iPhone Air vs. Samsung S25 Edge: I compared both thin phones, and here's the winner

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The marketplace of ultra-thin and lightweight phones is officially astatine its tipping point, arsenic Apple threw its chapeau into the ringing this week with the caller iPhone Air.

The newest and arguably astir innovative iPhone features the company's slimmest plan yet, measuring astatine astir 5.6mm thin. How did the folks astatine Cupertino execute specified a record? By opting for a smaller battery, less cameras, and immoderate plan elements that disrupt the norm, particularly by iPhone standards. In different words, this is simply a wholly antithetic beast.

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Its closest competitor, the Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge, is different one. The S25 Edge follows a akin plan philosophy, serving users a burdenless hardware acquisition with immoderate questionable omissions. Between the 2 phones, which 1 should you buy? That's what I'm present to answer.

Specifications

You should bargain the iPhone Air if...

Apple/ZDNET

1. You privation the little risky bladed phone

What bash I mean by that? For starters, the iPhone Air starts astatine $999, undercutting the S25 Edge by $100, truthful it's already an concern that should beryllium easier to manage. That wealth gets you 256GB of interior retention (the aforesaid arsenic the Samsung), Apple's repubtable bundle update argumentation that keeps the telephone feature-relevant for years down the road, and an iOS experience that has proven reliable for app enactment and fluidity.

Also: Apple iPhone 17 Pro vs. iPhone 16 Pro: Here are the main differences

It goes without saying that if you're a existent iPhone user, the iPhone Air volition beryllium the amended prime of the two, with benefits similar easier information transportation (including those pesky contacts that ne'er prevention properly) and entree to a acquainted suite of iOS apps similar iMessage and FaceTime.

Apple's retail beingness is besides overmuch stronger than Samsung's, with aggregate stores centralized crossed fashionable cities successful the U.S. (and outside) for smoother servicing.

2. You're often outdoors (and privation the champion view)

Apple says the iPhone Air tin scope a highest brightness of 3,000 nits, beating the S25 Edge's 2,600-nit rating. That simply means the iPhone volition look brighter erstwhile outdoors oregon nether aggravated lighting, making the instrumentality easier to read, browse, and navigate.

Also: Every iPhone 17 exemplary compared: Should you bargain the basal model, Air, Pro, oregon Max?

As acold arsenic different show specs go, the iPhone Air competes squarely with the S25 Edge, from the 120Hz show to the durability of the solid layering. You tin besides reason that the iPhone's smaller 6.5-inch surface size makes it easier to wield and run with 1 manus compared to the S25 Edge's 6.7-inch screen.

You should bargain the Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge if...

Kerry Wan/ZDNET

1. You privation a much flexible camera system

While some manufacturers had constricted signifier factors to physique cameras around, Samsung offers much originative state with the S25 Edge. That starts with the 200MP main sensor (compared to the iPhone Air's 48MP), which enables high-resolution images erstwhile cropped oregon captured successful RAW. 

Also: Finally, a Samsung telephone that I'd enactment my S25 Ultra distant for (especially astatine this price)

Then you origin successful the further 12MP ultrawide sensor that stretches the width of the shots you tin take. I expect Apple to heavy marketplace the iPhone Air's "Fusion Camera," but spot maine erstwhile I accidental that nary artificial modifications volition ever bushed pure, carnal optics.

2. You privation a much feature-packed phone

Android phones person ever been much functional than iPhones, and that holds existent for the S25 Edge. Compared to the iPhone Air, the Samsung handset features a much expansive AI toolkit, backed by some Galaxy AI and Google's Gemini services. That includes browsing tools similar Circle to Search, a much extended representation editing suite, system-wide translation capabilities, and more.

The S25 Edge besides supports carnal SIM cards, portion the iPhone Air is eSIM only, nary substance which portion you acquisition the handset from. This whitethorn beryllium a woody breaker for predominant travelers who necessitate the usage of section SIM cards oregon customers who simply don't privation to digitize their SIM cards.

Lastly, the S25 Edge has a larger 3,900mAh artillery compared to the iPhone Air's estimated 2,800mAh capacity. Still, those numbers don't archer the afloat endurance story, truthful we'll person to trial the iPhone to spot precisely however optimized the instrumentality is.

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