learning lessons as they go

The Galaxy S25 Edge may not be the phone I recommend you buy in 2025, but I’m looking forward to seeing how Samsung implements what it learned from the device. There are rumors that an updated S25 Edge could replace the Galaxy S25+ next year. That would make sense, as the devices share a display size. It would solve the problem of the S25+ being too close to the Galaxy S25 Ultra to justify paying more for the Ultra. The Galaxy S25+ with a slimmer Edge form factor could be the device for people who want a sleek, stylish Galaxy, while the Ultra can remain the thicker, S pen workhorse.

It doesn’t even have to be a specific product. If Samsung discovered how to arrange or manufacture parts differently to make a phone thinner, it would trickle down into other devices. Samsung had to keep the Galaxy S25 Edge cool, despite having little room and a powerful flagship chipset with the Snapdragon 8 Elite. The lessons Samsung learns from the Galaxy S25 Edge will benefit Samsung fans in phones for years to come, so I see no reason to criticize the company for trying something new.

I’m looking forward to the future

I love the idea of seeing a Samsung that innovates again. I thought those days were long gone, but the Galaxy S25 Edge gives me hope. The company can’t just rely on Galaxy AI advancements to sell smartphones, and if the Edge is a step towards more impressive future designs, I can’t hate it. I complain enough about Samsung resting on its laurels, so how could I then turn around and criticize the company for doing something new? You shouldn’t buy a Galaxy S25 Edge, but don’t say it shouldn’t exist.